Will Princess ever improve the food in the Specialty restaurants?

[oskidunker]

Very frustrating. Nobody like Sabattini's on our recent Emerald cruise. It seems like if you pay extra , they could provide, different, higher quality food. reviews of other lines seem to indicate that their specialty restaurants are really special. when I get the same Lobster tails as the diningroom with no more option for Fresh Maine Lobster, it isn't soemthing I would do aagin. even the deserts were nothing to write hoem about. They seem to feel if they give you alot you will think it is a good value. Not.

[jrstarheel]

could not disagree more. anyone wondering about chosing this option just order the artichoke suffle and the fish dish for 2.( forgot the name) OUT OF THIS WORLD . 12 cruises and picky

[lor74]

cannot speak about Sabatinis but the Crown Grill is worth every penny IMHO

 

 

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[Pam in CA]

Food is very subjective. One person's "yummy" is another's "yucky." I've never had a bad nor inferior dinner in any specialty restaurant. Some have been better than others and I prefer the Crown Grill and Sterling Steakhouse to Sabatini's or the Bayou but that's a matter of personal food preferences.

[CruisinChris]

I've personally loved sabatinis on the the ruby and emerald over the last 5 years+. The baked whole fish is very traditional Italian and outstanding. The ambience and service remind me what princess can do when the staffing and volume is more manageable. Now I do think some of it comes down to picking well. Lobster any place other than near where it's caught is always going to leave something to be desired. Even live lobsters flown in to some distant pal ce aren't the same because they secrete a hormone that changes the quality of their meat. Frozen lobster is meh in my opinion. I think picking something that can standup to being frozen and prepared under the constraints of the shipboard galley (no open flame) helps guarantee satisfaction. Oh, and always always ask your server for a reco. If he/she can't make one ask for your head waiter. They KNOW what's good and what peoples reactions have been. In my experience, they won't set you wrong.

 

 

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[Oh2B@C]

Very subjective indeed, but that's why we exchange our opinions... I did not care for Sabbatini's. Food average, and waiter was a real sour-puss.

 

Crown Grill was FANTASTIC. Very creative appetizer's, awesome choice of meat. Great service. We even got the chef to prepare the lobster tails a certain way, with a certain type of sauce we especially like. He came to our table to ask us to make sure he understood perfectly what we were asking.

 

As an aside, I'll never understand why people think lobster is such a delicacy. It's quite ordinary to me. Did you know they used to serve lobster to convicts in the 1940's because there was so much of it around and nobody wanted to eat it?

[nukesubsailor]

My favorite specialty restaurant is the Bayou Cafe. We got a great filet there, just like in the Crown Grill and the lobster tail was an 8 ounce size. That was twice the size of the ones served in the MDR. In addition, the Cajun food items were great. We have only eating dinner once in Sabatini's. The food was good and I loved the calamari. We won't eat there again because we can't stand the prolonged exposure to opera music.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I can see why you might think lobster is not that special living in Vancouver, Maine or other ocean locations. But living in Nebraska it definitely is a special treat; we normally only have it on cruises--and yes, I know the lobster in the MDR is not that great, but I still enjoy it.

 

The lobster we had on our very first cruise way back in the 70's was something to behold--filled the whole plate, with plenty more if you wanted it.

[TracieABD]

I had a great experience at the Crown earlier this year. :)

[Cupcrazy]

The food at Crown Grill last year was the best I've ever had on a cruise. I was on Oasis of the Seas last month and their steakhouse, Chops, was good but the rib-eye I had on the Ruby was out of this world and totally worth every penny.

[lovevacadays]

I am sorry to hear you did not enjoy your Sabatini's experience. I've done Sabatini's, Crown Grill and Sterling Steakhouse and always enjoyed it. I will say I did send back an entrée at Sabatini's once but they replaced it with something I really liked.

[jean s]

We usually eat 2 or 3 nights in Crown Grill on a 7 night cruise. Meals have always been great and service has been top notch.

[paul929207]

We do not do the specialty restaurants, so can't comment on the food. I do hear many people on board planning to go as well as lots of posts on here

[OCruisers]

We have no problem with the food in Specialty Restaurants on Princess Cruises! We also enjoy the atmosphere in them. :)

 

LuLu

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[slomotion]

Had dinner at the Crown Grille (Star Princess) on Monday, 10/21/13 & again on Friday 10/25/13.

 

Clearly on par with any land-based quality restaurant.

 

The first time there were two of us enjoying a sweet suite bonus. The second time there were eight of us celebrating a birthday. First night I ordered the filet and asked if I could also get two lobster tails. He brought me four! The service, food, and ambiance could not have been better.

 

The second night, after taking the orders the server said she would bring baked potatoes for those that had ordered them and would bring servings of all of the other side dishes on the menu for all of us to enjoy. She did, and then brought out four addition lobster tail dinners (16 tails) so that we could all enjoy them as an addition.

 

An incredible night all around.

 

slo

[westcoastvecs]

LOVE Crown Grill....Sabatini's not at all.

 

just my 2 cents

:)

Robin

[Cruise Junky]

I have to admit, I really liked Sabatini's under the old menu, but we didn't find it great with the new menu. Crown grill wasn't great on my one trip there. Sterling was always great as was Bayou.

[tonit964]

On our cruise on Sapphire this past March, my parents treated us to Sabatini's and we LOVED it, the waiter was absolutely wonderful and very accomodating.

 

We thought the food was wonderful.

I did not care for the soft shell crab, I never had it before, the waiter kept trying to bring me something else but there was just so much food, I told him it was fine, I wouldn't go hungry. I know it bothered him to "let it go".

 

We have never tried Crown grill. Will have to do that on the Crown in April.

[KruzPrincess]

I haven't been in Sabatini's since the menu changed. I did really enjoy the Bayou Café on the Coral Princess in July. We had fillet with lobster. The fillet was very good and the lobster was not the same as the MDR serving. It was good. We liked it so much that we went back the last night of the cruise. Service was fabulous. Shrimp appetizer was huge. I can't remember the other appetizers, but we enjoyed them. We had way more food than we could eat.

[Astro Flyer]

We enjoy the food at Crown Grill & can always enjoy a great steak. The whole Sabatini's experience is good for us although after trying every option we'd like to see new Sabitini choices. Until then we'll enjoy a great meal & experience at the Crown Grill. :)

 

Taste is subjective however on RCI's Navigator OTS their Italian restaurant wasn't as good to us. Their steakhouse had fewer options & as I recall more expensive so didn't go there. So my opinion is that the RCI specialty restaurants are not as good as on Princess & thus don't agree with the OP.

[Guest arowe6]

Ate at Sabatinis a few years ago as a free gift from our Amex platinum cards. We hated it. Blah service. Blah food.

 

Ate at Crown Grill a few years ago and LOVED it. We now eat there at least once on every cruise.

 

Different strokes for different folks. I have read where people love Sabatinis. I don't get it.

 

-Andrew:)

[faymuiheng]

I think there's a beginning of a trend. We also, did not enjoy the meal at Sabatini's. Was on the Grand Oct 2013, and we sent back our entree. The atmosphere was nice and service superior....

 

And for the first time in ages, we enjoyed dinner in the main dining room as well.

[Bentley5700]

cannot speak about Sabatinis but the Crown Grill is worth every penny IMHO

 

 

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The Crown Grill filet I had on last cruise was the best steak I've ever experienced in a restaurant anywhere.

[amazinglife]

I wonder where these people eat at home. I am sure no one ever leaves starving :rolleyes:

 

p.s. and what would you have paid for a similar experience in your hometown???

Edited November 9, 2013 by amazinglife

[jsiegel]

I ate at Sabatini's on the Sapphire this past April and the food was sublime. The artichoke souffle was the best food I'd ever eaten on a Princess ship. Ate at Sabatini's on the Golden last month and if the meal hadn't been a gift from our travel agent I would have complained. Food was really not good. The artichoke souffle was awful. The desserts not so great. The chicken entree rather blah. There seems to be no consistency between ships.

 

I thought Crown Grill on the Golden was so-so. My fish entree was very good but the other items were just plain. The black and blue French onion soup was not special. The side dishes nothing to write home about.

 

Jackie