Would Princess Be For Us?

[MsTabbyKats]

When I sail, I like to think of the ship as "the destination"......different food, entertainment, shops, casino etc.

 

We live in NYC and only sail out of NYC....so I'd like to give Princess a try.

 

We've done NCL (mainly), some weCarnival and some MSC.  My favorite is MSC.  I love "the international flavor", the entertainment and the decor (nothing beats staircases made out of Swarovski crystal!)

 

We are very casual people.... eat in the buffet "almost always".  Even when on NCL, I don't use the platinum benefit for specialty restaurants because the buffet has more options and the food is great.  On MSC...I live on the pizza.  On Carnival, well I can always find something

 

I wake up, put on leggings and a t-shirt....and that's my outfit for the day.  I don't do "dress-up". (For transparency....I wear a lot of jewelry....so a black t-shirt can go from the gym and later in the day look elegant when the perfect pendant is added, if necessary).

 

So, my question is:  How is the buffet (3 meals a day available?) as far as quality and choices?  Does one need to dress up on formal nights or be confind to the cabin if not appropriately attired?  Are "casual type" restuarants "included" with the fare?

 

Also...entertainment is a big deal.  Are there "B'way type" productions? Is there music in venues around the ships? No interest in comedy or comedy clubs.

 

TIA

[john watson]

I think you would find Princess very good.  The buffet is excellent in my opinion if that's what you want to do.  dressing up is generally smart casual.  Formal nights for ladies is similar wear but gentlemen might feel better with a jacket and tie to fit in.

 

Regards John

[PEB]

3 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

When I sail, I like to think of the ship as "the destination"......different food, entertainment, shops, casino etc.

 

We live in NYC and only sail out of NYC....so I'd like to give Princess a try.

 

We've done NCL (mainly), some weCarnival and some MSC.  My favorite is MSC.  I love "the international flavor", the entertainment and the decor (nothing beats staircases made out of Swarovski crystal!)

 

We are very casual people.... eat in the buffet "almost always".  Even when on NCL, I don't use the platinum benefit for specialty restaurants because the buffet has more options and the food is great.  On MSC...I live on the pizza.  On Carnival, well I can always find something

 

I wake up, put on leggings and a t-shirt....and that's my outfit for the day.  I don't do "dress-up". (For transparency....I wear a lot of jewelry....so a black t-shirt can go from the gym and later in the day look elegant when the perfect pendant is added, if necessary).

 

So, my question is:  How is the buffet (3 meals a day available?) as far as quality and choices?  Does one need to dress up on formal nights or be confind to the cabin if not appropriately attired?  Are "casual type" restuarants "included" with the fare?

 

Also...entertainment is a big deal.  Are there "B'way type" productions? Is there music in venues around the ships? No interest in comedy or comedy clubs.

 

TIA

 

Is Princess for you? I have cruised all the lines you have been on except MSC and Princess would be closer to MSC than NCL or Carnival. Princess does have some elegant decor not extremely elegant. Does it have a buffet so you can eat all your meals there? Yes it does serve breakfast, lunch and dinner meals with quite a wide variety of food. I do eat in the main dining rooms mostly for dinner but I have had dinner in the buffet and been very pleased with the choices. The truth is I have had some better meals in the buffet compared to the main dining room but that is just how I feel. I always eat breakfast and lunch in the buffet.

Do you have to dress up for formal night or hide in your room? Many will dress up however more and more you see people not dressed up. The only place they ask you to be dressed up on formal night is in the main dining room so if you are going to the buffet no problem. You do not have to dress up for the bars, casino or shows.

You mention you go to the gym. I also go to the gym everyday and find the gym has a wide variety of equipment to use. They do not have everything I like to use but more than enough for a good workout. 

 

Will Princess be good for you? I say give it a try and I think you will find many things on Princess that you will enjoy.

[pathi]

There are several options for food. I have always found the buffet to be ok to very good. There are several other choices for caual dining, Pizza by the slice at the pool, Hamburger Hotdog grill by the pool, Ice cream by the pool, Most ships have the International Cafe, This has pastries, sandwich's, chicken salad(Excellent!) assorted savory pies, lots of deserts, and soup. Note coffee shop charges for the coffee and teas. Also several ships have Alfredos Pizza, or GiGi's on the newer ships.

 

Last but not least is room service. This is usually pretty good. I really would try dining room at least once. Lots of good stuff there.

[1025cruise]

I can't imagine going on a cruise and eating at the buffet for 3 meals a day.

[Lady Arwen]

29 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

I can't imagine going on a cruise and eating at the buffet for 3 meals a day.

I was just thinking the same thing!  So many dining choices onboard, why would anyone just do buffet meals?  However, to each their own and if that’s their choice, I hope they thoroughly enjoy it.

[SomewhereGirl]

I've mostly sailed NCL (last on Bliss and Encore) but most recently on Princess (Majestic and Emerald).  The buffet really depends on the Princess ship.  Majestic's was much larger, easier to navigate and more like NCL, than Emerald.

 

Princess doesn't have The Local or O'Sheehan's but does have the International Cafe for light bites, and the grill and pizza on the pool deck.  Princess has better room service (mostly with no fee) and also easy to access free movies on the TV.

 

I find the NCL casinos to be larger with newer machines, but Princess does give some great casino discounts and free play on future sailings, without even needing to gamble all that much. And Princess does not charge a fee to charge casino $ to your account.

 

Princess does not have the Broadway shows like Six, Jersey Boys, or some others they've had in the past.  And if you've been on Bliss or Encore, Princess does not have the Cavern Club and Beatles shows, which are awesome.

 

To me, NCL just has more energy.  I'd like to see Princess and NCL have a baby made up of the best parts of each.  If price and itinerary were the same, I'd go with NCL.  It's just more laid back.  But you never know until you try.  

[Wishing on a star]

Well,  nobody can decide how much Princess would be for you except for you!

I will say that Princess will have the most traditional North American type of feel than most other lines.  Especially lines like MSC.   As far as the truly eye-catching and awe inspiring, swarovsky crystal kind of thing, maybe the newest announced Princess ship, Sphere class Sun Princess.  Which will not sail until 2024 and is not planned for NY sailings.

 

Is princess a good choice for ME, as compared to MSC and most others,  yes.

You can continue to look at videos and read reviews and look for live-from postings here.  That should give you a good feel for Princess!

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

I can't imagine going on a cruise and eating at the buffet for 3 meals a day.

 

I live in NYC....Manhattan to be exact.  I eat out almost daily (being served isn't a novelty)...and when I cook it's "cooked to order" with a lot of spices and variations.  "Cruise food" isn't cooked for the individual. 

 

We don't have buffets here.  On a cruise..if I like something at the buffet I can go back and get as much as I want, without waiting for service.  I can also prepare a plate "as I like it".  On NCL Getaway I made pita/hummus filled with the vegetables of my choice.

 

Bottom line....I eat in the buffet because the dining room food is limited and too restrictive.

[sueandkent]

20 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

 

I live in NYC....Manhattan to be exact.  I eat out almost daily (being served isn't a novelty)...and when I cook it's "cooked to order" with a lot of spices and variations.  "Cruise food" isn't cooked for the individual. 

 

We don't have buffets here.  On a cruise..if I like something at the buffet I can go back and get as much as I want, without waiting for service.  I can also prepare a plate "as I like it".  On NCL Getaway I made pita/hummus filled with the vegetables of my choice.

 

Bottom line....I eat in the buffet because the dining room food is limited and too restrictive.

That's a great answer. I can totally understand how for you, the buffet is a treat. Also, with the buffet you can eat whenever you want vs needing a dining reservation. I only go to the buffet at breakfast but I would say Princess certainly has lots of options for the other meals too. 

[kimlovesfl]

I would say, give it a try! I don't know if Princess still does this, but they used to do theme nights in the buffet- German, Brazilian, etc. We always loved German night. Great food. If you enjoy eating in the buffet, then go ahead and do it! There are always lots of options for food. When we cruise, we usually do breakfast and lunch (when not in port), in the buffet, and dinner in MDR, although we will eat dinner in the buffet from time to time. Princess has some great deals and lovely ships and excellent service. 

 

We have never sailed MSC or Carnival; I don't know if it would be a good fit for us, but if the price or itinerary is right, I would certainly give it a try. 

[KLM3164]

4 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Does one need to dress up on formal nights or be confind to the cabin if not appropriately attired?

There is no need to dress up on formal nights if you are going to eat in the buffet. You will be dressed perfectly for the buffet in leggings & t-shirt. There are many people who don’t dress up on formal nights and instead eat in the buffet or specialty restaurants. You will not feel out of place walking around the ship in casual attire on a formal night. I enjoy the variety of options offered on Princess in the buffet and being able to get exactly what I want to eat.

[Wishing on a star]

As far as the Buffett and entertainment.  You will find that the Buffet is much larger and many say better food on the larger newer ships.  You would be happy with the Buffett.  You can, of course check out menus for the dining rooms, and maybe you will see some choices that are worth checking out the dining room and being served.   Princess is not a more formal cruise line.  Just the opposite lately.  You will be comfortable dining as long as you look 'nice'.  No shorts on Dress to Impress nights, ratty cloths, etc.  No problem there.

 

The shows will vary by ship.  It has been a while since we sailed.  On the last sailing we saw the Broadway dance type of review (forget the exact name right now). and Bravo.  They have newer shows now, a Rock Opera is one of these.  Shows will not be lacking.  But whether they meet the standard of the shows you are used to, I could not tell.  There are often guest entertainers/singers who will play in the Theater.  

 

The music venues are Vista Lounge, the Piazza, where many ships have the Crooner's piano player bar, and light entertainment at the bar at the Crown Grill.  

They will, of course, have the Ship's Band, and other smaller single/duo/trios onboard as well.

These will alternate with Crooner's hroughout the evening in the Piazza.

It is also possible that there is popular band/presentation in the Piazza one night during the Cruise.  

Pre pandemic, we have seen a classic rock review, Beatlemaniacs, that kind of thing.

 

I noticed a recent video on Youtube of the enterntainment in the Piazza on Regal Princess.  I have enjoyed that house band, and there was a smaller (Latin?) band with a female lead singer who seemed very good.

 

[Dar & Bob]

As a note if you like Pizza - on the Royal class ships there is Alfredo's (it is on the other ships but limited)  It has really great pizza IMO and some salads etc.  

[pris993]

4 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

When I sail, I like to think of the ship as "the destination"......different food, entertainment, shops, casino etc.

 

We live in NYC and only sail out of NYC....so I'd like to give Princess a try.

 

We've done NCL (mainly), some weCarnival and some MSC.  My favorite is MSC.  I love "the international flavor", the entertainment and the decor (nothing beats staircases made out of Swarovski crystal!)

 

We are very casual people.... eat in the buffet "almost always".  Even when on NCL, I don't use the platinum benefit for specialty restaurants because the buffet has more options and the food is great.  On MSC...I live on the pizza.  On Carnival, well I can always find something

 

I wake up, put on leggings and a t-shirt....and that's my outfit for the day.  I don't do "dress-up". (For transparency....I wear a lot of jewelry....so a black t-shirt can go from the gym and later in the day look elegant when the perfect pendant is added, if necessary).

 

So, my question is:  How is the buffet (3 meals a day available?) as far as quality and choices?  Does one need to dress up on formal nights or be confind to the cabin if not appropriately attired?  Are "casual type" restuarants "included" with the fare?

 

Also...entertainment is a big deal.  Are there "B'way type" productions? Is there music in venues around the ships? No interest in comedy or comedy clubs.

 

TIA

We have cruised NCL a few times, none of the other lines you mention.  Last time on NCL, we eat at the buffet entire trip we were in Mediterranean.   Felt buffet on NCL hot food items were mostly what I call comfort foods, something like stews.  We loved the salad bar at the buffet on NCL, we made salads and sandwiches the entire trip.  The newer Princess ships, Royal class have excellent buffets, lot of choices far more than what I experience on NCL.  

 

 NCL is noted for entertainment.  Princess has a variety of entertainment on board, not sure if it will compare to what you are looking for, some comedy but changes daily.    

 

Casual attire will work at buffet and around the ship any night. 

[KLM3164]

11 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said:

They have newer shows now, a Rock Opera is one of these.

This is my favorite show on Princess. If you can find a sailing that has this show I would highly recommend it. Last year we did a B2B sailing for 14 days and I saw the show 4 times. We went to the early show to see it each week and then went back for the late show after it started to watch it again since the theater wasn’t full. We were only sailing at 60% capacity so it was easy to see it twice in a night as the theater wasn’t at capacity. 

[XBGuy]

As @Wishing on a star indicates, the buffet on the newer, "Royal Class," ships have much larger buffets, and I really think you can customize some very interesting dishes in one of these buffets.  Royal Class ships include:

• Royal Princess
• Regal Princess
• Majestic Princess
• Enchanted Princess
• Sky Princess
• Discovery Princess

While I was composing this response, @Dar & Bob mentioned Alfredos.  Alfredo's is a very casual no-charge venue off the central piazza area that has a nice menu that includes salads, pizzas and a few other "Italian" selections.  On some of the ships it is called Gigi's.

 

There is also a venue on the Lido deck called Slices that offers two or three pizzas by the (surprise) slice,

[Kay S]

4 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

I can't imagine going on a cruise and eating at the buffet for 3 meals a day.

I know people whose idea of heaven is a buffet.  🙂 One thing Princess has going for it is a good buffet (on the Royal class ships) with lots of choice.  Some food is good, some not.  I think they do the best Brussels sprouts and any variety of meatball.  DH likes all the soups and curries.  When you go out in your leggings, you might put on an extra bracelet or two.  Princess is not strictly casual.  The shows in the theater are sometimes fun, but you won't see much in the way of production, and they are short.  They do comedians a lot.  So, for food, I think you will like Princess but entertainment, not so much.

[mtnesterz]

You are the first person I ever read who wrote the food is great on NCL.

The only one of the three you mention that we have sailed is Carnival. MSC and NCL seem pretty even from what I've read, but Princess, at least as it used to be, would be a step up from all three.

The Princess brand, or culture if you prefer, past tense, used to be on romance. Formal dining, very good food. Dancing and otherwise pretty traditional, considering Princess' British roots. That is changing. It is not quite like Carnival with passenger's drunken barf on the decks and violent brawls either, but they have come off their traditional bent. 

Entertainment is trending toward the one-man-shows. Singing or comedy. Cost cutting.

You certainly can just eat on the buffet but if that's your thing, sail a Royal Class ship. Pizza on deck and Alfredo's are pretty good and included on your fare, as are the main dining rooms and hamburgers/hot dogs on deck and ice cream station.

Formal nights offer some really special food selections. While you don't need to dress up, you will find a good number of passengers still do. You do not have to stay in your cabin.

Edited September 18, 2022 by mtnesterz

[crusinthrough]

I don't think the Italian restaurant or buffet are good.  The food was somewhat bland for me.  The steakhouse, pizza, French toast at breakfast and main dining room are all good.  I suggest a Medallion ship as these are the newer ones with more food options.  I liked both the Royal Princess and Discovery Princess ship.  

[walkingsoon]

I cruise both NCL and Princess a fair bit and won't say I prefer one line to the other.

 

One point, as yet unmentioned, that I've noticed is that I occasionally had trouble finding a spot to sit at the NCL buffet when the ship was (pre-covid) crowded. I've never had that problem on Princess as long as I was willing to walk a bit.

 

I love the specialty restaurant benefits for platinums on NCL and I also think they handle the anytime dining very well. I never wait too much as long as I'm willing to follow the hosts' advice to "go downstairs, there's no wait there". But I respect your preference for buffet eating and believe you'll be able to find food to your liking on Princess.

 

Your described mode of dress will be fine everywhere on Princess.

 

Please note that all the lines seem to be struggling right now. Try Princess. I hope it works for you.

 

ymmv

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, crusinthrough said:

I don't think the Italian restaurant or buffet are good.  The food was somewhat bland for me.  The steakhouse, pizza, French toast at breakfast and main dining room are all good.  I suggest a Medallion ship as these are the newer ones with more food options.  I liked both the Royal Princess and Discovery Princess ship.  

 Alfredo's or Sabatini's?  One is free, the other not.  All ships are Medallion ships now.  I think you mean "Royal Class" ships, which both Royal and Discovery are.

[MsTabbyKats]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I'm looking at the Emerald Princess out of NYC next Sept.

We traditionally do this route every fall....but the Princess cruise has 5 ports (most others have 3).

 

I'm very easy to please...as long as I can find something to eat....and some sort of musical entertainment is offered.  Also...a casino is mandatory!  And, I can dress-up or down my basic black wardrobe.

 

BTW....I hope they do have theme night in the buffet.  They had that on NCL....I loved it.

 

 

[Wishing on a star]

I am not familiar with which ships might be doing these Northeast itineraries.  And, I am risking getting some blowback here!  I would choose a larger newer Royal Class ship over Emerald.     The buffet, especially will be bigger and hopefully better.  For a while there, the Emerald was getting some mixed reviews.  One plus for those Gem Class. (like Emerald, Ruby..) are the larger balconies offered on deck 10 Caribe deck.  The balconies on the Royal Class ships are, well, small.  Few larger 'premium' balconies to be had.  Ohhhh, I am remembering now... it has been several years ago when I sailed Ruby...  the Adagio aft bar on Emerald and sister ships is very nice.  Adagio does not exist on the newer ships.

[Wishing on a star]

If I am remembering and guessing correctly, theme nights now at the Buffett are pretty loosely themed.  Yes, there will dishes of that theme,  but really a lot of all kinds of other various and standard offerings.  I don't know if they still do the thing called Mongolian Barbecue, but that was very popular as well.  Choose the meat or seafood of your liking, and the veggies etc, and it is stir-fry grilled up to order.  I wonder if they still do that!