What to Expect from Royal Caribbean’s Royal Buffet
Explore Royal Caribbean’s buffet experience, from breakfast to late-night bites. Find out how the Royal Buffet stands out across ships.
Let’s Talk About the Buffet
Whether you're waking up to crispy bacon and made-to-order omelettes or grabbing a plate of curry and roast beef after a shore excursion, the Royal Buffet is one of the most popular spots on any Royal Caribbean cruise.
Known officially as the Windjammer Marketplace, this buffet isn’t just about convenience — it’s a key part of the cruise experience. It’s where families gather over comfort food, where picky eaters find something they love, and where late-night snackers sneak one more dessert.
In this guide, we’re digging into everything you need to know about the Royal Buffet. What’s served, when to go, how it varies by ship, and whether it really lives up to the hype.
What is the Royal Buffet?
The "Royal Buffet" is the unofficial guest nickname for Royal Caribbean’s Windjammer Marketplace. Found on every ship in the fleet, it offers a wide variety of meals throughout the day — all included in your cruise fare. It’s a casual, help-yourself setting with ocean views and plenty of seating, making it one of the most versatile dining spots onboard.
You don’t need a reservation to eat here, and you can come as you are. Whether you’re wearing your swimsuit and cover-up after a pool session or dressed for a day ashore, the Windjammer welcomes everyone.
Buffet Hours and Flow
While exact hours can vary slightly from ship to ship, most Windjammer buffets follow a reliable daily rhythm. Breakfast usually runs from around 6:30am to 10:30am, with lunch following from late morning through mid-afternoon. Dinner typically opens from about 5:30pm until 9:00pm. On some ships, you’ll also find snacks or late-night offerings that stretch well into the evening.
Early risers can often sneak a coffee and pastry before the full breakfast setup begins. And even between meals, it’s common to find fruit, cookies, or grab-and-go sandwiches available. The flexibility is part of the charm.
What Kind of Food Will You Find?
Let’s break it down by mealtime to give you a sense of what you can expect.
In the mornings, breakfast includes crowd-pleasers like scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast, bacon, and hash browns. There's usually an omelette station where you can request your own customised creation. For lighter options, you'll find yoghurt, fruit, cereal, and a selection of pastries and muffins.
At lunchtime, the variety ramps up with a mix of hot dishes and fresh salads. There’s often a carving station offering roast meats, alongside international choices like stir-fried noodles, Indian curries, tacos, or Mediterranean-style dishes. Burgers, pizza, and pasta tend to be easy go-to options for families.
Dinner takes it up a notch. While some options carry over from lunch, you’ll also see elevated entrées like grilled fish, seafood dishes, barbecue ribs, or themed nights featuring Asian or Italian-inspired favourites. Dessert is always a highlight, with everything from cookies and cakes to puddings and mousse.
Menus rotate daily, so even if you eat every meal at the buffet, you won’t get bored.
Catering for Dietary Needs
Royal Caribbean does a commendable job at making the buffet accessible to all dietary needs. There are clearly marked vegetarian and vegan options at every meal, and many dishes are labelled as gluten-free or dairy-free. For guests with allergies, the buffet staff can guide you to the safest choices and even connect you with a chef if needed.
Those requiring halal or kosher meals should inform Royal Caribbean in advance, ideally before the cruise begins, to ensure availability. That said, the Windjammer is one of the easiest places onboard to mix and match your meals to suit your preferences.
How the Royal Buffet Varies by Ship
The Windjammer exists on every ship, but its size and layout can vary depending on the class of ship you’re sailing on.
On the newest ships like Icon of the Seas and Oasis-class vessels, the buffet is a massive space with multiple serving stations, beverage bars, and both indoor and outdoor seating. The design is modern, and the selection tends to be broader, with added global cuisine options and more live-cooking stations.
On mid-size ships like those in the Quantum class, the buffet is more streamlined but still generous in variety. On older or smaller ships — such as Vision or Radiance class — the buffet may be more compact, but it remains a reliable option with quality offerings and attentive service.
Larger ships sometimes also feature satellite buffet setups or extended snack bars, especially on port days or during peak hours, to help manage crowd flow.
Making the Most of Your Buffet Visit
A few simple tips can help you enjoy your Windjammer experience to the fullest.
First, consider visiting outside peak hours. Sea day lunches and embarkation day dinners tend to be the busiest times. Arriving just before or after peak hours usually means shorter queues and easier seating.
Second, don’t overlook the back of the buffet. Many Windjammer setups duplicate serving stations across multiple areas, and the stations at the rear are often less crowded.
Third, look for the made-to-order counters. Omelette stations in the morning and pasta or stir-fry counters at lunch and dinner are great ways to get fresh, hot food just the way you like it.
And finally, don’t be shy — it’s a buffet. Try something new, go back for seconds, and make dessert your own mini tasting adventure.
What’s the Dress Code?
The dress code at the Windjammer is relaxed and cruise casual. During breakfast and lunch, it’s common to see guests in swimsuits with cover-ups, shorts, t-shirts, or sundresses. For dinner, the look tends to shift slightly, with many opting for casual evening wear, but there's no requirement for formal attire. Just wear shoes and a shirt, and you're good to go.
This casual approach makes the Royal Buffet an ideal dinner choice on nights when you don’t feel like dressing up or sticking to a scheduled mealtime.
Buffet or Main Dining Room?
It’s not about which is better — it’s about what suits your mood. The Windjammer offers speed, variety, and self-service flexibility, while the Main Dining Room provides a more traditional, seated meal with rotating menus and dedicated waitstaff.
Many cruisers switch between the two depending on the day. You might enjoy a buffet breakfast for convenience, a table-service lunch on a sea day, and then a mix-and-match approach to dinners depending on what you’re craving. The choice is yours.
Why the Buffet Is a Royal Caribbean Staple
There’s a reason guests refer to the Windjammer with such affection. It’s more than just a buffet — it’s a community hub. It’s the place where jetlagged travellers find their first meal, where kids grab their favourite foods without fuss, and where everyone can eat at their own pace.
With rotating menus, international options, themed nights, and plenty of space to relax, the Royal Buffet consistently delivers comfort, flavour, and value. It may not have the elegance of a specialty restaurant, but it has a warmth and flexibility that cruisers return to time and time again.
So whether you're piling your plate high with pancakes at sunrise or sampling your third dessert after dinner, the Windjammer is always ready to welcome you.