Cruise food is supposed to be amazing, right? All-you-can-eat buffet, specialty restaurants, midnight pizza. But many cruisers are shocked to discover charges they didn’t see coming, regret not booking specialty dining ASAP, or missing out on room service. Some rookie cruisers also don’t realize they can order multiple items from the menu.
Most of these mistakes are totally avoidable. So before you post “No one told me I could’ve had lobster!” or “I didn’t expect drinks to cost that much” in a cruise forum, read these 17 slip-ups—and avoid a dining disaster at sea.
I Thought It Was Free—Until a $200 Charge Hit My Bill
No one tells you when you board, but the Main Dining Room isn’t always free. That juicy steak, second lobster tail, or third entrée? On some cruise lines, those come with surprise charges.
One Carnival cruiser shared on Cruise Critic, “I ordered a third entrée and didn’t realize there was an extra fee attached. I assumed everything in the Main Dining Room was free.” Another warned that on MSC cruises, extra charges apply to the second entrée. On Royal Caribbean? It’s only extra lobster tails that cost you more.
Before you hit the MDR for a dining experience to remember, check the cruise line’s fine print. Otherwise, you could be handing over money and only realizing it when your onboard bill explodes on day six.
I Booked a Specialty Dinner—Right When the MDR Had Lobster
We thought we were treating ourselves with teppanyaki on night three—until we walked past the MDR and saw trays of lobster tails and filet mignon. My stomach dropped.
Seasoned cruisers call this the “lobster tail fail.” You pay extra for steakhouse vibes and miss out on one of the few gourmet nights included in your fare. One guest said, “I missed lobster night, because I booked a spa dinner. Still mad.” Another called it a “total facepalm” after realizing prime rib was on the menu that night.
To avoid this rookie blunder, always check the daily dining schedules before locking in specialty dining reservations. Otherwise, you risk paying for second-best.
The Steakhouse Was Booked Solid—Before I Even Boarded
It’s a classic dining mistake that first-time cruisers often make: not booking specialty restaurants before boarding, or at least as soon as you’re onboard. Many cruisers share their regret that by the time they get around to booking the chef’s Table, the steakhouse, or hibachi, no free dinner reservations are left.
Cruise forums are packed with advice on snagging the best deals in specialty restaurants. Savvy cruisers know the good stuff fills fast. One newbie shared, “I was really looking forward to Chops Grille on Ovation of the Seas, but never got there as it was booked solid.” Others share their frustration about having to rely on waitlist cancellations.
If you really want to enjoy fancy dining in a particular restaurant, book before you sail or prepare for a week of dreaming about what could have been.
Everyone Else Had Cocktails—I Was Stuck Sipping Tap Water
It’s the great cruiser debate: is it worth buying the drink package? For some, not booking the beverage package before boarding means grudging every $14 they spend on tropical cocktails. So, they’re left nursing a glass of tap water at their meal.
Imagine the regret of one cruiser who thought they’d skip the drink package and “pay as you go.” He shared, “Our bar tab hit $480 for a seven-day cruise. It would have been cheaper to pre-order the drink package.” Others post their regret about forgetting to bring their allowed bottle of wine.
The truth is, cruise lines aren’t shy about charging $3 for soda and $10-$18 for drinks. Skip the package, and you might still end up paying for it, just not in advance.
Want to know the biggest drink package mistakes cruisers wish they knew before sailing and how to drink smarter next time? Read our guide to cruise drink package mistakes every cruiser should know about.
I Skipped Room Service Breakfast—and Regretted It Every Morning
Every morning felt like a race—battling buffet lines, dodging elbows, and searching for a clean table. It wasn’t until day six that someone said, “Why aren’t you just ordering room service?” My jaw dropped—I thought you had to pay for it.
Turns out, most cruise lines offer complimentary continental breakfast delivery, and it’s a game-changer, especially on port days. One cruiser said, “Waking up to croissants and coffee on the balcony felt five-star, and it was free.” Another shared, “We used it on every port day to save time and skip the buffet madness.”
If peaceful mornings matter to you, don’t be the last one on board to figure this out.
I Wore Shorts to Dinner and Got Turned Away
I thought I looked fine. Nice polo shirt, dressy designer shorts, and decent shoes. But when I showed up for dinner, the host gave me that look. “Sorry sir, no shorts in the dining room tonight.” I had to trek back and change. Thankfully, I was let in the second time.
Okay, we’re not talking tuxedos and ball gowns. But cruise lines do enforce dining dress codes, especially on formal dinners or “elegant” nights. “Got turned away at the MDR for wearing a sleeveless shirt,” one cruiser said. Another added, “Dining is casual, but not pool-deck casual, as some find out the hard way.”
You don’t need to dress up like you’re attending the Oscars, but you’ll need to be relatively smart. Don’t be the one standing in the hallway, hangry and underdressed.
I Planned Dinner Times Wrong—And Everything Else Fell Apart
If you’re thinking about booking fixed dining times, plan the slots carefully. Some cruisers who choose 5.30 p.m. dining need to rush back from port or scramble to make early-evening entertainment shows. Book late slots? You’ll end up missing sunsets or some shows entirely.
I get it—planning dining times is tricky if you’ve never cruised before. But try to match dining times with your activities. Many savvy cruisers opt for anytime dining options to allow themselves the flexibility to enjoy all the activities they’ve planned.
We Ate Together Every Night—and Fought Through Every Bite
On paper, it sounds perfect for a cruise with family and maybe extended family members. Big family dinners, same table every night, chatting about the day’s activities. However, some families regret the decision by day two. The kids are bored, teens are ghosting their parents, and every meal turns into a debate over fries and excessive soda consumption.
Many cruisers love the idea of group dining. But the reality often falls flat. For a start, trying to herd eight or more people to dinner every night can be exhausting. One couple shared, “We eventually let the teens go do their thing and enjoyed some adult-only dinners.”
The advice from seasoned travelers is to keep things flexible and cruise in a way that works for you.
I Didn’t Ask the Waiter—And Missed the Best Dish of the Trip
Cruise rookies don’t realize that the kitchen prepares more than what’s on the dining room menu. It was a lesson I’m glad I learned on my second cruise. I’d stuck to the printed menu all week. But by day five, nothing was grabbing my attention. Then the waiter arrived at the next table with a dish not on the menu.
It’s a valuable lesson learned. Servers can guide you to standout dishes or even surprise you with off-menu gems. One fellow cruiser told me, “I asked for Indian food even though it wasn’t on the menu. The waiter arrived with a custom platter.” French toast for your meal? Usually, not a problem.
Just ask your waiter in the Main Dining Room what’s worth ordering and what’s not. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on the menu, just ask. There’s every chance you’ll get what you want.
I Ordered Like a First-Timer—Instead of Trying Everything
I didn’t realize that ‘all-inclusive’ really meant that every menu item was included. On my first cruise, I was ordering à la carte, just like I was paying for each course separately—one appetizer, one main course, one dessert. Meanwhile, the table next to us was ordering four starters and mixing entrées like pros.
Most cruise lines let you mix and match appetizers, mains, and desserts freely in the Main Dining Room—it’s like your own tasting menu, and there’s no rule saying you can’t have escargot, lobster, and short ribs in one sitting.
But here’s the fine print: some cruise lines have limits. On Carnival, a third entrée can come with a fee. On MSC, even the second entrée might cost extra. Royal Caribbean generally only charges for extra lobster tails.
So go ahead and explore the menu—but check your cruise line’s dining policy first, or your ‘free’ dinner could sneak a charge onto your bill.
I Ignored the Kids’ Menu—Big Mistake
Don’t be embarrassed if you want to order chicken tenders, mac and cheese, or a banana split. Ordering off the kids’ menu is fair game for adults, and the server won’t bat an eyelid. The kids’ menu can hide some hidden gems that not all adults realize they can order.
One cruise passenger shared on Reddit, “Those chicken tenders saved my life after a rough port day.” Another commented, “It was the best mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten.” One savvy cruiser wrote, “After five days of fine dining, chicken strips and French fries were just what I needed.”
Don’t let pride stop you from ordering what actually hits the spot if you really want to enjoy your cruise vacation.
I Paid $6 for Water—Like a Total Cruise Newbie
The smartest cruisers have learned a valuable lesson—don’t pay for something that’s already free. We’re talking water.
One first-time cruiser shared how they grabbed two bottles of water from the café—$12 gone, just like that! Another shared how they regretted buying the water package after seeing other cruisers fill up refillable bottles at water stations.
The biggest issue with cruise ship water is finding the location of the water stations. Typically, you’ll find them in the buffet and gym. But in public places? Not so much. So, a refillable water bottle becomes one of the best money-saving hacks onboard. And don’t worry, the water is filtered and safe to drink.
Check out my guide on the top 9 things savvy cruisers do during their first hour onboard. You can add “locating the water station” to the list.
I Took Too Much at the Buffet Food—Then Threw Half Away
It’s easy to spot first-time cruisers in the buffet restaurant. They’re often the ones returning to their tables with plates piled high. Of course, buffet stations look incredible with the array of food—everything from carving stations to pasta bars and dessert tables.
But don’t be that passenger who acts like they haven’t eaten in days and doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from.
Cruisers admit it happens a lot. One shared, “It was tempting to want to try everything on offer. But we soon realized that we were tossing untouched food after every meal. The food waste was embarrassing.”
Seasoned cruisers say the buffet is better when you don’t overload your plate. Want to sample everything? Take one or two bites, then go back for more. It feels more like a tasting menu and less like a waste bin.
Think you’ve mastered all the cruise ship dining etiquette rules? Here are 26 dining mistakes even experienced cruisers still make.
I Thought I Could ‘Tough It Out’ Without Snacks—Oops
Plenty of first-timers assume food is always available, and that they’ll get by without cabin snacks. Several cruisers share how the trek to the buffet suddenly made that $4.50 mini tub of Pringles look tempting. Additionally, you may be limited in food options late at night or on early morning excursions.
What do savvy cruisers do? They ask Guest Services to empty the mini-fridge and use it as their snack stash. Ziplock bags and buffet leftovers make for perfect balcony picnics or day trip snacks. Additionally, room service can usually deliver sandwiches, fries, pizza, or other food items late at night (for an additional fee, of course).
The Best Food I Had? It Was Off the Ship
Avoid the mistake of only eating in the buffet or Main Dining Room. You’ll miss the opportunity to enjoy authentic cuisine and local flavors while in port. One cruiser shared, “I spent the whole cruise eating onboard until the last port. I grabbed $10 tacos from a beach shack in Cozumel, and they blew every MDR meal out of the water. I still think about those tacos.”
Of course, cruise ship dining options are usually spectacular. But many cruisers say their most memorable bites weren’t from specialty restaurants, but from hole-in-the-wall spots ashore. “$10 of street food in San Juan beat every meal on the ship,” one said. Another added, “Don’t skip the local food. It’s half the reason to cruise.”
If you only eat onboard at every port, you’re missing the real flavor of your destination.
They Were Underwhelmed Because Expectations Were Sky-High
It’s only right to have high expectations from the cruise ship dining room. After all, you’ve paid hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars for the vacation. You expect an outstanding onboard culinary experience, perfect plating, memorable flavors, and something worth dressing up for.
But many cruisers walk away feeling let down, not because the food is terrible, but because they expected too much. “We expected five-star meals and got Olive Garden vibes,” one comment read. Another said, “It’s cafeteria food in formalwear, but hey, the cheesecake was superb.”
Treat the all-inclusive cruise dining options as elevated comfort food, rather than fine dining, and you’ll enjoy the experience a whole lot more. Of course, you can expect an entirely different vibe in specialty restaurants.
They Ate at the Buffet Every Night—And Totally Missed Out
Some cruisers completely miss out on the onboard culinary experience by only visiting the buffet. Of course, it’s easy—no dining dress code, no schedule, and no fuss. But there’s more to a cruise than a week of lukewarm pasta, soggy fries, and standing in line.
I get it, buffet is fine for breakfast or a quick lunch, but night after night? You’ll burn out. One guest shared on Cruise Critic, “Did the buffet the first five nights. Finally tried the main cruise dining room and couldn’t believe how much better it was.”
The thing is that cruise ships have much more to offer in terms of all-inclusive dining than a room of buffet stations. On Carnival, spots like Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina serve up fresh meals fast. On Royal Caribbean, you’ve got El Loco Fresh, Sorrento’s Pizza, and the Solarium Bistro, all included in the cruise fare.
If you only eat at the buffet, you’re missing some of the best free food on the ship.
What Smart Cruisers Know That First-Timers Learn Too Late
Now you can avoid the rookie mistakes, not just to cruise, but to cruise smarter. You’ve picked up the dining tips that most people only learn after a surprise charge or a missed lobster night. That puts you miles ahead before you even order your first appetizer.
One cruiser said they “wished they’d known all this stuff before their first cruise—it would’ve saved a lot of frustration.” Now that’s not you.
With a bit of planning, you’re not just eating at sea, you’re eating like you’ve done this before.
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