Confused on which restaurants are now included in the 2 free if you have the plus package.

[Shippy]

Is the salty dog gastro pub considered   a premium restaurant or one that you get free with the plus package ?

thanks

[snoozecrooze]

2 minutes ago, Shippy said:

Is the salty dog gastro pub considered   a premium restaurant or one that you get free with the plus package ?

thanks

Gastropub is indeed "casual dining" so it's included.

 

According to Princess, these are categorized as "casual dining" --> Vines, Salty Dog Pub, O’Malleys, Ocean Terrace, Planks, Steamers, Alfredo’s, and GiGi’s. [sourced from their press release]

[Paula_MacFan]

From the Princess website:

 

[BlerkOne]

The Plus package has a two meal limit for "free"

[memoak]

Be advised that if you are on a non Royal class ship your choices for casual dining and mostly for lunch not dinner

[reedprincess]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Be advised that if you are on a non Royal class ship your choices for casual dining and mostly for lunch not dinner

Not the case on Caribbean.

It's dinner for all of them, or at least late afternoon snack and dinner.

Vines, not available til 4pm. Planks and Steamers are dinner only... No "casual dining" for lunch.. 

[curlybelle2]

2 hours ago, Shippy said:

Is the salty dog gastro pub considered   a premium restaurant or one that you get free with the plus package ?

thanks

Thanks for asking this question. I am also confused with the whole casual dining thing with the plus package.

[Thrak]

It's a bit pointless for us. We just got off a 63 day "cruise" that was actually 6 separate segments. That means we could each have had 2 pre fixe meals on each segment. 12 meals each. We had one. It's too damn much food for us. We went to Alfredo's and they didn't want to let us just share a pizza and let it go at that. They wanted us to each have an appetizer, a pizza, and a dessert. What a stupid freaking system. I'm hoping it was just the idiots on our ship but that's how they insisted we do it. We ate the appetizer (meh...) and each ate part of our separate pizza. We walked out without dessert and they seemed offended. Splitting one pizza is all we need. We had the same issue in Vines so didn't eat our "included" meals there either. Just let us have the much smaller amount of food that suits us.

[avonlady6390]

Doesn't vines open earlier on sea days?

[doghog]

12 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

The Plus package has a two meal limit for "free"

We both have the Plus package. Per person?

Edited December 8, 2023 by doghog

[phabric]

On the Island Princess there was no actual causal dining room.  On the sea days, one of the paid restaurants opened up at lunch time for Salty Dog Grill and the other sea day at lunch the restaurant was open for Alfredo’s.  You had to watch the pattern for the day and time.

 

I ate solo one day at Alfredo’s on the Plus, I only ate the pizza.

[Tedferg]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

It's a bit pointless for us. We just got off a 63 day "cruise" that was actually 6 separate segments. That means we could each have had 2 pre fixe meals on each segment. 12 meals each. We had one. It's too damn much food for us. We went to Alfredo's and they didn't want to let us just share a pizza and let it go at that. They wanted us to each have an appetizer, a pizza, and a dessert. What a stupid freaking system. I'm hoping it was just the idiots on our ship but that's how they insisted we do it. We ate the appetizer (meh...) and each ate part of our separate pizza. We walked out without dessert and they seemed offended. Splitting one pizza is all we need. We had the same issue in Vines so didn't eat our "included" meals there either. Just let us have the much smaller amount of food that suits us.

On the Royal, transpacific, we convinced the waiter that we only wanted to share a pizza, as we always do.  He seemed confused but said 'OK, sure'. He brought us one salad, then one pizza and finally said we had dessert to come but we declined - we were charged two visits. We wanted to try Sushi so saved our other 'free one' for it. Went to Alfredo's a second time and stressed to manager checking us in that we were having one pizza a la carte. He agreed and as expected we were charged $8.50. We had the fixed meal at Sushi place and could easily have shared one portion at lunch. So, I agree with your points. I now understand how the Plus inclusions work, but it is silly and not well thought out - especially just two 'free' on a 21 day cruise!

[Cruise Raider]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

It's a bit pointless for us. We just got off a 63 day "cruise" that was actually 6 separate segments. That means we could each have had 2 pre fixe meals on each segment. 12 meals each. We had one. It's too damn much food for us. We went to Alfredo's and they didn't want to let us just share a pizza and let it go at that. They wanted us to each have an appetizer, a pizza, and a dessert. What a stupid freaking system. I'm hoping it was just the idiots on our ship but that's how they insisted we do it. We ate the appetizer (meh...) and each ate part of our separate pizza. We walked out without dessert and they seemed offended. Splitting one pizza is all we need. We had the same issue in Vines so didn't eat our "included" meals there either. Just let us have the much smaller amount of food that suits us.

We also eat smaller amounts of food but usually end up get the premier package.  They were telling us that since all our dining was included, we could order as we wished.  This was on both the Majestic and the Discovery.  That was nice because we hate wasting food and they are reluctant to let us take our leftovers back to our room.  
I was told on the Ruby that we couldn’t split one casual meal when inquiring about the Salty Dog Gastropub.  We had the old plus package that didn’t include dining so, I was merely asking about it for others on this forum.  We did end up going and splitting an a la carte plate as we can’t finish that much food.  That’s actually a lot cheaper than it was previously when everyone eating anything was charged $18.  We weren’t that hungry but we’re meeting a couple of friends there so split one of the $6 plates.  Just perfect!  

 

[memoak]

13 hours ago, reedprincess said:

Not the case on Caribbean.

It's dinner for all of them, or at least late afternoon snack and dinner.

Vines, not available til 4pm. Planks and Steamers are dinner only... No "casual dining" for lunch.. 

my brain must have gone backwards yes dinners not lunch

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, doghog said:

We both have the Plus package. Per person?

Yes. Each person gets two meals. If you eat together, each has 1 meal left.

[memoak]

24 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Yes. Each person gets two meals. If you eat together, each has 1 meal left.

Except that on the Crown they allowed us to share the meal in Vines so we then had 3 left between us

[BlerkOne]

Just now, memoak said:

Except that on the Crown they allowed us to share the meal in Vines so we then had 3 left between us

There is some inconsistency. On Discovery I would have to pay an extra $12 if I wanted one of the specialty pizzas; on Regal (twice) they said no problem.

[reedprincess]

4 hours ago, avonlady6390 said:

Doesn't vines open earlier on sea days?

Yes, Vines opens a little earlier. However, in Caribbean at least, the food menu wasn't available til 4pm.  

No lunch options for casual dining.. 

[daydreamer16]

4 hours ago, Tedferg said:

On the Royal, transpacific, we convinced the waiter that we only wanted to share a pizza, as we always do.  He seemed confused but said 'OK, sure'. He brought us one salad, then one pizza and finally said we had dessert to come but we declined - we were charged two visits. We wanted to try Sushi so saved our other 'free one' for it. Went to Alfredo's a second time and stressed to manager checking us in that we were having one pizza a la carte. He agreed and as expected we were charged $8.50. We had the fixed meal at Sushi place and could easily have shared one portion at lunch. So, I agree with your points. I now understand how the Plus inclusions work, but it is silly and not well thought out - especially just two 'free' on a 21 day cruise!

Agree with you & Trak, we would never eat a whole pizza each, at lunch or dinner. Such a dumb idea & we will be on the Grand for 22days & only 2 visits each but able to order 44 wacky sundaes!

[alyssamma]

20 hours ago, memoak said:

Be advised that if you are on a non Royal class ship your choices for casual dining and mostly for lunch not dinner

Yeah, I just got off the Sapphire and one of the two didn't open until 4:30pm (unless you want the sushi). Portions were huge...my wife and I actually made 4 meals out of them (i.e., each time we got one of our freebies and split it).

 

Personally, I think the charcuterie is the best as the pizza is only marginally better than what you can get for free, but regardless, they make a good dinner or - since you are on a cruise - pre-dinner "snack" 🙂

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by alyssamma

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, daydreamer16 said:

Agree with you & Trak, we would never eat a whole pizza each, at lunch or dinner. Such a dumb idea & we will be on the Grand for 22days & only 2 visits each but able to order 44 wacky sundaes!

So, interesting thing about the sundaes...you can customize them. Still huge, but you can ask to not get certain things or have other things added.

 

Also, the "huge" cakes at the international cafe that they charge for are "free" with the plus package (counts as one of your 2 free desserts).

 

[Knickearth]

Since for years we went to the vines before dinner and had either sushi or tapas plate as a small bite with the wine I am confused about it being a casual dining experience.

i know it no longer has tapas or sushi.  But can we go and just have our usual wine only with no food!

 

thanks for letting me know

[reedprincess]

9 minutes ago, Knickearth said:

Since for years we went to the vines before dinner and had either sushi or tapas plate as a small bite with the wine I am confused about it being a casual dining experience.

i know it no longer has tapas or sushi.  But can we go and just have our usual wine only with no food!

 

thanks for letting me know

Of course. It's still a wine bar at its essence. 

They w just monetized the food portion. 

[Knickearth]

Thanks much reedprincess.  Needed to know we could still enjoy the vines for wine only.

[Shippy]

Anybody tried the Lobster Mac & Cheese at the Salty Dog G.P.  ?