Island Princess casual dining?

[seachelt]

Anybody with recent experience on the Island Princess....are there any "pop up" casual dining opportunities? We have the Plus60 package which entitles us to 2 casual dining meals. The Island does not have Alfredo's. etc etc etc. We sail on August 25th and I'm wondering if we will somehow get any casual dining benefit.

Thanks!!

seachelt

[Waynetor]

The Island has 2 specialty dinning rooms, 2 general dinning room, buffet, grill and pizza on pool deck.  None of the Alfredo type restaurant..  

[reedprincess]

13 minutes ago, seachelt said:

Anybody with recent experience on the Island Princess....are there any "pop up" casual dining opportunities? We have the Plus60 package which entitles us to 2 casual dining meals. The Island does not have Alfredo's. etc etc etc. We sail on August 25th and I'm wondering if we will somehow get any casual dining benefit.

Thanks!!

seachelt

Island has Crab Shack as a pop-up in the buffet at times..

Otherwise, no Vines, Planks, Steamers, O'Malley's, Salty Dog Gastropub, Alfredo's or Gigi's.    

[seachelt]

5 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

Island has Crab Shack as a pop-up in the buffet at times..

Otherwise, no Vines, Planks, Steamers, O'Malley's, Salty Dog Gastropub, Alfredo's or Gigi's.    

Exactly! Hence my question as to whether anyone who recently sailed on the Island was able to somehow get casual dining as a popup. Note that the Plus60 package includes 2 casual dining meals.

Thanks again.

seachelt

 

[sultan_sfo]

35 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

...

Island has Crab Shack as a pop-up in the buffet at times..

...  

 

Sailed many-a-days in 2023 on IslandP. Never had any Crab Shack.

But Sabatinis had quite a few pop-ups lunches labeled as Alfredos.

There were also pub lunches in the Regular MDR -- speculation on Cruise Critic has been Pub Lunches will also become Casual Dininig

[seachelt]

3 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

 

Sailed many-a-days in 2023 on IslandP. Never had any Crab Shack.

But Sabatinis had quite a few pop-ups lunches labeled as Alfredos.

There were also pub lunches in the Regular MDR -- speculation on Cruise Critic has been Pub Lunches will also become Casual Dininig

Thank you very much🙂  

seachelt

[Steelers36]

44 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

speculation on Cruise Critic has been Pub Lunches will also become Casual Dining

Can you point to a credible (non-joking) post or more about this?  I have not seen that and it is doubtful. 

 

[Waynetor]

I was on the ship for 28 nights Ju 28 to Jy 26 and did not see any mention of a crab-shack.  The pup lunch was offered once per 14 night segment.  It was in the main dinning room and was just a case of 3 pup items replacing some of the other lunch options.  Besides the pup items, burgers were also offered as they are everyday.  There is no pup atmosphere when done in the dinning room.  

Never know with Princess, but hard to imaging charging for Bangers and Mash when the buffet offers plenty of items that are better quality for free (my opinion)

[Catchum]

Will be on Island Princess next month and wondered how you find out about the pop up restaurants - I assume they will be on the Platter but do they let you know in advance? Also how are they described? I'm fairly new to princess and don't always get their terminology. 

[Madio]

Not sure if this is the right place to comment and/or ask a question.  We have 47 days on Princess, jumped over to Celebrity because we felt food quality had declined on Princess.  Would like to go back, but only if they have improved the food.  Can't seem to get answers.  Realize the "food question" is subjective.  Thanks for any input.

[Waynetor]

On the Island P in the Patter each day the open hours are listed for each food service location That was the only place the Pub Lunch was mentioned.  The Patter now is only 1 page double sided so not much advertising or descriptions.  If you want to now when something dining wise will happen, ask a head waiter. .  

[wallyworld1059]

On 8/12/2023 at 8:38 PM, seachelt said:

Anybody with recent experience on the Island Princess....are there any "pop up" casual dining opportunities? We have the Plus60 package which entitles us to 2 casual dining meals. The Island does not have Alfredo's. etc etc etc. We sail on August 25th and I'm wondering if we will somehow get any casual dining benefit.

Thanks!!

seachelt

Sorry, I realize it is off topic but what is the Plus60 package?

 

[seachelt]

Hi wallyworld. It is the plus package for which we paid $60. per day per person. The "top of the line" plus package as opposed to the Plus package which was sold for $50. per day per person.😄

seachelt

[caribill]

In June, the Island had "Alfredo's in Sabatini's" several times for lunch.

 

Basically, they offered free pizza Alfredo style at that venue. It was very popular each time it was offered.

 

Not known is if they will continue this or, if they do, charge for it.

 

I am sure the line would much shorter if they charged $12/person for it.

[bob&france]

On 8/15/2023 at 1:39 AM, caribill said:

In June, the Island had "Alfredo's in Sabatini's" several times for lunch.

 

Basically, they offered free pizza Alfredo style at that venue. It was very popular each time it was offered.

 

Not known is if they will continue this or, if they do, charge for it.

 

I am sure the line would much shorter if they charged $12/person for it.

I see the work around here that Princess is doing to accommodate for the 2 free casual dining experiences with the Princess Plus.

 

Caribill: did they have the full Alfredo’s menu…or just free Pizza ?

[dides]

1 hour ago, bob&france said:

I see the work around here that Princess is doing to accommodate for the 2 free casual dining experiences with the Princess Plus.

 

Caribill: did they have the full Alfredo’s menu…or just free Pizza ?

 

I believe it was just pizza.  But need confirmation that it will continue - I believe they haven't had any pop-ups for the last two Island Princess cruises either just before or after the casual dining changes. 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, bob&france said:

I see the work around here that Princess is doing to accommodate for the 2 free casual dining experiences with the Princess Plus.

 

Caribill: did they have the full Alfredo’s menu…or just free Pizza ?

Just the pizza. About 8 to 10 varieties, made to order.

[DCThunder]

I endorse everything that's been said about casual dining on Island as I was aboard for 30 days doing the Norway/Iceland/Greenland B2Bs in July/August. Not much besides the Horizon Court, the MDRs, and the specialty restaurants.

 

One thing to add, however, is that during the turnaround day in Southampton, the Bayou Cafe changed from a New Orleans themed menu to something much more akin to a Crown Grill/true steakhouse menu.  

 

I ate there both before and after the change, and while the New Orleans themed food was kind of MEH, the changed menu was awesome and well worth the $39.95 cover charge.  The Bayou Cafe decor hasn't changed, but the food (and service) certainly has.

[seachelt]

We are on the Island Princess now. No sign of any Alfredo’s in Sabatinis. We have been here for over a week, and nothing!

anyone else on this sailing have other information?

thanks.

seachelt

[dides]

32 minutes ago, seachelt said:

We are on the Island Princess now. No sign of any Alfredo’s in Sabatinis. We have been here for over a week, and nothing!

anyone else on this sailing have other information?

 

@cruzin4us posted from the Island Princess here on the 27th - assume that's your sailing - they asked about the pop-up and was told it wasn't happening even though you had 3 sea days. 

 

I wonder if your patters show Sabatini's open for lunch anyway?  Someone on the previous cruise was told the complimentary pop-ups would disappear to make way for fully paid Sabatini's lunches

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by dides

[Steelers36]

On 8/15/2023 at 1:39 AM, caribill said:

In June, the Island had "Alfredo's in Sabatini's" several times for lunch.

 

Basically, they offered free pizza Alfredo style at that venue. It was very popular each time it was offered.

 

Not known is if they will continue this or, if they do, charge for it.

 

I am sure the line would much shorter if they charged $12/person for it.

 

3 hours ago, caribill said:

Just the pizza. About 8 to 10 varieties, made to order.

Pizzas are $8.50 with exception of 2/3 "gourmet" style ones offered at Gigi's.

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, seachelt said:

We are on the Island Princess now. No sign of any Alfredo’s in Sabatinis. We have been here for over a week, and nothing!

anyone else on this sailing have other information?

thanks.

seachelt

Are you on Plus Premier Cruise Fare package?  If so, have you asked how guests are supposed to take advantage of their free casual dining?  If nothing offered of substance, is there an OBC credit?

 

[Steelers36]

46 minutes ago, dides said:

 

@cruzin4us posted from the Island Princess here on the 27th - assume that's your sailing - they asked about the pop-up and was told it wasn't happening even though you had 3 sea days. 

 

I wonder if your patters show Sabatini's open for lunch anyway?  Someone on the previous cruise was told the complimentary pop-ups would disappear to make way for fully paid Sabatini's lunches

 

That's fine, but what are they going to do for Casual Dining?

 

[dides]

17 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

That's fine, but what are they going to do for Casual Dining?

 

That's what cruzin4us was trying to find out last Sunday. From their post:   "I said "ok", then how are you compensating us that are expecting the 2 pop up lunches that replace Alfredos/Gigi's or Gastropub.    He didn't know how to answer my question (not good enough).   I said how about 1 dinner at a Specialty Restaurant (seems fair to me).   He is referring me to a "Higher Up" to get back to me......we'll see."

 

Will they have to balance income from Sabatini's lunches v compensation for lack of casual dining?

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by dides

[voljeep]

6 minutes ago, dides said:

That's what cruzin4us was trying to find out last Sunday. From their post:   "I said "ok", then how are you compensating us that are expecting the 2 pop up lunches that replace Alfredos/Gigi's or Gastropub.    He didn't know how to answer my question (not good enough).   I said how about 1 dinner at a Specialty Restaurant (seems fair to me).   He is referring me to a "Higher Up" to get back to me......we'll see."

 

Will they have to balance income from Sabatini's lunches v compensation for lack of casual dining?

 

a salad/soup as the starter

an appetizer as an entree

a dessert

 

book us Dano