Newbie Questions

[Loucat]

We are on the CB next month and this will be our first Princess cruise. Would MUCH appreciate information on Princess dining (specialty and MDR); can you prebook specialty restaurants; if pools are salt or fresh water and anything you would like to share that makes Princess so special.

Thanks so much for any information!

[Kirsten T]

Welcome to Princess! Pools are fresh water. Specialty restaurants can't be booked pre-cruise but you can reserve when you get onboard. We've never had a problem with that, and in our experience they've never been completely booked so just walking in is an option. We often do Crown Grill (or Bayou if we're on Coral/Island) the first night, to avoid the chaos at the Anytime dining rooms (this settles down after the first night.) Check out the menus to see if they appeal ; they're posted by the door of each venue and you can also find them online.

 

If you're doing Anytime Dining, 7-7:30 both dining rooms are typically slammed and require a wait, with a pager. Before 6:30 or 8pm on are quieter. If you want a specific table size, section of the dining room or server, ask and the hostess/Maitre D' will try to accommodate you. I've never done traditional dining on Princess; Anytime has worked well for us as we typically like a table for 2 and dine on the late side.

 

International Cafe has wonderful cookies, small desserts, sandwiches, quiche and soup. No charge for anything except gelato, which is also quite good. The tiny cheesecakes and chocolate pot de creme are my favorites. Specialty coffees and teas and brewed coffee are available for a charge from the IC; you can buy a coffee card (discussed practically every day on the board; just do a Forum search.)

 

The CC Princess community can probably help you best if you ask specific questions; lots of helpful people here. Hope you enjoy your first Princess cruise!

 

Cheers,

Kirsten

[Pam in CA]

... can you prebook specialty restaurants; if pools are salt or fresh water

No, you cannot pre-book specialty restaurants. When you board and go to your cabin, call the DINE line. It'll be marked on the phone. The pools are fresh water.

[ssbeagle]

One nice meal to book as soon as you get on board is the Chef's Table. The charge is $95/person (less if you don't drink wine) and is totally worth the experience. You get a tour of the galley while in action for dinner and a special meal prepared by the chef and the service is wonderful. You also get a cookbook to keep. The dinner is kept to 12 people at a time. Because space is limited, you must sign up as soon as you board. You can call the Dine Line to do that.

[Loucat]

Thanks to all for your helpful information. Do you have comments on the specialty restaurants and what not to miss? How is the food in their buffet area?

[dfwhgsfan]

We ate at Sabatini's on our cruise on the Crown last year. It was excellent and the service was even better. We ate at the buffets on several occasions, usually late at night and they were good, not great, but haven't seen many buffets that were. If you like to try different foods, you have to sign up for the Chef's table. Call the dine line as soon as you board. They will take your name and I believe the day before, you will go and meet with the Maitre D and he will ask you some questions regarding your diet etc... When we did it last year, it was $75 per pp and I think $60 if you don't drink. It was worth every penny and then some. There were a couple of things my wife didn't eat, so I got to eat hers too!

The International Cafe was a wonderful place to snack in between meals. We loved trying some of the different pastries and salads they had.

[cruisefoodie]

Princess food is exquisite! I definitely recommend the International Cafe - I love their tiramisu, panna cottas, and chicken salad the most. They always have cookies, and every so often the cookie man comes out with fresh chocolate chip ones and glasses of milk.

 

We posted our food pictures from the Crown on our food album here:

http://www.cruisefoods.com/index.php?ship=crown_princess

 

Princess buffets are pretty good, better than others. The Mexican lunch is great with churros and other good stuff, and so is the seafood specialty buffet.

 

We did Anytime Dining and it worked perfectly, you could eat around shows and eat later if you ate too much in the afternoon. The MDR is wonderful, do not miss the Chef's Dinner or Captain's Dinner. I highly recommend the prime rib (really cooked to perfection), escargot, beef wellington, flourless chocolate cake, Princess love boat dream dessert, and goat cheese souffle. The cold soups (like smoothies) are also really good.

[angelofjoy23]

Sorry to bring up anytime dining again but I can't seem to find an answer to my question. We are cruising on the CB in April and have selected Anytime Dining. I notice there are 2 AD restaurants on the CB. So, do you just choose one to dine at each night and hope the one you chose has the shortest wait, or do you check in at one dining room and could be selected to go to either? :confused: I'm not really sure how this works. Thanks in advance for the help! :D

[angelofjoy23]

Wow, you can tell I'm a newbie! I thought I was starting my own thread and instead I replied to this one, lol. Sorry about that! Luckily my question does apply to this particular thread so hopefully you don't mind my hijack! :p

[Zena,W.P.]

Sorry to bring up anytime dining again but I can't seem to find an answer to my question. We are cruising on the CB in April and have selected Anytime Dining. I notice there are 2 AD restaurants on the CB. So, do you just choose one to dine at each night and hope the one you chose has the shortest wait, or do you check in at one dining room and could be selected to go to either? :confused: I'm not really sure how this works. Thanks in advance for the help! :D

 

 

We look at the line at each dining room and just choose then.

[caribill]

If there is a big demand for early traditional dining, one of the anytime DRs will be used for an early (5:30 PM) traditional seating and then be anytime when that seating is over.

[GloriaF]

Not sure if they do this anymore, on all ships or on all itineraries, but the first day there used to be a really huge seafood buffet (in the buffet, or course). I'd recommend it if it is still being done -- and I'd like to know if it's still being done, so hope someone will set the record straight for me.