For decades cruise ships and Las Vegas shared the notion that people loved eating at buffets. On land, a buffet was a way for a resort casino to offer a free meal to lower-level players that they would enjoy and appreciate that would not keep them off the gaming floor long.
On cruise ships, buffets offer an easy way to serve a lot of people quickly while making sure nobody leaves without finding some food they enjoy. For Royal Caribbean, the Windjammer Buffet has been a key part of the cruise line's offerings for decades.
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The Windjammer, like Carnival's Lido Marketplace, can get very crowded, especially during lunch on sea and embarkation days. During those times, passengers often opt for other free venues. On Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) , that includes Guy Fieri's Burger Joint, Shaquille Oneal's Big Chicken, and the Blue Iguana Mexican Cantina.
Royal Caribbean customers get El Loco Fresh, a casual Mexican spot, on many ships while others offer a poolside hamburger concept. Oasis Class ships, on sea days and embarkation day, have a secondary buffet, the Solarium Bistro, which usually has somewhat healthier fare and more available seats than Windjammer.
After 6 p.m., however, Royal Caribbean (RCL) has fewer free options outside of its main dining rooms. Passengers get access to pizza at Sorrento's as well as snacks and sandwiches at Cafe Promenade, and on some Oasis-class ships Boardwalk Doghouse opens late offering basic hot dogs.
You can, of course, order room service, but Royal Caribbean has added something even better to its newest ship, Icon of the Seas, which borrows heavily from a concept becoming more popular on the Las Vegas Strip that's also used by Virgin Voyages.
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Royal Caribbean adds a food hall
Icon of the Seas has many innovations including bringing the cruise line's signature Aqua Theater indoors. The theater now sits in a new area that also houses Hooked, a seafood restaurant, and Rye & Bean, a coffee bar that serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic coffees and teas.
Adjacent to the Aqua Theater the cruise line has also added its first-ever food hall. A concept that's quickly replacing the traditional buffet on the Las Vegas Strip, food halls group a number of restaurants under the same roof.
Generally, it's set up so people sharing a table may not all eat food from the same restaurant while some people may order courses from a variety of places. In Las Vegas, the food hall at Resorts World allows visitors to order via an app and then go collect their food when it's ready.
Unlike a buffet, you pay for what you eat, but food halls (at least the one at Resorts World) often have higher-end options made with better quality ingredients than buffets offer. In the case of AquaDome Marketplace, Royal Caribbean's first-ever food hall, all five restaurants are included, and they're open into the later hours of the night (hours may vary by sailing).
Royal Caribbean solves a dining problem
AquaDome Marketplace gives Royal Caribbean another included dining option that's open from lunch into the later parts of the evening. That takes pressure off the buffet during meals and also gives passengers a choice that's better than pizza
"Five unique food stands serve up a smorgasbord with a side of awe-inspiring views. Mix up fresh pitas and bowls at Feta Mediterranean. Mac’s remixes cheesy goodness with toppings like hearty, slow-simmered chili and aged white cheddar. For a feel-good fix, head to Toast and Garden for sandwiches and salads. Plus Asian faves like chicken teriyaki with snow peas at GNGR. And say yes to the press at Crème de la Crepe with sweet crepes," the cruise line shared on its website.
Lines can be somewhat long at the five mini restaurants, but most items are already prepared so the line moves quickly. In most cases, people can customize their order as it's assembled but many of the ingredients are already cooked.
Virgin Voyages offers a similar food hall on its ships albeit with more included restaurants. The Virgin version allows passengers to either order at the various counters or pull up the menus via QR code and place your order with a waiter.
Unlike Royal Caribbean, however, where the AquaDome Marketplace is an added concept, Virgin's version takes the place of a traditional buffet.
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