Sagitta Dining

All meals are served to groups at large tables; this is not a cruise for introverts. One advantage of a ship this size is that food is fresh, not frozen, and all the dishes prepared by the St. Barts-trained chef are tasty. While you can choose to eat ashore during daylong port stops, you need to let the chef know in advance.

Breakfast begins at 7 a.m. and consists of a hot entree, such as omelets, pancakes or eggs cooked to order. Cereal, yogurt and fruit are served every day, and there are pastries for early risers. Most mornings, passengers would gather for coffee in the ship's Main Deck lounge and then trundle downstairs to eat in the indoor dining area.

Lunchtime depends on the each day's itinerary, but it usually takes place around noon. Along with dinner, lunch is made fresh and served in an outdoor area at the ship's aft. A typical midday meal consists of cold cucumber soup and a trio of pasta salads, ending with a cookie.

The outdoor dining area, located aft on the Main Deck, is protected from the sun by awnings. The seating is divided into four rounded benches, almost in a clover pattern. It can feel crowded at mealtime, depending on how big your fellow passengers are.

Snacks served at happy hour (usually 5 p.m.) are highly anticipated and substantial enough to feed hungry snorkelers. Hors d'oeuvres ranged from chips and guacamole to shrimp skewers, with fruit available every day. Complimentary house wines -- both red and white -- are available, along with beer and "Sagittaritas," a rum punch.

Dinner begins around 7 or 7:30 p.m., depending on the day, and it takes about 90 minutes. There's only one entree choice, although food allergies and sensitivities are accommodated. Most nights, green salad starts the meal, followed by a Caribbean-influenced entree (sample menu: pork tenderloin with mashed dasheen, a local root vegetable). Plated desserts, such as creme brulee or blueberry crumble, finish the meal. Wine flows freely during dinner, and if you don't like the house option, you're encouraged to bring your own with no corkage fee.

Sagitta has no room service, and cabins do not have refrigerators. (If you buy cheeses, wines or pates that need to be cooled -- as we did in St. Barts -- staff will happily store them for you.) Two coolers, one full of beer and the other filled with sodas and mixers, are available on deck at all times, as are coffee and fresh water.