gepgelmik

OP, I'm really sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I was on the Caribbean Princess July 9th to 16th and posted about how terrible a time I had because the AC and cold water didn't function in my room, D 223. The internet didn't work properly either. As a result, I am likely to look into cruises on another line in the future. When I stated this,  many posters responded with negative comments. I stopped commenting.

Maybe the OP never returned because they've been accused of lying, borderline harassed by folks, and otherwise received negative responses. Just because a person doesn't have a positive experience on your favorite cruise line doesn't mean they are personally insulting you. Just because they had a negative experience and you had a positive experience doesn't mean anything. You all do realize that there are thousands of people on a ship, each having a different experience, right?

In any case, there are many reports in various threads about issues on this ship.  I would advise those who are thinking about booking on it to seriously consider the number of bad reviews/complaints on the forums.

Yeah, this is my last comment on this. And a confirmation of why I’m usually a lurker. Safe travels, everyone.

Hi Coral,

I have indeed experienced good internet at sea, and I’ve seen posts from others that have also had good experiences.  I’ve attended meetings/classes over zoom, FaceTimed, made WhatsApp calls, downloaded books, games and audiobooks, and even used streaming services like Netflix.  

Because I’m experiencing swirling/loading on this ship when trying to watch movies, I suspect that they are using some sort of streaming tech for their stateroom tv/movie offerings? Does anyone know?

In any case, my point is that there are some ships that have spotty internet, and some that have super fast internet most of the time. I’m not sure why there are differences between ships.

Also, people can definitely experience bad internet on land trips, depending on location and infrastructure.

Hi Jimmy,

 You make a good point- internet access can be at the bottom of that list in terms of importance. But, it’s important to me for a variety of reasons, and that’s why I pay for it. Everyone has their own idea of what a good cruise is. At a minimum, I expect to receive the product I paid for.  Imagine I rented any product for a week, and it only worked 50% of the time, and I was offered no solution, compensation or explanation.  In fact, imagine you rented a product, and the company took your money for it knowing it didn’t function correctly, and then offered you chocolate strawberries to make up for it. 

For some, the internet on a cruise is an entertainment gadget. When I don’t have the net, I’m cut off from friends and loved ones, which makes me anxious and worries them. It also means that I may not have access to therapy I need.  Also, I do use it as an entertainment gadget.

In terms of operational issues, there are none right this moment. The ac is still on, and my plumbing appears to be fixed. The plumber removed the plug from the tub so the tub is just a glorified shower. I wanted to take a bath this week since I don’t have a tub at home, but I’m tired of complaining, and I don’t want any strawberries. 

My first cruise was in 2016. I’m not sure what you mean about the “we” who cruised without “issue or complaint” from 1910- 2015.  I could guess but it would be more interesting to see what else you have to say on this. My hope is that you’re not saying something cliche like how internet is new-fangled/something only “millennials” need/people should disconnect on cruises or some combination of those things. 

Hi folks,

Here are my responses to various questions.

I would definitely get off the ship…if I could get back to Ft Lauderdale without flying.

I didn’t even bother to ask about moving to a different cabin because there are widespread issues, and I don’t want to be stuck in an inside or regular balcony cabin. I was told that the ac was out on at least two decks. I do have an electric fan, and it helps somewhat.

I just got off the phone with customer service manager, who told me the ac was working. I told him it was working briefly yesterday, too. I told him the only thing that I wanted was (some) money back; he thanked me for calling him. 

Honestly, there are so many issues on this ship, I feel bad for the folks who work on it who must have to constantly deal with complaints.  I  feel like Princess is scamming people by continuing to book people and not deal with these significant issues. 

Don’t book it. I’m currently aboard and haven’t ac since boarding yesterday. Also had no cold water in the bathroom so I couldn’t shower. Nothing works.

The crew is great though.

Like most folks, I have a limited amount of time and money to invest on vacations each year. I don’t expect perfection, but I do expect the basic amenities I’ve paid for, especially when I’ve paid a bit extra for a mini suite. My cabin steward is great, and the crew is doing their best to deal with the issues…but it’s not enough.  I can’t even leave my balcony curtains open to enjoy the view because it lets in too much heat.  They just keep saying they’re working on it, and that they had over 200 phone calls about the air conditioning. I don’t care. For me, the primary goal of being able to relax is no longer achievable because I keep having to make phone calls over and over. And I keep sweating.  And the whole situation is no good for my anxiety.

Guest services offered me a bottle of wine OR a spa treatment OR onboard credit.  I just want to go home. I want my dog.

 And most of all I want back the time and money I’ve invested in this trip from hell.

Ok so here is why I’m telling people to run away from the Caribbean Princess.

If you’ve done your research on this ship, you see that there are lots of recent reviews talking about how the toilets haven’t worked, how the app is wonky, how the internet is wonky, how its run down and dirty.  Previous Princess cruisers also have a lot to say about the food, but I find food reviews very subjective. I’ve also seen some negative comments about the crew.

All the crew folks I’ve spoken to have been excellent. I have absolutely no complaints there. The reason I am hating this cruise is because I have no air conditioning, and haven’t since boarding yesterday. What really bothers me is Princess must know there are constant mechanical issues on this ship, but they continue to take people’s money week after week.  Today, I tried to shower and discovered that there was no cold water, so no way to make the water cool enough to bathe. Two days in I’ve had a a gazillion issues with the app, my stateroom television..I even had a notification from my credit card that Princess had charged me $100 bucks for something, and I haven’t bought anything.  I prepaid my gratuities and have a drink package. The internet only works sometimes.

I’ve made multiple calls to customer service, only to be on hold for 15 minutes or more. I was even hung up on after being on hold for 20 minutes.  You can send a chat message on the app, but there is often a long long delay in response. I ordered room service and after two hours, the food was marked as delivered. It hadn’t been delivered.

Comments on the crew upcoming…

Hi folks,

I see there are quite a few fellow travelers onboard the Caribbean Princess (7-9) and others asking questions. For those who are asking questions, my response would be to run away from this ship. I don’t expect perfection, but things are ridiculous. This will be my first and last time on a Princess cruise.

The Context

I’m a solo traveler, and contrary to popular belief, people who travel solo enjoy having spacious accommodations. I travel solo because it’s my preference, and up until right now, the only bad cruise I’ve had was one where I went with other people. Since this is my first cruise since the pandemic,  my first time away from home since starting a battle with anxiety disorder and agoraphobia a year or so ago, and my birthday on the 12th, I got myself a mini suite. I have mobility issues and am super introverted, so my dream was simply to hang out on my balcony, read my books, drink non alcoholic frosty drinks, and just relax. I couldn’t get my money back on a previous cruise booked with Princess, this fit my schedule, and so I booked it. I have no interest in the ports and no intention of getting off the ship.  I literally have been prepping for this cruise for months, both mentally and in terms of buying clothes, researching etc. I’m writing a bit here because I want to encourage (and be realistic) with people who are dealing with mental illness. There are a lot of us out there, especially after the pandemic.  I’m not interested in any feed back on remedies for anxiety disorder. I take prescription drugs, I do therapy- they work for me.  People should do what works for them. Also, being anxious or nervous is not the same as having an anxiety disorder.

Travel

I live in Ohio, and I hate flying. I drove from Cleveland to Columbia, South Carolina on the first day of my road trip (7 am to 6pm). On day 2, I drove from SC to Fort Lauderdale (5 am to 4:15 pm), I stopped every 2-3 hours to stretch my arthritic legs and make phone calls etc, and I think I stopped for gas twice on each day (more so because I don’t like being under half a tank). The drive had its ups and downs. I struggled to leave each morning (hello, agoraphobia, my old friend). Also.. surprise!! I’ve somehow developed a fear of driving over bridges and through those mountain tunnels.  On a positive note, traffic was good 85% of the day on both days, I saw some beautiful scenery, and I survived not being in my house!! A year ago, I couldn’t even get outside to take my trash out. *pats herself on the back*.  

The next part is forthcoming…

I fell horrible for all involved. I feel especially bad for people who might be running out of/not have access to supplies that they need/make them comfortable/keep them clean.... 

prescription meds/cigarettes/feminine supplies/incontinence supplies

and what if the stuff isn't prescribed, but needed? like OTC painkillers people take for chronic conditions like arthritis, etc

What a misery.

So, I'm pretty laid back about little cruise inconveniences, but this was really, really disappointing. I'll do my best to explain what happened.

A friend and I booked side by side Studio balconies on Anthem for March (two separate reservation numbers). I've sailed in one of these before and chose the hump room. A week or so later, I decided to switch rooms with my friend  so that she could have the giant oversized balcony (since it would be her first cruise). We called and switched the rooms. A few days later, I logged in to discover that both her reservation and mine were visible on my account (still two separate reservation numbers, but nothing showed up on her RCI account). We called again and hers was removed from my account, and all seemed well. 

As the final payment date approached, my friend had to cancel her cruise, but she never received her refund.  When she called, they refused to give her the money as they claimed the payment had been made from the same card they refunded to- a card that doesn't belong to her. 

Basically, instead of switching our rooms, they just switched our names and reservation numbers, and then refunded me the money. I gave her the money, but I find this situation absurd. 

Final payment for the cruise is Dec 2nd, and I had planned on still going, but now I wonder if all is well with my reservation. They seem to have messed it up every time I've dealt with them about this trip. At this point, I don't know if I can even get all of my money back. I also booked this particular itinerary to work around my friend's schedule, but I've been on the same trip 2 times and would prefer something different, but now I wonder if I can make changes without losing money.

Any suggestions? 

Embassy Suites in Elizabeth. International Dr.

My first cruise was on the Anthem for a  10 day Christmas and New Years cruise in 2016. We visited Labadee, St Martin, St Thomas and San Juan. There was weather that was bad enough to force them to re-schedule one performance of Spectra's Cabaret because of the moving platforms and air acrobatics stuff. You could feel it a tiny, tiny bit when walking around. But other than that there was...nothing. Try to focus on all the fun stuff you'll be doing. You'll have a great time!

Thanks for your suggestions everyone.

in terms of dining together in the MDR:

What does linking the reservations do? I’m pretty annoyed now because it seems as if our travel agent should have known it was problematic to assign our dining this way. 

What will happen if we just turn up and ask to be seated together? I’m assuming they’d put us in the MTD room.

In terms of other reservations:

I was able to add people from another reservation to a sushi lesson a month or so ago, so I don’t get why it won’t work for specialty dining and excursions now. We also tried reserving shows together but ended up doing it separately as we keep getting the message saying reservation not available. 

Hi folks!

I'm cruising with family on the Anthem in March. I cruised with family on the same ship in 2016, and twice since then on the same ship, but solo. The first trip the travel agent was able to book us all for dynamic, so no problem.  But now the format has changed and the website is all glitchy...

We're trying to figure out how to eat dinner together in the MDR and specialty dining and book excursions together. We have two rooms that have My Time Dining, and one that was able to get traditional. We've tried to add each other to reservations on the Cruise Planner for excursions and specialty dining and the MDR, but it keeps saying the reservation number isn't available (even after everyone but one person logs out of their account). Is this not possible or another website glitch?  We aren't so concerned about being able to book excursions together, but worried that not being able to do MDR reservations together might cause long waits in line (there are 6 of us total). No big deal for the adults, but problematic for the kids, esp as one is diabetic.

Any tips? What are we doing wrong?

Eons ago, someone told me that the best way to pack is to

1. pack your stuff

2. drag it outside

3. walk a block

If you're okay after a block, you've taken the right amount of stuff. If you're uncomfortable, you've got too much stuff.

I went with family on Anthem of the Seas, 2016. I asked the room steward to open the divider between our two rooms, and he indicated that he had to get permission from the occupants of other room. Later he came back and opened the divider.

I've been on the Anthem three times, and yeah, the Promenade can be a pain at times. During sales or other events, after a big show lets out, etc. In general, though, I didn't find the ship to be over-crowded. Sometimes I was surprised how easy it was to find a place to relax.

I agree with some of the advice of previous posters. The problem isn't with the cruise ship, cruise line or passengers. You didn't have a good time because you didn't do what you needed to do to have a good time.  I encourage you to take the advice you've read here to heart.  One of my favorite quotes is, "Wherever you go, there you are." Whenever you travel, you take your own quirks with you, good or bad.  So if you have introvert tendencies, you can either push out of your comfort zone a bit and reach out to folks, or stay within the comfort zone and maybe end up having negative experiences like you had.

Also, I'm not into talking about race or ethnicity or politics, but as a person of color (and a hardcore introvert)... I get it. When you know that there are people in the world who think certain ways about you because of your skin color, a whole level of anxiety can be added to social situations where you interact with strangers.  Really, any personal characteristic that is visible can add an anxiety about being judged by others...ethnicity, able-bodiedness, weight, etc. In any case, when I get nervous about stuff like this, and I do, I work hard on my positive self-talk. I think to myself " I've worked hard to be here and I belong here." or "I'm here to have a great vacation and meet new interesting folks." Or maybe, most importantly, " My interactions with these new folks are well-intentioned, and I'm 100% sure their interactions with me are well-intentioned. So I'm going to take a risk,  be extra friendly and see what I get back. If I never fail, that means I've never tried to do anything."

In any case, I hope you try cruising again.

*For fellow posters who have responded to the OP in negative ways, being sarcastic, dismissive or judgmental, I'm not sure why you take the time to respond. A person reacting differently to something, or being interested in something you might not do doesn't invalidate their experience or feelings.

If your intent was to cement the OP's fears about fellow passengers, you've outdone yourself.

Same menu as on the Anthem last month.

I've stayed on decks 13, 6, and 9 on Anthem, always midship near the elevators.

9 was my least favorite. I could hear my neighbors because of the adjoining door, but there also seemed to just be a lot of thumping.

13 was nice and quiet.

6 was my favorite because it was easy to get to the promenade etc and it was also very quiet.

Cape Liberty is the best cruise port for me for a variety of reasons, and Anthem the best ship option for me for a variety of reasons. So all three cruises I've been on have been on the Anthem. I won't review it to death because...it's been reviewed to death, but here are some thoughts, some of which might be review-like. Oh- I should probably let you know that I was on the Nov 3rd Boston and Bermuda sailing.

1. I still prefer going solo.

I've been on one cruise with family, and the Nov 3rd  sailing was my second solo. This sailing confirmed my previous thoughts that I much prefer going solo. You get to do whatever you want, whenever you want, and just relax. My previous sailing/first solo I did feel awkward sometimes, like at dinner with strangers, etc. This time, I felt totally at ease and ate alone at a two-top at the MDR every single night. And it was awesome!!  I was nervous about My Time dining versus Traditional since I had different wait staff/table each night, but this turned out to be a non-issue.  I also had lunch in Chops and Jamie's, and had great solo dining experiences in both venues.

2. I chatted with people.

I met absolutely no one my first two cruises, but had great conversations with multiple folks this time around. I'm an introvert and happy with my own company, but I don't mind meeting new interesting people in moderation.  I'm thinking maybe I should make efforts to meet people because I found the conversations I had this time enhanced the experience.

3. I have one important piece of advice.

I suffer from serious overpacking disorder. My previous cruise I barely took anything because of my gall bladder saga (there's a thread about this) and it was great. This time I took too much stuff and regretted it GREATLY during disembarkation. My advice is take half or less of the stuff you think you need. Seriously.

4. YOLO!

I initially booked an interior studio to see what the experience was like and to save money, and as the cruise approached, I was annoyed to find myself feeling dread instead of excitement. I read over previous comments I made about how important a balcony was to me, and I went ahead and switched to a regular balcony. I'm glad I booked the room I knew I really would enjoy. As we pulled out of Boston, I sat on my balcony in my coat and hat and bundled in a blanket, and I was so happy to experience the sight of us sliding past the Silverwind and the end of the airport runway, and the sparkling lights of the city skyline. Pure magic.

5. YOLO side effects...

The only balconies available when I changed rooms were adjoining. Never again. People yell at their kids so much. And kids yell at their parents so, so much. This room was so, so noisy. I know part of it was because it was adjoining, but my suspicions are that the thumping I heard all day except between 11 pm and 7 am was due to the fact that there were so many kids on board. 

I also kinda wished I had booked a room on the other side of the ship, the one that faces NY as you leave port.

6. I liked everything better this time. Seriously.

Some cruisers probably think it's odd and boring to go on the same ship over and over again, but I've found that every time I go on Anthem I feel more comfortable, and therefore have more fun.  

So that's one reason I enjoyed things more this time. In addition, I found the activities to be greatly improved...really liked the addition of historical lectures, new shows, etc. Previously,  I wasn't overly impressed by the pace of the MDR experience and the temperature of the food, but this time my food came out quickly and it was hot. Maybe because I sat alone instead of with other folks? 

7. The future of cruising...

So all in all, I had a great experience on the Anthem. For me, familiarity has bred affection instead of contempt, and I'm kinda sad the ship is being relocated.

Okay, I'm not that sad yet. 

I'm booked on her twice more, March 2019 and March 2020, before she goes to the UK. Unfortunately neither of those are solos, but I guess I can't have everything.

Thanks for all the replies!  I'm waiting to hear back from RCI.

I upgraded to a regular balcony, not a studio balcony.

Maybe "upgrade" is a poor choice of word. I changed to a regular, double occupancy (or more) balcony and had to pay a single supplement for the room.

Hello all,

Just completed my third sailing with RCI. Went solo in a regular balcony room and got 7 C and A points when I had hoped for 14. The first time I sailed in this type of room on a 10 night sailing I got 20 points. Has the policy changed? I can't find anything on the website.

If it makes any difference, I initially got an inside studio for this sailing and then changed to balcony when the price dropped.

Depending on the length of your cruise, if you're staying in town the night before, consider doing a Park n Ride package that includes a shuttle to and from port. It's very easy. I went on the Anthem in November, and chose this option to limit having to handle luggage myself (unexpected gall bladder surgery 4 days before).