Princess Unveils Sweeping Culinary Enhancements!!
Ray Goldenberg
I received this press release from Princess and thought it would be
of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are
available on my web site.
Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Princess Unveils Sweeping Culinary Enhancements
New Dining Room Menus, Modern Presentation and Signature Surprises
Highlight Changes Being Introduced Fleetwide
Emerald Princess and Royal Princess First to Debut New Epicurean
Experience
SANTA CLARITA, Calif., April 2
Combining best-loved favorites and traditions with contemporary
culinary trends, Princess Cruises is debuting an array of epicurean
initiatives which represent the line's most sweeping changes to its
highly-regarded food and beverage program.
Princess' two new ships debuting this month -- Emerald Princess and
the intimate Royal Princess -- will be the first vessels to feature
these enhancements, which include all-new dining room fare with a
modern presentation, enhanced buffet service, redesigned cuisine in
the alternative restaurants, and special touches such as an afternoon
"cookies and milk break" featuring fresh-from-the-oven soft-baked
cookies, and in-cabin delivery of Princess' renowned homemade pizza.
"We always strive to keep our culinary program fresh and up-to-date,
reflecting both changing trends and what our passengers tell us they
enjoy," said Peter Tobler, vice president of food and beverage
operations for Princess. "Princess has a long history of signature
culinary traditions, and we wanted to celebrate these while
introducing a new variety of modern classical dishes and contemporary
service. The result is a significant re- design of our dining room
experience that we think our passengers will love, based on the
testing we've done."
The most noticeable change will be the new menus and presentation in
the main dining rooms. Rich in choice, the menus will present dishes
that offer non-traditional combinations, sophisticated flavors, ethnic
influences and skillful preparation. Passengers will also find a wider
selection of lighter fare, designated with a "Lotus Spa" insignia.
Oversized, contemporary white- on-white crockery and beautiful
leather-bound menus will showcase the cuisine.
Princess' new culinary initiatives were designed after months of
collaboration among Princess' culinary operations team including the
five corporate chefs, who together bring decades of both shipboard and
landside experience to their craft. Leading the team is Princess'
master chef, Alfredo Marzi, a 35-year culinary veteran with the cruise
line, who combines his passion for continental (and native Italian)
cuisine with a dramatic flair.
"The exciting result of our culinary team's effort is the introduction
of over 1,350 new lunch and dinner dishes," Marzi said. He further
explained that the line's new menus were developed as part of
Princess' C.H.E.F. program, which was launched last year to celebrate
Princess' Culinary Heritage of Excellence in Food by fostering
culinary initiatives to delight passenger palates, celebrate signature
dishes and dining experiences, and introduce new products and
educational opportunities for passengers and culinary staff alike.
The new epicurean experiences have also been extended outside of the
main dining rooms to the alternative restaurants, the 24-hour buffet
restaurant or even to passenger cabins. "We want our passengers to
know that wherever they choose to enjoy their meal or snack, that
they'll enjoy a signature Princess experience," added Tobler. "For
example, our passengers rave about our homemade Italian-style pizza,
which they can now have delivered directly to their cabins."
The company's culinary enhancements include:
New Dining Room Fare - The new menus have re-designed the dining room
meal to give passengers the ultimate in flexibility in planning their
culinary experience. Instead of many specified courses, diners may now
choose from a greater variety of starters, main plates and desserts to
compose a menu to his or her liking. The famous Princess pasta dishes
will be re-emphasized, as will a larger selection of healthy Lotus Spa
dishes, now available on the luncheon menu. Those who enjoy sleeping
in on lazy sea days will appreciate the "Late-Late Riser" category -
breakfast favorites offered at lunchtime.
Among the culinary arts trends represented in Princess' latest menus
are Pan-Asian fusion dishes, Mediterranean and Latin American-inspired
plates, specialty sandwiches and bite-sized desserts. Taking center
stage will be such global ingredients as pomegranates, figs, unique
herbs and spices, aged meats, ginger, salsas, relishes, aromatic oils,
vinaigrettes and exotic mushrooms. A wider choice in breads such as
whole-grain, flatbread and focaccia will also be featured, as will an
emphasis on pan-seared, grilled and braised items.
Contemporary Presentation - When sitting down to enjoy the new flavors
in Princess dining rooms, passengers will also notice a modern, new
tableware look featuring custom-made white, oversized china to
showcase the cuisine. In addition, the menus will be presented in rich
leather covers and with a completely new layout that easily guides
passengers through designing their perfect multi-course meal.
Signature Surprises - The long-time popularity of Princess' homemade
Italian-style pizza inspired the company to offer a new cabin delivery
service of its renowned pies. For a nominal $3 service charge, the
pizza will arrive in a traditional pizza box with plates, napkins and
cutlery. A number of varieties will be available, including the
oft-ordered cheese, pepperoni and a daily special pizza.
When Crown Princess debuted last year, Princess discovered that
passengers fell in love with the warm, freshly baked cookies and the
enticing aroma that wafted through the atrium every afternoon. After
serving more cookies in one day than during an entire cruise aboard
the line's other ships, Princess knew it had a winning combination - a
daily afternoon "cookies and milk break," featuring
straight-from-the-oven soft-baked cookies, with a different flavor
featured each day.
Alternative Restaurant Offerings - Princess' popular Sabatini's
Italian trattoria, introduced nearly a decade ago, has undergone a
modernization as the traditional fare is presented with the same
number of tantalizing courses, but with a lighter twist in keeping
with the tasting menu concept. As well, the line's steakhouse
restaurant has been re-defined to incorporate the new steak and
seafood menus which have proved so popular after debuting aboard Crown
Princess.
Enhanced Buffet Service - When passengers visit the buffet restaurant,
they will find an experience that is more in keeping with a dining
room than a 24-hour eatery. Tables will be pre-set with cutlery and
napkins meaning these items will not have to be collected while
selecting meals and snacks. Servers will be standing by to provide
beverage service to each table, whether passengers order self-service
selections or bar items.
Princess' new culinary initiatives will gradually roll out to the rest
of the Princess fleet this year and next.
Emerald Princess debuts April 11 for an inaugural schedule of Greek
Isles and Mediterranean voyages. A week later on April 19, Royal
Princess joins the fleet to offer a collection of Connoisseur
Mediterranean and Holy Land voyages. On May 12 the two ships will meet
for a historic dual christening ceremony in Santorini, Greece, set in
the port's dramatic crater-formed harbor.
Additional information about Princess is available through a
professional travel agent.
About Princess Cruises:
One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global
cruise and tour company operating a fleet of 15 modern ships renowned
for their innovative design and wide array of choices in dining,
entertainment and amenities, all provided in an environment of
exceptional customer service. A recognized leader in worldwide
cruising, Princess offers its passengers the opportunity to escape to
the top destinations around the globe, with sailings to all seven
continents, ranging in length from seven to 102 days. The company is
part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK).
Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines.
Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland
America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Windstar Cruises and The Yachts
of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment
to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of
lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching
cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.
Joseph Coulter
Ray, all
I will be on Royal May 8th will give report on the new cuisine on return
at the end of May.