Just off the Crown...any questions!

[Working 2 Cruise]

Nina, they are different from the ones on deck. A little more "classy," I guess. And they taste better. I think they use a better grade of beef. One word of advice: avoid the vegeburger at all costs.

 

I heard about the veggie burger... I'll have to warn my son who is vegetarian!

[Joberri]

What is on the dining room menu? How was it? Not a big fan of buffets, especially on embarkation day, where there are 2000+ people trying to eat...are there burgers, sandwiches, etc.? Nice review, BTW..we are going on the Crown to Alaska next May '16..Thanks!

 

Big Al

 

Will also be on the Crown departing 13 May 2016

[candigirl41]

I agree. Our suggested time was 1:00 pm. We arrived at 11:30 and we were on board by 12:10 and sitting in the dining room by 12:30. We just didn't have anything else we could do between hotel checkout at 11:00 and 1:00 (especially with all of our luggage in tow) so decided to head to the port and were pleasantly surprised.

 

BTW...every single person we encountered mentioned lunch on the Lido (without us inquiring about it) and said they had no knowledge of a dining room being open when I asked. It was, and was even listed in the patter. Just outside the dining room we were once again approached and asked if we were looking for the buffet. I said "No, we are headed to the dining room for lunch."and then they led us right in with a smile but they are really pushing for people to go to the buffet.

 

I have also heard a lot of people saying they are told to go to the buffet. If they want people to go to the buffet why do they open a dining room for lunch. I missed lunch on the first day last year because we didn't get there soon enough. I don't remember them saying to go to buffet, we were just too late as they had closed it off.

 

Candi

[cvpends]

I have also heard a lot of people saying they are told to go to the buffet. If they want people to go to the buffet why do they open a dining room for lunch. I missed lunch on the first day last year because we didn't get there soon enough. I don't remember them saying to go to buffet, we were just too late as they had closed it off.

 

Candi

 

And this is disappointing, because the 1st day lunch in the MDR is the best one.

[drisinger]

And this is disappointing, because the 1st day lunch in the MDR is the best one.

I have to agree! It was uncrowded, delish and one heck of a nice way to begin the cruise! You have got to know ahead of time what dining room is being used as many employees about the ship are clueless about it and will refer you to buffet. ;)

[caribill]

You have got to know ahead of time what dining room is being used as many employees about the ship are clueless about it and will refer you to buffet. ;)

 

There was a post on another (similar) thread where it turned out that the Cruise Directer, who had been on the ship for months, had no idea that there was a dining room open for lunch on embarkation day.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

There is always a burger offered. And fries. I have never seen a lunch menu without it (on several different ships.)

 

That's what I had thought, but there was no burger option on the MDR embarkation lunch menu on the Ruby a couple weeks ago. I didn't take a pic of it but, IIRC, there was just salmon, beef tenderloins, and fettuccine Alfredo. It was a surprisingly limited menu, even for lunch.

 

There was no problem getting a burger and fries later at the poolside grill, however.

[skennedy25]

That's what I had thought, but there was no burger option on the MDR embarkation lunch menu on the Ruby a couple weeks ago. I didn't take a pic of it but, IIRC, there was just salmon, beef tenderloins, and fettuccine Alfredo. It was a surprisingly limited menu, even for lunch.

 

There was no problem getting a burger and fries later at the poolside grill, however.

 

You can always get a burger. If not on menu,they will make or go and get for you.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

You can always get a burger. If not on menu,they will make or go and get for you.

 

Good to know! They should list it then, as they do for always available items on the dinner menu. Perhaps it was on the kids' menu--I'll have to ask for that next time :).

[bonvoyaged]

We just debarked on Saturday from the Crown - Inside Passage with Glacier Bay. Happy to answer any questions??

 

We are considering a 17 day South American cruise Dec 2016. I have read this will be the Crown's final year. Two questions:

Does the Crown look like it needs to retire? Sure hate to spend 17 on a ship that looks tired.

 

Buffet question: The last time we sailed on a Princess ship we said it would be our last due to the fact the buffet had a one-way buffet line. You were only allowed to enter through one end and come out the other. The line was huge. We much prefer the stations plan where you can come and go. What is the plan on the Crown? Thank you in advance!

[Working 2 Cruise]

We are considering a 17 day South American cruise Dec 2016. I have read this will be the Crown's final year. Two questions:

Does the Crown look like it needs to retire? Sure hate to spend 17 on a ship that looks tired.

 

Buffet question: The last time we sailed on a Princess ship we said it would be our last due to the fact the buffet had a one-way buffet line. You were only allowed to enter through one end and come out the other. The line was huge. We much prefer the stations plan where you can come and go. What is the plan on the Crown? Thank you in advance!

 

The Crown is many years away from retirement, not sure where you got this information! The Crown is a wonderful ship. Yes, the buffet set-up is the same.

[caribill]

We are considering a 17 day South American cruise Dec 2016. I have read this will be the Crown's final year. Two questions:

Does the Crown look like it needs to retire? Sure hate to spend 17 on a ship that looks tired. Maybe you read it is the last year the Crown will be on the South American route. (and I do not know if that is true)

 

Buffet question: The last time we sailed on a Princess ship we said it would be our last due to the fact the buffet had a one-way buffet line. You were only allowed to enter through one end and come out the other. The line was huge. We much prefer the stations plan where you can come and go. What is the plan on the Crown? Thank you in advance!

 

Although you come in one way and exit another, once in the buffet area there are about 8 different counters and you can go to any of the counters as the line is to get into the area, not to continue on to all the counters in a special order.

[cvpends]

We are considering a 17 day South American cruise Dec 2016. I have read this will be the Crown's final year. Two questions:

 

Does the Crown look like it needs to retire? Sure hate to spend 17 on a ship that looks tired.

 

 

 

Buffet question: The last time we sailed on a Princess ship we said it would be our last due to the fact the buffet had a one-way buffet line. You were only allowed to enter through one end and come out the other. The line was huge. We much prefer the stations plan where you can come and go. What is the plan on the Crown? Thank you in advance!

 

 

I will sail the Crown for the third time this New Years, so I guess I must like her [emoji1]. That said, I totally get what you mean about the buffet area on Princess ships. It is a far cry from the nice station set up many cruise lines are employing. My personal feeling is that the other advantages of the Princess experiences outweigh the disadvantage of the buffet. Plus, if you go a few minutes before or after rush hour on the buffet there is no line at all.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jgpdx]

I heard about the veggie burger... I'll have to warn my son who is vegetarian!

 

What is wrong with the vegeburger on Princess? I want to know why it is to be avoided.

[caribill]

What is wrong with the vegeburger on Princess? I want to know why it is to be avoided.

 

My spouse, a vegetarian, likes them.

 

They are different in the dining room and at the hamburger grill.

[shredie]

My spouse, a vegetarian, likes them.

 

They are different in the dining room and at the hamburger grill.

 

They are mushy and filled with all kinds of chopped veggies held together with something that looks like brown wallpaper paste. Then they dump mustard and ketchup and other stuff on them. Nasty.

[Daisyloo]

Buffet question: The last time we sailed on a Princess ship we said it would be our last due to the fact the buffet had a one-way buffet line. You were only allowed to enter through one end and come out the other. The line was huge. We much prefer the stations plan where you can come and go. What is the plan on the Crown? Thank you in advance!

 

If you hate the buffet on the rest of the Princess ships, give the Regal or Royal Princess a go. Their buffets are very well laid out - the best of any ship we have ever sailed on.

[spingal]

We are considering a 17 day South American cruise Dec 2016. I have read this will be the Crown's final year. Two questions:

Does the Crown look like it needs to retire? Sure hate to spend 17 on a ship that looks tired.

 

I am just off the Crown last Saturday. The public areas of the ship look fine. But my cabin looked tired. My cabin's carpet wasn't clean; in fact it had stains. Yuck! And the bed had the normal uncomfortable mattress. My folks were in a suite and they had a new WONDERFUL pillow-top mattress. I was jealous. ;)

 

We didn't have any issues asking about lunch in the dining room. I asked as we boarded and was immediately told which DR was serving. NICE!!!

[SoCal Cruiser78]

They are mushy and filled with all kinds of chopped veggies held together with something that looks like brown wallpaper paste. Then they dump mustard and ketchup and other stuff on them. Nasty.

 

I saw one for the first time on the Ruby recently at the poolside grill. I hate to say it, but it looked like canned dog food on a bun :eek:.

Edited October 9, 2015 by SoCal Cruiser78

[need2cruisesoon]

If you hate the buffet on the rest of the Princess ships, give the Regal or Royal Princess a go. Their buffets are very well laid out - the best of any ship we have ever sailed on.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Princess actually put either the Royal or the Regal on the west coast. I mean just think cruising a fairly new ship to one of the old tubs we have to settle with on the left coast.

[caribill]

[quote name='need2cruisesoon']Wouldn't it be nice if Princess actually put either the Royal or the Regal on the west coast. I mean just think cruising a fairly new ship to one of the old tubs we have to settle with on the left coast.[/quote]

With the number of Princess ships that have left North America for Asia and Australia, we are lucky in the USA to have any ships left for the Caribbean and the west coast.

[Working 2 Cruise]

[quote name='need2cruisesoon']Wouldn't it be nice if Princess actually put either the Royal or the Regal on the west coast. I mean just think cruising a fairly new ship to one of the old tubs we have to settle with on the left coast.[/QUOTE]

I'll happily sail the "old tubs" anytime... There's absolutely [B][I]nothing[/I][/B] wrong with any of the West Coast ships! The Crown and Ruby are the youngest ships in the fleet, except for the Royal and Regal. I don't see RCI sending any of its megaships on the West Coast either!

[Dunk]

[quote name='caribill']Although you come in one way and exit another, once in the buffet area there are about 8 different counters and you can go to any of the counters as the line is to get into the area, not to continue on to all the counters in a special order.[/quote]

YES! I wish people would figure that out faster. They always do, but not until a couple of days into a cruise.

[shredie]

[quote name='need2cruisesoon']Wouldn't it be nice if Princess actually put either the Royal or the Regal on the west coast. I mean just think cruising a fairly new ship to one of the old tubs we have to settle with on the left coast.[/QUOTE]
I like the old tubs. :)
[quote name='Dunk']YES! I wish people would figure that out faster. They always do, but not until a couple of days into a cruise.[/QUOTE]

They get educated about what to do in the buffet, but some of them get rude about it while learning. I think they should hold classes for them. :p

[Pierlesscruisers]

[quote name='need2cruisesoon']Wouldn't it be nice if Princess actually put either the Royal or the Regal on the west coast. I mean just think cruising a fairly new ship to one of the old tubs we have to settle with on the left coast.[/quote]

What's wrong with the ships sailing along the Pacific coast? I've been on a number of them and they all seem pretty nice to me. I guess you could cruise on another line that has newer ships if you really feel that the Princess ships aren't meeting your standards.

Tom