Royal Caribbean's newest Icon Class ship, Legend of the Seas, comes loaded with 28 dining venues — 16 complimentary and 12 extra-cost. But knowing a few insider tricks can make the food experience significantly better without adding much to your bill.
One of the biggest surprises is embarkation day lunch at the Windjammer buffet. On Icon Class ships, the buffet skips its usual casual fare and instead offers lobster tails, filet mignon, crab legs, and mussels — all included in the cruise fare. Most passengers don't know about it, and the quality reportedly rivals the ship's specialty restaurants.
For a sophisticated no-cost snack, the AquaDome Market's La Española tapas stand pairs well with a glass of wine at the adjacent Overlook lounge, where ocean views round out the experience. And for anyone eyeing Giovanni's Italian Kitchen but not the full cover charge, the neighboring Giovanni's Wine Bar serves à la carte margherita pizzas for around $7 — a fraction of the restaurant's standard dinner price.
The loaded tater tots hack — grabbing tots from Basecamp and topping them at El Loco Fresh's salsa station below — showed promise but needs tweaking: warm toppings like nacho cheese, chicken, and black beans work better than cold salsa and lettuce, which cool the tots quickly. One experiment the writer wouldn't repeat: adding soft-serve ice cream to a crêpe from Crème de la Crêpe, where the ice cream overpowered the pastry's more delicate flavors.
The full rundown of hacks, including additional tips and details from each venue, was originally reported by Jenna DeLaurentis for Royal Caribbean Blog.
