Picky Eater - April 2017 Coral Panama Canal Cruise

[rjohn40787]

We are new to cruising and will be traveling with someone who is a very picky eater. We will have a suite. He is happiest with hamburgers (but not cheeseburgers), hot dogs, tacos, burritos, spaghetti with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, chips & salsa...you get the idea. I understand The Grill has burgers and hot dogs only until 6 p.m.

 

Are there other options for him to get these items on board the ship after 6 p.m.? Does the buffet offer any of these items as part of their selections? If so, every night or only on selected nights?

 

Can he get pancakes and bacon for breakfast?

 

Thanks in advance for any and all detailed information.

[Thrak]

We are new to cruising and will be traveling with someone who is a very picky eater. We will have a suite. He is happiest with hamburgers (but not cheeseburgers), hot dogs, tacos, burritos, spaghetti with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, chips & salsa...you get the idea. I understand The Grill has burgers and hot dogs only until 6 p.m.

 

Are there other options for him to get these items on board the ship after 6 p.m.? Does the buffet offer any of these items as part of their selections? If so, every night or only on selected nights?

 

Can he get pancakes and bacon for breakfast?

 

Thanks in advance for any and all detailed information.

 

You can get burgers in the main dining room. You can get spaghetti with meat sauce in MDR as well. Since you are in a full suite you can order from the MDR menu for consumption in your cabin.

 

I don't know the age you are referring to but there is a kids menu. You can order from the kids menu no matter what your age - just ask to see it. (I ordered the Volcano for desert one time to check it out. It is only on the kids menu.) They are pretty accommodating as far as what one can get in MDR so it never hurts to ask (preferably a day in advance) if you want/need something a bit different from what is offered.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Thrak

[rjohn40787]

Thanks for the helpful reply. He's a young adult, so I don't think the kid's menu would be applicable...plus he has a healthy appetite.

 

In the MDR, do you have to request the burger a day in advance as a special item, or are they always on the menu?

 

If others have a perspective to share, I'd appreciate it. Thanks again.

[IECalCruiser]

We are new to cruising and will be traveling with someone who is a very picky eater. We will have a suite. He is happiest with hamburgers (but not cheeseburgers), hot dogs, tacos, burritos, spaghetti with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, chips & salsa...you get the idea. I understand The Grill has burgers and hot dogs only until 6 p.m.

 

 

 

Are there other options for him to get these items on board the ship after 6 p.m.? Does the buffet offer any of these items as part of their selections? If so, every night or only on selected nights?

 

 

 

Can he get pancakes and bacon for breakfast?

 

 

 

Thanks in advance for any and all detailed information.

The Trident Grill is typically open from 11:00am to 11:00pm. They may have BBQ items in the evening but I believe burgers are always available. Pepperoni pizza is available from 11:00am to 11:00pm at Prego Pizzeria. There may be chips and salsa and guacamole in the buffet in the afternoon. Typically no tacos or burritos. Spaghetti is on the kids menu for lunch and dinner and adults can order from that menu if they wish. Bacon is definitely available in the DR and buffet for breakfast. Can't confirm pancakes but there should be an omelette and waffle station at the buffet in the morning. On most ships the always available menu in the DR includes a burger.

 

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Edited October 10, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[Thrak]

Thanks for the helpful reply. He's a young adult, so I don't think the kid's menu would be applicable...plus he has a healthy appetite.

 

In the MDR, do you have to request the burger a day in advance as a special item, or are they always on the menu?

 

If others have a perspective to share, I'd appreciate it. Thanks again.

 

The last time I checked the burger was an "always available" item. It's listed with sauteed mushrooms and Stilton but you can order it without. Like I said above, anybody can order from the kids menu and it's not uncommon for adults to do so.

 

You can ask for variations of "regular" items when ordering. For example you can ask for sliced, grilled chicken to be added atop the fettuccine Alfredo or ask that items (such as the mushrooms and cheese on the burger) be left off. Many people make requests of this type. If you want something special (such as escargot) you can sometimes get it by asking a day in advance. Simple changes can be accommodated readily while more complicated things need a bit of advance warning.

 

You can speak with the wait staff (who may refer you to the maitre d) regarding any dietary issues. People arrange for vegetarian or vegan options or for options when they are allergic to shellfish, etc. and Princess is quite good at handling this sort of thing.

 

I don't think you will have much of a problem with your picky eater and, of course, there is always the buffet. You can have full pizzas delivered to your cabin for a $3 fee. (Of course there is no microwave but most young pepperoni pizza folks have no issue eating it cold later. :))

[rjohn40787]

Thanks for the replies. No Mexican food in the buffet either (e.g., make-your-own tacos)?

[Thrak]

Thanks for the replies. No Mexican food in the buffet either (e.g., make-your-own tacos)?

 

Depends on the day and possibly the itinerary. There are various "theme nights" in the buffet but I never paid any attention to what or when.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

Looking back at the patters from this past February, it shows the grill open from 11:00am - 6:00pm, and weather permitting, it stays open on until 10:00pm.

 

The pizzeria was open 11:00am - 10:00pm. They always had pepperoni, cheese and sometimes a 3rd offering

 

Since you are in a suite, you can also ask the room steward to get copies of the Main Dining Room menus delivered to your room the night before. We always had them in our room by the time we returned from dinner.

[rjohn40787]

I wasn't aware that you could get the MDR menu delivered to our suite the night before. That is very helpful to know. Thanks.

[skynight]

We are new to cruising and will be traveling with someone who is a very picky eater. We will have a suite. He is happiest with hamburgers (but not cheeseburgers), hot dogs, tacos, burritos, spaghetti with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, chips & salsa...you get the idea. I understand The Grill has burgers and hot dogs only until 6 p.m.

Are there other options for him to get these items on board the ship after 6 p.m.? Does the buffet offer any of these items as part of their selections? If so, every night or only on selected nights?

Can he get pancakes and bacon for breakfast?

Thanks in advance for any and all detailed information.

All of what is mentioned below is no charge.

Hamburgers, Hotdogs, French Fries are available every day from 11am to around 10pm at the Bar & Grill on deck 15. Hamburgers can also be ordered in the DR for lunch or dinner.

 

Pepperoni Pizza along with cheese and the special of the day is available by the slice every day from 11am to 10pm by the Lido Pool. It's good pizza.

 

You may be able get chips and salsa in the Horizon Ct. buffet each day around 3pm. There may also be a taco bar some days in the buffet. Burritos could also be available in the buffet if they have Mexican day.

 

There is normally a pasta selection for dinner in the DR. It may not be exactly what you describe, but you can just ask the waiter to prepare some. If they have it they will get it for you.

 

Pancakes, yes for sure every day in the DR and in the buffet. If not shown on the DR menu, just ask. Bacon, as much as you can possibly eat. There are trays full of it in the buffet, and yes they have it in the DR. They also have English Bacon, a favorite of mine.

[yuccaman]

Just so you know, since you mentioned you are a new cruiser... Cruises have been a great venue for partially reforming picky eaters in my family!

 

Try a nibble of different things at the buffet. Try an appetizer or two in the dining room, there's always the entree to fill you if you didn't like it. Order the beef entree, don't like the sauce? Scrape it off, or order it without in the first place. It's all risk and extra-cost free!

 

I'm not advocating food waste. By selecting only a nibble to try at the buffet (then you load up on the hits) and sharing in the dining room (there is someone in most families who will eat that undesired appetizer that another family member didn't like) you can help picky ones branch out.

 

Failing that, the "always available" menu page in the main dining room menu is quite middle of the road, as others have posted, as are some daily entrees. Same for the grill and pizza locations- most ships open till 10 or 11pm.

[myfuzzy]

Thanks for the replies. No Mexican food in the buffet either (e.g., make-your-own tacos)?

 

In the buffet, I have seen a whole section set up for make your own tacos one side are shells and the other is all the toppings you care to put on it

[Alaskan Joe]

First off let me say I am a meat (steak), veg (broccoli, corn), and potato (mashed, baked) kind of a guy. I did not like fancy foods until I started cruising. One example was; on my first cruise they had a chilled strawberry soup (love strawberries just not a soup YUK!) or so I thought, nothing else sounded good either. Upon tasting the soup I was like it's alright but I ended up loving it by the end of the bowl:D. This is just one thing, there are many others like lamb chops never would try but it came with the cruise so I did try now I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. This is one thing my DW wishes I never tried because we will go to nice restaurant I will order and they cost $$$ :eek:. So my tip is for him/her to try a lot of different things you may never know something that sound totally gross may in fact be GREAT.

 

BON APPETIT!

[GUT2407]

We are new to cruising and will be traveling with someone who is a very picky eater. We will have a suite. He is happiest with hamburgers (but not cheeseburgers), hot dogs, tacos, burritos, spaghetti with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, chips & salsa...you get the idea. I understand The Grill has burgers and hot dogs only until 6 p.m.

 

Are there other options for him to get these items on board the ship after 6 p.m.? Does the buffet offer any of these items as part of their selections? If so, every night or only on selected nights?

 

Can he get pancakes and bacon for breakfast?

 

Thanks in advance for any and all detailed information.

 

The grill for burgers, dogs etc. never known it to close that early.

[GUT2407]

Thanks for the helpful reply. He's a young adult, so I don't think the kid's menu would be applicable...plus he has a healthy appetite.

 

In the MDR, do you have to request the burger a day in advance as a special item, or are they always on the menu?

 

If others have a perspective to share, I'd appreciate it. Thanks again.

 

I'm mid 50s and order off the kids menu sometimes.

[DrivesLikeMario]

We are new to cruising and will be traveling with someone who is a very picky eater. We will have a suite. He is happiest with hamburgers (but not cheeseburgers), hot dogs, tacos, burritos, spaghetti with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, chips & salsa...you get the idea. I understand The Grill has burgers and hot dogs only until 6 p.m.

 

Are there other options for him to get these items on board the ship after 6 p.m.? Does the buffet offer any of these items as part of their selections? If so, every night or only on selected nights?

 

Can he get pancakes and bacon for breakfast?

 

Thanks in advance for any and all detailed information.

 

I had a son like that at one time. He always found something to eat on Princess cruises, with pizza and Caesar salads being his "go to" items. He eventually expanded his food repertoire. Don't worry - there are so many options that he'll be just fine. The less of a big deal you and anyone else around him makes of it, the better. Enjoy! ;)

[DrivesLikeMario]

Also, the grill and pizza used to close at 6pm but they stay open much later now on most sailings until 11pm.

[IECalCruiser]

I wasn't aware that you could get the MDR menu delivered to our suite the night before. That is very helpful to know. Thanks.

When you said suite, I assume you are in a full suite and not a mini-suite. Full suite passengers can have Room Service deliver food from the DR during normal breakfast, lunch and dinner hours so it is only full suites that will have the menus delivered if requested. By around noon, the DR not open for lunch, typically the Boudreaux DR on Plaza deck will have that night's dinner menu posted.

 

 

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[elliair]

For afternoon snacks in the buffet, there's guacamole and chips, sandwiches or they'll make you a sandwich. Burgers are always available in the MDR lunch and breakfast. Plenty of pancakes and french toast. About the bacon, it's not the best bacon nor are the sausages. If he likes fruit, there's plenty of that. Also at the hamburger grill there's chicken nuggets, french fries, hot dogs, polish-type sausages, grilled onions, etc. They won't put cheese on the burger unless you ask for it. Have fun and good luck.

[tonit964]

Since you're new to cruising, I suggest you all experience the dining room and what they have to offer. Your traveling companion may be pleasantly surprised. If not, most of those "picky" foods are available.

 

One of the things we love about cruising are trying new things and they are foods we don't normally eat at home. There are so many selections and they're all very good.

 

Enjoy your first cruise.:)

[CallistaSkye]

aww, I am a picky eater. Better now that I used to be... I legit did not try Chinese food or Mexican food until i was high school. I would CRY as a child if I had to stay over at a friends for dinner unless it was one friend whose family made mac and cheese.

Eating at other peoples houses was the worst anxiety ridden experience ever for me. I have issues with the textures of a lot of foods, so it was really difficult to try to explain that as a kid.

 

He should be totally fine on the ship! I basically have to customize everything I ever order when I eat out because I don't like condiments, sauces, pickles, lettuce, etc etc. The staff were always extremely kind in dealing with this, and it was never a problem at all.

The buffet was easy since you literally get whatever looks good yourself. Plus like others have said, maybe he will be inspired to try something new.

[Thrak]

When you said suite, I assume you are in a full suite and not a mini-suite. Full suite passengers can have Room Service deliver food from the DR during normal breakfast, lunch and dinner hours so it is only full suites that will have the menus delivered if requested. By around noon, the DR not open for lunch, typically the Boudreaux DR on Plaza deck will have that night's dinner menu posted.

 

 

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Good point. If new to cruising or even just new to Princess folks can be misled by the designation of "suite" in the name mini suite. It is definitely not a suite and carries none of the perks of a real suite.

 

Full suites not only have the benefits listed previously but can also have breakfast in Sabatini's which nobody else can do.

[jeanandjim]

After your first morning enjoying breakfast in Sabatinis, as a perk of the suite life, the staff there will know your young one's likes and dislikes. As you sip on your mamosas and lattes, your charge will be offerred pancakes with whatever he likes with them. Fruits from all regions of the world, nuts, syrups, butters and creams. The bacon he will be offered will be crispy if that is his pleasure or limp if not. You will find that it will be the fondest memory of your journey. The staff will be most happy to make sure that he gets exactly what his picky heart desires and you will start off the day refreshed. Bon appetit.

Edited October 11, 2016 by jeanandjim

[rjohn40787]

Thank you for all the replies. They have been very helpful. We are in a full suite, not a mini-suite.

[IECalCruiser]

Thank you for all the replies. They have been very helpful. We are in a full suite, not a mini-suite.

You will be spoiled [emoji33] Enjoy [emoji4]

 

 

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