Specialty dining

Most ships have included restaurants, such as the main dining room and buffet, and specialty restaurants that cost extra, such as a steakhouse, an Italian trattoria or a sushi bar. They are usually smaller and quieter, with more elaborate menus, and many guests book one or two nights as a treat. Some lines include specialty dining in the fare; Oceania, Regent Seven Seas and Virgin Voyages are examples. On popular sailings the best times book up early, so reserve before you sail when the line allows it.

Specialty dining: when to book and when to skip

Every big line includes a main dining room and a buffet. Specialty restaurants are the extras: steakhouses, teppanyaki, chef-led venues. They usually cost more and need a reservation.

How lines differ

• Carnival lists venues such as Emeril's Bistro on Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras, and Bonsai Teppanyaki.
• Celebrity lists 32 restaurants, bars and lounges on Edge Series ships, including Le Voyage by Chef Daniel Boulud on Celebrity Ascent.
• Disney builds dinner around rotational dining: you eat at a different themed main restaurant on different nights and your servers move with you. On Disney Treasure those are 1923, Worlds of Marvel and Plaza de Coco.
• Virgin Voyages replaces a single main dining room with a choice of restaurants.

How to decide

• Pick one special meal for a celebration rather than booking every night.
• On a short cruise, the included venues may be all you need.
• Book early on popular venues, and check any dress code.
• Check whether your fare or package includes any specialty meals.

Families

Specialty dining can be a nice evening for adults while children are in the kids' club. Check opening hours for the kids' club and whether children are welcome in the restaurant.

Sources

• Carnival Celebration ({D})
• Celebrity Ascent ({D})
• Disney Parks Blog, Disney Treasure ({D})

Line policies, prices and inclusions change. We check the current terms for your sailing rather than quoting fixed figures.