Smoke on The Water: The 5 Best Poolside Grills at Sea

Photo courtesy of www.thinkstock.com

With news this week that Holland America Line is enhancing the quality and choices at its poolside grill, it got us thinking. In recent years, cruise lines have really upped their game when it comes to the casual, poolside eateries that are included in the price of the ticket.

While cruise ships have pretty much always offered burgers and hot dogs, today’s grills are a notch or two (or three) above, offering hand-formed burger patties, gourmet sandwiches, spicy sausages and a veritable buffet of condiments and toppings far beyond ketchup and yellow mustard. Heck, you can even get a Kobe burger at one grill!

Here are our choices for five top poolside grills at sea.

Holland America Line’s new Dive-In

Photo: A Holland America Line server proudly displays the cheddar cheese-topped High-Dive burger. (Courtesy of Holland America Line)

Holland America Line’s new Dive-In at the Terrace Grill offers burgers made with hand-formed beef patties on toasted brioche buns. New signature burgers include The Cannonball, which is topped with Gouda cheese, applewood smoked bacon and sweet caramelized onions. More of a hot dog person? The Dive-In offers Nathan’s Famous all-beef dogs, including The Dog Paddle, which is topped with sauerkraut, bacon bits and German mustard. Vegetarians can select The Freestyle, a grilled portabella mushroom topped with Gouda and cheddar cheeses, avocado and the line’s secret sauce.

And if you’re a fan of Mexican fare, never fear: The Terrace Grill’s taco bar will continue to serve handmade tortillas or hard taco shells and fillings including chicken, beef and pork.

The Dive-In is now open on the Eurodam, Amsterdam and Maasdam; it will be installed on the rest of the fleet this summer.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Guy’s Burger Joint

Photo: Carnival teamed up with Food Network personality Guy Fieri and came up with the very popular Guy’s Burger Joint. (Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines)

Carnival hit it out of the park when it teamed up with restaurateur and Food Network personality Guy Fieri to create Guy’s Burger Joint. The patties are 80/20 ground chuck sandwiched in a buttered, grilled roll and nestled next to hand-cut fries. Toppings include SMC (super melty cheese), Rojo Ring (crispy spicy onion ring) and Donkey Sauce (jacked-up mayo). The Pig Patty burger comes with a patty made of crispy bacon. Guests tailor their burger from the condiment bar.

Guy’s Burger Joint is available on the Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Triumph. It will be on the Carnival Freedom when it emerges from a renovation in May.

Carnival also deserves kudos for BlueIguana Cantina and Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ, which sets up on the Promenade Deck on sea days on the Carnival Breeze. Fat Jimmy’s serves grilled chicken, kielbasa, Italian sausage and vegetables as well as pulled pork sandwiches with sides like potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans and cornbread. (We’d welcome this on more ships!)

BlueIguana Cantina serves tacos and burritos wrapped by tortillas made on the spot. It’s on the Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Triumph and, in May, Carnival Freedom.

Oceania Cruises’ Waves Grill

Photo: The Waves Grill on Oceania ships serves gourmet selections, including a burger made with wagyu beef. (Courtesy of Oceania Cruises)

This open-air spot just steps from the swimming pool has a gourmet grill menu, not surprising considering this is a cruise line for foodies. Waves Grill, found on all five Oceania ships, entices with its specialty sandwiches — the “Surf & Turf” is toasted ciabatta stuffed with grilled lobster medallions and filet mignon, and served with parmesan-dusted truffle fries. The “Oceania Q-BAN Sandwich” features marinated roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and cornichons grilled in a crusty baguette. The burger menu includes traditional versions but also the “Kobe Burger” made with intensely marbled wagyu beef and black truffle sauce.

Non-meat eaters can choose “The Alaskan” burger made with salmon and Béarnaise tartar sauce, or “The Maguro,” soy-and-ginger-marinated ahi tuna, seared rare and slathered with wasabi-garlic mayonnaise. For the vegetarian, the menu offers a grilled veggie burger topped wtih Caribbean mango salsa.

The hot dog menu includes a “Swedish” all-beef link with dill shrimp salad and fried onions as well as the “Mexican” version with chili con carne and jalapeno cheddar.

And after? How about a hand-dipped milkshake or ice cream sundae?

Silversea Cruises’ Pool Grill

Photo: The Pool Grill on all Silversea ships serves perfectly grilled hot dogs and freshly made pizzas. (Courtesy of Silversea Cruises)

Silversea’s Pool Grill serves a perfectly grilled hot dog that comes with French fries, onion rings and delicious cole slaw (ask for a double serving). You also can get burgers, salads and freshly made pizza — the menu even has a tuna sandwich for those who just want a simple lunch. Sometimes, there is entertainment at lunchtime — one day, the crowd watched a crew member chop and whittle a block of ice into an elegant sculpture.

In the evening, the grill turns into a reservation-recommended restaurant that lets guests cook their own steak, shrimp, veal, pork, lamb or fish to desired doneness on a preheated volcanic rock on their table.

Royal Caribbean’s Boardwalk Dog House

Photo: Royal Caribbean serves thousands a day at the Boardwalk Dog House on four ships. (Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International)

Royal Caribbean’s open-air Boardwalk Dog House serves up thousands of links a day, including the traditional Coney Island all-beef kosher dog. Among the more unusual offerings are the Wünderdog, an Austrian-style veal link, and the German Thuringian sausage, made with pork and marjoram and served on a bun with caraway seeds. The Boardwalk Dog House is on the Allure of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas.