1st Princess cruise since 2000, a couple questions :)

Hello

I have not cruised Princess in way too many years :) Booked in December. I am wondering if there is somewhere I can get a peek at the room service menu.

Also, are we allowed to bring a bottle of wine on board with Princess? (With Holland America I know we can....but I am pretty sure it is a no no with Princess :)

Any other tips for things that have changed in the last 15 years would be appreciated.

Thank you

The Princess website has a great FAQ section on its website that will help answer your questions, especially about what you can and can't bring.

As for room service, are you in a full suite? For all other cabin categories, including mini suites, there's a limited room service menu. You can do a search for "room service" on this board and see what comes up but you do need to be aware of that distinction. There's also continental breakfasts that you can get. But we haven't gotten room service on a Princess ship, so that's the limit of my knowledge.

This is from the Princess Cruise Answer Book (the FAQs I was referencing above), but if you're in a full suite, you'll have moe options:

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/dining_nightlife.jsp

Each adult can bring a bottle of wine onboard. If you bring more than one each, you will pay a $15. corkage fee for each bottle over the free first bottle.

Thank you for addressing the wine question. I will keep poking around for a room service menu :)

The Room Service Menu is way better on HAL. ;)

Thank you for addressing the wine question. I will keep poking around for a room service menu :)

As I said above, you can do a search for the room service menus, but you need to understand that if you're not in a suite, you won't have a full menu, other than soups, sandwiches, maybe lasagne or hamburgers. On some ships, you might be able to order a pizza but that will have a charge.

This thread is a little old, but, the menus shown are pretty much the same (except for the drink prices) as what they were when we were on the Ruby in August of this year.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1401549

Each adult can bring a bottle of wine onboard. If you bring more than one each, you will pay a $15. corkage fee for each bottle over the free first bottle.

To be more exact you can carry on one (1) 750ml bottle per adult. These bottles are for use in your cabin. If you bring them to a DR or bar area you will be charged a $15 corkage. Additional 750ml bottles may be carried on board and will be charged a $15/bot corkage. This is done in the terminal before boarding. Corkage paid bottles will have a sticker attached. These can be used anywhere on the ship without any additional payment.

Hello:)

 

Any other tips for things that have changed in the last 15 years would be appreciated.

 

Thank you

When you board go directly to your cabin it will be ready, except, if you wish to book The Sanctuary go directly there on boarding, before you go to your cabin. In warm weather this area is in high demand.

The muster drill is held in the indoor lounges on decks 6 & 7. Your muster area is shown on the inside of your cabin door. Carry, don't wear, your life jacket to the drill. At the end of the drill you will be instructed to put it on. If you want a seat arrive 10 to 15 mins early.

One DR is open from noon to 1:30 on boarding day if you wish a DR style lunch. Depending on your ship there are various other dining locals open all day.

If you enjoy espresso drinks consider the coffee card.

If you wish to dine in one of the surcharge restaurants, The Crown Grill, Sabatini's, stop by in the afternoon of boarding day, or call the dine line for a reservation. Reservations can only be made on board. If you are in a full suite one surcharge restaurant is no charge on the first night.

If you require additional information about something specific, just ask. It would be good to know the ship as they are different.

Thank you so much for the great information everyone!!

I did find the room service menus ( apparently the search

on cc works much better than last time I was on here :)

I agree the room service menu is more extensive on Holland

America, but this looks like it will work just fine for three days.

We will be on the Ruby. Princess looks like it has improved

a lot since my last cruise, I am looking forward to experiencing

it first hand.

I wouldn't say improved....or gotten worse, since 2000, which was about the time of our first cruise. It is just different. I liked it now, I liked it then.

Then, the service was more attentive, special, more upscale. Now, the ships are larger, prettier and have more amenities. There is a lot more to do onboard than before, which is a plus.

Don't expect silver service, even in specialty dining--nor wine stewards, tableside cooking (although the Maitre'D does make a dish or two during the cruise such as bananas foster or a pasta). But it's not the same. The waiters are overworked and even in traditional dining, you will not see them much.

It has a more mass market feel--not as high brow as cruising in the past. More shorts in the evening, sweatshirts in the dining room, etc.

My favorite change in no smoking in most indoor areas. I almost gave up cruising because of the smoke and had it not changed, I would have.

Oh and no butler in a minisuite. Even in a full suite, although full suites do come with some nice perks.

Better coffee, especially at the coffee bar; international cafe is great for snacks.

Enjoy!

So you can only get a continental breakfast now if you're not in a full suite? Coffee, tea, juices, pastries, cereal?

So you can only get a continental breakfast now if you're not in a full suite? Coffee, tea, juices, pastries, cereal?

Yes... egg sandwich (think McMuffin).

On some ships, I have success writing in other items: bacon, fresh fruit, etc. Tried to get bacon on the Ruby 2 weeks ago - nope.