What Food is Included on a Royal Caribbean Cruise?

When you are sailing on a Royal Caribbean Cruise, much of your food is included with the price of the cruise. This can make budgeting for a cruise easy, because once you pay off the cruise (and transportation to the port), you won’t have many additional expenses.

However, some items will cost more, including specialty restaurants, select coffee shops (such as Starbucks), premium snacks (like the Izumi Bubble Cones on Utopia of the Seas), soda, and alcoholic beverages. There are also additional up-charges for certain higher-end food items.

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What Food is Included on a Royal Caribbean Cruise?

Keep in mind that there is plenty of food included on your cruise. Except for excursions or when you are off the boat (and not at one of the Royal Caribbean private destinations like Perfect Day at Coco Cay or Labadee, you can enjoy included food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks. There are plenty of options, and you won’t miss out at all.

If you do choose to dine at the specialty restaurants, there are options to make it more affordable. Booking and purchasing in advance is often a great way to save money. There is also an unlimited dining plan that is especially helpful if you want to dine at a specialty restaurant every night.

Windjammer Buffet

The Windjammer Buffet is Royal Caribbean’s buffet, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Food at the Windjammer is included in your cruise, and there are lots of options.

When we sail on Royal Caribbean, my kids typically like to eat meals at the Windjammer. They enjoy having all of the options, including hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta, pancakes, fruit, ice cream, dessert, and more.

You can arrive at the Windjammer any time during their open hours. After washing your hands, you can grab a plate and choose what you’d like. Seating is open, and you can return to the buffet as many times as you’d like.

Quick Service Locations

The quick-service food locations on Royal Caribbean are a great option for grabbing food on the go, especially if you are on the sun deck and are spending the day in the pool. You can bring the food wherever you are to enjoy.

Quick service locations vary by ship, but include El Loco Fresh (very popular, offering tacos, burritos, and other Mexican food), the Doghouse (hot dogs), Park Cafe (deli and salads), Sorrentos Pizza, Cafe Promenade, and other pool deck quick service spots.

Some of these places have limited hours in the evening, so if you are planning to have dinner there, you’ll want to check the hours before making your dinner plans.

Solarium Bistro

Located adjacent to the Solarium (on ships that have one), the Solarium Bistro is a complimentary restaurant open to everyone (unlike the Solarium, which is adult only). The Solarium offers a buffet that is smaller than the Windjammer, but it can be less hectic.

On some ships, the Solarium Bistro converts to a different restaurant at dinner. For instance, when I was on the Allure of the Seas, I dined at Samba Grill, which is located in the Solarium Bistro space. That restaurant is a specialty restaurant and is not included in your cruise fare.

Coastal Kitchen

Coastal Kitchen is complimentary, but is only offered to guests staying in a suite, in the Sea Class Level or higher. It offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with reservations required for dinner.

Coastal Kitchen is a sit-down restaurant and offers a more leisurely experience than the main dining room. On our most recent cruise on the Utopia of the Seas in Sky Class, we enjoyed a Coastal Kitchen breakfast each morning and had dinner there one night (choosing to eat at specialty restaurants the other nights). The food is excellent, and it’s a fantastic experience that is much more relaxing than the main dining room or the Windjammer buffet.

Main Dining Room

The main dining room is the included sit-down dining venue for cruisers on Royal Caribbean. When you reserve your cruise, you can choose your dining time from early or late dining. In addition, Royal Caribbean offers My Time Dining, which allows you to dine within a specified window (usually between the early and late dining times).

If you book early or late dining, you’ll be assigned a table and serving team for the duration of your cruise. You can request a specific table or server team for My Time Dining, but it isn’t guaranteed. Reservations for My Time Dining are recommended.

The food at the main dining room is still great, and there are plenty of options to choose from.

Room Service

Room service is offered 24/7 on Royal Caribbean. Some items are complimentary, while some are provided for an additional charge. Additionally, a service fee and gratuity are included.

Suite guests receive room service at no additional service fee. Additionally, when the main dining room is open, they can order from the menu. A gratuity still applies.