Some random food questions :)

Looking through many posts, I have a few questions:

So for casual dining the princess website says on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby that the Horizon Court is closed and that Cafe Caribe is open for dinner. What has been everyone's experience? Is the Horizon Court always closed for dinner on those ships? What is served in Cafe Caribe at night and how long?

What juices are included in the Soda Package? Are they in the bars and the dining areas?

How are the items offered for an extra charge in the MDRS? Are they served hot and with sides?

Thanks for all the sharing, it answered many questions just could not find these things. Again, thanks.

The juices on the "Soda and More" package are things like cranberry, apple, tomato, and orange. They are available at the bars, as are the sodas and mocktails. It does not include the fresh squeezed OJ. Juice is free at breakfast in the MDR and at the buffet, but there is a charge after breakfast hours. Sometimes little kids can get juice in the MDRs at other meals without a package, but don't count on it! You can get them with a package.

There is nothing to prevent you from taking a covered cup (like for coffee) at breakfast, getting any other juice you want (V-8 is one example), and placing the cup in your refrigerator for later in the day. If the fridge is not cold enough, put a cup of ice in it--it will stay very cold that way.

The only "extra charge" items I'm aware of in the MDRs are the entrees from specialty dining restaurants. Those are served hot and are just as if you'd ordered the in a specialty restaurant. It is only a couple of items though, not the full menu.

Looking through many posts, I have a few questions:

 

 

So for casual dining the princess website says on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby that the Horizon Court is closed and that Cafe Caribe is open for dinner. What has been everyone's experience? Is the Horizon Court always closed for dinner on those ships? What is served in Cafe Caribe at night and how long?

The Horizon Ct. and Cafe Caribe are both buffets. They are basically the same thing but different sections. The buffet is open from 6am (maybe 5am) until late evening around 11pm every day, never closes during that time. At different times all sections are open and at other times only certain sections, like Cafe Caribe, are open. There is no difference in the food, but during the evenings there may be some theme nights.

 

What juices are included in the Soda Package? Are they in the bars and the dining areas?

Orange (excluding fresh squeezed), cranberry, apple, pineapple, any that a bar may have. There is no charge for juices during breakfast hours. Available at any bar, although every bar might not have every selection. DR's and the buffet also have juices. You have to request from the waiters.

 

How are the items offered for an extra charge in the MDRS? Are they served hot and with sides?

Just recently on a few ships, Princess has added some Crown Grill cooked to order steak mains to the MDR menu. These have a surcharge. You get all the normal courses and sides as you would get with other selections. If you want the full Crown Grill menu you have to go to the Crown Grill. Nothing else has a charge.

 

Thanks for all the sharing, it answered many questions just could not find these things. Again, thanks.

See above

We were recently on the Crown -- Horizon Court was open for dinner, actually both sides open due large volume of passengers. The closest bar was just outside the buffet (Outrigger) and our wait people easily got us drinks

to accompany our meal. No problem.

So for casual dining the princess website says on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby that the Horizon Court is closed and that Cafe Caribe is open for dinner. Is the Horizon Court always closed for dinner on those ships? What is served in Cafe Caribe at night and how long?

This has come up before...the wording on the website is confusing and gives the impression that the HC is closed for dinner. It's actually the reverse. At least one side of the HC is always open for all the meals.

Café Caribe is not always open. Usually it's open for breakfast earlier than the HC which opens a little later and sometimes for lunch. IIRC, generally closed for dinner. Café Caribe is also where the Crab Shack is held.

Also, if you order one of the extra charge entreés, you will get sides. You actually get sides (as a general rule), if you just want to taste a different entreé and ask for a sample in addition to your regular meal. The meals are plated and ready for pick-up in the kitchen and the waiters rarely take the time to switch from a full meal to just the part that you're requesting.

The only exception to that general rule is when you have a special dietary request, i.e. no sauce or plain broccoli without oil or butter.

Thanks for sharing the actual experiences. This link shows that PCL says Horizon Buffet is closed at dinner

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

Regarding juices available, what about grapefruit? Also is the cranberry, 100% cranberry or is it the blend with grape juice?

Regarding the extra cost steak, we would think of that on night when only one of us wants steak and the other is happy with the regular dining room menu. Would hope for the extra charge, you would get a properly prepared, hot meal :).

Again, thanks for sharing.

 

Regarding juices available, what about grapefruit?

Also available.

By the way, juices are also available from room service. Free at breakfast time. With a charge at other hours. However, the soda & more card does not apply to room service.

 

 

So for casual dining the princess website says on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby that the Horizon Court is closed and that Cafe Caribe is open for dinner. What has been everyone's experience? Is the Horizon Court always closed for dinner on those ships? What is served in Cafe Caribe at night and how long?

.

These ships have 3 buffet lines - 2 in horizon court - one port one starboard which rotate to allow changing of food offerings and cleaning.

The third buffet line is just aft of HC, and is named Cafe Caribe.

You can see all this on deck plans.

Cafe Caribe is just the 3rd buffet line.

Which line is open when is a function of timing and cleaning and what other restaurants are running (Crab Shack is pay extra and takes over one of these spaces on the nights it runs but it does not run every night, hence the variations).

Dinner at the buffet runs usually 5:30 or 6 until 9. After 9 selections are more limited.

The back page of the daily Patter will show times and sometimes the dinner buffet theme.

Thanks for sharing the actual experiences. This link shows that PCL says Horizon Buffet is closed at dinner

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

I know what the web site mentions, but from experience on this class of ship one or two of the buffet lines will be open during dinner hours. The on board staff makes the determination based on experience on the specific itinerary. Once on board you will see what line(s) is open and it is also mentioned on the back page of the Princess Patter. As mentioned there is no difference in food or service regardless of which line is open. Staff may open seating in any area depending on the crowd.

 

Regarding juices available, what about grapefruit? Also is the cranberry, 100% cranberry or is it the blend with grape juice?

If grapefruit juice is used to mix drinks then you can get it at the bar. May also be available in DR's. Cranberry is really cranberry juice cocktail. It was Ocean Spray brand this past February. 100% cranberry is way too expensive.

 

Regarding the extra cost steak, we would think of that on night when only one of us wants steak and the other is happy with the regular dining room menu. Would hope for the extra charge, you would get a properly prepared, hot meal :).

From what I have read, right now the selection of Crown Grill steaks in the MDR is only being offered on the Ruby as a test. It remains unknown if the practice will be spread to other ships in the future.

 

Regarding "properly prepared." The DR serves 1000's of passengers. Thus the meals are banquet meals. Any steak from the Crown Grill selection ordered in the MDR will be cooked to order.

Again, thanks for sharing.

See above

Thanks for all the clarifications. I now know what to expect.

We just got off the Star on the 9th. Crown Grill selections were offered on the MDR menus we had in the Portofino dining room. I’m not certain if it was every night, but I definitely saw it.

So what food is offered in the International cafe and in Vines? Just signed up for the Bev Package so may have a meal in that area. Lunch, dinner?

So what food is offered in the International cafe and in Vines? Just signed up for the Bev Package so may have a meal in that area. Lunch, dinner?

I don’t know about vines. The International Cafe had pastries and other light breakfast offerings each day and sandwich/salad/soup type food at lunch, desserts lunch and dinner as well. I believe they had similar items to lunch at dinner, but I don’t believe we ever ate there for that meal.

So what food is offered in the International cafe and in Vines? Just signed up for the Bev Package so may have a meal in that area. Lunch, dinner?

Vines is a wine bar. They have a larger selection of wines than the bars or dining rooms (and glasses are included in the PBD). They also have had tapas (free with order of wine), though I have read mixed reports about some ships not having the tapas available. Vines has become our 'go to' place before dinner. They serve wine in very nice glasses. If you want to take a glass with you to dinner, you need to tell your server to put it in a 'to go' glass----still a wine glass, just not as pricey a glass.

Can someone provide examples of kinds of things offered - what sandwiched, salads, or soups, particuraly the soups? Also what was the selection of tapas? Do you order from a menu or view them and pick what you want? Thanks.

My most recent experience at international cafe was on the Royal but the different ships usually have about the same things. They typically have a quiche that varies by day, a soup that varies by day, salads and pre made sandwiches. Oh and desserts! The salads are things like Greek salad, shrimp salad, marinated vegetables salad, etc. the sandwiches were ham and cheese on a croissant, tomato and mozzarella, tuna salad, etc. on the Royal they had a panini press so could warm up the sandwiches if you wanted. For breakfast the hot offering was similar to an Egg McMuffin that was warmed up, in addition to donuts, pastries, croissants, etc.

We love coming back from port and grabbing a light meal at the International cafe. On the Royal the tapas at Vines was a very small plate with a few marinated olives, a slice of prosciutto on a cracker, small skewer of tomato and mozzarella, and some small pickles. It was a premade plate that the waiter brought you, there was no menu other than the wine menu. Maybe it is different on the Crown??

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Can someone provide examples of kinds of things offered - what sandwiched, salads, or soups, particuraly the soups? Also what was the selection of tapas? Do you order from a menu or view them and pick what you want? Thanks.

Check out these photos of the Emerald IC to get an idea of other offerings.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/emerald-princess-377/international-cafe-402352/

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Thanks for sharing the actual experiences. This link shows that PCL says Horizon Buffet is closed at dinner

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

 

Regarding juices available, what about grapefruit? Also is the cranberry, 100% cranberry or is it the blend with grape juice?

 

Regarding the extra cost steak, we would think of that on night when only one of us wants steak and the other is happy with the regular dining room menu. Would hope for the extra charge, you would get a properly prepared, hot meal :).

 

Again, thanks for sharing.

As I remember, it is cranberry fulcrum cocktail.

The extra cost steak option was just added to the menu as a trial on the Ruby about a month ago so there will not be a lot of information yet. Apparently it has been rolled out on the Star also.

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My most recent experience at international cafe was on the Royal but the different ships usually have about the same things. They typically have a quiche that varies by day, a soup that varies by day, salads and pre made sandwiches. Oh and desserts! The salads are things like Greek salad, shrimp salad, marinated vegetables salad, etc. the sandwiches were ham and cheese on a croissant, tomato and mozzarella, tuna salad, etc. on the Royal they had a panini press so could warm up the sandwiches if you wanted. For breakfast the hot offering was similar to an Egg McMuffin that was warmed up, in addition to donuts, pastries, croissants, etc.

 

We love coming back from port and grabbing a light meal at the International cafe. On the Royal the tapas at Vines was a very small plate with a few marinated olives, a slice of prosciutto on a cracker, small skewer of tomato and mozzarella, and some small pickles. It was a premade plate that the waiter brought you, there was no menu other than the wine menu. Maybe it is different on the Crown??

 

 

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That's a good description of the IC and Vines on the Crown (we were on it in December 2016 and part of January 2017) but in addition to the appetizers dish there was a dish of 4 kinds (if I remember correctly) of sushi.

See above

I sure hope HC will be open after our multiple long days in port (British Isles)

We have Traditional early seating and I’m sure we’ll need the buffet.

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I sure hope HC will be open after our multiple long days in port (British Isles)

We have Traditional early seating and I’m sure we’ll need the buffet.

 

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I wouldn’t have even thought it might not be open except for the link showing HC on Crown being closed at night. We only eat there if we get back late for first seating.

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I sure hope HC will be open after our multiple long days in port (British Isles)

We have Traditional early seating and I’m sure we’ll need the buffet.

 

 

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If you are doing British Isles this year on the Royal you also have Alfredo’s as an option for a late dinner, they are open until 11. We just did BI, and had Anytime and mostly ate around 7:45 or so.

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Thanks for sharing the actual experiences. This link shows that PCL says Horizon Buffet is closed at dinner

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

What the chart does not show is that the buffet section called Cafe Caribe is open instead.

In reality, one or the other will always be open for dinner.

If you are doing British Isles this year on the Royal you also have Alfredo’s as an option for a late dinner, they are open until 11. We just did BI, and had Anytime and mostly ate around 7:45 or so.

 

 

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We’ll be on Crown and, unfortunately, no Alfredo’s.

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