Food Included on a Royal Caribbean Cruises

Are you wondering what food is free on Royal Caribbean cruises? Well, we have good news for you! Guests can totally enjoy themselves while eating only free food on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. You don’t necessarily need to purchase additional items unless you really want to.

So, if you’re trying to figure out if Royal Caribbean cruises are all inclusive in terms of dining, they truly can be. That being said, many cruisers choose to branch out and try some of the specialty restaurants onboard the ships. If you’re looking for an all-inclusive cruise vacation where all of your food is paid upfront, Royal Caribbean provides an easy way to accomplish this.

Whether you are planning to eat in complimentary restaurants only, or you want to try out the specialty dining venues, you can enjoy the all inclusive vacation you’ve always wanted. In this post, we will walk you through everything you need to know about the food included for free on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. We will also provide options for restaurants that you may choose to pay extra for. 

So, continue reading below to find out what food is included on Royal Caribbean cruises as well as tips for planning a stress-free, all inclusive cruise vacation!

Free Food on Royal Caribbean

If you’re planning a cruise vacation with Royal Caribbean, you will want to know which dining venues are included in your initial cruise fare. Luckily, the Royal Caribbean ships provide multiple dining options that are completely free to enjoy during your trip. If you have cruised with Royal Caribbean in the past, you will be familiar with the complimentary dining options as many of the restaurants are the same across the Royal Caribbean fleet.

However, if this is your first cruise with Royal Caribbean, you can understandably feel overwhelmed with the numerous choices available. So, what food is included on Royal Caribbean cruise ships? The following dining venues are examples of complimentary restaurants that offer free food onboard the ships:

Main Dining Rooms

If you’re interested in enjoying the traditional cruise dining experience during your vacation, you’ll want to check out the main dining rooms onboard the ships. Each Royal Caribbean cruise ship offers main dining rooms that feature menu items included in your cruise fare. Prior to your trip, you can choose from the early seating time, late seating time, or My Time Dining experience.

You will then be assigned to a dining room based on your selected dining time preference. The main dining rooms feature menus that change each evening of your cruise. You can select free food items, including appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. Additionally, the main dining rooms may offer specialty items (like steak or lobster) for an up charge if you choose to splurge one evening.

Windjammer Buffet

The Royal Caribbean cruise ships also offer a large buffet near the pool deck that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. This Windjammer buffet is included in your cruise fare. You’ll find a large selection of free food at Windjammer during breakfast and lunch hours. Dinners at Windjammer are themed (ex. Mexican foods, Italian foods, Mediterranean foods) each night with multiple stations serving complimentary food options.

More Free Food

In addition to the buffet and main dining rooms mentioned above, the Royal Caribbean ships offer plenty of additional places to find free food. If you are sailing on one of the Oasis class ships, you’ll find complimentary dining venues like:

• El Loco Fresh 
• Park Cafe
• Cafe Promenade
• Boardwalk Dog House
• Sorrento’s Pizza
• Vitality Cafe
• Solarium Bistro

For more information on the complimentary and specialty restaurants available onboard, you can check out our Guide to Oasis of the Seas Restaurants.

If you are sailing on a ship other than an Oasis-class cruise ship, you will still find plenty of options for free food. Some of the popular spots that offer free food on other ships include Splashaway Cafe, The Cafe @ Two70, and Surfside Bites.

Royal Caribbean Dining Packages

If you’re interested in trying the specialty restaurants while maintaining the all inclusive vacation vibe, you may want to consider purchasing the Royal Caribbean Deluxe Dining Package. When you login to your Online Cruise Planner, you should see an option to purchase a meal at a specific specialty restaurant along with an option to buy a full food package for your entire cruise.

This is a great way to enjoy specialty dining restaurants throughout your trip without feeling shocked by a huge bill at the end of your vacation. If you choose to purchase the Unlimited Dining Package, you can enjoy the specialty restaurants onboard the ship without an additional charge once onboard. Some of the specialty options you’ll find include:

• Johnny Rockets
• Izumi Sushi
• Izumi Hibachi
• Wonderland
• Chops Grille
• Chef’s Table
• Playmakers Sports Bar

Just note that many of the sit-down restaurants listed above (like Izumi Hibachi) fill up fast, especially on sea days. So, if you purchase the unlimited dining package, you’ll want to make reservations as soon as you can after boarding. (Also, you will be required to pay an extra charge for alcoholic beverages and specialty drinks if you don’t have the beverage package.)

If you aren’t wanting to commit to the full dining package, you can make a reservation at some specialty restaurants before your cruise. For example, you could book (and pay the extra cost for) Chops Grille prior to your trip. That way you aren’t adding to your onboard account once on the ship. 

Additionally, I want to make sure to note that some of the Royal Caribbean suites include the Unlimited Dining Package as one of the suites perks. Guests traveling in a Star Class suite receive complimentary Deluxe Dining Packages for each person booked in the suite. For more information on what’s included in the suites, you can check out our post on Royal Caribbean Suites Perks.

Food Included on Private Islands

If you really want to enjoy an all inclusive vacation with Royal Caribbean, we recommend choosing an itinerary that visits their private islands. Royal Caribbean’s islands in Labadee, Haiti and Cococay, Bahamas both offer beautiful beaches and fun experiences that you can enjoy for free.

With a few exceptions, the food on both of these islands is also included in your cruise fare. Additionally, cruisers who purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package will notice that this drink package works on the islands as well. So, if you pre-paid for the refreshment package for soft drinks or the deluxe package for alcoholic drinks, these packages will be honored on the private islands.

For more information on Royal Caribbean’s beautiful private island in the Bahamas, we recommend checking out our Ultimate Guide to Perfect Day at Cococay where we discuss the beaches and activities you’ll find during your visit.

Final Thoughts on What’s Included on Royal Caribbean

Overall, Royal Caribbean offers plenty of free food and complimentary restaurants onboard their ships. In addition to the main dining rooms and Windjammer buffet, you’ll find multiple options for places to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks all free of charge. It’s also important to note that Royal Caribbean provides room service foods that do not have an additional cost.

However, you will be charged a service charge of around $8 for your order. This means that you will pay $8 whether you order one item off the list or twenty items. In summary, you could enjoy your entire cruise vacation without paying a dime for additional food. The free restaurants provide enough food options to stay satisfied during your trip.

If you do choose to enjoy some of the specialty restaurants, you may notice the prices aren’t always super high. My family and I dined at Playmakers on Oasis of the Seas, and we were pleasantly surprised with their low prices. So, what do you think? Where is your favorite place to enjoy free food on Royal Caribbean cruise ships? Comment below to share your thoughts!