Which cruise ice cream is the best? I ate dozens of scoops to find out
If you’re on a warm-weather cruise, ice cream is one of the best ways to treat yourself after a long day in port, a sunny day by the pool or a nice dinner. Fortunately, cruise ships offer plenty of options for finding your fix.
From simple soft-serve that you dispense yourself to elaborate sundaes and milkshake concoctions that are both tasty and social media-worthy, what you receive is largely dependent on what you’re willing to pay.
I’ve rounded up several of my own drool-inducing personal favorites — both free and for an extra fee — from six of the most popular cruise lines. I scream, you scream, we all scream for … this list of the best ice cream at sea.
Gelato by Jean-Philippe Maury and Venchi Chocolates, MSC Cruises
Where to find it: MSC Cruises ships MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Virtuosa and MSC World Europa (Jean Philippe); MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape (Venchi)
Cost: Prices start from $4.50 per scoop; additional scoops, cones and toppings cost extra.
TPG take: Gelato is an Italian staple, so it's no surprise that Mediterranean-based cruise line MSC Cruises has partnered with some of the finest confectioners to offer gourmet gelato selections on its newest ships. Select vessels feature outlets by Venchi Chocolates and Jean-Philippe Maury.
In addition to chocolates, macarons and a slew of other sweets, these shops serve up creamy for-fee scoops in basic flavors like strawberry, chocolate and vanilla, and other favorites like pistachio, mint chocolate, coffee and stracciatella.
Our recommendation? Try the Oreo cookie flavor in a chocolate-dipped cone at Jean-Philippe Maury.
TPG rating: 5/5
Coco’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream Mad Milkshake, Norwegian Cruise Line
Where to find it: Coco’s on Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Prima
Cost: $14
TPG take: I’ll be frank: I found the ice cream and gelato options at Norwegian’s onboard extra-charge venues to be a bit boring. So, instead of ordering a scoop or two, I traded up a little — actually a lot.
The Cookies ‘n’ Cream Mad Milkshake from Coco’s is intense. Dark chocolate gelato and milk are blended and poured into a large mug drizzled with chocolate. Toppings include whipped cream, M&Ms, caramel drizzle, whole Oreo cookies, a milk chocolate garnish and gummy bears. It was a rich treat that left me so full I couldn’t finish the entire thing, but I enjoyed the 3/4 I did manage to consume.
Overall, it didn’t taste like cookies ‘n’ cream; it was merely a chocolate milkshake topped with Oreos and a bunch of other tasty accouterments.
TPG rating: 4/5
Gelato from Lick Me Till … Ice Cream, Virgin Voyages
Where to find it: All Virgin Voyages ships
Cost: Free
TPG take: In true Virgin Voyages "I want to be a kid again" style, the line offers decent ice cream — and it’s free. Choose a flavor (vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan, key lime pie, espresso chip, raspberry beet, brown butter financier and others). You can get it in either a cup or one of three flavors of waffle cones: regular, chocolate or red velvet.
My personal favorite? Vanilla in a chocolate waffle cone.
The outpost earns bonus points for its name, which, like many things on Virgin’s ships, drips with sexual innuendo.
TPG rating: 3/5
Ice cream from Cups & Scoops, Royal Caribbean
Where to find it: Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas
Cost: Prices range from $2.50 for a small to $4 for a large. Add 75 cents for a cone and up to 50 cents per topping. Milkshakes are $4.50 for 16 ounces. You can also order a banana sundae with unlimited toppings for $5.50 or a cupcake sundae (featuring one of nearly a dozen flavors of delicious cupcakes) for $4.25.
TPG take: Cups & Scoops, along the Royal Caribbean Boardwalk on Deck 6, serves ice cream in a variety of staple flavors like strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.
I personally went for cookies and cream in a waffle cone — with sprinkles, of course.
Although several Royal Caribbean ships house actual stand-alone ice cream outposts, Cups & Scoops gets my vote for the best spot because it also serves up a selection of delicious cupcakes that form the basis for the venue’s cupcake sundaes.
TPG rating: 5/5
The Godfather Premium Dessert sundae, Princess Cruises
Where to find it: All vessels in the Princess fleet at the onboard ice cream shop, dubbed Coffee & Cones, Gelateria, Swirls or Scoops, depending on the ship
Cost: All Premium Dessert sundaes cost $12 unless you have a package that covers the cost. For an extra $2, you can spike them with a shot of your favorite alcohol.
TPG take: For a sweet treat nearly any time of day, try one of six for-fee sundaes from Princess’ onboard ice cream shops. They all have Italian-themed names; The Godfather is one of the best I’ve ever had anywhere and probably the best I’ve had on a ship.
The mixture of brownies, vanilla gelato and chocolate sauce is excellent. It comes in a tall ice cream glass that’s adorned with chocolate and sprinkles.
It also usually comes with tuile (a baked wafer), but none was left when I ordered, so the woman making my sundae replaced it with caramel popcorn. She also threw in a rainbow swirl lollipop for effect — something that normally comes with The Michelangelo sundae sold there.
If you want something less heavy or you’re trying to stick to your budget, ask for a free cone of soft serve instead.
TPG rating: 5/5
Soft-serve cones from Swirls, Carnival Cruise Line
Where to find it: All ships in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet
Cost: Free
TPG take: There’s something special about the ability to have ice cream any time of the day, and Carnival delivers in a big way. There’s nothing fancy about Swirls, the line’s giant stainless-steel self-service ice cream and frozen yogurt machines, but what it dispenses is delicious.
Choose either a cup or a cone, and pull the lever for do-it-yourself soft-serve. Two of three flavors — chocolate, vanilla and strawberry — are generally offered at any given time, along with an option that twists two of them together. You can’t beat the complimentary price or the 24-hour availability. You won't find toppings by the soft-serve machines, but keep a stash of cookies or Froot Loops from the buffet to crush onto your cone for a creative concoction.
TPG rating: 5/5
Bottom line
So, which particular ice cream is my favorite?
My vote goes squarely to the cookies and cream at Royal Caribbean's Cups & Scoops. Despite what it might look like above, I'm more a fan of cones than of ice cream. As far as I'm concerned, the latter is just an accompaniment to add a bit of moisture to the crunch. The combo of a cone with cookies and sprinkles is a no-brainer for me.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.