Teri West
It's not hard to find pizza on a cruise ship, but on the Sun Princess and Star Princess, guests will enjoy a slice of Italian authenticity.
Alfredo's Pizzeria on the Sun and Star Princess has received the Ospitalità Italiana Certification, a seal of quality and authenticity from the Italian government for restaurants, pizzerias and gelaterias worldwide.
Gaining this prestigious recognition for one menu item is an example of a cruise line perfecting the little things.
To perfect its pizza, Princess partnered with Tony Gemignani, who has won 13 world titles for pizza making.
One nonnegotiable Gemignani had for Princess? All of the ingredients had to be sourced from Italy, recalled Sami Kohen, Princess' vice president of food and beverage.
"We stick to that," Kohen said. "And not only the ingredients, our ovens. They're all Italian ovens."
Pizza on display at Alfredo’s Pizzeria on the Star Princess. Photo Credit: Teri West
To the average cruiser, the Ospitalità Italiana Certification probably isn't a recognizable endorsement. But earning it gives Princess one more tool to communicate what differentiates it from other cruise lines. Travel advisors, too, can use it to help clients understand what they can expect out of a Princess cruise.
"You might never have been in Italy, but you are in the Caribbean, when all of a sudden you get that Italian experience," Kohen said.
The Italian Consulate in New York City hosted Princess to celebrate the certification last week. I've always loved a good pizza party, so I headed to the Upper East Side to partake in the festivities.
There I found Aperol spritzes and the masterminds behind the pizza at Alfredo's, including Kohen and Gemignani, who accepted a plaque for their pizza.
"When you taste pizza onboard the ships," said Giovanni Cocco, the founder of the Ospitalità Italiana Certification, "you can close your eyes and imagine yourself to be in Rome."