Everyone obsesses over specialty restaurants on cruise ships. They book the steakhouse. They reserve the sushi place. They completely ignore the main dining room.
This is a mistake. The main dining room remains one of the best values on any cruise ship. Multiple courses every night. No upcharge. Service that ranges from solid to spectacular depending on your crew.
The menus rotate throughout your cruise. You get everything from lobster tail to prime rib to dishes you have never heard of. The portion sizes are reasonable, which means you can actually try multiple appetizers or desserts without needing a forklift to get back to your cabin.
Here is what most people miss about main dining room strategy. You can order multiple entrees. The menu says choose one, but your server will bring you two if you ask nicely. You can also get dishes from previous nights if they still have ingredients.
The wine pairings are reasonably priced compared to specialty restaurants. The atmosphere is elegant without being stuffy. You meet other passengers at shared tables if you want the social experience.
Specialty restaurants have their place. But skipping the main dining room entirely means you are literally throwing away hundreds of dollars of included meals. If you want help planning which cruise lines do main dining rooms best, that is exactly what we do.
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