Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse, Sabatini's Restaurant, Crab Shack, Chef's Table, and Ultimate Balcony Dining on the Island Princess

Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse:

From 5:30pm to 10:00pm on Promenade Deck, the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse on the Island Princess is your five star steak house with Cajun flair. Brick walls and wood paneled ceilings help create the ambiance unique to upscale dining in New Orleans. Meals come with cheese biscuits and johnny cakes, and selections include ribs, crawfish, Shrimp Picante, and Oysters with Shrimp, Vermouth, Garlic, and Bacon.

Among your Cajun Grill menu entrees, you'll find grilled jumbo prawns, Blacked Chicken Brochette, Bourbon and Smoked Sterling Silver Porterhouse Steak, Grilled or Blackened Sterling Silver New York Strip Steak, fried catfish, and lobster. Southern delectables for dessert are chocolate pecan fudge cake, peach pie, pound cake, sweet potato pie, and buttermilk bread pudding with pistachio caramel sauce. 

Reservations are required, and, you should make them as soon as possible as Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse will sell out on most evenings. The per person charge for guests 12 years of age to adult is 29 USD. For guests from three years of age to 12, the per person charge is 14.50 USD.

Sabatini's:

Sabatini's Italian Restaurant on the Island Princess is located on Promenade Deck. Sabatini's is open from 12:00pm to 2:00pm for lunch on select sea days, and from 6:30pm to 11:00pm for dinner. With its columns, etched glass, and magnificent ocean views, Sabatini's transports you to the ambience of a seaside Italian trattoria (family restaurant). Prosciutto with Melon, fried calamari, and Zucchini Dorati represent appetizers. Soups and salads include Tomato Soup with Grilled Shellfish, White Bean & Chicken Broth Soup, and shrimp and marinated artichoke salad.

There are a small selection of pastas followed by Secondi Piatti (second course) selections such as Roasted Chilean Sea Bass, Broiled Langoustines, Lobster, stuffed chicken, Veal chops, and Sauteed Tiger Prawns over Creamed Polenta. Typically at Sabatini's, you choose the Secondi Piatti which is the main course, and wait staff bring the other entrees out on trays for your selection. If there's room for dessert, we suggest the Tiramisu, Espresso Creme Brulee, or White Chocolate Mousse.

This specialty restaurant provides good staff service, and the cuisine is excellent.

Reservations are required, and you should make them as soon as possible as Sabatini's will sell out on most evenings. The per person charge for guests 12 years of age to adult is 29 USD. For guests from three years of age to 12, the per person charge is 14.50 USD.

Crab Shack:

On certain nights in the Horizon Court Buffet on the Island Princess, the Crab Shack offers a simple but delectable menu. Shrimp and Hushpuppies and Manhattan Clam Chowder are typically on the menu for the appetizer and soup options. Four main entrees options include the "Mud Bug" boil, a clam, mussel, and shrimp pot, Steamed Shrimp and Alaskan King Crab Legs, and a "Royal Boil" (King Crab, Snow Crab, shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Kielbasa Sausage and New Potatoes and Corn on the Cob). The per person charge is 20 USD per person.

Chef's Table:

Chef's Table, designed for foodies, is your gourmet experience on the Island Princess! Your chef prepares a multiple course meal paired with wines that perfectly complement each entree. What your chef prepares will be an epicurean delight, and will be totally determined by your host. It should be noted, however, that special dietary restrictions are accommodated when advance notice is given. The Chef's Table occurs up to two times per cruise, and it's announced in the Princess Patter. This is a very popular event with limited seating. To be a guest at the Chef's Table, you'll be asked to sign a document indicating you have not had a gastrointestinal illness in the last 48 hours. You will also be asked to wear a white lab jacket in the galley. Shorts and open toed shoes are not permitted. The Chef's Table has a per person charge of 95 USD per person (80 USD per person without wine), and is located in a "curtained area" in a main dining room. Enjoy!

Ultimate Balcony Dining on the Island Princess:

For select staterooms, you may choose elegant dining in the privacy of your own balcony. Breakfast consists of selections including chilled shrimp with papaya relish, tropical fruit salad, warm eggs, specialty pastries, tomato pie with cheese gratin, and French champagne. For dinner, fresh flowers, cocktails, four courses of gourmet entrees, and champagne are served by attentive staff. Breakfast hours are from 7:00am to 11:00am, and dinner is served from 5:30pm to 10:00pm. This service is available only on specified days at sea. Call when aboard for reservations. A nominal fee is charged for Ultimate Balcony Dining on the Island Princess. While some sources recommend formal attire for dinner,  we suggest you check with staff when making your reservations once aboard ship.

Tips for Specialty Restaurants on the Island Princess:

• Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse Restaurant Menu on Princess Cruises
• Sabatini's Italian Restaurant Menu on Princess Cruises
• Reservations are required for Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse and Sabatini's, and we strongly suggest you make these arrangements as soon as possible once you are aboard your Princess cruise.
• You may call in your reservation preferences by selecting the dining button on your room phone or by contacting the Maitre D'.
• Princess tends to honor guest requests on a first come, first serve basis, and this includes any changes in your dining plans.
• Cost for the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse is 25 USD per diner not including the extra surcharge of 5 USD for lobster.
• Sabatini's charges 25 USD per diner. Specialty restaurant charges do not include specialty drinks, soft drinks, wine, or beer as these are at current menu prices.
• You will be most comfortable in formal attire when dining in either specialty restaurant.
• How much should I tip at Bayou Cafe Steakhouse and Sabatini's on the Island Princess? First, bear in mind that all alcoholic beverages that you pay for will have a gratuity added. The cover charge does include gratuity, however, you may wish to consider giving an extra gratuity to the waiter or waitress who has served you. An appropriate amount is to estimate the value of the meal you ordered if you ordered it on land and tip 15-20% based on that cost. If you feel that the value of the meal was $50 were you to order it in a land-based restaurant, you should tip $7.50-$10. It is certainly your discretion not to tip, but, the waiters serving you are some of the best on the ship and should be rewarded if they provided you with an exceptional dining experience.