Passengers on board the newly launched Crown Princess can choose
between three dining rooms, two specialty restaurants and the new
International Cafe in the Piazza, among other dining venues. Those
booked in balcony cabins also have some additional dining options
that don’t involve stepping into the hallway.
Upon embarkation at the new Brooklyn pier facility at Red Hook,
passengers can dial room service and have an authentic “taste of
Brooklyn” delivered in time to sail away.
The “Brooklyn Balcony Nosh” consists of a famous Nathan’s hot dog
with all the trimmings (served nice and hot in a foil wrapper); a
mini cheesecake from Junior’s, hailed as the “best cheesecake in
New York” and an ice-cold bottle of Brooklyn Brewery Lager. It’s
the perfect moveable feast to enjoy as the ship glides gracefully
past the Statue of Liberty and Governor’s Island and then
underneath the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
Balconies on the Crown Princess feature sleek metal dining tables
and chairs, which are transformed into restaurant tables at sea
with linen tablecloths, floral centerpieces, fine china and
silverware for the “Ultimate Balcony Dining” offerings.
A special breakfast ($25 per couple charge) includes delectable
quiche and bacon, as well as bagels and lox; a cantaloupe “bowl”
laden with strawberries and topped with mounds of whipped cream; a
tray full of mini-croissants and other freshly baked pastries,
orange juice and carafes of coffee, as well as a bottle of chilled
champagne.
It’s enough of a breakfast to last until dinner. And dinnertime
holds yet another unique dining opportunity. The “Ultimate Balcony
Dinner” is overseen by your own personal waiter for the evening,
who solicitously serves the multi-course repast.
Our waiter, Eli, was a 16-year veteran of the line, clearly proud
to be on “Ultimate Balcony Dinner” duty. After meticulously setting
up our table, he brought in a tray of canapes and poured glasses of
wine. A short time later, he returned with an exquisite salad of
fresh greens, pears and walnuts, which was a meal in itself.
Our main course followed, “surf and turf” cooked to order (guests
can choose to have just the beef filet or lobster). Dessert
chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries and strawberries topped off
the evening, along with a choice of after-dinner drinks, served
under the stars on a warm Caribbean night.
The whole experience is well worth the $100 per couple charge,
especially for those celebrating a special occasion. But be
forewarned: You may have to say “hello” to fellow passengers
peeking over their own balconies to check out where all the
laughter is coming from.
