I recently had a close friend who returned from a Sydney cruise and could not stop raving about the food on-board. The conversation would go back and forth between the exotic South Pacific Islands he visited and the various ship experiences, but always made its way back to the culinary delights that he enjoyed on the cruise. So not one to miss out on a gastronomic culinary experience, we jumped on board our cruise getaway.
I soon learned that cruises from Sydney can indeed be relaxing and an opportunity to experience the seven daily meal delights. Be sure to get up early and stretch first, your taste buds are in for a sensation of epic portions! Options available included formal restaurants, buffets, cafés, bar snacks and specialised restaurants.
1. Breakfast – 7am
“Let the games begin” I announced. We sat down at our designated table and our waiter handed us the menu. Take your choice from traditional bacon and eggs or Benedict, French toast, bircher muesli, pancakes or continental style with fruit and cereal of choice. All accompanied by tea, coffee and range of fresh juices.
2. Morning tea – 1030
I love a morning tea and the pastry chefs on board had been busy. A new dining room offered several tables of fresh baked pastries. Croissants, Danish pastries, assorted mini pies (apple, peach, cherry) plus tea and coffee. I REALLY enjoyed this visit.
3. Lunch – 1300
Here the choices abound and were changed daily. We chose the sit down restaurant and a 3 course menu offered an assortment of soups and salads to start, sandwiches, warm savoury pies (steak or fish), prime cut steak, salads and seafood options for main and 2 choices of desserts. We went with a lighter salad option and dessert only.
4. Afternoon tea – 1600
By this stage we were feeling the pinch but we must see our mission through Casino Indonesia! We were served in the main restaurant with fresh baked scones, jam and whipped cream and assortment of black and herbal teas. Delicious!
5. Dinner – 1930
We thought we would try the buffet for dinner with its casual style. I opted for the lighter option of grilled fish and salad bar. As the saying goes, there’s a first time for everything – I actually skipped dessert! It became very clear that this food safari was not going to last everyday; the food choices just seemed endless.
6. Supper – 2200
Supper was served pool side and was a scaled down warm buffet style offering with a range of fruit options including some incredible food sculptures that were both edible and delicious!
7. Midnight buffet
Back in the buffet restaurant for what I thought would be left over dinner buffet – boy was I wrong. New platters of delectables were available including sushi, small dessert plates, cheese and fruit.
Final assessment – every option was fresh, home made and simply delightful. The rest of our cruise was enjoyed in moderation but we certainly left satisfied.
