What is so great about the Royal/Regal buffet?

[shredie]

Menudo, the soup. :)

Also, besides tacos, do they have enchiladas and tamales at the HC?[/size][/color][/color][/b]

 

The "Mexican" food on Princess has never been good, IMO. They make enchiladas with flour tortillas, for pete's sake. :rolleyes:

[Blueyedbear]

Cruising on Royal Princess on January 9 th , any suggestions for hotels for two nights prior to the sailing date.

[jonesmen]

We've always stayed at the Embassy Suites (and are again in December). Close to the port and walking distance to restaurants, Publix, etc. Also, there is a trolley stop at the Harbor Shops behind the hotel that goes all around Ft. Lauderdale.

[capriccio]

Cruising on Royal Princess on January 9 th , any suggestions for hotels for two nights prior to the sailing date.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Take a look at the Florida Departures Board (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495) where this question is answered almost daily. Also take a look at http://www.sunny.org, the Fort Lauderdale tourism website that has lots of info on lodging, transportation and attractions. Many people will recommend hotels in the 17th Street area near the port. IMHO that is a great location if you are just spending one night and need a place to have dinner and lay your head. Given that you are spending 2 nights, I'd recommend the beach area (a wide range of hotels) or downtown Las Olas Blvd (the Riverside hotel). And just a warning - January is high season in south Florida and prices will be high.

[jpcello]

I am SO excited to read this. This is our first Princess cruise and we're sailing on the Regal in 2 weeks. We have late MDR seating to appease my sister but I suspect that we'll probably never eat in the dining room. Between Afredo's one night (thanks for the tip CC) and the buffet, I think we're all set.

[floridalover5623]

Last cruise on the Regal we booked deck 16 just to be close to it.....They offered us an upgrade to a bigger cabin on a lower deck, which I refused....lol...Booked again for Nov. 2017 deck 16 of course.....lol now I just have to tell them we won't take any upgrades unless it's on deck 16 :D

 

How did you like the Royal buffet compared to the Costa Riviera lunch buffet? :D:rolleyes:

[cruiseintoheaven]

This thread is making me hungry - and I think I gained a few pounds just mentally reliving all of the choices on the Regal. We have two weeks booked on her in February - DH and I have already "pinkie promised" we WON'T go to the HC every night, you can stay on Emerald and walk the stairs all throughout your cruise but it's impossible to outrun that many calories! (Sorry Shreddie:).....but yes, between Alfredo's, the IC, and the expanded HC, getting all gussied up for the MDR can feel like a Herculean effort!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruiselover57]

I have read that Royal/Regal have the best buffet. However, looking at the photos, it doesn't seem that the food quality is any different than other Princess buffets.

 

Is it just more perceived variety? I don't need 8 colors (flavors?) of panna cotta. Or 6 types of cookie, none of which contain butter. Or laminated pastry in myriad shapes, none of which were made with butter. Are there any desserts offered that are better than on other Princess ships?

 

I would like to see greater variety in the types of fruit served, not just melons, oranges, kiwi, apples, pears and bananas. Are berries available? Figs? Peaches? Cherries? Lychee? Any fruit that one doesn't find at other Princess buffets.

 

More choices of vegetables and greens at the salad bar?

 

So I guess my question is whether any new items are appearing, or is just more incremental variations of existing Princess items.

 

Is there a gluten-free section, or at least clearly and accurately marked GF items?

 

Or is the overall atmosphere of the buffet just more pleasant...nicer furniture and decor and less crowds?

 

I too have heard the buffets on these 2 newer ships are better than the other Princess ships (I will see for myself next month when we're on the Royal). I think what people are trying to say is that for the most part, it's the way it's designed (i.e., not going in one way and exiting from another and then having people sneak back in the exit which is commonly done) and it causes all kinds of chaos at times. The buffet from the pics looks wide open and they probably have stations like Italian, Mexican, salad bar, etc. (very similar to what we got when we were on the Celebrity Solstice back in January). I also thought that Celebrity had lots more choices of salad items and dressings (I love honey mustard and could never get that at the buffet during the day). However, I'm just happy to have a good meal - doesn't have to be anything fancy either.

Edited September 23, 2016 by cruiselover57

[umuva]

Not just the way designed, although far superior to crowded design on other ships. The variety is what makes it better. Far more choices. Very difficult not to find something you might like.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Hlitner]

The "Mexican" food on Princess has never been good, IMO. They make enchiladas with flour tortillas, for pete's sake. :rolleyes:

 

The Mexican food on Princess is more "Tex-Mex" then real "Mex" :). But the reality is that many Americans are used to Tex Mex and think its real Mexican cuisine. We live in Puerto Vallarta for part of the year....where we can certainly get the real thing...but ironically, we have a popular restaurant in PV that calls itself "Mex-Tex." Go figure.

 

Hank

[Moondogy]

How did you like the Royal buffet compared to the Costa Riviera lunch buffet? :D:rolleyes:

Don't remember much about Costa except we was put on the VIP list and got the best treatment we've ever had....[emoji1]

 

Sent from my SM-G920T1 using Forums mobile app

[floridalover5623]

Don't remember much about Costa except we was put on the VIP list and got the best treatment we've ever had....[emoji1]

 

Sent from my SM-G920T1 using Forums mobile app

 

I just asked for fun. Looking back at some old photo's I can now recall how the lunch buffet was set up. 1 line with food being keep warm on one long table with Sterno cans. The tables were set up like a HS cafeteria and 1 frozen ice cream machine at one end.

It was the first & last Costa cruise for us.