Royal Princess – Foodie Review with PICTURES!

[cruisefoodie]

The ship:

After reading reviews for the Royal Princess, I was a tiny bit nervous that so many people were unhappy with the ship. We had read complaints about the lack of swimming pools, the lack of a central stair, the lack of the promenade level wrapping around the front of the ship.

 

I am here to say that the Royal Princess is AMAZING! Don’t hesitate to book the Royal; some people will always be negative.

 

It is a BEAUTIFUL ship, there is tons to do, so many great indoor and outdoor spaces to relax or have fun. You will feel like you’re cruising in the lap of luxury. If you accidentally forget the central stair doesn’t go all the way up, then oh well, take a short walk to another stair. Our stomachs could use the exercise.

 

 

(Also, I apologize that I have to break this into a bunch of posts to get the pictures in.)

[cruisefoodie]

The food:

International Café

 

 

Yes, the IC on Royal is better than EVER. It is larger, with one whole counter dedicated to desserts, another to salads, and another to sandwiches. It still has those nice glass counters for special desserts too, like the Tiramisu (heavenly!!). And, all the food at the IC is complimentary, you just pay for coffee or drinks if you want them.

 

 

If you want hundreds more FOOD PICTURES, take a look at our album here:

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

 

Breakfast – DO NOT MISS THE CROISSANT DONUT! I guess another name for this is the “cronut”, and whatever you do, you must try it at least once. It is super crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and covered with cinnamon and sugar – yum!!! All the breakfast croissants are fresh baked and warm and flaky. We also really enjoyed the donuts, they were the perfect texture with a good amount of filling or frosting.

The Croissant Donut

 

One of the 3 Breakfast Counters

 

Chocolate Croissant, Hazelnut Roll, Croissant Donut

[sunsetbeachgal]

I have never seen the croissant doughnut before...can't wait to try it!

 

We sailed on the Royal last summer, within a month of when she was delivered, and absolutely loved the ship. Cant wait to sail on the Regal in January! ;)

[cruisefoodie]

(Still the International Cafe)

 

Of course, most everything is delicious, but our favorite desserts are the Tiramisu, White and Dark Chocolate Mousse, Peanut Butter Chocolate Cup, Fruit tarts, Mille Fueilles (of any flavor), Pavlovas. The tiramisu at the IC is creamer (more custard, less cake) than at Alfredo’s and the dining room. We heard the Oreo pie was really good, but it was too much crust, not enough filling for us.

 

 

Every sandwich we tried was a winner, though my particular favorite was the Roasted Pork and Avocado with spicy cilantro sauce. Make sure to get them toasted, it makes them absolutely perfect.

 

 

The salads were good, but more hit and miss. A surefire winner is the classic Princess chicken salad; with cashews, apples, celery, and big chunks of chicken, it is so delicious. I highly recommend the curry chicken salad too. It is not too spicy with just a touch of curry. My family loved the shrimp salad (the shrimp are HUGE). The Thai chicken peanut salad was a big oily for me.

 

Sweet selections

 

Butterscotch tartlet, dark and white chocolate mousse

 

Specialty Coffee!!

 

Shrimp salad, Cheesecake, Peanut butter chocolate cup

 

 

Chicken Salad

 

 

There is so much more seating at the International Café too, on previous ships we found it difficult to find a seat, but this was never the case. There is lots of cozy seating around the huge atrium, which is exquisite, by the way.

[cruisefoodie]

Alfredo’s

 

 

We boarded the ship around 1pm, and when we entered, we walked right past Alfredo’s. It was very quiet and only one couple was eating there. Hint hint, this may be the perfect time to try it! Alfredo’s is an Italian eatery, and complimentary (although we hear Princess may add a fee soon).

 

 

We went for lunch twice, yes, it was so good we had to go back. The first thing to know is that there may be a wait to get a table, especially on sea days. So plan accordingly. The second thing is that the food is phenomenal.

 

 

P.S. Our album here has tons more food pictures! http://www.cruisefoods.com/index.php?ship=royal_princess

 

The Antipasto di Magro is so fresh and delicious, it being mostly grilled vegetables it is very light too. If you want something heavier and cheesier, you must try the Agnolatti Gratinati alla Piemontese (veal agnolatti covered in cheese!). It is as delicious and cheesy at it looks.

 

 

The pizzas are great! I had the Pizza Royal Princess twice, and the crust is crispy, it is covered in delicious toppings, and the parma ham is to die for. It is a perfect combination.

 

 

Honestly, our least favorite part of the meals were the desserts. They were good but not spectacular.

 

 

 

Antipasto assortito di Magro

 

 

Agnolatti Gratinati alla Piemontese (Veal agnolatti)

 

Pizza Royal Princess (AMAZING)

[cruisefoodie]

Afternoon Tea

 

 

I have found a lot of people don’t try afternoon tea. It too is complimentary, and definitely worth a try. I believe the Royal has it every sea day (perhaps some port days too). You can find when it is available on the Princess Patter.

 

 

Afternoon tea is luxurious white glove service. Servers come around with trays loaded with tea sandwiches, pastries, and scones with cream and jam, after having served you tea, cream, and sugar. You will feel so spoiled! If you like scones, you will love this. I particularly enjoyed the pastries, they have some sweets that I had not found anywhere else, like vanilla eclairs and the banana cream cake.

 

 

 

Afternoon tea finger sandwiches and sweets.

 

 

Vanilla eclair, cherry cake, tomato finger sandwich

 

Fruit tart, Chocolate brownie, Scone with jam and cream

[cruisefoodie]

Cooking Show and Galley Tour

 

 

So Princess offers a slew of live cooking demos throughout the cruise. Each is geared towards a style of cooking, like Indian cuisine, Asian fusion, etc. They are located in the Princess Live TV theater, and they are fun to attend.

 

However, the best of ALL of them is the final cooking demo in the big Princess Theater and is followed by the Galley Tour.

 

 

The show if hilarious – if you’ve been to one of these before, you know it is one of the best shows on the ship. It features the Maitre D’ and the Executive Chef, with the cruise director helping them out occasionally. They make the entire theater smell amazing. Then you get to walk through the galley and see the prep areas (including a shelf FULL of the parmesan baskets for the incredible fettuccine alfredo). The entire family loves this event.

 

 

Lots of creme brulees waiting for dinner!

[cruisefoodie]

On the Lido deck

 

 

Princess has the best ice cream of any cruise line. We were actually very disappointed that the Royal Princess only had Swirls (soft serve, no scoop ice cream), because the scoop ice cream is soooo good. The disappointment did not last too long, because we soon found that their soft serve is the creamiest ice cream in the world! Don’t forget to ask for sprinkles. :)

The pizza on the deck is also the best pizza of any cruise line. (Carnival’s we found to be tasteless, and Royal Caribbean’s tasted like frozen pizza). Princess’ is large slices of thin crust pizza. It is very different from Alfredo’s, totally different style of pizza, but is super tasty in itself.

 

 

 

The grill is great. They have of course burgers, hot dogs, fries – all of which are very good. At night they switch over to barbecue. I only made it there once, but the barbecue pork sandwich was better than I expected.

 

 

Soft serve vanilla with sprinkles

 

Pizza (sorry, I had to take a bite!)

[cruisefoodie]

Buffet

 

 

Royal Princess figured out how to do the buffet right. It is HUGE! And you never really have to wait in line because it is so big! Tip to the wise, don’t get caught up at the front, I would advise going to the back. The front of the buffet is more of the cold stuff, then you get to more hot food, then you get to special types of cuisine. Yes, you should walk through the entire buffet or you might miss something! (but maybe on separate trips, it is so big your food may get cold before you get through the whole thing).

 

 

We were quite impressed with the Asian food that was served, everything from rice congee for breakfast to special soups and vegetables. I highly recommend the calamari steak. It looks a little funny, but is quite scrumptious and well cooked. They also have a large selection of salads in the middle of the buffet.

 

 

The pastry shop is AMAZING AWESOMENESS! For any future cruises, I know that I will dearly miss the Royal’s pastry shop. The selection of sweets is unmatched. Some of the pastries you will find at the IC, but there is SO much more in the pastry shop. They are divine. I even watched as they rolled handmade chocolate truffles, and I was in heaven as I ate one. They always have a counter full of yummy cookies too. Note, they also have lots of sugar free and gluten free choices, so it is a win for everyone! YOU. WILL. LOVE. IT!!!!

 

 

Sorry we can’t fit all the pictures, but we have lots more here:

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

 

 

Buffet breakfast with Eggs Benedict (except it had smoked salmon in it today), egg and cheese quesadilla, hash browns, bacon, grilled potatoes, and fruit

 

Buffet lunch

 

Key lie cheesecake, tapioca pudding, fruit tart, creme brulee

 

Coffee and chocolate fudge log, fresh fruit basket

 

Citrus cake with chocolate coffee cream, Toffee crunch cupcakes

[cruisefoodie]

Dining Room

The Main Dining Room with Princess is always exquisite.

 

Breakfast

Service was typically a little bit slow, but still good. Although not always on the menu, you can ask for Eggs Benedict. It is cooked to delicious perfection. They also have a wide array of other foods, like pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, hash browns, ham, and lots and lots of fruit. The Lumberjack, which came with a steak, fried eggs, mushrooms, and hash browns was quite a winner.

 

 

Dinner

There is so much greatness in the MDR menu, so I will just share some favorites from each night.

 

 

For complete pictures and more complete menus, see our foodie album. http://www.cruisefoods.com/index.php?ship=royal_princess

General notes:

Princess does red meat really really well! They also are phenomenal at cold soups, souffles, and sorbets! The Captain’s Dinner and the Chef’s Dinner are incredible – if you only want to eat at the MDR occasionally, pick these days! And lastly but most important, if you are trying to choose between menu items, get BOTH.

 

 

 

 

Day 1:

Red Snapper Mojito - Ceviche with mint, mango, avocado and a splash of Bacardi Superior rum. Winning dish of the 6th annual Bacardi bartender & chef cruise competition awarded to Princess Cruises

 

 

Slow-Roasted Corn-Fed Prime Rib with Natural Rosemary Jus and Horseradish Cream - carved to order with corn-on-the-cob, char-grilled tomato and baked Idaho potato

 

 

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Double Cream - with steeped berries (This is PERFECT for a chocolate lover, it is so rich!!)

 

Princess Love Boat Dream - rich chocolate mousse on brownie (always available)

 

 

Red Snapper Mojito

 

 

 

 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

 

Princess love boat dream (You must try this at least once!)

[cruisefoodie]

Day 2:

Warm Crab & Artichoke Dip with Baguette Chips - seasoned with old bay spice and Dijon mustard

 

 

Grilled Seafood Skewer with Mango & Lime Salsa - a combination of salmon, red snapper, shrimp and sea scallops with bok choy and jasmine rice

 

 

Warm Crab & Artichoke Dip

 

Seafood Skewer

 

 

 

 

Day 3:

Applewood Smoked Duck Breast - with a zesty cranberry-blackberry relish and baby green salad

 

 

Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Pan Jus - on a bed of potato & mushroom ragout with pea pods

 

 

Fettuccine Alfredo in Crisp Parmesan Basket, An All-Time Princess Favorite - rich, comforting and entirely satisfying) The best I have ever had, and make sure you get the entree portion which comes with the CHEESE BASKET!!!!)

 

 

Bananas Foster Flambe - vanilla ice cream

 

 

Smoked Duck Breast

 

Cornish Game Hen

 

Fettuccine Alfredo

[buchananglasgow]

thanks for the post, was a bit worried after reading others said food was medioca. it all looks stunning. you have put my mind at rest also hubbys as he is a head chef to trade.

[cruisefoodie]

Day 4:

Herb & Sea Salt Marinated Seafood Antipasto - shrimp, squid and black mussels with creamy lemon emulsion

Filetto di Mahi Mahi alla Griglia - grilled mahi mahi filet with herb butter, garlic-sauteed Swiss chard and caponata of bell pepper, onion & eggplant, saffron infused potatoes

French Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee - sugar cane crust, lemon madeleines (Always available)

 

 

For more pictures, please take a look at our album here:

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

 

 

Antipasto

 

Mahi Mahi

 

French Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

 

 

Day 5 (Chef’s Dinner):

Twice Baked Goat's Cheese Souffle - garlic sabayon (I don't usually like goat cheese, but this is totally worth a try, I LOVED it)

 

Trilogy of Lamb Loin Chop, Braised Veal Breast & Chicken Kebob - with piquant sauce, garlic sauteed spinach, cherry tomatoes and croquette potatoes

Chocolate Lovers Delight - dark chocolate truffle mousse, tiny gateau opera, velvet chocolate brownie

 

 

Goat cheese souffle

 

 

Trilogy of Lamb, Veal, and Chicken

 

Chocolate Lover's Delight!

[cruisefoodie]

Day 6:

To me, this is the most delicious day of them all! I LOVE the escargots, they are so scrumptious, as is everything else on the menu!

 

 

Escargots Bourguignon - glazed with shallots, parsley and garlic butter

 

 

Filet of Beef Wellington and Truffle-Madeira Demi-Glace - spinach flat, glazed carrots and duchesse potatoes

 

 

Broiled Lobster Tail and King Prawns with Lemon Butter Fondue - paired with a side of grilled asparagus and rice pilaf

 

 

Floating Islands in Vanilla Sauce - caramel drizzle

 

 

Escargots

 

Beef Wellington

 

Lobster and Shrimp

[cruisefoodie]

Day 7:

Trio of Seafood, Citrus and Avocado - lobster, shrimp and squid with orange filets and lime-cilantro vinaigrette

 

 

Grilled New York Cut Strip Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce - tomato provencale, sauteed zucchini and lyonnaise potatoes

 

 

Baked Alaska on Parade - chocolate sauce

 

 

Seafood Trio

 

New York Strip

 

Baked Alaska

[TLC535]

Loving it :D

Thanks for sharing...but now I am starving ;) and can't wait for the Regal in a few weeks :D

[cruisefoodie]

Food Conclusion

 

 

The Royal Princess is a food-lover’s dream! If I could only go on one ship for the rest of my life, I think it would be the Royal Princess. I hope you have enjoyed my food review!

 

 

Again, sorry I could not put too many pictures on the posts, but to see lots more you can visit our album:

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

 

 

 

 

Some Non-Food Info!

 

 

Fitness center

The gym on the Royal is great! It was not quite as nice as the one on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, but great nonetheless. There were plenty of treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and lots of other pieces of equipment. Very clean, with nice views of the ocean.

 

We also participated in the Zumba Fitness classes they held on the basketball court area. If you’re looking for a fun way to exercise, this is it! We were all fairly new to Zumba, but had an absolute blast! The instructor was fun and had lots of fun but challenging routines. You can just follow along if you are a beginner and will have an awesome time!

Seminars

Who wants to go to a seminar on vacation, right? They actually offered some really interesting topics, like Acupuncture, the importance of posture, and many more.

 

 

Shows

We only made it to a small handful of shows in the big Princess theater, but they were quite good. I have heard that the dating game show is fabulous and a can't miss.

They also show movies in the theater (we watched Hunger Games), as well as out on deck for Movies Under the Stars. They show really good movies too! And out under the stars is so relaxing, where you can grab some hot cocoa from the buffet, or a burger and fries as you eat. It is the perfect experience.

[ellie1145]

Thank you for posting this interesting thread. We are booked on Royal for New Year and can't wait.

 

I must admit to a fleeting concern after reading some reviews but you have reassured me. :)

[akeasley]

Wonderful photos!! Thanks for sharing!!

[saltypeer]

Wow.....fantastic pics and some great looking (and i am sure tasting) food.

 

Thanks to 'cruisefoodie' for taking time and effort to post. Now you must excuse me while i go over to your website and drool over the many photos of delicious food options.

 

Nice one.

 

Pete

[Bimmer09]

Fantastic photos! Everything is well-plated and appetizing.

 

Thanks for taking the time to present these so well and giving detailed descriptions.

 

Norris

[4cats4me]

Your pictures are beautiful, and all the food looked very appetizing. If only our food on the Grand Princess had been as good.

The picture of your prime rib is what I had expected but it wasn't anything like what is pictured in your review. Our food was mediocre at best, and that was our 14th Princess cruise. The dining room was mostly good, with a few klunkers. (Dried-out lamb, dry chicken, lackluster veggies, unlike in the pictures of this review )

 

We did enjoy Alfredo's a lot, however.

 

It is pretty obvious that the better looking food is on the newer ship.

 

All three of us were disappointed with several of the food items on the Grand, so it is refreshing to see your pictures to know that maybe the mediocre food was an anomaly.

Edited October 18, 2014 by 4cats4me

[greenorchid152]

Brilliant.!!!!20 days on the Royal over Xmas..Starting with 32"waist trousers,ending with,????Thanks for the great pictures

[Kruznut]

Thank you for sharing those fantastic pictures of all that wonderful looking food ! I can hardly wait to sail on the Royal Princess.

[shredie]

 

It is pretty obvious that the better looking food is on the newer ship.

 

 

I don't think that's true. These pictures look like all the dishes I've had on Princess over the years, and I have yet to sail the Royal or the Regal. I just had the artichoke and crab dip a couple of days ago on the Golden, and it was just as yummy as ever.