Ultimate Balcony Dinner

[cflutist]

I am considering booking this for our January 2015 cruise. I watched the YouTube video but still have a few questions:

 

1 - Can we substitute soup for the LARGE salad course?

 

2 - Does food arrive from the kitchen at the appropriate time? Or is it all brought at once which would mean that the main entree would be cold by the time it is served after the champagne, canapes, salad, bread etc.

 

3 - We are cruising in January, which means it will get dark sooner than later. Was there enough light from the portable light fixture that they place on the table along with your balcony light?

 

Was thinking that scheduling the UBD at 6:00 p.m. in Puerto Vallarta would be nice since we don't leave port until 8 p.m.

 

Your thoughts and experiences please?

[Colo Cruiser]

I am considering booking this for our January 2015 cruise. I watched the YouTube video but still have a few questions:

 

1 - Can we substitute soup for the LARGE salad course?

 

A room service supervisor will go over the menu with you so that would be the time to request any changes. He will get with you a day or so before.

 

2 - Does food arrive from the kitchen at the appropriate time? Or is it all brought at once which would mean that the main entree would be cold by the time it is served after the champagne, canapes, salad, bread etc.

 

It is brought in courses so you can go as fast or slow as you wish.

 

3 - We are cruising in January, which means it will get dark sooner than later. Was there enough light from the portable light fixture that they place on the table along with your balcony light?

 

We found it plenty of light, also the light over the balcony door helps too. The one inside the cabin too with the curtains open.

 

Was thinking that scheduling the UBD at 6:00 p.m. in Puerto Vallarta would be nice since we don't leave port until 8 p.m.

 

We did one on sailaway from PV and saw dolphins and a couple of whales. The sunset was amazing.

 

Your thoughts and experiences please?

 

See above on red....

Edited May 19, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[blbailey]

I am thinking about doing this but can't find the cost. Anyone know or have the price of this?

 

 

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[cflutist]

Thank you Colo Cruiser.

 

So are you saying that the main entree was served HOT? Nothing worse than cold steak :D

[Colo Cruiser]

I am thinking about doing this but can't find the cost. Anyone know or have the price of this?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

$50pp

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you Colo Cruiser.

 

So are you saying that the main entree was served HOT? Nothing worse than cold steak :D

 

Yes, they do a good job with the food and have the service down good.

[blbailey]

Do you have the link?

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Do you have the link?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/food_dining/ultimatebalcony/

[cdnphotogirl]

I too am thinking of doing this as a surprise for my mother as we sail out of St Petersburg. :) Is there anywhere that we can actually see the menu choices that are provided?

Edited May 19, 2014 by cdnphotogirl

[Astro Flyer]

I too am thinking of doing this as a surprise for my mother as we sail out of St Petersburg. :) Is there anywhere that we can actually see the menu choices that are provided?

The menu I have is a couple of years old but as I recall is the same as our last UBD in October.

 

Blue Crab Cake Baked in Puff Pastry Crown

Mesclun Greens & Marinated Chèvre

Broiled Cold Water Lobster Tail

Grilled Filet of Beef Tenderloin

Surf & Turf

Princess' Chocolate Symphony, Fresh Berries

 

They are very accommodating & if there is something offered in the MDR that night they could get it for you. We exchange the $32 half bottle of champagne for a $32 full bottle of wine. I'd recommend calling room service as soon as you board to get the day & time you prefer.

[abbydancer2003]

We did the UBD with friends on their Aft balcony on the Royal. It was a blast. We made the menu choices the day before, and the service was excellent. I don't like chocolate, and I was told they could bring me something else. I'd looked at the menus earlier in the day and there was nothing I really liked on the main dining room menu. I asked if I could have the caramel parfait from the Crown Grill. The servers response "yeah, I can do that" and sent the assistant waiter to get it.

 

You also get a photographer, and one free picture. We had ours take the pictures from the pool deck above. We have one of us, and then we bought one of all 6 of us and the waiter.

[Nancyquilts]

And flowers.

I mentioned this to dh for several cruises before he gave in. Now we've had it twice.;) We think this is the best buy on the ship.:D

[CruisingJs]

And they're the best photos we've ever had done on the ship. Our photographer spent a lot of time with us. We got the UBD for us and our DD and SIL who were in the next cabin. We had them at the same time and opened up our balconies. It was very special.

[BratDet]

to add or make changes...

 

I would bet they would serve soup and salad if requested- I got fettuccini instead of the salad and they brought for my husband also...

 

YUM

 

Bernadette

[Loonbeam]

Just confirming they will be happy to do reasonable requests as far as the menu..

 

I switched in Prawns for the Lobster, the wife made changes to the salad, we switched out my drink for a mocktail, etc..

[bhopal21]

We did the UBD with friends on their Aft balcony on the Royal. It was a blast. We made the menu choices the day before, and the service was excellent. I don't like chocolate, and I was told they could bring me something else. I'd looked at the menus earlier in the day and there was nothing I really liked on the main dining room menu. I asked if I could have the caramel parfait from the Crown Grill. The servers response "yeah, I can do that" and sent the assistant waiter to get it.

 

You also get a photographer, and one free picture. We had ours take the pictures from the pool deck above. We have one of us, and then we bought one of all 6 of us and the waiter.

 

You should have gotten a free photo and split of champagne for each couple. We have done this for as many as 8 and received 4 splits of champagne and 4 photos.

 

We had to remind them a couple of times but it has never been a problem.

 

Mike:)

[abbydancer2003]

You should have gotten a free photo and split of champagne for each couple. We have done this for as many as 8 and received 4 splits of champagne and 4 photos.

 

We had to remind them a couple of times but it has never been a problem.

 

Mike:)

 

We did get the split and the free photo. We bought a second photo because they were so great. (One of the two of us and one of the whole group).

 

In addition to the cocktail and the split, each couple brought a bottle of wine. Our friends also had some lemocello that they wanted to use up. I think we drank more that night than on the entire rest of the cruise.

[bhopal21]

We did get the split and the free photo. We bought a second photo because they were so great. (One of the two of us and one of the whole group).

 

 

Good deal!

 

Mike:)

[aubieteach]

On our Med cruise this past summer I surprised my husband for fathers day with the balcony dining experience, it was amazing, we still talk about it. They will work with you on the meal, waiter was well trained, he disappeared and magically appeared at the right time with the next course. We even had to switch the day because weather was not going to be conducive to balcony dining and that was easily done by staff! Enjoy!