Foods to skip on a cruise

Many consider cruising a lavish way to travel, with food available nearly all the time and often included in your ticket. However, just because meals are plentiful doesn’t mean you should indulge in everything.

Your favorite dishes might not fare well on a buffet if they’re left under heat lamps or at room temperature for too long. Additionally, some mass-produced items may contain substitutes instead of the real ingredients, and food from port can range from delightful to disastrous for your stomach. Plus, it’s all too easy to rack up empty calories while on vacation.

To ensure you enjoy the best meals onboard rather than disappointing versions of your favorites, here’s a list of items to avoid on your next cruise.

Buffet-style 'scrambled eggs'

A large serving of scrambled eggs left out on a buffet for too long can be one of the least appealing breakfast choices. They tend to dry out or turn watery, making them unappetizing. On a cruise, where breakfast is prepared for a crowd, these eggs are often sourced from powdered or liquid mixes.

To guarantee that you're enjoying freshly cooked eggs, head to the omelet station and watch the chef crack the eggs and whip them up to your liking. If you're craving a ham and cheese omelet, ask for real eggs instead of the standard mixes, as some omelets are also made with powdered alternatives.

For another way to ensure you're getting authentic eggs, visit the dining room and order eggs prepared in a style that showcases the yolks, like poached or over-medium.

Self-serve salad bar options

Isn't it frustrating to watch someone drop a serving utensil from one salad bar container into another, only to then fish it out among the veggies, touching everything in the process? Definitely not ideal.

Self-serving at the salad bar is even trickier than dishing out lasagna, where you only need to touch the serving spoon once. At the salad bar, there are often numerous containers—plus bowls of lettuce—holding all sorts of toppings like veggies, grated cheese, croutons, and nuts. You’ll end up touching many handles along the way.

To make matters worse, the ladle used for the salad dressing may have been on someone's plate who went back for seconds without grabbing a new dish.

For a genuinely healthy salad side for lunch or dinner, consider dining in the main restaurant where waitstaff will plate your meal. Alternatively, look for crew-served salad stations at the buffet; for instance, Holland America ships offer delightful options.

Assorted items from the bread basket

Crusty French bread, pretzel rolls, and seeded multigrain buns—what a treat! It’s hard to resist fresh bread, whether it’s warm in a basket with salted butter at your table or beautifully arranged alongside cheeses and charcuterie on the buffet.

However, the downside is that it’s all too easy to overindulge in carbs, leaving you with no appetite for dinner. If you’ve splurged on a meal at the steakhouse, you definitely don’t want to fill up on bread and miss out on that loaded baked potato with your medium-rare steak or the delicious dessert afterward.

If you really want to enjoy fresh bread, consider skipping it at lunch and just having one slice or roll at dinner. Alternatively, savor your carbs with a light lunch and skip the bread during dinner.

Dishes at the buffet featuring creamy sauces

Some dishes lose their appeal if they've been sitting on the buffet too long, especially those best enjoyed when freshly made, like those with sauces that quickly break down.

Be selective if you're visiting the buffet during off-peak times. You might find mayonnaise-based salads like coleslaw and potato salad that appear past their prime, along with egg-based desserts like custards or puddings that have shrunk after sitting out for an hour. If these items haven’t been kept at the right temperature, they might also be unsafe to eat.

Have you noticed the individual toasted English muffins topped with Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce just sitting there on the buffet? They sound fantastic, but the hollandaise sauce often turns into a greasy mess. If you're craving eggs Benedict, it’s best to order it freshly made in the dining room.

The delicious butter chicken at the Indian food station also loses its charm after sitting out, as the butter, yogurt, and cream in the sauce begin to separate. If you decide to indulge, make sure to wait for a serving from a freshly prepared batch.

The same goes for macaroni and cheese. It's divine when it's hot, bubbly, and fresh from the oven, but if it sits too long, the cheese clumps and the cream sauce breaks down into a gooey mess. If the tray has just been refilled, go ahead; if not, it's better to skip it.

Sliced meats and delicate fish

Carved meats are delicious when served right out of the roasting pan or off the rotisserie, but they tend to dry out when kept warm for too long under a heat lamp—roast pork is a perfect example.

If you prefer fish, be aware that it can become mushy and watery after sitting on the buffet for a while. You might also encounter overcooked, dry fish or fried options that lack their signature crunch.

For a satisfying meal, opt for whole cuts of meat or stews that hold up better under heat lamps. Alternatively, check out the grill on the pool deck or consider room service for freshly made options in the late afternoon.

Self-serve ice cream

Making a trip to the soft-serve ice cream machine at least once or twice is a classic cruise experience. Treating yourself to a cold dessert after lunch or a fun day at the onboard water park is a pleasure, and you can stroll around the ship while enjoying your treat.

But consider who has used the machine before you and touched the controls, cups, and cones. These high-touch machines can be quite germy, especially since children often use them and may not have the best hand-washing habits. Plus, you might not know what's actually in that whipped frozen mixture.

For a truly creamy experience without the germ concerns, we recommend ordering ice cream or gelato from a friendly server at the buffet restaurant. You’ll probably discover more flavors and maybe some toppings. Even better, visit the ship’s ice cream, gelato, or dessert shop for an extravagant sundae for a genuine vacation treat.

Bottom line

While there are some foods you might want to skip on a cruise, you'll easily find a variety of excellent and tasty options onboard, including at the buffet. Consider arriving at the buffet restaurant as soon as it opens for a fantastic array of freshly prepared items—plus, you'll avoid the crowds. Alternatively, enjoy classic dining room favorites like shrimp cocktail, French onion soup, and grilled steak or salmon.

A cruise is the perfect opportunity to explore new dishes and cuisines, so keep an eye out for regional specialties on the main dining room menu or make a reservation at one of the specialty restaurants on board.

Keep in mind: no matter how hard you try, you can't sample everything on a cruise. Focus on dishes that thrive in a banquet-style or buffet setting, or opt for additional cost for more intimate venues where meals are made to order. This way, you'll maximize your culinary enjoyment during the journey.