Chef's Table Dinner

[ndjoe]

I was wondering what time they normally have the Chef's Table Dinner onboard, and how long does it normally last. Since my wife and I usually have the Traditional 1st Seating, not sure if I wanted to eat real late. Any comments from those who have experienced the Chef's Table would be greatly appreciated.

[celestialcruiser]

Here's a You Tube video from a dinner on the Golden in 2010. We're cruising next month and I hope to do this.

[Iamcruzin]

I was wondering what time they normally have the Chef's Table Dinner onboard, and how long does it normally last. Since my wife and I usually have the Traditional 1st Seating, not sure if I wanted to eat real late. Any comments from those who have experienced the Chef's Table would be greatly appreciated.

We did the Chef's table in 2009. I think it started around 7:00 I don't remember when it ended but I want to say around 10:00. Great experience and well worth the money.

[Iamcruzin]

I forgot to add it's not an eat and run event. Champagne and H'orderves are served in the galley and it is not rushed. They refilled your Champagne glass if you finished before others. They speak about each course and the wine that is served with it.

[Loonbeam]

We met at 5:45 PM for ours on the Island, the galley tour portion started a little after 6. Main dinner was about 7-9:30 by the time we finished chatting it was closing on 10..

[geoherb]

Ours always started around 7. I've done it three times. It's a great experience. Once, though, they couldn't take us into the galley due to rough seas. We ended up getting a small group tour of the galley and the stores the next afternoon when the seas had calmed down. (The maitre d' discounted our price to make up for missing part of the experience--but I think it ended up better for me because we got to enjoy the hors d'ouevres they would have served in the galley in the dining in room instead plus the private tour the next day showed us parts of the ship we would not have seen.)

 

We had a great time yesterday taking the train from Fairbanks to Denali National Park. Mount McKinley cooperated by being visible. I'm so glad because that's one of the things DH wanted to see on this trip. I especially liked the portion of the trip through the canyon. We did not spot any major wildlife along the train ride. One of the great things that we lucked out on was being in the last car. The viewing platform on the back of the train gave us wonderful views.

 

Princess certainly has the process of getting people around worked out. A man came onboard about 30 minutes before the train ride ended to pass out our envelopes with our hotel room assignments and keys along with any info on the tours we had booked.

 

Based on the reviews of the different tours on the Alaska board, I decided to upgrade from the Natural History Tour that came with our cruise tour package to the Tundra Wilderness Tour. My travel agent arranged the upgrade a couple of months ago. I highly recommend doing that. We went so much farther into the park and got to see a ton of wildlife. We saw a dozen grizzly bears, too many caribou to count, two moose, and several Dall sheep, in addition to smaller critters and birds. Our driver had great stories about the park. She and her husband have been driving the tour buses into the park for more than 25 years and they live nearby year round. (The other option would have been to cancel our booked excursion and book one of the shuttle buses that goes into the park instead. I would have done that if we had more time in here, but we only had the one afternoon.)

 

The Princess Lodge at the national park is a sprawling place. Our room is in Building 10. I think there are 11 separate buildings with rooms plus a ton of other buildings with gift shops and restaurants and bars.

 

Across the street from the Princess Lodge are lots more. I went over there to get us a quick bite for lunch between the train ride and our excursion. There's a Subway (without $5 sandwiches--they're considerably more). The line was out the door, so I bought us sandwiches from a little coffee shop nearby. They were good, but expensive. We ate at the bar and grill on the Princess property after our tour. The prices at it were reasonable. My club sandwich was huge and tasty. DH ordered a veggie burger (portobella mushroom). We both opted for the $2 upgrade to get salads instead of chips.

[tarzan_nojane]

Returned last week from the Alaska Inland Passage on the Star. I treated the 11 adults and one glamorous teen in our entourage to a Chef's Table experience. A couple of things to note: For our cruise, it was NOT offered on formal nights, and the price in 2012 per person is $95/$80 without wine.

 

Starting at 7:00pm, we were greeted by the executive chef at the entrance to the Capri dining room, where 12 white jackets awaited us on the coat hooks outside the doors. After a tour of the main galley, we stopped at one corner to meet the Maitre d' for hors d'oeuvres with a backdrop of ice statues, fruit sculptures, and floral arrangements fashioned from intricately-carved fruits and vegetables. Ceviche margaritas, caviar, tartare, truffle mini quiches, and French champagne were offered as the maitre d' and executive chef discussed galley operations and the evening's menu, and thoughtfully engaged all of our questions.

 

Our lovely hostess then escorted us to the dining room to a beautifully- decorated and comfortably-sized table seating two at each end and four on each side. Appropriate excellent wine selections accompanied the next courses, with successive presentations each grander than the one preceding it. The main course of beef tenderloin and roasted veal shank was presented on its own table au flambe, at which point four chefs made quick work of carving and serving the twelve plates almost simultaneously.

 

The grand finale was the dessert, displayed in beautiful bowls fashioned from sugar which could have been crafted by Chihuly himself. The Belgian chocolate domes with a soft mascarpone center were topped with delicate coils of red spun-glass sugar punctuated with clear glass sugar spikes. These were accompanied by a lovely assortment of delicate petit fours and a perfect dessert wine.

 

The ladies were each treated to a red rose stem. A copy of the Princess Courses cookbook autographed by both the Maitre d'Hotel and the Executive Chef was presented to each couple. And each guest received a full-sized photo print of the group, our hosts and chefs, taken with the dessert presentation. The evening drew to a conclusion at about 10:15.

 

For those who appreciate exceptional cuisine and a truly elegant dining experience, the Chef's Table is not to be missed. My brother, who takes his fine dining and wine very seriously, was impressed by how the chefs were able to demonstrate their talents and season the food with much more flair and excitement than when preparing dishes for mass consumption. Our group took advantage of this on Tuesday evening, and from that point on all seemed to enjoy celebrity status with the crew no matter where we were on the ship The maitre d' made a point of checking in on us (different dining rooms) each evening, and even personally served a lobster dinner to my elderly father in his cabin when he was unable to join us in the dining room on Friday evening.

[karonius]

We just returned from an Alaskan cruise on the Island Princess. Our chef's table dinner started at 7:00 pm and wrapped up about 10:15 and there were 9 people total in attendance.

[jtamchay]

is this something that is offered on each night and how soes one sign up for this.I saw the comment about not on formal nights...thanks

[77Network]

is this something that is offered on each night and how soes one sign up for this.I saw the comment about not on formal nights...thanks

 

Not every night. Once, twice or zero times per cruise normally. When you get to your room call the reservations number on your phone.

[jtamchay]

thanks

[karonius]

when we did the chef's dinner last week they told us that they usually only do one per week on that sailing as they avoid late night port nights and formal nights. They also said the week before us they had a wait list for the chef's table, and that our sailing only 9 people signed up. But yes, dial the dine line number when you board to make the reservation.

[jtamchay]

it sounds like hit or miss situation but worth giving it a try...the you tube presentation looked fabulous....thanks

[Treven]

I did this on the Sea this past June. It began at 8, and ended at 10:30; the cost was $95.

[Woobstr112G]

Enjoyed the CT on the Golden last year. Began around 8:00 pm. I really enjoyed it. Hoping to try it on the Sapphire in March 2013 and in October 2013 on the new Royal.

 

Bob

[kendon]

We've done it twice and loved it. The only problem is that you walk in and roll out. OMG...lots of food and wine, and the service was wonderful.

[Coolmama_1]

We met at 5:45 PM for ours on the Island, the galley tour portion started a little after 6. Main dinner was about 7-9:30 by the time we finished chatting it was closing on 10..

 

We experienced the same thing. It was a great night and enjoyed the whole evening at the Chef's Table.

[gertz]

Well worth doing at least once but think that is enough. We still have cook books to give away.