With Hotels With Great Taste , we’re pulling back the curtain for a peek at the “special sauce” that hotels use to create memorable, meaningful culinary experiences for their guests.

If your idea of cruise ship dining is an all-night nacho bar and unlimited soft-serve, you are not alone. You’re also not entirely wrong.

The good news: Some ships are moving away from buffets with warming stations, revamping their food and beverage offerings to appeal to contemporary palates. For instance, larger cruise lines are creating onboard restaurants designed and run by Michelin-starred chefs, like Massimiliano Alajmo’s Osteria d’Ovidio aboard the Crystal Serenity. There is a focus on chic venues serving exquisite plates created à la minute, quality over quantity. Most ships cater to individual dietary needs and vibes: teens craving midnight burgers, vegan diets, gluten-free restrictions.

Enter the SeaDream I . Its Norwegian founder, owner, and chairman, Atle Brynestad, hasn’t eaten meat in over thirty years.…