Crown Grill - Am I Missing Something?

I have never had bad service at CG but agree with comments above regarding the better service Sabatini's. I also was on the last December cruise on the Caribbean. Not withstanding the horrible circumstances at the airport when we disembarked the cruise itself was great. We only dined at Sabatini's this cruise as it is a favorite. Had no trouble getting wine by the glass.

You mentioned a difference in February, well apparently there were some sweeping changes for CG. What was once a favorite by many I have cruised with (surf and turf) is no longer available unless you pay a double charge.

CG will now only allow you to choose one item as an entre. No more lobster tail and steak unless you pay an additional $29.00. What was so bad was that they changed this without any notice with a number passengers not finding out until they were seated and ordering.

Princess are making many changes that are not so much in the favor of repeat customers.

Other changes include required pre-payment of excursions. This was taken out of the HAL handbook. I'm sure there will be more changes coming !!!! I'm beginning to wonder if Princess are not taking out the fact that they got caught and fined for breaking international law on their passengers.

When we were on the Caribbean Princess in December the Crown Grill was dreadful. The service was haughty and disinterested. We always order a very expensive bottle of wine as we dine there as our anniversary dinner. So they do not discriminate as to how much you are going to get overcharged for drinks.

I can actually understand charging more for additional lobster tails etc. The table next to ours had six extra tails on the table.

The main dining room food was very disappointing. Before I am asked how familiar I am with this ship, we have sailed on this one over 50 days and have another 27 booked for September. I hope that they figure it out soon.

I don't drink and have never experienced poor service from the waitstaff because I don't order a drink. Service has always been great for us.

I love CG, and usually go twice a cruise.

One time, fall 2015 on Emerald, had terrible service, even though I ordered a pricey bottle of wine. All I can say is... Go figure.

We have always enjoyed crown grill except last cruise. The service was lousey! The food ok. We are going to try it again in June. Hope it was a fluke as it has always been one of those great times on the ship.

There is enough confirmation on this post and others that the wait staff at the Clown Grill has not interest in you if they cannot make additional commissions off of you....

I don't get it. I don't think the wait staff get any additional $$$ whether you order a drink or not, it all goes into the tip pool with all the rest. If you have the AIBP you have already tipped big time on the drinks you consume.

Unlike a land based restaurant when we tip at the end of the meal it's based solely on the quality of the service provided, not on what we consumed and therefore the bill total. For a table of 4 we have tipped, again based solely on the service provided, anywhere from $0 to $100 for the meal.

Only once was the server ever-absent (He got the $0). Normally they anticipate your every need. If things go a little slow a nod from the maitre 'd springs the server into action.

I will say on our last cruise the quality of the beef was more supermarket than chophouse. Good but no WOW factor. Sides and the rest were also so-so compared to previous visits. We only went the first night on this last cruise because the upcharge is waved for full suite pax.

I don't get it. I don't think the wait staff get any additional $$$ whether you order a drink or not, it all goes into the tip pool with all the rest. If you have the AIBP you have already tipped big time on the drinks you consume.

 

Unlike a land based restaurant when we tip at the end of the meal it's based solely on the quality of the service provided, not on what we consumed and therefore the bill total. For a table of 4 we have tipped, again based solely on the service provided, anywhere from $0 to $100 for the meal.

 

Only once was the server ever-absent (He got the $0). Normally they anticipate your every need. If things go a little slow a nod from the maitre 'd springs the server into action.

 

I will say on our last cruise the quality of the beef was more supermarket than chophouse. Good but no WOW factor. Sides and the rest were also so-so compared to previous visits. We only went the first night on this last cruise because the upcharge is waved for full suite pax.

We found the steak on the Regal in 2016 to be no higher than "select" quality. I certainly don't expect "Prime", but for the upcharge I at least expected "choice" I'm the buyer for our company(catering/food service)I buy easily over $1.5 million in beef a year. You get pretty familiar with various cuts of beef. While I don't expect top quality, I at least expect the quality to be at "choice" levels. The Chilean Sea bass in C/G was some of the best I've ever had. That's NOT a cheap type of fish. You'd think you'd get a better grade of meat for the $29 up charge. The ambience/excellent service of the place, did still make a very nice evening.

I know it was a long time ago, but my family ate at the Crown Grill on the Ruby Princess in October of 2013.

Was the WORST dinging experience I have ever had with a specialty dining experience on Princess. Took a long, long time to get the server to even acknowledge us at the table, and the food was subpar, and very little attention after that.

Have never had that problem at Sabatinis...

We found the steak on the Regal in 2016 to be no higher than "select" quality. I certainly don't expect "Prime", but for the upcharge I at least expected "choice"....

Do you have a history with CG? It sounds like you know your cut of meat and wonder if you feel the same as I and some others do that years ago the beef had that WOW factor, melt in your mouth filet. Now not so much. Did they really cost-cut the CG STEAKHOUSE and downgrade the cut of beef?

I have just recently had a better filet at Outback Steakhouse compared to CG. It was lunch for $10, a 6oz filet, fries and a beer. It was outstanding, service equal to CG. Wait staff friendly and attentive and I tipped 20% for a whopping $4.00 for the two of us.

I don't get it. I don't think the wait staff get any additional $$$ whether you order a drink or not, it all goes into the tip pool with all the rest. If you have the AIBP you have already tipped big time on the drinks you consume.

 

Unlike a land based restaurant when we tip at the end of the meal it's based solely on the quality of the service provided, not on what we consumed and therefore the bill total. For a table of 4 we have tipped, again based solely on the service provided, anywhere from $0 to $100 for the meal.

 

Only once was the server ever-absent (He got the $0). Normally they anticipate your every need. If things go a little slow a nod from the maitre 'd springs the server into action.

 

I will say on our last cruise the quality of the beef was more supermarket than chophouse. Good but no WOW factor. Sides and the rest were also so-so compared to previous visits. We only went the first night on this last cruise because the upcharge is waved for full suite pax.

In the upscale restaurants waiters are given a commission on wines purchased. This has nothing to do with any tip given for extraordinary service.

Tipping is not required as is technically covered by the total ship gratuity payment but sometimes (given the extra service) you might add something (or not) for your experience.

In the upscale restaurants waiters are given a commission on wines purchased. This has nothing to do with any tip given for extraordinary service.

 

Tipping is not required as is technically covered by the total ship gratuity payment but sometimes (given the extra service) you might add something (or not) for your experience.

I've never heard about that one before.

They must dislike serving me & the wife. We get Ice tea & hot tea. :D

Do you have a history with CG? It sounds like you know your cut of meat and wonder if you feel the same as I and some others do that years ago the beef had that WOW factor, melt in your mouth filet. Now not so much. Did they really cost-cut the CG STEAKHOUSE and downgrade the cut of beef?

 

I have just recently had a better filet at Outback Steakhouse compared to CG. It was lunch for $10, a 6oz filet, fries and a beer. It was outstanding, service equal to CG. Wait staff friendly and attentive and I tipped 20% for a whopping $4.00 for the two of us.

We did a 14 day B2B in Feb.2016. we ate at CG 3 times that cruise. The seafood all 3 times was OUTSTANDING! The steaks, however, really were not that great. When I order Filet Mignon, I expect to be able to "cut" it with a fork. It was quite "chewy" in CG. Sabatini's was NO better. At best "select" level beef was served. It's about what one might get at "Outback/Texas Roadhouse/Long horn". I've had far superior Filet at Outback. We usually do Celebrity. The food was amazingly, quite a bit below what we had on the Regal. In 2014-2015, The eclipse had great food. This year it was a BIG disappointment. The quality of the specialty rest. Is still MUCH better on the Eclipse. At about $50pp, it damn well should be. I'm booked again on the Eclipse next Jan. We're now seriously considering taking a "year" off from Cruising & going to Vegas for about 10-14 days. Either that or we do Florida at that time. Since it's so far out, I'm not worried about "losing" my deposit.

We ate at the Crown Grill one time on the 2017 Regal TA from Ft Lauderdale to Hamburg. Service and food were excellent. I had the rib eye and my wife had the lamb chops. I am from West Texas cattle county, where we know our way around a good steak. I don't usually order steak when away from home because what we have in our small town is normally better. We had one night at the CG included in the cabin price so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did.

We brought our own bottle of wine, with a a pre-paid corkage fee sticker paid at check in.

I suspect variations in quality of food and service are luck of the draw issues. We have eaten in the CG on previous cruises and been less impressed with the food or service. Same with MDR experiences.

In the upscale restaurants waiters are given a commission on wines purchased.

Yags - Do you know this for a fact? I have cruised many years and never heard of any of the alcohol sales resulting in the crew member who "rang it up" getting a special commission. If so, shouldn't the same then also be true in the MDR? What about the person that sells you a wine package?

What about good scotch in the CG? We rang up 6 between us over dinner which easily would have equaled the cost of a bottle of wine.

Not arguing just trying to understand the logic behind a commission for a select few on wine alone, especially when the big drinkers are more likely to have the AIBP.