Regal Princess Eastern Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 6

Day 6 aboard Regal Princess, and we’re kicking off the first of two back-to-back sea days as we make our way back to Port Everglades.

So far we’ve visited Princess Cays in the Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and now we’re officially at that point in the cruise where you start thinking about packing, checking the final onboard account and wondering how seven days managed to go by so quickly.

If you’ve been following along, you know a big part of this cruise has been focused on the premium dining and wine experiences onboard, including Chef’s Table Lumière, the Caymus Winemaker Dinner and the Frescobaldi Grand Tuscan Dinner.

But Princess also offers some smaller and less expensive tasting events throughout the cruise, and today I took part in the International Wine Tasting held at Sabatini’s.

International Wine Tasting

This was actually one of the more unique wine tastings I’ve done at sea because every cruise line seems to have its own way of handling these things.

On Holland America, the tastings tend to be very structured. You sit down at a table with all of your glasses already lined up, a printed sheet showing what you’re going to taste, some accompanying snacks, and the whole thing is usually led by the cellar master or head sommelier.

MSC goes in almost the complete opposite direction. Their tastings are much more relaxed and self-paced. You’re handed a sheet with the wines, grab a seat wherever you want, and servers come around pouring while you work your way through them. There’s usually a separate table with meats, cheeses and other snacks, and nobody is standing there trying to keep the entire room on the same schedule.

Princess, at least here on Regal Princess, does something different from both.

The event costs $34 per person plus 20% service charge, and when you arrive you’re divided into one of three groups. There are also three separate wine stations set up around Sabatini’s.

Each group spends roughly 15 minutes at a station sampling four wines, two whites and two reds, while the sommelier talks about where they’re from, how they’re made and what flavors and characteristics to look for.

Then you move to the next station and do it all over again.

And then one more time.

By the time you’ve worked your way through all three stations, you’ve sampled 12 different wines in just over an hour.

That is a lot of wine.

And the pours weren’t stingy either.

There was also a separate table with meats, cheeses and fruit, so you had something to snack on along the way, which was probably a good idea considering how quickly those 12 samples started adding up.

There was one part of the setup I didn’t particularly love.

You use the same wine glass for all 12 wines.

If you wanted to rinse it between pours so the previous wine didn’t affect the next one, there was a person standing nearby with a pitcher of water and a bucket where you could dump out the rinse.

It worked.

But it also made the whole thing feel a little… messy.

I understand the thinking behind it. Using one glass per person saves a tremendous amount of glassware, water and labor compared with washing 12 glasses for every guest.

But realistically, very few of us were going back and forth to rinse our glasses after every single pour.

So yes, that Cabernet you just finished may have left a little something behind when the next Chardonnay went in.

It’s not the end of the world, but for a proper wine tasting, this is definitely one area where I think the experience could be improved.

The other thing I really missed was a printed list of the wines.

Holland America does this very well, and MSC does too. You leave with a sheet showing exactly what you tasted, which means if you discover something you really like, you can order it later in the cruise or take the list home and go hunting for it at your local wine shop.

I’ve actually kept some of those tasting sheets and taken them with me to Total Wine later.

Princess didn’t provide anything like that here.

So unless you were taking notes or snapping pictures of every bottle as you went from station to station, there’s a good chance you weren’t going to remember the exact label later.

And that’s a shame because some of the wines being poured were bottles priced at more than $100 on the ship’s wine list.

Was It Worth It?

Despite those two complaints, I really enjoyed the tasting.

The wines were all very good, the sommeliers did a nice job explaining each one without turning it into a lecture, and even though 15 minutes per station sounded like it might feel rushed, it really didn’t.

They weren’t standing there with a stopwatch either.

The event ended up running a little over an hour, and if there was a wine you particularly liked, you could absolutely ask for another pour before moving on.

And trust me, with 12 wines and generous pours, nobody was leaving Sabatini’s wondering whether they got enough wine for their $34.

For the price, I thought it was a very good value and a fun way to try wines from different parts of the world without committing to buying full bottles.

Would I change a few things?

Yes.

Give everyone a tasting sheet and figure out a better way to handle the glass situation.

But overall, this was one of those smaller onboard events that I’d happily do again.

Especially when “research” involves 12 glasses of wine before dinner.

Where to Eat on Regal Princess

Yesterday I mentioned that I was going to take a closer look at all the places to eat onboard Regal Princess, and while this certainly isn’t one of today’s mega-ships with 26 restaurants, 14 quick-service counters and three different sushi bars, there’s still more than enough variety to keep you well fed over the course of a week.

And yes, you can absolutely eat very well without spending anything extra.

The Complimentary Options

Let’s start with the buffet, because that’s usually where most people end up at some point during the day.

It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, although hours will vary depending on the day. Those times are always posted in the Princess app and in the printed daily planner delivered to your room.

And one thing I’ll say about the buffet here: don’t sleep on it.

Some cruise lines have slowly turned their buffet offerings into something resembling the worst Golden Corral you’ve ever walked into. Looking at you, Carnival.

That’s not the case here.

The selection on Regal Princess is large, the food has consistently looked fresh, and there’s enough variety that it’s absolutely worth carving out time for at least one dinner or lunch instead of assuming the buffet is simply where you go when you can’t figure out anywhere else to eat. Princess also has a separate pastry area incorporated into the buffet complex, so there’s no shortage of desserts and baked goods waiting to ruin whatever good intentions you had when you walked in.

Up on the Lido Deck, you’ll find Prego Pizzeria, which I’ve already mentioned several times because it serves what I consider the second-best pizza at sea.

MSC still takes my number-one spot, but Princess is sitting comfortably in second.

Prego serves fresh pizza by the slice with the crew basically cranking them out continuously from late morning into the evening. Princess calls it Neapolitan-style, although what comes across the counter definitely scratches that thin-crust, grab-a-slice pizza itch.

And walking past when a fresh pie has just come out of the oven without grabbing a slice requires more self-control than I possess.

Right next door is Trident Grill, where you can grab burgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches during the day and night.

Then there are the ship’s three main dining rooms, all of which are complimentary. Princess gives you the choice of reservable or flexible dining along with traditional early and late seating if you’re one of those people who likes having the same table, same server and same dinner time every night.

The menus change nightly and usually include appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts, along with a few premium selections carrying an additional charge.

If you’re staying in a Reserve Collection Mini-Suite or eligible suite, there’s also a separate Reserve Collection dining area carved out of one of the main dining rooms. The basic menu is the same as what everyone else is getting, but Reserve guests typically have an additional item or two available and the big benefit is the dedicated dining space and generally more personalized service.

For something lighter, there’s the International Café on Deck 5 in the Piazza. It opens early and stays open late, making it one of those spots you’ll probably visit more often than you initially expected. There are small sandwiches, pastries, desserts and other grab-and-go bites throughout the day, along with coffee right nearby.

It’s especially useful when you want something to eat but don’t necessarily want to commit to a full meal.

And up on deck there’s also Swirls, where you can grab soft-serve ice cream. Because apparently the meals, pizza, desserts and pastries weren’t enough.

Speciality Restaurants ($)

Now we get into the restaurants where the cruise card starts getting involved.

Crown Grill is Princess’ signature steakhouse and costs $55 per person.

This is your traditional steakhouse experience with steaks, chops, seafood and all the usual sides. The steaks are cooked to order, and you’ll also get a selection of salts to pair with them.

If you’re looking for a steak dinner during the cruise, this is where you’re going.

If Italian is more your speed, there’s Sabatini’s, also priced at $55 per person.

This is Princess’ signature Italian restaurant, with handmade pastas, traditional sauces, braised meats and dishes inspired by different regions of Italy.

Think pasta, lasagna, chicken Parmigiana-style comfort food and plenty of dishes where red sauce, cheese and carbs are very much your friends.

I’ve eaten here several times during this cruise, both for regular dinner and special events, and the restaurant also plays host to things like the Frescobaldi Grand Tuscan Dinner and International Wine Tasting.

Then there’s Alfredo’s Pizzeria, the sit-down pizza restaurant found on Regal Princess. On other Princess ships you may see the same concept called Gigi’s.

Unlike Prego, this isn’t a grab-a-slice operation. You sit down, order a whole personal pizza, and can add a salad or dessert to turn it into an actual meal.

And this is also where Princess’ partnership with Tony Gemignani, the 13-time World Pizza Champion, becomes more noticeable.

Gemignani created five signature pizzas specifically for Princess, with combinations ranging from Soppressata and hot honey to Gorgonzola with fig preserve.

Alfredo’s is considered casual dining rather than specialty dining, and guests can pay either à la carte or a fixed casual-dining charge of $14.99 for adults.

It’s open for lunch and dinner, and if you like pizza enough that a Lido-deck slice isn’t going to cut it, this is definitely worth trying.

Finally, there’s Ocean Terrace, the small sushi and seafood bar sitting right in the Piazza.

And when I say small, I mean small.

There are only a handful of seats, so this place can fill up almost immediately when it opens. If sushi is on your must-do list, either get there early or be prepared to hover nearby waiting for somebody to finish.

It’s not the kind of place where 75 people are going to sit down for dinner at once.

Ocean Terrace serves sushi selections à la carte, and its operating hours tend to be much more limited than the larger restaurants, usually with short lunch and dinner windows. So definitely check the Princess app or daily planner before wandering down expecting sushi at 3:30 in the afternoon.

So Is There Enough Variety?

Absolutely.

Regal Princess may not have the ridiculous restaurant count of some of the newest ships, but I never felt like there weren’t enough choices.

You can have a full main dining room dinner one night, hit the buffet the next, grab pizza on deck, spend an evening at Crown Grill or Sabatini’s, sit down for a proper pizza at Alfredo’s, sneak in some sushi at Ocean Terrace, or simply grab something small at the International Café when you don’t want another full meal.

And that’s before you even get into the premium experiences I’ve spent so much time talking about this week, including Chef’s Table Lumière, the Caymus Winemaker Dinner and Frescobaldi Grand Tuscan Dinner.

You can head over to our Princess Cruises Restaurant Menu page to check out the menus for all the restaurants onboard.

Dress to Impress Night

Dinner time rolled around and tonight was Dress to Impress Night aboard Regal Princess.

Not formal. Not casual. Basically, dress in whatever makes you feel like you made an effort.

I like it.

There were people dressed up, people dressed somewhere in the middle, and others who clearly decided their idea of impressing everyone involved the same polo shirt they wore yesterday. That’s the beauty of it. There really isn’t much pressure attached.

For those eating in the main dining room tonight, here’s a look at the menu:

Main Dining Room Dinner Menu - Night 6

Served in the Allegro, Symphony, Concerto, and Reserve Collection Restaurant. Think of this as the classic cruise dining experience – a multicourse meal on the fancier side that still makes you feel right at home. Menus change daily and offer a variety of choices including regional flavors, guest favorites and chef specialties.

Available on: Regal Princess

Appetizers

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

with a touch of cream and garlic

Prosciutto, Genoa Salami, Melon And Figs Medley

Crostini, Olives, Sun-Dried Tomato

Corn And Salt Fish Fritter

Garlic Aioli

Gourmet Greens Salad

toasted pecans, cherry tomato, citrus segments

French Onion Soup

gruyere cheese crouton

Princess Shrimp Cocktail

Prawns served with tangy cocktail sauce

Classic Caesar Salad

romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, herb croutons

Mains

Spaghetti Aglio Olio

olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes

Vegetarian Jambalaya

creole rice with roasted spiced vegetables, light tomato sauce

Slow-Roasted Prime Rib, Rosemary Jus

Baked Jacket Potatoes With Cheddar Cheese, Vegetable Medley

Sicilian Sole and Scallop Palermitana

olives, beans, tomato, red onion

Indian-Style Butter Shrimp

rich curry gravy, basmati rice, papadums

Fettuccine Alfredo

rich parmesan cream sauce

Grillery

Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast

pan gravy, mashed potatoes, market vegetables

Seared Salmon

lemon butter sauce, market vegetables

Striploin Steak 6 oz

french fries, market vegetables

Make the Evening Extra Special

Filet Mignon 7oz

$24.00

red-skin mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms

Lobster Tail 6-7 oz

$24.00

red-skin mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus

The Perfect Match

$34.00

filet mignon & lobster tail, with choice of sides

Desserts

Gelato Baked Alaska

chocolate sauce

Deep Dish Apple Pie

vanilla anglaise

Sugar-Free Chocolate Mint Cake

chantilly cream

Sorbet du Jour - Cherry

Pistachio Love Boat By Cecile

pistachio mousse with pistachio crunch on vanilla shortbread

Traditional New York Cheesecake

macerated strawberries

International Cheese Plate

crackers, chutney

Seasonal Fresh Fruit

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Giving Crown Grill Another Shot

After a few pre-dinner cocktails at the Wheelhouse Bar, I looked at my watch and realized it was already 8:30 p.m.

Time was suddenly of the essence because most dining venues stop seating guests around 9:00.

If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember that my first visit to Crown Grill on the second night of the cruise was not exactly the flawless $55-per-person steakhouse experience I was expecting. The food was very good, but the service was all over the place, and I ended up canceling the second reservation I had booked for later in the week.

But in all fairness, every restaurant can have a bad night.

So I decided to give Crown Grill another shot.

I asked the host if there was any chance she could squeeze me in, and she said she would check with the manager. I finished my cocktail at Wheelhouse, and a few minutes later she came over and told me they were getting a table ready.

Not long after that, I was seated and handed a menu.

My server came over, introduced himself and almost immediately asked what I wanted for dinner.

Okay.

It was 8:40 p.m., and I fully understood that the restaurant was approaching the end of service and they probably weren’t hoping for someone to settle in for a leisurely three-hour meal.

Fair enough.

Crown Grill - Dinner Menu

Serving our premium Four Sixes Ranch beef and seafood, Crown Grill offers relaxed ambience and classic American steakhouse cuisine. Specialty Restaurant cover charge applies.

Available on: All ships

Appetizers

Chilled Jumbo Shrimp

Brandy horseradish cocktail sauce

Hand-Cut Beef Filet Tartare

prime tenderloin, french mustard, cornichon, salted egg yolk, multi-grain toast

Blue Iceberg

applewood smoked bacon, heirloom cherry tomatoes, point reyes original blue cheese dressing

Black and Blue Onion Soup

roquefort crust, fresh thyme, Jack Daniels

Colossal Lump Crab Cake

Cognac mustard sauce, asparagus, fennel, scallions

Classic Romaine Caesar Salad

romaine, parmesan crisps, freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, white anchovies, caesar dressing. Add grilled king prawns - surcharge applies

Shellfish Bisque

Lobster and shrimp, aged cognac, whipped cream

Steaks

Kansas City Strip

14oz | 400g

New York Strip

11oz | 310g

Boneless Rib-eye

14 oz

Filet Mignon

7oz | 200g

Crown Grill's Surf & Turf

$20.00

6-7oz

Steaks - Featuring the Finest Cuts of Goodstock by Nolan Ryan Beef

Dry-aged Striploin Steak

$20.00

14oz | 400g

Dry-aged Rib-eye Steak

$20.00

16oz | 454g

36 oz. Bone-In Rib-eye Steak for Two

$40.00

Sides

Creamed Spinach

spinach, shallots, butter, cream

Grilled Asparagus

extra virgin olive oil, garlic

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

shallots and chives

Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

sour cream and chives

Parmesan French Fries

Loaded Baked Idaho Potato

sour cream, bacon, and chives

Other Mains

Double Lamb Chops

9oz | 255g

Porterhouse

20oz | 565g

Chilean Sea Bass and Brioche-Breaded King Prawns

Steakhouse Maine Lobster Tail

6-7oz | 170-200g

Beefsteak Tomato and Vegetable Gratin

Pesto, arugula, walnut, sherry foam

Dessert

Pecan Pie

vanilla-bourbon sauce

Blueberry Cheesecake with a Twist

Layered cheesecake, blueberry jelly, whipped cream, blueberry sauce, buttery crumbles

Triple Chocolate Treasure

dark chocolate mousse, orange creme, hazelnut filling, blonde brownie crust, golden chocolate macaroons

Key Lime Pie Bar

date-pecan crust, crispy chocolate mousse, caramelized meringue, raspberry coulis

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Fortunately, I already knew what I wanted, so I placed my order and a few minutes later that excellent Crown Grill bread I mentioned during my first visit showed up.

And yes, it was still excellent.

I started with the shrimp cocktail, which came with three good-sized shrimp and a tangy cocktail sauce. Nothing complicated here, just a classic steakhouse starter done well.

Next came the Black and Blue Onion Soup, which was one of the more interesting dishes of the evening. Instead of the usual Gruyère-style topping you’d expect on French onion soup, this version uses blue cheese, which gives it a much sharper flavor and a slightly different texture.

It definitely isn’t your standard onion soup, but I liked it.

For the main course, I went with the 14-ounce Kansas City strip, ordered medium rare, with mushrooms and fries on the side.

The steak came out exactly as ordered, was seasoned well and had a nice crust on the outside. No complaints there at all.

When dessert time rolled around, I decided to skip it because I genuinely didn’t have room.

My server apparently took that personally and he offered to get me some ice cream.

I told him it really wasn’t necessary, but he brought me some anyway.

I didn’t pass it up!

Did Crown Grill Redeem Itself?

The important thing here is that service tonight was significantly better than it was during my first visit.

Yes, the order was taken quickly once I sat down, but after that the meal didn’t feel rushed. Courses weren’t stacked on top of one another, my cocktail arrived quickly, the server checked in throughout the meal, and everything moved at a comfortable pace.

This was much more in line with what I expect from a specialty steakhouse.

So Crown Grill officially redeemed itself.

That first dinner was still rough, and I’m not pretending it didn’t happen, but this visit was a good reminder that one bad night doesn’t necessarily define a restaurant.

Where Crown Grill ultimately ranks against other cruise ship steakhouses like Pinnacle Grill, Fahrenheit 555, Butcher’s Cut and Chops Grille?

I’ll get into that tomorrow when I wrap up the cruise with my overall review.

After dinner, I headed down to the Piazza for a little people watching as the Silent Disco was getting underway.

If you’ve never experienced one of these, the concept is wonderfully ridiculous.

Everyone participating gets a set of wireless headphones, usually with multiple music channels to choose from. There’s no music blasting through the room itself, so if you’re standing there without headphones, you’re basically watching a crowd of people dance enthusiastically to complete silence.

Some are singing along.

Some are doing moves that probably make perfect sense with whatever song they’re hearing.

Others appear to be dancing to something entirely different from the person standing two feet away because, well, they probably are.

It’s goofy.

It’s strange.

And people absolutely love it.

So much so that when all the headphones are handed out, the people who didn’t get one can become surprisingly upset.

Apparently being left out of Silent Disco is serious business.

The Piazza was packed again, and as usual, the people watching did not disappoint.

After 12 wines at the International Wine Tasting earlier in the day, a few cocktails and a good steak dinner, however, I was pretty much done.

So it was off to bed.

We’ve got one more sea day aboard Regal Princess before returning to Fort Lauderdale, and tomorrow I’ll wrap everything up with my complete review of the cruise, including the food, service, ship, entertainment and where this sailing ultimately ranks for me.

As always, thanks for following along.

Regal Princess Daily Planner – Day 6

Regal Princess Cruise Review By Day