Chef's Table

Very interested in thoughts regarding Princess Chef's Table dining. Pros and cons and how best to go about getting reservations? I'm allergic to fish...will that be a problem? Is it limited to two, or can four adults participate? Thanks!

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Have done it 3 times on different ships.

Absolutely worth the money.

If you have allergies let them know. I do remember that the risotto had lobster in it, but can't think of any other fish on the menu.

Call the "dine-line" as soon as you get on as they are very popular and fill up fast. Only 12 in a group.:D

First come first served so call ASAP.

They will work with any food issues.

It is worth the money. It also includes a galley tour with the Maitre D'

We signed up at Passenger Services immediately after we walked onto the ship. We were the first ones on the list.:halo:

If you wait to call the dine line, there's the possibility that by the time you get through to them (they're very busy on the first day), you could miss out.

Once you're on the final list, you'll receive a letter telling you who/what/when and naming a time & place to meet the day before to discuss things like allergies and sign the safety waiver.

It's fantastic, definitely do it at least once.

We signed up at Passenger Services immediately after we walked onto the ship. We were the first ones on the list.:halo:

If you wait to call the dine line, there's the possibility that by the time you get through to them (they're very busy on the first day), you could miss out.

Once you're on the final list, you'll receive a letter telling you who/what/when and naming a time & place to meet the day before to discuss things like allergies and sign the safety waiver.

It's fantastic, definitely do it at least once.

Passenger Services, eh? I thought one had to talk to the MDR staff, but I'll make a note of that.

Passenger Services, eh? I thought one had to talk to the MDR staff, but I'll make a note of that.

Any head waiter/MD will work. :)

I can never get through on the DINE line so don't try anymore.

Never gone to the PSD desk.

I agree--Chef's Table is not to be missed! The last time, I just ate too much risotto--then couldn't eat much of the main course. Of course, I ate all the dessert!

I've learned to pace myself. Just a couple of spoons for each course. and I"m still bursting by the end...lol

Have not done this with Princess but have done with Royal Caribbean. Dont miss this, you will have a great night and is worth every cent. On our RCI cruise we booked through our personaliser before embarkation. Have a great time.

Is it limited to two, or can four adults participate? Thanks!

 

Four (or more) can participate.

We made the list on our recent cruise and, yes, the first thing we did was call to get on the list. We received our invitation a few days later.

The evening was a great experience and the food was excellent from the beginning to end. That said I have one criticism. With the food as well prepared as it was and the wine pairing pretty much spot on, the portions were far more than necessary. A well presented tasting menu should be portioned to allow for a memorable evening that leaves you satisfied and excited for more of the same. Most left the table clearly stuffed and clearly uncomfortable from the amount of food they consumed.

The value was very good, however, and In future events I would have to force myself to waste very good food by holding back.

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Thank you all!

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I've done the Chef's table several times on Princess and enjoyed it very much. Just a few notes. Call the DINE line as soon as you board, to get on that list. Every time we've done that, we got in. We dined with some people who told us that the husband alerted them he was allergic to lobster at the interview, and they cancelled him from the dinner. He had to lobby hard but did get accepted back in eventually. So I'm not sure what happens if you mention an allergy. That was several year ago so perhaps they've changed to accommodate people. You need closed toed shoes to enter the galley. I mention this because on a warm weather cruise, it's possible someone (especially a woman) might not have packed any. This happened to me once, much to my dismay. But the dinner was cancelled due to Noro, so it was not an issue. Portions are large, as others have mentioned, so eat very light that day. We made some very nice friends at these dinners.

My Mom & I are cruising in May and this is on my bucket list. One question, though. A couple of you have said you get on the list and are told the night you got in later. Do they only do it a couple nights? Is on a formal night (my Mom likes the food on formal nights)? Also, what if you had made reservations for Crown Grille or somewhere else or will they know that?

It's usually not on a formal night. It really depends on how many people sign up. On my 10 day coastal last yr they had 2 .

They won't know if you've made reservations at a specialty restaurant, if it's the same night you'll have to decide which one you want.

I would also like to know what happens if you prepay for a Specialty restaurant and then find out (if chosen) the Chef's Table is the same night.

Can you reschedule the Specialty restaurant or do they reimburse you for the pre-payment?

I would also like to know what happens if you prepay for a Specialty restaurant and then find out (if chosen) the Chef's Table is the same night.

 

Can you reschedule the Specialty restaurant or do they reimburse you for the pre-payment?

More than likely you will receive notifiction of your Chef's Table reservation two or three days prior to the actual event. Personally, if I had a conflicting reservation at one of the specialty restaurants, I would drop by that room on the evening that I received the notification and meet with the headwaiter. I'm sure he (or she) would be happy to move my reservation to another evening. They might be able to convert your pre-payment into OBC, but that wouldn't be my choice.

A couple other comments from my one Chef's Table experience:

• A poster above commented that there is more than enough food for each diner to enjoy, and, so, he thought that tasting portions should be served instead of the full portions. I had to chuckle, a bit, about that recommendation. Not that I disagree, though. Believe me there is more than enough food. Tasting portions would be fine. The problem that I see, though, is that if they started doing that, as soon as this policy was implemented, there would wailing and gnashing on Cruise Critic on how Princess is cutting back and, once again, the passengers are being wronged. In another thread a poster commented that he thought that the pours of wine were inadequate. My experience was that anytime there was space in my glass, additional wine was being poured into it--Champagne in the galley with the appetizers, white still wine with the risotto, and red wine with the entree. I saw no rationing of wine.
  
• When we received our invitation there was a document for my wife and me to sign stating that we did not suffer from any food allergies. When we met with the Maitre d' prior to the event, we submitted our signed document to him. From posts above and in other threads there are multiple reports that accommodations have been for people with food allergies. It looks like the chef has the disgression to accommodate special requests. No accommodations were made at our event.
  
• Nobody ever mentions this, but the most interesting thing that I learned from my Chef's Table experience was their control of alcohol for use in the dining room. In the galley there is a cage (for lack of a better description) with a fully stocked bar and a bartender. Dining room servers write down drink orders and hand that note to the bartender--no verbal orders. The bartender makes the drink, and the waiter comes back and picks it up. I would have never guessed that it was controlled like that. I did not see wine in this cage. It may have been that I just did not see it, or there might be a different protocol for wine.
  

 

 

• A poster above commented that there is more than enough food for each diner to enjoy, and, so, he thought that tasting portions should be served instead of the full portions. I had to chuckle, a bit, about that recommendation. Not that I disagree, though. Believe me there is more than enough food. Tasting portions would be fine. The problem that I see, though, is that if they started doing that, as soon as this policy was implemented, there would wailing and gnashing on Cruise Critic on how Princess is cutting back and, once again, the passengers are being wronged. In another thread a poster commented that he thought that the pours of wine were inadequate. My experience was that anytime there was space in my glass, additional wine was being poured into it--Champagne in the galley with the appetizers, white still wine with the risotto, and red wine with the entree. I saw no rationing of wine.
  

That is so true!

Passenger Services, eh? I thought one had to talk to the MDR staff, but I'll make a note of that.

The DINE line doesn't pick up. I've gone to passenger services before and have been told there to call DINE line. I explained I tried that and they took my info but they didn't seem happy about it [emoji4]

I have also spoken to HW in embarkation lunch MDR but that time we did not get Chefs table and we got on early with BVE

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