all the complimentary dining on the royal princess?
As a frequent cruiser, I see many people confused about where they can eat for free on the ship. Here is a breakdown of what is included on Princess Cruises for free with your cruise fare. Did you know that more than the buffet is free? I only ate at the buffet one time on my last cruise.
Breakfast
I was recently on the Royal Princess. I was surprised how many people didn’t realize you could have a full sit-down breakfast each morning in the Allegro Dining Room. This is included with your cruise fare. No reservations needed or taken. You show up when you want to eat, and tables are first-come, first-served. On our Alaskan cruise, the first week of June, we never had to wait. We enjoyed crispy bacon, pancakes, French toast, and many other yummy items. Also included: Complimentary juice, milk, and coffee.
Breakfast in the dining room
If you aren’t feeling like a full sit-down breakfast, you can visit the buffet on the lido deck. Also, don’t forget to check out the international cafe. It has lighter breakfast options. I highly recommend the almond croissant. You can also purchase your specialty coffees there. I frequent this area of the ship anytime I sail a Royal Class ship.
You can also order room service with a card that is left in your room. This is complimentary and does not require Ocean Now delivery or a room service fee. You select what you want the night before and hang it on your door. My son loves a full sit-down breakfast, so I did not do this on my last cruise.
Tip from Julie
I have Elite Status with Princess Cruises. I get a free mini-bar in my room. I like to mix juice with the mini-bottles provided. At breakfast, I order a couple of juices to take back to my fridge to mix drinks with later in the day.
Lunch
On Royal Princess, there are several free lunch options. Of course, you have the buffet, World Fresh Marketplace. There is an international cafe that has sandwiches, pot pies, and other light lunch fare. By the pool, there is pizza by the slice at Prego Pizzeria. I had pizza several times on my Royal Princess cruise, and it was pretty good.
You will also find Trident Grill by the pool area. Here you will find an assortment of burgers, chicken sandwiches, and tacos.
You can also get complimentary soft-serve ice cream by the pool at Swirls.
Some days, the main dining room is open for lunch. On our cruise, this was served at Allegro. You can check the daily patter to see if it is open or not. It is usually open on Embarkation day. Instead of going to the crowded buffet, I try to dine in the main dining room for lunch. I like to start my cruise at a slower pace.
Of course, if none of these interest you, try Ocean Now Delivery. There are lots of complimentary items included. For our Glacier National Park day, we ordered burgers, chicken fingers, and salads to our room.
** I will add that Ocean Now delivery is free if you have the Plus or Premium package. If not, you will be charged $14.99 for the whole week (based on a 7-day cruise). I did not get the package, but I paid for it the first day, so I could maximize the money spent. I love having my specialty coffee delivered to my room each morning.
Chicken Fingers
Dinner
Once your cruise is paid in full, you can book your dining reservations in the app. Princess has 3 types of dining on the Royal Princess in the Main Dining Room.
Traditional dining - this is where you sit at the same table each night with the same waitstaff.
2. Flexible dining - where you make reservations in the same dining room each night, but at different times, and you may or may not have the same table.
3. Walk-in dining - you show up and you take the next available table.
As a frequent cruiser, I have done all three options. I prefer traditional dining. I like having a dedicated waitstaff each night. They learn your name and my preferences. However, all three are great options. My friend Mary and I had flexible dining on the Sky Princess. We ended up sitting pretty close to the same table each night. We even made a new friend this way (Hey Lisa in California! If you are reading this).
Not up for sitting down for a long meal. All the lunch options are open at night. I promise you will not go hungry on a cruise!
Fish main dining room Royal Princess
Baked Alaska
I have written this post for the Royal Princess. However, most of this information should be similar to the other ships. Especially the Royal Class Ships. I have been on Royal, Enchanted, and Sky, and they all have similar setups.
I am heading out on the Sun later this year. I am ready to see what she has to offer. It has several specialty restaurants, so I have splurged and purchased the Premium Package. I will be traveling with my husband, who isn’t the biggest fan of cruising. I am willing to pay extra to make sure he is happy!
Want to learn more about my Adventures on Princess Cruises? Check out these posts:
How I saved big on our Alaska Cruise
What I wore in Alaska - shopping guide
Should you purchase the Princess Plus package for your next cruise?
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