Crab Cakes at Todd English on the Queen Mary 2
While there’s still plenty of mediocre food at sea, these days, restaurants aboard cruise ships can compete with the finest venues on land. With menus created by chefs like Todd English, Jacques Pepin, and Charlie Palmer, cruise ship dining no longer emphasizes quantity over quality. In fact, many of the ships’ chefs shop the local markets for seasonal ingredients while the ships are in port.
Today, even the smaller ships offer several alternative places to dine, so there’s usually plenty of variety. And virtually every menu has healthy and vegetarian options available.
Here’s our list of the Top 10 Cruise Ships for Foodies.
1) Seabourn Odyssey
So involved is Chef Charlie Palmer with Seabourn that he helped design the galley aboard their newest ship, Seabourn Odyssey, as well as the menus. At the open-seating The Restaurant, Palmer‘s progressive American cuisine shines in dishes like crab and asparagus Napoleon and sea bass with lobster mousse. Restaurant 2 serves an innovative, ten-course tasting menu that might include duck confit, foie gras, and quail with wine pairings. And in The Colonnade, guests can dine al fresco on ceviche or empanadas.
Salmon Tartare from Nobu
Nobu Matsuhisa is the force behind Silk Road and The Sushi Bar on Crystal Serenity. Passengers can enjoy his signature dishes, including miso-glazed black cod. Prego, the Northern Italian restaurant, is guided by Piero Selvaggio, of Valentino in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Upgrade to a Penthouse Suite and you can order room service from either, as well as lobster and caviar. Parties of ten or more can arrange a private seven-course dinner with 13 wines in The Vintage Room.
3) Oceania Marina
When Marina launches in January 2011, it will include a French bistro named after Oceania’s culinary consultant, Jacques Pepin. Duck, pork, chicken, and veal roasts cooked on the rotisserie, and Pepin’s legendary Coq au Vin and Steak Frites will be on the menu. Red Ginger serves updated interpretations of Asian classics. Polo Grill has dry-aged steaks and seafood. And Toscana features the cuisine of Tuscany. You don’t have to wait for Marina to dine well. Under Pepin’s direction, Oceania’s alternative restaurants are some of the best at sea.
4) Regent Seven Seas Voyager
The reservations-only Signatures features dishes created and prepared by Le Cordon Bleu-certified chefs including foie gras terrine, cassoulet of escargots, and wine-poached figs. Updated Mediterranean dishes like pan-fried sea bass and bouillabaisse are served at La Veranda. And Prime 7 is a stylish American steak house. Serious cooks can choose one of the voyages that offer Le Cordon Bleu workshops.
5) Queen Mary 2
Cunard understands that fine dining can make or break a trans-ocean voyage. And guests aboard Queen Mary 2 won’t be disappointed. Your accommodations dictate which restaurants you may dine in, but the Queens and Princess Grill restaurants are both outstanding . The star of the show is the Todd English restaurant, where diners swoon over the celebrity chef’s dishes like truffled potato love letters and roasted rack of lamb with black olive jus. As you’d expect, the afternoon tea served in the Queens Room is top-notch.
6) Silversea Silver Shadow
Wine lovers will enjoy La Champagne, where a six-course tasting menu is paired with wines selected by Relais & Cheateau sommeliers. The less formal La Terrazza features Italian cuisine and ocean views. Those who are trying to stay fit will appreciate the CruiseLite dining program, and during dinner hours, guests can order from The Restaurant menu, which also features dishes created by Relais & Chateau. Special Culinary Arts Voyages include demonstrations and classes by guest chefs from the chain.
7) Holland America Eurodam
In addition to the Pinnacle Grill, which features Sterling Silver beef and wines rated as excellent by Wine Spectator, Eurodam offers Tamarind for pan-Asian dishes and Canaletto for fine Italian meals. Sponsored by Food & Wine magazine, the Culinary Arts Center has wine tastings, cooking classes and demonstrations in the purpose-built exhibition kitchen.
8) Sea Dream II
Specializing in “Cuisine a la Minute,” in which all dishes are prepared to order, Sea Dream II lets passengers dine in the elegant Dining Salon or at a table for two, under the stars. The open-air Topside Restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, and excellent hors d’oeuvres and snacks are served at the Pool Bar and Top of the Yacht Bar.
9) P&O Ventura
P&O isn’t well known among Americans, but it’s a popular choice for British cruisers. Marco Pierre White, who was the youngest chef to earn three Michelin stars when he won them, created the menu at The White Room. And there’s an Asian restaurant called East and a Spanish tapas bar named Ramblas.
Dining Room of Celebrity Equinox
10) Celebrity Equinox
From the two-story glass wine towers designed by Adam Tihany to a restaurant reserved for Spa Stateroom passengers, Celebrity has updated their approach to dining. Silk Harvest serves Asian-fusion cuisine family style at tables with built-in lazy Susans. Tuscan Grille is an Italian steak house. Murano serves continental specialties like crispy loup de mer and Muscovy duck breast. And Blu offers healthy creations for the spa set.
Find the best cruise ships for couples here.
Crab Cakes at Todd English on the Queen Mary 2 Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 1
Salmon Tartare from Nobu Image Flickr: jlastras
Dining Room of Celebrity Equinox Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 3