Fancy French Restaurant

[Astro Flyer]

15 minutes ago, Geoffa30 said:

 

Bit difficult to make a fundamental change like adding a full wraparound promenade deck I think. Moving or adding venues inside is an easier fix but I expect changes to the super structure would be near impossible.

I feel the same way & policy changes are even easier to fix.

 

No details have been release yet about the ship’s design for their next class of ships scheduled in late 2023 & spring 2025.

 

Primarily LNG powered 175,000 gross tons, 4,300 passengers ships.

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2359468

[Geoffa30]

8 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

I feel the same way & policy changes are even easier to fix.

 

No details have been release yet about the ship’s design for their next class of ships scheduled in late 2023 & spring 2025.

 

Primarily LNG powered 175,000 gross tons, 4,300 passengers ships.

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2359468

 

I’m excited to see what the next gen ships are like. Hopefully a greatest hits of Princess’s best bits. Unfortunately I expect there will be further furore once the new ships are here. People need to realise the features of the Grand class ships from 20 years ago won’t cut the mustard with new / next generation cruisers. Those passengers are more important from a business point of view to Princess and any cruise line. Totally recognise some of the changes being made, e.g. removing chairs are downright weird but adding new speciality restaurants other than the Crown Grill (never seen the appeal myself. The menu needs a complete overhaul) needs to happen as does bringing decor into the 21st century.

[Loreni]

You do realize many innovative new ships, designed for the next generation, ARE offering promenade decks.

 

if Princess doesn’t innovate it will be left behind.

[Astro Flyer]

24 minutes ago, Loreni said:

You do realize many innovative new ships, designed for the next generation, ARE offering promenade decks.

 

if Princess doesn’t innovate it will be left behind.

And hopefully that new class of ship will incorporate a full Promenade deck. 🤞👍

 

They’re currently modifying some dining options in old venues and hopefully they’ll add other dining options such as the Winemakers Dinner in a Wine Cellar on Royal-Class ships...my favorite dining experience.

 

Since the Sun-Class ships were designed over a quarter of a century ago (first sailed in 1995) all Princess ships (excluding the Renaissance R ships) have been variations of that design.  While that results in a feeling of coming home it’s also not much new...Princess marketed the Royal-Class as evolutionary but not revolutionary.

 

By sometime in about 2021 we should learn about their new class of ship’s design...my hope is that it’s a combination of old (Promenade) with some new venues while keeping casual elegance passengers like me happy.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[Ep010835]

Is this new restaurant with the $35 cover charge?

[OzKiwiJJ]

23 hours ago, reedprincess said:

Take Five on deck 6, which is in the soot where Club 6 is on Royal/regal, is replacing Crooners. Piano bar, jazz music, etc. 

And several TV screens showing sport all the time - on Majestic at least.

 

La Mer worked very well in the mornings as a cafe on Majestic, and the decor worked for that. In the evening it was cold, noisy (although luckily the musicians in the atrium were playing music we liked), and the entrees and mains we had were very poor quality. I had to ask for a replacement for the duck as it was cold, dry and tough. The desserts were excellent though. I would not waste money going there again.

[YWW]

On 3/10/2019 at 2:10 PM, Astro Flyer said:

La Mer is only on the Majestic, Sky & Enchanted but has replaced the popular Crooners Bar’s location in the Piazza.

 

Based on friends input & posts I’ve read few passengers were dining there.  The reasons I’ve heard & read are the open location is noisy & lacked ambiance.  It’s located next to the walkway where passengers pass by & being at the top of the Piazza it’s noisy from activities below & not liking the menu.

 

I too was intriqued by La Mer but haven’t decided yet whether we’ll try it on the Sky or not.

We just returned from a cruise down under on Majestic Princess and we did try La Mer with 4 of our friends since all of us love French food. To put it mildly, nothing was French and the cooking and taste were downright bad. Every single dish we ordered had to be returned for something else with the exception of the dessert. We were stunned how this Michelin star French restaurant could be serving such below average food. We complained to the Head Waiter and Manager about our food experience and they did apologize to us but confirmed the La Mer's dishes were not French. The only French is the French name. The huge restaurant was near empty almost each evening with no more than 3 or 4 tables filled. We had made a total of 3 reservations for this restaurant before the cruise but after that first experience we canceled the remainder reservations. We had also dined at the Michelin star Harmony Chinese restaurant which turned out to be excellent and we all decided to go back 2 more times all with excellent results.

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, elliair said:

I certainly hope it's better than Curtis Stone's "Share."  

 

I ordered a Curtis Stone entree on Royal Princess that was the worse entree that I have ever ordered on any ship and was the only one that I ever sent back to the Galley.  It was even worse than a lunch entree in QEII's Windows of the World Restaurant that was labeled as Entrecote that turned out to be Calves Liver.

Edited March 12, 2019 by rkacruiser

[OCruisers]

44 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

And several TV screens showing sport all the time - on Majestic at least.

 

La Mer worked very well in the mornings as a cafe on Majestic, and the decor worked for that. In the evening it was cold, noisy (although luckily the musicians in the atrium were playing music we liked), and the entrees and mains we had were very poor quality. I had to ask for a replacement for the duck as it was cold, dry and tough. The desserts were excellent though. I would not waste money going there again.

 

Gosh, makes us feel we will for sure miss Crooner's!  

Edited March 12, 2019 by OCruisers

[elliair]

5 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I ordered a Curtis Stone entree on Royal Princess that was the worse entree that I have ever ordered on any ship and was the only one that I ever sent back to the Galley.  It was even worse than a lunch entree in QEII's Windows of the World Restaurant that was labeled as Entrecote that turned out to be Calves Liver.

Any kind of liver would make me wanna hurl!  I know some people here probably like it, but I remember it as a child.  I use to cry when my mother told me what's for dinner.  When I left home, liver never touched my mouth ever again and never will.  I haven't read too many rave reviews on Curtis Stone restaurant on any Princess ship.  I feel for you because you paid extra for that Curtis Stone dish.

[Astro Flyer]

OzKiwiJJ and YWW...thanks for sharing your experiences which reflects other opinions I’ve read about the poor menu & lack of ambience at La Mer.

 

It’s disappointing that their highly touted chef hasn’t created a more French menu.  I’m sure that Chef Renaut is a great chef but working within the shipboard limits with inexperienced cooks preparing his meals that has resulted in poorly prepared food.  Princess might also limit which food he could have to create a better, more French menu.

 

Not long ago the Share menu was changed but it appears that even if La Mer’s menu were to change there’s nothing they could do to improve the poor location.

 

Good to read that the Harmony Chinese restaurant was excellent but due to the ship’s modifications we have no plans to cruise on the Majestic.

[Geoffa30]

Will report back on our experience with La Mer and Harmony shortly. We board the Majestic Princess tomorrow in Sydney. When we sailed on her in April 2017, we hated Harmony and loved La Mer. I suppose everyone has different opinions.

[rkacruiser]

12 minutes ago, elliair said:

Any kind of liver would make me wanna hurl!  I know some people here probably like it, but I remember it as a child.

 

I like liver when it is properly prepared.  But, to have ordered what I thought would be a thin rib-eye steak and was not was a disappointment.  That entire QEII TA crossing was a disappointment.  (There were good memories, but many.)  My traveling companion and I was sailing in Tourist Class which was costing more per day than our Royal Viking Sky North Cape Cruise from New  York.  Richard had friends in First Class on our ship and their feeling was the same as his:  "When does this garbage barge get into New York?".  The ship was having labor problems and I have always excused my experience because of this.

[Astro Flyer]

31 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I ordered a Curtis Stone entree on Royal Princess that was the worse entree that I have ever ordered on any ship and was the only one that I ever sent back to the Galley.  It was even worse than a lunch entree in QEII's Windows of the World Restaurant that was labeled as Entrecote that turned out to be Calves Liver.

A dining room entrée?  Apparently the original Share menu wasn’t popular either because it was “freshed” last October.

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2373526

 

These are probably good chefs but preparing meals at sea with inexperienced cooks doesn’t always result in quality food.  Someday we’ll have the new Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria on our ship & despite mixed reviews will give it a try to form our own opinions.  However with so many negative reviews we are less likely to try La Mer’s “casual French bistro-style dining”.

Edited March 12, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes I will miss Crooners too.   🙁