Royal Princess

Our friend Jason Leppert of PopularCruising.com posted this 4-minute review of dining aboard Royal Princess.

Dining

The food is consistently good on Royal Princess. With a nice mix of dining options to that are included in the cruise fare along with some elegant alternatives available for a surcharge, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Dining Rooms

Royal Princess features three main dining rooms, Allegro (which also houses the dramatic Chef’s Table Lumiere), Symphony and Concerto (both of which feature tables surrounded by wine cellars).

Chef’s Table Lumiere

Known for creating the first-ever chef’s table experience at sea, Princess ups the game with the Chef’s Table Lumiere. Sit at a custom-made glass table that is surrounded by a curtain of light. Cover charge: $115.

Wine Maker’s Dinner

Diners in the Symphony and Concerto dining rooms can enjoy a unique dining experience in a private space inspired by a wine cellar. Surrounded by wine bottles, the circular area, which seats up to 12, offers specialty menus developed in conjunction with noted winemakers to pair with matching wines. Cover charge: $40.

Specialty dining

Crown Grill & Wheelhouse Bar 

The Crown Grill premium seafood and chop house has been blended together with the popular Wheelhouse Bar for a complete evening of dining and entertainment in one location. Crown Grill cover charge: $25.

Sabatini’s 

Sabatini’s features a fresh menu of sophisticated Italian favorites with an a la carte experience. Cover charge: $25.

Casual dining

Alfredo’s 

Serving up fresh, hand-tossed Neapolitan-style pizzas. With 121 seats, Alfredo’s is the largest such pizza restaurant at sea, and features an open kitchen where passengers can watch as chefs craft their pizza.

International Café 

The cafe is open 24 hours for you to grab a light meal, meet friends for coffee or enjoy a snack while watching the array of Piazza entertainers.

Vines 

Vines wine and tapas bar serves a selection of exclusive new- and old-world vintage wines along with wine sampling, food pairing and unique events.

Ocean Terrace 

The Ocean Terrace offers an array of à la carte ocean treasures, including a flight of oyster shooters, fresh sushi and sashimi, ahi tuna poke, king crab cocktail and more. A la carte pricing applies.

Tea Tower 

Tea Tower features a tea sommelier and a choice of 250 blends; tea lovers will revel in Royal Princess’ unique tea tower located in the ship’s central Piazza.

Pub Lunch 

The complimentary pub lunch, which has become a big hit with passengers since it debuted in 2008, is served daily across the combined space in the Wheelhouse Bar and the Crown Grill.

Horizon Court Buffet 

For early risers on the go, new Grab & Go options are available, while healthy breakfast options offer the fuel passengers need to make the most of a day at sea or ashore. Those who love to sleep in will even find a special “late, late risers” breakfast corner. At lunch, a variety of new live stations feature a regional flair, including a rotisserie and Japanese Hibachi Grill.

Horizon Bistro 

Dinner in the Horizon Court will offer an interactive experience with themed events and specialty dinners. On certain nights, passengers may find a Brazilian churrascaria, Argentine gaucho theme, German Beer Fest, a European bistro or British pub. Actions stations found here include a hibachi grill, rotisseries and carving stations, a taqueria and a sandwich bar.

Horizon Court (specialty dining)

Two fun specialty dining choices are housed within the Horizon Court: Crab Shack and Fondues.

• Crab Shack: Seafood lovers will have a full crab shack experience, complete with mallets, bibs and buckets. Diners can enjoy crawfish in a Bayou-style “Mud Bug” boil, spiced peel-and-eat shrimp or a mixed steamer pot filled with snow crab, jumbo shrimp, clams and mussels. Cover charge: $20.
• Fondues: A variety of cheese fondues highlight this special experience, including classic Swiss with white wine, German cheddar fondue with beer and a French cheese fondue with champagne. Other Swiss, German or Austrian specialties round out the menu. Cover charge: $20.

Must-see innovations & attractions  

Since entering service in 2013, the 3,600-passenger ship that was christened by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has been turning heads. Keep reading to discover my favorite curated features on Royal Princess.

• The Sanctuary: Hands down, this is my favorite place on Princess Cruises' ships. This relaxation retreat is next to the adults-only pool. You can kick back and watch the hours slip by while snacking on light bites delivered by the Serenity Steward(ess), listen to music on one of the ship's iPods and sip your favorite beverage. Plan ahead because on sea days, this place is popular (because of shade, comfy chairs and great service), so sign up early to avoid disappointment.
• Sabatini’s Bites and Flights: Royal Princess is purpose-built to share resources between outlets — a bar next to a restaurant, for example. Not to miss is wine tasting at Vines, which is paired with dishes from Sabatini’s, an Italian restaurant right next door. The wine bar offers Sabatini’s Bites to accompany its popular wine flights.
• Super Tuscan Wines:  Sabatini’s offers more than 20 Tuscan wines. Ranging from recognizable Super Tuscans such as Masseto, Solaia or Tignanello to some lesser known vintages such as Castello del Terricio ‘Cappuanino’ or Il Bruciato Bolgheri, these wines will be featured by the bottle and in a new Sabatini’s Super Tuscan Wine Tasting event.
• Princess Live! is a television studio, which is used for various activities (including the set of their morning show).
• Can you say gelato? Besides a very tasty soft-serve, ice cream lovers will find a gelateria onboard Royal Princess. For a nominal fee, you can select from a menu of eight delicious flavors prepared by the ship’s pastry chef, plus more than 20 toppings and sauces, and specialty items such as sundaes, waffle cones and sweet crepes. Although there is an extra charge for gelato, it's just the ticket after a long day in the sun.
• Princess goes mobile:  Princess@Sea is a brand-new mobile-friendly intranet site that enables passengers to access daily updates about entertainment, onboard specials, weather and port news, as well as review their onboard folio.
• Bellini’s: This new Italian-inspired cocktail bar is cantilevered over the Piazza on Deck 6.
• The SeaWalk: There is something exciting about a walkway on a glass-paned cantilevered path that is 15 decks high.
• The Pastry Shop: A “light” snack is always a must after a day in port.
• Alfredo’s Pizzeria: Visit Alfredo's for a slice of hand-tossed Neapolitan-style pizza.

Bars & lounges

Whether you're in the mood for a cozy space to sip cocktails with someone special or a swanky place to savor a cigar and make new friends, the Club Bar, Pool Bar or the Piano Lounge will provide exactly what you need.  

Kids & teens

This ship's activities run the age-appropriate gamut for those under 18, from Princess Pelicans (ages three to seven) and Shockwaves (ages eight to 12) to Remix (ages 13 to 17). Activities include kids/teens dinners, ice cream parties, arts and crafts and board games. 

Your take

How about you? Have you sailed on Royal Princess? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience!  

Interested in a cruise on this ship?

Interested in a cruise on Royal Princess? Contact a Cruiseable travel consultant at 1-877-322-3773, or by email, to get additional information and to find the best rates and value for your vacation dollar. 

 

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