Princess Cruise Dining Guide: Main Dining, Casual Dining, Specialty Restaurants, and Room Service

At a basic level, most Princess cruises include:

• Main dining room meals
• Buffet-style dining
• Some quick-service or casual included food depending on the ship
• Select snacks, desserts, and lighter options
• Some room service options, though fees and delivery rules can vary

Princess also has paid dining options, including casual dining venues, specialty restaurants, premium experiences, and some delivery charges depending on your fare or package.

That is the first big thing to understand:

You can absolutely cruise Princess without paying extra for dining.

But whether you will want to pay extra depends on your package, your food priorities, your itinerary, and how much variety you want.

This is where you get seated service for dinner, and often breakfast or lunch depending on the day, ship, and itinerary.

For many cruisers, the main dining room is enough.

You get a multi-course meal, table service, changing menus, and a more traditional cruise feel without paying extra.

This is probably best for:

• First-time cruisers who want the classic dining experience
• People who do not want to think too much about reservations
• Travelers trying to keep the cruise closer to the base fare
• Anyone who enjoys a slower, sit-down dinner

The possible downside: main dining rooms can take longer than casual venues or buffets. If you are trying to catch a show, get off the ship early the next morning, or keep the evening flexible, you may want to plan around that.

The options generally include traditional dining, flexible reservations, and walk-in dining.

Traditional dining is closer to the old-school cruise model, where you dine at the same time and may have the same waitstaff. Flexible dining lets you reserve a time that works better for your schedule. Walk-in dining is best for people who do not want to commit ahead of time.

Our general approach would be:

If you like structure: choose traditional or reserved dining.

If you like flexibility: use walk-in or make reservations around shows and port days.

If you are sailing during a busy time: make reservations earlier rather than assuming the perfect time will be available.

This is especially important if you are traveling with a group, want a specific dining time, or are trying to coordinate dinner with entertainment.

Buffets are not always the most exciting part of a cruise, but they are extremely practical.

They are useful when:

• You do not want a long meal
• You have an early excursion
• You return from port tired and hungry
• You want a quick breakfast
• Everyone in your group wants something different
• You do not feel like dressing for dinner

For us, the buffet is usually more about convenience than “best meal of the trip.”

And that is okay.

Not every meal on a cruise has to be an event. Sometimes you just need food that is easy.

Princess has casual dining venues that are not full specialty restaurants, but also may not be included with the standard fare.

This is also where Princess Plus and Princess Premier matter.

Depending on the current Princess package terms, casual dining may be:

• Extra if you booked Princess Standard
• Partially included if you booked Princess Plus
• More broadly included if you booked Princess Premier

This is one of the reasons you cannot just ask, “Is this restaurant included?”

The better question is:

Is this dining venue included with my fare or package?

Common Princess specialty dining examples may include:

• Crown Grill
• Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria
• The Catch by Rudi
• Other ship-specific premium dining experiences

These restaurants usually offer a more elevated meal than the main dining room, with a quieter setting, upgraded service, and a more restaurant-style experience.

Specialty dining may be worth it if:

• You are celebrating something
• You want one nicer dinner during the cruise
• You enjoy steakhouse or Italian-style dining
• You have onboard credit to use
• You booked Princess Premier and specialty dining is included

Specialty dining may not be worth it if:

• You are happy with the main dining room
• You are trying to keep costs low
• You already have a port-heavy itinerary
• You do not want to plan reservations around shows and excursions

The biggest thing with specialty dining is not just the price.

It is the opportunity cost.

If you are paying extra for a specialty dinner, you want to actually enjoy it — not rush through it because you booked it too close to a show or after a long port day.

With Princess Standard, you may look at casual and specialty dining as extra-cost decisions.

With Princess Plus, casual dining may become part of the value calculation.

With Princess Premier, specialty dining can become a major reason someone chooses the package in the first place.

But that does not automatically mean Premier is the right choice.

You still have to ask:

• Will you actually use specialty dining more than once or twice?
• Are the specialty restaurants on your ship appealing to you?
• Can you get the reservations you want?
• Will your itinerary leave enough time to enjoy longer dinners?
• Are you buying Premier for dining, drinks, photos, Wi-Fi, or the full package?

That matters.

A benefit only has value if you actually use it.

That does not mean you need every meal planned before you board.

But it does mean you should think about:

• Which nights are sea days
• Which nights follow long port days
• Which nights have shows or entertainment you care about
• Whether you want a specialty dinner early, middle, or late in the cruise
• Whether you are traveling with other people

Our general rule would be:

Reserve the things you really care about. Stay flexible on the rest.

That is especially true if you have Princess Premier and plan to use specialty dining more than once. Unlimited specialty dining only helps if the venues and times you want are actually available.

OceanNow sounds simple, but the cost depends on your fare or package.

This is one of those areas where we would double-check the current terms before sailing, because delivery fees and inclusions can be frustrating if you assume everything is free.

The bigger planning point is this:

Room service and app-based delivery can be convenient, but they should be part of your package math if you think you will use them often.

For some people, ordering coffee, snacks, drinks, or casual food without having to leave the cabin or deck chair is a real perk.

For others, it is nice but not something they would use enough to justify a package.

We would start by looking at the itinerary, package, and ship.

Here is the strategy we would use:

First, identify the included food options.
Main dining room, buffet, and included casual options may be enough for a lot of meals.

Second, look at the ship-specific restaurants.
Not every Princess ship has the same dining venues, so the ship matters.

Third, decide whether Princess Plus or Premier changes the plan.
If casual dining or specialty dining is included in your package, use it intentionally.

Fourth, reserve the meals that matter most.
Do not leave a must-do restaurant to chance.

Fifth, stay flexible.
Some of the best cruise meals happen because the timing worked, not because every dinner was scheduled weeks in advance.

This is especially true if you:

• Are booking Princess Standard
• Do not drink much
• Do not care about specialty restaurants
• Prefer casual, flexible meals
• Have a port-heavy itinerary
• Would rather spend money on excursions

There is nothing wrong with skipping paid dining.

A cruise can still feel like a great vacation without paying extra for multiple restaurants.

It may make sense if you:

• Have Princess Plus and want to use included casual dining meals
• Want something quicker than the main dining room
• Like variety
• Prefer a more relaxed meal
• Do not want to spend specialty dining prices

For many people, casual dining may end up being more useful than specialty dining because it fits more naturally into the day.

That is especially true on a cruise where you are coming back from port, changing plans, or not in the mood for a long dinner.

It may make sense if you:

• Have Princess Premier
• Are celebrating something
• Want a steakhouse or Italian dinner
• Have onboard credit to use
• Enjoy slower, more elevated meals
• Are sailing with someone who really cares about food

But even then, we would still plan carefully.

Do not book specialty dining just because it is there. Book it when it fits the night.

A specialty dinner after a relaxing sea day may feel perfect.

A specialty dinner after a long excursion when everyone is exhausted may feel like a waste.

They are usually about assuming too much.

Mistake #1: Assuming all casual dining is included.
Casual dining may cost extra unless it is included with your package.

Mistake #2: Assuming Premier is automatically worth it.
Unlimited specialty dining sounds great, but only if you actually use it.

Mistake #3: Waiting too long to reserve specialty dining.
If there is a restaurant or time you really want, book early.

Mistake #4: Ignoring the itinerary.
A dining plan that works on a sea day may not work after a long port day.

Mistake #5: Forgetting that package perks are use-it-or-lose-it.
If a dining benefit is included in your package, it usually only has value if you actually use it during that sailing.

Some people will be perfectly happy with the main dining room, buffet, and included options.

Some people will get real value from Princess Plus because they can use the casual dining meals along with the other package benefits.

Some people may love Princess Premier because specialty dining changes the whole feel of the cruise.

The key is not asking, “What is the best Princess dining option?”

The better question is:

How do we actually want to eat on this cruise?

For us, that is always the better planning question.

Because the best dining plan is not the one that sounds fanciest. It is the one that fits your budget, your schedule, your appetite, and the way you actually enjoy traveling.