What is the USDA grade of beef at Crown Grill

Does anyone know? Is is USDA prime, choice or select....or something else. It says it's Sterling Silver Corn Fed. I looked this up and only found that it is USDA certified very tender, but this is a new designation and does not indicate the USDA grade. Or if it does, I can't find it.

We are considering trying Crown Grill for the first time and do not want to let down as we were with Sabatini's.

Princess has increased the price to 29 dollars. Many people say that this is a fraction of the cost of a quality steakhouse on land, but land-based steakhouses generally disclose the grade of beef they are serving. Also, people are reporting that only very small lobster tails are being served. Is this another cutback or have they always been small. Or are they only small if one asks for surf and turf...so if one orders just the lobster tail would it be one large lobster tail. Are these warm water lobster tails?

Even if we cannot learn the USDA grade, have you been satisfied with the quality of the beef? It would be great to hear recent reports or see recent pictures of the different food options.

Look forward to your insight.

Does anyone know? Is is USDA prime, choice or select....or something else. It says it's Sterling Silver Corn Fed. I looked this up and only found that it is USDA certified very tender, but this is a new designation and does not indicate the USDA grade. Or if it does, I can't find it.

 

We are considering trying Crown Grill for the first time and do not want to let down as we were with Sabatini's.

 

Princess has increased the price to 29 dollars. Many people say that this is a fraction of the cost of a quality steakhouse on land, but land-based steakhouses generally disclose the grade of beef they are serving. Also, people are reporting that only very small lobster tails are being served. Is this another cutback or have they always been small. Or are they only small if one asks for surf and turf...so if one orders just the lobster tail would it be one large lobster tail. Are these warm water lobster tails?

 

Even if we cannot learn the USDA grade, have you been satisfied with the quality of the beef? It would be great to hear recent reports or see recent pictures of the different food options.

 

Look forward to your insight.

I don't know the USDA grade of beef, but it's always been an excellent quality steak. The lobster tails are small, but they'll bring you as many as you want (as well as many steaks as you want).

If it were Prime, I'm sure that verbiage would be plastered everywhere, so my guess is Choice.

I do know that we have been satisfied with the meal at the Crown Grill. They do offer a selection of steak cuts. Certain cuts are better for cooking rare, and certain ones are better well, so discuss with the waiter before you order. They also offer a large thick pork chop. If you get the chop suggest you order a butterfly cut.

The $29/pp surcharge is only the add on. You have paid for a meal already as part of your fare. The comparison to land based restaurants should be higher, let's say around $50 as a guess.

I have been disapointed in each cruise lines Steak House as I expected Prime Meat-They are not Prime , Probably one grade below

Regardless of the grade, it is all frozen, so not what a top steak house ashore would serve.

 

Regardless of the grade, it is all frozen, so not what a top steak house ashore would serve.

Frozen or not, prime or choice...steaks I have ordered at Crown Grill have always been excellent.

Not trying to be a food snob, but----

If you are comparing the steak to NYC steak houses, like Peter Lugers, Palm, etc there is no comparison. The Steak on the ship is not nearly as good-therefore, I no longer go

This is the first time I have heard this. What is your source?

 

Frozen or not, prime or choice...steaks I have ordered at Crown Grill have always been excellent.

 

While I haven't seen it on Princess personally, I've never seen any meat come on a cruise ship that wasn't frozen.

 

Not trying to be a food snob, but----

If you are comparing the steak to NYC steak houses, like Peter Lugers, Palm, etc there is no comparison. The Steak on the ship is not nearly as good-therefore, I no longer go

If you no longer dine at the Crown Grill because it doesn't compare to NYC upscale steakhouses, where do you dine? I don't imagine the MDR compares to better NYC restaurants either...

To think ANY restaurant on a mid-tier cruise line (no disrespect intended at all) in the middle of the ocean would compare in quality to some of the best steak places in the country, let alone NYC, is perhaps a little delusional -- even in spite of the three or four figure "cover charge."

In any event, it seems most, but not all, people are very satisfied with the quality of the meat at Crown Grill regardless of the grade of cut. And I've found the quality of food to be way more than enough of an upgrade over MDR or Horizon Court offerings to justify the cost. It's an easy decision for my wife and I to spring for the extra $58 once a trip.

Sterling Silver is a certified beef program by the USDA. That marketing name is owned by Cargill. Cattle from that program are all top Choice and or Prime. This grade can include breeds other than Black Angus as well as can have a yield grade 4 or higher. Therefore, it can not be called CAB. I have had these steaks on Princess ships over last 7 years, and they are very good. Remember a great steak needs proper grade, aging, cooking temp, and served rare or medium rare.

I am sure the ships don't have facilities to dry age their beef, nor grills that can generate 700-1000 degrees of heat. Sometimes I ask for the NY strip that is on the display cart for my selection, since it was aging most of the evening.

Get the lamb. :)

Not trying to be a food snob, but----

If you are comparing the steak to NYC steak houses, like Peter Lugers, Palm, etc there is no comparison. The Steak on the ship is not nearly as good-therefore, I no longer go

I've never found another steak house that compares to Peter Luger.

Prime aged Porterhouse

The only apple strudel that I found better than Peter Luger was in Vienna Austria.

Howard

Regardless of the grade, it is all frozen, so not what a top steak house ashore would serve.

+1

Srpilo

I find the Italian restaurant to be very good-

Just dont try and sell me on great steak when you cant deliver great steak.

By the way you are paying 25 + in addition to what they allocate for MDR food.

I've always been very happy with the filet mignon at Crown Grill, and they bring me as many of them as I want! Can't beat that!

I am sure the ships don't have facilities to dry age their beef, nor grills that can generate 700-1000 degrees of heat. Sometimes I ask for the NY strip that is on the display cart for my selection, since it was aging most of the evening.

LOL - I always thought those were rubber facsimiles!!!

As noted it's most likely choice or prime depending on what vendor they source it from, and it most likely has been frozen at some point (there are some exceptions that come on board vacuum sealed and can be held at refrigerator temps longer). The meat has to be processed, transported to the wholesaler, staged, transported to logistics, staged again, sent to port, wait for ship, loaded on ship. Add that to 7 days on a cruise and that's a long time for good meat to be stored without freezing (although it is possible)

If it were Prime, I'm sure that verbiage would be plastered everywhere, so my guess is Choice.

I totally agree with you. I do not think it Prime no way.

Tony

I have been disapointed in each cruise lines Steak House as I expected Prime Meat-They are not Prime , Probably one grade below

Thank you for posting...since we thought it was only us :). We have cruised on 14 cruise lines and still spend a lot of time on cruise ships (about 100 days this year). We generally try the alternative restaurants (including steak) on most ships and have never had beef that comes close to what we experience in a good land-based steak house that uses aged (wet or dry) prime beef. Yes, we have had some darn good steaks on various ships. But the flavor (and quality) is just not up to land-based standards.

Hank

The best steak I've had on Princess is from sabatinis . I had the NY with lobster tail. That same cruise we had dinner in the crown twice and sabatinis twice. sabatinis was by far better. I think it was the chef, the meat should be the same cut from either restaurant. Never had a bad steak either place.

Does anyone know? Is is USDA prime, choice or select....or something else. It says it's Sterling Silver Corn Fed. I looked this up and only found that it is USDA certified very tender, but this is a new designation and does not indicate the USDA grade. Or if it does, I can't find it.

 

We are considering trying Crown Grill for the first time and do not want to let down as we were with Sabatini's.

 

Princess has increased the price to 29 dollars. Many people say that this is a fraction of the cost of a quality steakhouse on land, but land-based steakhouses generally disclose the grade of beef they are serving. Also, people are reporting that only very small lobster tails are being served. Is this another cutback or have they always been small. Or are they only small if one asks for surf and turf...so if one orders just the lobster tail would it be one large lobster tail. Are these warm water lobster tails?

 

Even if we cannot learn the USDA grade, have you been satisfied with the quality of the beef? It would be great to hear recent reports or see recent pictures of the different food options.

 

Look forward to your insight.

Ask when you board.

This is the first time I have heard this. What is your source?

 

Frozen or not, prime or choice...steaks I have ordered at Crown Grill have always been excellent.

 

Ditto for the most part for me as well.....:):):)

Bob