The Enchanted Princess Mystery: Why Everything Tastes Like Heaven at Sea

By Community Member · Enchanted Princess (Princess Cruises)

I came aboard the Enchanted Princess convinced I'd eat sensibly. I left ten pounds heavier and utterly baffled by the ship's culinary sorcery.

I'm not a fancy eater. At home, I live on cereal, rotisserie chicken, and whatever's on sale at Trader Joe's. My wife thinks I have the palate of a depressed toddler. But somehow, the moment we pulled away from the dock at Port Everglades aboard the Enchanted Princess, something otherworldly happened to my taste buds. The first hint of trouble came during the midnight buffet on our first night at sea. I know, I know—midnight buffet. My cardiologist would have a coronary if he knew. But standing there at 11:47 p.m., staring at what looked like a normal, forgettable chocolate cake under the soft glow of the ship's ambient lighting, I made a fatal decision. I grabbed a slice. One bite and I nearly collapsed. It was the most incredible chocolate cake I've ever eaten. Rich, moist, with this subtle hint of raspberry that somehow enhanced rather than competed with the cocoa. I stood there in my pajamas like an idiot, chewing slowly, eyes half-closed. My wife nudged me. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You're making a weird face." I wasn't okay. I was confused. This was ship food. On a cruise ship. The next morning, I woke up determined to solve this mystery. Surely, I thought, last night was…