Differences in cruise experience on Princess in Caribbean vs. Europe: the food and menus

[Dr. Peds]

Just off two weeks on the Sky in Northern Europe and the Baltic.  We cruised the Sky for 14 days in the Caribbean right before the pandemic in 2020 and cruised the Caribbean on the Enchanted in January 2023.  We also cruised the Caribbean on the Royal a few years ago.

 

Here are the differences we observed in the food and menus on the Sky this time:  many buffet items were clearly aimed at a European clientele (cold cereal choices, hot cereal choices, breakfast meats, stews and meat pies not familiar in U.S., special theme nights that were very focused on our general itinerary).  In the main dining room, menus were generally very reflective of the region in which we were traveling, fish and seafood choices were broader and more varied, appetizers were more regional (even if not marked as such).

 

Finally, whether reflective of Europe or not, the meat in both the buffet and main dining room tended to be overcooked in almost all cases (no pink in any steak or roast beef, for example).  This may have just been the chefs, but it was consistent with my grandmother's cooking of meat as a European immigrant.  On the other hand, in general the fish and seafood was cooked deftly and with some great preparations.

 

We very much enjoyed the food and drink portion of the cruise and welcomed many of the differences.  But we found the food and menus to be notably different.  The change was nice and we got to try some things we hadn't had.  BTW, the surf and turf was terrible this time around--especially the steak.

[dickinson]

Thank you for your observations.  Hope you had a great cruise!  Food on ships vary.  As much as any company wants to have things the same no matter where the "restaurant" is located it does vary based on the people working there.  One ship could have great food but a year later it is not as great because the people working there (or the head chef) has changed.  If you could not get any pink in any beef (assuming you asked for it that way) then I would think the people working there either overcook it or it has been sitting a while before it is brought to you and has continued  "cooking".  Either way, as soon as there is a big turnover in people it will all change.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Pre-pandemic, we found the food on Europe cruises to be superior because the ingredients were sourced there. On our Europe cruise this summer, the food was decent with some standouts, but it wasn’t as good as what we had on a US cruise this year. I don’t know if it was a new supplier or the chefs. They did have regional theme nights, which we enjoyed. 

[Dr. Peds]

For what it is worth, the chef de cuisine and restaurant operations manager indicated that all of the provisions for the cruises leaving out of Southampton are loaded in Southampton are put on board there.  On our cruise, they did also get some provisions in Copenhagen.  For the first time, it was noticeable when they started to run low on some of the provisions (melons were a big shortage by the end of the cruise for example).  I mentioned the ships we were on in the original post because the Royal Class ships have a notably different buffet set-up and capacity than the smaller and earlier ships.

[startedwithamouse]

9 hours ago, Dr. Peds said:

Just off two weeks on the Sky in Northern Europe and the Baltic.  We cruised the Sky for 14 days in the Caribbean right before the pandemic in 2020 and cruised the Caribbean on the Enchanted in January 2023.  We also cruised the Caribbean on the Royal a few years ago.

 

Here are the differences we observed in the food and menus on the Sky this time:  many buffet items were clearly aimed at a European clientele (cold cereal choices, hot cereal choices, breakfast meats, stews and meat pies not familiar in U.S., special theme nights that were very focused on our general itinerary).  In the main dining room, menus were generally very reflective of the region in which we were traveling, fish and seafood choices were broader and more varied, appetizers were more regional (even if not marked as such).

 

Finally, whether reflective of Europe or not, the meat in both the buffet and main dining room tended to be overcooked in almost all cases (no pink in any steak or roast beef, for example).  This may have just been the chefs, but it was consistent with my grandmother's cooking of meat as a European immigrant.  On the other hand, in general the fish and seafood was cooked deftly and with some great preparations.

 

We very much enjoyed the food and drink portion of the cruise and welcomed many of the differences.  But we found the food and menus to be notably different.  The change was nice and we got to try some things we hadn't had.  BTW, the surf and turf was terrible this time around--especially the steak.

Well, you know what they say, "When in Rome"

[gah_cruise]

9 hours ago, Dr. Peds said:

no pink in any steak or roast beef, for example

Sailed on Sky ex Southampton to Norway earlier this year.
Had Roast beef three times in the buffet....very tasty and juicy, but only once was it presented as medium rare (in parts) the other times it was medium (but juicy)
I am not sure whether it was the server's training, their knives not very sharp, or the angle they carved at....but having requested 4 times (yup had seconds on one occasion 🙂 ) for "thin slices", they were unable to deliver.  On the first occasion I did ask the server to try again.." please can I have it a little thinner" and it was carved thicker than the first....heyho..  What I love about these large joints in the buffet is you can see the meat, have as little or as much as you want, and also ask for it to be carved from an area on the joint that suits your tastes.  Preferred it to the MDR offering.

[Guest ldtr]

We did an TA (Regal), a British Isle cruise (Regal), A Mexican cruise(Discovery), and an Alaskan cruise (Majestic). Over the last 6 months.

 

Food selections were pretty much the same on all of the cruises.