13 Best Cruise Line Restaurants

If ever there was a cruise line that takes dining seriously, it's Holland America Line, a longstanding company — currently celebrating its 150th year — that recently made waves with its launch of chef-driven food cruises. And if ever there was a restaurant that exemplified those notions, it's Pinnacle Grill. From filets topped with lobster dumplings to baked Alaska the size of Alaska, it ticks all the boxes for the ultimate steakhouse.

Found on numerous Holland America ships, like the Oosterdam and the Rotterdam, the ritzy steakhouse can hold its own against the finest surf & turf temples on land — thanks to its swanky and refined atmosphere coupled with its plethora of wet-aged USDA Prime steaks, meticulous presentation, and expert wine pairings. Celebrity chef David Burke helped create some of the menu items, like the "Clothesline Candied Bacon," featuring maple- and pepper-glazed bacon dangling from miniature wires, and the beef tenderloin with lobster dumplings, lobster béarnaise, celery root purée, and horseradish bordelaise. There's also an umami-rich forest mushroom soup, poured table-side from a tea kettle, sofrito-spiced Alaskan king crab legs, and the "Not-So-Classic" baked Alaska with cherry ice cream, meringue, and flaming cherries jubilee.

Just as the restaurants at Disney World have become full-blown dining destinations in recent years, the same draw can be said of the company's cruise ships, replete with all manner of elaborately themed restaurants, lounges, bars, and cafes. One of the best, though, is an older standby that's remained a frontrunner amidst a sea of dazzling new additions: Animator's Palate.

Like a new kind of dinner theater, the animation-themed restaurant starts with dinner in an all-white room, with walls designed to look like blank canvases for Disney Imagineers. Throughout the evening, the walls and decor magically fill in with color, until by dessert, it's alive with classic Disney characters and settings. All the while, guests are feasting on dishes inspired by pan-Asian and Californian cuisines, like smoked salmon tartare, black bean chipotle cakes, and peanut butter mousse. It's all available aboard Disney Cruise Line vessels like the Magic, Wonder, Dream, and Fantasy.

If Frank Sinatra were alive today, he'd surely be a fixture at Silver Note, a jazzy piano bar and restaurant with swanky decor and a dark interior motif that feels like a romantic lounge in New York City or Paris. Found aboard Silversea ships like the Silver Dawn, Silver Spirit, and Silver Muse, all of which are smaller vessels providing a more intimate outing, Silver Note reaches a high note in dining, drinking, and nighttime entertainment.

Bedecked with a grand piano and bluesy singers, with plenty of room for couples to dance once they've polished off their Sugar Volcano, the lounge features tapas-style plates like yellowfin tuna with green quinoa, marinated octopus with caramelized pumpkin purée, and seared lamb loin with onion risotto and lamb jus — and dish beautifully presented, and ideally followed by the aforementioned Volcano, a kind of mountainous cheesecake with chocolate and caramel.

A newer addition to Windstar Cruises' increasingly alluring dining options, Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso showcases the contemporary Spanish stylings of a Michelin-starred chef. Found aboard the boutique lines' Star Class ships, which include Star Breeze and Star Legend, the intimate and art-filled restaurant zigs where many cruise ship restaurants zag, emphasizing small plates and open kitchen cookery.

With only 38 seats, a far cry from standard super-sized cruise ship dining rooms, Cuadro 44 offers a more curated and quaint dining experience, complete with a communal table and chef's counter. From here, guests can savor authentic tapas like Spanish tortillas, paella croquetas, and charred octopus with pimentón and pickled celery. There are also a few entrées, like pork belly with romesco and jamón bacon bits, or toasted angel hair pasta with confit chicken and chorizo, and worthy desserts like churros with salted tamarind hot chocolate.

As one of the most global cruise lines, with numerous sailings to Italy, Holland America knows a thing or two about authentic Italian cuisine — a concept on full, lustrous display at its elegant Italian concept, Canaletto. Found on nearly a dozen different ships, the airy restaurant pair prime sea views with prime meats, seafood, pasta, and some pleasant menu surprises.

Along with unique nightly specials, like osso bucco Milanese with saffron risotto on Mondays and veal liver Veneziana with mascarpone whipped potatoes on Wednesdays, the menu boasts shareable starts like veal and sage meatballs, beef carpaccio with mustard aïoli, and grilled calamari with salsa verde. Heartier portions exhibit a penchant for balance, refinement, and elegant plating, from the spaghetti alle vongole swirled with garlicky clams and shrimp, to braised beef short rib gnocchi with butter-roasted carrots and the grilled Branzino with verdant elements of zucchini, mint, and pistachios. Finish off with a silk-smooth orange blossom ricotta tart, and pair it with a bracing Negroni.

Considering cruise ships are far from land, the concept of farm-to-table cookery isn't typically associated with sailing the high seas. But thanks to restaurants like 150 Central Park, a rigorously seasonal restaurant rooted in farm-fresh ingredients plucked at their peak, those assumptions are shifting. Found on Royal Caribbean ships like the Allure of the Seas, the Oasis of the Seas, and the Harmony of the Seas, the restaurant serves dishes as artistic and contemporary as they are bright and bold.

Start with an Urban Garden Martini, a fresh aperitif made with vodka, cucumber, basil, and lemongrass, as you peruse appetizers like sunchoke veloute, roasted spiced pumpkin bisque, and seared honey-glazed scallops with chorizo stew and orange sauce. Entrées are even more elaborate, whereas seared venison loin comes with chocolate-port wine sauce, cauliflower steak features Greek yogurt and pumpkin seeds, and lamb Wellington arrives with butternut squash and garlic jus. For the grand finale, look for artisanal cheeses and fried cheesecake with Nutella and caramelized popcorn.

Known for its playful, colorful, and whimsical concepts, from hotels to airlines, Virgin Voyages keeps the cheeky theming going strong with its most unique dining and drinking concept, Razzle Dazzle. Found aboard the Scarlet Lady ship, this is the kind of exciting something-for-everyone bar and restaurant that serves everything from melon salad to rainbow churros.

The contemporary and stylish space skews vegetarian, with plates divvied into categories like small plates, mains, and meatier "naughty" options. Mushroom tartare and whole-roasted heirloom cauliflower are a couple of standouts, as is the vegetarian "fish" & chips, with crispy banana blossom subbing in for seafood. Fried chicken with buttered hot sauce provides a meaty option, while desserts shine with blueberry-green tea vegan cheesecake, rainbow churros with ube ice cream, and a whole category dedicated to milk and cookies. Also available on ships like the Scarlet Lady and the Valiant Lady, Razzle Dazzle by Night offers a late-night vibe with cocktails and disco-centric dance music.