Ultimate Balcony Dinner {pictures}

[tulips*n*truffles]

A few months ago, I posted asking how UBD worked and I'm SO thankful for the responses encouraging us to try it. I treated my parents to this for their 38th wedding anniversary while we're traveling {island princess} and it was incredible...Dad even got choked up a couple of times in awe of the experience. I couldn't have imagined a better service, better food, or better scenery! We sailed past Greece as we dined and it was none other than perfect!

 

In my planning, I searched for pictures of what this might look like, so I thought it might help someone else in my shoes to see! The photos are a bit out of order, sorry!

 

First course: selection of small bites (smoked salmon, cheese, and pate)

Second course: crab quiche with vegetables

Third course: mixed salad with walnuts and goat cheese (balsamic or honey mustard dressing)

Fourth course: we all chose surf and turf - the best steak I've had in my life with mushroom sauce and beautiful lobster tail with drawn butter, asparagus with hollandaise, carrots, and zucchini.

Dessert course: quartet of chocolate mousse (dark, white, milk, and hazelnut) with raspberries and plate of petit fours.

 

Our servers were 5* - couldn't have asked for more. Moscato, cocktails, champagne...totally over the top!! If you ever even THINK you want to do this, do it! Mom and Dad didn't know the cost and when we were finished guessed at $100pp, not half that! It was worth every penny!

[Colo Cruiser]

What an excellent experience. Thanks for sharing.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

Thanks for posting the review & pictures. We are planning on doing this in November when we stay in our first suite. Be nice having the larger balcony too as be four of enjoying the experience.

 

David & Ellen

[KruzeKrazy!]

We loved our UBD in our full suite on the CB as we watched the sun set and the moon appear in the Caribbean. Great food, marvelous service, a wonderful experience.

 

We still talk about it like it was yesterday . . . and wish it was happening again tomorrow!

[jasbo49]

Thanks for the concise and descriptive reporting. I hope to persuade my wife that this is worth doing, even though, "we've already paid for our dinner." I'll show her this post for inspiration.

 

About how long does it take from setup to dessert?

 

Jim

[KruzeKrazy!]

Ours lasted perhaps 2 hours. Their ability to time each course -- to both allow for a leisurely dining experience and have the next course arrive fresh/hot just when you were ready for it -- was uncanny.

 

Thinking due to the price we'd make our UBD the evening's event -- and it was but because of the great experience it was from start to finish.

[KruzeKrazy!]

P.S. If you have the extra room of a suite balcony I would encourage doing UBD at least once to (a) have the experience and (b) to know instead of forever wonder if you should have.

[West Coast Gal]

Great Post! Thank you for sharing

[Bimmer09]

Definitely the best $100 you'll spend on a Princess Cruise...

 

Video from the Crown after leaving Aruba 2012

 

 

Dinner begins 2 minutes in if you are pressed for time...

 

Norris

[KruzeKrazy!]

Norris -

 

I also surprised my DW with the UBD in our aft suite as we sailed away from Aruba on our 35th!

 

In a few months well be in French Polynesia in an aft Owners Suite on the Pacific Princess for our 40th and I just may do the same again...

 

Brian

[Bimmer09]

Norris -

 

I also surprised my DW with the UBD in our aft suite as we sailed away from Aruba on our 35th!

 

In a few months well be in French Polynesia in an aft Owners Suite on the Pacific Princess for our 40th and I just may do the same again...

 

Brian

 

Good one Brian!

 

I had the bedroom curtain closed as she was taking a nap...meanwhile the team were setting up the table. She woke thinking she was going to the MDR...I opened the curtain....

 

Priceless!

 

We had suite 6088 on the Ocean Princess-acres of room there! Enjoy!

 

Norris

[Nancyquilts]

They also bring champagne and flowers for the table, and the photographers come and take as many pictures as you want. The first one is free.

[mek]

I would like to do this, but DH and I like our food hot. Just concerned that by the time it gets to the cabin and is served outside that it will be lukewarm at best. Is this the case?

[KruzeKrazy!]

Each course arrives fresh from the galley - they do not all just sit in a room service cart outside your door.

 

We agree hot food should be hot and cold food cold but we would "sacrifice" a little food hotness/coldness for the UBD experience any day.

[Astro Flyer]

They also bring champagne and flowers for the table, and the photographers come and take as many pictures as you want. The first one is free.

We always exchange the $32 half bottle of champagne for a full size (750 ml) $32 bottle of wine.

[PrincessNancy]

Thank you for your fabulous post! Just booked a WS on our upcoming cruise. I am going to surprise my DH--although it will be an Ultimate Window View Dinner. ;)

[KruzeKrazy!]

Ditto on the full wine versus half champagne.

[PurpleRose23]

Oh my.....I want to do this on our next cruise. Looks fabulous!!! Thanks for sharing.

[tulips*n*truffles]

Thanks for posting the review & pictures. We are planning on doing this in November when we stay in our first suite. Be nice having the larger balcony too as be four of enjoying the experience.

 

David & Ellen

 

I agree!! We are on Caribe and have the extended balcony...worked perfectly for 4 adults. They had a table set up on the side with our wine and champagne as well and we all had plenty of room!!

[tulips*n*truffles]

Thanks for the concise and descriptive reporting. I hope to persuade my wife that this is worth doing, even though, "we've already paid for our dinner." I'll show her this post for inspiration.

 

About how long does it take from setup to dessert?

 

Jim

 

Ours was scheduled for 7pm. They set up within a minute of that, the photographer came 5 minutes later, and we had our first course by 7:15pm. We were on our way out the door to a show by right about 9pm (dessert served with coffee maybe 20 minutes prior)!

[tulips*n*truffles]

They also bring champagne and flowers for the table, and the photographers come and take as many pictures as you want. The first one is free.

 

I don't know if this was anyone else's experience, and maybe it was because we were a group of 4 (seems to make sense), but we had 2 bottles of champagne and 2 flower arrangements. Our photographer did take all the pictures we wanted and said the first picture for each "couple" is free. We checked to see if they were ready today and they were not so we'll check again tomorrow!

[tulips*n*truffles]

I would like to do this, but DH and I like our food hot. Just concerned that by the time it gets to the cabin and is served outside that it will be lukewarm at best. Is this the case?

 

That was not our experience at all. Each course was the right temperature, timed perfectly. Our steaks were medium-rare, and not the kind that keeps cooking for 20 minutes before you eat it - piping hot, charred a bit on the outside. Lobster tail was incredible. Vegetables still hot. Honestly I couldn't have expected better.

[mek]

Each course arrives fresh from the galley - they do not all just sit in a room service cart outside your door.

 

We agree hot food should be hot and cold food cold but we would "sacrifice" a little food hotness/coldness for the UBD experience any day.

 

LOL - Kind of like the lagoon lunch or dinner that's served in the water in French Polynesia. I have yet to do that, (on my bucket list), but I've discussed it with friends and we've all joked that even if they only served a bow of Fritos it would probably be the best meal we could ever have.

[Astro Flyer]

That was not our experience at all. Each course was the right temperature, timed perfectly. Our steaks were medium-rare, and not the kind that keeps cooking for 20 minutes before you eat it - piping hot, charred a bit on the outside. Lobster tail was incredible. Vegetables still hot. Honestly I couldn't have expected better.

 

When the room service supervisor came to our cabin to set up our dinner he asked how we wanted our steaks cooked. We like them light red in the middle & he said he'd request medium-rare so they'd be medium after going from the galley to our cabin. They were perfect for us...charred & piping hot...and all of the courses were the correct temperature. :)

 

The servers do a great job anticipating when we're ready for the next course but I have also seen them with an insulated cart in the hallway if their timing was slightly off.

[Astro Flyer]

Thank you for your fabulous post! Just booked a WS on our upcoming cruise. I am going to surprise my DH--although it will be an Ultimate Window View Dinner. ;)

 

Once inclement weather forced us inside our balcony cabin but it was still great and with all of the extra room in your WS cabin you won't be as crowded as us.