Food and dining

How much would you spend on land to go out for a special-occasion dinner, such as your anniversary?

If you are like most Americans, the answer is less than $50 per person. If you are in this group, you will likely find food you like on almost any cruise line.

That said, if you are a food snob - the sort of person who turns up his nose at a Ruth's Chris steak - then you have fewer options.

In addition to the luxury lines (Cunard, Seabourn, etc.) the best cruise lines for high-end chowhounds are Azamara (which has truly exceptional dining), Celebrity, Holland America Line and Oceania.

(That said, food snobs need not go hungry on less fancy lines, though you may need to pick and choose your meals carefully. For more details, read XXHelp! I'm a food snob - what can I eat?)

A few random dining tidbits:

• Ask your waiter for recommendations - he knows which dishes get devoured, and which go back uneaten
• Carnival has the best pizzas at sea. They are baked fresh constantly
• RCI and NCL do not serve lobster on 7-night cruises; Carnival does
• Specialty restaurants almost always use more expensive ingredients than the main dining room
• The vegetarian option is almost always excellent (if you don't mind the lack of meat)
• Oceania prides itself on the only "true baguettes" at sea, importing flour from Paris (members report they really are excellent)
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