World's Best New Cruise Food

For years, the customary cruise buffet was on par with the famous Vegas buffet – all-you-can-eat but barely edible. It makes sense when ship kitchens have to stock up for the entire length of the cruise but was it the sea breeze causing the food to be so salty? Now cruise companies seem to be responding to the rising worldwide demand for delicious, and in many cases, sustainably sourced food.

Five-star dining may be expected from five-star cruise lines like Crystal and Seabourn but even they are upping the ante by luring renowned chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa and Charlie Palmer on board. But are those just more examples of celebrity chefs lending their cache via the use of their names and some light consulting on the menu? Not in the case of Europe-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' new German culinary star, Dieter Müller, who has promised to be in his whites 70 days out at sea.

Others are adding ships to their fleets that have some exciting new restaurant offerings, like Qsine on the Celebrity Eclipse and The Verandah on Cunard's new Queen Elizabeth. So the next time you set sail on one of these eight cruise lines, expect more from your meals and, course by course, they will surely rise to the challenge.

Click here for the World's Best New Cruise Food Slideshow.