Menu Changes

[CroozBlooz]

While I don't memorize the menus or even print them off and compare them from cruise to cruise, am I crazy or do the menus rarely change? We have been cruising on Princess for about 10 years (one or two cruises per year) and the menus seem to be generally the same over time.

 

If this has been discussed already, I apologize, but I don't recall having seen it. What does everyone else think?

[Ethel5]

While I don't memorize the menus or even print them off and compare them from cruise to cruise, am I crazy or do the menus rarely change? We have been cruising on Princess for about 10 years (one or two cruises per year) and the menus seem to be generally the same over time.

 

If this has been discussed already, I apologize, but I don't recall having seen it. What does everyone else think?

 

Your memory is right on! The menus don't change for the most part. For frequent cruisers, this gets a little boring.:(

[roohound]

ITA

 

Altho I think they added the Caribbean menu last year...not sure what it replaced th o as I know we still had the French/Continental menu that cruise

[CroozBlooz]

It's been a while since we've sailed on NCL, but I think they did a much better job of changing menu items over time...

[ManhattanCruiser]

It's true that the menu rarely (if ever) changes... but one reason that doesn't bother me very much is because I'm certain which nights I just can't miss dinner in the main dining room and which ones I might be able to eat at the buffet instead.

 

I guess it would be risky to retire certain dishes and add others. Some people have their favorites and would be disappointed if they were gone, and what they replace it with would be up for major scrutiny from past passengers.

 

I remember the fury that erupted when the "Love Boat Dream" dessert was unavailable for a while (it may still be, I'm not a chocolate-lover), people were ready to jump-ship over that!

[BJS]

The menus stay the same. They may be prepared slightly different by the individual chefs. We were told the chefs could do their own interpretation of the "basic" Princess menus.

[Coral]

The menus only change slightly but that is OK with me. My favorite restaurants locally don't change their menu that often either.

[CroozBlooz]

Interesting. Most of the restaurants I go to change menus twice a year, if not seasonally. I can understand them keeping certain mainstays; the always available items and certain of the "name" desserts. But I really wish they would change the menus. Oh well, I suppose that just isn't going to happen.

[edste]

I think that the menus do change some according to where you are traveling.

[PescadoAmarillo]

The basic, 7 day menus are getting a bit boring. But, I have to give Princess credit: on our 30 day Sapphire cruise last year, we had 30 different menus. It was amazing and very interesting. This proves that Princess can be creative when required; I think it simply makes procurement a lot easier by sticking with the standard menu on shorter cruises.

[cruisequeen10]

The thing that they should really change is the entertainment. Sometimes they have it for 5 years and if you cruise once or twice a year, then you see the same thing.

[ladylynne]

having sailed on the golden for the last 3 cruises... I was getting very bored with the entertainment.... shirleeeeeeyyyyyy was driving me crazy.. i even heard it in my sleep after we got home! As for the menus... they were basiclly the same with a few different twists. I was devastated when I learned there wasn't going to be french onion soup on our last cruise but the head waiter (whom I got to know since I've seen him on 4 previous cruises) hooked us up with the soup one night...(I love you Genesis!!).

 

Holidays generally offer a little change as well...the Halloween cruise offers quite a few pumpkin base selections.

 

happy sailing!!

[m steve]

I think that some change could help depending on where the ship goes. A little more Caribbean choices when there as well as more rums at the bar reflecting the different islands. Same if going to Alaska, more local fresh food and when going along Mexico more fresh fruit and veg. No reason to serve white tomatoes when all the supermarkets stateside serve ripe ones from Mexico and how about mango, papaya and RIPE pineapple?

[cruzinchris]

I bought the Princess cookbook and noticed recipes for items that I'd never enjoyed on our four cruises. I assumed that some menu selections appear on longer voyages and/or different itineraries.

 

I would like to see a special or two each night in addition to the basic menu items that are standard on most 7-night sailings. Someone mentioned a 30-day cruise and the ever-changing offerings: It would be nice to enjoy other dishes in Princess' repertoire. Most nice restaurants retain a basic menu and supplement this with nightly and/or seasonal specials. DH and I both have our Princess favorites, as I'm sure many regular passengers do, but I would like to see a bit more variety from one cruise to the next.

 

Regarding entertainment: DH and I aren't really into the types of shows that are offered on cruiseships. We don't care for the magicians, comedians, jugglers, etc., and we haven't been impressed with vocalists other than Bert Stratton - he's amazing! We didn't get in to see either of the production shows on the CB in January, but neither show won rave reviews from fellow passengers. There was no classical concert on the CB, but we've enjoyed these on other ships.

 

DH and I are a bit young to have been Letterman groupies, but the 50s singing group was on our CB sailing. They performed private concerts and met with members of a national fan club. We wouldn't have known about this until we met several members of the fan club at breakfast a few mornings. The special Lettermancruise had been booked nearly two years in advance, and there were about 200 in the travel group. Wouldn't it be nice to have real headliners who entertained everyone on the ship?

 

Bon Voyage!

Chris

[cruzinchris]

I bought the Princess cookbook and noticed recipes for items that I'd never enjoyed on our four cruises. I assumed that some menu selections appear on longer voyages and/or different itineraries.

 

I would like to see a special or two each night in addition to the basic menu items that are standard on most 7-night sailings. Someone mentioned a 30-day cruise and the ever-changing offerings: It would be nice to enjoy other dishes in Princess' repertoire. Most nice restaurants retain a basic menu and supplement this with nightly and/or seasonal specials. DH and I both have our Princess favorites, as I'm sure many regular passengers do, but I would like to see a bit more variety from one cruise to the next.

 

Regarding entertainment: DH and I aren't really into the types of shows that are offered on cruiseships. We don't care for the magicians, comedians, jugglers, etc., and we haven't been impressed with vocalists other than Bert Stratton - he's amazing! We didn't get in to see either of the production shows on the CB in January, but neither show won rave reviews from fellow passengers. There was no classical concert on the CB, but we've enjoyed these on other ships.

 

DH and I are a bit young to have been Letterman groupies, but the 50s singing group was on our CB sailing. They performed private concerts and met with members of a national fan club. We wouldn't have known about this until we met several members of the fan club at breakfast a few mornings. The special Lettermancruise had been booked nearly two years in advance, and there were about 200 in the travel group. Wouldn't it be nice to have real headliners who entertained everyone on the ship?

 

Bon Voyage!

Chris

[Pam in CA]

The menu on our 21-day cruise last April/May changed every day. There were a number of very "different" themes and dishes that made it interesting.

[Pam in CA]

The menu on our 21-day cruise last April/May changed every day. There were a number of very "different" themes and dishes that made it interesting.

[Tandy]

I don't mind the menus not changing as I like the food. I do agree about the entertainment. Princess encourage repeats with their platinum & elite status why not further encougage it with a change of entertainment?

[Tandy]

I don't mind the menus not changing as I like the food. I do agree about the entertainment. Princess encourage repeats with their platinum & elite status why not further encougage it with a change of entertainment?

[CroozBlooz]

I'd think a bit of change all around would be welcomed by the staff as well!

 

BTW, it seems to be Princess' practice to keep things the same over long periods of time. It doesn't look like the movies on MUTS have changed in quite a while. They should keep these things, as well as menus and entertainment, fresh and changing to encourage repeat business.

[CroozBlooz]

I'd think a bit of change all around would be welcomed by the staff as well!

 

BTW, it seems to be Princess' practice to keep things the same over long periods of time. It doesn't look like the movies on MUTS have changed in quite a while. They should keep these things, as well as menus and entertainment, fresh and changing to encourage repeat business.

[EricJ]

Increased variety of food and entertainment would definitely pay off for Princess (or any other mainstream cruise line). We alternate between RCI and Princess for this reason. Well, OK, there are a few other reasons too, but this is a big one for me.

[HahvadYaad]

Personally I wish Princess would overhaul their menu. Leave the stalwarts but introduce a more contemporary menu. I find the current and probably original, LOL, menu old-fashioned and somewhat stale so to speak.

 

At least they could use some inoffensive herb like parsley in their side dishes.

 

And get rid of the excessive use of salt. Although I love the broths and soups, the salt is overkill.

 

And I like salt.

[julieh]

I was on the Sea Princess last May and we had the corporate chef on board as it was the maiden voyage. I asked him the question why the menu's did not change. He stated that they are different according to the length of the cruise. So if you book a b2b 7 night you will have the same. If you book a 14 night you will have different choices the second week etc. This ties in with the previous posters on their longer cruises had different every day.

 

Still seems a shame that if you can only take short breaks that you have to have the same food everytime.

 

Julie

[Zebboriah]

Oh I know...man! That beef wellington and lobster tail cruise after cruise. Come on! Give me some variety. I mean, gosh! The food I eat every night at home is SO much better. I could really give Princess a run for their money. Not to mention that sometimes I can get a week long vacation with food, entertainment, room and other immenities for as low as $599!! They really could use a good change in their menu.