Eating on a cruise ship is one of the major draws of this type of vacation, and there are plenty of great snacks to enjoy along the way!
From fancy specialty restaurants to complimentary snack stops, there's a cuisine for everyone to try.
But over the limited length of your cruise, you won't get the chance to try everything. Many ships have 8-10 dining venues onboard, so you'll never be able to try every dish at each one.
To maximize your time, you'll need to know the essentials that keep cruisers coming back for more.
We took to Facebook to poll our readers on their thoughts.
Through a post on the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook Group, we asked users about their favorite snack on any Royal Caribbean ship.
We received hundreds of comments, with readers sharing dishes that they grab the first thing when they get onboard and meals that have them Googling the recipe when they get home.
Here are the top snacks in the whole Royal Caribbean fleet.
Coconut Ranger cookies
Kathleen Smith (and many other readers) shared that her favorite snack is the coconut ranger cookie.
Peggy Czerkies added that she brings Ziplock bags on her cruise just to tuck those cookies away and bring them back to the cabin.
The Coconut Ranger cookies are a fan favorite, a must-try snack that's offered at complimentary venues like the Park Cafe and Promenade Cafe.
Read more: Top 5 signature Royal Caribbean foods
The Ranger cookies are essentially chewy coconutty praline cookies. They can be made with whatever you have lying around, like oatmeal, or chocolate chips.
Royal Caribbean's version adds shredded coconut chips and coconut milk for the extra texture and flavor.
Cruisers love these cookies for their sweet, nutty flavor and chewy texture. Some commenters shared that they like to sandwich the cookies around a scoop of soft-serve ice cream for an extra kick of sweetness.
Sorrento's Pizza
Steve Cohen goes straight for Sorrento's Pizza when he needs a midnight snack.
Sorrento's Pizza is a Royal Caribbean staple, a complimentary pizza place open most of the day serving up New York-style pizza.
Specific times vary depending on the sailing and day, but Sorrento's is often open from 11:00 A.M. up until 2:00 A.M.
The venue is a casual, open-air space that is usually located somewhere central in the ship, like on the Royal Promenade.
Hot, gooey slices of pizza come in several flavors: cheese, pepperoni, Margherita, and Carnivore.
You can choose as many pieces and flavors as your heart desires.
Tuna sandwiches
The Park Cafe or Cafe Promenade is a small, complimentary venue often open in the afternoon, perfect for a late lunch or afternoon snack.
These areas serve up a variety of salads, fruits, and small sandwiches.
Nicole Decker likes the tuna sandwiches, calling them, "amazing for when we wanted something savory."
The sandwich selections change daily, so you can always keep coming back to find new favorites.
There are even gluten-free and other options for those who have dietary restrictions.
Read more: 10 unique foods you will find on Royal Caribbean
Kummelweck
The kummelweck is another favorite sandwich offered at the Park Cafe, Cafe Two70, and Cafe Promenade.
It's a Western New York tradition, a warm, sliced roast beef sandwich on a kummelweck roll.
The kummelweck is a cruiser staple, something that fans come back for over and over.
Ann-Marie Skiffington Butler called the sandwich "to die for," and many users echoed her sentiment.
Joe Bellardini wrote that he loves these sandwiches, and the Park Cafe is the "first place place I hit after boarding."
We lost count of all the comments praising this sandwich!
Roasted tomatoes
Debbie Brommeland Riefner shared a more unusual favorite snack: roasted tomatoes in the Windjammer.
The complimentary buffet on all Royal Caribbean ships serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the roasted tomatoes can usually be found at breakfast.
Debbie commented: "I could eat my weight in them for breakfast... weird because I don't eat tomatoes for breakfast at home."
These roasted tomatoes are a warm, savory favorite, perfect with bacon, eggs, or alone with a sprinkle of salt.
Feta-stuffed sweet peppers
Greg Burdine commented that his favorite snack is the feta-stuffed pimentos served at Vintages bar.
Vintages is a popular nighttime bar venue, decorated in dark and heavy woods, with a quiet elegant atmosphere.
The bar is known for its alcoholic drinks, particularly a selection of fine wines.
However, snacks are also served here at an extra cost.
The feta-stuff sweet peppers cost $2.50 and are made by stuffing pimentos (aka sweet cherry chili peppers) with feta cheese.
They're a small, savory snack—the perfect pairing for a red wine, such as merlot.
Chocolate croissant
Royal Caribbean's chocolate croissants can be found around breakfast time, usually at the Windjammer or the Main Dining Room.
Read more: How Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room works and what to expect
Rochelle Root Bushey loves the chocolate croissants, "so much that I pick up an extra at breakfast and save it for later."
Saving items for later is always a bonus of being on a cruise ship.
You can tuck your food into a Ziploc bag, or a napkin, or even just bring the plate back to your stateroom.
The food will be there when you're ready to enjoy it again.
Oatmeal raisin cookies
Melanie Lorino commented that she likes Royal Caribbean's oatmeal raisin cookies located at the Windjammer and cafes.
"[They're] never my go-to cookie but Royal nails it," she wrote.
Royal Caribbean's oatmeal raisin cookies are an extra-warm, extra-soft version of the familiar snack.
You'll be able to find them at almost any complimentary dining venue, such as the Windjammer, Park Cafe, or Cafe Promenade.
Read more: 11 things you should never do at a cruise ship buffet
Funnel cake
Another set of favorite Royal Caribbean snacks can be found off the ships and on Perfect Day at CocoCay.
The cruise line's private island has beaches, pools, chairs, and—more importantly—a variety of popular, complimentary snacks and meals.
Beth Ballard Bean commented that the funnel cake on CocoCay is her favorite.
It's a hot, deep-fried scramble of batter, topped with powdered sugar and served on a small plate.
You'll see lots of guests—from old to young—enjoying this free snack on Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Read more: What to do at CocoCay? 18 things to try on your visit
Buffalo chicken crunch roll
Katina Bradley commented that her favorite savory snack is the Buffalo chicken crunch roll.
Playmakers is the Royal Caribbean arcade and sports bar.
This venue is located on Freedom of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.
In addition to showing sports games and offering arcade machines, Playmakers serves casual finger food and beers at an extra cost.
The Buffalo chicken crunch roll is a crunchy wrap of chicken and melted cheese. It comes with buffalo and blue cheese sauce and is sold for $5.
