A seasoned cruise ship traveller and expert has shared his wealth of experience and knowledge when it comes to tackling food on ships, particularly, buffets.

Gary Bembridge, the brains behind the YouTube Channel Tips for Travellers, shared his take on cruise buffets and whether or not he should eat at them whilst on board.

He also delves into how he takes advantage of the buffet options on offer, as well as what he’ll always tuck into and what to completely avoid.

During his most recent on the Cunard Queen Anne, Gary completely avoided the buffet restaurant, but while he was aboard a Holland America cruise he visited the buffet for lunch every single day.

The first thing Gary warned about is heading to the buffet “at the wrong time”.

He claimed: “For a start, smart cruisers generally don’t go to the buffet for embarkation day lunch. Not only is it busy, but there are better options and things that can help you get ahead of the crowds by not eating there.

“There are always better alternatives that are less busy and offer in fact an elevated dining experience. The main dining room, if it’s open, is one.

“As well as having a calmer atmosphere and a good menu there are several key things that you should do while there on embarkation day to get ahead of the crowds on setting up a better dining experience for your entire cruise.”

So avoid peak times and embarkation times at all costs, especially since most buffets have certain service times for meals.

He also suggested looking at alternative dining options, for instance, if there’s a dining room. This can be beneficial if you have loyalty status with a cruise line, or even if you’re after specific dietary requirements.

Cruise buffets always appear to be a topic of contention, with passengers split over where the food is actually any good. Some seasoned travellers on cruise boats have shared their best advice when it comes to a buffet, and warn you what you should avoid.

As food is catered for the masses, a lot of buffets are served on hot plates to keep them warm. One major issue a hungry customer may find is the food has been sat out too long and completely dried out.

One person said on Reddit: “Leave the barely cooked bacon on the line, ask for the crispy cooked bacon and they usually have a bucket of it behind the counter.”

If you’re after an egg for your brekkie, don’t head straight for the scrambled eggs sat out under a cloche. Instead, if there’s the choice, opt for the freshly made ones, reported MirrorOnline.

Another well-seasoned Reddit user advised: “If the scrambled eggs look disgusting on the line because they’re too wet or you don’t like powdered eggs, ask the omelette station to make dry scrambled eggs.”

Cruise-goers also reminded newbies that if there’s something not on the display, it’s always worth asking.

A third person said on Reddit: “If you don’t see something you want, ask for it. My eldest eats plain yoghurt every day for breakfast. She asked and the head server made sure a bowl was waiting each morning for the rest of the cruise.”

On the Reddit channel r/MSCCruises, one person warned that other restaurants on-board cruise ships may actually be worse than the buffet.

They claimed: “Just got back from a cruise on Euribia. The buffet was fine. Breakfast had eggs and bacon and standard items. I generally ate pizza or pasta for lunch. It’s a buffet, not a gourmet restaurant. The main dining room, on the other hand… bad bad bad. Skip it and go to the buffet.”

However, another argued: “It’s not terrible, all the food is edible. It’s just not great. If great food is important to you, consider another cruise line.”