I know it IS possible to go on a cruise and not put any weight, I’m just not sure how you do it. Because for me, one of the many surprises in a cruise holiday of constant surprises was the sheer variety and quality of food on board Liberty of the Seas. It was absolutely incredible.
The atmosphere in the Main Dining Room, which is big and grand and simply stunning (resplendent with chandeliers), was wonderful. The service was excellent, and the cruise holiday food was very good – particularly my scallops gratin *salivates at memory*…
…although not quite as outstanding as the food in the speciality restaurants (which you pay a cover charge for). I loved Chops Grille – not just because of our waiter (the improbably named Jacques Le Kock) but because of the extraordinarily good steak, followed by the equally good Crème brûlée. I also enjoyed the exquisite beef carpaccio at the Italian restaurant Portofino – it really did melt in the mouth.
The other great thing about a Royal Caribbean cruise is the room service – not only can you have breakfast on your balcony, looking at the sea, for no extra charge, but you can also order all manner of tempting things, day and night. Just remember that when you order two cookies though they bring you six (there are three in each portion). Although you don’t HAVE to eat them all *cough*.
And I was delighted with the chocolate-covered strawberries which mysteriously arrived in my stateroom.
The food in the Windjammer Café was fine – I went there for breakfast a couple of mornings and there was a huge range of baked goods, pastries and cooked options on offer, although I always find buffets a little difficult and end up with incredibly weird combinations and lose my appetite completely.
Other highlights included the character breakfast, served in the Main Dining Room and included in the price of the cruise, which was excellent. Here’s the menu:
Johnny Rockets was fun, particularly when the waiters started dancing. And while I loved our cupcake decorating class at The Cupcake Cupboard, I resisted trying the cupcakes. I know, right? But I was simply too full.
We were given a tour of one of the galleys, which was fascinating – I’ve never been in such a big kitchen before. It was absolutely spotless and the staff were all welcoming, there was no Gordon Ramsay-style shouting. I’d find it very difficult not to keep picking all day if I worked around all that food – particularly when confronted with large slabs of chocolate. 
And of course it goes without saying that we drank copious quantities of champagne, pina coladas, daiquiris, martinis, margaritas, mojitos and wine. It was a Caribbean cruise vacation, after all. But hey, what happens on the cruise, stays on the cruise. Right?