Thanksgiving

[juliet]

Looking into a cruise during Thanksgiving.  Does Princess do anything special for the holiday?  How's the dinner?

[redtees]

We'll be on the Hawaiian cruise over Thanksgiving.  Hope they have a fancy feast!

[tawlaw1526]

Thanksgiving on a ships is very nice.  They always have nice decorations in the Piazza.    They will have Turkey on the menu and in the buffet.   If you only cruise for 7 days the week of Thanksgiving, expect a lot of kids on board.  

[satxdiver]

Last Thanksgiving on the CB they decorated the piazza and some in the MDRs.  One of the menu items that night was the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, dressing etc.  

[Mud_Shark]

We were on the Royal last (US) Thanksgiving.  There were some decorations and fruit carvings in the atrium, but overall there was not a lot of extras, but the meal was about the best I have ever had.  My wife was not feeling that good, so we did not go to the dining room but went to the buffet instead.  There was of course carved turkey, but there were also shrimp, lobster, and several other excellent choices - can't remember them all, but remember enjoying the meal.  Or, if like me, you do not have to decide - just have some of everything that looks good.

 

Don

[caribill]

The turkey on the Thanksgiving Day menu is the same that is usually offered on the last night of most Princess cruises.

 

They do add some special items that night such as pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie.

[Katwoman007]

They had a Turkey meal. Then they had a Turkey Dinner photo op so you could take a photo. We did not see it as we were in Cabo all day and missed it. But saw the photos on the wall. lol 

[MissP22]

We've done many thanksgiving cruises & although they decorate the Piazza with some traditional things, the overall celebration isn't what you might expect. 

I've always found the turkey served in the DR to be mediocre and the buffet to be much better.

I do enjoy the fact that I don't have to prepare all those items plus clean up after everyone.   😊

[JF - retired RRT]

33 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

We've done many thanksgiving cruises & although they decorate the Piazza with some traditional things, the overall celebration isn't what you might expect. 

I've always found the turkey served in the DR to be mediocre and the buffet to be much better.

I do enjoy the fact that I don't have to prepare all those items plus clean up after everyone.   😊

YES! YES! YES!!!

[EmilyColwell]

Do they just celebrate US Thanksgiving?

I am a Canadian who will be on a cruise departing from Vancouver during Thanksgiving and wondering if they do anything over that day as well?

[wrongwaywatson]

We sailed on the Regal over Thanksgiving and it was a nice dinner.  There were LOTS of children on board.   None were a problem, though, they were all well behaved.

[Thrak]

On 5/11/2019 at 10:53 PM, caribill said:

The turkey on the Thanksgiving Day menu is the same that is usually offered on the last night of most Princess cruises.

 

They do add some special items that night such as pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie.

 

Don't expect normal pumpkin pie. Princess is absolutely clueless about that item. The turkey dinner is like you would get at a local diner - nothing great. We were at sea last Thanksgiving. Meh... Remember that none of crew (other than perhaps a few CD staff or officers) are from the US or Canada. Thanksgiving is not something they grew up with.

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, Thrak said:

Don't expect normal pumpkin pie. Princess is absolutely clueless about that item.

It's absolutely the worst I've ever tasted. 🤢

I could teach them a thing or two and it's not all that hard. 

[fishywood]

I was on Ruby Princess in her last season in the Caribbean for Thanksgiving 2016. Lots of family groups but no random packs of kids or teens roaming the ship that I have seen on a couple of Eastertime cruises. Thanksgiving dinner was more continental style, possible in deference to greater than 20% of the ship being on the second week of a B2B fly/cruise holiday from Europe. Turkey was served over a bed of carrots, broccoli and polenta (!) with stuffing and yams on the side. If you want more than a thimbleful of cranberry sauce be sure to ask when ordering; our server secured a full tureen for her station and doled out extra throughout the meal. And of course it was also lobster night (as it was on my other Thanksgiving cruise on another line); while no one at our table asked I did overhear others saying they requested and received both.

 

Unfortunately the above reports on the pumpkin pie are accurate. Mrs. Smith's is gourmet by comparison.

[Micahs Grandad]

11 minutes ago, fishywood said:

I was on Ruby Princess in her last season in the Caribbean for Thanksgiving 2016. Lots of family groups but no random packs of kids or teens roaming the ship that I have seen on a couple of Eastertime cruises. Thanksgiving dinner was more continental style, possible in deference to greater than 20% of the ship being on the second week of a B2B fly/cruise holiday from Europe. Turkey was served over a bed of carrots, broccoli and polenta (!) with stuffing and yams on the side. If you want more than a thimbleful of cranberry sauce be sure to ask when ordering; our server secured a full tureen for her station and doled out extra throughout the meal. And of course it was also lobster night (as it was on my other Thanksgiving cruise on another line); while no one at our table asked I did overhear others saying they requested and received both.

 

Unfortunately the above reports on the pumpkin pie are accurate. Mrs. Smith's is gourmet by comparison.

Never understood why cruise lines never learned how to make good pies. Mrs Smith is far superior.

[MissP22]

47 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

Never understood why cruise lines never learned how to make good pies. Mrs Smith is far superior.

What I can't quite comprehend is the fact that all the Princess cooks seen to follow the same recipe year after year since I can't remember. 

You would think that sooner or later they would learn from people's comments that what they're doing is not quite right & improve upon it. 

After all, most of the main courses & desserts seem to please most people & if the didn't Princess would change them accordingly.

[Micahs Grandad]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

What I can't quite comprehend is the fact that all the Princess cooks seen to follow the same recipe year after year since I can't remember. 

You would think that sooner or later they would learn from people's comments that what they're doing is not quite right & improve upon it. 

After all, most of the main courses & desserts seem to please most people & if the didn't Princess would change them accordingly.

For some reason they like to make incredibly dry pies. Makes no sense to me.

Once asked a pastry chef and his answer was this is how they are told to make them.

[MissP22]

8 minutes ago, Micah's Grandad said:

For some reason they like to make incredibly dry pies. Makes no sense to me.

Once asked a pastry chef and his answer was this is how they are told to make them.

A good example is their Pecan pie.

You'll never see anything that resembles this on a Princess ship. 😉

[Micahs Grandad]

12 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

A good example is their Pecan pie.

You'll never see anything that resembles this on a Princess ship. 😉

Oh for the good old days when I could have a slice every night

[FLCruise7]

The item we've found that they don't know how to make -- biscuits!!  They make all those other wonderful breads, but can't seem to master the art of biscuits!  My DH did try the biscuits on our latest Regal sailing & he said they were "better" than he's had, but still not really biscuits that we've used to (in the South).

 

But, the pecan pie they had in the International Café was loaded with pecans & pretty tasty!!

[Diver2014]

We were on Crown Princess during Thanksgiving 2018.  We were docked in Barbados that day so it was no big deal but there were decorations in the atrium and the dinner meal was absolutely delicious.  Yes, we had turkey and all the trimmings.  I don't know about the pies because I ordered crème brulee every night for dessert.....absolutely some of the best I've ever had. Most pumpkin pies I've had (other than mine and my mother's) aren't very good because the crust is like cardboard (not enough shortening) and not enough spices (you need more than just 'pumpkin pie spice'.....I add cloves and cinnamon) and brown sugar

in the pumpkin along with a can of evaporated milk and eggs).  It's just not that difficult.  Maybe the dessert chef needs to read the recipe on the inside of the Libby's canned pumpkin label. 🙄

I also agree about the biscuits.  I learned to make biscuits when I was 3 years old.  It's not that hard. At least not as hard as the biscuits on the ship......

Edited May 14, 2019 by Diver2014

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, FLCruise7 said:

The item we've found that they don't know how to make -- biscuits!!  They make all those other wonderful breads, but can't seem to master the art of biscuits!  My DH did try the biscuits on our latest Regal sailing & he said they were "better" than he's had, but still not really biscuits that we've used to (in the South).

 

But, the pecan pie they had in the International Café was loaded with pecans & pretty tasty!!

Compared to cardboard, it is.

[peanutter]

6 hours ago, FLCruise7 said:

The item we've found that they don't know how to make -- biscuits!!  They make all those other wonderful breads, but can't seem to master the art of biscuits!  My DH did try the biscuits on our latest Regal sailing & he said they were "better" than he's had, but still not really biscuits that we've used to (in the South).

 

But, the pecan pie they had in the International Café was loaded with pecans & pretty tasty!!

 

I agree with you on both points.  I'm to the point I do not even try biscuits (or cornbread) unless I personally know who made them (unless we're talking about the British version of biscuits or cookies, and in that case, I'm all over them!) We have found the pecan pies on Princess to be very tasty.

 

Too bad about the pumpkin pie reviews.  Maybe they need to try making a sweet potato pie instead?  That's what I make and I love them. 

 

Even so, we have never been on a Thanksgiving cruise and I am totally intrigued by the idea of not having to cook, clean or deal with any holiday issues.  I would welcome a burger or pizza by the pool and nice warm (hot) breezes across the deck :)

 

[roomba920]

We did this on the Star in 2013.

Lots of football on the Lido deck. 😀

We ate in the buffet and it was fine.

Edited May 14, 2019 by roomba920

[Thrak]

Good biscuits are not hard to make. Neither is good pumpkin pie. Good pie crust is hard to come by. I grew up thinking I didn't like pie crust. The first time I had my wife's pie crust I was absolutely amazed. I have actually made very good pie crust with her coaching but it wasn't as good as hers. One secret is to use as little water as possible. Don't pour in water - use a spoon and add it a little at a time. I never make pecan pie. Where I live walnuts are grown and I have always made walnut pie. It's the same as pecan pie just using a different nut. I make it every Thanksgiving and if I were to show up at a family Thanksgiving dinner without it I would be in deep trouble. It's really good stuff. 😊