Cruise Food


Read reviews of the main dining rooms, buffets, specialty restaurants, casual dining eateries and room service options from all your favourite cruise ships.

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Bringing the Water(front) to the sea
Main Dining Room, P&O, Pacific Jewel



 
Eating out is one of my favourite pastimes. Combine that hobby with cruising, and I’m as happy as a pig-in-mud.

I’ve written several reviews about eating on cruise ships; at specialty restaurants, the ‘buffets’ and the main dining room, but dining at the Waterfront aboard the Pacific Jewel was a little different as it was just my little poppet and myself. I was worried she’d be bored, but I really had nothing to worry about.

(Click here for my Waterfront dining reviews on the PacificPearl and Pacific Eden)

Besides the nosh, what I really love about eating out is the company, sharing a meal with the people you love is one of life’s greatest gifts. I was looking forward to spending this bonding time with Hope as it is very rare that I get one-on-one time with each of my three girls, but would she feel the same way?

Once again, there was a familiarity stepping into the Waterfront. There was a similar set-up on the Eden and Pearl, although not identical.

Tip 1: Visit the Waterfront on Day 1 after you’re settled in your cabin, but the earlier the better. Book your preferred time (the crew taking you booking will give you the options available) and take the stress out wondering what time to eat dinner every night. You’ll be assigned your own table and waiters and you won’t have to wait more than a minute to be seated. It is important to stress here you aren’t bound to attend every night at the Waterfront, even if you booked your table. You might want to eat at the Pantry or Salt, order room service or just skip dinner all together. But, the polite thing to do is to give the Waterfront a quick phone call from your cabin and let them know you won’t be attending.

Tip 2: If you want to watch a show, keep in mind the times and book dinner before or after.

Tip 3: Port days you might be delayed in getting back, so booking a later dinner is advisable.

Tip 4: No bookings needed for Breakfast or Dinner, but you might have to wait a few minutes.

During our 4-night cruise, we ate breakfast twice and dinner twice at the Waterfront.


Our first breakfast was unfortunately cut short after an unexpected hurl. I forced little miss to order the pancakes – I mean she had just slumbered for 15 hours so I thought she was up to eating. Seated next to us was another lovely mum and daughter duo enjoying a cruise, how serendipitous. It was also rather calamitous as no-one wants to have breakfast with a side of vomit. However, the waiters were so lickety-spit quick to clean up, our new friends hardly noticed.  I bundled her up and carried her to our cabin for a warm shower.

Anyhoo, by dinner-time word had gotten to the incredible Maître d Marius Cerniauskas and the fabulous Restaurant Manager Rogelio ‘Roger the Dodger’ Mercado that Hope hadn’t eaten all day. Fawning over her and making a real fuss, Marius and Roger told Hope she could have anything her heart (and tummy) desired. Anything. Both her and I were stunned by their attention, but they both reassured us that all they wanted was for Hope to have a wonderful birthday cruise. Tentatively she asked for spaghetti bolognaise, no meat, just tomato sauce and cheese.


I was handed a menu (Spanish was the theme of the night) and ordered the Chicken Broth and Wontons and the Coral Trout with prawn and lobster sauce, potato patty and zucchini slivers.

The soup was perfect and I coaxed a few mouthfuls into my cherub who hadn’t eaten all day. Our waiter Toofik was impeccable and tried his best to make Hope smile and feel comfortable.

Soon after, the biggest plate of spag bol was placed in front of Hope. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, then immediately welled up with tears. Noticing her reaction, Toofik raced over and wondered what was upsetting her.


“It’s.. too.. big! I can’t finish all this. It’s a waste of food…” and my heart just broke a little.

“Don’t you worry little baby, whatever you can’t eat I will feed to the fishes! They will love it, so you are actually helping them!”

Relieved, my little darling picked up her fork, twirled a long strand and started eating. First one mouthful, then another... ok good, it’s staying down… then a third. Great! Sighing a huge sigh of relief that she was finally eating and keeping it down, I could concentrate on my meal.


A delicate, perfectly cooked fillet of trout was set before me, fresh and fragrant. Sublime and dainty, the fish was juxtaposed with the most delicious prawn and lobster sauce. Looking up, I asked Hope if she’d like to try some, but she was struggling with the pasta and I doubted she could eat anymore. Wasn’t I wrong! After one forkful of the fish (and her first ever taste of lobster) she moved her chair closer to mine and proceeded to open her mouth happily for the tasty morsels I was ‘aeroplane-ing’ into her little gob. Before I knew it, my plate was empty and my girl was sitting with an impish smile on her face. So, I did what mums do and finished off her leftovers.

 

Dessert was a silky cream caramel for moi and chocolate éclairs with berry coulis for her. Very tasty and not too heavy. I think the mini éclairs were in the Pantry the next day, which is not unusual. Often you find similar or identical dishes in the Pantry - which isn’t a bad idea.

I won’t go through breakfast as it’s very similar to my experience on the Pearl (you can read it here), however, our most memorable dinner was our last night on the Jewel and will certainly go down as one of those childhood memories my daughter will always look back on with happy tears.

As we sat at our table, there was a buzz in the air and, Roger standing behind Hope, sent me a surreptitious wink. Once again the waiters and Marius Maitre D greeted us warmly. I knew something was up when I wasn’t handed a desert menu.


Our meal was delicious and this night there was a Lebanese theme. I ordered the lamb koftas and Hope had the salmon.




Throughout our meal, Roger entertained Miss Hope with magic tricks and made her a lovely origami flower made from tissue paper. She was having the time of her life. And then, the finale. 


The table were cleared and I saw no less than half-a dozen waiters approach, Hope was oblivious to all this and continued playing with her toy dogs. Suddenly, a huge Black Forest cake carried by our waiter emerged from the kitchen, astounding little Miss. The room erupted with ‘Happy Birthday’ as she looked around in amazement and blew out her candles. (You can see the video here). With glistening eyes, we thanked all the staff profusely and asked to share the cake with the other diners.





Dining isn’t just about the food, it’s the whole experience. Long after the flavours fade from your tastebuds, what’s left is a memory steeped in colours, aromas, conversation and laughs. I was overwhelmed with the generosity and hospitality of every crew member in the Waterfront. P&O excel at making both children and adults feel comfortable and creating a relaxed atmosphere.



The waiters work tirelessly, so please, fill out a feedback form and have their efforts recognised. I know I’m probably repeating myself, but Marius, you’re a class act and Roger, Hope still falls asleep staring at her paper-flower on her nightstand.





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Smorg-Aboard – Pacific Jewel’s Plentiful Pantry
Buffet, P&O, Pacific Jewel 




Watching a person cough, pick their nose or scratch their butt while in a buffet line has got to be up there with things that make me puke. 

Thankfully, P&O have come with a solution to ensuring a hygienic all-you-can eat experience - The Pantry.

While the concept was first rolled out on the Pacific Jewel after the refit in May 2015, my first experience was aboard the Pacific Eden (read here). I must admit I was looking forward to trying the Pantry out on the Jewel, hoping it would live up to the great experience I’d had on the Eden. And, it certainly did.

For those who haven’t tried the Pantry yet, here’s a list of all the stations: Curry House, Mexicana, Kettle & Bun, Sugar Bar, Hook's Fish & Chips, Stix and Fat Cow. There are a few other options on other ships in the fleet such as Nic & Toni's on the Pacific Dawn (a new addition) and McGregors Garden on the Eden and Aria. The only ship that still has a buffet is the Pacific Pearl. 

So while every ship has similar layouts, they aren’t identical. Stepping into the Pantry on the Jewel had a nice familiarity and made me feel at ease. Scanning the room I noticed the drink station (free juice and water) was easily accessible and in the middle at the back (between the Sugar Bar and Fat Cow). There was plenty of room to walk around and not too congested with lines.

 

 

As I was with Hope, and she was carrying those two little stuffed dogs everywhere, I needed both hands to carry plates. It was much easier to have her find a table for two, reserve the seats and for me to go forage.

It can be a little difficult to find a table sometimes - and not everyone is a fan of the stools and share tables - but there’s plenty of seating inside and outside. Reserving a table for two was easier than having her little hands reach up to the counters, carry hot food and balance it all. Our method was to walk around, see the options, find a table, get her seated then I’d go back and get our meals. I suppose older kids can fetch their own meals, but this was our plan of attack. 

 

 

Being on a short cruise, we ate lunch three times at the Pantry and once for breakfast – on the port day. Pancakes, french toast, sausages, eggs, cereal, fruit - the WORKS.

 

 

 

With my child being a vegetarian, we found there were lots of options for her including fresh salads, sandwiches and soups.

 

 

A standout for her was the Pumpkin soup, which was a welcome dish to settle her tummy. Thick and bursting with flavour, it hit the right spot.

Standouts for me were Fat Cow – roasted meats and veggies - and Mexicana. I seemed to gravitate towards the Mexican station for two reasons:

1) You can build your own burrito or taco to your liking with a nice selection of meats, cheese, condiments, etc

2) The corn bread, which I am thoroughly obsessed with.

 


There really isn’t much to complain about to be honest. All the food is fresh, tasty and plentiful and with so many different options, there’s something to suit every palate. If you’re watching your calorie intake, you can build your own salad at Kettle and Bun but if all you want is hot chips - like my potato-obsessed young one - you can grab a bowlful drowning in gravy at Hook's Fish & Chips or Fat Cow. 



For all you sweet tooths, the Sugar Bar is a must to try. What I really like is that the servings aren’t huge so you can have as many mini-eclairs as your heart desires. I think I ate 15.

I would be remiss to not once again mention the amazing service by the staff. At every session, I saw the Manager overseeing the area, ensuring tables were cleared, any spills mopped up and lending a hand to less mobile passengers. Yes, it is busy, but I enjoy the bustle and being able to get back up and try a little bit of this and that.

For me, the Pantry has all the elements needed to have a great casual breakfast, lunch or dinner. Loads to chose from, great for a substantial meal or a light snack - and a wide selection to suit most palates.

Best of all, I feel reassured the food I’m eating doesn’t contain a sprinkling of another passenger’s nose boogers.



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More Salt please - but hold the pepper
Salt, Speciality, P&O, Pacific Jewel 





Before indulging at Luke Mangan’s signature Salt grill aboard P&O cruises, every prospective diner needs to be given this warning. 

“Please wear your (most elegant) stretchy pants.”

Now don’t say I didn’t warn you when you’re struggling to eat that last delectable mouthful of dessert and your skinny jeans are barely holding together. 

Salt Tip 1: Wear the stretchy pants/skirt.


 


As a Salt grill veteran, I must admit I did a little jig when I saw the invite card on my cabin door.  While I never miss an opportunity to dine at Salt when at sea, I didn’t think it was appropriate to take Miss 10 to dine there this cruise. But, it would be downright rude to turn down the invite, and anyway, I fear my tastebuds would go on strike for the remainder of the cruise if I dared refuse.

After spending the day adventuring on Moreton Island, Little Miss and I dressed up in our most formal kit and, with sun-tinged smiley faces, proceeded to Deck 12.


My apprehension about bringing Hope to dinner dissolved immediately. We were greeted in dulcet tones and ushered to a table for two.

In the dimly lit room, wait staff seemed to glide creating a sophisticated and soothing environment. For the first time in 12 hours, I could stop, breathe and enjoy. 

Salt Tip Two: Do not fill up on the deliciously, beckoning, warm freshly baked bread. Even our gorgeous server Kylie cautioned us not to fill up on the tempting dough.  As I reached for my second slice, Hope rapped my knuckles – then proceeded to fake-feed her furry dinner companions, Duke and Brutus.




My last Salt meal was aboard the Pacific Pearl in November, and so while I was well versed on the menu, there had been a slight overhaul of the menu. And, let me tell you, the new additions are simply divine.

Since declaring herself a full-time vegetarian in October, Hope insisted that as she was dining at Salt, she would allow herself to eat seafood. “Pescatarian tonight mummy, and ONLY for tonight.” Yes boss.





Scanning the menu, she chose the Grilled arrow squid with lemon aioli, apples, pickled celery and dried black olive entrée. As the pretty dish was set before her, she wrinkled her nose at the “black stuff” assuming it was black pepper, the only thing she actually hates. On closer inspection, and a taste test, she discovered it was dried black olive and proceeded to devour the entire serving in a minutes. In between mouthfuls, she’d exclaim, “This is so tender, so tender… (nom, nom) tender” barely pausing for air.



While marveling at her sophisticated palate and delighting in her reaction, a stunning plate was set before me. A trio of the finest agnolotti decorated with soft herbs and sitting on a puree of sunshine beckoned me to dig in. Pleasantly, the lobster filling was truly flavoursome and the sauce vierge (olive oil, lemon juice, chopped tomato and chopped basil) added a pleasant slippery mouth-feel. Buyer’s remorse soon hit me when I finished those three perfect pasta portions as I wished I’d ordered this for my main.



Salt Tip 3: You can order the agnolotti or the gnocchi entrees as a main.
Which is exactly what Hope ordered – a main sized gnocchi. Having been inducted in the Secret Society of Salt Secrets, i.e eaten my weight in these heavenly pillows, I recommended (insisted) that my cherub have the gnocchi for her main course.




With the steaming plate before her, she speared a singular morsel and popped it in her mouth. Silence. I waited for her reaction, but she sat with eyes closed, slowly chewing. Finally, impatiently I inquired, “Well?”


“Mum, this is the best thing I have ever eaten.” Once again, without much chatter, my little eating machine did the best she could to wolf down as many as her tummy could handle. 

While the mound of gnocchi decreased in size, I started on my super-tender 200g tenderloin accompanied by truffled mash potatoes and crushed mint peas.



Ahh, Hope... would you like to try some mash potatoes? It has truffle oil on it, I’m not sure if you’d like it?”
At the words “mashed potato” my offspring’s eyes were suddenly lit with what seemed like the fluorescence of a spotlight. You see, other than mangos, Hope’s favourite thing to eat in the whole wide world is mashed potato. Now, I’d give this child my last breath, but when it comes to Luke Mangan’s truffled mash, I wanted this bowl all to myself.

“Aren’t you full darling? There’s still half a plate of gnocchi left – and that’s also made from potato,” I offered.

“I’ll just have a taste mum, one little mouthful.”
And that, my dear friends, are the famous last words.

What happened next was quite extraordinary. As soon as she tasted the first spoonful of truffle oil laden mash, I knew I had created a monster.


“This, this, WHAT is this? What are truffles? Mum, we have to have truffle oil on EVERYTHING, EVERY DAY!” 

I had indeed created a monster. A chubby little, potato-loving, truffle-guzzling monster. I shouldn’t be surprised; the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Forgetting the gnocchi, she proceeded to pick up the bowl, sit back in her chair and devour the entire contents, alone.


It was quite impressive to witness actually, even though rather indulgent. But it was her birthday and it would be an experience she will never forget.

As our empty plates were cleared, and Hope started falling quickly into a mash-induced coma, it was now time for us to depart.  We both politely told the restaurant manager Grizaldy ‘Grizzy’ Gamboa – one of the most generous, warm and hospitality professionals I have ever met – we couldn't possibly eat another mouthful, but he insisted we have our dessert.


Grizzy suggested Hope have the Strawberry cheesecake, which she adored. The freeze-dried strawberries and playful popping candy were a hit – even though she could only muster a few mouthfuls.



I decided to have a dessert I hadn’t tried before, which was also a new addition on the menu: Calvados Custard with botrytis semillon apple, brown butter crumble and vanilla ice-cream. Forget everything you think you know about custard and crumble, this dessert somehow transforms a seemingly simple, familiar dessert into an extravaganza of textures nuanced with the sweet fruit and refined digestive. Creamy, crunchy and crisp – the elements created a delightful musical edible medley.  




As we wiped our mouths on our napkins and waddled down to our cabin, I was once again grateful for another fabulous Salt grill experience. Tucking my tuckered-out daughter into bed, I wondered if she would one day look back on this special night and remember the fancy dinner she shared with her mummy. And, maybe one day, far in the distant future, she might also share a special, fancy dinner with her own little girl.


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Something smell fishy? You batter believe it! 
 Speciality, P&O, Pacific Dawn




 
I am constantly on a diet.

No it’s not low carb or high protein. I don’t eat bucketfuls of kale nor do I slurp on green smoothies. It’s a simple regime I can easily stick to – even on cruises.

Want to know what it is? It is the seefood diet. I see food and I eat it.

Very funny Honey.

Anyway, this lame joke is the perfect segue into a wonderful new dining feature being introduced on P&O’s Pacific Dawn called, Shell & Bones Seafood & Grill.

Debuting in March, the seafood (not see-food) restaurant will feature delicious fares from the ocean, such as Singapore-style crab from Queensland and steamed Australian blue mussels from South Australia.

The eatery will be part of the The Pantry, during the day and open as a dedicated restaurant – with bookings available, walk-ins welcome and á la carte pricing – at night.

If you’re after something extra, Shell & Bones will also offer items from the grill such as beef short ribs and Portuguese-style roast chicken – as well as vegetarian options.   

P&O Cruises President Sture Myrmell said the cruise line was hoping to make a splash with the new dining experience, which will be added during Pacific Dawn’s multimillion dollar refurbishment in Singapore.
 
“There’s really no better time to enjoy seafood than during a holiday at sea," Sture said.

"With Shell & Bones, we’ve created a restaurant that captures the way Australians love to eat: with a great menu, the company of family and friends, and the ocean by your side.
 
“We think it will be the perfect complement to The Pantry concept, which has already proved so popular on our other ships,” he said.

* Pacific Dawn will return to Brisbane on March 16 following her drydock in Singapore.

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 Buffet, P&O, Pacific Pearl



Whether you call it a buffet or a smorgasbord or even (gasp) a pig’s trough, the Plantation Restaurant is the all-you-can-eat, self-serve eatery on the Pacific Pearl. 


For those familiar with my high sea adventures, you’d know that I have pigged-out at the Pantry on the Eden (you can refresh your memory here and here) and also the buffet on the Carnival Spirit - I promise to upload this soon. While each was different, the premise is the same; walk around carrying your plate, stop at each station, sniff, pile, shuffle with the queue, balance your plate back to a table. Eat. Repeat. (and repeat, and repeat, ad nauseam).

After dumping our hand luggage, booking Salt grill and meeting Captain Lorenzo, my stomach gently reminded me by growling loudly “Feed Me” (yes, my tummy talks). So, after securing a table for the four Bad Mums, two of us trotted off, while the other two minded the table.

N.B I ate at Plantation TWICE. Both time for lunch. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and located on Deck 12. For my review of the Waterfront restaurant, click here and here.

First Impressions


To be honest, it was a lot smaller than both the buffet on the Carnival Spirit and the Pantry on the Eden. I was a little worried about the number of choices on offer, but soon discovered that there was plenty of variety.

Hot Food Selection


Soups - Over the three days I saw a few different flavours, but I really cannot comment on any of them as it was WAY too hot to eat soup, well for me anyway. However, they looked hearty and there were fresh, crusty rolls to accompany the slurping.

Stir fries  - Noodles with mixed veggies and a different meat each day. The chicken stir fry on Day One was great! Not too oily, pretty authentic.

Roasts - Pretty good, nothing to complain about, BUT the Yorkshire puddings were an awesome treat. I hadn't seen these before on any of my cruises.

Mexican - THE BEST TORTILLA CHIPS EVER. I am not embarrassed to admit  that the two times I ate lunch at Plantation, I reloaded on tortilla chips, TWICE. That’s four servings in total! The Mexican station was my favourite. Along with a big bowl of chips, there was bean and meat chili, the most delicious guacamole (seriously), sour cream and lovely fresh salsa. I would have been more than happy to eat this, and only this, for three days.

This is by no means a comprehensive description of all that was on offer, there were also fish dishes, other meats and pasta dishes.

Cold food selection


Sandwiches - I found Pearl had similar sandwiches, if not identical, to what we had on the Eden: roast vegetable, Cesar and roast beef. Very big, very filling and very flavoursome. Maybe a suggestion is to cut these in half as I found it hard to get through the big bread roll.

Salads - Pretty ordinary to be honest. Not bad, but rather lackluster. There were garden salads served in individual portions, which was a good idea, but to me were unappetising, I suppose I preferred the brilliant salad station on the Eden.

I'd like to make a special mention here about the cornbread. Please, please someone get me the recipe! It is freaking delicious. Maybe if you're reading this, and going on the Pearl sometime soon, you MIGHT be able to smuggle some off for me? I can supply zip-lock bags.

Desserts


I was a bit sad when I saw the dessert station was quite small – I mean have you seen the desserts on offer on Carnival Spirit? We have established I have a major sugar addiction, so dessert is my weakness, but once I got a little closer, I was happy with the offerings. Food makes me happy. There aren’t any big fancy cakes or huge tarts, but there are about four or five different treats to choose, all in individual servings. Standouts for me included the vanilla slice and the tapioca pudding (which I had two of and admitted to the head of Food and Beverage. He said it was fine and I shouldn’t feel guilty, so there).

There’s also lots of freshly cut up fruit and a small selection of cheese. And let’s not forget, the perennial favourite, tri-colour cubes of jelly. Everyone loves jelly, right? I wonder how much was left over though, as there weren't many kids aboard...

 

 

Decor


As the Pearl is retiring in a few months from P&O, I expected to see a tired, daggy dining room, so I was pleasantly surprised with the seating and colour scheme. Bright and airy, it was a lovely and comfortable - and the perfect place to have a chit-chat.

Drinks

 

There are big glass urns that have juice (apple, orange) next to the dessert station as well as iced water flavoured with citrus. I thought this was a lovely, chic touch, as not only was it free and looked great, but you could serve yourself and to have to wait at the bar to get a non-alcoholic drink with your lunch. The bars were very busy, especially at lunch, so I found it convenient to just run up and grab a tumbler of juice. There’s also a few of those standard hot drink dispensers (coffee, tea, hot chocolate) and water/ice machines.

Cleanliness


The staff were extremely efficient in clearing tables quickly. Seriously, these guys and girls are angels.


In a nutshell, the Plantation restaurant has many choices. It might not be very fancy and it might not have a plethora of options, but it has enough and the food was tasty, fresh, clean and plentiful.

There is ONE thing however that I grapple with, and I fear I do not practise proper buffet-etiquette very well. Which way do you enter/join a buffet line? I can be rather oblivious sometimes, so find myself accidentally stepping in front of someone or waiting at the wrong end. What are the rules? Agh, the conundrums that keep me up at night!



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