Princess Cruises is pitching a new brand of Angus beef to its guests, and the premium meat is raised and harvested by none other than one of the top baseball pitchers in history, Nolan Ryan.
The cruise line announced on December 1, 2023, that it has entered into a culinary partnership with the longtime Texas rancher and Baseball Hall of Famer.
Goodstock Meats Debut Aboard Regal Princess
Princess Cruises and Nolan Ryan have teamed up to bring premium Black-Angus beef to dining venues aboard Regal Princess, a 3,600-guest ship based in Galveston, Texas. Ryan, a Texas native and cattle rancher, operates the Goodstock by Nolan Ryan Angus beef brand, a company headquartered near Austin, Texas.
Ryan, nicknamed “the Ryan Express,” had a remarkable 27-year career in Major League Baseball, pitching for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. The record-holder for strike-outs, Ryan some 20 years ago launched his beef brand that today supplies the Kroger grocery story chain across Texas.
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Now his premium Angus beef will be served aboard Regal Princess, in the ship’s main dining room and in the Crown Grill, the line’s signature steakhouse.
“We are honored to welcome a true sports and ranching legend, Nolan Ryan, into our Princess Cruises family,” said Sami Cohen, vice president of food and beverage for Princess Cruises.
“Goodstock by Nolan Ryan Angus beef represents a distinctive, all-American addition to our Food and Beverage portfolio, and we are excited to offer our guests a taste of his passion and expertise,” added Cohen.
Ryan, who owns multiple cattle ranches across Texas, received the prestigious Golden Spur award in 2011 for his commitment to land, livestock and the ranching industry.
“This is a great opportunity to bring an incredible eating experience and the Texas ranching spirit to Princess Cruises’ guests, and we are honored to serve them for years to come,” said Ryan.
With the Goodstock brand debuting on just one ship, the partnership could be a pilot program, with the potential for the high-end beef to eventually be offered on other ships in the fleet.
Line Expands Culinary Reach With New Collaborations
The partnership with Ryan’s beef brand is the second food-related collaboration Princess Cruises has revealed in recent weeks. In October 2023, the line teamed up with renowned chef Dario Cecchini to create “The Butcher’s Block by Dario,” a chic dining experience planned for the upcoming Sun Princess, launching in February 2024.
The Butcher’s Block by Dario will be featured on deck 9. Designed as a unique dining experience, Butcher’s Block meals will be hosted at a spacious communal table, offering guests expertly grilled beef and steak, and showcasing Cecchini’s expert culinary style.
Other new dining venues aboard the soon-to-launch Sun Princess will include Umai Teppanyaki, offering Japanese-style cuisine, and the Horizons Dining Room, a spacious, multi-story restaurant that can accommodate nearly 2,000 guests per seating.
Other venues guests can enjoy are O’Malley’s Irish Pub, The Catch by Rudy, from the fleet’s Head of Culinary Arts Rudi Sodamin, and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria.
Regal Princess, a Royal-class ship that debuted in 2014, sails 7-, 10-, and 11-night Western Caribbean and Mexico cruises from Galveston. The Princess cruise ship is the largest ship in the Princess fleet to sail from Galveston. Her deployment at the Texas Gulf Coast port began on November 5, 2023.
In early April 2024 the ship will reposition to Europe for the summer season, sailing a series of British Isles cruises from Southampton, UK. In September 2024, Regal Princess will return to Galveston.
In addition to Crown Grill, specialty dining venues aboard the ship include Chef’s Table Lumiere, an extravagant multi-course dinner created and hosted by the ship’s executive chef; Crab Shack, a pop-up seafood eatery open for lunches; Vines Wine Bar, offering fine wines with gourmet delicacies, antipasti, and tapas; and Ocean Terrace, a dinner seafood spot featuring items such as sushi and sashimi.
