The enchanted princess promises to serve a variety of dishes and flavors from around the world inspired by her itineraries, according to Mario Siebaldi, senior vice president of guest experience and product development for hotel services at Princess Cruises.
“We will continue to offer inclusive dining options throughout the ship,” he said, “combined with our specialty restaurants. As a Medallion-class ship, guests can also enjoy the benefits of touchless delivery of food and beverages on demand via OceanNow.”
The Royal-class ship, built by Fincantieri and delivered last September, is expected to enter service later this year when the cruise resumes. She has a capacity of approx. 145,000 tons and a guest capacity of 3,600 people with double occupancy and 1,350 crew members.
Mixing the traditional with the new, the Enchanted Princess has three main restaurants: Santorini, Capri, and Amalfi, which offer traditional first and second seats or the cruise line’s anytime meal where guests can reserve a table, just like they would in a restaurant would do on the shore.
Another venue is the World Fresh Marketplace (the traditional self-service restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner). Siebaldi said, “We are rethinking the entire approach to casual dining. We started redesigning the World Fresh Marketplace product well before the break when we rolled out new offerings that reflect a modern approach with a regional flair.
“When we return to service, we will continue to improve the experience and expand the choice of pre-coated and pre-portioned dishes, away from the traditional self-service approach.”
Among the specialty restaurants, the Sur La Mer bistro offers French cuisine.
The Italian restaurant Sabatini’s Trattoria by Princess is also on board.
Another alternative venue is the Crown Grill, which has beef, veal, and lamb chops, as well as New York Strip, Kansas City Strip, Ribeye, and Filet Mignon steaks made from corn-fed beef, as well as some seafood: mussels and smoked sausage, Chilean Sea bass, grilled tiger prawns, and Maine lobster tail.
Another standout feature is the Salty Dog Gastropub, created by Chef Ernesto Uchimura.
Siebaldi said that guests can look forward to “dip sticks” (crispy bread sticks with beer-cheddar fondue and smoked salt flakes), which are described as a hearty starter, as well as various plates of pale ale pork cheeks, wild mushroom sauté and Beef Short Rib Poutine and a variety of other smaller bites.
Salty Dog is also known for the ribeye burger that Uchimura created for Princess.
“Every new ship offers the opportunity to improve our food and beverage options and to adapt industry and coastal trends to our activities on board,” says Siebaldi.
“We have the luxury of working with chefs from around the world, drawing inspiration from the destinations we visit. We also listen to the wishes of our guests and therefore offer a balanced selection of regionally inspired dishes, comfort dishes and themed menus to enhance the culinary journey on every trip. “
Excerpt from the Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Spring 2021
