Dinner and drinks
Dinner and drinks on the cruise
What dinner on the Sydney cabaret cruise is: three courses, vegetarian and kids' menus, the bar, alcohol rules, allergies and how other dinners compare.
Book the cabaret cruise ↗Quick answer
Dinner on the Sydney cabaret cruise runs to three courses and opens with a shared entrée platter, all at a reserved table. There is a vegetarian menu and a kids' menu. Drinks are bought at a fully licensed bar. Substitutions are politely declined and the kitchen is not allergen free, so guests with serious allergies should choose another dinner.
The format
Dinner is a restaurant-style, seated and served meal with waiter service. It has three courses, and the first is a shared entrée platter. Guests have reserved tables for dining and table service for the length of the cruise. The sample menu on the ticket page is indicative, and the menu may be subject to minor changes, so book the cruise for the evening and not for one dish. Outside food and drink are not permitted on board.
The menus on offer
The operator lists a popular set menu, a vegetarian menu and a kids' menu. A full vegetarian menu is available, and vegetarian guests should speak to the cruise director on boarding. The kids' menu is pre-ordered, at no additional cost, when a child ticket is selected, so choose the child ticket before you think about the plate. The sample menus carry dietary codes beside each dish, and they are worth reading, but a code is a description and not a guarantee.
Allergies and substitutions
The ticket says that requests for dietary substitutions and modifications of menus will be politely declined, because the kitchen is not allergen free. It adds that the cruise cannot guarantee that certain products or ingredients will not be in the food. That is a clear limit, and it matters most to guests with serious allergies or intolerances, who are better served by a cruise that states it can adapt a menu. Vegetarian guests have their own menu and need only mention it on boarding. If you are unsure whether a dish suits you, ask the cruise director or the wait staff on board, because the ticket says special requests go to them.
Drinks
The ticket lists a fully licensed bar with a curated wine list, and drinks are available to purchase on board. The operator's own site sells a Classic package with no drinks included, a drinks upgrade that adds beer, wine, soft drinks and juices for the cruise, and a Prestige package that includes sparkling wine. Those are the operator's packages, and the GetYourGuide ticket is a separate product, so read what your booking lists. Outside food and drink may not be brought aboard.
Alcohol rules on board
The ticket says the NSW Government's Responsible Service of Alcohol rules apply. In New South Wales, people who work at a licensed venue and serve or sell alcohol must complete Responsible Service of Alcohol training, so the people serving your table are trained in the rules. Plan the drinks to suit a three-hour evening, and remember that the boat does not wait for guests who step off the wharf for a break.
How other harbour dinners compare
A plated dinner on Captain Cook Cruises' MV Sydney 2000 offers three-, four- or five-course menus with optional paired wines, with drinks at extra cost. Journey Beyond Cruise sells a three-course dinner with beer, wine, soft drinks and tea or coffee in the fare. Sydney Princess Cruises sells a buffet dinner with a selection of hot and cold dishes. None of them is built around a stage show, which is the difference that the cabaret cruise sells. Captain Cook's ticket gives smart casual as its dress code and takes drink orders through a contactless ordering platform. Journey Beyond's menu is regionally focused on New South Wales ingredients, and the buffet on the Sydney Princess cruise is freshly prepared.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a vegetarian menu?
Yes. A full vegetarian menu is available. Vegetarian guests should speak to the cruise director on boarding.
Can the kitchen cater for allergies?
No. Requests for dietary substitutions are politely declined, and the kitchen is not allergen free.
Are drinks included?
No. A fully licensed bar sells drinks on board, and the ticket lists drinks as available to purchase.
Can children have their own menu?
Yes. A kids' menu is pre-ordered at no additional cost when a child ticket is selected.
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