Leaving on Coral Princess this Friday - need help ASAP re: food

[CruisinFools]

Hi! We've never indulged in the alternate dining as we are quite satisfied with the dining options that are INCLUDED in the price of our cruise. However, we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary and, as they say, variety is the spice of life, so we've decided to try the alternative dining options. I've heard that Sabatinis is a real gourmet experience, with something like 15 course?!!?!! We love steak, but I can get a great steak anytime, anywhere. What can you tell me about these restaurants? I also heard about Sabatinins brunch. In addition to the cover charge, are we expected to tip our waiters as well? Also, while you're reading this post, can you please tell me about the liquor policy? I thought I read somewhere that we can purchase liquor from the ship's Duty Free shop and, as long as we drink it in our cabin ONLY, that we can actually buy the booze and bring it back to our cabin (rather than having the ship hold it until we disembark.) Please advise ASAP! THANKS!!!!!

[stephenandrew]

Hi! We've never indulged in the alternate dining as we are quite satisfied with the dining options that are INCLUDED in the price of our cruise. However, we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary and, as they say, variety is the spice of life, so we've decided to try the alternative dining options. I've heard that Sabatinis is a real gourmet experience, with something like 15 course?!!?!! We love steak, but I can get a great steak anytime, anywhere. What can you tell me about these restaurants? I also heard about Sabatinins brunch. In addition to the cover charge, are we expected to tip our waiters as well? Also, while you're reading this post, can you please tell me about the liquor policy? I thought I read somewhere that we can purchase liquor from the ship's Duty Free shop and, as long as we drink it in our cabin ONLY, that we can actually buy the booze and bring it back to our cabin (rather than having the ship hold it until we disembark.) Please advise ASAP! THANKS!!!!!

 

 

Hi--

If you use the search feature, you can find a number of threads on people's feelings about Sabatinis and Sterling Steakhouse. Most reviews are very positive. I have not been to Sterlings, but have been to Sabatini's twice on the Grand for dinner. I am probably in the minority, but I think Sabatini's is more a display of quantity as opposed to quality. The food there was good, but in my opinion, not significnatly better than that in the main dining rooms. As you hgave never been, you should defintiely try it--at worst you will probably just think it is "ok"---and, you might really like it alot. Again, I think I am in the minority with my thoughts. I know we left an addiitonal tip for the Sabatini wait staff---the service was very nice---no complaints at all with the staff. I am not a big drinker, and have never bought alchol for my room--I am sure someone else can chime in on what is and is not allowed. I hope you have fun.

[curiouscat]

Sabatini's has been our best dining exp at sea:)

 

Worth the charge and nice and romantic too.....

 

Enjoy. Only you can try it once and decide for yourself. Enjoy the Coral she is a wonderful ship

 

CuriousCat

[donna5]

Hi! We've never indulged in the alternate dining as we are quite satisfied with the dining options that are INCLUDED in the price of our cruise. However, we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary and, as they say, variety is the spice of life, so we've decided to try the alternative dining options. I've heard that Sabatinis is a real gourmet experience, with something like 15 course?!!?!! We love steak, but I can get a great steak anytime, anywhere. What can you tell me about these restaurants? I also heard about Sabatinins brunch. In addition to the cover charge, are we expected to tip our waiters as well? Also, while you're reading this post, can you please tell me about the liquor policy? I thought I read somewhere that we can purchase liquor from the ship's Duty Free shop and, as long as we drink it in our cabin ONLY, that we can actually buy the booze and bring it back to our cabin (rather than having the ship hold it until we disembark.) Please advise ASAP! THANKS!!!!!

 

 

Booze bought in the Duty Free Shop will not be delivered until the last night. It is not to be used on the ship(thus the duty free). Some people have bought smaller bottles of booze from the bar. Maybe they will shed some light on the buying a bottle from the bars.

[donna5]

Bad board

[CruisinFools]

On our last cruise (actually, on all our cruises), we have packed fixins' for apple tinis - including the cherries! We bubble-wrap the bottles and use our clothes as padding. We pack it in our hard-sider luggage and no one was the wiser. Or if they were, no one confiscated our liquor. Just thought it might be easier to just buy it from Princess, but if their gonna keep it 'til we disembark, what's the point?!

Anyway, is it true that Sabatinins has over a DOZEN COURSES? Is wine included in the meal? Can we pre-reserve or must it be done on the ship? Will it ever stop raining in Jamaica? Questions, questions!! Thanks again - CC'rs are the BEST!

[DesrtDrmr]

Hi! We've never indulged in the alternate dining as we are quite satisfied with the dining options that are INCLUDED in the price of our cruise. However, we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary and, as they say, variety is the spice of life, so we've decided to try the alternative dining options. I've heard that Sabatinis is a real gourmet experience, with something like 15 course?!!?!! We love steak, but I can get a great steak anytime, anywhere. What can you tell me about these restaurants? I also heard about Sabatinins brunch. In addition to the cover charge, are we expected to tip our waiters as well? Also, while you're reading this post, can you please tell me about the liquor policy? I thought I read somewhere that we can purchase liquor from the ship's Duty Free shop and, as long as we drink it in our cabin ONLY, that we can actually buy the booze and bring it back to our cabin (rather than having the ship hold it until we disembark.) Please advise ASAP! THANKS!!!!!

 

We celebrated our anniversary on the Island in the Bayou Cafe and it was very nice. We enjoyed our meal........I had steak, can't remember what DH had, the service was wonderful, and there was great music. It was not a many course meal, which sounded overwhelming, but it was just right. :)

Happy Anniversary, and Bon Voyage........

[billet]

We celebrated our 26th in Sabatinis on the Island in October. The food was excellent, rather than ordering we let them choose and the meal went on for hours. I let them know it was our anniversary and we were definitly mollycoddled. It was a terrific experience which we would repeat again. We lost count of the courses. There were six of us eating and the servers even managed to satisfy everyones taste in wine (almost all italian wine).

 

We ate in the Bayou on the Coral in January. The food was very good but the service was not up to par, it was slow and the waiter was grouchy. We left feeling disappointed. However by now the staff will have changed and if the service had been better I believe we would have been thoroughly satisfied.

[Trainer]

I hope you mean you are on the Coral Princess on Saturday. Maybe you are leaving home on Friday? Because I am on the Coral which leaves on Saturday, Dec. 2 from Ft. Lauderdale....

[Kirsten T]

I've enjoyed both the Bayou and Sabatinis; the Bayou is more casual, so if you're looking for something more "special", try Sabatinis. You can make a reservation or just show up; if you want a special day, best to call ahead. You order an entree and are offered many warm-up dishes prior to the entree being served; you can try everything or pick and choose - it's up to you. The service was excellent; we celebrated my parents' anniversary last Jan. and a good time was had by all. We also had a nice meal in the Bayou, for our anniversary, with good service. We particularly enjoyed the jazz trio that played during dinner.

 

Check the Princess web site for info on pre-ordering liqour packages; if I remember right, you could also buy them onboard at any bar. The prices didn't seem particularly great, but we're wine drinkers so I'm not the best judge. They didn't offer a large number of options so if you want something special, better bring it. We always bring a few bottles of wine using the bubble wrap trick. The refrigerators are quite roomy compared to Celebrity's, and held our stash with room to spare. Nothing like enjoying a glass of wine on the veranda when it's 30 degrees at home!

Cheers,

Kirsten

[bubbadog]

i think the last i heard about liquor was,you could buy a pint and 6 cokes for like 17$ i think,but not a great selection of liquors to choose from,hopefully someone will know more and chime in ,have a great trip and enjoy:)):p

[CruisinFools]

Like I always say, CC'rs are the BEST! And yes, Trainer, we are leaving home on Friday, staying overnight in Lauderdale (and as a bonus, I get to visit my godparents who are living the good retired life in Florida!) and board the Coral on Saturday. Can't wait!

[sea_breaze]

I'm jealous. You are going to love the Coral. Our favorite ship so far. Itinerary is awesome as well. I'm going to live in Costa Rica some day.:D

 

Sabatini's for us was terrific. Be careful to only sample all of the courses though and not eat it all or it will make for an early bed time. It's an unbelievable amount of food. We did tip the wait staff but didn't feel like it was expected.

 

As far as liquor, if you can I would bring my own. They are only offering the mixer packages as stated above now to drink while on board.

 

Have fun.