Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room has a traditional approach to offering meals, especially dinner, every day of the cruise.

What I love about eating there is having the same wait staff that get to know me and what I like.  That level of service and friendliness brings me back because I enjoy the pomp and circumstance at dinner.

And I'm not alone in my love for what the Main Dining Room is today. Remember when the cruise line tried to remodel and redo how dinner worked on its ships but had to backtrack fast due to outcry from loyal customers? People still adore what the Main Dining Room has been for so long, and they cherish the experience.

The Main Dining Room food is comforting, the aesthetics lavish, and cruisers have an understanding of some unwritten rules.

This means that if you're new and haven't eaten in the MDR before, you might not realize there are things you can do to make your meals better, as well as things you might do that could create strife. These unwritten rules are simple, though, so putting them into action doesn't take much effort. 

If you've got dinner in the Main Dining Room planned ,here are six unwritten rules to know before you eat there.

Don't be late to dinner

If you're booked in Traditional Dinner, you really should be arriving at your scheduled time.

While being a few minutes late happens, being significantly or habitually late causes undo delays for your tablemates and waitstaff.

There are three seating's per evening, and meals are timed in order to get everyone in and out on time.

Not only does being late mean everyone else at your table has to wait longer to order their food, but it means your waiters have to rush to get your meal back on schedule so they can get you out the door within the expected timeline.

This isn't an issue with My Time Dining since you'll just inconvenience yourself and have to wait for the next available table.

In my opinion, if I was more than 15-20 minutes late, I'd seek dinner elsewhere on the ship.

Respect the dress codes, even if they're just suggestions

Royal Caribbean vaguely lists a dress code that is rarely enforced, but I still think you should stick to the spirit of them.

Each night of your cruise has a theme and a dress code for the Main Dining Room.  It's listed in the Royal Caribbean app, as well as posted in the Cruise Compass.

These dress codes are more suggestions than requirements. Even formal night or "Dress your best night" isn't nearly as fancy as you might think.  No need to pack a tuxedo or ball gown, unless you really want to.

The bare minimum is to wear something to dinner that is nicer than you'd wear to the pool deck. A collared shirt and slacks/jeans for men will suffice. Ladies can wear jeans and a blouse, dress, or a skirt. 

And yes, you can probably wear shorts because the dress code isn't enforced and Royal Caribbean's own verbiage says its dress codes are "suggested attire". Personally, I wouldn't wear shorts to dinner unless my luggage was lost or packed away for the final evening. Even then, I'd probably eat at the buffet, but that's just me.

Basically, make an effort. You don't have to dress like it's prom night, but you should try sprucing things up (even if you're on vacation).

The absolute no-no's that are actually enforced is no bare feet and no tank tops.

Tell your waiter if you need a faster meal

Royal Caribbean has gotten a lot better at speeding up its dinners, but if you need to be out by a certain time, I'd convey that up front.

If you have a show, appointment, or just somewhere you need to be by a certain time, I would recommend telling them when you sit down so they can expedite your meal.

Waiters are happy to speed up your meal to get you out on time, but they're not mind readers.  They want you to be happy and enjoy a meal at the same time.

In my experience, you can have a meal in as little as 45 minutes if they know you need to go.  It could be less if you're willing to forgo dessert.

Don't waste food, but it's okay to try something

Most of the Main Dining Room menu is included at no additional cost, but it's expected you'll try your best to eat what you order.

Not only is the cruise line trying to cut down on food waste, I think it's your responsibility to not be wasteful.

However, don't let this stop you from trying new food.  There is a wide selection of food each night, and a few items are true hidden gems. The waiters will be the first to tell you they're happy to bring something out for you to try, and if you don't like it, they can get you something else.

That's different from flagrantly over ordering food you know ahead of time you probably won't eat.

I've found cruises to be the perfect opportunity to try new foods because there's little risk.  I won't go to a land restaurant and pay for food I've never had and am worried I won't like. But since there's no additional cost for most of what's on the Main Dining Room menu, it's fun to try something new.

You can order food to go

A lot of new cruisers are surprised you can take food out of a restaurant and bring it back to your room (or anywhere else onboard).

Let's say you're full, but want to enjoy dessert later. You can ask to take it with you back to your room.

Likewise, you can take seconds or any food and the crew can put it in a bowl and to-go container cover so you can more easily transport it back.

This means you could have dessert on your balcony, or wake up to leftovers in your cabin.

This strategy also works for someone you're cruising with who isn't feeling well.  Perhaps they're nursing a hangover, are too tired to go to dinner, or just not feeling great. You can ask to bring food back to them in the room.

Don't bring up controversial topics

Dinner conversation is fun, but stick to topics that won't get anyone angry.

Specifically, I'd avoid bringing up politics and religion.  Current events tend to skew into politics before you know it.

I want to enjoy my meal without offending someone else or having a debate.  It's just not worth the effort, and it ruins the vibe.

Things you should talk about can be much more fun:

• Your cruising experience
• What you did earlier that day
• Plans for tomorrow
• Weather
• Sports teams
• Movies and entertainment

You're not going to convince anyone of your viewpoint, and leaving anger and awkward silences later isn't enjoyable for anyone.

Is being asked for feedback often a sign of care or too much pressure? One cruiser was bothered by it, but wasn't sure how to respond.

On the Royal Caribbean subreddit, Gohalo1 posted their recent experience on Icon of the Seas where they were asked so many times for feedback in the Main Dining Room it disrupted their experience. In fact, they questioned if it amounted to "pestering by the staff."

"Just got off Icon and my group of 4 felt this cruise was different in the way of staff asking in two ways," they started off their post.

They encountered so many different crew members asking if everything was okay in the Main Dining Room on the first two nights of their cruise that they, "didn't feel like going back after" and booked dinners elsewhere.

Their experience is something I've encountered across my cruises, but I think others might want to know how to handle this sort of situation if it were to happen to them.

"We felt like we could barely talk to each other"

According to Gohalo1, the Main Dining Room staff was "incredibly overbearing asking for feedback."

Across the first two nights at dinner, both the waiter and assistant waiter asked after each course if the food was good.  Then the Dining Room Manager came and did the same thing.

Their frustration stemmed from the fact it interrupted the flow of their conversation and they couldn't hold a conversation.

Things got worse on the third night when they didn't go to dinner, and the manager called their stateroom to ask why they were absent.

"Starting the third night, the manager called our staterooms every day asking for feedback as to why we hadn’t returned that night."

Why crew members are so concerned with guest feedback

I can't say this person's experience is unheard of, although it sounds like it was more than even I've encountered.

Royal Caribbean is obsessed with guest feedback, and wants to ensure the product they deliver is what guests expect.  But asking too often goes from "observant" to "annoying" quickly if it's done too often.

Part of this stems from the company's adherence to Net Promoter Scores (NPS) as a way to measure everything they do. Using NPS is very commonplace in the travel market (as well as other industries) because it quantifies the basic question "would you recommend this to others."

Crew members know at the end of the cruise, every passenger will get a survey asking for their feedback on every aspect of the cruise, including the Main Dining Room.

Presumably to avoid a situation where a guest has a poor experience because no one checked in to see if there were any problems or if anything could be improved, the crew will be proactive in seeking feedback.  They want their guests happy, well fed, and not leaving with any problems.

It's not rude to ask for a change

In this situation, it seems like the staff's level of concern went well past the point of doing due diligence.

Gohalo1 asked at the end of their post if  this was typical, and the answer is, no.  If each waiter and manager was checking in so much to the point they felt the flow of the meal was being disrupted, I would say that's abnormal.

Typically the waiter will be the point person for gathering feedback from their guests.  The best ones can almost sense it, but certainly asking how the food is, or if they can get you anything else, is common. 

The head waiter usually can be counted on to visit a few times per cruise. In my experience, it's not every night, but close to it. The head waiter calling the room to ask why they're not at dinner is not unheard of, but not common either. It's part of the reason why many cruisers will let their waiters know ahead of time they won't be at dinner because they're dining elsewhere.

Whether you want more check-ins or less, I would have started with the head waiter to politely explain while everything is good with the service and food, the flow of dinner isn't good.

I would explain I appreciate the concern, but the requests for feedback is disrupting our enjoyment and for just the waiter to ask once per meal, and that's it.

If that didn't stop it, I'd probably politely ask to speak to the Maître D or deck manager, and then explain the situation to them. I'd probably say something like, "We're enjoying our meal, but the constant requests for feedback is bothersome. If there's a problem, I'll speak up.  But in the meantime, can we please cut it back so we can enjoy the food and our time together?"

I get it, you don't want to insult these people that are working very hard to ensure you're having a great meal. But as you're being polite, it's not rude to ask for them to take a step back.

At the end of day, their top goal is for you to be happy and have a great meal experience. 

For most cruisers, going to the Main Dining Room for dinner is the best option. After all, it's included, has great service, and you're bound to find a few things each night that will satisfy.

Cruise ships have other places to eat, such as the Windjammer buffet or a specialty restaurant, but I think the Main Dining Room has a more casual and family-friendly environment groups find appealing.

But just because the Main Dining Room seems like a pretty straightforward restaurant doesn't mean that there aren't mistakes you can make when you're dining there.

I've compiled this list of some of the most common mistakes people make when they eat there, and by avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure you're getting the best possible dinner experience the next time you visit.

Filling up on the (admittedly delicious) bread

After being seated at your table, the first thing you'll offered is a basket full of bread rolls. There are a few different varieties and honestly, it's really hard not to have a couple.

Cheese rolls, sliced baguette, pumpkin seed, and another one or two options are available to choose from, along with butter. As you wait for your food to come out, these rolls look more and more appetizing.

But newbies will have a few rolls and then struggle when the rest of the food comes out. These rolls will fill you up fast, leaving no room for your actual entree.

It's a potential mistake you can make in a lot of restaurants, but I'd hold off on devouring them.

Enjoy a single roll, sure, but then leave the rest for after your entree arrives. That way, you'll have room in your stomach for everything you want to taste at the table.

Not having a reservation if you're on My Time Dining

If you picked My Time Dining (Anytime Dining), there are two lines for tables: people with a reservation and those without one.

The people with a reservation are seated first, and the line for both can be quite long. This is especially true if you're looking to eat before 8pm.

The advantage of My Time Dining is you have flexibility in when you eat, but you should try to make a reservation whenever possible to ensure you minimize how much waiting there is.

You can make a reservation before the cruise with the Royal Caribbean app or in the Cruise Planner site.  But you can still make reservations once onboard the ship by calling the dining hotline from any phone.

As soon as you have an idea when you'd like to eat, I recommend making a reservation so you can enjoy dinner closer to the time you prefer.

Thinking you're going to be getting a fancy meal

A lot of people see a beautiful dining room, white tablecloths, and giant chandelier, and assume they're going to get a meal that's on the fancier end of the spectrum.

Don't get me wrong, the Main Dining Room is a lovely restaurant to dine in, but it's not nearly as formal or as high-end a restaurant as it may look.

The Main Dining Room isn't a fancy restaurant by any means. Royal Caribbean wants it to be a welcoming, family-friendly place for a great dining meal. It's far closer to casual dining than the aesthetics would lead you to believe.

The restaurants that offer a fancy, high-end meal are reserved for the specialty restaurants, such as Chops Grille or the supper clubs.

In truth, the MDR is more about casual dining. That's not a bad thing, I love that you can come in with a nice pair of jeans and collared shirt and enjoy a meal seated with friends and family without any pretenses. Its a great casual, family restaurant.

Assuming you order the same as you would at a land restaurant

I order food completely differently at a land restaurant compared to a cruise ship restaurant, especially at the Main Dining Room.

There is no extra charge to order more than one appetizer, entree, or dessert. In fact, the crew members encourage you to order what sounds good because they want you happy.

While this may sound gluttonous, the serving sizes of dishes tends to be smaller than what you'd get at a land restaurant. They're not miniscule portions by any means, but ordering two entrees isn't as crazy as it sounds when you get your food.

Some new cruisers won't really know they can, or should, order multiple dishes until perhaps after a few cruises. 

I recommend ordering two appetizers and entrees not only to try each, but to hedge your bet if one dish isn't what you expected.

Suffering in silence

If what you ordered isn't what you expected, or the food isn't hot enough, don't sit there and take it!

The Main Dining Room staff want you to be happy and very satisfied. They are more than happy to bring you something else or prepare the dish differently if it will be more to your liking.

I understand no one wants to be a nuisance or a pain, but if you even hint you didn't love your food, any waiter or manager will insist on bringing you something else.

On a few occasions I've tried a dish and almost instantly knew this isn't what I like. I wanted to sample it to see if this could be something new I'd love, but it's not the case.

In those situations, I explain "it's me, not you" situation and ask for something else. The waiters are quite happy to step in and swap out dishes.

Not checking the menu before you arrive

There are lots of places you dine at your cruise, so I think it's a mistake if you don't check the evening's menu before arriving.

Royal Caribbean rotates its dinner menu each night in the Main Dining Room, and there might be a better place instead because of the entree choices. You might prefer the Windjammer or splurge and go to a specialty restaurant.

You can find the menu posted on a digital screen outside the Main Dining Room, as well as being in the Royal Caribbean app.

For picky eaters, this can be a good strategy for avoiding the, "there's nothing I like on the menu" situation. 

Or if you want to make sure you don't miss a certain dish (like lobster night), knowing which night not to make a specialty restaurant reservation is important.

Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room is a staple of the cruise experience, and within its daily menu are a few must-eats that you might otherwise overlook.

Each night there's a new menu to choose from, but certain items stand out among those that cruise enough to repeat menus.

Sure, you can order the lobster tail, steak, or chicken cordon bleu and be happy with that. After all, they're great dishes. But they can blind you to delectable appetizers, sides, and entrees that deserve way more attention.

In my 20 years of cruising on Royal Caribbean, I've discovered underrated dishes that stand out as a great choice to order because they're something new, exciting, and totally delicious.

But trust me: You'll be glad you tried these items once you give them a chance.

Indian curry

I liked Indian curry before I ever cruised on Royal Caribbean, but the curry offerings on Royal Caribbean are fabulous.

Indian curry has garnered a cult-like following among cruise fans who recognize it's one of the consistently best options on the menu.  Plus, there's a rotating curry option every night of the cruise in the Main Dining Room, including a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option.

If you've never tried it, fear not, it's not as spicy as you might think. In fact, I think nearly all of Royal Caribbean's curries are quite mild and lack the authentic heat it probably should have. Nonetheless, it's quite tame and a great option for someone that has never tried curry.

Try the butter chicken or chicken curry when it's on the menu as a great starting idea. No vegetables, just chicken in a great tasting sauce.  Add in some rice and I bet you'll love it.

Escargot

Yes, the traditional French dish that serves snails is actually really good.

In reality, the baked snails are quite small and nearly drowning in garlic and butter. This makes escargot more palatable to someone trying it and if you eat it with bread, I doubt you'll taste anything other than the garlic and butter.

It's salty, savory, and lots of cruisers swear by it as a must-order item because it's different.  Few of us are fine diners at home, so the chance to try something different here and venture out is fun.

Crab cakes

According to the Royal Caribbean Dining group on Facebook, the crab cakes are underrated.

"I order this for dinner instead of appetizer," one person posted.

Available on the Welcome Aboard menu (night one), it's one of those dishes I'll see highlighted over and over again by cruisers.

Outside of those from Maryland who have higher standards for the dish, I think it's routinely one of the better options to try.

French onion soup

I don't know how much French onion soup can be hidden, but I'm putting it on the list because if you've ever thought "been there, done that", you haven't.

There's something about Royal Caribbean's French onion soup that truly stands out from the same soup I've had at plenty of other restaurants on land.

The salty broth, cheese, bread, and plenty of onions all combine to never disappoint.

I also appreciate it comes out as nearly scalding hot, which makes a difference with any soup.  I think soup should always be too hot to enjoy initially.  Plus, it lets the cheese and bread soak in more.

French onion soup has been on the Main Dining Room menu for as long as I've been cruising, and it's probably the top reason I'll choose to eat there instead of another venue.

Eggs benedict

Did you know the Main Dining Room is open every morning for breakfast too?

It's a traditional American breakfast, but many people swear by the eggs benedict as a must-order.  It's overlooked because a lot of people opt for scrambled eggs or an omelet.

Eggs benedict is a poached egg with Canadian bacon along with hollandaise sauce.

Many fans love this dish.

• "I have eggs benedict for breakfast on the first day of every cruise. Can’t wait!"
• "Best egg benedict in the fleet!"
• "Eggs benny....one of my favorite breakfasts."

The Main Dining Room is a staple experience on Royal Caribbean cruises. However, many passengers may opt to skip the dining room in favor of specialty restaurants or a quicker, casual meal at the buffet, leaving them wondering if they should tell their waitstaff that they won't be there for dinner. 

The question was recently asked in a Royal Caribbean dining Facebook group, where a cruiser debated whether they should let their waiter know about the nights they plan on dining elsewhere. 

"We have reserved specialty dining on days 3, 4, [and] 5 of our upcoming 8-day trip. Should we let the [Main Dining Room] know that we won’t be there for those dinners but WILL be back for days 6 & 7?" they asked. 

While you aren't required to let your waiter know, many cruisers consider it common courtesy. 

If you choose traditional dining (i.e., the early or late seating) and know you’ll be missing a night (or two), it's polite to let them know. 

That way, they won't be waiting on you and can better manage their table assignments and service flow for the dinner seating. It also helps them know if the table will be used for My Time Dining guests. 

The responses were largely in agreement, stating that it's polite to let your waitstaff know when you won't be there. 

"We always let our waiters know when we will not be there," said one user. 

Another added, "Assuming you have the traditional, set dining time, common courtesy would be to let your waiter know you won't be there on those nights so the waiter and your fellow table mates are not waiting on you before starting their meal."

"[T]hey will tell you it's not necessary, but it is common courtesy to let them know," someone else agreed. 

One cruiser wrote, "It's simple courtesy to let them know the evening before as often the waiters will have prepared for you to show up. Our waiters frequently have our preferred beverage ready and even the cheese plate that we usually order to share at the table."

If you have My Time Dining, your server may ask you to request them the next night. If you have no intention of returning to the dining room, you can simply say that you have other plans. 

However, if they don't ask, there's no need to inform them, as My Time Dining is on a first-come, first-served basis — it's not expected that you will have the same waitstaff each night, like with traditional dining. 

If you have traditional dining, you can relax knowing that your assigned table and servers will be ready to welcome you each night you choose to eat in the dining room, even if you skip a few.

Read more: Royal Caribbean My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

Why cruisers might skip the Main Dining Room

The Main Dining Room is designed to be a flexible option for cruisers. Although many choose to eat there every night since it's included in your cruise fare, others may prefer the intimate setting of specialty restaurants. 

You can either purchase a specialty dining package or pay the individual cover charges at restaurants like Izumi, Chops Grille, Hooked, and more. 

Another reason passengers might skip the dining room is for a quick meal at the buffet, rather than devoting time to a multi-course dinner. There are also more choices than in the dining room, so you can mix and match to create your perfect plate. 

The good thing is that you can choose how you want to mix up your cruise dining experience (or not). 

And if you do decide on a whim to skip the dining room, it's okay. Cruising is all about flexibility, and your waiter will understand the last-minute change of plans. 

Read more: 11 reasons eating at the cruise buffet instead of the dining room is better

For many cruisers, indulging in delicious cuisine is a major highlight of cruising. With such an emphasis on the dining experience, many cruisers like to plan ahead of time to make the most of their time onboard. Not to mention, there are so many dining options to choose from during your cruise, including both specialty and complimentary restaurants. 

Thankfully, Royal Caribbean makes it simple to browse dining menus right from their app. You can see the planned menus for each night of your cruise before you even set sail! For a routine itinerary, such as a 3-night or 4-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas, menus can be available months in advance in the app. 

However, menu availability can change based on your specific Royal Caribbean cruise. For example, unique sailings, such as repositioning itineraries, transatlantic cruises, or one-way sailings, may not have menus available until closer to embarkation. In addition, even if you see menus populating for each night, it could change as the sailing approaches.

Also, it's important to note that specialty dining menus are the same every night during your cruise. In fact, specialty dining menus are standardized across Royal Caribbean’s fleet. In this way, what you see in the app is what you can expect to find once you’re onboard.  This can make it easy to decide in advance if a restaurant like Chops Grille or Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is worth booking for your trip.

If you’re planning to book a meal at one of Royal Caribbean’s specialty dining restaurants, I recommend checking the main dining room menus beforehand. It’s not unusual to have one or two menus that don’t excite you, which presents the perfect opportunity for specialty dining.

For this reason, I personally love having access to Royal Caribbean’s menus in advance. This makes planning my dining schedule easy and also ensures reservations fit nicely into my busy cruise plans. 

I’ve been cruising with Royal Caribbean since I was a kid. I vividly remember the excitement each night of arriving to dinner and seeing what’s on the nightly menu. Eventually, that evolved into menus being displayed on the electronic screens outside of the elevators each day. Now, we are lucky to have access to every menu during our cruises directly in the Royal Caribbean app. How times have changed!

Within the Royal Caribbean app, you can see the rotating nightly menus in the main dining room, including what’s being served for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Additionally, you can browse the specialty dining restaurants before you book a table or opt to book a dining package for your cruise. 

If you're curious how to navigate the dining section of your Royal Caribbean app, you've come to the right place! Here’s a step-by-step guide to navigating the app so you can preview your meals before stepping onboard. I’ll be using screenshots from my upcoming cruise on Wonder of the Seas, so keep in mind that your ship’s specific restaurant selection might be different. Either way, the navigation process is the same.

Step 1: Open the Royal Caribbean App

First, download the Royal Caribbean app from your phone’s app store, then log in with your cruise reservation details. Once your sailing is linked, you’ll want to select your upcoming cruise. This will take you to a homepage for your specific cruise. It should look something like this with an image of your ship, along with your itinerary and daily agenda.

If your cruise is in the future, the app will say “Day 1” with your embarkation port at the top. This screen also provides important details like the all-aboard time, the daily weather forecast, and a welcome message. At the bottom, you can switch between your Daily Planner and My Calendar, or use the navigation bar to access shortcuts like dining, beverages, and excursions.

At the bottom menu bar, you’ll see a few icons including Cart, Check-In, For You, and Beverage. Tap “More” (three dots icon) at the end of the bottom menu. You should see this in the bottom right corner. A shortcut screen will appear, and this is where you’ll select “Dining” to begin exploring your options.

Step 2: Choose Between Specialty Dining and Main Dining

Once you’ve tapped into the Dining section, the app will display the dining homepage. On the home page, you will notice several tabs across the top of the screen for restaurants, dining experiences, bars, dining packages and more. If you're visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay, you can even access the island's menus here!

Each tab helps you quickly find what you’re looking for between complimentary and specialty dining. If you’re looking for the included dining options, swipe over to the “Main Dining” tab. This section will show you everything served in the main dining room, including nightly menus for dinner onboard.

Here’s a brief summary of what you can find under the a few of the tabs.

Restaurants

This tab shows all of the specialty dining venues onboard, such as Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Hooked Seafood, Chops Grille, and Izumi. These restaurants come with an extra charge, but their menus are consistent each night of your cruise. The menus here are standardized across the Royal Caribbean fleet, so if you’ve sailed before, you’ll often see familiar options here.

Main Dining

This is where you’ll find the complimentary dining rooms, which are included in your cruise fare. Unlike specialty restaurants, these menus rotate nightly, so you’ll see different appetizers, entrees, and desserts throughout your sailing. Breakfast is available each morning in the dining room, although lunch and brunch can be available on a select few days during your itinerary.

Bars & Lounges

If you’re curious about the drink options onboard, this tab highlights the different bars and lounges on your ship. This is where you can find drink menus for cocktails, mocktails, wine, beer, or specialty coffee. It can be especially handy if you have a drink package and want to know what’s available at different venues.

Step 3: Select a Dining Room

After navigating to the dining tab, your ship might list multiple dining rooms to choose from. This will usually include My Time Dining Room and the main dining rooms. Before boarding, your ship's main dining rooms will likely be named Main Dining Room 1, Main Dining Room 2, etc. Once you’re onboard, these will update to show the exact name of the dining rooms.

It doesn’t matter which dining room you select, as they will each serve the same menu. In the app, you can usually click on any of the main dining rooms to see the same menus. If one doesn’t work, try selecting a different dining room. You can also see the dining times in this area once you’re onboard, which can be helpful for planning your meals.

Tap on a dining room, then hit “View Menu” to see what’s being served. 

Step 4: Browse the Menus by Day

When you open a dining room menu, it will default to Day 1 Dinner. This is usually the “Welcome Aboard” dinner in the main dining room, but this could differ. 

Scroll down to browse the specific menu for that evening. Here you’ll see the Chef’s Recommendation, appetizers, main courses, and desserts for that night, along with a wine menu. 

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll find a row of tabs for each day of your cruise (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc.). Tapping through these allows you to preview the menus for the entire sailing. 

Each night has a different theme, such as Taste of France with escargot, Italian Night with tiramisu, Caribbean Night with jerk pork chops, and Royal Night with lobster. You can also toggle between breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus here. 

Step 5: Explore Specialty Dining Menus

If you’re planning to splurge on a specialty dining meal, you can also view the restaurant's menu in Royal Caribbean’s app. As mentioned, these are fixed menus for each restaurant across the fleet. Each venue will be listed with its pricing and description. You can also see when each restaurant will be open during your cruise.

Tap on a restaurant like Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen or Hooked Seafood, then hit “View Menu.” You can view all of the menus for every specialty dining venue on your ship. In addition, you can even make reservations for these restaurants directly on the Royal Caribbean app. 

Why this can be helpful for planning your cruise

During your Royal Caribbean cruise, you can dine every evening in the main dining room, as this is included in your cruise fare. If you want a more upscale dining experience, you can also pay extra for specialty dining during your cruise.

Being able to view the menus ahead of time makes it easier to plan your meals during the cruise. For example, you may decide to book a specialty dining reservation on a night when the main dining room menu doesn’t look as appealing. Moreover, you might prefer the main dining room’s lunch menu versus grabbing something quick in the Windjammer buffet.

This can also help those with dietary restrictions or meal preferences, such as vegetarians or vegans. If you have any dietary preferences, make sure to tell your dining room staff and they are always happy to accommodate you.

The dining section of Royal Caribbean's app is also where you can purchase a dining package for your sailing. This allows you to pre-pay for specialty dining meals, including the unlimited dining package. 

Finally, some of Royal Caribbean's biggest ships have a wider selection of restaurants to choose from, such as the Oasis and Icon class. Being able to view menus across the ship ahead of time helps you prioritize where you want to eat so you don't miss out on any must-try spots. If your future cruise isn't displaying menus, keep checking back as the sailing approaches. 

I almost always skip formal night on a cruise, and it’s the best choice I make on every vacation.

Many cruise passengers look forward to formal night in the Main Dining Room. It’s a great opportunity to dress up and enjoy a multi-course, sit-down meal with friends and family.

In the past, formal night was true to its name. Passengers dressed in ball gowns and tuxedos, and the event was akin to an elegant gala.

Nowadays, formal night is far less formal. Dress codes are rarely enforced, and unlimited lobster is a thing of the past.

Even still, there are six reasons I opt out of formal night on a cruise, and doing so makes my experience a whole lot better.

I don’t need to pack as many clothes

As someone who doesn't live within driving distance of a cruise port, I fly to every cruise I take. While I don’t mind flying, I absolutely hate paying for checked bags.

These days, most airlines charge between $35 and $45 each way for a checked bag. Flights are expensive enough, so I try to avoid checking a bag whenever I can.

Instead, I pack lightly for my cruises. My carry-on suitcase provides adequate space for a week’s worth of clothes, especially when I utilize packing cubes to compress clothing items.

Related: Royal Caribbean formal night: What to wear

Packing a carry-on means I have to pack thoughtfully. Sometimes, it’s challenging to fit daytime outfits, evening outfits, bathing suits, shoes, toiletries, and formal night clothing into my carry-on.

I simply don’t have the packing space to bring a long, formal dress and nicer pair of shoes.

Even though formal night is far less formal than it used to be, I don’t see the need to pack extra outfits just to sit in the dining room.

Other venues onboard, such as the buffet or even some casual specialty restaurants like Playmakers, have a more relaxed dress code. These restaurants can be a great alternative.

Lobster isn’t unlimited anymore — plus, there is better lobster elsewhere onboard

One of the main reasons passengers love formal night is for the free lobster tails. However, I’d argue that this dish alone is not worth planning your entire dinner over.

First, Royal Caribbean has cut down on lobster tail service in the Main Dining Room. In the past, passengers could order unlimited lobster tails on formal night. For lobster-lovers, this was a huge benefit of attending.

In 2023, though, Royal Caribbean reversed their unlimited lobster policy. Now, passengers can only order one lobster tail at no cost. Any additional lobster tails incur a fee of $16.99 per dish.

Related: Royal Caribbean menus: Main Dining Room, specialty restaurants & more

Even if you’re attending formal night just for lobster, I’d say you’re better off ordering the dish at a specialty restaurant instead.

150 Central Park, a specialty restaurant on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships, has perhaps the most delicious lobster dish the cruise line offers—Lobster Thermidor.

This French dish involves cooking lobster meat in a creamy, cognac-based sauce seasoned with tarragon. It’s then stuffed into a lobster tail and topped with parmesan cheese.

This is one of my all-time favorite dishes on Royal Caribbean. It's perfectly tender, flavorful, and rich. Despite the restaurant’s cover charge, which hovers around $60, I find that this dish alone justifies the cost.

Related: How does specialty dining work on Royal Caribbean?

So, if you’re planning to attend formal night for one small lobster tail, I wouldn't say it’s totally worth it. Instead, consider dining at a specialty restaurant instead for a higher-quality dish.

Specialty restaurants offering lobster include Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, Hooked Seafood, and Izumi Sushi.

Meals in the dining room aren’t as private as I’d like

I don’t mind eating in the Main Dining Room on a cruise, but it’s never my first choice.

My problem with the dining room doesn’t have anything to do with the food itself, but the placement of dining tables.

With thousands of guests onboard a cruise ship, tables are typically close together, but sometimes they’re way too close together.

In particular, the tables of two and four can be just inches away from each other. This leads to a lack of privacy, as you can usually hear conversations from the tables next to your own.

I like mingling with other passengers here and there during a cruise, but prefer to enjoy a more private ambiance when dining. On formal nights, the dining room is even busier than normal, so my chances of snagging a private table location are slim to none.

Related: How do I get a table for two in the Main Dining Room?

Therefore, I prefer dining elsewhere on the ship to encounter fewer crowds. The buffet, for instance, has a ton of tables available at dinner, so there’s no need to sit inches away from another party.

Likewise, specialty restaurants have a more intimate atmosphere than the Main Dining Room. Tables are further apart from each other at specialty restaurants, and I greatly prefer this type of dining environment.

The buffet offers some of the same food

If a dish on the formal night menu catches your eye but you don’t want to dress up for a sit-down meal, consider eating at the buffet instead.

More often than not, you’ll find similar food items at the Windjammer buffet as in the Main Dining Room. While you won’t find lobster tails, you’re likely to see some of the same appetizers, main courses, and desserts at the buffet stations.

Sure, you won’t get that same sit-down service that you would have in the dining room, but there are benefits to the buffet, too.

First, there are a lot more choices available. Whether you’re craving made-to-order pasta, stir fry, Indian curry, or a classic hamburger, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for in the Windjammer.

Related: The overlooked buffet station you should visit on your Royal Caribbean cruise

Not only that, but you can try more dishes, too. Even though you can order multiple entrées in the Main Dining Room, you’ll have to wait for each dish to come to your table. At the buffet, you can try a variety of items with no additional wait time.

Finally, there are virtually no crowds in the buffet on formal night. Because so many passengers head to the dining room, you might just have the venue (almost) all to yourself.

Ironically, the atmosphere in the quiet buffet could be more suitable for a relaxing dinner than that in the busy dining room.

Service is slower due to higher demand

One of my favorite things about eating in the Main Dining Room is the wonderful service from Royal Caribbean’s dining team.

Without fail, my waiters have always been exceptional. Whether they suggest a dish I might enjoy or bring extra ice cream for my chocolate cake, I love the personalized service and attention I receive in the dining room.

That being said, meals can sometimes take longer on formal night. Due to higher demand, the kitchen and wait staff are working more diligently than ever.

A meal that might usually take around 75 minutes could take longer than 90 minutes on formal night.

Longer meals don't always bother me, but sometimes I just want to get in and out of the dining room, especially if I plan to attend a show later in the evening.

The rest of the ship has fewer crowds

Speaking of crowds, formal night can be the best time to enjoy the ship’s public amenities like pools, sports activities, and lounges.

On my recent cruise, I visited the ship’s Solarium on formal night instead of eating in the dining room. This venue was completely packed most days of the cruise, but was nearly empty on formal night.

I enjoyed the pools and hot tubs with no crowds—a rarity on a ship with 5,000 guests!

Related: Chill spots to get away from the crowd on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship

If you’re hoping to try out the ship’s waterslides, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, or ice-skating rink, formal night could be the best time to do these activities with fewer lines.

Even if you’re just planning to chill with a drink on the pool deck, it might feel like you have the ship to yourself.

Everyone’s cruising style is different, and some passengers love attending formal night

I almost never attend formal night on a cruise, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it.

For some cruisers, formal night is a classic cruise activity they like to participate in on every vacation. It’s a chance to dress up, take formal photos, and enjoy an elegant meal.

These passengers may find it perplexing to skip free lobster tails in the dining room in favor of the buffet, but it’s what works for me.

Every cruiser has a different style. Some may love spending their days at the pool while others might prefer engaging in activities like trivia and sushi-making classes.

There’s no right or wrong way to cruise. Whether you want to attend formal night or skip it, you’re free to cater your cruise vacation to your personal style.

Are you looking for a classy, quiet experience at Royal Caribbean’s Main Dining Room?

Royal Caribbean’s Main Dining Room is a complimentary venue that serves formal, elegant meals two to three times a day.

It's become a staple of the cruise dining experience and a delicious meal that many cruise fans look forward to.

But you may not be eating alone.

You could be assigned to a table with other guests in the Main Dining Room.

Royal Caribbean tends to assign multiple parties to a table, especially if you’re traveling with a smaller party, such as a couple. 

To conserve dining space, waitstaff often assign multiple groups together at larger tables.

Without proper preparation, first-time cruisers could be met with a disappointing surprise when they come to dinner and find several strangers eating with them.

Being seated with another party can feel like a jarring end to the sophisticated evening you were expecting.

If dining alone is a priority for you, here’s how you can request a table for two.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room works and what to expect

How do table assignments work?

Royal Caribbean seats guests according to their availability. 

With the right timing and request, you can ensure that you snag a table for just two.

Royal Caribbean has table sizes for two, four, six, eight, and ten people. 

At those larger tables, the Main Dining Room staff do their best to seat groups together that might have something in common. 

For example, couples could expect to be sat with other couples. Or families with younger kids may find themselves with other families with children.

There’s nothing scary about being seated with another group; your parties will dine and converse, working together to have a lovely evening. 

Just make sure to keep the conversation light and fun! Steer the chat away from controversial topics, and remember that everyone is there to enjoy their meal and have a lovely cruise.

But, there are plenty of valid reasons why you might prefer to be seated alone.

If you’re celebrating a special occasion, feeling more introverted, or just don’t want to be focused on your partner during your dinner, you can request to be seated at a table for two for all your meals. 

Just remember that if you don’t specifically request it, you will likely be seated at a larger table with others.

Traditional Dining

When you first book your cruise, you’ll have two options for when you eat your Main Dining Room dinner: traditional dining or My Time Dining.

Read more: Royal Caribbean My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

These times determine when you go to dinner, and you’ll want to choose your selection carefully! You won’t be able to change it after the second day of your cruise.

Traditional dining gives you an assigned table at one of three times: 5:30 P.M., 6:45 P.M., or 8:00 P.M.

The exact times will vary according to your cruise’s itinerary, but you can select one of those three dinner times. 

Once you make your choice, you’ll be assigned to a consistent table and team of waiters each night.

If you’d like to secure a table for just two people before your cruise, you can make a request through email.

Simply contact [email protected] about 2-3 weeks before your cruise and ask for a smaller table for just your party.

If this doesn’t work, or you change your mind, you can still make your request once onboard.

Go to the Main Dining room and ask to speak to a head waiter, letting them know that you’d like a table for two.

The Main Dining Room’s waitstaff is extremely accommodating, and they will do their best to fulfill your request. 

Even if you end up being assigned to a larger table, the other parties may not join you, and waiters can move your group to a smaller table.

The good news is that, with traditional dining, you’ll sit at the same table every night. 

Once you make your original request, your group will be set at its own table.

My Time Dining

My Time Dining is a more flexible schedule for dinner. Instead of being assigned a specific time, you have a first-come, first-served option.

Usually, dinnertime runs between 6:00 and 9:30 P.M., and you will be seated when and where the waitstaff and kitchen are ready to serve you.

You can make a dinner reservation ahead of time in the Cruise Planner or Royal Caribbean app. 

If you choose to wait until you get onboard, you can go directly to the Main Dining Room and a head waiter will be happy to assist you. 

When you make your reservations with them, you can request a table for two.

Be sure that you make this in-person request as soon as you get onboard because reservations fill up quickly.

The benefit of making a reservation ahead of time is that you’ll have to wait less to get a table (up to 15 minutes).

However, you’re not required to make a reservation ahead of time. If you choose to, you can simply show up to the Main Dining Room whenever you feel like eating.

If you do not make any reservations, you might end up waiting up to 45 minutes at peak times.

While waiting to be seated, you can request a small table for your party. But many tables will likely be full at this point.

Usually, they will seat you at whatever tables are most quickly available, so just be patient if they can’t fulfill your request right away!

Seating your larger group together

Looking for special seating for a group larger than just two?

You can still request to dine together, instead of being seated with other parties.

If you’ve selected traditional dining, you can request a table allocation 50 days before the sailing. Your group leader can even assign the seats specifically.

However, Royal Caribbean’s website states that if you’ve selected My Time dining, there is no guarantee that your group will be seated together.

How do you make dinner on a cruise ship even better? Give passengers more choice in when they can dine.

Traditionally, Royal Caribbean has offered two traditional dinner times on its ships, where guests are seated at around 5pm or 8pm. The set dinner times have been a crowd pleaser, but for some people it has always felt either too early or too late.

Royal Caribbean wants to fix this by adding a third dinner time. It may seem like a simple change, but the cruise line thinks it will greatly improve the guest experience for anyone in the dining room, even if you don't select this time.

Royal Caribbean Blog got an exclusive update that coming this year, there will be a third dining time that will be added in-between the first two times.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage Linken D'Souza thinks the addition of a middle dining time will give guests, "more choice and variety and flexibility for their vacation."

"We're just trying to create more convenience, variety and options for our guests."

The exact time for the new seating will depend on the ship and itinerary.  It could start around 6:45pm - 7:30pm, depending on what the guest feedback is from early testing.

Mr. D'Souza said they've tested it out already on Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean is methodically rolling it out across the fleet. There isn't a set schedule yet, but Mr. D'Souza believes by the end of the year all the ships will have the additional dining time. It won't be done all at once, instead, the new option gets rolled out ship by ship.

More choices and a better cruise

At the heart of the decision to add a third dining time is the drive to improve the guest experience. Mr. D'Souza was adamant how much his team focuses on making dining better.

This idea seems to have born out of guest feedback Royal Caribbean received where traditional dining times weren't ideal, but switching to My Time Dining didn't work either.

My Time Dining offers flexible dining times, but many cruisers enjoy having the same wait staff and table assignment every night. 

"Guests who dine in the dining room love to have the same server, love to have the same table," Mr. D'Souza explained. "And a lot of people want to be able to choose that time, but they're not able to because the traditional dining times are taken. So they end up in My Time Dining."

Read more: My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

Based on early testing, guest satisfaction is higher as a result of the change, "The people who are now in this new third seating, they are rating us higher than any of the other experiences that we had, whether it was early, late or My Time."

"So we're actually seeing the highest ratings for these guests out of anybody who is dining in the dining room."

There's no menu change, no alterations to dinner on a cruise ship other than adding a new time.

"This is purely about improving the experience...None of it is impacting the guest, there's no structural changes. There's no menu changes. It's all about operational."

Evolution of dinner on a cruise

In considering the changes Royal Caribbean has made over the past few years, there's a definitive path the cruise line has taken in gradually improving dinner on a cruise.

When Royal Caribbean revisited the dining room menus in late 2022, they wanted to improve dinner by making it more predictable and not a two hour affair.

In December 2022, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said that a top complaint from passengers had been how long dinner can take some times. 

Mr. D'Souza said at a land-based restaurant, customers want dinner to take about 60-65 minutes, and since a cruise is vacation, that number would skew a bit longer.

The result was a concerted effort to make dinner speedier so that it would regularly come in at around 75 minutes.

With a more efficient Main Dining Room, there was now an opportunity that did not exist before to insert an additional middle dining time.

Should you choose My Time Dining or traditional dining?

There are good reasons to choose a set dining time or a flexible dining time for dinner in the Main Dining Room, and it all depends on your preferences.

Both options are included in your cruise fare, so the key is to understand how each works to determine which fits with your habits.

You will select a dining preference when you book a cruise. It's one of the early decisions to make as part of the booking process.

Traditional dining will have the same table number, wait staff, and table mates every night of your cruise. With this new choice, there will be three dining times to pick from:

• Early
• Middle
• Late

When you arrive for your cruise, your table number and deck will be marked on your SeaPass card so you know your dining time and location.

Each evening, you'll go to the Main Dining Room at the assigned time and head directly to your table. 

You could be seated with other passengers at traditional dinner. It depends on how big your travel party is, and which table they assign you.  Yes, you can request to have a table just for yourselves, but there's no guarantee it will be granted.  In my experience, the staff is usually good about accommodating such requests.

As Mr. D'Souza alluded to, the reason why some people prefer traditional dining is because they enjoy getting to know their waiters (and the waiters getting to know your preferences), as well as not having to worry about getting a reservation for dinner. Your table will be waiting for you each evening.

Alternatively, you can select My Time Dining, which offers the choice of what time you eat dinner.

The appeal of My Time Dining is you can choose a different dinner time depending on the schedule. If you have a shore excursion on day three, you could select a later dinner time so you have sufficient time to shower, rest, and get dressed before dinner. Then the next day, you could eat earlier.

With My Time, there's the choice of either showing up and waiting for the first available table or making a reservation in advance. It's a lot like going to a restaurant on land. 

Usually there are two lines for My Time Dining: those with a reservation, and those without. People with a reservation get priority for the next available table. Anyone without a reservation will still be seated, but they may wait longer if the dining room is busy.

How do the menus differ between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining, if at all?

The menus for My Time Dining and Traditional Dining are the same, offering the same dishes each evening. You don't have to worry about missing out on any dishes because you select either of the seatings.

Can guests switch between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise?

Guests can request to switch between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining, but this is subject to availability and may not always be possible. 

If the dining choice you want is unavailable, be sure to ask to be put on the waiting list. If you're on the ship already, ask to speak to the head waiter to see what they can do to accommodate the change.

Are there any differences in the dress code requirements for My Time Dining compared to Traditional Dining?

The dress code for both dining options is the same, adhering to the ship's overall dress code for the evening, which can range from casual to formal depending on the night. 

Eating in the Main Dining Room is a highlight of any Royal Caribbean cruise, and it comes with certain expectations.

Not only can you eat dinner every night, but the Main Dining Room offers breakfast and lunch on certain days too.  It's one of the most celebrated places on cruise ships.

The Main Dining Room is complimentary, but how can you prepare to have the best dining experience possible?

In this article, we will explore what you can expect while dining in Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room.

What is the Main Dining Room?

The Main Dining Room is a large, sit-down restaurant with waiter service that is included in your cruise fare.

The Main Dining Room is a multiple-level dining space on all Royal Caribbean ships, spanning 2 to 3 floors depending on the size of the ship.

On a few Quantum Class ships, the Main Dining Room is split up into multiple smaller rooms, but this is the exception.

Complimentary and open to all cruise passengers, this location provides a beautiful view when you're looking up or down at diners around you. 

Royal Caribbean intentionally designed the Main Dining Room with an upscale and elegant atmosphere. 

Read more: 21 Tips for the Best Cruise Ship Main Dining Room Experience

Depending on the ship, you will find a variety of Dining Room themes, each with unique decor. 

The ambiance is designed to provide a sense of luxury, providing a more formal dining experience than you would have at the Windjammer Buffet or other complementary venues.

The beautiful views are one of the most enjoyable aspects of dining in the Main Dining Room. 

Much of the Main Dining Room offers ocean views, especially during sunset dinners, creating a stunning panoramic backdrop for your meal.

Traditional Dining vs My Time Dining

So, what time can you eat?

For breakfast and lunch, guests are seated as they arrive. Signs posted outside the Dining Room will advise the hours it is open.

For dinner, the Dining Room opens in the evening from 5:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. 

Typically, your Main Dining dinner experience is divided into two seating options: flexible, “My Time” dining or traditional, assigned dining. 

My Time dining gives you the flexibility to choose what time you eat each night. 

You will be assigned a specific dining location on your SeaPass, but other than that, the choice is up to you.

My Time Dining most commonly runs between 6:00 and 9:30 P.M., and is first-come, first-served.

Traditional dining has a specific assigned mealtime and table. There is usually an early seating starting around 5:15 - 5:30 P.M. and a late seating around 7:30-8:00 P.M.

If you do have an assigned traditional dining time, it’s essential to show up on time to respect the waitstaff and kitchen’s planning. 

As they are working to feed most of the cruise's passengers, the dining room staff work on a specific schedule you want to be mindful of.

You can make your selection between these two dining times when you book your cruise. Make sure you select your preferred preference, as this can be hard to change once you’re onboard.

With both options, there is a possibility that you will be seated with other guests.

You can contact the cruise line beforehand to request to be seated at a smaller table with just your party.

If you do end up with other guests, always be polite and pleasant so everyone enjoys their meal. 

What's on the menu each day

Royal Caribbean cruises are renowned for their gourmet cuisine. 

The Dining Room menus are crafted to cater to a wide range of tastes, offering a varied selection of dishes. 

You can expect a mix of classic and contemporary dishes, including local influences based on the cruise’s ports of call.

The Main Dining Room serves breakfast and dinner, with a focus on the multiple-course dinner. Lunches are served only on sea days. 

The dinner menu is the most popular and common menu in the Main Dining room, featuring a multiple-course meal with appetizers, main courses, and desserts. 

At the top of the menu is the chef’s recommendation for each course, but you can mix and match items from anywhere on the menu.

When you place your order with the waiter, you will be expected to order all your courses at once, so be prepared with your choice of drinks, appetizers, main course, and dessert.

Royal Caribbean ships now serve a standardized dinner menu with a theme for each night. 

For the first night, the theme is “Welcome Aboard,” with American cuisine.

The exact order of menus will vary depending on your itinerary, but this is the pattern we've observed thus far:

The theme of night two is French night, which is usually offered on the first formal night of six-night or longer sailings. 

All sailings also feature the Italian night, and on Caribbean sailings, the Caribbean night menu comes out on the first evening the ship stops at a Caribbean port. 

On sailings to Mexico, the Mexican night menu comes out on the first evening the ship stops at a Mexican port. 

A Mediterranean night menu is also offered, as well as British night and “Bon Voyage” night on the last evening. 

Royal Caribbean also offers a kids' menu every night of the cruise that does not change.

What's included and what costs extra

The majority of the menu options at the Main Dining Room are included in your cruise fare. 

In addition, you can order as many dishes as you like. Feel free to order more than one appetizer, main course, or dessert. 

There are just a few menu items that cost extra. The extra cost items are limited to three premium selections: Chop’s Grille filet mignon, Surf and Turf, and extra lobster on formal nights (only 1 lobster is complimentary per person). 

Complimentary drinks include water, coffee, tea, juice, and lemonade. 

However, you will pay an extra cost for beverages such as soda, specialty coffees, mocktails, and alcoholic beverages. If you have a drink package, you can get those drinks included as the beverage package benefits work in the Main Dining Room.

Main Dining Room dress codes

So, what can you wear inside the Main Dining Room?

Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room generally has a flexible dress code that varies depending on the time of day. 

To be perfectly frank, while there is a dress code listed, in practice it is rarely enforced and you will see plenty of other guests dressed casually.

During the day, more casual wear, such as comfortable clothing like shorts, T-shirts, and sandals, is acceptable. 

In the evening, however, the dress code is typically more smart or resort casual, Meaning slacks, collared shirts, skirts, sundresses, and close-toed shoes.

And on formal nights, you'll have the opportunity to dress up in your finest attire. Some passengers even opt for tuxedos, cocktail dresses, and evening gowns. 

No matter the day, most passengers usually dress according to the night’s theme when they visit the main dining room.

As stated earlier, the dress code is far less stringent than it sounds and Royal Caribbean does not enforce the dress code much, if at all.

On various theme nights, you will also find that the main dining staff dress up for the theme and even encourage you to join in and party.

How dinner works each night

Royal Caribbean takes pride in delivering impeccable service, including in the Main Dining Room. 

Your dining team will be attentive, friendly, and eager to accommodate your needs. 

Usually, you are assigned a dedicated wait staff for the length of the cruise, a waiter, and an assistant writer. 

On your cruise, you will get to know your waitstaff, and they will get to know your dining preferences. 

Beyond the attentive service, the Main Dining Room experience also sometimes includes live music and entertainment, especially on specific themed nights. 

At the beginning of your meal, the wait staff will ask if you’re celebrating a special occasion. 

If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or engagement, the main dining room staff will be happy to help you celebrate and style. 

You may be treated to a special dessert, a musical serenade, or a beautifully decorated table. 

They will also ask if you have any allergies and do their best to accommodate your dining needs. They can even cook your meals ahead of time if you have specific dietary restrictions. 

At the beginning of your dinner, the waitstaff will also ensure you don’t have any shows you need to schedule and your time that evening. 

Read more: 7 cruise ship main dining room rules to follow — Plus 1 to break

Can you eat breakfast in the Main Dining Room on Royal Caribbean?

Yes, breakfast is served everyday in the Main Dining Room. It is complimentary and served to your table, just like all of the Main Dining Room’s meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there lunch in the Main Dining Room on Royal Caribbean?

Lunch is only served in the Main Dining Room on sea days. The menu changes daily.

How long does it take to eat in the Main Dining Room on Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean strives for each meal to last around 75 minutes, or an hour and fifteen minutes.

Since their standardized menu change, each Main Dining Room meal lasts 70-90 minutes on average.

Of course, you can always tell your waiter when you need to leave or cut your meal short.

Can you wear jeans to the Main Dining Room on the cruise?

Yes. You can wear both casual and formal clothing in the Main Dining Room, although resort casual is closest to the dress code. 

Can you take food back to your room?

Yes. You can ask your waitstaff for a plate-to-go, especially if you’re running out of room for dessert!