Princess Cruises Dining Guide: What's Casual, What's Specialty & What's Included

Step aboard Princess Cruises and you'll find every restaurant sorted into one of four categories: complimentary, casual, specialty, or experiential. That distinction matters more than it sounds, since it determines both the cost and whether Princess Plus or Princess Premier covers it, because the two packages don't treat casual and specialty dining the same way.

Here's exactly which restaurants sit in each tier, what they cost without a package, and which package gets you in the door.

Princess Cruises' Dining at a Glance

*Dining venues, classifications, prices, package inclusions, operating hours and ship availability can change without notice. Always verify the current offerings with a Cruise Expert at The Cruise Web for your specific ship and sailing before booking.

Complimentary Dining on Princess Cruises

Complimentary dining is included in every cruise fare, no package required, so it's the easiest tier to enjoy without any extra planning.

Main Dining Room Service Styles

Every ship offers three Main Dining Room service styles:

1. Traditional dining: early or late seating with the same waitstaff every night
2. Flexible dining: reserve a table for whatever time suits you
3. Walk-in dining: no reservation needed, whenever hunger strikes

Please note that the Main Dining Room name varies by ship.

Complimentary Venues Fleet-Wide

*Available on Ruby Princess, Salty Dog Gastropub delivers a casual dining experience, rather than complimentary, with elevated specialties including fried chicken sandwiches, lobster mac & cheese, tacos, beef short ribs, and more.

Complimentary Venues Exclusive to Star Princess & Sun Princess

Star Princess and Sun Princess guests get two more complimentary venues that the rest of the fleet doesn't carry.

Restaurants for Reserve and Sanctuary Collection Guests

These next two complimentary venues come with a different kind of catch: they're free once you're in the door, but the door itself requires booking a specific stateroom category.

The Reserve Collection Restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner daily, plus lunch on sea days, and is included for guests booked into Reserve Collection staterooms. The Sanctuary Restaurant operates the same way, and is included with any Sanctuary Collection stateroom on Star Princess and Sun Princess; more details in our Sanctuary Collection guide.

Casual Dining on Princess Cruises

Princess Premier includes unlimited casual dining, so you can pop into any of these spots as often as you like. Princess Plus covers four casual dining meals per guest, per voyage, plenty for most week-long cruises. Beyond that limit, or without either package, the pricing for casual dining is as follows:

• $14.99 for adults
• $7.49 for children ages 3 to 11
• Or à la carte

Casual Dining Venues

Which Ships Have Each Casual Venue

Casual dining lineups vary by ship; most carry some mix of pub fare, pizza, and sushi, but two venues stand out as genuinely distinct rather than variations on a theme: Plank's BBQ, a Southern-style barbecue joint found only on Caribbean Princess and Emerald Princess, and Churrascaria Brazilian Grill, a Brazilian steakhouse with tableside service found only on Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess.

Specialty Dining on Princess Cruises

Princess Premier includes unlimited specialty dining. Princess Plus does not include specialty dining, and neither does sailing without a package; you'll pay a cover charge either way. For the full package breakdown, including drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities, check out Princess Plus vs. Princess Premier.

Specialty dining pricing also depends on your ship:

• $55 per adult, $27.50 for children ages 3 to 11, on most ships
• $60 per adult, $30 for children ages 3 to 11, on Star Princess & Sun Princess

Specialty Dining Venues

*Specialty dining rarely asks much of your suitcase. Smart casual covers you at every venue but one. Love by Britto trades the relaxed dress code for formal attire, which is fitting for an experience inspired by art, wine and Chef Rudi Sodamin's most theatrical menu.

Which Ships Have Each Specialty Venue

Most ships in the fleet carry two or three specialty dining venues, typically Crown Grill and Sabatini's, sometimes joined by The Catch by Rudi.

Makoto Ocean is available on Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess.

Star Princess and Sun Princess stand apart with the fleet's deepest specialty roster, including four venues only on these two ships: The Butcher's Block by Dario, Umai Teppanyaki, Umai Hot Pot, and Love by Britto.

Experiential Dining on Princess Cruises

Experiential dining sits outside both packages entirely; there's no unlimited access tier no matter which package you book. Every venue carries a cover charge.

Experiential Dining Venues

Which Ships Have Each Experiential Venue

Chef's Table, Caymus Vineyards Winemaker's Dinner and Ultimate Balcony Dining are available fleetwide.

Crab Shack is a pop-up dining event offered on select ships and itineraries, with availability varying by season and sailing.

Chef's Table Lumiere replaces the standard Chef's Table on select Royal Class ships, making it a ship-dependent alternative rather than an additional option.

360 rounds it out by being the one true exception to fleetwide availability, found only on Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess.

Did you know? Captain's Circle Platinum and Elite members get early access to dining reservations. If you're not enrolled in Princess' loyalty program yet, it's free, and our Cruise Experts can take care of enrollment for you, so you don't have to lift a finger.

Bars and POURS on Princess Cruises

After all that talk of restaurants, don't forget where to raise a glass. Princess Premier keeps them coming all day, while Princess Plus covers your first 15.

Princess Cruises operates more than 20 bars and lounges fleetwide, including Good Spirits At Sea, Crooners, Wheelhouse Bar, and Spellbound by Magic Castle. Many of them serve POURS, featuring spirits from celebrity founders like Matthew and Camila McConaughey's Pantalones Tequila and Jon Bon Jovi's Hampton Water Rosé, plus a full menu of zero-proof and wellness-inspired creations.

Between the four dining tiers and where to drink, that's a lot to keep straight, which is exactly what a Cruise Expert is for.

Why Book Princess Cruises With The Cruise Web

Knowing which restaurants are complimentary, casual, specialty, or experiential is one thing, but figuring out which package actually makes sense for how you'll eat and drink onboard is another. That's where a Cruise Expert earns their keep.

Here's what working with The Cruise Web gets you:

• 1-on-1 support when you need it: Questions about dining, packages, or anything else don't stop once you've booked, and neither do we.
• Answers the website can't give you: Which specialty venues your ship currently carries, early dining reservations, and the fine print behind every package get clarified before they become surprises onboard.
• Access to exclusive perks: The Cruise Web offers exclusive perks and onboard credit that aren't available when booking direct.
• No booking fees, ever: Everything above and more, at no added cost.

Ready to start planning your Princess cruise? Call 1-800-377-9383 or visit cruiseweb.com to talk through your options. No pressure, no fees, just honest help from people who know Princess Cruises inside and out.

Note: The contents of this article are accurate as of the publication date. Princes Cruises dining, inclusions, and prices are subject to change at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What's the difference between casual and specialty dining on Princess Cruises?

Casual dining includes venues like O'Malley's Irish Pub and Alfredo's Pizzeria, priced at $14.99 per adult or included with a package.

Specialty dining includes venues like Crown Grill and Sabatini's Italian Trattoria, priced at $55 to $60 per adult with a cover charge and reservations required.

What's included in Princess Plus and Princess Premier dining?

Princess Plus includes four casual dining meals per guest, per voyage, with specialty dining available à la carte. Princess Premier includes unlimited casual and specialty dining. For the full package breakdown, including drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities, see our Princess Plus vs. Princess Premier guide.

What's the difference between Chef's Table and Chef's Table Lumiere?

Chef's Table and Chef's Table Lumiere are the same core concept: an intimate multi-course dinner for 10 to 12 guests hosted by the executive chef, but they're not offered on the same ships and aren't identical experiences.

Chef's Table takes place at a special table within the Main Dining Room and runs $105 to $149 per person.

Chef's Table Lumiere is the elevated version, seated at a custom-crafted table surrounded by a shimmering curtain for added privacy, and runs $155 per person.

Chef's Table Lumiere is exclusive to Royal Class ships; every other ship in the fleet carries the standard Chef's Table instead. No ship offers both.

Do I need reservations for specialty dining?

Yes, reservations are required for every specialty dining venue on Princess Cruises, including Crown Grill, Sabatini's Italian Trattoria, and Makoto Ocean.

Why book Princess Cruises with The Cruise Web?

The Cruise Web offers exclusive perks and onboard credit not available when booking direct, plus unbiased, expert guidance on choosing the right dining package for your cruise, at no additional cost.