The dining experience was probably the biggest surprise we had on the cruise. We accepted the fact that we would likely spend most of our time eating at the daily buffets. We thought the service at the restaurants would take too long and that the menu options would be identical to the buffet options. Boy were we wrong!
The food on the Carnival Liberty was very good.
Each evening we would get a new menu of options for appetizers, entrees and desserts. If you’re the indecisive type (or a foodie with a big appetite), you can order multiple appetizers and/or entrees. We indulged in fresh lobster, juicy filet mignon, grilled jumbo prawns, seared ahi tuna, prime rib, seafood linguine, etc. The food came out fast and was served hot – it was much better than the buffet.
There are two main dining rooms on the ship. You are assigned to one of the dining rooms and you sit at the same table each night. We dined at the Silver Olympian Restaurant. which is said to be the nicer of the two options, but both were very nice.
Because we were a party of six, we were seated at a private table. If you’re traveling in a smaller group or as couple you may be partnered with other guests. The same people are assigned to the same table each night, so you get to know your table mates quite well by the time the cruise ends.
We had a set dining time at 6:00 PM. This was the early seating. You can also choose the late seating at 8:00 PM. Once you choose your seating time, this is the time you’re expected to dine each evening.
Our server was fantastic. He was extremely thoughtful and went out of his way to make sure our boys received special off-menu meals. He made sure Connor had dairy and egg free meals and even had special desserts made for him so that he didn’t feel left out. He even gave us an open invitation to stay with his family in the Philippines!
You can order wine and beer at your table. Because the price of alcohol is not included, you are required to bring your ID card to purchase booze at your table.
The wine list was quite extensive. The low end price was around US$25 per bottle. You can save money by purchasing a block of 5 or 7 bottles of wine from a set menu that has discounted pricing. It’s a good deal if you plan to drink wine each night.
Travel tip: Each adult passenger is allowed to bring one bottle of wine on the ship. It’s a good idea to purchase wine prior to boarding. Not only will you save some money, you’ll be glad you have a bottle of wine available in your cabin; especially if you have a room with a balcony.
You don’t have to dress up every evening, but you are expected to dress up for the formal Captain’s dinner (black tie). Because we didn’t expect to spend much time in the restaurant, we didn’t pack a lot of formal wear. The boys didn’t even have a collared shirt. It’s recommended to bring at least one nice outfit to wear at dinner.
You can have breakfast in the dining room instead of doing the breakfast buffet. This was another great surprise. We mistakenly thought the restaurant was only for dinner.
I’ve never been a fan of breakfast buffets. The eggs are typically powered eggs, the bacon and sausages sit in their own fat for hours, the omelette line is always insanely long and the toasters never work properly.
On our first morning we did the breakfast buffet and was unimpressed by the long line ups and mediocre food. That evening our dinner host informed us that we can also do breakfast in the restaurant. It was so great to be able to order an a la carte breakfast that is made to order.