Does Princess Ever Change Their MDR Menus?

[Memtn901]

Hi Folks:

 

I was hooked on cruising immediately! My first cruise was on the Grand SFO-HI March 2013 and loved it. Now I'm looking fwd to a Panama Canal Partial on the Coral November 20.

 

From what I can tell, the same exact menus will be offered in the MDR, and in EXACTLY THE SAME ORDER as March 2013! I was amazed! I thought for sure there would be some sort of tweaking or revamping of choices...if for no other reason it's a completely different time of year! As Chef Marzi says in this youtube video, Everything is Fresh and Seasonal! (???)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZbUagAG2To

 

My question is how often does Princess roll out new menus? In today's culinary landscape I'm surprised they don't get more grief for not changing menus for years at a time. Especially from all the great folks that come back to Princess for weeks and weeks several times a year!

 

I'm not suggesting they get rid of the Fettuccine Alfredo or the available anytime menu (why not move the fettuccine to that side?) but surely passengers would welcome some new experiences in the dining room rather than know if it's embarkation, it's Hawaiian Luau Pork with Apricot Drippings.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Actually Princess has done some major menu changes in the past five/six years, I believe. They introduce some "homestyle" type of dishes, they tried a small plate type of menu, but whenever one of the big changes seemed not to be well-received, it would be dropped and the old menus will come back.

[Princess Patches]

As you say, it is years between major revamps of the menu, but tweaking goes on all the time. The latest tweak is the Chocolate Journeys desserts in the MDR and at the Captain's events. They were outstanding. Hopefully you will get to try these on your upcoming cruise.

 

Change is not always a good thing. They changed their Princess Love Boat Dream dessert recipe a few years back and it went from being one of their best desserts to one of their worst. Even when the menu does not change and you sail on multiple cruises each year I always find something new to try on the menu.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Princess Patches

[Loonbeam]

Bear it mind it costs a LOT to revamp a menu (development, sourcing, training, deployment, etc). This cost overall can be in the 100s of thousands when all is said and done.

 

An average cruiser is on board a ship once every 2-3 years and rarely the same itinerary, so the odds of them exhausting menu options are pretty slim.

[RickEk]

I understand that for their 50th Anniversary, they are going to be focusing on regional dishes.

[shredie]

The last time there was a major overhaul of the menus, there was significant whining and complaining here. Remember the outrage over Mac and Cheese? :rolleyes:

[geoherb]

We don't sail frequently enough to worry about seeing the same menu items. The most we've done until this year was three cruises--and not all of them were on Princess. We will manage four this year after we take two short ones next month. When we did two 4-day cruises back to back last year, I managed to find plenty of things to eat. They did vary the menus a bit.

 

We sat with one of the most-travelled passengers. I think she's up to over 170 cruises. She frequently ordered simple off-menu items.

[caribill]

Your favorite local restaurant has the same menu day-in and day-out for probably at least a year.

 

Princess has seven different menus on a seven day cruise. More variety than your local restaurant.

[Princess Patches]

By the way, I read that Princess will be offering a special 50th anniversary menu once per cruise on all of its ships during 2015. The menu will consist of items from each of the five decades Princess has been sailing. The menu was apparently served at the Regal Princess gala dinner for its christening this week.

[Bimmer09]

Your favorite local restaurant has the same menu day-in and day-out for probably at least a year.

 

Princess has seven different menus on a seven day cruise. More variety than your local restaurant.

 

Well said.

 

And I daresay more variety than most home cooks (often wives) come up with in a week or a month. I have only been on 6 cruises to date and have a long way to go before I can say I have tried everything on the menu even once. Might never happen.

 

Twice a year at most I am on a Princess Cruise and as you say there are 7 different menus for dinner on the cruises I take and the menus have expanded since I first began 3 years ago. As long as the dishes remain tasty and satisfying I am fine with it.

 

The Chocolate Journeys -Norman Love inspirations are a welcome edition.

 

I have yet to get up from an MDR dinner table hungry and dissatisfied.

 

Norris

[Memtn901]

Bear it mind it costs a LOT to revamp a menu (development, sourcing, training, deployment, etc). This cost overall can be in the 100s of thousands when all is said and done.

 

An average cruiser is on board a ship once every 2-3 years and rarely the same itinerary, so the odds of them exhausting menu options are pretty slim.

 

This is definitely true, and a point I hadn't really considered. And don't worry, I've never left the dining room disappointed or hungry...I was just surprised the menus appear identical to those on my last cruise. Maybe they'll be different on my next. If not I can always try the Hawaiian Luau Pork!

[Memtn901]

Your favorite local restaurant has the same menu day-in and day-out for probably at least a year.

 

Princess has seven different menus on a seven day cruise. More variety than your local restaurant.

 

Honestly my favorite local restaurant(s) definitely changes its menu several times through the year to take advantage of the seasons...but I understand your point. The Cheesecake Factory (or Ruth's Chris, or insert large food service provider) keep their menus for quite a while.

 

And like I said, I'm one who always finds something that makes me very happy at breakfast, lunch, tea time, and dinner and am humbled by the spectacular service and attitude which which these meals are delivered.

[Thrak]

The last time there was a major overhaul of the menus, there was significant whining and complaining here. Remember the outrage over Mac and Cheese? :rolleyes:

 

I can't understand why there wouldn't be outrage over Mac and Cheese. Do not ever try to feed me that crap on a cruise I've paid for. I don't even eat that sort of thing when camping.

 

On the other hand, I'm pretty satisified with what I'm able to order on a Princess cruise. Something such as Mac and Cheese won't even make it into the area of remote consideration. Put it on the kids menu - don't try to serve it to me. Same with meatloaf. Ugh... I grew up poor. Don't try to feed me poor people food on a cruise.

[canadarocks]

Something such as Mac and Cheese won't even make it into the area of remote consideration. Put it on the kids menu - don't try to serve it to me. Same with meatloaf. Ugh... I grew up poor. Don't try to feed me poor people food on a cruise.

 

Pretty sure you aren't trying to be offensive, but the above might certainly be taken that way. :(

[RJ2002]

I can't understand why there wouldn't be outrage over Mac and Cheese. Do not ever try to feed me that crap on a cruise I've paid for. I don't even eat that sort of thing when camping.

 

On the other hand, I'm pretty satisified with what I'm able to order on a Princess cruise. Something such as Mac and Cheese won't even make it into the area of remote consideration. Put it on the kids menu - don't try to serve it to me. Same with meatloaf. Ugh... I grew up poor. Don't try to feed me poor people food on a cruise.

 

I am thinking that your vision of mac and cheese may be different than that which appears now on many upscale restaurant menus.

[shredie]

Pretty sure you aren't trying to be offensive, but the above might certainly be taken that way. :(

 

I like Princess meatloaf. :p The Mac and Cheese was dolled up with shrimp, I think it was, and bacon. I tasted DH's and was underwhelmed. The stuff didn't last long on the menu. It was at the same time they introduced the MDR burgers (which was also cause for outrage at the time.) I think people have gotten over it. ;) It was just funny to me, at the time, that people got so worked up over the new dishes. Princess did not institute a policy where one must order the food or be shot on the spot. That's still the case, I think. ;) In any case, a new menu can be a revolution starter.

[cpcanuck]

I can't understand why there wouldn't be outrage over Mac and Cheese. Do not ever try to feed me that crap on a cruise I've paid for. I don't even eat that sort of thing when camping.

 

On the other hand, I'm pretty satisified with what I'm able to order on a Princess cruise. Something such as Mac and Cheese won't even make it into the area of remote consideration. Put it on the kids menu - don't try to serve it to me. Same with meatloaf. Ugh... I grew up poor. Don't try to feed me poor people food on a cruise.

 

:confused: Really??

[waltd]

Pretty sure you aren't trying to be offensive, but the above might certainly be taken that way. :(

 

Agree.

[Woobstr112G]

I can't understand why there wouldn't be outrage over Mac and Cheese. Do not ever try to feed me that crap on a cruise I've paid for. I don't even eat that sort of thing when camping.

 

On the other hand, I'm pretty satisified with what I'm able to order on a Princess cruise. Something such as Mac and Cheese won't even make it into the area of remote consideration. Put it on the kids menu - don't try to serve it to me. Same with meatloaf. Ugh... I grew up poor. Don't try to feed me poor people food on a cruise.

 

 

I actually like Mac & Cheese.....:D:D:D

 

Bob

p.s: Jo; Hope you and Jak have a great getaway cruise:)

Edited November 10, 2014 by Woobstr112G

[4realrod]

Bear it mind it costs a LOT to revamp a menu (development, sourcing, training, deployment, etc). This cost overall can be in the 100s of thousands when all is said and done.

 

An average cruiser is on board a ship once every 2-3 years and rarely the same itinerary, so the odds of them exhausting menu options are pretty slim.

 

Guess we are above average. Since 2006 we have cruised at least once a year. I never grow bored with the menu since we experience it only once a year.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Even if the menus were identical, which they won't be, you've cruised only once with Princess. There's no possible way you could have exhausted all of the options on one cruise!

 

Also, you may want to consider a specialty restaurant...

 

I'm going on my ninth Princess cruise in November and I'm looking forward to my meals! I do have some favorites... I'm going on a 28 day cruise next year and am pretty sure I'll always find something good to eat for the whole 28 days!

Edited November 10, 2014 by Working 2 Cruise

[Loonbeam]

Most CC members are, which is why I always caution people not to look at the industry through the lens of the forum. It's been a while but last check was that the average time between cruises for a Princess cruiser was something like 2.7 years overall (of course that means 3 a year for some people, and every 15 for others)

 

Guess we are above average. Since 2006 we have cruised at least once a year. I never grow bored with the menu since we experience it only once a year.

[caribill]

If I remember correctly, the last change in menus reduced the number of different dessert options each evening from five to three.

 

And the Crème brûlée went from having different flavors over the length of the cruise to just one, vanilla.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I happen to like mac n' cheese too, but not with shrimp (which I'm allergic to). Fortunately, I know if I can't find an entree I like on the menu, I can get the herb chicken.

 

My daughter loves my macaroni, but she knows I won't put strange items in it -- she may, but it's her choice what she adds.

[ar1950]

 

I actually like Mac & Cheese.....:D:D:D

 

Bob

p.s: Jo; Hope you and Jak have a great getaway cruise:)

 

Yeah I like it as well. But not when I have choices on the cruise that I don't make at home. It is kind of like in the old days of going into Luby's cafeteria and ordering the basic meal items. Why do that when there are so many other options available?