Will Princess ever improve the food in the Specialty restaurants?

[JimmyVWine]

While it would be nice if the quality of food were better at the Specialty restaurants, I find them to be worth my time and money if only for the upgraded dining experience. Smaller venue. Personal service. Better stemware. Food that is cooked to order in a "right-sized" kitchen instead of mass-produced in a galley. I guess I just like that atmosphere every third day or so. No, the food isn't as good as a Michelin starred restaurant. But at the end of the meal, they don't hand me a $500 bill of fare either. When it comes to ship features, I am a "large ship" person. When it comes to dining, I am a "small ship" person. Cruising on a big ship and paying a bit extra a few times for a Specialty restaurant strikes a good compromise even if the quality of food is not a big upgrade. To me, everything else about the experience is a big upgrade. (And to be honest, I do think that at least a third to a half of what is offered at the Specialties is a significant upgrade foodwise.)

[Bimmer09]

While it would be nice if the quality of food were better at the Specialty restaurants, I find them to be worth my time and money if only for the upgraded dining experience. Smaller venue. Personal service. Better stemware. Food that is cooked to order in a "right-sized" kitchen instead of mass-produced in a galley. I guess I just like that atmosphere every third day or so. No, the food isn't as good as a Michelin starred restaurant. But at the end of the meal, they don't hand me a $500 bill of fare either. When it comes to ship features, I am a "large ship" person. When it comes to dining, I am a "small ship" person. Cruising on a big ship and paying a bit extra a few times for a Specialty restaurant strikes a good compromise even if the quality of food is not a big upgrade. To me, everything else about the experience is a big upgrade. (And to be honest, I do think that at least a third to a half of what is offered at the Specialties is a significant upgrade foodwise.)

 

Jimmy, I'm with you on the more relaxed and intimate feel of the specialty restaurant. There's no din of hundreds of people eating and talking, waiters scurrying to keep up with the orders. Even if the food isn't "special" the service and ambiance is.

 

We start each cruise in Sabatini's and have no problem finding something good to eat-usually the salt-baked Branzino. The table-side serving of this dish adds to the anticipation. We don't often eat Italian in Chicago but if we compared our favorite Italian restaurant-Spiaggia to Sabatini's then Sabs would get beaten up like a rag doll. The Spaiggia meal has small appetizers that cost more than the Sab meal and the total spend on land is about 6 times the Sabatini's.

 

You get what you pay for.

 

I doubt if I will ever see the Fresh Maine Lobster the OP mentioned on a Princess ship unless the lobsters swim down from Maine to wherever the ship is sailing and announce their presence to the galley staff. Lobster, being a popular "treat" and Princess' willingness to let people have multiple helpings would really bump up the average cost of a passenger meal for the line and they hope to keep costs down to maximize profit (Capitalism and nothing wrong with that).

 

They (Sabatini's) could benefit from changing the menu more often as so much of Princess' business is repeat, which is what every business strives for.

 

I haven't eaten in specialty restaurants on another cruise line-that would be something for the future.

 

I don't go hungry on Princess.

 

Norris

in Chicago

[Woobstr112G]

I was on the Royal transatlantic. I found the food everywhere on the ship to be up to par, no complaints from any of my cruise mates either. Alfredo's was fantastic. Rack of lamb in the Crown Grill and steamship round in the HC were standouts. We had Leo as our waiter in the in the Symphony dining room and no request was too much trouble for him to fulfill. I was very happy with the variety and quality of the food on the Royal Princess.

 

Aloha Frank. Sorry I didn't get to meet you. Maybe next time!

 

Carolyn;

Did the CG have a rack? I had the very tasty "Chops" but didn't see a rack offered.....

 

Bob

[Woobstr112G]

Sorry you had a bad meal. I like both restaurants. In fact, we went to Sabatini's twice on our last Princess cruise. Good wine selection, very good food and great service.

 

Wine selection in Sabatinis on the Royal was great. I just wish I could remember the name of the Italian red I purchased. It was amazing it was either $38.00 or $48.00 dollars a bottle from what I remember. Anybody out there that can help out?

Bob

[iceleven]

We tried Sabatinis once this year and thought it was just so-so. The atmosphere was nice for those fortunate to have a table away from the kitchen; ours was not.

 

We tried the Crown Grill twice this year, each time on different ships, hoping for a better experience the second time. On the Grand the steaks were tough and 3/4 of it was left on the plate. Second time, on the Golden, we chose different cuts (a chop and a filet). At first I thought I picked up the wrong knife as I was unable to cut through it. But no, it was the right knife but a terribly tough filet as we had difficulty with it even after it left the fork. :(

 

We shared the dessert plate of 5 different small samples and frankly we found each one overly sweet, unappealing and very much a disappointment.

 

The service was great on all occasions but that certainly isn't reason to return to such a mediocre venue. The saving grace to the whole meal was our very own pinot noir which we brought with us to the table with the additional $15 corkage fee.

 

No, I don't think we will try either venue again.

[Astro Flyer]

Wine selection in Sabatinis on the Royal was great. I just wish I could remember the name of the Italian red I purchased. It was amazing it was either $38.00 or $48.00 dollars a bottle from what I remember. Anybody out there that can help out?

Bob

Bob...could the wine be one of the Italian Super Tuscsn wines served at the $40 wine tasting in Sabatini's?

 

Terre More Dell' Ammiraglia - $28

Lucente Della Vite - $34

Le Volte Dell' Ornellaia - $36

 

They said the Frescobaldi Lucente Della Vite was a 'younger' version of the Frescobaldi Luce della Vite ($110)...could that be it? I enjoy Brunello di Montalcino but also the less expensive 'younger' Rosso di Montalcino so it may be the same difference between the Licente & the Luce?

[Woobstr112G]

Bob...could the wine be one of the Italian Super Tuscsn wines served at the $40 wine tasting in Sabatini's?

 

Terre More Dell' Ammiraglia - $28

Lucente Della Vite - $34

Le Volte Dell' Ornellaia - $36

 

They said the Frescobaldi Lucente Della Vite was a 'younger' version of the Frescobaldi Luce della Vite ($110)...could that be it? I enjoy Brunello di Montalcino but also the less expensive 'younger' Rosso di Montalcino so it may be the same difference between the Licente & the Luce?

 

Frank;

The Brunello sounds familiar but I can't be sure:confused:. How much is it a bottle on the ship.....

Bob

[Astro Flyer]

Frank;

The Brunello sounds familiar but I can't be sure:confused:. How much is it a bottle on the ship.....

Bob

The Royal's wine list has a Frescobaldi Rosso di Montalcino & the wine list for other ships has a Palazzo Brunello di Montalcino...$49 each. During our pre-cruise Tuscan visit we bought well priced Rosso & Brunello for our CG & Sabatini's dinners. Even with the corkage fee it was still less expensive for a brand we enjoyed previously. :D

Edited November 10, 2013 by Astro Flyer