Painted Desert

[damiross]

I was reading the Berlitz 2016 cruising guide. It mentioned that, on sea days, there's a Painted Desert dining venue that features "southwestern" food. I'd never heard of this. Is this Tex Mex food? Where is the venue located?

[fishywood]

That's quite a significant correction you may want to submit to Berlitz.

 

Painted Desert was a bar that also served Mexican-style plates (for a cover charge, it think it was around $9) originally on Grand and Golden Princess when first launched in the 1990s. They were gone by 2002 I believe.

 

Might've been on Star Princess as well. Either way either Berlitz is publishing reviews of ships they have not actually sailed on for more close to 15 years, or copying and pasting ancient statistics without any fact-checking.

Edited March 1, 2016 by fishywood

[damiross]

I was hoping there would be a Painted Desert. Sounded good.

 

The book I was looking at was the 2016 edition. I realize now that they don't have the date of the review of the ship. All I can say is that the review was done after the ship was modified to remove the Sky Walk and put in the One(5) club.

[Colo Cruiser]

I was reading the Berlitz 2016 cruising guide. It mentioned that, on sea days, there's a Painted Desert dining venue that features "southwestern" food. I'd never heard of this. Is this Tex Mex food? Where is the venue located?

 

 

 

I loved the Painted Desert when it came out on the Grand/Star.

Great huge Margaritas!!

Wasn't the other one the Tequila Rose?

Edited March 1, 2016 by Colo Cruiser

[Steelers36]

This is scary. Makes me wonder if any of the big name annual guide books are very valid because they don't bother, or have the time, to make sure all the info is kept up to date.

[Astro Flyer]

I loved the Painted Desert when it came out on the Grand/Star.

Great huge Margaritas!!

Wasn't the other one the Tequila Rose?

It was fun & and included a margarita! :D

 

I found a 2002 review of the PD on the Grand & it cost $7.50

 

I think it was on one of the original Grand-class ships...on one cruise it was the Painted Desert and the next time the same space was the Crown Grill. This 2004 thread discusses the changes to the Painted Desert/Desert Rose:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=34831

 

I haven't used guidebooks for cruises in decades & obviously Berlitz is not the one to recommend to anyone. ;)

[pppatpc2]

I believe they may be referring to the Santa Fe dining room on the Diamond. On the Diamond there are 4 smaller anytime dining rooms rather than 2 large. Each has a theme and used to have a "specialty of the house". The Santa Fe had fajitas available every night. There was also the Pacific Moon which had a noodle dish. They also have the Savoy and Vivaldi dining rooms, although I don't remember what their specialties were. When we first cruised on the Diamond these specialty meals were available every night and, lol, if you couldn't agree with travelling companions, you could get any of the specialties in any of the four dining rooms, if you asked. The second time we were on the Diamond, I believe you could still order these dishes, but you had to know about them, they weren't on the menu.

[vickie_bernie]

Ah yes the Painted Desert. Loved that specialty restaurant.

 

I had experienced it on the Grand and Golden, it use to be on deck 7 where the Crown Grill and the Shore Excursion desks are now on the Grand and where the Casino is on the Golden now.

 

You had to walk thru the restaurant bar area to get to Princess Theater.

 

I am racking my brain to remember the cost, but it wasn't much and yes it included a margarita.

 

It was Southwest themed and yummy.

 

Vickie

[geoherb]

We ate at the Painted Desert in October 2002 on the Golden Princess on our cruise to New England and Canada. It was one of the times when we could not get our second seating traditional dining and decided to try eating in the specialty restaurants. I preferred Sabatini's.

[Jasperdo]

On the Star is was called Tequila's:

 

[pablo222]

I think it was on one of the original Grand-class ships...on one cruise it was the Painted Desert and the next time the same space was the Crown Grill

 

A genius design, where the show lounge exited through the

resturant.

 

Right up there with the green screen studio.

 

And now, princess has tried to top it all with the water foutain on Regal and Royal.

A great place for more deck chairs!

Edited March 2, 2016 by pablo222

[caribill]

I believe they may be referring to the Santa Fe dining room on the Diamond.

 

No.

 

The Painted Desert was a specialty dining room on at least one Princess ship.

 

It later became the steak house and kept the name.

 

Then even later the name was changed to reflect it is a steak house and have the same name as on other Princess ships.

[Coral]

Ah yes the Painted Desert. Loved that specialty restaurant.

 

I had experienced it on the Grand and Golden, it use to be on deck 7 where the Crown Grill and the Shore Excursion desks are now on the Grand and where the Casino is on the Golden now.

 

You had to walk thru the restaurant bar area to get to Princess Theater.

 

I am racking my brain to remember the cost, but it wasn't much and yes it included a margarita.

 

It was Southwest themed and yummy.

 

Vickie

 

It started at $3.50. Sabatini's was $15. They both had brunch on sea days back in the day.

[vickie_bernie]

It started at $3.50. Sabatini's was $15. They both had brunch on sea days back in the day.

 

wow that seems so cheap - NOW - thanks for posting, hard to believe

 

i feel old

[Coral]

wow that seems so cheap - NOW - thanks for posting, hard to believe

 

i feel old

 

I remember on the Sun Princess, we were hesitant to pay $6 for Sterling Steakhouse (2002 I believe). It was a rebellion against the "extra charges" the ships were starting to have. We did pay it and enjoyed the meal. On the Sun Princess, they had the meal outside on deck above the pool area and we watched the sun go down in Acapulco. It was fabulous.

 

Back then, I think they justified the extra charge as tipping as these employees were not included in the tips we gave our waiters or something like that. Odd as we tipped in cash back then.

Edited March 2, 2016 by Coral

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I remember dining in the Painted Desert on the Grand Princess during a cruise in December 1998 (the ship's first year in service). Yes, there was a main hallway that ran through the restaurant. As noted above, this restaurant was removed many years ago.

 

Chuck

[Cruiserkenn]

No.

 

The Painted Desert was a specialty dining room on at least one Princess ship.

 

It later became the steak house and kept the name.

 

Then even later the name was changed to reflect it is a steak house and have the same name as on other Princess ships.

 

Yes, I remember. On the Star in 2008, it was called Sterling Steakhouse at the Painted Desert. It looked like the picture of Tequila's.

[dchip]

we enjoyed the Painted Desert on the Grand in September 1998 on her Inaugural TA. The up charge was $2.50 PP. :D

 

Cheers, Denise

[latebloomer56]

I get this book every year. I notice one error but only because I was check on the Ruby for next year. They have mini-suites getting breakfast at Sabatini's which we all know isn't true. This has been the only error I have come across, but unless you know every single ship or are looking for something specific I don't think you will catch these.