This weekend I was lucky enough to be invited onboard Princess Cruises, Royal Princess to see just what the ship had to offer a foodie. It was my first time on a cruise ship and I have to say it more than exceeded my expectations in what it had been to offer. In this post I shall focus on food, but keep posted for a low down on the ship later this week.
So how do you go about feeding a whopping 6000 people onboard a cruise ship? Well it is one massive operation, that's for sure. With 500lbs of pasta and 2700lb potatoes cooked onboard each day, it takes some organising. We were invited for a sneak peak into the galley. Managing the task is executive chef is David McDonald who earned a Michelin star for his cuisine at Somerset's Priory House Restaurant.
So how do you go about feeding a whopping 6000 people onboard a cruise ship? Well it is one massive operation, that's for sure. With 500lbs of pasta and 2700lb potatoes cooked onboard each day, it takes some organising. We were invited for a sneak peak into the galley. Managing the task is executive chef is David McDonald who earned a Michelin star for his cuisine at Somerset's Priory House Restaurant.
The kitchen was huge and was just one of many onboard the ship. Food is cooked on batch to order so it's a finely tuned operation. Cold starters are prepared before the first sitting to ensure they are fresh. A team of 80 cleaners work through the night to keep the kitchens spotless.
There is a wide variety of food on offer. In the main buffet restaurant onboard there is a lot to offer. I don't think I have ever seen a roast that big before!
There are many desserts and I spotted sugar free shortcake,as well as these sugar filled options.
If you are celebrating a special occasion then you may be interested to know that there is a Chef's table complete with light curtain for privacy.
As well as the traditional restaurant there are many specialty restaurants, from steak to pizza, some of which will have a small cover charge. You can find more information on the dining options available here.
There are drinks packages available too. We headed on deck to test out some of the cocktails they had on offer and were dazzled by their Tom Cruise style show.
Finally we were treated to a fantastic meal at Sambatini's. To start I chose the strawberry gazpacho which gave an amazing sweet and sour combination.
For my main was the perfectly cooked rack of lamb with french mustard herb crust. It was just beautiful. There was even a fresh mint jelly.
Finally for dessert was a beautiful 50th Anniversary Chocolate Dessert.
The food was fresh and delicious and nothing like I had previously imagined food on a cruise ship would be like. For more information on Princess Cruises you can visit their website here.
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