Cruise Series: Fine Dining on a Budget

If you’ve been reading Bruised Passports for a while, you have probably witnessed some serious swooning over Cruise Holidays. In fact one of our very first posts was on Cruises. We’re convinced Cruises provide the perfect break – stunning vistas, exotic destinations, scrumptious food, and rooms with perfect views. Seriously who can argue with a room that looks onto the ocean?

Of course a holiday such as this comes at a price. Cruise holidays are notorious for being expensive, but that doesn’t have to be true. You should just know where to look. We highly recommend searching portals that offer budget cruise deals such as Travelzoo before you book your cruise.

In fact, we’re eyeing a couple of Mediterranean Cruises at the minute. Of course it would be blasphemous to fantasise about endless days of sunbathing and sampling culinary delights without sharing it with you. If we’re day-dreaming (read browsing cruise deals) at work, so should you 😉 So we thought we would put together a photo-essay of some of our favourite dishes we’ve had on cruise ships.

Cruises often get a bad rap for queues at buffet meals, but did you know that most cruise-ships offer elaborate 7 course sit-down dinners? Since the price of these meals is included in the cost of your cruise holiday, it’s the perfect way to unleash the gourmand in you and take your taste-buds on the trip of a lifetime.

Let’s begin by setting the stage for gourmet excellence. How about a bottle of wine and a bread-basket overflowing with freshly-baked granary rolls?

Is your tummy rumbling yet? It must be time for Hor d’oeuvres. Here are some of the starters we had 🙂

• Grilled vegetable terrine with plum gelée and balsamic reduction

• Seafood salad with fresh mango and bacon

• Bresaola and goat’s cheese on a bed of lettuce

• Semolina quiche

• Antipasti Platter – Prosciutto ham with mozzarella and crusty bread

• Mediterranean mussel salad with a parsley glaze

•  Beef tartare with truffle and asparagus granola

Starters over? It must be time for the Pasta Course

• Spaghetti with clams in a white wine sauce (Before)

• Spaghetti with clams in a white wine sauce (After 😉 )

Phew! Onto the main-course

• Sample menu

• Monkfish with parsley potatoes and vegetables

The best part of the meal? The desserts of course 🙂

• Traditional Sicilian Cassata 

• Chocolate semi-freddo with strawberry coulis

• Ricotta Cheesecake with raspberry coulis

Finally- it’s time for the cheese course and some bubbles. Champagne and fromage – the perfect end to every meal?

Which is your favourite dish of the lot? Mine would have to be Beef Tartare while Savi’s is the Ricotta Cheesecake. Nom!

Hungry for more? Read about the Top 5 reasons we love Cruises

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