Alfredo’s

[startedwithamouse]

6 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

I’m currently on sky princess and been watching the dinning at Alfredo’s and it has been literally empty since boarding day only a few people eating in it , I spoke to the waiter’s tonight and they said since the change it’s been heaven and hell since the change hardly anyone eating there now and hopefully they will change it back , ( yeah right ) obviously it’s less work for them but it’s empty all the time .

 I know for a fact I won't be watching the dining at Alfredo's 24/7, or at least the hours they are open. 

 

There should be more to do on a cruise than ask wait staff about their jobs, and judge/discount their answers.

 

When did you board?

[Astro Flyer]

4 minutes ago, Coral said:

I never sailed Sitmar (I wish I had). I know Princess's Italian roots goes back to Sitmar.

 

I didn't know the original Dawn Princess didn't have the pizzeria. I know @DougH loved the original Crown and Regal and their pizzeria (so they kept those) as I believe those were built for Sitmar or in the process of being built for Sitmar.

 

I am disappointed as I will be on the Sapphire soon and I do like the pizzeria. And I don't think I am getting Plus.

The Fairwind/Dawn Princess was built in 1956 as Cunard’s oceanliner RMS Sylvania. When we sailed as Sitmar it was an all Italian & Portuguese crew…best service & food ever. While I haven’t sailed on a luxury cruise line, I feel Sitmar provided that level of experience minus the all-inclusive of luxury cruise lines.

 

[4cats4me]

16 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

What has been stopping your from cruising the last couple of years?

Some things are personal.  
Do you want to hear all about the cancer or the stroke? 
See post #23. 
 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by 4cats4me

[Coral]

5 minutes ago, 4cats4me said:

Some things are personal.  
Do you want to hear all about the cancer or the stroke? 
See post #23. 

I had to quit cruising for several years to take care of a parent. I completely understand. You do not need to explain. Some people have more responsibilities and issues to deal with than others will ever know. Some just don't understand.

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

The Fairwind/Dawn Princess was built in 1956 as Cunard’s oceanliner RMS Sylvania. When we sailed as Sitmar it was an all Italian & Portuguese crew…best service & food ever. While I haven’t sailed on a luxury cruise line, I feel Sitmar provided that level of experience minus the all-inclusive of luxury cruise lines.

 

Not all luxury lines were all inconclusive back in the day. Crystal wasn't when I sailed them. 

 

It is sad there were great lines back in the day that no longer exist. I even miss who Princess was back in the day. At least I have those memories 🙂

 

Glad yo were able to experience Sitmar. Cruising will never be the same as it was back then.

[roadster08]

On my Sapphire Princess Alaskan cruise prior to the changes, Alfredo's was  usually empty as well.  We went multiple times and found the pizza to be to our liking, fresh sauce, flavorful mozzarella and tasty crust that was crispy outside and slightly chewy inside. Pretty confident the crust is made with 00 flour and the sauce with San Marzano tomatoes. 

 

Many cruisers don't get very good pizza back home so they avoid it on board assuming it will be nothing special. Some just don't see pizza fitting in with the upscale dining experience they are expecting. They think any food eaten with hands is for barbarians. Yes,  we know who you are. 

 

Unless they research before the cruise they have no way of knowing how good Alfredo's really is. And Alfredo's even has forks and knives! 

[Tranquility Base]

47 minutes ago, Coral said:

Glad yo were able to experience Sitmar. Cruising will never be the same as it was back then.

Nostalgia is not what it used to be.

[Coral]

9 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Nostalgia is not what it used to be.

I miss the cruising experience I had in the 90's.

[Coral]

13 minutes ago, roadster08 said:

On my Sapphire Princess Alaskan cruise prior to the changes, Alfredo's was  usually empty as well.  We went multiple times and found the pizza to be to our liking, fresh sauce, flavorful mozzarella and tasty crust that was crispy outside and slightly chewy inside. Pretty confident the crust is made with 00 flour and the sauce with San Marzano tomatoes. 

 

Many cruisers don't get very good pizza back home so they avoid it on board assuming it will be nothing special. Some just don't see pizza fitting in with the upscale dining experience they are expecting. They think any food eaten with hands is for barbarians. Yes,  we know who you are. 

 

Unless they research before the cruise they have no way of knowing how good Alfredo's really is. And Alfredo's even has forks and knives! 

It actually was really good when I was on the ship in 2018. I will be back on the ship soon and will probably pay to go once or twice. I have always loved the pizza on that ship (and for some unknown reason - I have sailed the Sapphire more than any other Princess ship).

 

I remember some lines on sea days for lunch but most of the time at night, it wasn't busy.

Edited September 4, 2023 by Coral

[4cats4me]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I had to quit cruising for several years to take care of a parent. I completely understand. You do not need to explain. Some people have more responsibilities and issues to deal with than others will ever know. Some just don't understand.

Thank you, @Coral

Much appreciated.  
 

Dana

[Micahs Grandad]

2 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

 

Yes…80% of those RCI surveyed opposed charging for Sorrento’s pizza.
 

If you believe the Princess rhetoric their survey said passengers prefer to pay to shorten lines. I have about 100 days on Royal-class ships & eat at Alfredo’s/Gigi’s regularly but have never waited more than 5 minutes even during the noontime rush.
 

Princess made Alfredo’s/Gigi’s fee based not due to passenger preferences but to generate more income and to sell more packages which will never be cost effective for me.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/royal-caribbean-will-keep-sorrento-s-pizza-free-after-conducting-survey

Hard to believe they added a price to Alfredo because their passengers wanted that to shorten lines. If anyone believes that nonsense I do have a bridge for sale.

[Micahs Grandad]

13 minutes ago, 4cats4me said:

Thank you, @Coral

Much appreciated.  
 

Dana

Nobodies business as to why you have not cruised for some time. 

[Redwing55]

This likely applies to upcharges at most casual food options:

 

I don't know the economics, but at least for dinner, isn't it more expensive to serve an MDR meal than any casual restaurant?  So that being the case, I would try to encourage passengers to eat at Alfredo's.  Planks/steamers might be different in that it's right in the buffet, and people could eat at Planks and still easily graze the buffet.

 

So maybe Princess COULD consider having Alfredo's free after 4:30 or the like?  Profit wise, I'm not seeing a larger profit by discouraging people from eating at Alfredo's.  Especially since it seems like staffing doesn't change there.  Workers will be there no matter.  This is different from the specialty restaurant options.

[Coral]

19 minutes ago, Redwing55 said:

 

 

I don't know the economics, but at least for dinner, isn't it more expensive to serve an MDR meal than any casual restaurant?  So that being the case, I would try to encourage passengers to eat at Alfredo's.  Planks/steamers might be different in that it's right in the buffet, and people could eat at Planks and still easily graze the buffet.

I will be curious how Planks goes over. I don't think it was popular last time and honestly, I don't think Princess has ever done BBQ well. 

 

I don't eat seafood so I can't comment on Steamers.

[memoak]

56 minutes ago, Micahs Grandad said:

Hard to believe they added a price to Alfredo because their passengers wanted that to shorten lines. If anyone believes that nonsense I do have a bridge for sale.

I waited almost 2 hours to get a table same with sushi on Discovery 

[OccasionalSanta]

2 hours ago, roadster08 said:

On my Sapphire Princess Alaskan cruise prior to the changes, Alfredo's was  usually empty as well.  We went multiple times and found the pizza to be to our liking, fresh sauce, flavorful mozzarella and tasty crust that was crispy outside and slightly chewy inside. Pretty confident the crust is made with 00 flour and the sauce with San Marzano tomatoes. 

 

Many cruisers don't get very good pizza back home so they avoid it on board assuming it will be nothing special. Some just don't see pizza fitting in with the upscale dining experience they are expecting. They think any food eaten with hands is for barbarians. Yes,  we know who you are. 

 

Unless they research before the cruise they have no way of knowing how good Alfredo's really is. And Alfredo's even has forks and knives! 

 

I was on Discovery and Grand for 5 cruises in 2022. Granted that they were not yet sailing at full capacity, but we never had a problem getting into Alfredo's/Gigi's and several times there was only one or two other tables in use. I'm not sure why they thought it would be a good idea to start charging. The only thing I can conceive is that perhaps they had a lot of pizza orders over the app, because they certainly didn't have many people in the dining area.

[Purdey16]

5 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

 I know for a fact I won't be watching the dining at Alfredo's 24/7, or at least the hours they are open. 

 

There should be more to do on a cruise than ask wait staff about their jobs, and judge/discount their answers.

 

When did you board?

Sorry maybe I used the wrong word saying I was watching, really meant to say I was passing past Alfredo’s and have been several times over the past two days and it was the waiter standing at the entrance station that spoke to me first so I made polite conversation, it is early days on the cruise and it’s not totally full and the weather is lovely and hot so I think most people were outside sunbathing because they were packed in like sardines . 
We are on the old plus’s package and certainly not up grading. It is early into the cruise and maybe it will get used more later  but certainly a different story from when I was on sky 10 weeks ago and people were queuing from 11.30 to get in and people been put on a list for a time . 

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, Purdey16 said:

Sorry maybe I used the wrong word saying I was watching, really meant to say I was passing past Alfredo’s and have been several times over the past two days and it was the waiter standing at the entrance station that spoke to me first so I made polite conversation, it is early days on the cruise and it’s not totally full and the weather is lovely and hot so I think most people were outside sunbathing because they were packed in like sardines . 
We are on the old plus’s package and certainly not up grading. It is early into the cruise and maybe it will get used more later  but certainly a different story from when I was on sky 10 weeks ago and people were queuing from 11.30 to get in and people been put on a list for a time . 

Yes it has always been really busy when we were on Sky, as you say people there at 11.30 am.
 

Part of the popularity is that it is one of the few sit down and be served options on port days. Not everyone likes eating at a buffet.

 

Princess have mucked about with the packages too much in the last year to the point that people don’t know what they have and dont have any more. We noticed this in the theatre when people on the “old” premium were ousted from the reserved seats.

 

Lack of use might just be transitional as many people onboard at present will have the plus package from 2 iterations back, so no credits for Alfredo’s. Then again I do wonder if there is another agenda. Why use a restaurant for a $15pp charge for pizza when you could use the premium space for $50pp cover charge restaurant by changing the menu.

 

 

[villauk]

15 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

I’m currently on sky princess and been watching the dinning at Alfredo’s and it has been literally empty since boarding day only a few people eating in it , I spoke to the waiter’s tonight and they said since the change it’s been heaven and hell since the change hardly anyone eating there now and hopefully they will change it back , ( yeah right ) obviously it’s less work for them but it’s empty all the time .

 

It was the same on the previous sailing too. Our waiter went off sick during the cruise and was replaced by someone from Alfredo’s (who was very good).

[MissP22]

14 hours ago, dides said:

And there will still be the old Plus guests who won't get the two included meals, don't see the benefit in upgrading and won't be inclined to pay the extra fees - this will tail off eventually.

It will, but it'll take years to become a normal pay dining experience. The bad taste left in the mouths of dedicated Princess cruisers who are saddened by the change. 

I'm still disappointed by the elimination of the BOGO coupons in Sabatini's. 

[Micahs Grandad]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

It will, but it'll take years to become a normal pay dining experience. The bad taste left in the mouths of dedicated Princess cruisers who are saddened by the change. 

I'm still disappointed by the elimination of the BOGO coupons in Sabatini's. 

Personally wish they would end this idea and go back to make it included. Quote the cruise accordingly and stop the new extra charges.

[JGmf]

Regardless of the ship, whether or not Alfredo's will level-out to steady business, crazy crowds, or become a dead zone....it's too early to tell and no broad conclusions can be made.

 

As the OP mentioned, it was early in their cruise, people were out on the sundecks, and, perhaps more importantly, there are varying numbers of those with old and new Plus packages.

 

Me? For future cruising, I'd have the Plus package but am very much OK with the free Slice pizza on the Lido deck.  There's more than enough to eat on the ship; and I'd save the casual dining freebie for something more than pizza....which, at least in my town, you can pretty much eat every day if you wanted to given the number of pizza places we have. 

 

 

 

[Tedferg]

12 hours ago, roadster08 said:

flavorful mozzarella

We like Alfredo's Pizza too - bu never considered mozzarella to have flavor 🙂

 

[Coral]

1 minute ago, Tedferg said:

We like Alfredo's Pizza too - bu never considered mozzarella to have flavor 🙂

 

When it first opened, it had buffalo mozzarella which has a different texture and taste. That didn't last long.

[ExploringTheGlobe]

I'm a glass half full gal.  I'm focusing on all the places that I used to pay extra for that are now included.  I definitely plan to enjoy lots of Ocean Terrace offerings next month with no extra charge!  And I'm excited for the new offerings at Vines!