Princess Cruises Unveils New Dining Venue and Enhancements

Princess Cruises has just introduced a fresh and tasty culinary concept on board the Enchanted Princess, in collaboration with renowned Chef Rudi Sodamin, which will be named The Catch by Rudi.

Italian eateries, hand-made gelato, the Salty Dog Café, plus a contemporary Irish pub will also number among some of the ship’s new dining venues and enhancements.

Seafood Dining Experiences with Chef Rudi Sodamin

After making its debut on the Enchanted Princess on or around April 15, Rudi’s latest culinary venture, The Catch by Rudi—which will be taking the place of Bistro Sur la Mer—will soon be introduced on three more Princess cruise ships: The Majestic Princess, Sky Princess, and Discovery Princess. 

As the head of culinary arts for Princess Cruises and the author of 14 cookbooks, Chef Rudi Sodamin, from Austria, has garnered numerous accolades for his outstanding culinary skills over the decades.

Notably, he was the first chef to receive recognition from the prestigious Gault-Millau Guide for a ship-based restaurant—an exclusive honor that was bestowed at sea.

A Unique and Creative Focus on Seafood Dishes

With a unique focus on seafood, The Catch by Rudi will offer gourmands fresh ocean catches, with an innovative approach to fine seafood dining.

Chef Rudi’s modern interpretations of traditional seafood dishes, mixed with his vast expertise in international fusion cuisine, should lead to an impressive array of tantalizing culinary masterpieces, made even more enticing by the platings’ artistically arranged displays.

“Chef Rudi’s creativity, passion, and leadership in delivering exceptional experiences down to the finest details that consider guests’ preferences and tastes will surely make The Catch another ‘must do,’” John Padgett, Princess Cruises’ president, commented on this new culinary venture.

Additional Princess Cruises’ Dining Venue Enhancements

Starting April 15, Enchanted Princess will also launch O’Malley’s, a modern Irish pub with traditional Irish music and entertainment, serving up menu items like Scotch eggs, fried pickles, pan-fried Guinness chicken—and of course lots of Irish brews and whiskeys!

Deck Seven, rebranded as Settimo Cielo (seventh heaven), will be offering guests outstanding Italian grub from onboard establishments like Sabatini’s Trattoria, Bellini’s cocktail bar, and Gigi’s Pizzeria by Alfredo. And if you have a sweet tooth, you’ll also get the chance to try some real Italian-hand-made gelato as well.

In even more food news, the Salty Dog Café will open up on the Enchanted Princess’ Lido Deck, serving passengers hearty favorites like burgers, ribs, fries, and other culinary crowd-pleasers.

What to Expect at The Catch by Rudi

The unique place settings at The Catch by Rudi should also help foster a distinctive, memorable dining experience for guests. Another added treat for passengers who opt for this $39 per-head meal (included in the premium add-on package) will be the welcoming cocktails, crafted by mixologist Rob Floyd, awaiting guests at their tables. 

According to Sodamin, his new seafood joint “…is my way of combining my love of food, seafood, and people with my incredible culinary journey at sea and my lifelong history of cooking seafood across the globe to delight Princess guests…Everything we are doing with The Catch is about ‘catching’ that precious moment we call ‘now’—and doing it in such a memorable and unexpected way that makes you say ‘wow!’”

The daily catch (fresh fish and seafood), a decked-out seafood trolly, Asian-fried calamari, wines selected for seafood pairings, plus a ton of other seafood dishes—as well as options for non-seafood lovers (steak, vegetarian plates, and more)—will provide passengers with an extensive list of delicious items to choose from.

The 145,000 gross ton Enchanted Princess, first launched in August 2019, is scheduled to come out of dry dock on April 15, 2023.