Obsi

I just came back from the Southern Australia cruise, which was supposed to stop at Kangaroo Island, but they decided to go straight to Port Lincoln instead and have extra time there.

3 hours ago, DDG 41 said:

READ.

They aren't cancelling any cruises. They just won't sail with PCL again for many good reasons.

Yup, we're still doing this one we've already booked (too much hassle to change it now) but the next one we'll be doing Cunard.

7 hours ago, floridalover5623 said:

I may very well be wrong but overall I still doubt if there are sufficient numbers to make a difference in their decision. 

They've made unpopular choices in the past & nothing changed their minds, but this may well be a different case.

Probably not enough to make a difference, no.... but I'm not switching my next cruise to make a difference to Princess, I'm switching to make a difference to my ladies.  The decision was a few things, but the chair was the final deciding factor.

I've got a 100+ group booked in for an 8 day Princess cruise next year and I was going to book us in for a Princess 13 day NZ cruise in 2022 - but because of this thread I'm moving us to Cunard instead.  My ladies are all older (60s+), and judging by the cabins booked for our 2020 cruise, they will be mostly interior and window cabins (so no option for a balcony chair to be brought in).  For some of the ladies having a chair in the cabin will be very important.

The other factors were that in 2022 we'll be on Majestic, which I don't like as much as Golden, and I'd been wanting to try the Queen Elizabeth for the old fashioned look - but hadn't had a good reason to pay the higher price.  Now I do.

Personally I don't need the chair, but I feel bad for those who do.  I'm planning another NZ cruise with just DH and I, and we'll probably go Princess because it's cheaper and the chair situation won't be an issue for us (we'd also have a balcony)... We'd have to fly to go Celebrity, so not interested in that.  Since I don't feel my booking will make any difference to the overall numbers or the decision to put the chairs back, I don't think a personal boycott would change anything.  But the chair issue has absolutely influenced my decision to book my group in.

1 hour ago, NavyVeteran said:

 

I doubt this is true. Compare room service to eating in the MDR. The food preparation in the kitchen requires the same amount of effort for either. How much time does it take one room service person to deliver dinner for two to your cabin? 

I think you'll find that food prepared for service in the MDR will be done efficiently on a sort of production line sort of thing.  They don't make one meal at a time, they will be making several of the same dish at the same time - which is more efficient.  There will be a steady stream of orders during the service times, and people are prepared to wait a bit for their food.

Whereas people can order room service at various times during the day, which is an inefficient way to manage food production.  The expectation also will be that it is delivered quickly.  So it's not just about the amount of time it takes someone to walk to your cabin with your food.

41 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Money talks. Book Celebrity. 

Yup.  In 2022 I'll be running a 14 day cruise for a social club I'm in (we're doing one next year too, but it's too late to change that one) - mostly older ladies.... and this chair situation makes me think I'll have to go to Cunard instead (they have not only the second chair with arms, but also a table large enough to dine on!) - which is a shame because I like Princess and it's definitely the atmosphere I'd prefer over the other 2 lines..... but the chair will be an important factor for my ladies.

1 hour ago, floridalover5623 said:

What about all the rest of the chairs on the ship? People move them all the time.

But passengers moving chairs elsewhere aren't doing it because the chair that was in their cabin has been taken out.  If they claim chairs are being removed for "safety" (which we know isn't the case), it's a lot safer leaving the chair in a cabin than having a passenger drag an outdoor chair in, where they might trip over and injure themselves, or "do their back".

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I can't believe they say this change is "for safety" -- what is "safe" about perching on a bed, trying to eat from a tray in rough seas?  What is "safe" about older passengers with back or mobility issues have no place to sit where they can safely get up and sit down using the arms of the chair? What is safe about an elderly person (e.g., thinking of my octogenarian parents) dragging a chair in and out from the balcony to the cabin in order to have a place to sit??

Actually that is a good point.  Someone should pointedly ask Princess what would happen if a passenger injured their back moving seating from the balcony because the inside chair has been removed.....

2 hours ago, mellon1 said:

I don't know why they just didn't leave the old ships that had these features in them and then eliminate from the new.  The old ships didn't require $$ to keep a chair or table up.

As the chairs get older they will need steam cleaning and either replacing or reupholstering (cheaper to replace). So the barrel chairs would have some degree of ongoing upkeep and replacement costs, and more than the desk chair because of the construction.  They also need to make sure replacement ones are made from the same fabric and the same style to keep the uniformity - so it's not like they can replace one with any old thing.  Removing them is definitely cost saving in that regard.

I think it's likely that they had some complaints that the chairs were unnecessary and took up valuable space, so they felt that removing them would not only give more space but also save on maintenance costs and costs of buying new ones for new ships....  and the added bonus that anyone wanting to sit would then have to do that elsewhere where they might feel tempted/obligated to also buy a drink....    So they probably felt it was win win (for them mostly, but also more space for the passenger).

But I assume/hope nobody thought about the issue of people not being able to sit on beds comfortably.  If they did consider that and still decided to remove the chairs, then I think that's disgraceful.

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

 

Neither club soda nor soda water is free on board, unless you have a package.  It is free under the Soda and More Package.

I thought that would be the case. 

Normally at home I wouldn't dream of drinking soda or sugary drinks every day.  But I figure on a cruise I also eat dessert which I normally don't - because it's a treat.  I've also only done 6-7 day cruises so far, so maybe I'd change my habits for a longer cruise...

So it's only 2 mocktails or a mocktail and a soda a day needed to break even, which I find easily doable.  Especially if I'm getting them half strength.

I'm not sure if soda water (I think it's known as club soda in the US - carbonated water with nothing added) is free onboard or not?, but I drink a lot of that when I want something refreshing but not sugary.

5 hours ago, Qcruise said:

Last year aboard the Crown we had only four of us but were able to log onto Princess@sea app and send texts to each other throughout the cruise......it was nice to have.  Granted the texts might take some time to get to you but eventually it would get there.  Last week aboard the Ruby I looked for the app (we had a group of eight) and it is gone.  The wifi on board leads you to the Ocean Ready app where they charge for it.  Nobody wanted to pay just to keep in contact.....we relied on house phones to our rooms.  I wish they could find a way to offer both to it's passengers.

While they call it an "app" it's actually just the Princess website that auto connects when you're using the ship (free) wifi.  So maybe it was still there but not as easy to find?

9 hours ago, cabin4three said:

 That's annoying I was planning on sending one message to all of my family rather than separate messages telling them where to meet up. - Think we will be going back to the traditional post it notes on the door 

It really is a shame they don't consider ease of communication for larger groups.  Every time I've brought this up to them and asked if they can offer any suggestions, they keep saying just use the princess@sea app.   I've then had to explain why having 100+ (non-tech savvy older age) people all find and share their IDs with each other - which you can only do onboard - to then only be able to individually message each other..... is not an efficient way to manage getting messages out to a group.   And what if not everyone has a smartphone or wants to keep it with them all day.... and calling multiple staterooms to leave a "we're meeting at 8pm for drinks" type message is also not efficient... since I'm trying to have a vacation too, not be a cruising secretary :P 

Someone at Princess needs to design a group feature for the messenger - where a group ID is generated when the group bookings are created.  Because the group leader will then know their unique group ID code, they can pass that on to their group members ahead of time, so everyone knows it and can be prepared (rather than having to swap individual numbers onboard).  Then when anyone sends a message to that group ID all people who have that group code can access it.  Would be so much easier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   and surely not that hard to set up into their existing messenger system.

Ultimately the "post-it on the door" option is what we're going to have to go with.  Although given the size of my group and that we're spread out in different sections of the ship, I'm going to nominate a couple of people to have the messages on their door as well as put them on my door - so I'll only need to communicate with those 2 people, and then everyone else will be responsible for checking the doors for messages.

25 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Yes I think all their cocktails are made on carton mix.

That's why the ones I had from the inside bars were much better than the ones in the outdoor bars - in the outdoor ones I saw them pouring the syrup from unlabelled white containers - which I assume are prepared mixes of the syrups. So they were more sugary tasting and less defined flavours.  Whereas the ones I had inside they were pouring from glass bottles of individual syrups.  The Key West Cooler for example prepared inside you could taste the watermelon flavour.  The ones prepared outside you couldn't.  Although that said, the taste was slightly different for the same mocktail all over the ship - as they don't bother measuring for a mocktail, so the taste depends on how much of each syrup they add.  They were all nice, just slightly different.

7 hours ago, hllwdcruiser said:

I can't tell you what is standard or what will be the standard, but the ones that were sent to me and all my traveling buddies came with the lanyard and plastic carrying case. The medallion is completely enclosed in the plastic case so no metal will touch your skin. 

I hope this allays your concerns. 

Ok great thanks.  The metal on the lanyard option would be fine even if it wasn't enclosed as I'd be wearing it over clothing, but good to know there would be no metal touching skin.

I wonder if they found the lanyard option to be cheaper to produce and are doing those instead of the wristbands.

I don't drink alcohol, so the soda package lets me feel fancy by having unlimited mocktails 😄 

I didn't know until reading it here that you can order any virgin cocktail, so next time I cruise I'll be testing them all out!!!!!! 

11 minutes ago, Katwoman007 said:

I did not have one mocktail I liked. I tried to limit my alcohol and ended up just getting drinks with the buy one get one. I swear, my strawberry dacquerie was from a carton of strawberry mix with ice. I felt like I was going to be sick from the sugar. The mojito was okay, but a regular sprite would have tasted better. I was NOT impressed at all. Just wanted to give a heads up to not expect over the top non alcoholic drinks. 

I also find them too sweet (I don't like any sugar in my tea/coffee - although weirdly I find normal softdrink is ok)  - So what I normally do is ask them to make the mocktails up half strength and use extra soda water.  I find them perfect that way.  

(I'm the same with milkshakes on land - I always ask for those with half the syrup)

I've found they do differ greatly depending on where you get them though.  The outdoor bars I found are extra sweet and make them with premade mixtures of syrup.  While the indoor bars seem to use more individual bottles of syrups and those IMHO taste much better (more depth of flavour) and don't seem as sickeningly sweet.

49 minutes ago, CindyPie1004 said:

This is another great place for deck plans; people add their own pics here so you can see the typical deck plan and details as well as pics of rooms and public areas. 

 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/cruiseline.php?line=Princess

 

 

Ohh that one is great - it even includes notes on the locations - like saying it's above a bar so there can be noise!

So the medallions come with the lanyard holder as the standard now?   When they first announced it they were saying they would come with the wristband and you'd have to buy other attachment options.  (I think the lanyard was going to sell for $25)  All the early unboxings showed the wristbands.

That's something I'd been wondering about (I've only cruised on the non-medallion ships so far), since I have a metal allergy (fairly severe - and to most metals) so not only can I likely not wear the medallion itself touching my skin (their wristbands, like the fitbit ones have no backing between your skin and the medallion), but I also can't wear watch bands and the like that have any sort of metal buckle or fastener that would touch my skin.  So I'd been wondering if I was going to have to just put the medallion in a normal plastic card holder on a lanyard - because I didn't want to have to pay extra for their lanyard.   But if it comes with the lanyard then that's better.

Probably for the same reason we also pay more for digital downloads (music, movies and games) when they are digital so the old argument of "it costs more to ship them to Australia" doesn't apply.... the delightful "Australia tax".

But I agree it's likely just because they can.  If/when they start having trouble booking all their cabins, then prices might drop, but while they fill their ships there is no reason to drop prices or offer anything as incentives.

I'm very jealous when I look at US cruise pricing and hear what deals they get, but it is what it is...

Pricing for cabanas and people's thoughts on the Sanctuary are in this thread:

5 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

I always check the Cruise Critic deck plans before I book a cabin. Insides with a bunk have a RED dot. The Princess deck plans don't show anything.

There we go - that's now my favourite tip!   😄

Unless something has changed, it's not set up for groups  (I'm in the same position, I have 100+ people in my group and it's frustrating there is no easy group communication option).

As far as I know, each person needs to create an account and get their unique ID number and give that to anyone who wants to message them, so that person can add them as a contact - since you can only message someone who is on your contacts list.

Effectively it's like sending an SMS to someone - you need to have their number to be able to do it, and they are separate (you send a message to one person, not to a group) - so it's not like whatsapp or something where you can do a group message that goes out to everyone (unless possibly there is an option to send the same message to multiple people - but I don't think those people could reply to a group message where everyone could see it)

I find it really strange that given the majority of the passengers on Princess ships are of the older age bracket - that the lack of chairs wasn't considered an issue.  Clearly the decision was made by younger people.

Many of their passengers will have back problems that mean they just cannot sit on a bed.  I assume that people who have been writing in their complaints have mentioned the need of chairs for age/medical issues rather than just convenience?

Maybe in addition to people dragging chairs in from other places in protest, people should also start "accidentally" spilling food on the bed when they are forced to sit and eat on the bed as their only option (except that would make more work for the stewards who aren't to blame for the lack of chairs)

23 minutes ago, Belmont Babe said:

And just to clarify, the "lemonade" mentioned in posts #2 and #3 is not what Aus and NZers would recognize as lemonade ie fizzy Sprite. It's lemon cordial served chilled from large dispensers in the Horizon Court.

Yep, I've been referring to it as "Ye olde lemonaide"  😄 

53 minutes ago, jmstip said:

We sail on Golden next week and have been told by princess that the only package available is the all inclusive package.  Hoping that something else is available to purchase onboard 

The Australian website only has the premium package available to purchase online, the soda and coffee one have to be purchased onboard  (I saw someone in another thread say something to do with the pricing not showing up right for the soda one, and them taking the package off the website - not sure if that's the actual reason why though).  But last I heard they were still available, I'd be surprised if they weren't.  Princess probably meant the only one you can buy online is that one.

The unlimited soda package includes "fresh fruit juices", and I think I've seen them on the menu at International Cafe.  But I've never ordered one.  Certainly the juices served in the buffet and dining room with breakfast seem to be carton/bottle and not fresh.

Glad I'm not the only one confused 😄

I don't think any drink at International Cafe is free (unless you have a card/package) ????

I thought the only free juices were at breakfast in the dining rooms or buffet.  Although maybe room service if you're ordering breakfast?