What’s the Food Like on Island Princess? 14 Days of Mediterranean Cruise Dining

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The food on Island Princess is classic, comforting and generous. Think French onion soup, Beef Wellington, fettuccine Alfredo and a soufflé to finish. Over 14 days through the Mediterranean, we never had a night where we struggled to find something we wanted to eat. Most nights the struggle was choosing just one dessert.

We visited ports in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, and we were wined, dined and indulged with so many delicious dishes that sharing them all would make for a very long article. Instead, I’ve picked our favourites and organized them by course rather than by day, to make it easier to digest (pun intended). Every dish here was eaten in one of the ship’s two main dining rooms, the Bordeaux Dining Room or the Provence Dining Room, which are both included in your cruise fare.

I’ve sailed on about a dozen Princess cruises, and this one confirmed what I said in my Caribbean Princess dining review: the Princess dining room does the classics well, and does them consistently.

Key Takeaways

• Island Princess main dining room menus lean classic and continental, with plenty of Italian dishes that suit a Mediterranean sailing.
• The pasta course is a highlight. The fettuccine Alfredo is a Princess favourite, and the truffled gnocchi is worth ordering at least once.
• Formal-night standouts include Beef Wellington, rack of lamb, whole roasted beef tenderloin and Land & Sea (beef tenderloin and lobster tail).
• Leave room for dessert. The French vanilla soufflé and crème brûlée are the ones I’d order again.
• Princess has changed its packages since our sailing, so check what’s included before you book (details below).

Author’s note: Menus rotate and change over time, so you may not see every dish below on your sailing. I’ve added a “Know Before You Go” section with what has changed at Princess since our cruise.

Know Before You Go: What’s Changed Since Our Sailing

Where Island Princess sails now. Island Princess sailed a long Mediterranean voyage in fall 2026. From fall 2026 through April 2027, it does Panama Canal crossings; in summer 2027, it sails Alaska; and from 2027 to 2028, it’s in the Caribbean. If you’re booking one of those itineraries, the main dining room experience below is still a good guide to what you’ll eat.

How the dining rooms work. On Island Princess, reservable and walk-in dining are combined in a single main dining room, while traditional set-time dining runs in the other.

Package changes for 2026. For 2026 sailings and later, Princess Plus includes four casual dining meals per guest per voyage. Princess Premier includes unlimited casual and specialty dining. Pre-cruise pricing on most ships went up from US$60 to US$65 per person per day for Plus, and from US$90 to US$100 for Premier.

Specialty dining on board. Island Princess has Crown Grill, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, the Chef’s Table and the Crab Shack pop-up as extra-cost options. Princess has revamped the Sabatini’s menu with Italian winemaker Frescobaldi, including a six-course Grand Tuscan Dinner offered one night per sailing for US$99 per person. The Crab Shack is a lunchtime pop-up in the World Fresh Marketplace, with clam chowder, popcorn shrimp and a steamer pot of crab legs, shrimp and clams.

If this is your first sailing, my guide to first-time cruise ship experiences covers more of what to expect on board.

Appetizers on Island Princess

Crisp Thai Vegetable Spring Roll
– Rice noodle salad and sweet chilli dipping sauce

Baked Brie Cheese Parcel
– Cranberry compote and frizzled onion

French Onion Soup
– Gruyère cheese and croutons

Vol-au-Vent, le Grand Chef
– Delicate puff pastry overflowing with a luxuriant sherry-infused, tarragon-scented lobster and shrimp bisque

Oxtail Soup en Croûte
– Julienned leeks and seasonal vegetables topped with a light pastry crown

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
– Extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar

Prosciutto and Melon (featured image)
– Dry-cured ham and sweet cantaloupe

Mushroom Arancini (pictured above)
– Tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese

Pasta on Island Princess

Fettuccine Alfredo (pictured at the bottom of the article)
– A rich parmesan cream sauce (a Princess favourite as well as mine)

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage
– Tomato sauce and parmesan

Gnocchi with Truffled Cream
– Parmesan shavings, rocket and basil oil

Cheesy Tortellini
– Ham and peas

Main Entrées on Island Princess

San Francisco-Style Cioppino
– Fish and shellfish in a white wine and tomato broth with a sourdough garlic crouton

Red Wine Braised Brisket
– Shallots, buttermilk mash, snow peas and broccoli

Barbecued Pork Ribs (pictured above)
– Cajun potato wedges and coleslaw

English-Style Roast Beef
– Yorkshire pudding, gravy and vegetables

Rack of Lamb
– Gratin dauphinois, haricots verts, rosemary jus and mint sauce

Beef Wellington, Truffle Madeira Demi-Glace
– Celeriac purée, asparagus and cherry tomato

Pan-Fried Cod
– Creamy mashed potatoes, carrots and lemon-caper butter

Braised Short Ribs
– Pan jus, brie polenta and wild mushrooms

Whole Roasted Beef Tenderloin, Cognac & Peppercorn Demi-Glace
– Scalloped potatoes and buttered vegetables

Land & Sea
– Beef tenderloin with jus, lobster tail with béarnaise, mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach

If you’ve read my Regal Princess food photo essay, a few of these will look familiar. The rack of lamb and Land & Sea show up across the Princess fleet, and they’re just as good on Island Princess.

Desserts on Island Princess

Traditional Florida Key Lime Pie
– Whipped cream

Caffè Mocha Bar
– Chocolate sponge, dark chocolate mousse, vanilla latte mousse, cappuccino foam and cocoa-chocolate sauce

French Vanilla Soufflé
– Lady Godiva cream sauce

Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake (pictured above)
– Butterscotch sauce

French Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
– Sugar cane crust and lemon madeleines

Traditional New York-Style Cheesecake
– Macerated strawberries

Frequently Asked Questions

Bon Appétit

Although my waistband may disagree, I thoroughly enjoyed researching, writing and photographing this article. Reader statistics and your feedback tell us you love seeing the dishes as much as we love eating them. The menus will keep changing, but the best advice stays the same: ask your server, skip the breadbasket, and always say yes to the soufflé.

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