Jake_Harmon
Moderator
A Veteran Cruiser's Complete Breakdown of What You'll Actually Eat and Drink
I've sailed Princess Cruises 18 times across their entire fleet — from the intimate Royal-class ships to the massive Sphere-class behemoths — and dining is where Princess really separates itself from the competition. While other cruise lines treat food as logistics, Princess has built a culinary reputation that genuinely holds up. But here's the thing: not every dining experience is created equal, and knowing what's included versus what costs extra can mean the difference between a fantastic cruise and buyer's remorse.
In 2026, Princess operates five distinct ship classes, each with different dining configurations, specialty restaurants, and beverage package options. Let me walk you through exactly what you're getting on each one — with honest pros, cons, and the insider tips I've learned from years of testing every venue.
The Main Dining Room Experience Across All Princess Ships
Every Princess ship features a traditional main dining room where you'll enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner included in your cruise fare. This is your daily anchor — the included experience you can count on.
On the Royal-class ships (Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess), the dining room spans two decks with a gorgeous centerpiece that makes the space feel grand without being overwhelming. Dinner service runs two seatings (typically 5:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.), and breakfast and lunch are open seating. The menu rotates every five days with consistent quality.
On the Grand-class (Grand Princess, Golden Princess, Caribbean Princess, Island Princess), you get a more traditional setup — single-deck dining rooms that are still elegant but lack the visual drama of newer ships. These are workhorse rooms, and honestly, the food quality is identical to Royal-class, but the ambiance feels slightly dated compared to modern fleet standards.
The Sun-class (Sun Princess, Dawn Princess) offers open-seating breakfast and lunch, but maintains traditional assigned seating for dinner. The rooms are bright and functional — nothing fancy, but perfectly adequate.
Here's what you need to know: All main dining rooms offer the same core menu structure. You get a three-course dinner with typically 6–8 main course options each night, plus appetizers, soups, and desserts. The food is consistently good — never Michelin-star, but well-prepared and satisfying. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-conscious options are excellent on Princess.
Specialty Restaurants: Where the Real Money Is Spent
This is where Princess makes its serious dining revenue — and where you need to make strategic choices.
Italian Dining: Sabatini's and Veranda
Sabatini's Trattoria exists on Royal-class and Grand-class ships. It's an upscale Italian venue with a $25–$30 per person cover charge (or included if you purchase their beverage package). I've eaten here seven times, and the consistency is genuinely impressive. The hand-rolled pasta is made fresh daily, the risottos are creamy and properly proportioned, and the wine list leans Italian with some solid values in the $35–$50 range. The room itself is intimate and decorated in Tuscan theme without feeling kitschy.
Veranda Café is available on Sun-class and some Grand-class ships — a casual Italian venue that's completely free to enter, though you pay à la carte for food ($8–$16 per item). Pasta dishes are strong; pizza is solid but not exceptional. It's a good value if you want Italian without dropping $30.
Steakhouse: Crown Grill and The Grill
Crown Grill is on Sphere-class ships (Sky Princess, Enchanted Princess, Discovery Princess, Emerald Princess). This is Princess's premium steakhouse experience — $35 per person cover charge. The beef is USDA Prime, cooked precisely, and the sides (truffle mac and cheese, twice-baked potatoes) are shareable portions. The wine pairings are optional but solid. I've had two meals here, and the ribeye was genuinely excellent.
The Grill is on Royal-class ships and operates on a similar model. Cover charge is $28–$32. Quality is comparable to Crown Grill, though the wine list is slightly less curated.
Honest take: If you're a steakhouse person, these are worth the money. If you eat steak once per week in your regular life, skip it and save $30.
Asian Dining: Bayou Café and Other Options
Bayou Café appears on several ships (Royal-class included) and is actually more Cajun/Creole than exclusively Asian — but it offers pan-Asian dishes too. Cover charge around $18–$22. The gumbo is legitimate, the jambalaya is flavorful, and the Asian fusion items are creative. I'd rate this as solid mid-tier specialty dining — worth doing once per 10-day cruise, not worth making a tradition.
Newer Sphere-class ships feature Asian-themed venues with better executions and higher price points ($28–$32). Skip Bayou if you're sailing Sphere-class and splurge on the more modern alternatives.
Buffet Dining: Horizon Court (Inconsistent Across Fleet)
Horizon Court is Princess's buffet venue, and here's where I'm going to be brutally honest: quality varies dramatically depending on which ship you're on and what meal period you visit.
On Royal-class and Sphere-class ships, Horizon Court is bright, well-maintained, and the buffet lines move efficiently. Food variety is strong — multiple carving stations, hot entrées, salads, pasta bars, seafood (limited), and desserts. Go for lunch, not dinner. Breakfast is also solid.
On Grand-class and Sun-class ships, Horizon Court feels more cramped and the food quality dips slightly. Still functional, but you notice the difference.
Pro tip: Skip dinner service in the buffet. The main dining room is superior, and the buffet at dinner is a chaotic mess with picked-over food. Lunch in Horizon Court is genuinely good value.
Casual Dining Venues That Are Completely Free
These are included with your cruise fare and honestly some of the best-kept secrets on Princess ships.
Pizzeria — Every Princess ship has one. Thin-crust Italian-style pizza, open noon to 10 p.m. Usually excellent quality. I've had pizza here that rivals casual pizza shops on land.
Burger Bar — Custom-built burgers with quality beef, interesting toppings, and hand-cut fries. Available on Royal-class and newer Sphere-class ships.
Pasta Bar — Fresh pasta made to order with your choice of sauce. On Sphere-class ships especially, this is restaurant-quality stuff.
Poolside Grill — Grilled items, burgers, fish and chips at the pool. Standard cruise fare, open during sea days and at port days.
Guy's Burger Joint (certain ships) — A collaboration with chef Guy Fieri. Solid burgers, good fries. No cover charge.
The bottom line: You can eat very well on Princess without paying a single cover charge if you're strategic about timing and venue selection.
Beverage Packages Decoded: 2026 Pricing and Real Value
Princess offers four beverage package tiers:
1. Soda Package ($12–$15 per day)
Soft drinks, coffee, tea, juice. Not worth buying unless you're cruising with kids who drink eight sodas daily. Water is free.
2. Classic Beverage Package ($59–$69 per day)
Includes wines up to $15 retail value, all spirits, beer, soft drinks, and specialty coffee. This is the workhorse package. On a 7-day cruise, you're paying $413–$483 total, or roughly $59 per day per person.
The math: If you order two cocktails daily at $16 each plus one wine at $13, you're spending $45 per day anyway. The package pays for itself quickly.
My take: If you drink alcohol daily, this package is worth buying, especially if you catch an onboard promotion (Princess frequently discounts this to $54–$59 per day for early bookers).
3. Premium Beverage Package ($89–$99 per day)
Everything in Classic, plus premium spirits, wines up to $25 retail value, and premium beers like Stella Artois.
The break-even: You need to order three cocktails plus wine daily to justify this versus Classic. Most casual cruisers don't hit that threshold.
Worth it if: You're a wine enthusiast who plans to explore the wine selection seriously, or you enjoy premium cocktails with top-shelf spirits.
4. Premium Plus Package ($129–$139 per day)
Adds specialty beverages, premium coffee, and specialty bottled waters. Skip this. You're paying for branded water and minor perks. Not worth the price premium.
My Honest Beverage Package Strategy
After 18 Princess cruises, here's what I actually do:
- 7-day or shorter: Don't buy a package. Order strategically. One or two cocktails per sea day = $32–$48 total.
- 10-day to 14-day: Buy Classic if you drink daily. The math works in your favor around day 3.
- Very long repositioning or world cruises: Buy Classic immediately. You'll absolutely drink enough to justify it.
- Always ask about onboard promotions on embarkation day — they frequently offer 50% off beverage packages for late purchases.
Dining by Ship Class: Specific Recommendations
Royal-Class Ships (Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess)
The strength: Two-deck main dining room, solid specialty restaurant lineup (Sabatini's, Crown Grill, Bayou Café), and great buffet.
Dining strategy: Dinner in main dining room, lunch at Horizon Court, one specialty dinner (Sabatini's for Italian lovers), and fill in with casual venues.
Budget estimate (per person, 7 days, no alcohol package): $0 if you skip specialty dining. $150–$200 if you add two specialty dinners ($50–$60 per specialty dinner plus drinks).
Sphere-Class Ships (Sky Princess, Enchanted Princess, Discovery Princess, Emerald Princess)
The strength: Newest ships, most modern dining venues, better steakhouse (Crown Grill), improved Asian venues, and superior casual options.
Dining strategy: Splurge on one Crown Grill steakhouse dinner, enjoy the improved casual venues, skip the buffet in favor of specialty casual restaurants.
Budget estimate (per person, 7 days, no alcohol package): $100–$150 if you add one specialty steakhouse dinner.
Grand-Class Ships (Grand Princess, Caribbean Princess, Island Princess, Golden Princess)
The strength: Mature fleet with good specialty restaurant coverage. Most affordable specialty dining on Princess fleet.
Dining strategy: These ships offer solid value. Utilize the buffet more, do one specialty dinner (Sabatini's), rely on casual venues.
Budget estimate (per person, 7 days, no alcohol package): $50–$100 if you add one specialty dinner.
Sun-Class Ships (Sun Princess, Dawn Princess)
The strength: Budget-friendly, still good dining options, less crowded specialty restaurants.
Dining strategy: Open-seating dining provides flexibility. Fewer specialty restaurant options, so rely more on casual venues and buffet.
Budget estimate (per person, 7 days, no alcohol package): $0–$75. These ships are the value play.
Booking Your Specialty Dining: Timing and Strategy
Don't wait until you're onboard. Book specialty restaurants through the Princess app or website 60 days before departure. Here's why:
- Popular times (Friday and Saturday dinners) sell out completely
- You can pre-pay and lock in discounts (sometimes 10% off)
- You guarantee preferred seating times
- Embarkation day is chaotic — don't add restaurant booking stress to it
Dietary Accommodations: Princess Excels Here
I have friends with celiac disease, vegan diets, and severe allergies who have cruised Princess multiple times. The culinary team takes special dietary requests seriously:
- Notify Princess during booking — not embarkation day
- The main dining room will prepare custom meals nightly (no surcharge)
- Specialty restaurants can accommodate special diets if given advance notice
- Buffet areas are clearly labeled for allergens
I've seen the kitchen prepare complex vegan tasting menus that rivaled the specialty restaurant output. This is not performative — it's genuine commitment.
Alcohol-Free Strategies for Non-Drinkers
If you don't drink alcohol, here's your strategy:
- Skip all beverage packages (obviously)
- Enjoy the coffee program — premium coffee is excellent on Princess
- Specialty mocktails run $8–$12 and are creative
- Horizon Court dessert bar is free and genuinely good
- You'll save $300+ compared to drinkers — put that toward specialty dinners instead
Real Questions I Always Get Asked
Q: Is the main dining room food better than the buffet?
Yes, without question. The buffet is convenient and adequate; the main dining room is consistently better prepared. Eat buffet lunch, dine in the main room at dinner.
Q: Do I need to buy a beverage package?
Not if you don't drink daily or you're on a short cruise. Calculate your actual consumption first.
Q: Which specialty restaurant should I prioritize?
Sabatini's if you love Italian. Crown Grill if you love steaks. If you can only do one, pick based on your actual food preferences, not FOMO.
Q: Is the food actually fresh or reheated from frozen?
Mix of both, like every cruise line. Specialty restaurants source better ingredients. Main dining room is mostly prepared onboard daily. Buffet has some pre-prepped items. This is normal cruise industry standard.
Dining Tips From 18 Princess Cruises
- Book sea day lunch at specialty restaurants — they're less crowded than dinner, same quality, same price
- Ask for menu substitutions in the dining room — if the fish tonight doesn't appeal, ask if they can prepare the fish from tomorrow night. They usually say yes
- Arrive at Horizon Court buffet between 12:30–1:00 p.m. — sweet spot between lunch rush and afternoon quiet
- The pizza is actually worth eating twice — many cruisers don't discover this until day 4
- Make friends with your main dining room server — they'll remember your drink preferences and dietary preferences for the whole cruise
- Specialty restaurants often have quiet times — call ahead and ask when they're least busy, then request that time
- Request a table near the window in the main dining room when you book — slightly higher perceived value at sea
The Bottom Line: Princess Dining in 2026
Princess Cruises has built a reputation for solid, reliable dining at a reasonable cost. You can eat very well without specialty restaurant splurges, though I'd budget for at least one specialty dinner on cruises longer than 7 days. The beverage package math works if you drink alcohol regularly. The casual venues are legitimately good — better than you'd expect on a cruise ship.
The biggest mistake I see cruisers make is overthinking it. You don't need to eat everywhere. Pick two or three venues, eat well there, and enjoy the downtime. That's the real recipe for great cruise dining.
Have a Princess dining strategy that worked for your last cruise? Share it in our Princess Cruises forum — I read every response, and your tips help other cruisers plan smarter dining budgets.