Mashed's Exclusive Survey Uncovered Where People Most Want To Eat On Cruises

Good food is a vital part of any vacation. Regardless of what country you're visiting, the cuisine plays a huge role in your experience overall.

If you haven't been on a cruise (or if it's been a while), Cruise Critic points out that the all-inclusive nature of these experiences gives your vacation dining options galore. Predictably, bigger ships have a wider variety of options, but you definitely won't go hungry if you're traveling by way of a giant boat.

CNN Travel reported that cruise ships go through an astonishing amount of food. A small ship, for instance, might use 5,000 eggs and 4,000 cups of tea in a single day. For Symphony of the Seas cruises it's more like 60,000 eggs, not to mention 450 boxes of Champagne.

That's because feeding hundreds of people at all hours of the day requires considerable stock. Cruise ship buffets are quite common, as are formal dining rooms and other types of restaurants. The Points Guy likened the situation to a downtown area with an option for everyone on every corner. Mashed performed an exclusive survey that revealed the dining option that cruise-goers love most.

From producing a fancy, five-star dining experience to supplying your poolside munching, cruise ships kitchens are quite different from restaurant kitchens. Mashed surveyed 622 people about where they most liked to eat on a cruise, and the majority said the buffet was their first choice. Cruise ship buffets, which swept nearly 40% of the votes, are a veritable cornucopia of diverse foods, according to Cruise Critics. The majority are all-you-can-eat-style arrangements that amass long queues of hungry passengers.

The survey indicated that nicer restaurants are passengers' second choice of eating options on cruises. Fine dining garnered 25.56% of the total votes. Some ships feature famous chefs or chefs who have earned Michelin Stars, per The Points Guy. Many of these floating establishments are quite pricey, but quality food does often come with a price tag, whether it's on land or sea.

The survey also gave a nod to regular restaurants, which received 20.42% of the votes, followed by cafes and room service.