Italian pizza makers gone?

[Ergates The Ant]

I was looking forward to trying the pizza on Emerald Princess, having read how it has been rated the best at sea. I was very disappointed. The cheese topping was very bland, and the pepperoni was flavourless and not at all spicy. Very boring. A very poor comparison with the ready made, cook at home version I can buy in Waitrose, which is spicy with lots of taste. Wouldn't bother again.

[donaldsc]

4 years ago, I sailed on the Island P. on a short repo cruise. The pizza was wonderful and it was pretty much all made by an older Italian piiza maker by trade. He was from Bari and had been recruited by the Hotel Director (also Italian and may have been from Bari).

 

Fast forward to this spring, sailed on the Star P. on the same route. No Italian pizza maker but a couple of Filipinos instead. They haven't made a career making pizza and while the pizza wasn't bad, it wasn't superb.

 

Just wondering if Princess is removing the Italian pizza makers and replacing them with lower-wage workers? The pizzerias were on the pool deck and not in the fancy pizzeria some ships are said to be getting/have.

 

Just because one Italian pizza maker on one ship is gone, this does not mean that all of them are gone or even that there were more than one pizza makers on Princess cruise ships. Maybe he got a better job. Maybe he died. Maybe he got tired of Princess. Who knows.

 

DON

[shredie]

Pizza wars? It's like everything else: some people love it, some don't. I never ask the national origin of the person making my pizza. :rolleyes:

[cruising cockroach]

Does it matter if they are not Italian??

 

Yes, in a way because they've spent their entire careers perfecting making pizza. It is an art. Even Argentina (where there are a lot of ethnic Italians and a pizza culture) doesn't make pizza anywhere as good.

 

If the Philippines were renown for pizza, I wouldn't have any quibble but it's not. Actually, the Filipinos could make mean roast pigs. Unfortunately that is too expensive.

[north of the border]

We also sailed on Sitmar in 1988. Sailed on Fairwind for our honeymoon. The Italian and Portuguese crew were the best. The Italian food was exceptional. We have cruised Princess exclusively since then but unfortunately the quality and creativity of the food keeps declining.

[Astro Flyer]

We also sailed on Sitmar in 1988. Sailed on Fairwind for our honeymoon. The Italian and Portuguese crew were the best. The Italian food was exceptional. We have cruised Princess exclusively since then but unfortunately the quality and creativity of the food keeps declining.

 

We also sailed on Sitmar's Fairwind in 1988 (July) and even though pasta is no longer freshly made onboard, thankfully Princess continues the nightly pasta course because on most nights I get an appetizer size serving of pasta before my entrée. :)

Edited May 15, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[Putterdude]

I rather enjoy the pizza on Princess ships and would be hard pressed to say that it has gone down hill. At my tender age I don't like a big heavy pizza that I wear all day so the Princess product rather fits the bill. Like so many food topics ....you like it, I don't ......I like it, you don't.....its what makes the world go round.

[brianlojeck]

As a polack who makes a mean pizza, an excellent french bread, and an exceptional German chocolate cake, may I humbly suggest that cooking skill isn't a matter of the nationality of your dish?

 

Besides, the pizza served on cruise ships isn't "Italian", it's "New York" style... which is a cousin to the Italian stuff.

[paluni]

I'm another who's never found the pizza on Princess to be something to rave about. I'll have an occasional slice once or twice a cruise. One of my pet peeves is that they never seem to have the advertised ingredients. I remember one time the specialty of the day was supposed to have fresh basil, according to the sign, but they didn't.

I have been on two Princess ships which were supposed to have basil on the pizzas, but they didn't. Disappointing. But I like the pizza. As Jay Leno said, even a bad pizza is still a pizza.

[Skai]

As a polack who makes a mean pizza, an excellent french bread, and an exceptional German chocolate cake, may I humbly...

 

Yeah, you come across pretty humble here:rolleyes:. I'm positive that there's zero doubt that your baking prowess is as "mean" as you declare it to be.:p

 

Perhaps it's merely a coincidence that the decline in quality of Princess Lido Deck Pizza just happens to coincide with the decreasing amount of cooks possessing Italian lineage on board.

 

One might ask: Do the cooks(or their immediate management) have any input on the ingredients procured?

[cruising cockroach]

Perhaps it's merely a coincidence that the decline in quality of Princess Lido Deck Pizza just happens to coincide with the decreasing amount of cooks possessing Italian lineage on board.

 

Maybe someone can ask the pizza makers whether the dough is freshly-made or frozen: The latter exists. Had Pizza Hut Canada pizza the other day (not much delivery choice at the hotel I was staying at) and the dough seemed to have been semi-fried and airy. Unlike any pizza crust I've ever had.

 

One might ask: Do the cooks(or their immediate management) have any input on the ingredients procured?

 

Again, another good question to ask.

[neverbeenhere]

Are the Americans no longer making the burgers and fries?

[shredie]

One might ask: Do the cooks(or their immediate management) have any input on the ingredients procured?

My guess it's all decided by the bean counters at headquarters. :p

Are the Americans no longer making the burgers and fries?

LOL. Although I'm not sure fries are as American as they are French (or Beligian) and that pizza is strictly Italian. :)

[cruising cockroach]

Are the Americans no longer making the burgers and fries?

 

Doesn't take a genius to make it, unlike good pizza.

[UpcountryTravelers]

We were on the Island in January. I had heard so mainly great things about Princess's pizza I really looked forward to it. I found it mediocre at best.........

 

That is my finding, too. After all the remarks about "Princess pizza is the best at sea", I absolutely avoided pizza on any other line, if Princess stuff is the best!

[brianlojeck]

Yeah, you come across pretty humble here:rolleyes:. I'm positive that there's zero doubt that your baking prowess is as "mean" as you declare it to be.:p

 

If I was bragging I'd claim I could reliably flip an easy-over egg. :-)

[cruising cockroach]

That is my finding, too. After all the remarks about "Princess pizza is the best at sea", I absolutely avoided pizza on any other line, if Princess stuff is the best!

 

I do notice that. Was at a AYCE buffet is Reno many decades ago that was voted best by readers of some local paper (not the Gannett one). Friend's remark was, "if this is the best (buffet), can you imagine what the worse ones are like?"

 

Seriously, some folk may think Princess pizzas are still great. If so, that explains all the overweight folk I see at the (admittedly low-borw) resort I'm currently at east of L.A.

[shredie]

Seriously, some folk may think Princess pizzas are still great. If so, that explains all the overweight folk I see at the (admittedly low-borw) resort I'm currently at east of L.A.

 

So anyone who likes Princess pizza is fat and hangs out at dumpy motels in El Monte? That statement makes no sense at all. (IMO.)