Best Cruise Cusine for Teens
By Alex Gaynor
July 16, 2007

Our teen editor evaluates onboard food favorites, line by line

Everybody has a favorite aspect of cruising. For me, it's the food. First of all, there is always a variety. Whether it's Asian, Italian, or Mexican, you can get it on a cruise. It's also always available, whether it's in the dining room, buffet, or room service. A cruise is like one huge all-you-can-eat buffet. Also, you get to try new, exotic "grown-up" food. I'm a picky eater, but cruises give me a chance to experience new tastes - and if I don't like them, my parents don't have to pay for them! Since we teens have particular likes and dislikes, here's a roundup of my choices of cruise food that teens of all ages will enjoy.

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A Limitless Variety		Foods from Around the World

Carnival

You can't go wrong with most of Carnival's food; it's consistently good all around. I find that cruise lines that offer a dedicated pizzeria have the best pizza. Carnival, for instance, has a 24-hour pizzeria on each ship --great for late-night snacks.

Costa Cruise Line

With Costa's "Cruising Italian Style," there's no doubt that you will dine on excellent Italian cuisine. From pizza to pasta--it's all there on a Costa cruise. The only hard part is that you can't seem to control your intake of great Italian bread. Costa also offers midnight buffets with different themes every night. One night it's Italian or Mediterranean, another night it could be tropical or desserts.

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Both the Magic and the Wonder now have a smoothie bar in the teen club. Teens can order regular fountain drinks along with their choice of smoothies. Even for a teen, Disney dining is always fun because it's so unique. For example, there's the Animator's Palette, where the walls change from black and white cartoons to full color illustrations over the course of your meal.

Norwegian Cruise Line

With NCL's Freestyle Cruising concept, there are many dining options to choose from. As on all ships, there are two regular dining rooms serving typical cruise food and also the casual buffet. On every NCL ship, there is also the specialty restaurant Le Bistro, which serves anything from good French bread to a choice cut of steak. In addition, there is a sushi bar and Teppanyaki, a Japanese steakhouse where the food is delicious and the chefs are entertaining. The chef prepares the food right in front of you and literally flips it onto your plate. Also, most NCL ships have a steakhouse and Italian restaurant.

Royal Caribbean

On RCI's Voyager and Freedom class ships, you'll discover some specialty restaurants you're sure to enjoy. On the Royal Promenade there's a Ben and Jerry's for ice cream; a Sorrento's Pizzeria; and a European coffee shop with drinks and deserts. Usually tucked away on one of the top decks is Johnny Rockets, a 50's-style diner where the waiters and waitresses break into 50's style dances. Be sure to order one of their chocolate milkshakes! (All of these dining options, except the pizzeria, cost extra.)