We LOVED the Salty Dog

[Mom33]

Thanks to everyone for your reviews and comments about The Salty Dog.

 

I hadn't realized that it was on the Crown till reading this thread. We will have a new venue to try on our cruise next June. :D

[paul32]

If you want to take a look at some pictures of the menu, food, (and chairs) I have a review under my signature.

Great review. Thank you so much for that and for the nice visuals of the menu and items you ordered.

 

It really looks like something we must try on our next cruise (a week from now). Cheers!!!!

[IECalCruiser]

Thanks to everyone for your reviews and comments about The Salty Dog.

 

 

 

I hadn't realized that it was on the Crown till reading this thread. We will have a new venue to try on our cruise next June. :D

I believe that the Salty Dog will only be on the Crown, Emerald and Ruby. To the best of my knowledge, those are the only three ships capable of food service in the Wheelhouse Bar. On other ships the Pub Lunch is served in a different venue. Edited June 4, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[Rockwife]

We enjoyed Salty Dog, but it's far, far too much food for people with a normal appetite/ stomach capacity.

 

First the bread sticks w/ melted cheese. Then a green salad w/ prosciutto. Then french fries (both "regular" and sweet potato). Then your three "small plates" that are not "small" in my book since the food is piled to a "small" mountain. We didn't make it to dessert and our server shared that most folks don't, either.

 

I had the roasted beets, calamari (my favorite), and charred asparagus. Hubs had the grilled cheese and white tomato soup (his favorite), short ribs and lobster mac & cheese.

 

Drinks were very good. I recommend the Negroni if you like a slightly bitter cocktail like I do. Service was excellent. Tables and chairs were perfectly comfortable. $19 cover seemed reasonable, especially if you have a hearty appetite and can get through the menu!

[Jools.s]

I didn't mind the chairs or the venue. The food was pretty good although my burger had a soggy fried pickle and a soggy bun. Not my favourite. However the lobster mac'n'cheese was delicious. The portions were far too big and should be reduced to more tapas size to make them even close to manageable.

 

The crown grill is overall better value for money in my book, though.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Jools.s

[idahospud]

Great review. Thank you so much for that and for the nice visuals of the menu and items you ordered.

 

It really looks like something we must try on our next cruise (a week from now). Cheers!!!!

I've been back two more times now. I'll put up pictures of some of the other items in the next couple days.

[fyrfytr80]

We also enjoyed the Salty Dog on the Crown back in February. We were able to share just one meal-no problem. Our waiter brought extra plates to split our choices. We had the grilled cheese and white tomato soup, the beets, and the burger. All very good and just the right amount of food for us. We'll be going again next month on the Emerald.

[IsanTom]

I like the name, but it sounds more like a seafood restaurant. Fried oysters, Fish & Chips,

and a Margherita or Beer!

[Lucky TGO]

The Salty Dog is the price $19.00 or $29.00 pp now. I thought I seen it was going up.

Tony

Edited June 6, 2016 by Lucky TGO

[idahospud]

the salty dog is the price $19.00 or $29.00 pp now. I thought i seen it was going up.

Tony

$19

[muggo11]

I like to try everything on a cruise at least once. We were excited by the Salty Pub menu. But the experience was uneven, at best. Incredibly molasses-slow service. And they moved us twice! With dancing also going on, impossible to hear ourselves think.

And barstools for 2 hours killed my back and dangling feet. Once was enough. I will just keep going to Crown Grill!

 

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[idahospud]

I like to try everything on a cruise at least once. We were excited by the Salty Pub menu. But the experience was uneven, at best. Incredibly molasses-slow service. And they moved us twice! With dancing also going on, impossible to hear ourselves think.

And barstools for 2 hours killed my back and dangling feet. Once was enough. I will just keep going to Crown Grill!

 

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Which ship? Crown Princess Salty Dog service was the best.

[mariakitty]

I think Salty Dog is a great name!

 

We are really looking forward to this on our Ruby cruise in December, much more so than Share. In fact I'm not sure I can get my husband in Share at all. I would expect a Gastropub to have high tables and stools so not an issue for us, though I can see this would be a problem for others. Hopefully Princess can find a balance. The Ernesto burger looks insanely good!

 

Am I the only one chuckling at the number of comments about Salty Dog serving too much food? Isn't there always too much food on a cruise?! 😋

[Rockwife]

 

Am I the only one chuckling at the number of comments about Salty Dog serving too much food? Isn't there always too much food on a cruise?! 😋

 

Yes, but no one likes to waste food and leaving three dishes mostly uneaten feels crummy. YMMV.

 

I'd rather just order the amount of food I can possibly eat. It's actually easier to do that in, say, Crown Grille (even though the cover charge is higher.) An app, a few small rolls, a steak, one lobster tail, and dessert = perfect for me. Bread sticks, cheese, double fries, large salad, three sizable plates of comfort foods, then dessert = lots of food waste for me.

 

Salty Dog was great, but I would skip all the extras, stick to the three plates and maybe then I'd have room for one of those delicious-looking desserts. Again, you might be different, but when the server tells me few make it to dessert, they're serving too much in one sitting.

[SwissDave]

I think Salty Dog is a great name!

 

We are really looking forward to this on our Ruby cruise in December, much more so than Share. In fact I'm not sure I can get my husband in Share at all. I would expect a Gastropub to have high tables and stools so not an issue for us, though I can see this would be a problem for others. Hopefully Princess can find a balance. The Ernesto burger looks insanely good!

 

Am I the only one chuckling at the number of comments about Salty Dog serving too much food? Isn't there always too much food on a cruise?! 😋

 

Yup, always too much food. I find though it has to be mentioned as there are still many people who have not even been near the place who still think you are paying $19 just for a burger - they just don't get that it is so much more than that.

[Oh2B@C]

It was far better value food wise than the Crown Grill.

 

Now here is a perfect example of how different people can have different opinions. I look at Crown Grill this way: it's $6 more than the Salty Dog, and for that I get

 

> As many items as I can wolf down, including: filet mignon, porterhouse, NZ rack of lamb, lobster bisque, lobster tails, onion soup, need I go on...

> A quiet, reserved atmosphere where I don't have to scream at my table mates to be heard above the noise of the surrounding crowd and musician(s) nearby

> No people walking back and forth coming and going from other venues or just passing by

> Comfortable seating at a standard table

 

Did I mention it's only $6 more than the Salty Dog...? To me, the real value is the Crown Grill. The Salty Dog is a PUB, and that is fine, but the cover charge should be less than $19 by comparison to the CG. Same opinion for Share, priced too high for my taste. But that's what Princess gives the customer: clear choice with subtle difference. Up to us to choose which ones suit us best.

 

As I have stated in previous posts, the only issue I truly have with Salty Dog is that they took away space in the Wheelhouse Bar in order to install yet another for-fee venue. I have no problem with change as long as it's a positive change. When a nice space like the Wheelhouse Bar is partly replaced by a revenue-generating space, I just feel it is showing disrespect to the loyal Princess customer like me.

 

And to those out there who just sit back and let it happen without complaining and accept is as "just the normal course of doing business", well get ready for more changes like:

 

1) Meters on the exercise machines - swipe your cruise card and pay 25 cents a minute to use the treadmill

2) A hospitality tent next to the putting green. For $15 you get to sit and watch the putting competitions from the comfort of your very own comfy chair while you sip on "complimentary" Chateau Tuesday Champagne

3) A toll booth on the Promenade Deck

4) Pay an extra fee to have a special cordoned off area set up for you in the dining room to make you feel more special somehow... (wait, I think they've done that one already...)

5) Fishing poles for rent and catch your own dinner

6) Simulated pirate attack: for $299 you get to fire a water cannon at the dancers dressed up as pirates riding around in their little dingy

7) Reserved seating for shows in the front 2 rows, or better yet, replace the back row with La-z-boys; hmmm, let's try $10 per person per show for that one. Perhaps an all-access pass for $6.95 per day (taxes and service charge extra of course)

 

Do you think some of these ideas are ridiculous? Did you ever think Princess was capable of tearing down the entire Universe Lounge on the Island and replacing it with more cabins?

[Rockwife]

 

Did I mention it's only $6 more than the Salty Dog...? To me, the real value is the Crown Grill. The Salty Dog is a PUB, and that is fine, but the cover charge should be less than $19 by comparison to the CG.

 

 

Crown Grill is now $29, so it's $10 more than Salty Dog. We enjoyed dinners at both last week and thought they were both worth the cover charges. I'd just have ordered differently at SD.

 

I'm impressed at the $8.95 martinis and specialty cocktails. You pay far more than that in most major cities. The happy hours also saved our wallet.

[FlynnRider78]

Does anybody know if children can eat in the Salty Dog with parents in the evening or is it off limits as its a bar?

 

 

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[SwissDave]

Does anybody know if children can eat in the Salty Dog with parents in the evening or is it off limits as its a bar?

 

 

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They sure can. There are no bars off limits to kids except casino, and nightclub after a certain time - 10pm I think.

[SwissDave]

Now here is a perfect example of how different people can have different opinions. I look at Crown Grill this way: it's $6 more than the Salty Dog, and for that I get

 

..snipped...

 

I found the Salty Dog better value possibly because it was a new experience, same as with SHARE, I thought both were well worth the respective cover charges.

We found the Crown Grill to be 'old' after the 2 new places and although we enjoyed the food we just didn't get that 'feeling' in CG this time around. Perhaps it's time for a minor refresh of the menu - as long as they don't break it as they did with Sabatini's (my opinion :) ) We just felt we didn't get the experience we have in the past.

 

At least there is now a bit more choice and I applaud Princess for trying something new to attract new cruisers.

[FlynnRider78]

They sure can. There are no bars off limits to kids except casino, and nightclub after a certain time - 10pm I think.

 

 

 

Thanks [emoji2]

 

 

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[muggo11]

Which ship? Crown Princess Salty Dog service was the best.

 

Idahospud,

We were on the Ruby Princess when we tried Salty Dog.

 

 

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[Lucky TGO]

$19

I called Princess today and was told the price will be $29.00 to go to the Salty Dog. :confused: :confused:

Tony

[Astro Flyer]

I called Princess today and was told the price will be $29.00 to go to the Salty Dog. :confused: :confused:

 

Tony

 

I read a post saying that the Crab Shack was increasing from $20 to $29 (same price as Crown Grill and Sabatini's) so it wouldn't surprise me if the Salty Dog were to increase to $29.

[idahospud]

I called Princess today and was told the price will be $29.00 to go to the Salty Dog. :confused: :confused:

Tony

Here's a pic from the welcome aboard papers I received May 28 on the Crown. I went twice this last week and paid $19. Checked my final bill and I was charged the $19, not $29. Someone at Princess doesn't know what they are talking about.

Edited June 7, 2016 by idahospud