First time cruiser....do we order off a menu??
 

In the dining room is it buffet or do we order off of a menu??

Can I order lobster a few nights if I care too, and is it "extra"

Thank you!

While, of course, it varies by cruise line - in general, dining room has a different menu for each night. This will include several selections for each course - not as many as in a large restaurant, but usually something to please most tastes. You can not just go and order a lobster because you wish one - they just won't have it available.

Often a simple special order can be prepared - like a plain piece of chicken - but cruises are less able to cook an entire entree to order than a nice restaurant - they just serve too many people to be able to do that.

Many cruises have several restaurant options - usually the main dining room (as I have described above), and one or more casual choices - a buffet, pizza place, burgers, etc. Some now have upscale smaller specialty restaurants for which there is an additional charge.

One thing you generally can do on a cruise is order several of any specific item. Our teenage son ordered several lobster tails the night they were offered on our cruise. Also, nothing to stop you from hitting the buffet before or after your regular dinner if you so wish.

The dining room on most ships is an elegant dining experience. You should have a choice of three or four meals. If you want another helping, just ask. lobster is servered only one night if your on a 7 night cruise. On most ships you sit at the same table every night. This is nice because you get to know your dining partners. You can have a table for Four, six, or ten people. You can also order steak everynight even is it's not on the menu. Nothing is extra except for drinks other than coffee, tea, or lemonade. My experience is with Royal Caribbean Cruise line. Next cruise 1/30/05

Sonny

We are 2 couple traveling together and we choses "personal choice" dining.

whoops...that should be "we chose"

All the above still holds - except you will not get an assigned seating time or table - it is more like a restaurant as far as seating - walk up, tell them how many people, get a table.

Not all cruise lines have steak option.

Depend on the ship. You can have lobster and cavir every night on luxuary lines such as Seabourn and Silversea, but I doubt it on others.

Sounds like you are on Princess.

Princess has Lobster on the 2nd formal night and there is no extra charge for it. If you are on the Caribbean Princess - there is often lobster in Cafe Caribe more often.

In the dining room - Princess has a regular menu that changes each night. THough they have "an always available menu" and on that is shrimp cocktail, salmon, chicken, steak, fettucini alfredo. These are available each night.

Thanks you guys! That's just the information I was looking for.

and yes, it is the Sun Princess.

So does Princess have assigned seating for dinner? I know RCCL...

Princess has both assigned dinners and anytime dining/pc which means you either make reservations or just go to the dining room and ask for a table for 4, etc ...

Best of both worlds, sort of.