Many specialty restaurants get booked up prior to the sailing. For instance, all Carnival cruise ships offer a 14- or 16-person Chef's Table experience for an extra fee. The reservation-only meal consists of eight courses served with Champagne and house wine. Diners are guided through each course, and some guests book this experience on every cruise they take. Other small restaurants, like show kitchens and sushi bars, also have limited seating and fill up well before the sailing begins. Another key aspect to watch for is at-sea days. Since every cruiser will be onboard, the most popular restaurants fill up fast.

Don't worry if you're a picky eater.

We get it, not everyone is a foodie. That said, many cruise ships have partnered with beloved chain restaurants and celebrity chefs to give passengers a taste of home at sea. Partnerships with celebrated chefs like Thomas Keller, Jamie Oliver, and Nobu have ramped things up for fine-dining. More casual options include Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville on some Norwegian lines, Guy's Burger Joint on some Carnival lines, and Starbucks and Johnny Rockets on some Royal Caribbean ships. Even if your ship doesn't have a chain restaurant, try to think of the all-inclusive dining establishments (many don't allow reservations anyway) as several kitchens you can access. For instance, walk into Shanghai Noodle Bar on Norwegian Breakaway for some pre-dinner apps before having a lighter meal at Savor. The ship's sports bar, O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, makes excellent nachos for a post-swim snack. And don't forget the kids' corner at the buffet station, where you can always find burgers, hot dogs, fries, fried fish, and soft-serve ice cream.

Look carefully at the menus.

While it may seem noteworthy that a cruise ship has several restaurants, keep in mind that some of them are serving the same food in different surroundings. The Emerald Princess has three main dining rooms: Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli -- each serving identical breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices. On the Norwegian Sky, guests can choose to grab their own waffles from the buffet at Garden Cafe or have the exact same waffles served to them at the Italian restaurant, Il Adagio. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does cut down on the wow factor.