Club class, Princess cruise

We've only sailed twice on Princess. Our first was on the Emerald Princess in February around New Zealand. We were in a suite and "discovered" Club Class. We enjoyed the dining with Razvan so much, we changed our June reservation on the Caribbean Princess around Great Britain and our Panama Canal transit on the Pacific Princess in January '18 to suites so we could do CC again.

 

We disembarked from the Caribbean Princess last Wednesday and our CC experience again was again terrific. Nelson was as much fun as Razvan.

 

We are really looking forward to CC on the Pacific Princess in January!

 

 

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Yes, we loved Nelson as well!

I had never considered taking Celebrity, but have heard a lot of comparison to Celebrity and Aqua class, and other things with meal perks since Club Class started. I always figured if I was going to try something different I'd do Regent but maybe I'll make a lateral try for Celebrity? We have one Club Class cruise booked, just to try it, but not sure it's worth the extra money based on the comments we've heard. I'm always one who wants to try things for myself, but all this talk of Club Class has me curious about Celebrity. I don't think that's what Princess intended but oh well. I'll know better after my Club Class cruise next year.

Celebrity has two special MDRs for higher-grade cabins. Both are separate rooms from the regular MDR and have completely different menus, unlike Princess Club Class section of the MDR. Blu is for Aqua-class cabins [Princess equivalent would be the top grade veranda cabins]. Luminae -- even more special -- is for Sky Suites [Princess eq. = Mini-Suites] and higher level Suites. Thus for the price of a Club Class mini suite on Princess you could get at least Aqua w/Blu [if Celebrity prices are higher than Princess for a given comparable itinerary] and more likely an S2 Sky Suite w/Luminae -- which would be a much much nicer dining experience than Club Class. Princess will have to respond more vigorously to the Celebrity changes, especially with their new Edge class of ships coming, but so far this is as Iamcruzin said just a "quick fix" and IMHO half a loaf or less.

We experienced Club Class on Ruby in May. We don't like fixed seating as it limits your options for your daily schedule but do miss having the same servers every night who learn your likes and dislikes. With ATD, we didn't like the wait, but it was more flexible so you didn't have to plan your day around meals. We found the best of both worlds with Club Class as we could show up whenever we wanted and were always seated immediately with the same waiters (at breakfast, lunch and dinner). We won't book Princess again without it.

Celebrity has two special MDRs for higher-grade cabins. Both are separate rooms from the regular MDR and have completely different menus, unlike Princess Club Class section of the MDR. Blu is for Aqua-class cabins [Princess equivalent would be the top grade veranda cabins]. Luminae -- even more special -- is for Sky Suites [Princess eq. = Mini-Suites] and higher level Suites. Thus for the price of a Club Class mini suite on Princess you could get at least Aqua w/Blu [if Celebrity prices are higher than Princess for a given comparable itinerary] and more likely an S2 Sky Suite w/Luminae -- which would be a much much nicer dining experience than Club Class. Princess will have to respond more vigorously to the Celebrity changes, especially with their new Edge class of ships coming, but so far this is as Iamcruzin said just a "quick fix" and IMHO half a loaf or less.

Interesting!! Thank you

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We experienced Club Class on Ruby in May. We don't like fixed seating as it limits your options for your daily schedule but do miss having the same servers every night who learn your likes and dislikes. With ATD, we didn't like the wait, but it was more flexible so you didn't have to plan your day around meals. We found the best of both worlds with Club Class as we could show up whenever we wanted and were always seated immediately with the same waiters (at breakfast, lunch and dinner). We won't book Princess again without it.

We are new to Club Class dining. On the Ruby, which dining room is it in? Or is there a section in each dining room? Thanks!

We are new to Club Class dining. On the Ruby, which dining room is it in? Or is there a section in each dining room? Thanks!

Starboard side of Da Vinci on deck 6 off the atrium.

Starboard side of Da Vinci on deck 6 off the atrium.

Thanks for the detailed answer! (y)

Celebrity has two special MDRs for higher-grade cabins. Both are separate rooms from the regular MDR and have completely different menus, unlike Princess Club Class section of the MDR. Blu is for Aqua-class cabins [Princess equivalent would be the top grade veranda cabins]. Luminae -- even more special -- is for Sky Suites [Princess eq. = Mini-Suites] and higher level Suites. Thus for the price of a Club Class mini suite on Princess you could get at least Aqua w/Blu [if Celebrity prices are higher than Princess for a given comparable itinerary] and more likely an S2 Sky Suite w/Luminae -- which would be a much much nicer dining experience than Club Class. Princess will have to respond more vigorously to the Celebrity changes, especially with their new Edge class of ships coming, but so far this is as Iamcruzin said just a "quick fix" and IMHO half a loaf or less.

Sounds like they are moving back to the old days of steerage class pax.

Sounds like they are moving back to the old days of steerage class pax.

Yes and it seems like Princess is headed in the same direction.

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Sounds like they are moving back to the old days of steerage class pax.

You view the world as zero-sum, eh? Making things nicer for some MUST mean things are worse for others -- no need to get evidence.

We've only sailed twice on Princess. Our first was on the Emerald Princess in February around New Zealand. We were in a suite and "discovered" Club Class. We enjoyed the dining with Razvan so much, we changed our June reservation on the Caribbean Princess around Great Britain and our Panama Canal transit on the Pacific Princess in January '18 to suites so we could do CC again.

 

We disembarked from the Caribbean Princess last Wednesday and our CC experience again was again terrific. Nelson was as much fun as Razvan.

 

We are really looking forward to CC on the Pacific Princess in January!

 

 

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Do you remember some of the specials that were offered to club class diners? Someone posted some of the stuff from the Pacific Princess on another thread and I'm wondering if it was similar.

thanks.

Princess will have to respond more vigorously to the Celebrity changes, especially with their new Edge class of ships coming, but so far this is as Iamcruzin said just a "quick fix" and IMHO half a loaf or less.

Perhaps. But the bottom line of this for princess -- they have gotten passengers to pay extra

basically to dine in the main dining room!

Who ever came up with this was a genius.

Considering Club Class...I am hearing impaired and the biggest problem I have is the noise in the MDRs. I really work hard to get a quiet table in a corner if possible. If seated in the middle of the room, I can't hear the conversation at all. (I wear bluetooth hearing aids.) . Is CC quieter? Is it easier to get a quieter table?

" Club Class" dining advertising in Princess Cruises is false and deceptive. Hope the Princess management team , especially Ms Jan Swartz, has read this post and make changes accordingly.

Grouchy -

You were jesting about thinking Jan Swartz might be looking at these posts, right?

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Do you remember some of the specials that were offered to club class diners? Someone posted some of the stuff from the Pacific Princess on another thread and I'm wondering if it was similar.

 

thanks.

Coral and Emerald this summer: Pork shank Osso buco, Veal chop, some pastas, Cherrries Jubilee for desert

2 - 3 times. At dinner always an amuse bouche appetizer

Pretty much Chef's choices with what's available.

Coral and Emerald this summer: Pork shank Osso buco, Veal chop, some pastas, Cherrries Jubilee for desert

2 - 3 times. At dinner always an amuse bouche appetizer

 

Pretty much Chef's choices with what's available.

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" Club Class" dining advertising in Princess Cruises is false and deceptive. Hope the Princess management team , especially Ms Jan Swartz, has read this post and make changes accordingly.

Is it?

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/club-class-dining/

Thanks. These seem like some very nice choices.

What stood out beyond the menu was the level of service. While the MDR servers are typically very good, it seemed like CC servers went well beyond with attentive - but not oppressive - service.

Perhaps. But the bottom line of this for princess -- they have gotten passengers to pay extra

basically to dine in the main dining room! Who ever came up with this was a genius.

I just learned that the dinner buffet usually has most of the items that are on the dining room menu. Perhaps they're not plated the same, but it's the same dishes. Are you telling me that Princess has been making me put on khakis to eat the same food I can get in shorts? Sheesh.

Yes, it's basically to dine in the main dining room, but no, it's not the same. Anyone/everyone will tell you that on any of the ships with three dining rooms (Grand, etc.) and two of them committed to Traditional Dining during the early seating, there's not enough Anytime capacity until about 8:00 (the exact time is certainly debatable). Club Class is capacity controlled and therefore more available, aka more like what people expect from ATD. It's also shifted towards more, smaller tables so there's less need to share a table: as much as I do usually find sharing a table to be fun, every now and then it's a train wreck, yet I end up still sharing a table because it's much less wait than a table for 2.

We did Club on the Ruby a few months ago. We liked the dining - we felt it was the service we usually get in Traditional with the convenience of Anytime. We've got three Princess booked in the future, two in Club mini and one in a suite.

The first CC was booked before it started. I knew the ship would sell fast, so grabbed it. The second is because we're going with friends and they wanted it badly. (The dining is nice, but a lot of the other perks are redundant with being Elite, so of no real value - our friends are Gold, so they liked the priority stuff).

We're also doing a cruise on Celebrity in a Sky Suite in two weeks, so I'll try to remember to come back and do a compare.

I am looking forward to the Club Class service on our cruise in November. If the food served is exactly the same as what's offered in the MDR, I am fine with that. Tableside service (or lack thereof) is not a deal-breaker either. What I am most looking forward to is never having to spend a 20 - 30 minute wait in line for dinner with my husband grousing about how long it's taking to get in! :') We like Anytime Dining because we want to go eat when we are hungry, and that can vary from day to day. Sometimes it occurs at the dinner rush, and I know I am in for a hard time with a cranky husband if there is a wait.

I’m also looking forward to club class dining for the first time later this year on Star. Not bothered about extra dishes and will only eat there for dinner. As we want a table for 2 and do anytime dining, we’ve had some really long waits in the past of up to an hour. Looking forward to go to dinner when we want and not have to wait for a table for two.

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We were upgraded to CC dining and wondering if the couple we are traveling with would be able to dine with us. Thanks!

We were upgraded to CC dining and wondering if the couple we are traveling with would be able to dine with us. Thanks!

No. If you want to dine with them you will have to join them in the regular DR area.

No. They have to be in a Club Class mini suite or full suite. They check your name and cruise card at the door. You can dine with them in the regular MDR.