Top Cruise Ship Buffets
It’s no secret that visiting the buffet is sometimes one of the favorite onboard activities for cruisers. There’s something about the endless food options available day and night that is exciting and unique to being on a cruise ship.
Now that sailing is back in full swing; ship buffets are also back in full force. Lines restricted service to crew-served portions with limited food options for a short time. Now that the guidelines have changed, cruisers can once again pick up the tongs and self-serve all the buffet items desired.
One of the questions frequently asked in our forums is which cruise line has the best shipboard buffet. Each line has unique services and offerings, making it hard for us to pick just one. We narrowed it down to our top six picks of the best cruise ship buffets. Enjoy!
1. Cabanas - Disney Cruise Line
Cabanas is the buffet-style, fast-service eatery found on four Disney Cruise Line ships. The space features a boardwalk theme, with palm trees and ocean views, and offers ten diverse food stations with ready-to-serve and made-to-order options for daytime service. Breakfast options include Mickey-shaped waffles, muffins, fruit, cereal, an omelet station, and hot coffee drinks. Enjoy salads, soups, burgers, sandwiches, steak, chicken, seafood, and pizza at lunchtime.
For dinner, the restaurant transforms into a table-service dining experience with wait service, a three-course menu, and cook-to-order items from the kitchen. It’s a casual option (compared to the Main Dining) that is great for those traveling with kids who want to enjoy a nice meal.
Cabanas is on Disney Magic, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wonder, and Disney Dream. Price: Included
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2. World Fresh Market Place - Princess Cruises
World Fresh Market Place is Princess Cruises’ all-day casual buffet option. The venue serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night quick-serve bites.
The menu at World Fresh Marketplace features a variety of international cuisine, with dishes that change daily. In addition, there are self-service and made-to-order food stations. The “East Meets West” street counter serves French crepes, Asian noodles, German-grilled sausages, and Japanese satays. At ‘The Bakery’, guests pick out made-from-scratch bread and pastries.
World Fresh Market Place is on Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Diamond Princess, Discovery Princess, Emerald Princess, Enchanted Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, and Sky Princess. Cost: Included
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3. Terrace Cafe - Oceania Cruises
Terrace Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner service on Oceania Cruises’ ships. This casual space is open to all guests and does not require a reservation and offers indoor and outdoor seating options.
Menus at Terrace Cafe change daily and include a range of dishes from around the world. The lunch buffet features cold cuts, sandwiches, salads, pizza, pasta, a carving meat station, grill-to-order burgers, and hot dogs. For more hearty options, main dishes include beef stroganoff or crispy red snapper. Come diner time, the venue offers a range of hot and cold options. During the evening, Terrace Cafe offers appetizers, a full salad bar, desserts, and a large selection of main dishes such as a Palermo-Style Grilled Swordfish, Sweet Barbecued Pork Chop, or a Yucatan Black Bean Burger. In addition, there is typically a carving station serving up prime rib, roast beef, pork loin and other favorites.
Terrace Cafe is available on all Oceania ships. Cost: Included
See All Sailings on Oceania Cruises
4. Lido Marketplace - Carnival Cruise Line
The Lido Marketplace is Carnival’s 24-hour casual buffet spot. It’s landed on our top buffet list for the extensive food options continuously served throughout the day.
Here guests will find a wide range of food items served in an informal dining space. Menu options here change daily, but typical dishes include BBQ, a deli station, a pasta bar, an Asian food station, pizza, and of course, frozen yogurt with all the toppings you can imagine! No matter the time of day, it’s a great place to grab a snack or enjoy a full meal.
Check out Lido Marketplace on all Carnival Cruise Line ships. Price: Included
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5. Indulge Food Hall - Norwegian Cruise Line
Indulge Food Hall is a newly-imagined dining concept from Norwegian Cruise Line. It can be found on the line’s Prima-class, which includes the new ship Norwegian Prima. Indulge Food Hall is a twist on the average cruise ship buffet offering a casual, quick-serve dining experience. Most stations are complimentary, and reservations are not required.
Guests will find cuisine offerings from around the world at Indulge. There are both made-to-order and ready-made menu offerings. Food stations include the Seaside Rotisserie (roasted meats), Nudls (noodle dishes), Tamara (Indian cuisine), The Latin Quarter (Mexican cuisine), Tapas (Spanish-style small plates), The Garden (soup and salads), Q Texas Smokehouse (BBQ), Just Ice Cream, Just Desserts, as well as an extra-cost Starbucks outpost and additional dessert station.
Indulge Food Hall is on Norwegian Prima. Cost: Mostly Included. Extra charge for some beverages, Starbucks, and Coco’s
See All Norwegian Prima Sailings
6. The Lido & Kings Court - Cunard
Lido and Kings Court are the casual 24-hour buffet eateries on Cunard ships. The setting is informal and centered around self-service dining and are open for breakfast, lunch, dinner. In true Cunard fashion, these buffets serve afternoon tea, with tea sandwiches, desserts, and hot beverages.
The Lido and Kings Court both serve continental and hot breakfasts and an ever-changing menu of pizzas, curries, salads, sushi, roasted meats, sandwiches, and more. Come at 11:30 PM and the eateries offer the perfect late-night snacks - think cookies and cocoa, or if you’ve had a late night ‘out’, fast food items like fries and chili tacos will hit the spot!
All Cunard ships offer either a Lido or Kings Court buffet. Price: Included
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