Curtis Stone restaurant is called 'SHARE'

[Coral]

... would REALLY tick me off! The Wheelhouse is our favorite evening venue on all Princess ships. I would be very upset if they were to really make this change. :mad:

 

I love the dark wood and nautical look of the Wheelhouse Lounge! I feel at home there. Some of the other bars are boring to me but this reminds me of traditional cruising.... And seemed timeless IMO. I will surely miss it also.

[Astro Flyer]

And to those that said EVERYTHING is greeted with negativity on CC - I can't remember reading a single negative comment on the rollout of the Norman Love chocoalte desserts, etc.

(Which have lived up to all the hype. :D )

They are delicious!! :D To me having a different opinion & asking questions is not necessarily the same thing as negativity.

 

To expect that everyone will be happy with this change is unrealistic & it's also unrealistic to not expect different opinions. As I posted previously, I have questions about this change & if I decide to try it will do so with an open mind. Although I would not categorize differing opinions as negativity because all of us have opinions & none of them are more valid than the opinions of anyone else.

 

It's good to have choices but it's too soon for me to decide if this change is good for me but hope that it's an improvement for most passengers.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[InTheWASide]

I love the dark wood and nautical look of the Wheelhouse Lounge! I feel at home there. Some of the other bars are boring to me but this reminds me of traditional cruising.... And seemed timeless IMO. I will surely miss it also.

 

 

I haven't heard how much or little the venue would change. To me while the Wheelhouse Bar (look in my signature to know which ships I draw my point of reference from) did not previously serve food, which a pub would be more likely to do, the venue seemed rather "pub-ish" already. Dark woods and greens and VERY English paintings and artwork. Brass railings. Put maybe a pub band in there, more of an emphasis on pints and snacks and maybe take off a couple pieces of art and add a dart board or two and you could almost be done with it right there.

 

It may stay really familiar and just have more functions that it performs

[Pam in CA]

Agree....not at all happy about this and we will be on Emerald in Feb. I am highly allergic to shellfish....in CG they grille the asparagus on the same grill as the shrimp and have to do mine different. I even get swelling if someone touches a utensil and then another and I touch it.

All it would take is some idiot to use a serving spoon or utensil from a shellfish dish and put it in another dish to cause my daughter to get sick. Like you, she has shellfish allergies.

 

The chairs look so uncomfortable! I can't sit in a hard chair for long before experiencing pain. There is literally nothing that would entice me to try this new restaurant. :(

[Thorpe]

I'll be on the Sun in May and I'm hoping they replace Kai Sushi with Share rather than the Pizzeria. Think I'll try it out either way even as a solo, always happy to try new things once :)

[Coral]

I haven't heard how much or little the venue would change. To me while the Wheelhouse Bar (look in my signature to know which ships I draw my point of reference from) did not previously serve food, which a pub would be more likely to do, the venue seemed rather "pub-ish" already. Dark woods and greens and VERY English paintings and artwork. Brass railings. Put maybe a pub band in there, more of an emphasis on pints and snacks and maybe take off a couple pieces of art and add a dart board or two and you could almost be done with it right there.

 

It may stay really familiar and just have more functions that it performs

 

I hope so :)

[rdsqrl]

The whole concept is so unfriendly to the solo cruiser that it turned me off immediately. Notwithstanding that, we are looking at photos of one seriously ugly restaurant. The furniture looks like something from a 1970s rec room. As for the lighting fixtures etched with the chef's own recipes -- also tacky. Swing and a miss, Curtis.

[SeaMystique]

I find the whole idea of specialty restaurants somewhat ridiculous. We ate at the Bayou Grill on the old Island Princess, and the food was completely unimpressive. Mush.

 

Sabatini's was praised to me as just like the Olive Garden -- the worst restaurant in the world, IMHO. If Curtis Stone's place is "like Maggiano's," as one cruiser hoped, also forget it.

 

I wouldn't know a good French, Spanish, or Peruvian restaurant from a bad one, but I was born and grew up in a very Italian section of NYC, and believe me -- Italian food I do know. Italian food -- actual, genuine Italian food -- is not found in chain restaurants, and since cruise ship specialty restaurants are essentially upscale-chain clones, I doubt it will surface on Princess either.

 

As for the decor, I agree: it looks LOUD. Always a no-go as far as we're concerned.

 

On the other hand, cruise lines do not exist to make us happy. They are there to turn a profit. If this, rather silly-looking concept works, there will be more Stones out there. If, on the other hand, it bombs, maybe they'll bring back the "romantic" restaurants.

 

Either way, I'll be in the MDR. That's what I've paid for, and that's what I'm gonna eat.;)

[Cruise Junky]

We cruise to get away from our families ;), so the idea of communal meals with family holds no appeal whatsoever. We also always request a table for two in the MDR, so the idea of sharing platters with strangers has no appeal either.

 

 

Yeah, that about sums us up. However, I do really like Curtis Stone and am happy that Princess is doing something new. If I can get a table for two or am cruising with friends, we'd do this.

[SteerageJack]

I don't understand the concept of paying for food when endless quantities of delicious food are available for free.

[Astro Flyer]

Yeah, that about sums us up. However, I do really like Curtis Stone and am happy that Princess is doing something new. If I can get a table for two or am cruising with friends, we'd do this.

 

I'll try his “Crafted by Curtis” menu items in the main dining room & wonder how his menu will affect the Chef's Table.

[Cruise Junky]

I'll try his “Crafted by Curtis” menu items in the main dining room & wonder how his menu will affect the Chef's Table.

 

Good point. I've only done one chef's table and it was done by Alfredo. Kind of hard to sign up for others when you've had the best :)

[LMaxwell]

I'll try his “Crafted by Curtis” menu items in the main dining room & wonder how his menu will affect the Chef's Table.

Will those be a separate upcharge in the MDR?

[Astro Flyer]

Good point. I've only done one chef's table and it was done by Alfredo. Kind of hard to sign up for others when you've had the best :)

Lucky you...we've had 4 of the CTs when it was $75/pp. but none with Alfredo Marzi. :(

 

Alfredo has been on a couple of our cruises & we thought the dining room meals were some of the best ones that we have experienced. :) Maybe he participated in the CT's on the Royal & Regal but we didn't want to pay $115/pp for the Lumiere version.

[Astro Flyer]

Will those be a separate upcharge in the MDR?

The way I read the articles, there appears to be no uncharge in the MDR but since it's something new we don't know for sure. Currently there are no upcharges for any food items in the MDR & I would not want to see any implemented. SHARE will have a fee but we don't even know that amount yet which seems odd to me.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[Cruise Junky]

Lucky you...we've had 4 of the CTs when it was $75/pp. but none with Alfredo Marzi. :(

 

Alfredo has been on a couple of our cruises & we thought the dining room meals were some of the best ones that we have experienced. :) Maybe he participated in the CT's on the Royal & Regal but we didn't want to pay $115/pp for the Lumiere version.

 

We had him in Ruby. It was fantastic. I'll do the wine makers dinner on a Royal but will skip the CT

[Nezmo]

Listen carefully, he talks about couples sharing for those that are wondering.

 

http://https://www.facebook.com/PrincessCruises/videos/10153546881689060/

Edited August 19, 2015 by Nezmo

[Cruise Junky]

Listen carefully, he talks about couples sharing for those that are wondering.

 

http://https://www.facebook.com/PrincessCruises/videos/10153546881689060/

 

First, he's super hot and yep, sign us up. Hope it will be on Royal by next October.

[Astro Flyer]

We had him in Ruby. It was fantastic. I'll do the wine makers dinner on a Royal but will skip the CT

We've enjoyed the Winemakers Dinner on all 3 of our Royal-class cruises & hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we did. :)

 

Ours have always been the Michael Mondavi menu with the filet mignon & gnocchi and on the Regal in April we considered it a 2nd time during our 17-day TA. They explained that the Mondavi menu is the most popular & would be repeated so we went to the CG instead.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[Cruise Junky]

We've enjoyed the Winemakers Dinner on all 3 of our Royal-class cruises & hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we did. :)

 

Ours have always been the Michael Mondavi menu with the filet mignon & gnocchi and on the Regal in April we considered it a 2nd time during our 17-day TA. They explained that the Mondavi menu is the most popular & would be repeated so we went to the CG instead.

 

That would be great. We've done a tasting with MM, would be great to have his menu.

[waltd]

Listen carefully, he talks about couples sharing for those that are wondering.

 

http://https://www.facebook.com/PrincessCruises/videos/10153546881689060/

 

Well then we will certainly try it. Glad Princess is trying something new.

[dtb55]

I find the whole idea of specialty restaurants somewhat ridiculous. We ate at the Bayou Grill on the old Island Princess, and the food was completely unimpressive. Mush.

 

 

 

Sabatini's was praised to me as just like the Olive Garden -- the worst restaurant in the world, IMHO. If Curtis Stone's place is "like Maggiano's," as one cruiser hoped, also forget it.

 

 

 

I wouldn't know a good French, Spanish, or Peruvian restaurant from a bad one, but I was born and grew up in a very Italian section of NYC, and believe me -- Italian food I do know. Italian food -- actual, genuine Italian food -- is not found in chain restaurants, and since cruise ship specialty restaurants are essentially upscale-chain clones, I doubt it will surface on Princess either.

 

 

 

As for the decor, I agree: it looks LOUD. Always a no-go as far as we're concerned.

 

 

 

On the other hand, cruise lines do not exist to make us happy. They are there to turn a profit. If this, rather silly-looking concept works, there will be more Stones out there. If, on the other hand, it bombs, maybe they'll bring back the "romantic" restaurants.

 

 

 

Either way, I'll be in the MDR. That's what I've paid for, and that's what I'm gonna eat.;)

 

 

I guess it's what you're used to, because, in my opinion, good Italian food is not found in NY either. There is a world of difference between NY Italian and real Italian. My MIL was from Italy and I found her cooking to be closer to what I found in Italy.

[HUNKY]

SeaMys - my reference to Maggiano's refers to their family style service. A table of four picks two of four salads, four of about twenty entrees, and two different desserts. Parties at Share will order their own dishes and share them with themselves, not with unrelated parties. No problem with allergies or diet choices. Don't order things that you don't like, or ask your server if the chef can modify a dish. BTW I thought the design looked pretty good. Sorry it won't be on Royal this fall.

[GUT2407]

Wouldn't you think they'd include at least one of the regular Aussie ships.

[Astro Flyer]

Wouldn't you think they'd include at least one of the regular Aussie ships.

From the article in the first post:"Sun Princess in April 2016, which will bring Chef Stone’s restaurant to his home country, Australia".