Just off the Ruby...My thoughts

4:30 to eat dinner?!!!

4:30 to eat dinner?!!!

An option for Anytime Dinning. You’re not forced to eat at 4:30 pm. I have no problem with 4:30 pm because it doesn’t effect me.

Tom😎

I was on this cruise and I liked that I could order from the CG and did one night. I wanted a steak because the regular menu didn't really have anything that was interesting to me and my husband wasn't really interested in doing a CG dinner. It's a great compromise.

 

A steak used to be on the menu every evening.

Princess solution: Take it off the "free" part of the menu and charge big bucks for it.

An option for Anytime Dinning. You’re not forced to eat at 4:30 pm. I have no problem with 4:30 pm because it doesn’t effect me.

Tom😎

I realize it's Anytime--was just being silly. The mind just boggles at anyone wanting to eat then; but then I remember what it is like in the Snowbird states, like Florida and South Texas, where many seniors do want to eat between 4 and 5!

I also see all the people lined up for the earliest traditional dining. Never, ever for us, but to each their own.

We are retirement age too, but prefer 8 or later; we always do Anytime.

On our recent Caribbean Princess trip, we found the steak in the Crown Grill to be good. Honestly there were times in Club Class where the steak was not very good. It was significantly tough.

While it wasn't offered on our cruise and it might depend on what the other offerings are, I could actually see us ordering and splitting a Crown Grill entree. Neither of us finished it when we ate in the CG, so one entree would serve both of us in an MDR. The sad thing is that concept that we'd have to order an upcharge entree to get a decent steak.

It has been our experience that there have been lots of Elite on this cruise-Any idea of how many and number of days for MTP? Thanks. PS Do I see you on the roll call for the Majestic next March?

I attended both the MTP and the repeat passenger party on this cruise. The second and third Most Traveled Passengers were a tie, with just under 1200 days each. I think the cut-off of the MTP was in the high 500's. There were about 600 Elite passengers and 900 Platinum passengers on this sailing.

The MTP was a cocktail party, and the worst one that I have ever attended. Usually Princess sets up a buffet, and you can have as much as you want. This time it was only tray service, and while it was good, the choices were few and far between. We went to the dining room afterwards for an entree and dessert.

we were also on this cruise and the first night it took 45 min to take our food order and another 30 before we started getting food. We had 5:30 set dinning and everyone around us was eating dessert and we were still waiting for dinner. Dessert came at 7:45 and at 7:50 they told us we needed to leave so they could set up the table for the 8pm diners. We did not like the new menus and I sure hope they can these menus and not go fleet wide with them. If they keep them I may have to rethink a 19 day cruise next year. The lobster in the dining room were tasteless and very small. They have there own lobster farm otherwise in the wild they would be illegal to trap. The crown grill was very slow it took 4 hours for our party of 11. They brought me the wrong steak and when I told them it was not a rib eye he said it was just a different cut. I tried to saw a piece of meat and chew it was tasteless and tough as nails. I sent it back and then got a rib eye which was tasty but had a lot of gristle. Another person at our table also got the wrong steak. I've been burned twice now at the crown grill that I will not be back. Way to many cut backs.

We did not like the new menus and I sure hope they can these menus and not go fleet wide with them.

Did you make appropriate comments on the post-cruise survey?

Did you make appropriate comments on the post-cruise survey?

yes

Did you make appropriate comments on the post-cruise survey?

I was also on that cruise,and have not received the post cruise survey. With some exceptions,we liked the new menu.

I have a question. We’re there many people in the DR at 4:30 p.m. this seams way to early. I would refuse to go at that time if I had confirmed seating at 5:30 p.m.

Tony

My brother was on the Ruby in Feb and they started at 5pm. Well, the people were lined up past the International cafe. So they changed it to 4:30.

We just got off the Ruby on the 24tn. We were a party of 6 and ate as early as 5:30 and as late as 7:30 and times in between. Never had to wait for a table . So my guess is more than you think.

I was also on that cruise,and have not received the post cruise survey. With some exceptions,we liked the new menu.

Something must be going on with post cruise survey. We got off the Ruby in late December. No survey so I called and got a call back. I was not happy about a total mess up in one specialty dining location. Michelle took all the information and we were given a free dinner on next cruise. The next cruise was on the Grand to Hawaii last month. Once again we did not received the survey. I called; had no complaints, actually wanted to give some compliments-This time I was sent a survey about a week later. The person with whom I spoke said there had been many problems with the surveys and there was now a "spreadsheet" being set up for the folks at Princess to keep track.

I attended both the MTP and the repeat passenger party on this cruise. The second and third Most Traveled Passengers were a tie, with just under 1200 days each. I think the cut-off of the MTP was in the high 500's. There were about 600 Elite passengers and 900 Platinum passengers on this sailing.

 

The MTP was a cocktail party, and the worst one that I have ever attended. Usually Princess sets up a buffet, and you can have as much as you want. This time it was only tray service, and while it was good, the choices were few and far between. We went to the dining room afterwards for an entree and dessert.

Our experience on the Ruby in December was similar. Same tray service. Our saving point was Lisa Ball (Entertainment Director) recognized us from previous cruises and immediately joined us and two other couples. On the last cruise to Hawaii in March there was a luncheon with the best meal I have had on Princess. I made a comment to the chef about the meal and got a call from the Captain thanking us for the nice words. Amazing how different ships handle these "parties". We were on B2B2B cruises out of Australia, early last year, and that Captain went out of his way to avoid any type of MTP function. Really weird.

Our experience on the Ruby in December was similar. Same tray service. Our saving point was Lisa Ball (Entertainment Director) recognized us from previous cruises and immediately joined us and two other couples. On the last cruise to Hawaii in March there was a luncheon with the best meal I have had on Princess. I made a comment to the chef about the meal and got a call from the Captain thanking us for the nice words. Amazing how different ships handle these "parties". We were on B2B2B cruises out of Australia, early last year, and that Captain went out of his way to avoid any type of MTP function. Really weird.

In January, our four-day cruise in New Zealand had a wonderful lunch, featuring New Zealand lamb shank. It was delicious! In February, our 12-day Australia cruise on the Diamond was a cocktail party, but it was an enormous buffet, including lamb lollipops, ahi tuna, and a prosciutto waterfall. I guess you just never know.

How can you have dinner before "Happy Hour" which starts at 5:00? ;-)

I was on this cruise too and found the new menus a bit confusing at first. By the end I understood the layout and found them easy enough to navigate. With a single exception, I enjoyed everything I ordered.

One night an entree and dessert from SHARE were offered, had both and very much enjoyed (no extra charge).

4:30 dining isn't for me, but I observed many headed that way when I was headed in to wash up for my 8:00 dinner. As someone else said, seems fine to me since it doesn't affect me.

I will comment that with 600 Elites and 900 Platinums debarkation was about as poor as we've experienced in recent memory.

I hope all this dining confusion doesn't spread fleet wide. DH and I are thinking of a cruise for our 40th anniversary. Can't decide between Princess and NCL for the Caribbean. We are new to this!

4:30 would work for many of the snowbird crowd and for some with young family members.

When I was a teenager, I would have gladly eaten at 4:30 and then again at dinner time with the rest of the family. 😀

If the raditional early dining was 5 pm, what time was the late traditional? 7:15?

if the raditional early dining was 5 pm, what time was the late traditional? 7:15?

... ;)

I was on this cruise too and found the new menus a bit confusing at first. By the end I understood the layout and found them easy enough to navigate. With a single exception, I enjoyed everything I ordered.

 

One night an entree and dessert from SHARE were offered, had both and very much enjoyed (no extra charge).

 

4:30 dining isn't for me, but I observed many headed that way when I was headed in to wash up for my 8:00 dinner. As someone else said, seems fine to me since it doesn't affect me.

 

I will comment that with 600 Elites and 900 Platinums debarkation was about as poor as we've experienced in recent memory.

Interesting as I was off the ship & through customs in around 10 minutes with my luggage curb side at around 8:30 am.

Tom😎

If the raditional early dining was 5 pm, what time was the late traditional? 7:15?

Answer...8 pm.

Tom😎

How can you have dinner before "Happy Hour" which starts at 5:00? ;-)

A good question to ask Princess. Please post the answer here.

Tom😎

I have my first Princess cruise in May on Ruby after 10 Royal Caribbean cruises. I was really looking forward to what I had seen of Princess’s menus. These new menus seem like a random selection of ethnic foods with no cohesion. It just doesn’t hang together. Maybe I’ll feel differently when I get back, but right now I feel slightly disappointed.

Also, I apparently have not adequately appreciated RCI’s unlimited butter policy! [emoji6]

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I have my first Princess cruise in May on Ruby after 10 Royal Caribbean cruises. I was really looking forward to what I had seen of Princess’s menus. These new menus seem like a random selection of ethnic foods with no cohesion. It just doesn’t hang together. Maybe I’ll feel differently when I get back, but right now I feel slightly disappointed.

 

Also, I apparently have not adequately appreciated RCI’s unlimited butter policy! [emoji6]

 

 

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FYI...You may not be aware that you can have as much butter as you want just by asking. Their was a lot of waste of butter that was unused & had to be thrown out.

If anyone has a problem asking for more butter than perhaps Princess is not a cruise line for them.

If the server refused to bring more butter that that’s an issue to discuss with the Maître d’.

Tom😎