Well, I think SHARE is Great

This will, undoubtedly, bring out a lot of naysayers, and, who am I trying to kid, I don’t mind stirring up the pot, a bit. On our recent California Coastal Cruise, my wife and I looked forward to trying SHARE. We made a reservation for embarkation evening.

It was amazing.

We went back two more times during the cruise. Between the two of us, we have tried everything on the menu. I will state that I liked some things better than others, but here are our highlights regarding the food:

• The Charcuterie plate includes the most amazing cured meat I’ve ever tasted: Jamon Iberico. We usually have Prosciutto or Serrano Ham in our house, but nothing compares to this—incredibly flavorful, but not as salty as what is available to me in retail stores.
   
  
• The appetizer plates—two cold plates (salads, for lack of a better word) and two hot plates (pastas)--are all excellent. All have multiple dimensions of flavors, and I have the say the cold plates are very subtly dressed.
   
  
• The mains are, again, all excellent. I would say my favorite was the Beef Cheek Pie. Mrs. XBGuy ordered the Mushroom Ragu twice.
   
  
• Sides: I feel that I can never go wrong with gratineed potatoes. We ordered that one all three nights. However, the Braised Kale was terrific
   
  
• We like cheese plates, but, as often as not we are full but the time we get to them. The cheese plates at Share are very modest thin slices with complements that provide nice contrasts. I best liked the Italian Pantaleo with Pear Mostarda, and I think Mrs. XBGuy most enjoyed the French Bethmale with Honey Comb and Baguette slices.
   
  
• Desserts: I am all over the Citron Tarte and Mrs. XBGuy who, even though she does have that female chocolate gene, seemed to most enjoy the Ricotta Fritters.
   
  

Now, get a load of this. Friday night, the night we had our third visit, was the last night for that menu at Share. While we were there, one of Curtis Stone’s associates was training the galley staff on a new menu. It is not clear to me whether the other ships with Share (Emerald Princess and Sun Princess) will also get updated menus. We’ll see how long before Princess updates its website.

On Friday the server did show us the new menu. In a nutshell, it appears that the menu has several additional items while others have been deleted. Mrs. XBGuy was surprised that the Ricotta Fritter did not survive the cut.

The new menu meal will consist of six courses. I do recall, that the diner will be able to specify his/her charcuterie plate and, as I recall, the diner will select both a seafood and a “Land” main dish. I am guessing that the cover charge will still be $39 per person. I see that the Share menu on the Sun Princess allows for a la carte pricing if the diner wants more flexibility, but I don’t think that option will be available on the new Ruby Princess menu.

I don’t know if the menu change is an effort to improve the patronage at Share, or whether this will be a regular effort. I suspect it is the former, but I hope it is the latter. In seven cruises on Princess we have dined at Sabatini’s and Crown Grill often. We enjoy them, but, gosh, it would be nice to see some new things on their menus.

I have read some criticism, here on Cruise Critic, about the interior design of Share. The place seemed very attractive to me, but what do I know? I’m a guy. Mrs. XBGuy, however, is very skilled in art and design, and she loved the Share interior. The lighting is very subdued. When I took pictures of my wine selections, the camera decided it had to flash. So, those did not come out very well.

On our three visits we were seated at a table for two near the windows. I have to say these tables were the largest two-tops I’ve seen in a while. Three people could comfortably dine at one of them. Four people could do it, but it would definitely not be comfortable.

Service was superb. The servers are very well-trained, knowledgeable and friendly. Kudos to them and to the headwaiter, Mario. Now, I agree that at no time was the room particularly busy on any of our three visits. The peak that I saw, on Friday evening, was, maybe eight or nine tables being occupied. There were several parties of two and several parties of four or five.

I also give Mario a lot of credit for engaging with his customer diners over the course of his evening. He didn’t just make a perfunctory visit, ask, “How is your meal?” and walk away before he really received and answer. He was genuinely interested in what we thought and would chat with us. He explained that if demand for tables increases, he will increase the service staff.

Let me talk about the wine list. It is amazing. When I read the first reports on Share from passengers hear on Cruise Critic, a lady posted that she had a bottle of Tignanello for $79.

“No way!” I thought to myself, unless it was some sort of promotional offering.

There it was on the wine list—Tignanello for $79. I will criticize the Share wine list because it does not show the vintage years of its wines. The Tignanello that was brought to my table was vintage 2012.

A “reasonable” markup for a restaurant wine is twice retail price (three times in Las Vegas). I defy anybody to show me where I can buy Tignanello in the United States for less than $79. At Wine Searcher I see some U.S. on-line vendors offering it for $79 + change. Keep in mind that does not include sales tax or shipping—neither of which I paid at Share. Buying wine in a restaurant for less than the retail “street price” is just unheard of. Happy day for us wine drinkers.

A couple examples with which I have some familiarity—both in the quality of the wine and the street pricing:

• Ridge Lytton Springs--$48 per bottle. I have been drinking the wine since the 1980s. Year-in and year-out it is just an exceptional wine. The vintage offered at Share is 2012. The best price I have ever paid for this wine (at Total Wine and including a 10% volume discount) is $27. So, the Share markup is 1.78 times. I am very OK with that.
   
  
• Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. This was the 2014 vintage. My most recent retail price on that is $31. The Share price is $45—a 1.45 times markup.
  

I did snag a copy of their wine list. I will try to scan it and see if I can attach it in a subsequent post. I think wine geeks out there will get a kick out of it.

So, if anybody is in any way considering dinner at Share, I would certainly encourage you to try it.

Now, you people who seem to look for SHARE threads so that you can rant about how you would never eat there, or that you hope it fails, feel free to post here, also. However, be prepared for me to respond vigorously. If you have tried Share, and you just don’t like it, I’m OK with that. Please let me know what you didn’t like—and please be very specific. A comment such as “It’s too ‘frou-frou,’” is not terribly descriptive to me.

I am also aware that every one of us is on a budget. If you feel, that the $39 per person cover charge is too much for you, then I agree that you have a perfectly valid reason for not trying it. However, don’t tell me that you do not want me to enjoy it. It’s my money. I think that visiting a casino is not in my budget, but I have no problem at all with other people deciding that is how they will spend their discretionary income.

We have also dined at Share and loved it. I do under why the "meat and potatoes" crowd would look at the menu and go huh? But, as a foodie I loved it each time we dined there. Can't wait to do so again on our Feb Ruby cruise.

Thank you for the review! We'll be on Emerald May 2017 and March 2018 and now looking forward to those great wines at AIBP prices - 40% off what you quoted is close to those retail prices.

Maybe future SHARE visitors can clue us in on the new menu - please?

I assume you were on Ruby Princess?

The menu on that ship seems a lot more interesting that on Sun Princess. Hopefully they will upgrade that menu as well.

I agree, the Jamon is excellent. At least they had that on Sun.

This will, undoubtedly, bring out a lot of naysayers, and, who am I trying to kid, I don’t mind stirring up the pot, a bit. On our recent California Coastal Cruise, my wife and I looked forward to trying SHARE. We made a reservation for embarkation evening.

 

It was amazing.

 

We went back two more times during the cruise. Between the two of us, we have tried everything on the menu. I will state that I liked some things better than others, but here are our highlights regarding the food:

 

• The Charcuterie plate includes the most amazing cured meat I’ve ever tasted: Jamon Iberico. We usually have Prosciutto or Serrano Ham in our house, but nothing compares to this—incredibly flavorful, but not as salty as what is available to me in retail stores.
   
  
• The appetizer plates—two cold plates (salads, for lack of a better word) and two hot plates (pastas)--are all excellent. All have multiple dimensions of flavors, and I have the say the cold plates are very subtly dressed.
   
  
• The mains are, again, all excellent. I would say my favorite was the Beef Cheek Pie. Mrs. XBGuy ordered the Mushroom Ragu twice.
   
  
• Sides: I feel that I can never go wrong with gratineed potatoes. We ordered that one all three nights. However, the Braised Kale was terrific
   
  
• We like cheese plates, but, as often as not we are full but the time we get to them. The cheese plates at Share are very modest thin slices with complements that provide nice contrasts. I best liked the Italian Pantaleo with Pear Mostarda, and I think Mrs. XBGuy most enjoyed the French Bethmale with Honey Comb and Baguette slices.
   
  
• Desserts: I am all over the Citron Tarte and Mrs. XBGuy who, even though she does have that female chocolate gene, seemed to most enjoy the Ricotta Fritters.
   
  

 

Now, get a load of this. Friday night, the night we had our third visit, was the last night for that menu at Share. While we were there, one of Curtis Stone’s associates was training the galley staff on a new menu. It is not clear to me whether the other ships with Share (Emerald Princess and Sun Princess) will also get updated menus. We’ll see how long before Princess updates its website.

 

On Friday the server did show us the new menu. In a nutshell, it appears that the menu has several additional items while others have been deleted. Mrs. XBGuy was surprised that the Ricotta Fritter did not survive the cut.

 

The new menu meal will consist of six courses. I do recall, that the diner will be able to specify his/her charcuterie plate and, as I recall, the diner will select both a seafood and a “Land” main dish. I am guessing that the cover charge will still be $39 per person. I see that the Share menu on the Sun Princess allows for a la carte pricing if the diner wants more flexibility, but I don’t think that option will be available on the new Ruby Princess menu.

 

I don’t know if the menu change is an effort to improve the patronage at Share, or whether this will be a regular effort. I suspect it is the former, but I hope it is the latter. In seven cruises on Princess we have dined at Sabatini’s and Crown Grill often. We enjoy them, but, gosh, it would be nice to see some new things on their menus.

 

I have read some criticism, here on Cruise Critic, about the interior design of Share. The place seemed very attractive to me, but what do I know? I’m a guy. Mrs. XBGuy, however, is very skilled in art and design, and she loved the Share interior. The lighting is very subdued. When I took pictures of my wine selections, the camera decided it had to flash. So, those did not come out very well.

 

On our three visits we were seated at a table for two near the windows. I have to say these tables were the largest two-tops I’ve seen in a while. Three people could comfortably dine at one of them. Four people could do it, but it would definitely not be comfortable.

 

Service was superb. The servers are very well-trained, knowledgeable and friendly. Kudos to them and to the headwaiter, Mario. Now, I agree that at no time was the room particularly busy on any of our three visits. The peak that I saw, on Friday evening, was, maybe eight or nine tables being occupied. There were several parties of two and several parties of four or five.

 

I also give Mario a lot of credit for engaging with his customer diners over the course of his evening. He didn’t just make a perfunctory visit, ask, “How is your meal?” and walk away before he really received and answer. He was genuinely interested in what we thought and would chat with us. He explained that if demand for tables increases, he will increase the service staff.

 

Let me talk about the wine list. It is amazing. When I read the first reports on Share from passengers hear on Cruise Critic, a lady posted that she had a bottle of Tignanello for $79.

 

“No way!” I thought to myself, unless it was some sort of promotional offering.

 

There it was on the wine list—Tignanello for $79. I will criticize the Share wine list because it does not show the vintage years of its wines. The Tignanello that was brought to my table was vintage 2012.

 

A “reasonable” markup for a restaurant wine is twice retail price (three times in Las Vegas). I defy anybody to show me where I can buy Tignanello in the United States for less than $79. At Wine Searcher I see some U.S. on-line vendors offering it for $79 + change. Keep in mind that does not include sales tax or shipping—neither of which I paid at Share. Buying wine in a restaurant for less than the retail “street price” is just unheard of. Happy day for us wine drinkers.

 

A couple examples with which I have some familiarity—both in the quality of the wine and the street pricing:

 

• Ridge Lytton Springs--$48 per bottle. I have been drinking the wine since the 1980s. Year-in and year-out it is just an exceptional wine. The vintage offered at Share is 2012. The best price I have ever paid for this wine (at Total Wine and including a 10% volume discount) is $27. So, the Share markup is 1.78 times. I am very OK with that.
   
  
• Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. This was the 2014 vintage. My most recent retail price on that is $31. The Share price is $45—a 1.45 times markup.
  

 

I did snag a copy of their wine list. I will try to scan it and see if I can attach it in a subsequent post. I think wine geeks out there will get a kick out of it.

 

So, if anybody is in any way considering dinner at Share, I would certainly encourage you to try it.

 

Now, you people who seem to look for SHARE threads so that you can rant about how you would never eat there, or that you hope it fails, feel free to post here, also. However, be prepared for me to respond vigorously. If you have tried Share, and you just don’t like it, I’m OK with that. Please let me know what you didn’t like—and please be very specific. A comment such as “It’s too ‘frou-frou,’” is not terribly descriptive to me.

 

I am also aware that every one of us is on a budget. If you feel, that the $39 per person cover charge is too much for you, then I agree that you have a perfectly valid reason for not trying it. However, don’t tell me that you do not want me to enjoy it. It’s my money. I think that visiting a casino is not in my budget, but I have no problem at all with other people deciding that is how they will spend their discretionary income.

Share sounds truly amazing! My husband and I will be taking our first Princess cruise June 2017 to Alaska on Island Princess. Does Island Princess have Share? I would love to try it..love trying new and different dishes and there are not many kinds of food I do not like!

Thank you for an honest review.

Thanks for your review!

It always surprises me how close minded some people can be, but it's their loss. We always try something once, or almost always!

I can't wait to try SHARE!

Share sounds truly amazing! My husband and I will be taking our first Princess cruise June 2017 to Alaska on Island Princess. Does Island Princess have Share? I would love to try it..love trying new and different dishes and there are not many kinds of food I do not like!

 

Thank you for an honest review.

No, the Island doesn't have it. The Ruby, Emerald and Sun are the only ships that have it.

Share sounds truly amazing! My husband and I will be taking our first Princess cruise June 2017 to Alaska on Island Princess. Does Island Princess have Share? I would love to try it..love trying new and different dishes and there are not many kinds of food I do not like!

 

Thank you for an honest review.

No, Island Princess does not have Share, if it did I would try it on our next cruise to Panama Canal

Thanks for the the positive review. We are looking forward to SHARE on Emerald next month :)

Thanks so much for this review! All the negative threads about Share made me think it was a really bad idea on Princess' part [like Celebrity's infamous Bistro on Five--later Bistro for $10 and then for $15--hey, if people don't like it for $5 maybe they'll think it's really great if we triple the price!!!] -- but not only did you give a different opinion, you backed it up with detail that makes me understand why DW and I might very well love the place. I hope they will add it to Crown Princess before our cruise next October -- $39 a meal is nothing compared to the premium to upgrade to a Club Mini-Suite.

Having personally observed the multitude of responses to 'Share' on CC since its debut - from those that have actually dined there(including moi) - the general consensus has been that most have had a less than favorable opinion of their 'Share' dining experience for various stated reasons. It is safe to declare that the 'nays' outweigh the 'yeahs' at a minimum clip of 2 to 1 in favor of the former.

So yes, you're absolutely entitled to a contratrian opinion OP, however it's well understood that you're in the minority here.

Defend 'Share' or "stir the pot" to your heart's desire. I'm pretty sure that you won't sway my opinion nor that of others that have stated that they won't be returning.

No, the Island doesn't have it. The Ruby, Emerald and Sun are the only ships that have it.

Well, darn! Would love to try it.

Thanks for the wonderful review. The SHARE menu is very appealing. Happy to see Princess venturing beyond steaks and Italian fare for specialty dining.

Thanks for the great review. SHARE sounds like quite a place.

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I have read the menu everyday of three cruises and have found the entrees listed to be mundane. I may have miss judged a poorly written menu for a poor experience. Guess, I will need to try Share at my next opportunity.

Glad you enjoyed. Super-excited to try the new menu, and I agree Mario is a gem. Nice to hear he's back from vacation.

I've done Share four times now, across four sailings, and I really feel like the execution is exceptional.

I suggest that you look at the Share menu given online for Sun and Emerald - it is very limited and the more interesting dishes seem to be missing.

I agree that the charcuterie plate was excellent but their cooked items were pretty ordinary I felt.

I would not go back to Share on the 2 ships with the limited menu but would try it on Ruby P.

Thanks for the wonderful review. The SHARE menu is very appealing. Happy to see Princess venturing beyond steaks and Italian fare for specialty dining.

Our waiter told us they r adding a NY steak to the new menu. When we visited the restaurant it was dead.....

They actually had the chef from Share do a cooking demonstration in the atrium and selected 4 couples to enjoy(I M using that word loosely) what was made.

Even after all the negative opinions we had to try it, last week we went with another CC couple so we could "share." We paired with wine.....and it still did not improve the dishes IMHO....LOL

Okay Mr. Big(Big HunK) you want details.....

I especially disliked the truffle in the potatoes, they ignited a burned favor in my mouth.

My favorite favor was the honey spoon....

After being on nearly 200 cruises between us, my mother and I thought that share was by far the BEST meal we've ever had onboard a ship. We go to Chefs table on Princess and HAL a few times a year-no comparison . I can't wait to cruise the Ruby and experience that extraordinary culinary event again.

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Having personally observed the multitude of responses to 'Share' on CC since its debut - from those that have actually dined there(including moi) - the general consensus has been that most have had a less than favorable opinion of their 'Share' dining experience for various stated reasons. It is safe to declare that the 'nays' outweigh the 'yeahs' at a minimum clip of 2 to 1 in favor of the former.

.

Isn't a generally expecpted principle in life that those who complain tell 10 times more people than those who are happy with an experience? If this hold true, then a truer reflection of the quoted 2 to 1 ratio is that for every 2 that were unhappy, 18-20 were happy? FOOD for thought :cool:

Isn't a generally expecpted principle in life that those who complain tell 10 times more people than those who are happy with an experience? If this hold true, then a truer reflection of the quoted 2 to 1 ratio is that for every 2 that were unhappy, 18-20 were happy? FOOD for thought :cool:

Though, if that were true, they would not have stopped the expansion on to other ships (such as Coral). And I have heard from others that they are changing the menu in order to appeal to more people.

I have no beef in this - I haven't tried it but there are a lot of reports of the restaurant being empty. I have no doubt that this concept does appeal to some people, like the OP. Glad they enjoyed it! I appreciated their review.

What? A positive review? Outstanding! I would try Share at least once.

Looking forward to trying Share on our November cruise. Thanks for taking time to give a very detailed review.

Having personally observed the multitude of responses to 'Share' on CC since its debut - from those that have actually dined there(including moi) - the general consensus has been that most have had a less than favorable opinion of their 'Share' dining experience for various stated reasons. It is safe to declare that the 'nays' outweigh the 'yeahs' at a minimum clip of 2 to 1 in favor of the nays.

Yes, but quite a few of those nays have never bothered to try it. While they are entitled to their reasons, I generally don't factor in their opinions when making decisions to try it or not. Frankly, I don't care about furniture or lighting. I'm interested in the food. I'm looking forward to making my own decisions regarding SHARE. Thanks OP for the review.

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