Cruise ship buffets

Video compliments of the Travel Channel

Cruise ship buffets are synonymous with cruises—so much so that the satirical newspaper The Onion once joked that a cruise ship was being constructed entirely of the lavish spreads. We wouldn't be surprised. Ships carry thousands of pounds of food and employ scores of chefs to satisfy hungry passengers, three, four, five or more times per day.

Dinner is served Cruise ship buffets might be all-you-can-eat, but since it takes a village to prepare all this food, they're not available 24/7. Most ships serve dinner a couple of times throughout the evening, though. Aboard Disney Cruises, for instance, buffets open twice, serving various meats, seafood options and assorted goodies at a traditional dinner hour—around 6 p.m.—and at a later time, around 8:30 p.m.

And while some cruise ships opt for a casual buffet—meaning passengers may come to either (or both) buffet offerings—other liners require a reservation. Choose an early seating if you've got kids; you don't want to go to sleep stuffed; or you'll be hungry later (we'll get to that). Choose a later seating if you don't want to rush back to the boat (or away from onboard activities) to eat; you like to linger (later seatings lend themselves to long conversations and longer cups of coffee); or you'd like to try things European-style (they tend to eat later).

Buffet locations and offerings are as varied as cruises themselves—the spreads may reflect a ship's theme, and may be inside, outside, above deck or below—or all four. They won't be hard to find, though: On a cruise ship, you're never too far from the food. Here are some cruise lines that stand ahead of the pack grub-wise.

A little of this, a little of that: It's hard to compete with the culinary gifts of Wolfgang Puck and New York's Nobu, but Crystal's themed lunch buffets run a close (and pleasantly casual) second. Your high school health teacher would be proud to know that all of the main food groups are represented (sans the pyramid). The themes aren't cheesy—leis aren't handed out at the Hawaiian spread and you'll be hard-pressed to find any Mardi Gras beads alongside the gumbo—and the cuisine trends change daily. In the mood for Mediterranean? Go for the Greek salad. Those with a taste for Asian must choose between tender beef satay, stir-fry combos or freshly rolled sushi—or take all three; it is a buffet, after all.

Caviar, anyone?: Renowned for its fanciest-of-fancy formal nights (where nearly everyone is in tuxedos and sequined gowns), Seabourn Cruise Line also lets loose on occasion (during every warm-weather cruise) with a festive buffet dinner served poolside. This isn't your average corn-on-the-cob affair. Piles of jumbo shrimp and dare we say, caviar, make the rounds, along with a multitude of other posh treats. And it's all gratis (well, sort of, once you've paid the steep price tag for passage).

Midnight munchies: Days by the pool or gallivanting on some onshore adventure, nights spent dancing at the nightclub. It's no wonder you're starving by midnight. Royal Caribbean International has the cure: midnight buffets. Whether it's soft-serve ice cream or deliciously gooey pepperoni pizza, if you're cruising on RCI, you'll never go to sleep on an empty stomach.