Dynamic Dining Aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas

If you have never cruised before you might equate dining aboard a cruise ship to be one enormous buffet restaurant serving sub par cuisine to the masses that line up throughout the day.  Passengers fill multiple dishes with a little bit of everything, then head off to search endlessly for an empty table, tray in hand. The experience culminates each evening when the extravaganza of the midnight buffet is presented, including intricate ice sculptures and decadent chocolate desserts!

However, if you’ve cruised in the past few years, you know nothing can be further from the truth!  Cruise line dining has come a long way, baby! Today’s cruise passenger is looking for an upscale resort style vacation that must include sophisticated dining options.  Freshly prepared meals made from the finest ingredients, breads and pastas made daily, meats cooked to order, innovative menus, a certain level of service, as well as intimate dining venues with ambiance and style. Does such an experience really exist? It certainly does! Let me tell you about Dynamic Dining aboard the soon to sail Quantum of the Seas!

Choices, choices, choices…that about sums it up!  The Quantum of the Seas offers guests a total of 18 different dining options, from the grab-and-go to a leisurely, formal fine dining affair. Choose to dine where you want, when you want, with whom you want!  The main dining room has been replaced with five smaller restaurants, all complimentary, with none seating more than 435 guests. Here’s a summary:

If you were to drive from N.Y. to California and stopped to sample the cuisine that certain U.S. cities are known for, you would have a good idea of what to expect from the American Icon Grill.  Maine lobsters, Southern fried chicken, and New Orleans’ gumbo are just some of the selections available.

The contemporary cuisine of Chic approaches ingredients with the utmost respect.  Eclectic blends of flavor redefine both meat and fish dishes. Here you’ll find the first dry-aged steaks at sea, mint crusted lamb chops and Mediterranean sea bass with turnips and wild fennel dressing.

The pan-Asian cuisine of Silk spans much of southern Asia. It’s basically ""Fusion"" cooking, bringing together ingredients & flavors from each ethnic group it encompasses… Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese and Japanese.

For those that love the “dressing up” opportunity that cruising has always offered, an evening at The Grande is something you won’t want to miss.  This is the most elegant restaurant aboard the Quantum of the Seas and every night here is formal night. The menu features timeless classics such as chateaubriand, sole almondine, and rack of lamb.

The last of the complimentary dining rooms, the Coastal Kitchen, is reserved for suite guests. The menu fuses the flavors and cooking styles of the Mediterranean with contemporary California cuisine.  Lots of fresh healthy options here including a selection of flatbreads.

There are six complimentary casual restaurants onboard Quantum of the Sea, many of which will be familiar to the Royal Caribbean cruiser.  The Windjammer Marketplace, a Royal Caribbean mainstay, is back with some modifications.  The set-up will feature food islands of international fare as well as more stations cooking to order.  One station will remain open 24 hours a day for those of you that get a case of the munchies after the midnight hour! Sorrento’s, featuring the yummiest pizza at sea, and the Café Promenade, everyone’s favorite spot for a warm, soft chocolate chip cookie, returns by popular demand. Johnny Rockets moves poolside, a convenient spot to grab a quick lunch without having to give up a minute of sunshine. The Seaplex Dog House, the only food truck at sea, will serve hot dogs and such.  It’s situated close to the action of the Seaplex area and that’s a good thing, because you’re sure to work up an appetite roller-skating, shooting hoops or bumper car racing!  Lastly, Café @ Two70, a gourmet marketplace, lets you grab a quick bite and packs it up for you picnic style! Soups, salads, sandwiches and more are served.  Dine there or anywhere!

Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?  Are you WOWED yet?  But wait, I still haven’t told you about the seven specialty restaurants that you’ll find on the Quantum of the Seas!  For that you’ll need to stay tuned for our next installment!"