Dining question

[Knickearth]

I have been on mostly 14 day or longer cruises and do notice a repeat of menus around day 10 or 11.

 

I am booked on a 28 day trip for Oct. so really concerned about the menus as I notice the more I cruise, the more around day 10 or 11 I am tired of the food.

 

Hoping the menus on this trip will include lots of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables. That will help make the trip great.

 

As for the items you can order everyday on the dinner menu, well they replaced the beef medallions with hamburger. Don't know about you people, but I don't eat hamburger except on the run (like long drives). So very unimpressed. I do love the new chicken dish on the everyday item menu tho.

[SharkieRools]

The hamburger hasn't replaced the medallions, it's been on the always available menu for several years now.

[IECalCruiser]

The hamburger hasn't replaced the medallions, it's been on the always available menu for several years now.

The hamburger and tri-tip options were added to the menu with the salmon and chicken in late 2012. Medallions were deleted but came back after outcry from passengers. Unfortunately, with the CS items, medallions were once again deleted [emoji22]

[TNTLAMB]

We prefer late dining and just booked a cruise that is more than 6 months out. The only dining time they could confirm is "Anytime" and wait listing us for late. We are #99 on the waitlist. Anyone have any experience with this? What are the chances we get confirmed for Late? Does our Elite status have any affect on our position on the list?

 

We have never done Anytime dining and do not think we would like.

 

Thanks,

 

Henry

 

Chances are slim to none for late dining. The Maitre D' can occasionally help, but most folks after standing in line for an hour or more on embarkation leave with a "see what we can do" He does have a complete list including Captains Circle level etc. and more importantly WHEN you booked the cruise. They now have an early early seating (5:15) that is more open for seating. Be sure and check you mail box frequently before 5:00 IF the Maitre D" can change your seating, he frequently will say I'll say what I can do in the cattle call, to avoid other PAX from overhearing. They will send you a note confirming the change. If you don't show up. the have more than once given the table to someone else. He really doesn't have a clear idea what he can do until after the cattle call as he needs to fix "mistakes" before he fill requests.

Edited July 18, 2016 by TNTLAMB

[HleeCruiser]

Chances are slim to none for late dining. The Maitre D' can occasionally help, but most folks after standing in line for an hour or more on embarkation leave with a "see what we can do" He does have a complete list including Captains Circle level etc. and more importantly WHEN you booked the cruise. They now have an early early seating (5:15) that is more open for seating. Be sure and check you mail box frequently before 5:00 IF the Maitre D" can change your seating, he frequently will say I'll say what I can do in the cattle call, to avoid other PAX from overhearing. They will send you a note confirming the change. If you don't show up. the have more than once given the table to someone else. He really doesn't have a clear idea what he can do until after the cattle call as he needs to fix "mistakes" before he fill requests.

 

Thanks for this useful information.

 

Henry

[Lucky TGO]

The seafood buffet has been gone for years.

 

With sad regret :mad:

Tony

[HleeCruiser]

We prefer late dining and just booked a cruise that is more than 6 months out. The only dining time they could confirm is "Anytime" and wait listing us for late. We are #99 on the waitlist. Anyone have any experience with this? What are the chances we get confirmed for Late? Does our Elite status have any affect on our position on the list?

 

We have never done Anytime dining and do not think we would like.

 

Thanks,

 

Henry

 

 

We just cleared the wait list for Late Dining at 8:15 P.M. on our South American Feb. 2017 cruise. Did not expect it due to the #99 position on the wait list.

[jeromep]

My wife and I just booked a cruise for April. At the time we embark it will be almost exactly 5 years since our last Princess cruise. I try to keep up with Princess's changes, but I have some questions. The Captain's Circle magazine always says something about the Curtis Stone specialty restaurant, but has this had a major impact on MDR menus? What kind of changes have all of you seen? Your honest opinions? Is the Share restaurant replacing Sabatini's on ships?

[yuccaman]

We just cleared the wait list for Late Dining at 8:15 P.M. on our South American Feb. 2017 cruise. Did not expect it due to the #99 position on the wait list.

 

#99 in five months or so-pretty good! To give others some idea, we cleared #49 in just 10-11 weeks- a similar rate

[hm9912]

I have two thoughts here:

 

1. It's unlikely most people will look at the MDR menu and find absolutely nothing appealing. It might happen once or twice during a cruise, but you can always ask for a kids' menu and get spaghetti or something.

 

2. If you look at the menu (posted outside at least one dining room in the morning) and just don't like anything, there are a lot of options to explore: grab stuff from the International Cafe, try the pizza, burger area, pay for a specialty restaurant or go to the Horizon Court buffet.

 

Jim

 

The children's menu is always an option

 

 

I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs as an appetizer and it was very good.

 

 

My three grandchildren will often request ice cream for dinner when they are out with us. All three claim mom and dad allow ice cream for dinner.

That is always an alternative if none of the items on the menu appeals to you.

 

The Love Boat volcano is an excellent choice

 

 

Bon Appetite

 

Howard

[tailspintom]

Not just a hamburger.

 

It is a Princess Gourmet Beef Burger.

 

With Stilton cheese, sautéed mushroom AND French fries.

 

WOW!!!!!!!

 

As if calling it gourmet makes it gourmet. Removing the beef offering was a terrible mistake. On the Canada to Florida CB cruise in October, I experienced three meals that were not prepared properly; the dried out gourmet burger, the rubbery Curtis Stone pork belly and the inedible fried chicken prepared in the same manner as the pork belly. Too bad, I don't believe that I have had three meals so poorly prepared in all of my 20+ cruises on Princess combined.

[GUT2407]

So excited to finally book a Princess cruise on the Caribbyou can but ask.ean Princess this December. I am reading as much as i can from this wonderful forum and all the thoughtful cruisers.

As for the dining question, is this past post still valid?

"When you are in the MDR you can order almost anything from a previous days menu..ex...you had delicious French Onion Soup on Monday...now its Thursday and its not on the current menu..."

 

All you can do is ask.

[stoneharborlady]

Not just a hamburger.

 

It is a Princess Gourmet Beef Burger.

 

With Stilton cheese, sautéed mushroom AND French fries.

 

WOW!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Its still a hamburger. Fine for lunch, but definitely not what I expect or want on the dining room menu for dinner.

[shredie]

The hamburger and tri-tip options were added to the menu with the salmon and chicken in late 2012. Medallions were deleted but came back after outcry from passengers. Unfortunately, with the CS items, medallions were once again deleted [emoji22]

The tri-tip is also gone. Both beef dishes sacrificed for Curtis Stone's "creations." :mad: The hamburger is not very good, IMO. It's just a standard previously frozen beef patty on a regular white bun dolled up with some odd ingredients (like crab, on a burger?) and comes with the standard fries. Really, the kids' menu spaghetti and meatballs is the closest you'll get to something good that is beef for an always available selection.

[reedprincess]

My wife and I just booked a cruise for April. At the time we embark it will be almost exactly 5 years since our last Princess cruise. I try to keep up with Princess's changes, but I have some questions. The Captain's Circle magazine always says something about the Curtis Stone specialty restaurant, but has this had a major impact on MDR menus? What kind of changes have all of you seen? Your honest opinions? Is the Share restaurant replacing Sabatini's on ships?

There are currently three Curtis Stone "always available" items on the MDR menus. What they are vary depending on location of cruise. Some of the options include flank steak, chicken pot pie, Mahi Mahi, pork belly, etc.

The balance of the menus are fairly standard over the last few years... Several appetizers, soups including the almost always excellent cold soups Princess does so well, two pasta choices including always available fettuccine Alfredo, and 5 or so main choices including a meat, fish, fowl, vegetarian option.

Enjoy!

[Alaskan Joe]

Not just a hamburger.

 

It is a Princess Gourmet Beef Burger.

 

With Stilton cheese, sautéed mushroom AND French fries.

 

WOW!!!!!!!

 

WoW!!!!!! is right that sound delicious:D However just not sure if better then Beef Medallion:eek:

[Alaskan Joe]

With all this talk about the MDR and requested/confirmed. I just looked at my December booking aboard the Ruby and my wife's early dinning is CONFIRMED:D. However mine says REQUESTED does this mean will have to eat at different times:eek:? So now my first priority when we board is dinning (was going to be getting a drink). I will check the weeks menu to decide which night will be good for the Crown Grill, then book it. Then making sure my wife and I can eat in the main dinning room (together). Oh yeah and I forgot going to the main dinning room for lunch on embarkation day, instead of following the heard of cattle to the HC.

[Colo Cruiser]

With all this talk about the MDR and requested/confirmed. I just looked at my December booking aboard the Ruby and my wife's early dinning is CONFIRMED:D. However mine says REQUESTED does this mean will have to eat at different times:eek:? So now my first priority when we board is dinning (was going to be getting a drink). I will check the weeks menu to decide which night will be good for the Crown Grill, then book it. Then making sure my wife and I can eat in the main dinning room (together). Oh yeah and I forgot going to the main dinning room for lunch on embarkation day, instead of following the heard of cattle to the HC.

 

 

If you still have the dining issue when you board the MD will be meeting people with these types of issues at a designated place in the afternoon on embarkation day.

Usually 2p-3:30 or so in one of the dining rooms. It will be listed in the Patter when you board.

[bUU]

Not just a hamburger. It is a Princess Gourmet Beef Burger. With Stilton cheese, sautéed mushroom AND French fries. WOW!!!!!!!

I don't eat beef (or lamb or poultry or pork) anymore, but based on my memory of how middling beef medallions were, sometimes, I would (have) consider(ed) that burger to be step up. I feel that the cost of the ingredients shouldn't be a factor; good-tasting food stands on its own completely apart from the cost of the ingredients. (And besides that: I still look for any excuse to use powerful cheeses in my cooking!)

 

I mention this for a specific reason: The prevailing taste of the general public changes over time, and I find that the more my own tastes don't change to keep up with the prevailing sentiment the more trouble I have enjoying the dining opportunities available to me. As someone who doesn't eat beef or lamb or poultry or pork, I probably have had to face that reality sooner and more often than most. I find that "keeping up" with how things change over time helps keep me more satisfied with, well, life in general.

 

UPDATED: In reading over what I wrote, I realized that I'm a bit biased toward burgers (and therefore perhaps a bit blind to the concerns expressed about burgers) for the very reason I don't eat beef (or lamb or poultry or pork) anymore: Burgers don't look like meat. They are the least meat-like way of serving a meat-based meal. Before I gave up beef (or lamb or poultry or pork) entirely, I recall only eating it in such unrecognizable-as-meat forms. Having said that, perhaps that is also a bit reflective of the changing tastes of the general public, too! :)

Edited November 24, 2016 by bicker

[shredie]

 

I mention this for a specific reason: The prevailing taste of the general public changes over time, and I find that the more my own tastes don't change to keep up with the prevailing sentiment the more trouble I have enjoying the dining opportunities available to me. As someone who doesn't eat beef or lamb or poultry or pork, I probably have had to face that reality sooner and more often than most. I find that "keeping up" with how things change over time helps keep me more satisfied with, well, life in general.

 

The prevailing taste of Princess passengers still includes beef, as can be seen by the success of the Crown Grill. Luckily for you, however, the MDR menu still includes a fish or seafood choice every night as well as a vegetarian one. BTW, the Stilton burger is only one choice of their "gourmet" burger idea. There are several, one with crab, and not all of them include cheese. I think I speak for many people when I say the burger is not a good substitute for the medallions, no matter how "middling" they might be.

[bUU]

I admit it was a while ago but last time I checked, hamburger was still beef. ∆shrug∆

 

A crab burger sounds incredible.

 

Evidently, the medallions was replaced by a flank steak (which perhaps is a more contemporary dish).

Edited November 24, 2016 by bicker

[shredie]

I admit it was a while ago but last time I checked, hamburger was still beef. ∆shrug∆

 

A crab burger sounds incredible.

 

Evidently, the medallions was replaced by a flank steak (which perhaps is a more contemporary dish).

 

The flank steak you mention is a Curtis Stone dish and it did not replace the medallions on every menu. The Stone items rotate, so one might never see the flank steak. Stone's other dishes include chicken, pork, fish. The crab burger is not crab. It is a previously frozen beef patty on a standard bun with chunks of crab on it to go along with the pickles and mustard and ketchup. The menus have changed rather a lot since you last sailed Princess, apparently.

[scott4020]

I admit it was a while ago but last time I checked, hamburger was still beef. ∆shrug∆

 

A crab burger sounds incredible.

 

Evidently, the medallions was replaced by a flank steak (which perhaps is a more contemporary dish).

 

I have had crab on a burger before several times at Burger Brasserie at Paris in Vegas and it was wonderful. Unfortunately that place has gone down hill and it's is no longer offered.

[jeromep]

There are currently three Curtis Stone "always available" items on the MDR menus. What they are vary depending on location of cruise. Some of the options include flank steak, chicken pot pie, Mahi Mahi, pork belly, etc.

The balance of the menus are fairly standard over the last few years... Several appetizers, soups including the almost always excellent cold soups Princess does so well, two pasta choices including always available fettuccine Alfredo, and 5 or so main choices including a meat, fish, fowl, vegetarian option.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. I know that I'll never go hungry on a cruise and that I'll find something to eat, I'm not a super picky eater. I guess the content of this thread has me a little concerned about what we'll find on board in April.

 

The way this thread reads, the MDR food has gone avant garde and may be a little less continental than before. Anyone agree?

[bUU]

I wouldn't call Curtis Stone avant-garde necessarily. He's a chef known for what is effectively modern European based cuisine.