Restaurants

The chief meals of the day are served in the main dining room, which on most ships can accommodate only half the passengers at once. So meals are usually served in two sittings -- early (or main) and late (or second) seatings -- usually from 1½ to 2½ hours apart. Early seating for dinner is generally between 6 and 6:30, late seating between 8 and 8:30. Some smaller, upscale ships have open seating for dinner.

Most cruise ships have a cafeteria-style restaurant, usually near the swimming pool, where you can eat lunch and breakfast (dinner is usually served only in the dining room). Many ships provide self-service coffee or tea in their cafeteria around the clock, as well as buffets at midnight.

Increasingly, ships also have alternative restaurants for ethnic cuisines, such as Italian, Chinese, or Japanese food. These are found mostly on newer vessels, although some older liners have been refitted for alternative dining. Other ships have pizzerias, ice-cream parlors, and caviar or cappuccino bars; there may be an extra charge at these facilities.

More and more lines are banning smoking in their main dining rooms. Check the policies of the various cruise lines before sailing if this is an issue either way.