Does Princess Ever Change Their MDR Menus?

[IECalCruiser]

Princess last changed their menus late in 2012 when about 1/3 of menu items were changed. In addition, all of the regional themed menus except the Italian Dinner were renamed just Princess Dinner. That is also when dessert selections were reduced, the medallions of beef were removed from and ground sirloin and tri-tip was added to the always available items. Complaints brought the medallions of beef back. I had the tri-tip which is a popular dish in Southern California. I'm not a big fan at home and it was much less impressive on Princess. We also tried the ground sirloin and it was terrible. At our meet and greet on the Island shortly after the menu change, the food and beverage manager and the chef both conceded there was a problem the the ground sirloin and adjustments were being made with the supplier. Haven't really felt like trying it again on our next five cruises. Now the complaints about the mac and cheese are ridiculous. It was only offered on one day's menu. I had it and it was pretty good with bacon, small scallops and a bit of lobster. There are gourmet mac and cheeses in the LA area that go for $25 and more. With the tri-tip and gourmet mac and cheese it appears that the folks in Santa Clarita are using some local food items to add to the menus. Don't know if that is the best idea.

 

 

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[pppatpc2]

I like Princess meatloaf. :p The Mac and Cheese was dolled up with shrimp, I think it was, and bacon. I tasted DH's and was underwhelmed. The stuff didn't last long on the menu. It was at the same time they introduced the MDR burgers (which was also cause for outrage at the time.) I think people have gotten over it. ;) It was just funny to me, at the time, that people got so worked up over the new dishes. Princess did not institute a policy where one must order the food or be shot on the spot. That's still the case, I think. ;) In any case, a new menu can be a revolution starter.

 

We were on a Mediterranean cruise and met a wonderful couple from England. We usually ate with them every night but one night decided on splurging on the Crown Grill. Afterward we met them in the show lounge and the man came running up to us saying they had the most wonderful thing for dinner, it was called Meat (pause) Loaf. He said "I've never had it before, but I shall be having it again." One of our favorite memories at sea.

[Culinarycruiseguy]

I know they don't make significant changes to the MDR menu and when they have altered stuff they get some flak. We have been on 6 Princess Cruises and quite frankly I would rather have them get really good at what they do than to be changing it all the time and not doing as good of a job.....keep in mind they are serving up to 3500 people. We mix in the the specialty restaurants and the buffet a few nights and really don't have any problem (or usually memory) that we are seeing some of the same items.

[Loonbeam]

Just had the tri-tip on the Royal. While I wasn't fond of what they referred to as Chimmichuri, the meat itself was quite good (we don't see tri-tip here on the east coast much, so I was happy to get it). Caveat, most of the food on the ship was pretty good, we had a good EC which always makes a difference.

 

Princess last changed their menus late in 2012 when about 1/3 of menu items were changed. In addition, all of the regional themed menus except the Italian Dinner were renamed just Princess Dinner. That is also when dessert selections were reduced, the medallions of beef were removed from and ground sirloin and tri-tip was added to the always available items. Complaints brought the medallions of beef back. I had the tri-tip which is a popular dish in Southern California. I'm not a big fan at home and it was much less impressive on Princess. We also tried the ground sirloin and it was terrible. At our meet and greet on the Island shortly after the menu change, the food and beverage manager and the chef both conceded there was a problem the the ground sirloin and adjustments were being made with the supplier. Haven't really felt like trying it again on our next five cruises. Now the complaints about the mac and cheese are ridiculous. It was only offered on one day's menu. I had it and it was pretty good with bacon, small scallops and a bit of lobster. There are gourmet mac and cheeses in the LA area that go for $25 and more. With the tri-tip and gourmet mac and cheese it appears that the folks in Santa Clarita are using some local food items to add to the menus. Don't know if that is the best idea.

 

 

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[geoherb]

And the Crème brûlée went from having different flavors over the length of the cruise to just one, vanilla.

But the crème brûlée went from being seen maybe twice on a cruise to being always available. Some of the previous variations I remember include a raspberry one and a pineapple one.

[Princess Patches]

But the crème brûlée went from being seen maybe twice on a cruise to being always available. Some of the previous variations I remember include a raspberry one and a pineapple one.

 

Their current vanilla creme brûlée is consistently outstanding and better than their previous fruit versions. It is one of the best creme brûlées I have ever tasted and I have sampled quite a few. It is difficult to get creme brûlée right every single night, but Princess seems to manage it. It is my go to dessert when all else fails.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Princess Patches

[shredie]

Their current vanilla creme brûlée is consistently outstanding and better than their previous fruit versions. It is one of the best creme brûlées I have ever tasted and I have sampled quite a few. It is difficult to get creme brûlée right every single night, but Princess seems to manage it. It is my go to dessert when all else fails.

 

I agree. It's what I have almost every night. I did try the tri-tip this time for the first time, and I was not impressed. It's the sort of think I could make at home, and I would use a higher grade of meat. They did not offer the meat loaf on my sailing, and I was disappointed.

[Topo Gigio]

Where can I find the typical 7 days menu?

[birdiebill]

Just off the Regal 3 day inaugural cruise. The MDR menu for each of the three nights had new items with a Caribbean flavor. There were at least two or three starters, a couple salads/soups, and three entrees each night, all with a Caribbean flavor. These were in addition to some of the regular items.

[caribill]

Where can I find the typical 7 days menu?

 

Try http://www.flickr.com/photos/9863196...7640405806683/

[shredie]

Just off the Regal 3 day inaugural cruise. The MDR menu for each of the three nights had new items with a Caribbean flavor. There were at least two or three starters, a couple salads/soups, and three entrees each night, all with a Caribbean flavor. These were in addition to some of the regular items.

 

I had read they were going to do that. It's a good idea. Did you try any of them?

[shepp]

I can't understand why there wouldn't be outrage over Mac and Cheese. Do not ever try to feed me that crap on a cruise I've paid for. I don't even eat that sort of thing when camping.

 

Though you're from NorCal, presumably you don't eat in a lot of trendy Bay Area restaurants?

 

http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/10-best-mac-n-cheeses-bay-area

Edited November 11, 2014 by shepp

[rpcv77]

Mmmm! My dd worked at Paragon several years ago. If their Mac and cheese is "poor peoples food", I will happily be poor. All kidding aside, mac and cheese has some delicious possibilities. I make a fabulous Indian style mac and cheese that we call macaroni masala.

[IECalCruiser]

Though you're from NorCal, presumably you don't eat in a lot of trendy Bay Area restaurants?

 

http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/10-best-mac-n-cheeses-bay-area

In LA, even the food trucks have gotten on the mac and cheese bandwagon. Last week in Santa Monica, the Roll'n Lobster truck offered lobster mac & cheese with fresh Maine lobster for $12 and another truck offered a grilled mac and cheese sandwich. As I said before, I felt the complaints about the mac and cheese on the menu one night were pretty silly. It was a "gourmet" version with a couple of cheeses, bacon, scallops and I believe lobster. It was pretty decent IMHO.

 

 

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[shepp]

All kidding aside, mac and cheese has some delicious possibilities.

 

Let's see...the much despised mac and cheese is pasta, milk/cream, and cheese. The much-lauded fettucine Alfredo is...um....

[RickEk]

I can't understand why there wouldn't be outrage over Mac and Cheese. Do not ever try to feed me that crap on a cruise I've paid for. I don't even eat that sort of thing when camping.

 

 

Now, now... when you think about it, fettuccine alfredo is just "dolled up" mac n' cheese... :p I've had the Princess mac n' cheese and it was pretty good. A couple of different kinds of cheese, lobster... definitely not Kraft.

[fishywood]

I was on Grand Princess in December 2012 with the "new" menus that quickly came and went (cf. post 26 by IECalCruiser). While I certainly never left the dining room hungry or even a bit unsatisfied I have to admit that with eight Princess cruises in the previous dozen-or-so years the changes were a bit jarring. On the final night I had chicken wings and steamed mussels; all I needed was a beer bucket and I would have been transitioned back to sports bar grub a night early.

 

But the most egregious offense was not the nightly comfort food selection, or the changes in the available every day selections; it was the intermingling of them with the familiar starters and entrees on the menu. A cheap trick to make the menu appear to have more variety, stolen from NCL. Not meant to be critical of NCL; I found their food fine and would happily sail them again--it is just easier to point out the reason so many felt that Princess had "dumbed down" their dinner menus by making this comparison.

 

And I promised myself I would skip the macaroni 'n' cheese debate--but here goes: tarted-up "mac" & cheese is a ubiquitous bar and grill entree just as much as it is trend-of-the-week at restaurants way out of my price point. I put "mac" in quotes as you are just as likely to receive anything from rigatoni to linguine rather than elbow macaroni, so long as it is covered in Kraft-y goo (which should never be mentioned in the same breath as Alfredo sauce). But when I go to a steakhouse chain and am solicited to pay a few dollars extra to "upgrade" to mac & cheese from my baked potato, I can't help but picture P.T. Barnum laughing up at anyone who does.

Edited November 11, 2014 by fishywood