Sterling Steakhouse - is it worth the extra $$$?

Going on the Golden in a week and a half and I understand that they will be replacing the Desert Rose with a Sterling Steakhouse. We really enjoyed the Desert Rose on the Grand last year. I was wondering if I could get your opinions on whether the Sterling Steakhouse is worth the extra $15? Are the steaks/food significantly better than the dining room or am I paying for atmosphere?

Laura

Festivale 1989

Majesty of the Seas 1997

Paradise 1999

Imagination 2000

Ocean Princess 2000

Grand Princess 2003

Golden Princess 2004

Laura - I haven't gotten to try Sterling yet either! But, I have read some fantastic reviews, so I am really looking forward to it. I love a good steak, especially a good filet.

Pea

5/9 Golden Princess  

I thought so, when we ate there on the Ocean Princess, 3 yrs. ago. At that time the price was only $8 p/p.

Still would be worth it at $15.

Minette

Why is the Sterling Steak House free on the Diamond Princess? Is it more of an upscale menu on Caribbean Princess?

Just curious.

MTS

We paid $15pp on the Caribbean Princess. And yes, it was worth it! Don't forget to try the chocolate pecan pie. Mmmmm. Apparently there were enough people that agreed with our assessment that reservations were very difficult to obtain.

Just completed:

Caribbean Princess Apr 3/04

Golden Princess Apr 10/04

Coming up:

Tahitian Princess Oct 14/04

Ate there on the Sea princess back when it was only $8/pp.

Lots of food so pace yourself!

"a bad day at sea is better than a great day at work and a lousy day at sea is still pretty damn good!"

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MTS:

Why is the Sterling Steak House free on the Diamond Princess? Is it more of an upscale menu on Caribbean Princess?

Just curious.

MTS<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

bump

The Sterling Steakhouse on the Diamond is different then on the Caribbean/Sun/Dawn Princess.

The speciality restaurants on the Diamond Princess are a new concept and currently only exist on the Diamond and the new Sapphire. The menu is more elaborate on the Caribbean/Sun/Dawn Princess.

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I ate at the Sterling Steakhouse on the Sun Princess when it was $8 and it was excellent. I also ate the chocolate pecan pie (very rich). On the Sun Princess - it was outside and over looked the pool area. I hear sometimes they have it inside in the Horizon Court area.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MTS:

Why is the Sterling Steak House free on the Diamond Princess? Is it more of an upscale menu on Caribbean Princess?

Just curious.

MTS<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>On the Diamond, they have four "themed" restaurants instead of the PC dining rooms. Sterling Steakhouse is one of the themed restaurants and therefore included in the cost of your cruise. Sabatini's is the only alternative restaurant with a charge on the Diamond, I believe.

Pea

5/9 Golden Princess  

We paid $8pp on the Tahitian Princess last October. We loved it - we ate there 3 times during our cruise! Our regular dinner tablemates went once, and absolutely hated it. Like everything else - it's just personal preference. IMO - it's definitely worth it!!

Voyager of the Seas - 05/04

Tahitian Princess - 10/03 (Our Honeymoon)

Carnival Paradise - 08/02

It's $15pp now on the Tahitian Princess. I didn't see anything special about the service and we had mixed reviews on the food from the six of us around the table.

Is it worth it? Maybe, maybe not, but you should try it and make up your own mind.

CaptainG

Grandeur of the Seas - Jan 2001

Infinity - Mar 2002

Tahitian Princess - Mar 2004

What is the menu like in Sterling? I would guess that they have more than just a sirloin as an option?

Ribeyes? Porterhouses? Filets?

Time until Sailing

I agree with CaptainG...

Before I sailed on the Grand, everyone was saying whatever you do, don't do to Painted Desert....it is not worth the $$$$

We went anyway, had a great meal (mmmm...pumpkin cheesecake), had a great waiter, and thought it was definitely worth the $$$$

Is there anything vegetarian on the menu? DH is, I'm not and I love a good Pittsburg rare steak. I would love to try the Steakhouse on the Carribean Princess in Sept, but it wouldn't be worth it if he can't go along. Do they deliver to the staterooms?

Angie

Carnival Ecstasy 1999

Norwegian Sea 2001

Norwegian Sun 2001

Norwegian Dawn 2003

Norwegian Dream 2004

Carribean Princess Sept. 2004

Nothing I can remember except salad that would be considered vegetarian on the menu, and if I remember correctly even the ceasar was a chicken ceasar.

No, they do not deliver to the staterooms, alternate restaurants do not deliver.

Tahitian Princess 10/14/04

RCI-Legend of the Seas 3/27/05 Panama Canal.

One Phantom Booking still open with Princess.

Nightstar,

Ribeyes and filets were both on the menu and there were 2 sizes for both.

We tried the Sterling Steakhouse on the (new) Pacific Princess this past November, Papeete to Sydney, and thought it very good and well worth the price. ($15.00 per person)

My wife had the prime rib, carved at the table from a trolley, and said it was delicious.

I had the small filet mignon, and it was much better than the steaks in the main dining room.

My only regret is that we only ate there once.

Michael

Does anyone know where I can find the menu for the Sterling Steakhouse? Thought someone said to check cruiseclues but I couln't find it there.

Thanks

We tried the Sterling Steakhouse on the Sun last October (still $8pp), and enjoyed it immensely. In fact, we ate there twice!

The atmosphere made it what it was-- being up on top of the Sun looking down at the illuminated pools and feeling the night breeze on Lido deck was an experience never to be forgotten. The place was never full, and the service was so personal that we began laughing as we left because we felt like Hollywood celebs leaving a premiere.. one of the waiters even hugged my wife and I.. the rest of the trip, we would see these waiters doing other duties in the Horizon Court, etc., and they always remembered our names and stopped to help... the Sterling on the Sun class, at least, is well worth it.

26 cruises and counting.....

Carnival, Princess, NCL, HAL, Premier, Dolphin, Costa, RCI.

"I've got a Caribbean soul I can barely control" -- J.B.

Have had very good large spencer steaks and a very pleasant dining experience each time in the Sterling on the TP and Dawn. Will go back.

John

I'll catch hell for this...

But we (group of 4) found the extra $15 per person was not worth it. One steak was undercooked, and we felt VERY rushed thru our meal, to the point where we inquired if they were closing up.

The filet I had was good, but not outstanding. Granted, I can't get that food for $15, but then again, we "paid" for the food with our cruise prices.

Next time, I'm going to skip it. Might try Sabatini's though.

-Jake

Caribbean Princess - 4/17/04

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cruisevegas,

We have put up the Toto2Kansas supplied Sterling Steakhouse menu (November 2003) on our personal Star Princess page:

http://cruiseclues.com/shipstips/starprincess.htm

We also just now added it to our Menus page.

Happy Cruising, Buil, http://cruiseclues.com

Sitmar, RCCL, Costa, HAL, Princess, Royal Cruise Line, Celebrity, Renaissance, Disney, MSC Lirica

"We cannot change the direction of the wind... but we can adjust our sails"

Cruiseclues -

Thanks so much for posting the menu! Nevermind the steaks - I want the maragaritas!

I was just wondering what makes the Steakhouse so special to everyone...

Laura

I don't know whether it's really something "special" or just a change of pace from eating in the regular dining rooms or Horizon Court. I usually eat at one of the alternative restaurants per cruise. Sabatini's just has too much food for me, though!

Pea

5/9 Golden Princess  

Laura, what makes it special to US? Let's see, the quiet atmosphere compared to the diningroom, the wonderful service, the steaks of coarse which we found to be fabulous. More of an intimate dining experience I think, with the greatest food we have found on the ship. Nice and quiet with the time to just talk to our better half without destractions I think was a big part of it.

We also liked Sabatinis, but with the amount of food served, we were just overstuffed afterward. The Steakhouse was just perfect. (only thing we missed was dining under the stars which used to be offered on the Sun Class ships, that made it even more special)

Tahitian Princess 10/14/04

RCI-Legend of the Seas 3/27/05 Panama Canal.

One Phantom Booking still open with Princess.