I was recently asked what's one dessert that can't be missed on a Royal Caribbean ship, and it got me thinking about the perfect answer.
Royal Caribbean serves lots of food on its cruise ships, and desserts range from the rich to to he decadent. Plus, they have timeless classics.
Certainly I would never fault someone for having the soft serve ice cream at the pool deck, but I quickly thought of one dessert my family will order every single cruise.
If your ship has Playmakers Sports Bar and Grille, you've got to try the Campfire Cookie for a home run of a treat.
We order a Campfire Cookie at least once a cruise
Royal Caribbean's sports bar has two desserts on its menu, each priced a la carte.
The Campfire Cookie is a warm, gooey treat that needs time to prepare before you can have it. Usually it's about 15-20 minutes of prep time, which is a good sign because it means it's not mass produced.
It's a freshly baked and served hot chocolate chip cookie topped with marshmallows, but that description doesn't do it justice.
Baked and served in a sizzling skillet, the first layer is a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie. It is topped with a generous layer of toasted marshmallows and served with Nutella and caramel sauce.
It's served with a side of vanilla ice cream and milk shooters. That's right, you're going to want to chug a shot of milk to help with the richness of it.
It's theoretically big enough to share, but good luck on relinquishing control of it to someone else. I find I want to keep eating bite after bite. So while you could share one between two people, I'd recommend ordering one for each of you to avoid the competition.
Why it's better than other desserts
Typical cruise desserts are mass produced and while they are sweet, there's nothing like a hot, baked, fresh dessert.
Each one is prepared when you order it, so you can't get it immediately. The bake time starts off as a sign something special is coming.
It's also a consistently good dessert, meaning regardless if you order one on Symphony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, or Star of the Seas, it's really good.
I also think the genius of this dessert is it hits multiple cravings at once: cookie, smore, and ice cream in one.
And yes, it's theoretically shareable because it's large enough. However, in practice, you probably won't want to.
Best time to order it
We've had the Campfire Cookie as both an after dinner dessert, as well as a snack.
If you're already having lunch or dinner at Playmakers, then we will tell our waiter that we intend to order the Campfire Cookie. That way, they can prep it and we just have to tell them we're ready for it and they can time it properly.
I think it's best in the evening, but we've come back aboard the ship after a shore excursion to have one as an afternoon snack.
Regardless of what time of day you order it, there's just enough time to have a drink while you wait.
It's an affordable treat for a great after-dinner stop
Everything on the Playmakers menu is priced a la carte, which means you only pay for what you order.
We will often wrap up dinner at the Main Dining Room and then head to Playmakers just for dessert. Since it only costs $9, it's a reasonable cost and doesn't require a full cover charge.
It's decadent, and when nothing jumps out from the dessert menu elsewhere, my kids (and wife) will suggest we go get a Campfire Cookie instead.
No reservations are required (or available) at Playmakers, you just have to go there and order it from the waiter.
I've tried so many different Royal Caribbean desserts over the years, but none compare to the Campfire Cookie.
The red velvet cake at Chops Grille, mochi ice cream at Izumi, or Royal Cheesecake at the Main Dining Room are all pretty darn good. But I don't think any of them are remotely on the same level as this cookie.
If you're going to spend money on one dessert on your cruise, make it this one. Even if you think you’re too full… this is the one time to ignore that feeling.
Playmakers has an over-the-top ice cream sundae too
If marshmallow isn't your thing, I could make a good argument for the other dessert on Playmaker's menu, the Touchdown Sundae.
Served in a football helmet, it's an impressive five scoops of ice cream piled on top of each other with caramel, chocolate syrup,
whipped cream and more!
Yes, you get to keep the helmet after.
