Princess or only Carnival cutting eating options?

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Probably a dumb question, but many of the cruise you tubers are talking about how Carnival is cutting their chef's table and an Italian restaurant for at least the next 2 months.  I'm assuming they only mean their Carnival brand ships.  Do they also mean Princess?   I'm going to be on Majestic in June Alaska.

[Cruise Raider]

3 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

Probably a dumb question, but many of the cruise you tubers are talking about how Carnival is cutting their chef's table and an Italian restaurant for at least the next 2 months.  I'm assuming they only mean their Carnival brand ships.  Do they also mean Princess?   I'm going to be on Majestic in June Alaska.

We haven’t noticed that on Princess and have cruised several times since the restart.  However, we have heard that during the extreme low capacity cruises, this has happened.  Now that there is a crew shortage fir most cruiselines, they are sometimes forced to close certain venues on a rotating basis.  

[Astro Flyer]

Here’s a link to an article about the affects on Carnival cruises due to crew shortages.

 

“The cruise line has also stopped operating its Cucina Del Capitano Italian restaurant as well as the elite Chef’s Table dining experience, according to Cruise Hive. Those will also be closed through the end of June, if not longer”.

 

https://stocks.apple.com/Aw-XeS9jQQ0iyFQyI2UtucQ

[VibeGuy]

Some Princess ships are alternating nights between Crown Grill and Sabatini’s being open. Some are picking one and sticking to it.  Others, everything is normal. 

[Honolulu Blue]

On 5/21/2022 at 11:17 PM, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

Probably a dumb question, but many of the cruise you tubers are talking about how Carnival is cutting their chef's table and an Italian restaurant for at least the next 2 months.  I'm assuming they only mean their Carnival brand ships.  Do they also mean Princess?   I'm going to be on Majestic in June Alaska.

• Definitely not a dumb question.  It's actually a very good and relevant question, IMHO.
• As mentioned earlier, the specific story you referenced involves only CCL, their ships, their restaurants, and their staff
• I was on Majestic last month and I didn't notice any closings or reduced hours of their restaurants, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen and it certainly doesn't mean it won't happen on your cruise.  YMMV.

[wowzz]

6 hours ago, VibeGuy said:

Some Princess ships are alternating nights between Crown Grill and Sabatini’s being open. Some are picking one and sticking to it.  Others, everything is normal. 

Both open on Regal at the moment.

[nini]

We were on the Emerald Princess from May 9-21. This was NOT the Princess we knew and loved!

The quality of the food, especially in the Horizon Court has declined, as well as the service (grumpy people in Horizon Court).

Sabatini's was closed the entire time. There was NO Chef's Table or Winemaker's Dinner either.

 

Service was iffy at the bars and coffee bar, especially at first due to NOT allowed to order at a bar due to Covid restrictions. Good luck getting that celebratory glass of wine, especially on sailaway day! The crew acted like this was their maiden voyage. Sad...

[PacnGoNow]

5 minutes ago, nini said:

We were on the Emerald Princess from May 9-21. This was NOT the Princess we knew and loved!

The quality of the food, especially in the Horizon Court has declined, as well as the service (grumpy people in Horizon Court).

Sabatini's was closed the entire time. There was NO Chef's Table or Winemaker's Dinner either.

 

Service was iffy at the bars and coffee bar, especially at first due to NOT allowed to order at a bar due to Covid restrictions. Good luck getting that celebratory glass of wine, especially on sailaway day! The crew acted like this was their maiden voyage. Sad...

So sorry to hear that Nini!  How were the ports?  Did you get home?

[nini]

I forgot to mention that I am a wine drinker, and the size of the wine serving has been cut in by at least a third, the prices have increased, and they are out of at least a third of what is on the wine menu. Oh, they also ran out of Half and Half one day for coffee.

[nini]

10 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

So sorry to hear that Nini!  How were the ports?  Did you get home?

Yes, we finally arrived home after being awake for about 30 hours. We both tested negative the morning before. We had a new friend test positive on the last day and he was separated from his wife and quarantined. He is currently in a hotel by Heathrow and she flew home, due to the possibility that she may eventually test positive and need to spend more time in England than desired.

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, nini said:

I forgot to mention that I am a wine drinker, and the size of the wine serving has been cut in by at least a third, the prices have increased, and they are out of at least a third of what is on the wine menu. Oh, they also ran out of Half and Half one day for coffee.

We did not notice a difference on the CB in Feb and Mar.  They did have some shortages of some items, like berries and one week it was bananas.  I noticed the servings of food were a little smaller, nut plenty for me, or you can order an extra.

 

I wonder if it really varies from ship to ship and the ports?  
 

We did not notice any difference at vines or the bars, as we are wine drinkers too.

 

[PacnGoNow]

7 minutes ago, nini said:

I forgot to mention that I am a wine drinker, and the size of the wine serving has been cut in by at least a third, the prices have increased, and they are out of at least a third of what is on the wine menu. Oh, they also ran out of Half and Half one day for coffee.

My DH would have told them to fill it up. 
Did you talk with the bar manager? Would be interesting to hear what he would say. Or Guest services?

I still say, it’s a matter of mismanagement on some of these ships.  It sounds like they handled the covid passengers better this time than the last 2 cruises?  I hope so.  We plan on 

doing this itinerary in 2 months.  Yikes

[PacnGoNow]

9 minutes ago, nini said:

Yes, we finally arrived home after being awake for about 30 hours. We both tested negative the morning before. We had a new friend test positive on the last day and he was separated from his wife and quarantined. He is currently in a hotel by Heathrow and she flew home, due to the possibility that she may eventually test positive and need to spend more time in England than desired.

I wish you good luck and your friends!

Take care….long trip

home!

[nini]

1 minute ago, PacnGoNow said:

My DH would have told them to fill it up. 
Did you talk with the bar manager? Would be interesting to hear what he would say. Or Guest services?

I still say, it’s a matter of mismanagement on some of these ships.  It sounds like they handled the covid passengers better this time than the last 2 cruises?  I hope so.  We plan on 

doing this itinerary in 2 months.  Yikes

I love that! (letters in red). All of the wine glasses were filled the same. I caught on and I began ordering two glasses of the same wine at the same time (DH does not drink wine so it did not look crazy).

 

Yes, covid was handled better. Two days into the cruise, myself and others would periodically go to Passenger Services and discuss the covid testing the day before disembarkation. We kept checking in with them for an update. They may have also been informed that the Regal had their act together as well. It went smoothly and results were determined in a timely manner.

[1emerald1]

I can see pausing Chef's Table and Winemaker's, as long as covid is still with us.  Unless I was traveling with my own people I wouldn't care to share a table during these times.

[nini]

4 minutes ago, 1emerald1 said:

I can see pausing Chef's Table and Winemaker's, as long as covid is still with us.  Unless I was traveling with my own people I wouldn't care to share a table during these times.

The way things are set up, you are sharing very close quarters wherever you decide to eat. There really is no difference. We had a table for two in the dining room the 2nd night and the other tables may have been sitting in our laps. And there are no masks anyway when eating and drinking.

[PacnGoNow]

7 minutes ago, nini said:

I love that! (letters in red). All of the wine glasses were filled the same. I caught on and I began ordering two glasses of the same wine at the same time (DH does not drink wine so it did not look crazy).

 

Yes, covid was handled better. Two days into the cruise, myself and others would periodically go to Passenger Services and discuss the covid testing the day before disembarkation. We kept checking in with them for an update. They may have also been informed that the Regal had their act together as well. It went smoothly and results were determined in a timely manner.

He has no shame!! 🤣

[PacnGoNow]

Just now, nini said:

The way things are set up, you are sharing very close quarters wherever you decide to eat. There really is no difference. We had a table for two in the dining room the 2nd night and the other tables may have been sitting in our laps. And there are no masks anyway when eating and drinking.

Which DR?

[nini]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Which DR?

I think it was the Da Vinci. We disliked it so much that we ate in the Crown Grill twice, Horizon Court and then we were invited by our new friends to sit with them in the corner at a table for 4 which was lovely. Food at the Crown Grill was very good. The buffet was mediocre.

[PacnGoNow]

14 minutes ago, nini said:

I think it was the Da Vinci. We disliked it so much that we ate in the Crown Grill twice, Horizon Court and then we were invited by our new friends to sit with them in the corner at a table for 4 which was lovely. Food at the Crown Grill was very good. The buffet was mediocre.

Hope you can rest now and stay safe.

Thank you for the detailed report.

[1emerald1]

58 minutes ago, nini said:

The way things are set up, you are sharing very close quarters wherever you decide to eat. There really is no difference. We had a table for two in the dining room the 2nd night and the other tables may have been sitting in our laps. And there are no masks anyway when eating and drinking.

 Before covid I had a two top on the Royal and I barely fit getting seated, and it seemed like the people next to me struggled as well.  However recently on the Discovery I was in Club Class and had a private table and had no issue getting seated, as well as others.  And there were some very heavy-set people seated next to me throughout the cruise.  Maybe it depends on the ship?

[PacnGoNow]

9 minutes ago, 1emerald1 said:

 Before covid I had a two top on the Royal and I barely fit getting seated, and it seemed like the people next to me struggled as well.  However recently on the Discovery I was in Club Class and had a private table and had no issue getting seated, as well as others.  And there were some very heavy-set people seated next to me throughout the cruise.  Maybe it depends on the ship?

I think it really does vary on different classes of ships.  The Regal did have two top tables very close to each other. 
Didn't mind pre covid, but now it’s too close for me.  We’ll just have to deal with

it on the next cruise!  😳

[Mr_Steve_&_Me]

Just got off Royal Princess and Sabatini’s was not open for dinner.

[JimmyVWine]

14 minutes ago, Mr_Steve_&_Me said:

Just got off Royal Princess and Sabatini’s was not open for dinner.

What are they doing with pre-booked (pre-paid) bookings?  Refund?  Roll them over to Crown Grill?  Offering OBC?

[nini]

Only the Crown Grill was open on the Emerald and that is where we dined and enjoyed.