Very detailed question about food on the Crown...

[bobbycruiser]

Ok, ive been on this message board for a few months now and i have read A LOT of different postings about food and costs and whats free and whats not about every ship in the fleet it seems. but i am still very clueless about some things so i decided i woudl ask a for some definitive answers.

 

i will be on the Crown out of new york on may 12th. and i would like to know a few things...

 

1.) exactly what food has additional costs and how much are these costs?

i know that liquor and soda are extra costs, but what else and how much? ie. specialty restaraunts, ice cream and how much.

 

2.) what times exactly is the ice cream free on the crown and where exactly do i go for it?

 

3.) are the snacks at the (snack bars, not sure what else to call them) free? ive seen a few clips of people gettings snacks there but not sure if or what is free?

 

i have more so i will add and edit this post when i remember. sorry if i sound like a cheapo, but im just curios so that nothing sneaks up on me when im on board. i liek to know what is free and what i will hafta pay for if i want it.

 

thank you all in advance and i REEEEEEEALLY appreciate EACH AND EVERY response i get to this:):)

[Mary Leslie]

The free ice cream is served around 3:30 in Horizon Court......you may have to hunt for it, but it's there. There are usually 2 flavors available with assorted toppings.

 

Snacks are free. There are some items that carry an extra cost in the International Cafe, but those are clearly marked. There are lots of free goodies in the Cafe............especially the cookies:D

 

There is a charge for specialty coffees. There is a surcharge for the specialty restuarants. There is a charge for sushi in the wine bar, Vines.

 

Bottom line.............you don't need to spend any extra money on food if you don't want to.................there is PLENTY available to you 24/7!!....................Mary

[-Lew-]

To be exact... :rolleyes:

 

There are usually four flavors of ice cream available...two at each end of the buffet area. Ice cream is served on the closed side of Horizon Court.

 

Lew

[bobbycruiser]

as i said, thank u for ur responses. and definitely lol at the 'exact' comments. lol. i definitely understand that i dont need to pay for money, but i can just picture myself walking around randomly and seeing some snacks at the cafe and wanting one and only wheni start chewing on it that its not free. lol.

 

so i am to assume that the food at the cafe's are free unless they are marked otherwise?

[cynbar]

The only places that I remember a charge are at Vines (sushi) and at the International Cafe. For the latter, free items were the cookies (baked fresh all say), pastries in the AM, and sandwiches and a couple salads like shrimp salad during the afternoon and later in the evening. Candies, gelatos and tapas all have a charge -- but these are clearly marked, and everything is presented to you so don't hesitate to ask.At Vines, a waiter takes your order and brings you the sushi (with the bill). But there really isn't any chance of picking up something, eating it ... and THEN being handed a bill. PS --- I forgot about the ice cream for a fee next to the pizza station -- but that is definitely clearly marked and also is served to you. No chance of a mistake there!

[bobbycruiser]

i remember the first time i cruised was with celebrity on teh century. as we walked on board, they handed us a glass of champagne as a free drink. we drank it and we were thinking, wow this is great. then we walked out by the pool deck and a drink waiter came up and offered us a drink(some kind of rum drink) so we all took one and then he handed us the bill. lol. not that i mind paying for liquor cuz trust me, my liquor bill will be high, but it was funny cuz i had no idea. lol.

 

with the exception of pizza, is all room service free? and is it of any quality?

[regnig]

You will find a room service menu in your cabin. Ordering off of it is free unless you order from the "bar" section or the special "hors d'oeuvre" section and the extra charges are clearly marked. Additionally your cabin steward will leave a card each evening for you to order Continental Breakfast with - if you want. You just fill it out, hang it on your door, and wala :D it will arrive very close to the time you requested.

 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tip whoever delivers anything to you via room service. Use your good judgement as to how much. If all you have ordered is coffee and/or tea - $2.00 is a great amount. If your order involves at least one fully loaded tray, think $5.00.

 

And, if you are still hungry, your cabin steward will also leave a card for you to request fresh fruit for your cabin.

 

And yes, the quality of the room service food is very good.

 

The following links are from a web site created especially for the Caribbean Princess - but I believe you will find the menues to be the same (or darn close to it) on the Crown. Insert periods . where I left a space

 

http://www cruisingthecaribbeanprincess com/rsmws html This is the Room Service Menu

 

http://www cruisingthecaribbeanprincess com/brsmws html This is the Continental Breakfast Menu

[AlaskaGolden]

Correct links for the menus on the CB:

 

http://www.cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com/rsmws.html - This is the Room Service Menu

 

http://www.cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com/brsmws.html - This is the Continental Breakfast Menu

[-Lew-]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tip whoever delivers anything to you via room service. Use your good judgement as to how much. If all you have ordered is coffee and/or tea - $2.00 is a great amount. If your order involves at least one fully loaded tray, think $5.00.

Why do you feel it's necessary to admonish us about tipping for room service?

 

How could we possibly use our good judgment as to how much if we don't have enough sense to even consider giving a tip without your advice? Having said that, you go on to list your personal tipping guidelines.

 

Lew

[regnig]

Why do you feel it's necessary to admonish us about tipping for room service?

 

How could we possibly use our good judgment as to how much if we don't have enough sense to even consider giving a tip without your advice? Having said that, you go on to list your personal tipping guidelines.

 

Lew

 

Lew forgive me if my words came across as an admonishment to you, one who is obviously an experienced Princess cruiser. They were addressed to bobbycruiser and were in direct response to him (a new Princess cruiser) and no one else. They were based on the the questions he asked about the room service and costs.

with the exception of pizza, is all room service free?

If you choose to be annoyed that is your choice but please lets not flame me for answering the OPs question.

[nanaof3]

Thank you for the advice about tipping. This will be my 1st princess cruise and I have no idea what I am supposed to tip.

 

Can you please tell me who else I should be tipping and how much. My trip will be for 9 days...yeah!!!!

 

Thanks so much.

[bobbycruiser]

i am an above average tipper mostly cuz my gf used to be a waitress. so thats not an issue. i am not a typical 'cheap' person, i just want to know what food is free so im not surprised when someone says how much i owe, lol.

[regnig]

Thank you for the advice about tipping. This will be my 1st princess cruise and I have no idea what I am supposed to tip.

 

Can you please tell me who else I should be tipping and how much. My trip will be for 9 days...yeah!!!!

 

Thanks so much.

 

nanaof3 - Princess uses an auto tip system where they will charge your room account $10 a day per person to cover tips. This covers room steward, dining room help and lots of good "behind the scenes" folks. Since it covers so many people it really averages less than $2.50 a day per service provider - but it is the amount Princess has determined is fair and equitable. If at the end of your cruise you feel that someone has provided "outstanding" service feel free to put some extra cash in an envelope (available from the pursers desk), put your name and cabin number on it and hand it to the provider along with a big smile and a "job well done". You can also fill out a "You made a difference" card as they go a long way in helping the provider during the advancement process.

Exceptions to being included as receivers of any of your auto tip are the bar attendants and the room service folks. When you order something from the bar an automatic 15% gratuity will be added to the receipt you sign for inclusion on your room account and will go to the server. With room service it is up to you to either tip in cash at time of service or write it in on the receipt and then it will be added to your room account.

 

i am an above average tipper mostly cuz my gf used to be a waitress. so thats not an issue. i am not a typical 'cheap' person, i just want to know what food is free so im not surprised when someone says how much i owe, lol.

 

bobbycruiser, trust me you haven't come across as cheap at all. Your questions have all been good ones. Keep asking any questions that comes to mind as you will feel much more confident when you board if you do.

 

Happy Sailing!

[bobbycruiser]

so in summary, food or drinks with extra costs are:

 

pizza delivered to my cabin

the 2 specialty restaraunts

some snacks at the cafe

soda

coffe

alcohol

 

is this the end of the list? just to have this knowledge id love to know any other foods that will require a cost. thanx again everyone, the responses are really helping me out right now:)

 

3 weeks from right now ill be off the coast of NJ, bermuda bound:)

[cynbar]

That's pretty much it, except for fresh sushi at Vines and the ice cream cafe next to the pizza station. We loved our Crown cruise out of NYC last summer, here's a link to our webshots if you're interested: http://community.webshots.com/user/cynbar101. OUr first port was Bermuda, followed by San Juan then St Thomas then Grand Turk. We were sailing with DD as part of her college graduation present --- I got home to find that I was so busy taking pictures, I wasn't in too many of them !! That's her you'll see............

[tarheelmjfan]

Would someone mind sharing the cost of the sushi? We enjoy sushi before dinner on Celebrity's ships, but it's free. I'm sure my guys will still want to stick to the same pre-dinner ritual. I'm just wondering how much it will cost us. :) TIA

[-Lew-]

Princess uses an auto tip system where they will charge your room account $10 a day per person to cover tips. This covers room steward, dining room help and lots of good "behind the scenes" folks. Since it covers so many people it really averages less than $2.50 a day per service provider - but it is the amount Princess has determined is fair and equitable.

Members of the crew on cruise ships work very hard for what they earn and tips are a big portion of their earnings. I wonder, however, how you came up with an average of $2.50 per day ($17.50/wk).

 

On our recent Crown Princess cruise it was a full boat...about 3400. But say the average number of passengers is 3000. At $10 per day per passenger, that's $30,000 per day. The Crown has a crew of 1200...out of that, who knows, perhaps 900 are sharing tips, probably less. That boils down to a little over $33 per day each ($230/wk). Even if all 1200 shared in the tips, it would still be $25 each per day.

 

I doubt that Princess is paying a living wage. Service providers on cruise ships depend on tips in order to survive, but I believe they are getting much more than $2.50 per day.

 

Lew

[regnig]

Members of the crew on cruise ships work very hard for what they earn and tips are a big portion of their earnings. I wonder, however, how you came up with an average of $2.50 per day ($17.50/wk).

 

On our recent Crown Princess cruise it was a full boat...about 3400. But say the average number of passengers is 3000. At $10 per day per passenger, that's $30,000 per day. The Crown has a crew of 1200...out of that, who knows, perhaps 900 are sharing tips, probably less. That boils down to a little over $33 per day each ($230/wk). Even if all 1200 shared in the tips, it would still be $25 each per day.

 

I doubt that Princess is paying a living wage. Service providers on cruise ships depend on tips in order to survive, but I believe they are getting much more than $2.50 per day.

 

Lew

 

 

I can't believe I'm even responding but here goes. My figures dealt with the $10 per day per passenger and the statement

averages less than $2.50 a day per service provider

was reflective of just how little a single passenger contributed each day to the people servicing them, not the total daily wage of each provider.

 

 

Your statement

I doubt that Princess is paying a living wage. Service providers on cruise ships depend on tips in order to survive, but I believe they are getting much more than $2.50 per day.

is very true, these folks do not earn a living wage and do depend on tips in order to survive. But, I did not say they only made $2.50 a day - what I said was out of a passengers auto tip of $10 it

averages less than $2.50 a day per service provider

.

 

Since it appears that bobbycruiser the OP has gotten his questions answered I believe I'll leave this thread. Lew you are just going to have to find someone else to beat up on. Maybe after I've taken a few more Princess cruises I'll be as perspicacious as you are.

[bobbycruiser]

That's pretty much it, except for fresh sushi at Vines and the ice cream cafe next to the pizza station. We loved our Crown cruise out of NYC last summer, here's a link to our webshots if you're interested: http://community.webshots.com/user/cynbar101. OUr first port was Bermuda, followed by San Juan then St Thomas then Grand Turk. We were sailing with DD as part of her college graduation present --- I got home to find that I was so busy taking pictures, I wasn't in too many of them !! That's her you'll see............

 

shes cute, lol, lemme stop...hahahaha

[Vanilla]

Anyone know the answer to this?

The breakfast room service menu is limited - if I write in "pineapple juice", will I be charged for that? It isn't listed as one of the juices offered. Also, if I write in "Fruit Loops" instead of the cold cereals they offer as choices, will I be charged additionally for that?

[from the desert]

Anyone know the answer to this?

The breakfast room service menu is limited - if I write in "pineapple juice", will I be charged for that? It isn't listed as one of the juices offered. Also, if I write in "Fruit Loops" instead of the cold cereals they offer as choices, will I be charged additionally for that?

 

If it is "standard" just not listed on the menu, then you wouldn't have to pay for it. If they have to send someone out to the grocery store to get it I'm sure they would charge you.

[cynbar]

Would someone mind sharing the cost of the sushi? We enjoy sushi before dinner on Celebrity's ships, but it's free. I'm sure my guys will still want to stick to the same pre-dinner ritual. I'm just wondering how much it will cost us. :) TIA

 

The price in Vines is $3.00 for 3 pieces. However, sushi is also often available for free up in Cafe Caribe, on both the lunch and dinner buffets. The difference is that the the sushi in Vines is made to order, like at a sushi bar.

[regnig]

Anyone know the answer to this?

The breakfast room service menu is limited - if I write in "pineapple juice", will I be charged for that? It isn't listed as one of the juices offered. Also, if I write in "Fruit Loops" instead of the cold cereals they offer as choices, will I be charged additionally for that?

 

I'm not sure I've ever seen pineapple juice but then I've not really looked either. They always have fresh pineapple which we have found to be very good. You might want to check the cereal selection at the Horizon to see if Fruit Loops is even offered. If it is you just might want to pick some up for use on subsequent days in your cabin. At the Horizon there are boxed cereals and also big bowls of a granola type mix.

[tarheelmjfan]

The price in Vines is $3.00 for 3 pieces. However, sushi is also often available for free up in Cafe Caribe, on both the lunch and dinner buffets. The difference is that the the sushi in Vines is made to order, like at a sushi bar.

 

Thanks for the info. That's a great price! I think we can handle that. :p We like to dine late, so we'll be sure to check the Cafe Caribe also. Although, sipping a glass of wine, while enjoying the sushi sounds awfully nice. ;)

[bobbycruiser]

aside from the main dining room, is there ever cheesecake served on board? i am a cheese cake fiend, haha