Sea Princess info? Food!

[honeymoon06]

We're looking to book our caribbean cruise next march on the sea princess.

 

I have read that the food is heavily geared towards the British. Now being British myself, you may think i'd be pleased to hear that. But infact, it worries me!

 

I don't want to fly all that way to eat what i could have at home!

 

I LOVED the food on our cruise on the Coral Princess last year and I'm really hoping for the same.

 

As well as the British food, does the Sea Princess still offer american dishes and plenty of seafood? I LOVE shrimp and am hoping i'll still be able to have plenty on the Sea Princess.

 

Also, those that have travelled on larger and smaller ships - is the food quality/choice the same?

 

One other question while i remember. The Coral offered really good entertainment especially the sailaway party and 'beach' parties? Does the Sea Princess offer similar entertainment?

 

Thanks for any info x

[Toto2Kansas]

We have sailed twice on the Sea since it has come back from P&O and targeted towards the British passenger Market. Both times we found the food also targeted towards British tastes, along with the comedians and acts onboard. The production shows, of coarse, are production shows which are not targeted towards any actual market area. But since at least 75% (if not more) of the passengers are from Europe (the UK specifically) it is a different kind of cruise then on other Princess ships.

 

If you are looking to get away from the British style food and entertainment, then I would not suggest this ship to you. We had a great time, but we were looking for something different then the normal style Princess sailing, and that is what we found onboard.

[coiran]

We sailed the 14 day last spring - the food is definitely NOT geared toward the Brits - it is the same menu I have seen on other Princess ships. OH - you could order english bacon if you desired.

[Toto2Kansas]

But Coiran, you also told us that the Sea wasn't having any problems last December with that vibration, remember? Well, guess what? We received $1650 in compensation from Princess for the vibration that you say didn't exist. :)

 

I stand by my statement that the food served is geared more towards the british tastes, but I will clarify, in the buffet area, we never went the dining room so I have no idea what the actual menu was like. But breakfast and other meals in the buffet were definitely not Princess standard fare.

[can786]

I was on the Sea Princess this summer for a Mediterranean sailing with only a few hundred Americans onboard. To say that the food was geared toward the Brits would be too much of a generalization. The dining room menus didn't seem to be any different than those on other ships. The Horizon Court buffet was more geared to the Brits, but it also had American offerings. For example, both American and British bacon were served and the same with sausage. There were very few items that made me feel that they were catering to the high number of Brits onboard.

[luvnorway]

This question was discussed on a fairly lengthy thread last fall. At that time, I posted my 2¢ worth because we had done B2B Norway and Northern European cruises on Sea Princess in both 2005 and 2006 and really enjoyed sailing with so many UK passengers. I've copied my response below because it includes some specific eg.s of differences we noticed. Please keep in mind that my experience is now a year out of date, so I may stand to be corrected on some points.

 

If anyone is interested, the link to this thread follows my copied post.

 

(Posted in Oct/06)

On Sea Princess (in Europe in '05 and '06) some of the nice things about being on a ship with a high % of UK passengers were:

- mint sauce (not just generic, green "mint" jelly) was served with lamb

- real (= hot) horseradish was served with roast beef (not just the usual stuff that tastes like whipped cream with a bit of horseradish in it)

- a hot "pudding" (ie dessert) was included in the Lido lunch buffet every day

- draught beer (as mentioned by Globaliser)

- comedians' acts included more wit and less slapstick type humour

- more passengers walked or took public transit when sightseeing in ports

- like Esprit in an earlier post, we also notice the more cosmopolitan feel due to the passengers not being overwhelmingly from the US - this was nice for us North Americans because it gave you more of a feeling of being in Europe when onboard (not just when in ports)

- also the questions in the trivia quizzes didn't focus as much on US sports, entertainment, geography etc. so the 'playing field' was more level

- conversations weren't as loud, and we heard "please", "thank-you" and "pardon me" much more frequently

 

The main drawback we noticed, which we thought might be due to the larger % of UK passengers, was that people tended to spend more time sitting in Lido - we wondered if it was because they lingered over cups of tea - but also, no doubt, another reason it was often difficult to find seats in the Lido at breakfast and lunch is the poor design of the ship which does not have any other upper deck lounge with large windows where you can read, chat or just sit and watch the scenery as you sail by.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=423364

[johnmik1]

But Coiran, you also told us that the Sea wasn't having any problems last December with that vibration, remember? Well, guess what? We received $1650 in compensation from Princess for the vibration that you say didn't exist. :)

 

I stand by my statement that the food served is geared more towards the british tastes, but I will clarify, in the buffet area, we never went the dining room so I have no idea what the actual menu was like. But breakfast and other meals in the buffet were definitely not Princess standard fare.

 

We sailed on Sea in Jan '06,Jan'07 and disembarked last Saturday and the buffet is most definately slanted to the British tastes.I did notice some more British dishes in the dining room but not as many as the last 2 cruises.Looking forward to the Emerald in Jan so we might see some of our old menu favorites.Guest lecturers were British and it was reflected in their talks.

[Toto2Kansas]

We sailed on Sea in Jan '06,Jan'07 and disembarked last Saturday and the buffet is most definately slanted to the British tastes.I did notice some more British dishes in the dining room but not as many as the last 2 cruises.Looking forward to the Emerald in Jan so we might see some of our old menu favorites.Guest lecturers were British and it was reflected in their talks.

 

Well, thank goodness it wasn't just me that noticed it. After all these Princess cruises I was beginning to wonder if my memory was failing me.

The difference in the foods served was one reason we returned to this ship the second time. It was nice to not have the same old same old that each Princess ship served but a different variety.

[tazboyles]

Thanks for all the good info. We are going to be on the CP July 08 doing the N.Europe itinerary. We are looking foward to traveling with such worldly, polite people. My wife and I toured London about 20 yrs ago and had a wonderful time but I really don't remember much about the food except not enjoying much of it other than the fish and chips. What is "British food" exactly other than bacon and sausage?

[Pam in CA]

I stand by my statement that the food served is geared more towards the british tastes, but I will clarify, in the buffet area, we never went the dining room so I have no idea what the actual menu was like. But breakfast and other meals in the buffet were definitely not Princess standard fare.

I agree with Toto in that the food, including dining room food, is geared towards British tastes. It's not overwhelming nor are there significant changes to the standard Princess menu. Like the cabin which has a 220v plug in addition to the 110v plug, there are a few items in the buffet and on the dining room menu to appeal to British tastes. There's still plenty of standard Princess menu items available so you won't be leaving home and feel like you haven't left home. :) About 75% of the passengers on our cruise were British and it was a delight.

[California Native]

When I was onboard the buffett wass DEFINATELY slanted British, in fact had quite a nasty thread awhile back when several individuals from the UK threatened to throw haggis at me when I said it was the worst food I had in 30 years of cruising....

The dining room was a refuge for us, with the typical Princess menus! About 90% passengers were from the UK, our sailing was a 14 day Caribbean Dec. 2005

 

There was a A LOT of Anti-American sentiment onboard and I would have to say this was our worst cruise ever and not what we have

usually enjoyed onboard Princess

[sammiedawg]

Recent Sea Princess cruise

Dining room menus seem standard Princess

Breakfast lunch buffet pretty lousy, some items I didnt recognize. Very odd carving station items, maybe British? Princess does not excel at buffet anyway

The main complaint I have is smoking, they seem to smoke in large numbers

I heard 1 sarcastic comment about the US, otherwise everyone has been very respectful and friendly.

 

The ship is lovely, looks brand new, our waiter old us they totally tore it apart and redid it last year

Not our favorite ship but OK

[hooked cruiser]

We have sailed on Sea Princess twice and the food is NOT slanted towards the British Passenger, if it were then they must do the same on the Caribbean Princess as the food was the same, I suppose Toto2 you will say that this ship is for the Brits as well? However as it does not come to Europe and stays in the Caribbean I don't think so.

[Cruise Junky]

We received $1650 in compensation from Princess for the vibration that you say didn't exist. :)

 

You bugger ;) We either sailed right before you or right after in the same cabin and were subjected to the jackhammering effect :) Good on you for following up on it.

[Cruise Junky]

We have sailed on Sea Princess twice and the food is NOT slanted towards the British Passenger, if it were then they must do the same on the Caribbean Princess as the food was the same, I suppose Toto2 you will say that this ship is for the Brits as well? However as it does not come to Europe and stays in the Caribbean I don't think so.

 

 

HAH??? god, that's some super fast ship then that does the Europe itineraries from the Caribbean. Maybe we should change her name to the Enterprise Princess. You might want to check her itineraries, she spends 1/2 a year in Europe. It's also why the Sea Princess passengers don't have to step foot in a US Port of call, they moved her to embarking and disembarking in Barbados and Jamaica.

 

We found the food a bit more geared towards brits. English bacon at breakfast and HP sauce not that wannabee US Steak Sauce. There were baked beans, more english sausage at breakfast, that kind of thing. I didn't really notice the menus at dinner being any different, but the buffets had a bit more of an english touch.

[johnmik1]

We have sailed on Sea Princess twice and the food is NOT slanted towards the British Passenger, if it were then they must do the same on the Caribbean Princess as the food was the same, I suppose Toto2 you will say that this ship is for the Brits as well? However as it does not come to Europe and stays in the Caribbean I don't think so.

 

Having just disembarked last Saturday,I respectfully disagree.I have spent 42 days on Sea in the last 17 months and 14 days on Caribbean in the last 23 months and some of the food on Sea,I have never seen on Caribbean.

[Toto2Kansas]

We have sailed on Sea Princess twice and the food is NOT slanted towards the British Passenger, if it were then they must do the same on the Caribbean Princess as the food was the same, I suppose Toto2 you will say that this ship is for the Brits as well? However as it does not come to Europe and stays in the Caribbean I don't think so.

Nope, never said the food on the Caribbean Princess even resembled the food served on the Sea, not sure where you came up with that idea. But the food we were served, especially in the buffet on the Sea, was quite different then what we have found on 18 other Princess ships. With sailing twice on the Sea, we even found the food to be more aimed at the British the second year then the first, mainly in the buffet. Just our observation.

[California Native]

But the food we were served, especially in the buffet on the Sea, was quite different then what we have found on 18 other Princess ships

 

 

every once in awhile I just have to say.....

I agree with Toto :)

[llandaff]

As an expat Brit longing for "real" bacon (you know...the strips of meat rather than fat!), I guess I'll have to brave the breakfast buffet a few times then. ;)

[PhillyCruiser]

FWIW, we were on the Sea Princess three months ago (June 2007). We try to eat every meal in the dining room, so we really can't comment on Horizon Court.

 

All of our favorite Princess dishes were on the menu: the lobster tail, the rack of lamb, the pheasant, the prime rib, the shrimp cocktail, the souffles, the chilled fruit soups, the usual pasta dishes (alfredo, carbonara, pesto, lepre), etc. We didn't find the menu radically different from any other Princess Cruise we've been on. And in addition to our favorites, we found other items, such as baked beans at breakfast.

 

Michael Borns was the executive chef while we were onboard. We ate very, very well.

 

Joan

[Pam in CA]

...I suppose Toto2 you will say that this ship is for the Brits as well? However as it does not come to Europe and stays in the Caribbean I don't think so.

Since when? The Sea Princess is based in Southampton every summer and has been for several years. I guess you don't consider Southampton "Europe" but you will find that about 75% of the passengers on these cruises are Brits. There is a 220v UK outlet in every cabin in addition to the U.S. standard 110v. If this doesn't make the Sea Princess more UK-friendly, I don't know what does.

[Globaliser]

Since when? The Sea Princess is based in Southampton every summer and has been for several years.

I think that hooked cruiser was referring to Caribbean Princess in that comment. But I had to read it several times to work that out!

[adbnva]

We're looking to book our caribbean cruise next march on the sea princess.

 

I have read that the food is heavily geared towards the British. Now being British myself, you may think i'd be pleased to hear that. But infact, it worries me!

 

I don't want to fly all that way to eat what i could have at home!

 

I LOVED the food on our cruise on the Coral Princess last year and I'm really hoping for the same.

 

As well as the British food, does the Sea Princess still offer american dishes and plenty of seafood? I LOVE shrimp and am hoping i'll still be able to have plenty on the Sea Princess.

 

Also, those that have travelled on larger and smaller ships - is the food quality/choice the same?

 

One other question while i remember. The Coral offered really good entertainment especially the sailaway party and 'beach' parties? Does the Sea Princess offer similar entertainment?

 

Thanks for any info x

we were on the sea in dec. americans are in the minority. sometimes we could not understand what they said. sometimes they completely left you out of the conversation. on the other hand, some were very interesting & you could learn a lot about the way people live. the casino was very small, no crap table. the rest was devoted to card tables. supposedly the brits like cards better than the casino. i would not go on it again, especially not on my honeymoon. on the other hand, i won about $1000 playing 3 card poker.

[Toto2Kansas]

Since when? The Sea Princess is based in Southampton every summer and has been for several years. I guess you don't consider Southampton "Europe" but you will find that about 75% of the passengers on these cruises are Brits. There is a 220v UK outlet in every cabin in addition to the U.S. standard 110v. If this doesn't make the Sea Princess more UK-friendly, I don't know what does.

 

Pam, I understood that post to mean they found the food no different on the Sea Princess then they did on the Caribbean Princess. Which really baffled me. All I could figure is that they dined each meal in the diningroom, as those menus are pretty standard no matter which ship in the fleet you sail on. I thought I covered that in a previous post that clarified that I was talking 'buffet offerings' on the Sea Princess, not the dining room menu???? They must have read over some of the replies and missed that one. Either that or they didn't agree that either dining venue was any different on the Sea Princess? Who knows???????????????

[okbowler]

Toto, I also think that in the buffet there was food geared to the UK passengers. Could always find something I liked but did get to eat some food that was not the normal offerings. No complaint, just different. After we returned home and were discussing the cruise we were of the opinion that there seemed to be more foods cooked in oil or fried. Could be wrong, getting old , mind gone.:) Bill