We Tested Princess Cruises The Catch by Rudi – Here’s Our Honest Review

The Catch by Rudi is Princess Cruises’ newest specialty restaurant. We tested out this first seafood-centric upcharge venue on our recent Majestic Princess cruise to Alaska. How does this restaurant compare to other specialty restaurants in the fleet? Well, we are back with our The Catch by Rudi review.

Princess Cruises Newest Restaurant: The Catch by Rudi Review

On Majestic Princess, The Catch by Rudi is on Deck 7, portside. This restaurant replaces the French-inspired Bistro Sur La Mer. We had tested out this specialty restaurant on two other cruises and were not big fans.

We’ve dined at other specialty restaurants from chef Rudi Sodamin during our travels. In fact, one of our favorite restaurants at sea is Rudi’s Sel de Mer, found on a few Holland America Line ships. Thus, we were even more excited to test this new concept coming to Princess Cruises.

For our seven-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise, we made sure to get reservations at The Catch by Rudi as soon as possible. Luckily, we could secure pre-cruise reservations for 6:40 PM on Night 3. This was perfect timing as it was scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park, with the last major glacier sighting around 4 pm.

Inside the Restaurant

Located at the top deck of the central piazza, the Catch by Rudi’s has an open concept. The restaurant offers several tables overlooking the piazza, plus some tables near the floor-to-ceiling windows running the length of the restaurant. Further, cruisers can’t miss the giant U-shaped bar at the restaurant’s heart, providing some additional bar-style seating.

During the update, the restaurant’s layout remained relatively unchanged. Swapping out some accessories, The Catch closely resembles the other specialty restaurant that used to occupy the space. Nonetheless, the Catch’s nautical and chic décor makes it the most stylish specialty restaurant on the ship. The design and setup ideally match the upscale menu.

When we arrived for our dinner reservation, the restaurant looked busy but not overly crowded. It took only a few minutes to be escorted to a central table. From there, it wasn’t long until our server Alvin arrived to introduce himself and review the menu.

Dining at the Catch by Rudi

The first touch of class is a welcome glass of sparkling wine, followed by a loaf of freshly baked French bread and the signature spread board, shaped like a fish of course. Honestly, they had me at warm crusty French bread, but the butter, olives, and tapenade rounded out this hors d’oeuvre.

Even though we had our complimentary cocktails, we still ordered some drinks. After all, we had the Princess Cruises drink package.

I decided to sample two starters, for cruise research, to ensure a complete review of The Catch by Rudi. For me, a test of any seafood restaurant is the calamari. This order was prepared with a light breadcrumb coating and was delicately fried. They were tender and paired with a traditional mayonnaise-based aioli. Check.

Next up was the chilled marinated lobster tail. With a hint of citrus flavor, this offering was light, with plenty of rich lobster flavor.

Not a big fan of seafood, Heidi started with the artisanal cheese plate which was actually on the dessert menu. This decorative plate came with four kinds of cheese of various sharpness, sweet jam, and some berries and honey.

While I was debating between a few entrees, I finally settled on the Sea and Shore. According to our server, this is the most popular entrée. Plus, who could pass up more lobster? My filet mignon was prepared to my ideal medium rare temperature. The lobster was indeed an upgrade from the main dining room.

Heidi ordered the Spaghetti alle Vongole as her main course. With a clear broth and plenty of little necks on the shell, it was what we would expect to find at an Italian restaurant back home.

While the food was excellent, the dinner did take over two hours. Alvin did come by to check on us several times, refill our water, and let us know the food was made to order resulting in the delay between courses.

While we were hoping to be out of dinner by 8 pm for a piazza party, I had to hop out to grab a few photos and videos of this short show following our entrée. When I returned, the dessert had arrived.

A fan of the similar offering on Holland America, Heidi went with the Mozart’s Berry Composition. This dessert is Chef Rudi’s signature Salzburger Nockerl, an airy, sweet souffle. I went with Chantilly Lace, this restaurant’s version of profiteroles. Both desserts were the perfect ending to a rather lavish meal.

What You Need to Know About the Catch By Rudi

The Catch by Rudi is open for dinner nightly from 5 to 9 pm. Like all the specialty restaurants on Princess Cruises, reservations are required. We highly recommend you make reservations pre-cruise to secure your preferred dining time and night.

Cruisers can make reservations using the Dine My Way feature in the Princess Cruises app. The restaurant has a surcharge of $39 per person plus an 18% gratuity. 

Lobster lovers can indulge in three signature dishes, including a split fully baked lobster, for an additional $30. The Catch also features a raw bar, with oysters priced a la carte and a cold seafood tower priced at an additional $30.

All dishes are made to order at the restaurant. So, this means dinner will undoubtedly take a while. For us, the extended dining time was well worth it. Just plan ahead if you want to attend one of the Princess Live events or a show in the main theater.

On select sea days, Rudi’s is open as an oyster bar from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. This lunchtime offering is first come, first serve.

In our opinion, the Catch is an excellent addition to the Princess Cruises fleet. This restaurant offered fresh, expertly prepared meals in an elegant setting. It is the perfect accompaniment to the typical lineup, which includes the Crown Grill Steakhouse and Sabatini’s.

Additionally, the price is very reasonable when compared to seafood restaurants on other cruise lines. It offers a delicious upscale meal at a fraction of the cost of other contemporary and premium cruise lines. Plus, the menu was an ideal fit for our Alaska cruise.

Overall, we wouldn’t hesitate to book dinner at The Catch on another Princess Cruises ship in the future. We think the attractive price and delicious menu will lure you in too.

Comments

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