Lunch can be one of the busiest meals onboard MSC Poesia, especially on embarkation day or when passengers return from port at a similar time. Most people head straight to the buffet, but that isn’t always the best choice.
The MSC Poesia lunch options are more limited than those on a newer, larger cruise ship, but they cover two very different types of meal. The Villa Pompeiana buffet gives you flexibility and plenty of choice, while La Fontaine offers a quieter sit-down lunch with table service when it’s open.
The best option changes across the cruise. La Fontaine can be a much calmer way to begin embarkation day, while the buffet is more practical if you return late from port. On sea days, you also need to check whether the main dining room is serving a standard lunch or brunch instead.
This guide explains where to eat lunch on MSC Poesia, what each option is really like and how the arrangements change between embarkation, sea and port days. You can also download the available lunch and brunch menus in the free PDF below.
MSC Poesia Dining Options: Full Video Guide
For a full look at dining on MSC Poesia, including how lunch fits into the rest of the day, you can watch my complete video guide here. The video includes the buffet, La Fontaine, embarkation day lunch, sea-day brunch, dinner and speciality dining, along with menus and examples of the food served onboard.
Where Can You Eat Lunch on MSC Poesia?
The two main MSC Poesia lunch options are the Villa Pompeiana buffet and La Fontaine main dining room. The buffet is the most flexible and is where most passengers eat during the day. It offers pizza, salads, hot dishes, pasta, rice, vegetables, desserts and a selection of international food.
La Fontaine is the quieter option and provides a sit-down meal with table service. It is available on selected days, including embarkation day, sea days and some port days, although the exact schedule varies.
MSC may also replace the normal lunch service with brunch on one of the sea days. This means it is important to check the daily planner rather than assuming the main dining room will operate in the same way every day.
The key decision is whether you want convenience or a calmer meal. The buffet works best when you want to eat quickly, while La Fontaine is usually the better option when you have more time.
La Fontaine Main Dining Room: The Quieter Lunch Option
La Fontaine on Deck 5 is the main sit-down lunch option on MSC Poesia. You are shown to a table, order from a menu and have the meal brought to you. This gives lunch a more traditional cruise dining feel and avoids carrying a tray around the buffet while looking for somewhere to sit.
The main advantage is the setting. La Fontaine is calmer, quieter and more relaxed than the buffet, especially when the ship is busy. The lunch menu changes depending on the day and normally includes a choice of starters, main courses and desserts. It works well if you want a proper meal rather than something quick between activities. The opening period can be fairly short, so it is worth checking the MSC for Me app or the daily programme before making plans.
La Fontaine is often overlooked because the buffet is more obvious. However, when the restaurant is open, it can be one of the most comfortable places to eat lunch onboard.
Embarkation Day Lunch on MSC Poesia
La Fontaine is particularly worth considering on embarkation day.Most passengers board the ship, leave their luggage and head directly to the buffet. This means the Villa Pompeiana buffet can feel hectic, with everyone arriving at a similar time and looking for both food and a table.
The main dining room offers a much calmer start to the cruise. You are seated, order from the embarkation day lunch menu and can take your time rather than walking around a busy self-service area. It also gives you a chance to settle into the ship before exploring the rest of the public areas.
The buffet is still useful if you board late or want something very quick, but La Fontaine is usually the better option if you want to begin the cruise in a more relaxed way. Not everyone realises that the main dining room may be open at lunchtime on embarkation day, so it is worth checking before automatically heading upstairs.
Lunch on MSC Poesia Sea Days
Lunch arrangements on sea days can vary. On one sea day during my cruise, MSC offered brunch in La Fontaine instead of the normal lunch service. This meant passengers could have a later meal combining breakfast and lunch rather than attending two separate services.
On the other sea day, La Fontaine operated with a normal lunch menu. This is why it is important to check the daily schedule each morning. You cannot assume that the same lunch arrangement will apply on every sea day.
The buffet remains open and is the more predictable option, but it will also be busiest when most passengers are onboard.
If La Fontaine is serving lunch, it’s a good way to take a break from the pool deck and busier public areas. If brunch is operating instead, it can work well for a slower morning when you do not want a separate breakfast and lunch.
Lunch on MSC Poesia Port Days
La Fontaine may also open for lunch on some port days. Whether you can use it depends on your plans ashore and what time you return to the ship. The opening window may be short, and on my port day I didn’t get back onboard in time to eat there.
The buffet is therefore the more practical option for most port days. It gives you more flexibility if you return at an awkward time or do not know exactly when you will be back.
If you are only going ashore for a short time, it is still worth checking whether La Fontaine is open. It can provide a much calmer meal than arriving back at the buffet with everyone else. The main thing is not to plan around the dining room without checking the opening time first.
Villa Pompeiana Buffet: The Most Flexible Lunch Option
The Villa Pompeiana buffet is the main lunchtime venue on MSC Poesia and the easiest option to use throughout the cruise. You will find a mixture of pizza, pasta, rice dishes, vegetables, salads, hot food and desserts. There was also a vegan section and an Asian corner during my sailing.
The buffet gives you more flexibility than La Fontaine because you can arrive within a wider time window and choose exactly how much you want to eat. This makes it useful after a port day, around activities or when different people in your group want different types of food.
The main disadvantage is that it can feel repetitive. Some of the evening buffet selection is similar to what appears at lunchtime, so relying on it for both meals can make the dining feel more limited than it really is. The buffet works best when you use it for convenience rather than treating it as the only lunch option onboard.
MSC Poesia Pizza: One of the Best Buffet Options
The pizza was one of the strongest lunch choices in the Villa Pompeiana buffet. MSC has a good reputation for pizza, and the pizza on MSC Poesia was fresh, simple and consistently reliable.
It was also one of the options I was happy to return to throughout the cruise because it tended to be fresher than some of the other hot buffet dishes that had been sitting for longer. The selection can change, but you will usually find several different types available.
Pizza is a particularly useful option if you want a quick lunch and do not want to put together a full buffet plate. It’s one of the things MSC does well and one of the safest choices if nothing else immediately appeals.
Salads, Vegan Food and Lighter Lunch Options
The salad bar was another nice part of the MSC Poesia lunch buffet. It gave you the option to build a lighter meal rather than relying entirely on pizza, pasta and heavier hot dishes. There was enough choice to put together a proper plate, particularly if you wanted something different after several days of cruise food.
A separate vegan section was also available during my sailing, along with vegetable dishes and other buffet items that could suit a plant-based diet. There was also an Asian corner with a changing selection of dishes.
Anyone with allergies or more complex dietary requirements should still speak to the dining team rather than relying only on buffet labels.
When Is the Best Time to Eat Lunch on MSC Poesia?
The best time to eat lunch depends on the day and where you want to go. The buffet becomes busiest when passengers return from port, when sea-day activities pause and around the most obvious lunchtime period. Eating slightly earlier or later can make it easier to find a table and move around the food stations.
La Fontaine has a much shorter opening window, so timing matters in a different way. You need to check when it is open and arrive within the stated service period.
On embarkation day, heading to La Fontaine instead of following everyone to the buffet can make the first meal much more relaxed.
On sea days, check whether the main dining room is serving brunch or a normal lunch menu. On port days, make sure you will be back onboard before it closes.
What Time Is Lunch on MSC Poesia?
Lunch times on MSC Poesia vary depending on the itinerary and whether it is an embarkation day, sea day or port day. The Villa Pompeiana buffet offers the widest lunchtime window and is normally the easiest option if your plans are flexible.
La Fontaine operates for a shorter period and may serve a normal lunch menu, brunch or no lunch at all depending on the day.
The exact times are shown in the MSC for Me app and the daily programme onboard. It’s worth checking the schedule the night before or in the morning, particularly if you want to use the main dining room. I wouldn’t rely on the same opening times applying throughout the cruise.
Is Lunch Included on MSC Poesia?
Lunch in the Villa Pompeiana buffet and La Fontaine main dining room is included in your cruise fare. This means you do not need to spend extra to have a full lunch onboard.The buffet provides the widest choice, while La Fontaine offers table service and a more relaxed setting.
Drinks may cost extra unless they are included in your drinks package or are one of the complimentary options available from the buffet drinks stations.
There are no speciality lunch venues mentioned in my sailing experience, so the main decision is between the buffet and dining room rather than included and paid dining.
What Is the Best Lunch Option on MSC Poesia?
The best MSC Poesia lunch option depends on what you want from the meal. La Fontaine is the better choice if you want a quieter sit-down lunch, particularly on embarkation day or a sea day.
The Villa Pompeiana buffet is best when you want flexibility, have returned late from port or need something quick. Within the buffet, the pizza and salad bar were the best options for me during my cruise.
The mistake is assuming you need to use the buffet every day. Checking when La Fontaine is open gives you a more varied dining experience and a break from the busiest areas of the ship.
Download the MSC Poesia Lunch Menus
You can download the MSC Poesia lunch menus below, including the embarkation day lunch menu, sea-day lunch menu and brunch menu. This is the easiest way to see the available dishes before your cruise and decide when you may want to use La Fontaine instead of the buffet.
Menus and opening arrangements can change between itineraries, so use the PDF as a guide and check the latest information once onboard.
Useful MSC Poesia Dining Guides
My MSC Poesia breakfast guide covers the Villa Pompeiana buffet, La Fontaine, room service and sea-day brunch, along with downloadable menus.
For a complete overview of all the dining options onboard, you can read my MSC Poesia dining guide, which covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, main dining rooms and speciality restaurants.
For evenings, my MSC Poesia dinner guide covers fixed dining times, main dining room menus, gala night and the evening buffet.
My guide to how the MSC Poesia main dining room works explains table allocations, shared tables, early and late sittings and how to request a dining change.
If you’re considering paying extra, my MSC Poesia speciality dining guide includes Kaito Sushi, Butcher’s Cut, menus, prices and whether each option is worth booking.
You can also read my What’s Onboard MSC Poesia guide for a full look at the ship’s restaurants, bars, pools, entertainment venues and facilities.
FAQs: MSC Poesia Lunch Options
Where can you eat lunch on MSC Poesia?
Lunch is mainly available in the Villa Pompeiana buffet and La Fontaine main dining room.
Is lunch included on MSC Poesia?
Yes. Lunch in both the buffet and main dining room is included in your cruise fare.
Is La Fontaine open for lunch every day?
No. Opening arrangements vary depending on whether it is an embarkation day, sea day or port day.
Does MSC Poesia serve lunch on embarkation day?
La Fontaine may open for embarkation day lunch, providing a quieter alternative to the buffet.
Does MSC Poesia have brunch?
MSC may offer brunch in La Fontaine on one of the sea days. On my sailing, this replaced the normal lunch service.
What food is available in the MSC Poesia lunch buffet?
The buffet usually includes pizza, pasta, rice dishes, vegetables, salads, desserts and international options. There was also a vegan section and an Asian corner during my cruise.
Is the pizza good on MSC Poesia?
Yes. The pizza was one of the strongest and most consistent casual lunch options onboard.
What is the best place for lunch on MSC Poesia?
La Fontaine is best for a quieter sit-down meal, while the buffet is better for flexibility and quick lunches.
Useful Cruise Items to Consider
These are a few simple items that can make your cruise more comfortable and help you stay organised onboard. I personally use variations of these when cruising, and they’re all practical rather than essential.
Magnetic hooks Perfect for extra storage in your cabin
Packing cubes Keep your suitcase organised
Cruise luggage tags Protect your tags at the port
Travel Extension Lead UK For charging multiple phones, cameras, and laptops
Toiletry organiser Great for small bathrooms
You can also browse my full Cruise Essentials list for more useful items I use or recommend for cruise holidays.
This article may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cruise eSIM from Saily
Buying the ship’s WiFi package isn’t the only way to stay connected during a cruise. Saily has launched a cruise eSIM that provides mobile data at sea and in supported ports, which could be worth considering if you mainly need internet access for messaging, maps and general browsing.
You can check the available plans and coverage here: Saily Cruise Esim
Use discount code solotravel10 to receive 10 % off your purchase.
Affiliate disclosure: This section contains an affiliate link. I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through the link, at no additional cost to you. I haven’t personally tested the Saily cruise eSIM yet, so check the current coverage, data allowance and compatibility with your phone before purchasing.