I spent a week eating my way through one of the world’s largest cruise ships and had 10 outstanding dishes

• I spent seven nights on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas in April 2022.
• The ship had 20 restaurants, and I ate at more than half of them during my cruise.
• Ten dishes stood out, including crab beignets, a lobster roll, and a special take on banana pudding.

I thought I'd get sick of the food by the end of my seven-day voyage. I'd never been on a cruise before, but I imagined my dining options would be limited at sea.

And they might have been if I weren't on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. As one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Wonder of the Seas has 20 eateries, from coffee shops and buffets to fast-food joints and upscale restaurants.

So every time I got hungry on my Caribbean cruise, I had dozens of options. I ate at as many different restaurants as I could — more than half of them. There were 10 standout dishes that I'm still thinking about when my stomach grumbles.

Meals at both complimentary and specialty restaurants made my top list of favorite things I ate.

Some restaurants are complimentary as part of the cruise rate, while specialty dining incurs an additional cost.

For the latter, guests often pay a cover charge for a three-course meal, and the cost tends to increase the later into the cruise you reserve a table. I made reservations at five specialty restaurants.

Two of my favorite dishes came from the main dining room.

The main dining room is complimentary for guests and serves breakfast and a three-course dinner each day.

I went there for dinner one night and had garlic tiger shrimp with jasmine rice, seasonal veggies, and herb butter.

The shrimp was juicy and had great flavor. The rice was sticky, which I like, and the asparagus and tomatoes were well-seasoned.

At breakfast, the main dining room served thick French toast that was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

A delicious berry sauce on top paired nicely with maple syrup. This was my favorite breakfast of the whole trip.

Outside the main dining room, I particularly enjoyed El Loco Fresh, an outdoor DIY taco bar.

It's included for guests and serves a selection of meats, cheeses, and toppings, like pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.

I grabbed a bowl of chips to make some nachos.

The queso had great texture and flavor. The bar had every topping I could want, satisfying my Tex-Mex craving on the ship.

When I wanted an upscale meal, I chose Chops Grille, a steakhouse.

I paid $55 for a three-course dinner here.

The highlight was the appetizer — a crispy goat cheese salad with green apples, candied walnuts, cranberries, and balsamic dressing.

It was an eclectic mix of textures and flavors, but blended together perfectly in my mouth.

For another upscale meal, I went to 150 Central Park.

On a plant-filled outdoor deck, 150 Central Park served a variety of meat, seafood, and other "locally sourced ingredients," according to Royal Caribbean. I had a three-course dinner for $50.

The best thing I ate at 150 Central Park was the fried cheesecake, so if you dine here, be sure to save room for dessert.

The dessert was soft, fluffy, and light, with a cream cheese filling. Caramelized popcorn, whipped cream, and a Nutella drizzle complemented it perfectly, making it even more satisfying than the main course.

To get my seafood fix, I went to the New England-style Hooked Seafood restaurant.

The menu draws inspiration from Maine to Maryland. I paid $53 for a three-course dinner.

The lobster roll was fantastic.

The toasty roll was loaded with thick chunks of lobster and crisp lettuce. I squeezed the grilled lemon across the top and bit into the refreshing mess of a sandwich. It reminded me of lobster rolls I've had living on the East Coast.

For dessert at Hooked Seafood, I went with the chef's suggestion: a lemon tart.

I took one bite, and it was easy to see why it came highly recommended. The lemon custard was tangy with a bit of sweetness, and it filled up a flaky, buttery crust. It was the best lemon tart I've ever had.

The Mason Jar serves southern comfort food. I went there for a three-course dinner.

It cost $40, and everything I ordered made my top 10 list.

To start, I ordered the crab beignets.

They were the perfect texture — soft and fluffy with a crisp outer layer. The crab flavor was subtle, with cinnamon on top for an interesting twist. The accompanying crap dip was refreshing, too.

For my main, I had fried chicken with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.

The chicken was tender and well-seasoned. The sides had good flavor as well.

The dessert at The Mason Jar was served in one.

Called "Gone Bananas," the dessert was made with layers of vanilla pudding and graham cracker crumbs inside a jar. It was topped with toasted bananas, whipped cream, and toffee. The dessert was fluffy, light, and rich in banana flavor.

It was the perfect ending to my favorite meal of the trip.

If I were to cruise with Wonder of the Seas again, I'd spend less money on specialty restaurants and more evenings in the main dining room.

While the specialty restaurants served delicious courses, I thought the food quality was just as high in the main dining room, where I only ate twice.

But I'd absolutely pay to go back to The Mason Jar for all three standout courses.

Read the original article on Business Insider