Food Glorious Food

Yes, there is hot sausage and mustard (not to be confused with the mandatory drill)– but so much more as well. You simply have to forget about no carbs, lo carbs, South Beach AND Weight Watchers for the duration of the cruise. Food is almost always available and it is included in the price of the conference. Your choice of iced tea, water, lemonade and coffee come with every meal – everything else must be paid for separately. If you would like cokes, diet cokes or fruit juices, my suggestion is that you purchase the “coke pass.” These “passes” allow you to get all the cokes and juices that you want during the cruise – with meals or at any of the drink stations. They may be purchased in the main lobby when you board or at the bar on the pool deck later ($4/day for adults, a little less/day for kids). You will get a sticker to place on your “SEA PASS” card. Since you will carry this sea pass with you at all times, you will always have access to these additional drinks.

You will have three options for breakfast.

1. Room service: Each night by 3 am, you may place a breakfast request on your stateroom door letting the room service team know what you would like and when you would like it. You may want to begin with coffee or tea just to wake up and go for a more complete breakfast elsewhere.


2. Dining Room: Here breakfast is a seated meal ordered from a menu (although you can order one of everything if you like). It is a little more formal – but it is also quiet since most families opt for the breakfast buffet . Be sure and wear a shirt with sleeves as folks without sleeves on their shirts will be turned away.


3. Buffet in the Windjammer Café: You have a lovely view off the bow of the ship and a tasty, all you can eat meal.

Lunches are very informal affairs served in the Windjammer Café, Sorrentos Pizza Bar, Johnny Rockets Diner and the Deli. On the day that we visit CocoCay, a special BBQ lunch will be served so you will not have to return to the ship to eat and can just continue enjoying the sun and festivities on the island until the last tender (small boat that ferries people back and forth from the ship to the island) heads back.

Dinners are served in our assigned dining room and seating. We will all be together and are currently assigned to the later dinner hour of 8:30. Again, the dress for meals is casual. Typically, there is one evening that is considered a “formal” night. On my recent cruise I saw dresses that were last worn to a prom and quite a few bridesmaid dresses. Never say that you “never had a chance to wear that ugly thing again!” Those dresses are PERFECT for formal night! Actually, many people did dress up and looked quite lovely. For guys, formal night means you will probably want to take it up a notch -- maybe a jacket -- or your tux (you know you always wanted an excuse to buy one). Of course, there is the option of RENTING tuxes on the ship -- or if you just want to rent the bow tie it is $5. *smile* On all other nights, nice casual clothing will be appropriate for evening meals.

And let's not forget the midnight buffets.... This is why I mentioned in an earlier post to "nap when you can." It is so worth staying up for the midnight buffets -- even if you are not hungry. Just go graze, nibble or stuff your face (although I am not suggesting that we indulge in gluttony). There is usually an ice carving exhibition that is just phenomenal to watch -- and the whole culinary staff goes out of their way to make the buffet lines on the pool deck a site to behold. Frankly, I never have thought of a radish as a beautiful vegetable -- but I tell you, you will walk away with a whole new view of this humble vegetable after these buffets~!

Now, let's get back to the part where I talked about gluttony. You may want to just start confessing your sins right now if you happen to love chocolate -- because one night is a CHOCOLATE buffet. Yes, you heard me -- a whole buffet based on chocolate! My eyes are rolling back in my head even as I type this...not only a feast for the eyes -- but your mouth is going to be thrilled!

Ok...I will go now -- all this talk about food has made me hungry and I am on the "pre-cruise" diet plan -- so I have to go nibble on some carrots and celery!

Can't wait til we see you on board!