Food, Glorious Food

Yesterday they had a crew brunch for us after our crew boat drill! There is a brunch for the guests every Wednesday in the restaurant – there is a huge amount of variety, along with ice sculptures, fruit carvings, etc. They did the same thing for us, which was lovely. We felt so bad for the crew who had to work the crew brunch, though – a lot of the senior officers did the serving, which was very nice of them, but they to use some on duty waiters to clean up, etc.

Speaking of FOOD…I’m sure you’ve all been wondering about that! Cruisers gain about 1-3 pounds per day on a cruise. I remember feeling horrified at this concept when I originally learned I’d be on a cruise for 42 DAYS! I immediately had visions of returning 120 pounds heavier…which would be about 120% of my body weight, but the point is…you’ve got to be careful around here. From the minute the passengers walk on the ship, there is good and drinks everywhere, ALWAYS.

Deck 10 is the buffet deck and casual dining. There is a pasta station, salad bar, sushi bar, Asian station, sandwich bar, pizza, ice cream, etc. Pizza is available until 1AM every night. There is an outdoor grill with nachos, fries, etc. The restaurant takes up 2 floors, and there is also an a la carte specialty restaurant on board. There are about 6 bars, and a café which serves complimentary snacks and desserts all day long. Plus there are always special events, carvings, bar tending competitions, and parties as an excuse to bring out more food!

We have a crew mess on the first floor as we are not allowed to eat in passenger areas until after 2 pm. As some of you may know, I became a vegetarian shortly before coming on the ship. It’s quite hard in some ways to be a vegetarian on board (my roommate is also) – there is of course always the temptation of delicious meats everywhere! But there are also not so many vegetarian options (let’s just say I’ve had a LOT Of pasta & pizza). The gourmet salad bar has been my life saver – there are tons of options for lettuce, toppings, nuts, and dressings. A lot of times it’s hard not knowing exactly what you’re eating – I’m looking forward to being able to shop and cook for myself again.

The food is wonderful and the guests really enjoy it. Cruisers do tend to eat several meals a day, just because the food is always available. I’m looking forward to dining in the restaurant next week with my family!