The Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships has labeled Royal Caribbean's food as the worst of the major cruise lines, giving it five out of ten stars for its cuisine.

Book author Douglas Ward was particularly harsh on Royal Caribbean's dining room, afternoon teas and wine lists as being the worst. He did concede that Oasis of the Seas managed to earn a rating of more than six out of 10 in only one category: informal dining/buffet.

Ward attributes the poor rating to Royal Caribbean's unwillingness to spend more for their food.  He cited guest complaints that the food didn't look or taste as good as the brochures promised and the meats tended to be cheaper cuts.  Other issues contributing to the lower score include lack of green vegetables, herbs or garnishes; the quality of pastry items; the choice of salt, pepper or olive oils; and a lack of fresh fish.

How did Royal Caribbean's competitors do?  Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Cruises did not do much better, while Cunard, Celebrity and Princess Cruises earned the best marks.

CNN posted an interesting article asking the question if one can lose weight while on a cruise. After all, the stereotypical view of cruises is that they are a floating smorgasbord.  According to Royal Caribbean, most guests consume way more food at the beginning of their cruise than by the end of it.  Frank Weber, the vice president of food and beverage operations for Royal Caribbean says statistics show that in the first few days of a cruise, more food is consumed by guests but after that, passengers slow down.  

To help passengers avoid packing on the pounds, Royal Caribbean offers health-conscious options known as "Vitality"

"[The Vitality option is] a three-course meal that has 800 calories or less," said Royal Caribbean's Weber, who added that the calorie count has been added to the menu. "At the buffet, the healthier options are marked with the Vitality logo. On the Oasis, our newest ship, we also created an entire buffet restaurant that is dedicated to healthy food."

In addition, Weber added that he fully expects future cruise ships to have restaurants dedicated to eating healthy while older vessels might have one restaurant that is retrofitted for healthier food.

So why the change in eating healthier?  Weber attributes a change in popular culture, thanks in part to TV starts like Jillian Michaels and celebrity chefs who help make healthful eating more popular.

"It's not so much about going on a specific diet," he said. "The guests still want to enjoy food, but they are aware of the impact, so it becomes about balance. So some days, they might enjoy themselves, and the next day, they will eat a salad for lunch."

If you've been on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the fairly recent past, more than likely you've eaten at the Windjammer Café, the ever popular and somewhat ubiquitous buffet that fans of Royal Caribbean look forward to on each of their cruises.  The Windjammer is a buffet restaurant that is included in the price of your cruise.  It offers a wide variety of food from fresh fruit and salad to sandwiches, burgers, dessert and much more.  

The exact menu of the Windjammer varies from ship to ship as well as what's in season and fresh.  Don't be confused, the Windjammer isn't your typical stale buffet with old food. Rather, it's a great place for meals or snacks at many times of the day. 

Many guests get their first taste of the Windjammer on embarkation day when they first board the ship.  The Windjammer is typically open for lunch for those boarding the ship and a great opportunity to get your vacation started off right.  Throughout the cruise, you will find opportunities to sample different food depending on the meal.  

Some Windjammers, like those on Navigator of the Seas or Mariner of the Seas, feature a Jade section to the Windjammer, which serve Asian foods such as soup, rice and even sushi.

Windjammer Cafe Hours: 

• Continental Breakfast: 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.
• Full-Buffet Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
• Lunch: Noon-2:00 p.m.
• Afternoon Tea and Snacks: 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
• Dinner: 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.