Anytime Dining

[dm5201]

Are the following places on the Ruby free to eat at or are there charges?

Pizzeria (poolside); Burger & Hot Dog Grill; Cafe Caribe; Horizon Court/Lido; Evening Bistro; afternoon Tea & Ice Cream; Ice Cream Bar and the International Cafe. I'm a first time cruiser and just trying to figure this stuff out. Thanks for your time. Donna

[ldubs]

I can help with some of this:

 

Pizza - free

 

Burger & Hot Dog Grill - free

 

Cafe Caribe - Don't know

 

Horizon Court - free

 

Evening Bistro - Don't know

 

Ice Cream Bar -cones are free at least at certain times (if I recall correctly)

 

International Cafe - free (charge for gelato - worth it!)

[dm5201]

This may sound ignorant, but do I tip for these food items? Do they have a tip jar out? This is our first cruise ever!

[katisdale]

All of the places you mentioned have "free" food. You do not need to tip. You will pay a $10.50 per person per day service fee which covers the tipping. You will also pay a 15% gratituity for any pay drinks you order.

[san diego sue]

Cafe Caribe also free.

No tipping when you get your food. Tips are added on your bill and pooled so all workers in food services and housekeeping get part of it.

You are charged $10.50 a day per person. If you have had really good service from someone, you can give them extra cash and they do appreciate that.Usually given at the end of your cruise, last night.

If you are on a longer cruise, we sometimes tip extra mid way.:D

[ldubs]

Just the answers a first time cruiser would hope for!!!!

 

Have a great trip.

[dm5201]

Thanks everyone for your quick responses! I keep forgetting about not having to tip unless there are special circumstances...thanks again for your replies!

[Pia1913]

Are the following places on the Ruby free to eat at or are there charges?

Pizzeria (poolside); Burger & Hot Dog Grill; Cafe Caribe; Horizon Court/Lido; Evening Bistro; afternoon Tea & Ice Cream; Ice Cream Bar and the International Cafe. I'm a first time cruiser and just trying to figure this stuff out. Thanks for your time. Donna[/quote

The only places where you pay extra to eat are the Crown Grill and Sabatini's. Not sure what you mean by Evening Bistro since only the little ships have those.

[Cruisin' Chick]

The Golden Princess has a "bistro" which is in the Horizon Court 11pm to 4am. The only time I went that late to the HC on our last cruise was on our last night. A limited selection of food and some desserts. But no charge.

[Pia1913]

The Golden Princess has a "bistro" which is in the Horizon Court 11pm to 4am. The only time I went that late to the HC on our last cruise was on our last night. A limited selection of food and some desserts. But no charge.

 

Is the Golden the only one doing that? I would never know about food at those hours. ;)

[amapola]

Is the Golden the only one doing that? I would never know about food at those hours. ;)

 

It was also on the Caribbean P last week. We took a look once and they had chips/salsa/guac, some other snacks that I can't recall :rolleyes: and desserts. The only time the HC was not open was 4-5:30 am (or maybe it was 6 am?)

[KruzPrincess]

You may have to pay extra for some things at the ice cream bar??? On my last Princess cruise, I got the UKP (Ultimate Kids Package) and it included malts from the ice cream bar. If they were free, I don't know why they'd list them as part of the package. Cones are free, but you may have to pay for malts. Also, gelato at the International Cafe has a small fee. I think they have chocolate covered strawberries at the International Cafe and you'd likely have to pay for those.

 

Everything else you listed is free.

[Pia1913]

You may have to pay extra for some things at the ice cream bar??? On my last Princess cruise, I got the UKP (Ultimate Kids Package) and it included malts from the ice cream bar. If they were free, I don't know why they'd list them as part of the package. Cones are free, but you may have to pay for malts. Also, gelato at the International Cafe has a small fee. I think they have chocolate covered strawberries at the International Cafe and you'd likely have to pay for those.

 

Everything else you listed is free.

 

Malts, choc. strawberries and gelato are definitely not free.

[Cruisin' Chick]

It was also on the Caribbean P last week. We took a look once and they had chips/salsa/guac, some other snacks that I can't recall :rolleyes: and desserts. The only time the HC was not open was 4-5:30 am (or maybe it was 6 am?)

 

I never heard of the Horizon Court ever being closed. Sometimes one side is closed so that the items can be changed out for the next type of meal (breakfast to lunch, lunch to mid-afternoon, etc.), but you can go on the other side.

 

The Golden actually has four parts. Each side has the serving islands and tables and then there's a separate room with more tables. We often found it easier to find an available table on the area without the islands.

[caribill]

I think they have chocolate covered strawberries at the International Cafe and you'd likely have to pay for those.

 

 

Malts, choc. strawberries and gelato are definitely not free.

 

Chocolate covered strawberries are no longer available at the IC. Only food charge anymlore at the IC is for gelato on the ships that have it.

[amapola]

I never heard of the Horizon Court ever being closed. Sometimes one side is closed so that the items can be changed out for the next type of meal (breakfast to lunch' date=' lunch to mid-afternoon, etc.), but you can go on the other side.

[/quote']

 

According to the Patters for the CB last week, the hours are listed as:

Horizon Court Buffet & Cafe Caribe: 6:00 am-11:30 am (breakfast), 11:30 am-3:30 pm (lunch), 5:30 pm-11:00 pm (dinner) & 11:00 pm-4:00 am (bistro)

 

This makes it look like it's closed between 3:30 & 5:30, which we all know is not true :) so maybe they are also open between 4 & 6 am and just don't list it. I've never been up and about at those times :p.

[wrxrob]

great thread, thanks for posting.

[Cruisin' Chick]

According to the Patters for the CB last week, the hours are listed as:

Horizon Court Buffet & Cafe Caribe: 6:00 am-11:30 am (breakfast), 11:30 am-3:30 pm (lunch), 5:30 pm-11:00 pm (dinner) & 11:00 pm-4:00 am (bistro)

 

This makes it look like it's closed between 3:30 & 5:30, which we all know is not true :) so maybe they are also open between 4 & 6 am and just don't list it. I've never been up and about at those times :p.

 

You should still be able to go into the Horizon Court and get something to eat at the other times.

 

I just pulled out one of the Patters for the Golden last month and it says for the Horizon Court:

 

6:00am-11:30am (Breakfast), 11:30am-3:30pm (lunch), 3:30pm-5:30pm (light snack) & 5:30pm-11:00pm (dinner). The listing below that in the Dining Guide says: Bistro 11:00pm-4:00am.

 

As I mentioned above, the Bistro is the Horizon Court -- just not that many choices of food available.