Cruise Ships - Food Freighters of the Sea

One would never go hungry on a cruise - especially on Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean has available 24 hours a day, food that is included in the price of the cruise. Ovation of the Seas has 11 free or included places to eat and 9 extra cost venues. We ate at least one meal in all but 2 of the included venues - Coastal Kitchen, which is for guests at a higher level to us, and The Grande, which we never got around to.

Once on board we went straight to Two70 cafe, hoping that the 4000+ guests would head for the Windjammer. We were correct. Cafe Two70 has a range of sandwiches, wraps, and salads that didn't change the whole cruise. They will also make hot sandwiches from different whole roast meats and also different soups each day.

It is a very casual area and designed to take your food with you. We mostly ate in the attached Two70 lounge, although we sometimes took a snack back to the cabin and on the morning of cruising The Sounds I did a breakfast run and took breakfast back to the cabin to have on the balcony. The food was very good.

 We like to eat in the main dining room at the same table with the same wait staff and same companions each evening. This ship had four main dining rooms, two for my time dining on Deck 3 - Grande and Chic, with two sittings 6pm and 8pm (actually 7.45pm the doors opened). The two dining rooms for anytime dining on Deck 4 were Silk and American Icon Grill. We did pass the anytime dining a few evenings and there were always queues.

This cruise we had a great table by the window and wonderful wait staff, but it was a table for 4 and only the three of us at the table, most nights. Jonnie preferred the Windjammer and ate breakfast, lunch and some dinners there, although he did come for dessert some nights.

We ate dinners in Chic restaurant each night except one. That night there was only one show and it was 8pm, so we ate in Windjammer - not so good, but I had my Vegemite. We used the RC App for Ovation and it was pretty good, it allowed us to let the wait staff know we would not be there the next evening, and the reason. Now to the food. We like the food in the main dining room, and like the same wait staff. The staff in general are very good and happy to please. Peter asked for two prawn cocktails for appetizers and Hitesh was happy to oblige, and with a drinks package, Jing always made sure Peter never ran out of beer.

The menu has changed from last year, with added prawn dishes and no more cold soups - and I had just got Jonnie use to cold soups for starters! Anyway, each night was a different menu with 4-5 new and different dishes for starters, and 6 starters that remained the same each night. For mains there were 6 different dishes each night and 4 that remained the same. Dessert there were 4 that stayed the same and 3or 4 that changed each night. There was always something we liked.

So here are some photos of just SOME of our dinners.

I loved the watermelon and feta salad, and wished it was on every night.

Peter asked on the second night if there were any curries and every night after that Hitesh had a different curry available, which Peter had all but two nights.

The Desserts looked so good and were so rich.

Peter would have two prawn cocktails each night, usually a curry, and a dessert. Once he discovered the kids menu on the app and apple pie, her would have the kids apple pie each night I would have mostly two dishes either start and main or two starters. I did have a couple of desserts. I was looking forward to the celebratory 50th birthday cake for Royal Caribbean and had it on the second last night. Lucky I ordered it as not everyone in the restaurant got one. It was yummy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Well, that's first day lunch and dinner each night. Breakfast was usually in the Windjammer. Have I said it's a big ship? 😀 Finding a table in the Winjammer is sometimes a problem with so many people. The one night we had dinner there we had to walk around twice before finding a table, then we take turns in getting our meal. Breakfasts were not as bad most days, although one day I just could not find a table so got a bowl and put breaky in that and took it to the Music Hall to eat, as that was where I was going after breakfast. I love breakfast on RC ships because I love crispy bacon. Breakfast for me is scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, hash bowns, fruit and pancakes (or french toast or something sweet). Peter would often have an ommlette, and I had one one day but it as too big to eat. With a drinks package, fresh squeezed orange juice each morning was great.

 I love my Vegemite. I know from experience that cruise ships in the beginning of the cruise season often do not have Vegemite available so I bring my own. This ship did have jars, but one had to ask for them as they were behind the counters. I'm not using a jar someone else has stuck their knife in - who know what germs it would hold.

 Windjammer when empty looks quite big - but with so many people it was crowded at meal times.

We had one breakfast in the Solarium Bistro - didn't think much of that. It was a buffet and the choices were limited, as was the seating.

We also had an al la carte breakfast in Silk restaurant which was lovely. No trying to find a table, being waited on, and a great breakfast menu. I had perfect eggs benedict, lovely pastries and strong tea. It is only open early hours of the morning, so we made the effort to get up and leave Jonnie sleeping. Good choice.

 The last morning of the cruise, which was very civilized and unrushed - considering how many people needed to get off we were surprised at the ease. We didn't even leave our cabin until 7.45am. We chose American Icon buffet for the last breakfast. Again we didn't have to find a seat and we were taken to a window table but not shown where the buffet was. After walking around the restaurant we found it at the opposite end of where we were sitting. We had breakfast and watched passengers disembarking. Choices again were limited, and with Jonnie liking rice for breakfast I asked if there was any. The staff went up to the Windjammer and got him a bowl - how is that for service!

 This main dining restaurant has some very interesting art work.

We also got snacks at Sorrentos pizza and the Cafe. The cafe had minimal snacks but the pizza next door was good. Peter hates queuing.

We didn't try Wonderland, although I would have liked to, but st $A90 each it was a bit much. Looked fun though.

 

 

Izumi is a Japanese themed restaurant that Jonnie would have loved.

 

Another extra cost restaurant was Jamie's Italian - it always smelt lovely walking past.

 Some of the seats didn't look comfortable though.

Overall the food was good and plentiful and the wait staff wonderful. Can't wait to do it again.