Last Updated on 11/07/24 by Rose Palmer
The secret is out!
The Princess Cruises 360 experience is no longer veiled in mystery and intrigue. Until recently, this unique immersive dining “show” was by invitation only. But now, all guests sailing on the Discovery Princess and the Enchanted Princess are able to book this special event.
When I sailed on the Discovery Princess (read the full review) the 360 dining experience was one of the many dining options I tried on this beautiful ship. My first impressions were
WOW! WOW! and more WOW!
Now I’ve also cruised on the sister ship, the Enchanted Princess, and have experienced the 360 for a second time, and I still feel the same.
This was a complete sensory immersion that tantalized all my five senses with a multimedia presentation that was as much a performance as a foodie’s delight. A seven course gourmet experience was combined with authentic storytelling and a stunning visual film presented in the round.
The meal took us on a culinary journey across the Mediterranean with Brooke Shields guiding us as she travelled through iconic sites in the region. From the sun-kissed, blue domed island of Santorini to cruising the rugged hills of Italy’s Amalfi coast in a red Vespa, to the vibrant mosaics in Gaudi’s colorful city of Barcelona, we follow along as Ms. Shields discovered the joys of each locale through its specialty food and wine producers.
My immersive Princess 360 experience
A full 360 degree video screen encircled the room behind the diners, visually immersing us in the location and the personal stories of the local vendors that lovingly made or grew the many ingredients we were tasting.
This sensory experience took us from Greece to Italy to Spain and finally to France. At each stop we were introduced to the artisanal creators that were the hallmark of the regional tastes that infused each course. In their own voice, they passionately described their craft and the conditions that made every product distinct.
The technology did not extend just to the screens encircling the room around us. A halo of overhead digital projectors magically transformed the look of the table top and our plates to match the locations we were visiting and the courses we were enjoying.
A blue and whited checked table cloth took me back to a breezy Greek restaurant on the Adriatic as I tasted freshly pressed olive oil, tangy olives, and perfectly prepared octopus. A little later, a projection of lemons made my dish look exactly like the many plates I had seen in store front windows throughout Italy, a perfect accompaniment to the delicious lemon infused pasta I was eating.
To engage the sense of touch, the creators incorporated another ingenious technology. Rubbing my hand along the table top during specific intervals initiated an interactive digital pattern or design so that I was now also a participant in the moment, not just an observer.
Without a doubt, the most extraordinary experience for me came from Spain. Spanish wine is good, but how about wine from specially designed bottles that have been aged under the sea for 6 months at a depth of 75 feet? As our host poured the deep red vintage from a sea encrusted bottle, I knew right away that this was a taste I would never get to try anywhere else.
This special wine was aptly paired with thin slices of cured ham from Spain accompanied by tomato encrusted bread which took me back to the tapas I enjoyed in Barcelona.
The Princess 360 engaged all my senses
We were guided through each course with a flourish by our master of ceremonies, who not only has a long service history with Princess, but also had quite a flair for the dramatic.
Assisting him were 10 servers who enacted a graceful ballet of movements as they presented us with each of the seven courses and then removed the cleared dishes with similar artistic flourishes. This carefully choreographed service was as much a part of the production as was the food on my plate and the delightful projections around me.
Not to be forgotten, the sense of smell was similarly tantalized. At appropriate moments, the room was infused with the salty tang of the Mediterranean or the citrusy aroma of Amalfi coast lemons, which only helped to enhance the flavors I was trying.
I admit that dessert is my favorite part of a meal and this one was extraordinary. The lavender honey, white chocolate mousse was accompanied by the scent of the Provence lavender fields that produced the honey decorating my plate. For a brief moment, I thought I was walking though rows and rows of purple flowers as they released their heavenly perfume.
All too quickly, this extraordinary meal ended with a glass of champagne from France, a fitting way to celebrate such a sparkling evening. For me, this experience totally transcended the idea of “dinner and a show” – dinner was the show and the show was dinner.
Immersive experiences that completely surround the observer have become quite the “thing” recently. Advances in digital technology have the ability to place me inside Van Gogh’s starry night painting or make me feel like I was taking part in a bucolic afternoon scene on a Cezanne canvas. But by stimulating all five senses, the Princess 360 takes all this and raises it up to a level of Mt. Everest proportions.
I was fortunate enough to sail on both the Discovery Princess and the Enchanted Princess, and had the chance to try this singular product on each ship. I would happily do this again (and again and again).
The 360 experience is currently available onboard the Discovery Princess and the Enchanted Princess. There are usually two seatings per evening and each seating accommodates up to a maximum of 20 guests. The Princess cruise line also offered vegetarian choices as well as non alcoholic drink options for this meal.
This remarkable adventure was available to all guests for a fee of of $149 per person, and in my opinion, was worth every penny. I was able to reserve this event through the Princess app for my specific reservation.
Enjoy!
Rose
Other Princess cruising stories:
All about my cruise to Antarctica: What Is a Princess Cruise to Antarctica Really Like?
Cruising through the Panama Canal: A Full Transit Panama Canal Cruise – Passing Through an Engineering Marvel
Cruising in Norway on the Sky Princess: Cruising Sky High With Princess – A Complete Sky Princess Review With Photos
I enjoyed the Princess 360 experience as part of a Princess Cruises hosted International, Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association conference event on the Discovery Princess as we cruised from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, California.
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