A cruise ship food menu can be automated in various ways, thanks to innovative restaurant technology. The hospitality industry is constantly evolving and finding new ways to make food tech automate standard operations.

If you’d like to learn all about creating a cruise ship food menu variety and ways to automate a cruise ship’s food service, keep reading this blog!

Contact us for a demo now to see how our off-premise solutions can help grow revenue and earnings of restaurants.

Cruise Ship Food Menu

One of the best parts of going on a cruise is the delicious food onboard. From upscale wine pairings to all-you-can-eat buffets, there are numerous options. If you’re considering different cruise ship food menu items before onboarding tech solutions, here are a handful of menu types to consider:

• A “welcome” and “farewell” list of dinner and drink specials in the main dining room
• Allergy-friendly menus
• Gluten-free menus
• Lactose-free menus
• Sugar-free and low-sugar menus
• Vegan and vegetarian menus

It’s also beneficial if you can collect consumer data weeks before the cruise sets sail. Passengers should be given a mandatory survey to complete upon booking their trip with questions regarding dietary preferences and restrictions.

Understanding a general customer profile can be difficult, as every cruise will have a different group of people. So, conducting this research beforehand will solve many issues that can arise at sea.

Cruise POS

A cruise POS system should have various features to streamline restaurant operations. To maximize profits and deliver the best experience on a high tech cruise ship, ensure that the cruise POS platform includes:

• Various payment methods
• Customer data storage
• Contactless payments
• A restaurant loyalty program
• Restaurant inventory management data

Want to learn more about how Revolution Ordering has a suite of advanced solutions that can integrate with your cruise POS system? Book a demo today!

6 Ways to Automate a Cruise Ship Food Menu

Do you want to learn how you can automate a cruise ship food menu? Read on for six innovative ways to do so!

1. Offer In Room Dining

One of the most attractive features of a cruise ship is that they operate very similarly to a hotel. With this said, use hospitality software to offer room service.

Room service is also a great sector to promote ADA compliance practices. Passengers can place orders on in-room tablets, which can feature visual and audio elements to make the ordering experience 100% inclusive. Plus, following ADA-compliant guidelines will ensure you that you won’t miss out on any sales.

Using tablets, QR codes, or online ordering apps for in-room dining are also ways to maximize profits. As passengers take time to scroll through their options, there’s a chance they’ll order more.

Upselling and cross selling are vital for increasing a cruise liner’s ROI. Remember, the ROI meaning in this case refers to the amount of revenue that the ship generates vs. the expense of using necessary restaurant tech.

2. Create Rotating Dinner Menus

On a cruise ship, guests can dine in eateries aside from the main dining room. The larger the ship the more restaurants there will be. So, many ships offer passengers an extensive variety.

However, there are many passengers who would like to stick to their original budget. The main dining room is included in the cruise fare, so providing different menus every day is a simple solution.

Rotating menus is a way to keep passengers happy and the kitchen organized. Since there will be daily changes, the kitchen staff can also create shorter menus. By creating shorter menus, the cruise lines can eliminate the risk of excessive food waste.

3. Allow Guests to Pre-Order Food and Beverages

One of the most favorable features within the restaurant industry is pre-ordering food for pickup. You might be wondering how this can benefit a ship–after all, everyone is limited to the boat and on vacation. However, there are always benefits to pre-ordering cruise ship food menu items.

Maybe a family is on their way to the pool and would like to grab a bite to eat beforehand. Or, perhaps there are people who would like food to be ready for them after getting back from a long excursion.

Even though ordering food for pickup nurtures a casual dining experience, it’s very beneficial for relaxation factors. Besides, that’s what a vacation is all about!

4. Serve Prepared Food at Self Ordering Kiosks

Kiosks that offer a cruise ship food menu can be very profitable. Though cruises are relaxing vacations, passengers are often on the go. By installing kiosks with simple snacks or popular food trends, a cruise line can generate a lot of additional revenue in sales.

If cruise ships install kiosks that are operated by wait staff, they can also offer beverages. Soft drinks and mixed drink recipes are quite festive on cruises. Plus, alcohol has the highest markup, so it’s certainly a way to raise profits.

5. Install In-Room Tablets for Every Cruise Ship Food Menu

We briefly discussed in-room tablets earlier, but there are other ways it can automate a cruise ship food menu. App integrations can be accessible to passengers for a seamless experience.

Such features can include upgrades, excursions, and the cruise ship food menu for every eatery onboard. Another great benefit of tablets is that they eliminate the additional expense of an internet connection for customers.

When traveling through international waters, wifi and data rates can be very pricey. With tablets being an amenity in every room, it can work into the cost of each state room.

Though it might result in higher overhead expenses for the cruise liner, it could be a major appeal to guests. Then, more guests will feel inclined to use it, and by extension, they’ll realize they can make purchases.

6. Create a Complete Booking Experience

If you’d like to advance the customer experience and secure more sales, consider upselling during the booking process. Not only will it benefit the cruise line, but it will allow passengers to make the most of their time and budget.

For instance, allow the cruise POS system to offer options for eateries, excursions, and other products ahead of time. This could include restaurant reservations, meal plans, packages for various types of alcohol or popular cocktails, and more.

If you’d like to maximize profits during this process, you can take it one step further and offer discounts for these items. Then, on the final page, future passengers can have the option of joining a customer rewards program where these purchases will apply toward perks.

Guests may opt for several upgrades for reasons beyond the discounts. Some might assume that it’d be easier to complete their itinerary ahead of time, rather than on the ship. This technique can provoke many benefits for both parties, so it’s definitely something to consider.

Contact us for a demo now to see how our off-premise solutions can help grow revenue and earnings of restaurants.

Frequently Asked Questions About a Cruise Ship Food Menu

Want to keep learning about what makes up a cruise ship food menu? Read on to discover more about it!

What Cruise Line Is Best for Food?

Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises are both known for their outstanding food and unique types of chefs. However, every cruise ship food menu serves scrumptious dishes as cruise lines hire the best culinary experts from around the world.

Can You Order As Much Food As You Want On a Cruise?

Customers can order as much food in a cruise ship restaurant as they could in a regular one on land. There are no restrictions but expect additional costs. As for the ship’s buffets, that’s where you can retrieve as much food as your heart desires.

What Can You Not Eat On a Cruise?

There isn’t anything that a person cannot eat on a cruise. Every cruise ship food menu will add up to quite the variety. If you’re wondering whether or not you can bring food onto the ship, be wary of your room’s refrigerator size. So, limit the number of perishables you bring onboard.

Can You Eat All Day On a Cruise?

You sure can! Food is one of the biggest attractions of cruises. In fact, almost all cruise ships offer at least one eatery that’s open 24/7. For some ships, it might be the buffet. At others, it can be the main dining room.

Do I Have to Tip On Cruise Restaurants? Why or Why Not?

Typically, cruise lines add a daily gratuity to your bill. This money is then split up between the ship’s restaurant staff. With this in mind, you don’t have to worry about adding a tip to your dinner bill each night. However, every cruise line operates a little differently, so it’s always safe to double-check!