And for these hungry sailors, Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas could be the closest thing to culinary heaven on earth (or at sea).
On the new world’s largest cruise ship, dining is more than just a traditional buffet and poolside grill with burgers and pizza. It’s that, of course, plus a feast of spaghetti Bolognese, raw oysters, and even rabbit — enough of it to feed up to 9,950 people (7,600 guests and 2,350 crew).
As you can probably guess, feeding everyone isn’t cheap: Food is Royal Caribbean’s second-highest expense after fuel, Linken D’Souza, the cruise line’s senior vice president of food and beverage, told reporters in late January.
Icon of the Seas stocks up on about 20,000 pounds of rice and 3,500 pieces of lobster for a typical weeklong cruise.
On a smaller sailing, let’s say one with 4,000 guests, the ship would still carry about 2,500 pieces of prime rib and 120 to 200 pieces of beef tenderloin.
Over the last few years, Royal Caribbean has been trying to source more of its ingredients domestically, where its ships are homeported, D’Souza said.
The ship has more than 20 restaurants and cafés. Upcharged options include a grab-and-go sushi stand and a luxurious $200 per person dinner (the one that serves rabbit).
Travelers who don’t want to splurge on specialty dining could frequent the ship’s complimentary Main Dining Room.
The restaurant pumps out more rice, potatoes, lobster, beef tenderloin, and prime rib than any other dishes. But its menu rotates every night, giving repeat diners options like crab cakes, fried chicken, and escargot.
