Cruising is about having choices. Menus in ship dining rooms typically include spa cuisine options that are usually quite tasty. The dining-room crew is trained to meet passenger requests, so asking for, say, broiled fish without the sauce, or a baked potato without the butter, shouldn't be a problem. Fresh fruit typically abounds on their breakfast buffets, especially on cruises in tropical climates like the Caribbean, and lunch buffets feature salads aplenty. Still, food is an important part of the cruise experience.
Dinners are to be lingered over, and are routinely served with much pomp and circumstance.
Expect sweets and other temptations at every turn, including the likelihood of at least one lavish midnight buffet. Take heart, though. There's often a roster of group exercise classes, and many ships offer personal trainers to help you develop a routine for use both on the ship and back at home. Some ships, such as Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, even reward passengers for participation in exercise classes and other healthy activities with points that can be redeemed at the end of the cruise for a logo water bottle or T-shirt You can also reward yourself after your exercise session by heading to the ship's spa for a sauna or steambath, or indulge in one of the treatments available for a fee, like a massage or mud bath. Any ship with a big gym will have a personal trainer.