When most people go on a cruise they tend to eat a lot of food. After all, that’s one of the best parts about setting sail, isn’t it? Cruise ships are more than happy to accommodate hungry patrons. On some cruise ships it’s estimated that over 10,000 pounds of chicken is consumed on a seven day cruise. Many cruise ships are offering more variety when it comes to food choices for their passengers. For those that are wanting to sample popular dishes from a particular country they are visiting or are just concerned about where their food is coming from, they may have the opportunity to eat local even at sea.
But what about getting a taste of the local dishes? One of the biggest joys of travel is immersing yourself in the local culture through authentic local food and drink.
Norway’s Hurtigruten Ships
These ships picks up local food as passengers explore various towns. So if you are on this ship and are indulging in ice cream topped with raspberries or eating a fish inspired dish, most of the ingredients will probably be only a day or two old and from one of nearby towns that the ship stopped at.
Carnival Cruises
On certain Carnival cruises they are featuring their “Port of Call” entrees. These dishes will be based around the itinerary for the day. For example, if the ship is headed to Jamaica, then chances are there will be an entrée available that uses jerk seasoning (made of all spice and scotch bonnet peppers often combined with other seasonings) as its main spice.
Crystal Cruises
These ships take eating local to a whole new level with their on board herb gardens. These herbs are often paired with local food that was bought that morning and served for dinner. Themed buffet for lunch focus on the local cuisine of ports you are visiting.
Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess
Princess Cruises unveiled a new dining option on the Regal Princess that introduces passengers to dishes that are region specific. One of the nice things about it is that there are often a variety of dishes to choose from.
Holland America Cruise Line
For those that want to learn how to cook food that is popular at the destinations that they are visiting, select Holland America cruises may be able to help. Some ships are now offering cooking demonstrations that feature foods popular in a region that the cruise ship will be stopping at. Guest chefs will be making appearances as well.
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas
While on board the Quantum of the Seas passengers can enjoy a meal or two at a specialty restaurant run by chefs Michael Schwartz and Jamie Oliver. What makes these restaurants so unique is the quality of the ingredients used and that most of the dishes feature seasonal ingredients so the menus change often.
American Cruise Line has a program called Cruise Local, Eat Local. This initiative strives to use locally sourced produce, meats and ingredients from many small towns the ship ports in. Your salmon will be freshly caught in the Columbia and snake rivers and your Maine lobster fresh caught in New England for example. They use artisan cheese from dairy farms in Wisconsin, Astoria honey, Rainier cherries and heirloom tomatoes from local farmers markets.
Many cruise lines including Azamara Club Cruises and Oceania cruises have shore excursions where you shop at a local market and then taste the food at a local restaurant or vineyard. On Oceania you can take a cooking class with your own station that teaches recipes using local ingredients.
