It's still more than a year away, but the Royal Princess is getting the jump on the food and beverage part of the ship. Or at least it's getting the jump on telling people what will be on the Royal Princess. In case any other cruise lines have the same idea, we'll know who was first.
Here are some of the new twists from the kitchen and the wine cellar…
• The Horizon Court buffet will have twice as many seats and a new layout (always a good idea when you're doubling the capacity), with room for 1,250 passengers at a time. This is good news for people (ahem) who enjoy the anonymity that cruise-ship crowds don't always provide.
• A crab shack, fondue restaurant and fresh pastry shop will be part of the new layout. Just when you wonder what a buffet can be that's different, Princess seems to have the answer.
• Several restaurants are being combined. Putting food (Crown Grill) and beverage (Wheelhouse Bar) together is never a bad idea for pre- and post-dinner matching…although we always seem to let the food part dominate us.
• The first ever chef's table at sea (hence the name, Chef's Table) will be rebranded as Chef's Table Lumiere. What's changing is privacy. Diners will be "magically surrounded" by a curtain of light that will provide a "wall of privacy." Raise your hand if you remember when light meant less privacy?
• Sabatini's, the specialty restaurant that's all-star-Italian, will add some impressive Super Tuscan wines like Sassicaia, Tignanello and Solaia. Judging by the last (only) time we had a bottle of Sassicaia, we'll have to be lucky at the casino down the hall before ordering one here.
• A special "late, late risers" breakfast selection. Having missed more than one breakfast buffet in our day, we can only say "Saluté!"
The Daily Deal will be posted at 2:59 EDT, so check back then.