When it comes to planning a cruise, looking at the ship's dining options is as important (okay, almost as important) as deciding where you want to sail. Thanks to multiple onboard restaurants, there are more food choices than there are cruise ships, which can lead to information overload and lots of confusion about what is and isn't included with your cabin fare and what's worth the extra fee. For instance, Norwegian's Getaway includes six free restaurants with cabin fare, and allows cruisers to pay a la carte (or buy packages) for a whopping 16 additional restaurants. Lucky for you, we've eaten our way across a whole fleet of cruise ships and know the ins and outs of dining at sea. Read on for our tips and tricks on how to make the most out of your cruise ship dining experience.

Buy a dining package.

Are you the type of person who centers their vacation around trying new flavors or do you prefer tried-and-true familiar foods? Do you want to sit down at a reserved time for waiter service or would you rather eat whenever you feel like it at a self-serve buffet? Or, perhaps you want to enjoy a mix of both. Luckily, most major cruise ships cater to both types of diners, but to ensure you're getting the best experience for the best price, consider purchasing a dining package. Royal Caribbean offers packages that include three, four, five, or unlimited specialty restaurant visits with savings of up to 40 percent and special deals for kids. There are some limits on visiting the same restaurant more than once, and booze and soda will still cost extra (of course, there are beverage packages for purchase as well). It's easy to supplement the specialty dining with the free restaurants. Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas offers free dining at three main dining rooms, a cafe, bistro, and hot dog joint.

Free doesn't always mean casual.

Cruise ships have become very serious about providing multiple free and quality restaurants to their guests. Though you'll still find some less-than-stellar buffets (especially on budget cruises), most of the mid-range and up ships are in the gourmet game. Taste and Savor on the Norwegian Breakaway serve all-inclusive contemporary American and international dishes in semi-formal dining rooms with white tablecloths and cloth napkins. If you've ever dreamt of ordering the steak and the salmon entrees, this is your opportunity. And why not try every dessert on the menu while you're at it? Service isn't stuffy, but it's definitely a step up from the buffet line.



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