We LOVED the Salty Dog

[IECalCruiser]

I called Princess today and was told the price will be $29.00 to go to the Salty Dog. :confused: :confused:

 

Tony

Checking the menus online, Crown Grill, Sabatini's, Sterling Steakhouse and Bayou Cafe are all $29 but the Salty Dog price is still shown as $19. Call Princess two more times and you might get three different prices [emoji33] The need for accurate information from people currently on board is why you should post on CC. Edited June 7, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[Lucky TGO]

Checking the menus online, Crown Grill, Sabatini's, Sterling Steakhouse and Bayou Cafe are all $29 but the Salty Dog price is still shown as $19. Call Princess two more times and you might get three different prices [emoji33] The need for accurate information from people currently on board is why you should post on CC.

 

The Princess Rep. Told me that they are GOING UP to $29.00. He did not say that is the price NOW. Sorry.

Tony

Edited June 7, 2016 by Lucky TGO

[Thermy]

I was actually quite disappointed when I found out that there wasn't a Salty Dog on the Grand. I was hoping to try it on my cruise in August.

 

It's the first time I've ever been keen to try a speciality restaurant on a cruise. Previously the vegetarian options have never looked very appealing or are sometimes non-existent. The Salty Dog had quite a few options, all of which sounded appetising.

 

As for the name - I love it. The nautical theme really works well on a cruise ship. I also didn't blink on the whole gastropub name, probably because I'm very used to the term as they're very common here. The logo is also super cute. :)

 

It's probably not to everyone's taste though. However, I like how they're trying to cater for different preferences and offer different experiences.

[Astro Flyer]

The Princess Rep. Told me that they are GOING UP to $29.00. He did not say that is the price NOW. Sorry.

Tony

 

Thanks for the info & even when there's a price increase on their website such as recently for the CG & Sabatini's to $29, it wasn't immediately implemented fleetwide so a Salty Dog price increase might take awhile to be implemented fleetwide.

 

Hopefully you just got a misinformed rep & that the price will remain at $19.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[IECalCruiser]

The Princess Rep. Told me that they are GOING UP to $29.00. He did not say that is the price NOW. Sorry.

Tony

The price for the other venues has increased to $29 on the website while the Salty Dog still shows $19. We will need to wait and see if that Princess rep knows what they are talking about [emoji848] Edited June 7, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[idahospud]

The Princess Rep. Told me that they are GOING UP to $29.00. He did not say that is the price NOW. Sorry.

Tony

I imagine Princess could raise the price to make more money off each person but since it's already a struggle to make the numbers it seems counterproductive as even fewer people might eat there.

 

I'd be surprised if they raise the price in the near future. I spoke with a staff member at the most traveled passenger cocktail party about Salty Dog and she shared they are working on ways to increase interest in the venue. The high table/chair situation is one that is being worked on. There are no immediate plans to add it beyond the current ships - the Crown, Ruby, and Emerald.

 

And a bit more info...Each ship's management has some flexibility with how it's marketed onboard. For example, on the Crown last week a staff member was out on deck the first day trying to garner interest. They also did free sliders and fries samplers one evening as folks were coming out of the show. Then this week on the Crown they changed it up to try and increase numbers over last week and instead did a separate time the first night, listed in the Patter, where folks could take a look at the menu foods prepared and plated and also get the free sliders and fries sampler. These changes were based on a suggestion from a Salty Dog staff member from the Crown, not Princess itself.

Edited June 7, 2016 by idahospud

[paluni]

I can't for the life of me understand why people have prejudged (and decided to skip) the Salty Dog. The three of us adults had wayyyyy too much food, all delicious and different from normal MDR, the hamburger was the best I've ever had, and we couldn't finish any of the courses. Our only complaint was that the hamburger was served last and we had overeaten on the first two courses, not leaving enough room for both it and dessert! I do, however, think that the name of the venue has turned people off. That's the only thing I can think of because no one blinks an eye when paying the uncharge at the specialty restaurants. When I filled out my post-cruise survey, I strongly urged them to rename it for the two reasons I can think of: #1, none of the 3 words is appealing to US travelers as relates to food. "Salty" is a turnoff. Dog ... same. Gastro --- ugh. Does anyone else's mind go to a not so good place when you hear the word gastro on a cruise? And I don't think Salty Dog is necessarily a well-known sailing expression. And #2, Pub to me connotes beer and cigarettes in a dark room. Well, they have the dark room part right! Let's rename it, still have the cute little sailor doggy on the sign, do some food sampling for pax walking by (that's how we were enticed), give it a try, and enjoy the unparalleled service and fabulous food! Then I bet you book it at least once every cruise.

We probably didn't try it because it was an upcharge and somehow not welcoming, looking at the set-up, and expected the food to be strange. But "gastropub" isn't a great name for me. It makes me think of gastropod, a slimy snail. Also, gastro, like a medical operation. Or just the word gas isn't great for a restaurant. My husband will never eat on a high barstool type chair is another thing. If it's too noisy where I eat, I also don't like to go there. I can't stand raising my voice to talk at a meal. So there's some things in the way of us going there. I also don't like being served too much food to eat. It's a shame to waste food. I'd rather be served less and be told I can ask for more if I want it.

[Woobstr112G]

I can't for the life of me understand why people have prejudged (and decided to skip) the Salty Dog. The three of us adults had wayyyyy too much food, all delicious and different from normal MDR, the hamburger was the best I've ever had, and we couldn't finish any of the courses. Our only complaint was that the hamburger was served last and we had overeaten on the first two courses, not leaving enough room for both it and dessert! I do, however, think that the name of the venue has turned people off. That's the only thing I can think of because no one blinks an eye when paying the uncharge at the specialty restaurants. When I filled out my post-cruise survey, I strongly urged them to rename it for the two reasons I can think of: #1, none of the 3 words is appealing to US travelers as relates to food. "Salty" is a turnoff. Dog ... same. Gastro --- ugh. Does anyone else's mind go to a not so good place when you hear the word gastro on a cruise? And I don't think Salty Dog is necessarily a well-known sailing expression. And #2, Pub to me connotes beer and cigarettes in a dark room. Well, they have the dark room part right! Let's rename it, still have the cute little sailor doggy on the sign, do some food sampling for pax walking by (that's how we were enticed), give it a try, and enjoy the unparalleled service and fabulous food! Then I bet you book it at least once every cruise.

While I have my doubts about both the Salty Dog and Share, I will probably try both at least once when we sail on the Emerald in 2018. The one gripe I do have is the rotgut selection of the "Seawitch" line of craft brews. The entire line that is offered on Princess is absolutely terrible. Get rid of the Seawitch line of craft brews and bring on some Sierra Nevada selections....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited June 7, 2016 by Woobstr112G

[Skai]

While I have my doubts about both the Salty Dog and Share, I will probably try both at least once when we sail on the Emerald in 2018. The one gripe I do have is the rotgut selection of the "Seawitch" line of craft brews. The entire line that is offered on Princess is absolutely terrible. Get rid of the Seawitch line of craft brews and bring on some Sierra Nevada selections....:):):)

 

Bob

 

Amen to that...Sierra Nevada is an excellent and readily available macro produced (craft-style) beer.

 

Seawitch, on the other hand, is pretty mediocre.

 

Yet, what are the alternatives to Seawitch on board for those that are having to settle (at the present) for domestic/imported piss?

 

Bass???

 

Unless one prefers the standard fare of Bud, Heineken, Corona etc. , alternative brew options on the ship(s) are pretty limited atm.

[klamathguys]

I was on the 6/19-26 Ruby Princess and was looking forward to eating here one night. Things must have changed since other reviewers have posted as the food is nowhere too much to eat now. Everything seemed to be appetizer sized, how could that be too much to eat? I ordered the grilled cheese and tomato soup, pork cheek (since the roasted cauliflower was not on the menu) and the Ernesto burger. I found the soup to be bland and the best part of the burger was the bun. I had not looked at the menu once onboard, assuming the entrée options would be the same. I asked our waiter about the roasted cauliflower no longer being offered and he was argumentative, claiming it has never been offered and that I was wrong, I must have been thinking the calamari frites. He said he had worked that restaurant for 2 months and it has never been offered, nor has the menu ever been reprinted, thus no entrees have changed. He later told me I was eating the lemon posset dessert wrong and that each spoonful must have a bit of pistachio cream in it. Wow, $38 for dinner, with complimentary scolding! We visited on the day we were in Juneau, so had not eaten since breakfast 12 hours earlier to ensure we'd be hungry. We were still hungry aftwerwards so visited the Horizon Court.

[abbydancer2003]

While I have my doubts about both the Salty Dog and Share, I will probably try both at least once when we sail on the Emerald in 2018. The one gripe I do have is the rotgut selection of the "Seawitch" line of craft brews. The entire line that is offered on Princess is absolutely terrible. Get rid of the Seawitch line of craft brews and bring on some Sierra Nevada selections....:):):)

 

Bob

 

Can we go with you?

[rabbitoh_777]

.

I do, however, think that the name of the venue has turned people off.

 

That's the only thing I can think of because no one blinks an eye when paying the uncharge at the specialty restaurants.

 

When I filled out my post-cruise survey, I strongly urged them to rename it for the two reasons I can think of:

 

#1, none of the 3 words is appealing to US travelers as relates to food. "Salty" is a turnoff. Dog ... same. Gastro --- ugh. Does anyone else's mind go to a not so good place when you hear the word

 

gastro on a cruise?

 

And I don't think Salty Dog is necessarily a well-known sailing expression.

 

And

 

#2, Pub to me connotes beer and cigarettes in a dark room. Well, they have the dark room part right!

 

Let's rename it, still have the cute little sailor doggy on the sign, do some food sampling for pax walking by (that's how we were enticed), give it a try, and enjoy the unparalleled service and fabulous

 

food!

 

Then I bet you book it at least once every cruise.

.

.

 

Excellent suggestion its name should immediately be changed to "Sugary person's best friend", filled with lounge chairs with in-built commodes, soda pop drips, complete with all u-can eat force feeding

 

buffalo wing station personnel serving on deep fried bacon plates and snap frozen chocolate cutlery.

 

Bring lawyers, guns and money make it free & make it so Captain, gastro pub pish “pshaw!”.. to the 'Astro Club', ten forward! Yeeha bob don't spare the mayo...

 

Cheers r

 

:cool:

 

.

[brian310]

I ate here on Ruby Princess during the 6/12-19 Alaska cruise. I was not impressed relative to the other venues we enjoyed, but that is just my impression.

 

If I had to take a guess, it would be that this food is a bit "fussier" to prepare and time than in some of the other specialty restaurants, and it suffers from that. Most of the appetizers were good, not great, and the concept behind the Ernesto burger didn't appeal (to me). It is in essence several kinds of meats piled atop each other on an (excellent) bun. It tasted like it had been finished maybe 10-15 minutes before it got to me.

 

We had spectacular dinners in the Crab Shack and the Steakhouse; this was one that missed the mark (for me).

[roomba920]

I like the name. It's not a turn off to me at all.

We've been looking forward to trying this.