Does anyone find the food in the dining rooms too fancy or too gourmetish?

[jt58203]

Haven't been on a cruise yet, but was wondering if people find the food too fancy or gourmetish in the main dining room? I looked online at some of the menus and started wondering about this. My husband is a meat & potato guy and doesn't care too much for spices (except salt & pepper). I'm a little bit more adventureous. Any thoughts?

[spongerob]

My wife is the same as your husband. She loves the Princess menus and has even gotten brave enough to try some new things. The Always Available menu is a good fallback if the main menu isn't appealing. There is always the steakhouse, too, which should please any meat-and-'taters person.

[cookingchick]

Haven't been on a cruise yet, but was wondering if people find the food too fancy or gourmetish in the main dining room? I looked online at some of the menus and started wondering about this. My husband is a meat & potato guy and doesn't care too much for spices (except salt & pepper). I'm a little bit more adventureous. Any thoughts?

 

Tell your husband not to worry...there are only so many ways to prepare a dish, be it sauteing, braising, broiling, roasting/baking, poaching, frying...and if a dish is properly prepared, he won't be turned off by the seasoning...it will only enhance the flavor. Believe me, the terms for the dishes are much fancier than the food. But I will say this...it's a perfect opportunity to try dishes that you would not otherwise order...if you don't like it you don't have to finish it AND you can order something else (although that's never been an issue for me...LOL).

 

Bon appetit!

[Druke I]

I'm basically a "meat and potato" type, and I've never gone hungry on a Princess ship. As noted, the "always available" is a good fallback.

 

Crystal and HAL certainly have fancier food (many more sauces), but I never went hungry there either.

[GBeret]

Haven't been on a cruise yet, but was wondering if people find the food too fancy or gourmetish in the main dining room? I looked online at some of the menus and started wondering about this. My husband is a meat & potato guy and doesn't care too much for spices (except salt & pepper). I'm a little bit more adventureous. Any thoughts?

 

In a word, NO! ;)

 

I find that the menu is always great; however, if one doesn't like the featured items there are plenty of alternitive menu items in the "always available," menu usually found, on the left side of the ships menu at all meals! ;)

[Vanilla]

I think the menu "spices it up" - meaning makes it sound fancy, but if you read what it truly is - the underlying meat and veggie is there. Also, always available... chicken breast/steak/baked potatoes. I think he will be venturing out a bit when he discovers if he doesn't like it he can order something else - its a great experience.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We were on an 11 night cruise and shared a table with a couple from Miami anlong with their 2 children that were the same ages as mine.

For 11 nights the Gentleman ordered a steak, a plate of plain white rice and a plate of fries, never opened a menu once nor did he order dessert and his meal was cooked and brought to him every night as we were all seated:D

His wife said that is all he eats every day at home too:confused:

 

We have never found the food too fancy and they always have fish or steak or you can request if cooked and served without sauces etc.

[GBeret]

Double Post: Delete Please!

[sultan_sfo]

Princess should get a Franchise for McD. There would be an extra charge to eat there like Sterling or Sabatini. Bet it would be profit making for Princess. /Sultan

[cruisemom42]

Too fancy or gourmet? Definitely not. In fact, I wish they'd up the ante a little more. Offer some truly innovative dishes -- that's something I'd pay for in a specialty restaurant (having never been to any of the current specialty restaurants.....)

[Colo Cruiser]

No not at all. :)

[judyjbest]

We love to try all the new things, but some of our cruising friends prefer the meat and potatoes route. Chicken every night. Beef every night. But, that's okay! There's something for everyone's taste.

[tysaunt]

Haven't been on a cruise yet, but was wondering if people find the food too fancy or gourmetish in the main dining room? I looked online at some of the menus and started wondering about this. My husband is a meat & potato guy and doesn't care too much for spices (except salt & pepper). I'm a little bit more adventureous. Any thoughts?

 

 

I'm a very finicky eater but when I'm on a cruise I always like to try new things. That's how I found out that I love Escargot, lobster, original margaritas, creme brulee and eggs benedict. You will both be able to find things that you like!

[cruisinbuddy]

Well this is a great time to try something new. If he doesn't like it, your waitor will be more than happy to make sure he's happy. I tried trype(sp) for the 1st time on my laste Princess cruise. You know the stomach lining of a cow. Well it was in a soup and shredded but it was good.

[willysgrandma]

The thing I found wih Princess is their menus are heavy on fish and I hate fish. But you can always get a steak - the food can be as gourmet-ish or plain as you want.

[dforeigner]

Negative. We are always looking for new things to try when it comes to food. If you do not like what they have on the menu, there is always a buffet, pizza or the burger and hot dog joint.

 

Open up and try new foods. You may be surprised what the world has to offer.

[bplazo]

I orderd steak every night on our last cruise. I always nibbled off my husband's plate if something looked interesting.

[zaandam_2]

many years ago, i took my parents on a cruise for xmas (carnival). they were very uncomfortable and didn't care for the 'fancy' food.

 

on HAL there is a 'comfort food' selection nightly, one night was meatloaf.

[MaryPoppinz]

My opinion is "no."

 

But, if you find that you need something simpler to eat, the buffet does made-to-order hand-sliced deli sandwiches around 4:00 every day. They taste so good to me when I need a break from several days of heavier foods or after a day-long excursion where I had a late breakfast and no lunch. If you are lucky, the ice cream will be available at the same time. :)

[flamomo]

"McD or KFC?

Princess should get a Franchise for McD."

 

Yuck to both of the above. The burgers they serve on the pool deck beat fast food by a long shot. The pizza that is available is very good, too.

 

Who would want McD or KFC when the dining room provides excellent service in a very pleasant setting. The food has always been more than satisfactory, in the dining rooms as well as at the Horizon Court buffet. And for a change of pace, there are the alternative restaurants.

 

Of course this is only my opinion, but thank goodness it is way better than McD/KFC/BK, etc.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Too fancy or gourmet? Definitely not. In fact, I wish they'd up the ante a little more. Offer some truly innovative dishes -- that's something I'd pay for in a specialty restaurant (having never been to any of the current specialty restaurants.....)

 

We also don't go to the specialty restaurants on any cruise except Disney, we love Palo's and so often I feel like sailing with them cause of that restaurant and it is only $10 extra a head + gratuities which is cheap for DCL:D :D

[Coolmama_1]

My brother is the pickiest eater I know. He says if it takes more than 5 words to decribe it, is too fancy!:D Anyways, he was very pleased with the food on our last cruise.

[wollenkv]

We are plain food eaters. The menu reads fancy. I gave my husband a little cooking term lesson to translate some of the terminology. He is still not very adventuresome, but is not afraid of the menu and always finds a good variety of items to order.

[Pam in CA]

The "Always Available" side of the menu has Tournedos of Beef (a filet) and you can order fries or a baked potato any time. There's also Caesar salad, fettucini Alfredo, and chicken on the Always Available. Yes, there are some "gourmet" menu items but plenty of basic ones.

 

On my Golden cruise last February, I happened to share a table for lunch with a lady who complained that the dinner food was awful with that "weird South American" food: lamb and veal.

[Casshew]

My daughter (12 at the time) had fettucini alfredo every night for 10 nights!

 

I found the menu had some interesting choices but nothing too weird. I enjoyed all the meals.