the Pizza debate

[jennew]

This deserves it's own thread. I want to know where to get good pizza on the Star. For the record: I worked in two pizza shops for a few years, I am a tough critic. I have made and eaten more than my share of pizza. I can even toss the dough.

 

by the way, I am also from NY, where the BEST pizza is made.

[MarsMc888]

But alas, your own NY Times food critic declares the best pizza in America is found in PHOENIX at Pizzeria Bianco!

 

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dining/articles/0214pizza14-CP.html

 

Frankly, I've eaten there and I wouldn't call it the best pizza I've ever had. But what do I know? We have a Patsy Grimaldi's here in Scottsdale, too and it's not my favorite either!

 

-M

[phaelon56]

I think that rather than asking "where can you get good pizza on the Star?" we might discuss

 

1) Do you like the pizza on Princess ships?

 

2) If you hate it or love it - whay is that and what are your reference points?

 

3) For those who've cruised on other lines (I have not) - how does it compare to the pizza on other ships?

 

On my first cruise (the Grand in 2003) I didn't even bother to try the pizza. Quite recently I was on the CB and decided to test it out having read wildly contradictory reviews on these boards.

 

Here's my take:

 

Dough: Surprisingly good - could have slightly more hint of yeast but it's really truly fresh dough, is hand tossed/stretched and is just the right thickness (classic NYC slice style Neopolitan thin). The water used on the ships is from a de-salination system and has a very flat taste when you drink it. If they were able to use water with a bit of mineral content added back in theuir dough would be even better. Some of my slices had a tiny bit of char here and there on the bottom. Not like you'll get from a blazing hot coal or wood fired brick oven but not bad for a gas fired oven on a cruise ship

 

Grade: B+

 

Sauce: Bland and needed a tad more salt and more seasoning - my ideal preference is just really high quality fresh tomatoes or boxed tomatoes with some fresh herbs sprinkled on but for a pre-made "traditional" Americn style pizza sauce this one lacked zip. Princess could do better with this - I had fusilli pomodoro that week for lunch - the red sauce was great. Why can't they use that sauce?

 

Grade: C

 

Cheese: Spare me! They appear to be using using one of those weird cheese blends that many pizza shops have adopted in recent years to replace 100% whole milk shredded mozzarella. This stuff has weird melting characteristics and just doesn't taste right to me

 

Grade: D+

 

Overall I'd rate their pizza as a C- at best on land when I had more choices but considering that it's on a cruise ship I'll be generous and give it a C+.

 

Actually much better than I thought it would be but you must get it when it's fresh - the longer the slices sit there the less appealing they are. Not bad for a snack when you're on board but I wouldn't have it as a meal.

[luckyking]

This will be my first Princess cruise so I can't yet comment on the pizza taste but I hear all of you guys talking about the cheese.

I'm wondering if it's something like what we have here in St. Louis....the great Provel cheese that everyone hates UNLESS you are from St. Louis. Is it gooey? Is it stringy?

 

I can't wait to get on the ship and give it a try so I can give a full review!!

[Iamthesea]

The pizza on the Coral was terrible! Too thin of a crust that tasted like card board. Too soggy, also!

[donna5]

I think it is a hit and miss as to who is making and baking the pizza. Someships we have liked it and then we go back and it isn't as good as the time before.

[sunnyv]

This deserves it's own thread. I want to know where to get good pizza on the Star. For the record: I worked in two pizza shops for a few years, I am a tough critic. I have made and eaten more than my share of pizza. I can even toss the dough.

 

by the way, I am also from NY, where the BEST pizza is made.

 

In answer to your question, Prego, on the Lido deck, is the only place on the Star to get pizza.

 

Whether it's good or not is personal preference. Personally, I think Princess Pizza is great!

[donna5]

I think it is a hit and miss as to who is making and baking the pizza. Someships we have liked it and then we go back and it isn't as good as the time before.

[emmy]

Both DH and I think the pizza is just so-so and don't know what all the fuss is about...we have had it on Caribbean Princess and Sapphire..we did not think the Caribbean princess pizza was that great but it was much better than Sapphire....now the Princess ship we truly had great pizza on was the Sun Princess...on that class of ship they have a trattoria type sit down restaurant you can go into and have the pizza.We went there for lunch a few times. It is also great as an alternative restaurant for evening dinner with pasta items such as lasagna and caesar salad.... no extra charge to dine there.

 

Emmy

[Joy2Day]

This will be my first Princess cruise so I can't yet comment on the pizza taste but I hear all of you guys talking about the cheese.

I'm wondering if it's something like what we have here in St. Louis....the great Provel cheese that everyone hates UNLESS you are from St. Louis. Is it gooey? Is it stringy?

 

I can't wait to get on the ship and give it a try so I can give a full review!!

 

No. It isn't provel cheese.

 

How I miss St. Louis-style pizza!

[GloriaF]

Overall, I love pizza and I'm not fussy - I'm happy with a Pizza Hut veggie lovers pizza or a Di Giorno spinach, garlic and mushroom pizza. But I don't like Princess Pizza, except on the Regal Princess. I think the pizza dough is too thin, the sauce too blah, the toppings not to my taste, and the cheese is definitely stringy and gooey. It is also greasy.

 

But on the Regal, they have a different idea for pizza. It is a sit-down, order-from-the-menu, red-checkered tablecloth type place serving made to order pizza (granted limited toppings) and calzones. There is no take-out allowed, it is served by waiters and is hot and tasty. Beer and wine and sodas are available also. The Pizzaria is even open in the evenings as a free alternative dining spot with candles on the tables. So, if you have the opportunity to cruise the Regal, be sure to try their pizza!

[Ula]

Fun thread we find the Princess Pizza average. That means it is good and not horrible. It is thin crust so the thick crust people will not be impressed. Pizza is a nice item, but on our cruises it is next to the Brat stand. Princess does a good Bratwurst and for the snack between all the meals (as if we need one) that is a good treat.

On cruise food, my husband lost about 30 pounds this year due to some heath problems. He has to get new cruise clothes as a result. I advised he might want to bring those bigger pants for the end of the cruise. He is dreaming of all that food. He does need to put on about 10 pounds. A cruise is the way to do it.

[gambit57]

On the Oct. 30 sailing of the Star, at the pizzaria, the cheese was clumpy. It was exactly like how phaelon56 described. I ranked it a little higher, but that's cuz I'm not as picky. I thought it was ok. My main complaint was that the cheese was clumpy, not gooey and stringy. I guess it is kinda soggy so when it bends as you pick it up, the cheese doesn't bend like the rest of the pizza, but separates into little tiny clumps. Really, really weird. I haven't seen anything like that since the super artificial cheese pizza I had back when there was this store called Fedco.

[merela]

If my picky 3YO DS will eat it, it must be good. He likes to eat anything expensive. I liked the pizza as well. We had the 3-cheese pizza, vegetarian pizza, and another pizza special that had artichokes. I thought the guys making pizza on the Sapphire were really professional. The pizza quality was consistent and I have no problem with the cheese issue (clumpy or not). The cheese was stringy like most pizzas should behave. It also tasted great 4 hours later in our cabin. It was already past 6pm after Prego closed, so DS had to eat whatever we had left.

 

We had pizza on the Star as well and I don't see anything wrong with it. So it's something you should try once so you can join in this discussion.

 

This is another very subjective thread and it varies ship to ship. So it's difficult to generalize. But the crust is thinner and crunchier, not the doughy type pizza.

[merela]

sorry, double post.

[Coral]

I really like the Pizza on Princess.....

 

I do prefer the sit down pizzerias on the Sun class compared to the Grand class pizza stands.

 

The pizza on RCCL was the worst I have ever had and people still ate it. Beyond my belief. It was worse then the .79 Tostitos pizza we used to buy in college when we were broke.

[LARGIN]

Overall, I love pizza and I'm not fussy - I'm happy with a Pizza Hut veggie lovers pizza or a Di Giorno spinach, garlic and mushroom pizza. But I don't like Princess Pizza, except on the Regal Princess. I think the pizza dough is too thin, the sauce too blah, the toppings not to my taste, and the cheese is definitely stringy and gooey. It is also greasy.

 

But on the Regal, they have a different idea for pizza. It is a sit-down, order-from-the-menu, red-checkered tablecloth type place serving made to order pizza (granted limited toppings) and calzones. There is no take-out allowed, it is served by waiters and is hot and tasty. Beer and wine and sodas are available also. The Pizzaria is even open in the evenings as a free alternative dining spot with candles on the tables. So, if you have the opportunity to cruise the Regal, be sure to try their pizza!

 

I agree... The Regal does have the best Pizza, both in taste and where to eat it..

[Coral]

I agree... The Regal does have the best Pizza, both in taste and where to eat it..

 

I assume it is the same as the Sun class?

[LARGIN]

I assume it is the same as the Sun class?

 

Yes.. But I prefer the location in the Regal.. Much better view, especially in port.. You can watch the action, while munching..