Just off the CROWN Princess today

We will be on the Crown ( for the 3rd time) in January. I am finding the comments on the staffing problems in the main dining room interesting. We sailed on the Majesty in May before it left for Asia and the service in the main dining room was seriously lacking. At the time I chalked it up to the “new ship”syndrome. Maybe not! For the January cruise we have Club Class dining and we are hoping for the same severs each night.

We will be on her for 21 days in Dec. - hope they get a new pianist.

Any talk of staff shortages seems odd as I believe they still promote the same number of crew as they have for a long time.

Am wondering if you had a drink package if they allowed doubles to be ordered. Also how was the entertainment?

What was your favourite meal?

favorite meal??? - none - but we did not eat in any specialty restaurants.

Quik post about doubles - not allowed

sitting at a pool bar, dude comes up at 10 in the morning and orders a double Jack on the rocks. Staff says no , but gives him single shot. dude is pissed because 'yesterday, he got doubles and they just swipped the card twice. NO .. dude takes shot away to next table, put down drink, and orders another shot on the rocks. Staff says NO. Staff calls for backup and a head bar dude confronts passenger. Later learned they flagged his account for the rest of the cruise - not sure exactly what that meant

Laundry room: have they upgraded to tokens with cruise card or must one still rustle up quarters?

Who was this absolutely the worst pianist in Crooner's and what made them so bad? It'll be a bummer if s/he is still onboard and terrible for my 13 days . . .

I too just got off the Crown today. Spent 10 days sailing. Ate in MDR most of my meals. Did not have bad service. Food was good. Had Anytime dining. Noticed last night had the normal unwrapped butter but this morning at breakfast had the prewrapped butter.

The entertainer in Crooners was Kory Simon. He was not the worst WE have seen. We enjoyed the songs he played but he was a little different. He didn’t say he was leaving the ship today but I know he was because I occasionally look at the Facebook page of someone we saw in Crooners in 2013 and saw he was going on the Crown for I believe 4 months. His name is AJ Clarke. Really wish we could hear him again. He always drew a crowd.

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There are a few threads about Kory, here's one. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511224

It seems that folks either love him or hate him.

was there still gelato at ic?

 

 

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yes

Laundry room: have they upgraded to tokens with cruise card or must one still rustle up quarters?

 

Who was this absolutely the worst pianist in Crooner's and what made them so bad? It'll be a bummer if s/he is still onboard and terrible for my 13 days . . .

use your cruise card for tokens - $3 wash, $3 dry - wife took own pods and dryer sheets

not planning on having to wash on the 5 day - but ended up doing a load of whites

We like to eat in MDR 2nd seating. That doesn't seem as popular to people. Maybe it won't be too busy.

 

We are going on Crown for 5B2B cruises starting in January. Very concerned about the beds. We are in a suite and hopefully they put the new beds in there early.

 

Who was the MD on the cruise?

Check the MD thread where they are posted for all ships. I just updated it for the prior cruise and I doubt there was a change.

Sorry, I meant the maitre'd in dining room.

The Maitre d' is Neville Saldanha...he just started his contract a few weeks ago.

THANK [emoji134]*♂️ YOU [emoji925] FOR[emoji568] THIS [emoji925] POSTING [emoji16]

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How was the "sale specials" on retail merchandise? Decent amounts? Prices?

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We are going on the Crown in late Feb. We were on her last year and main dining service was really bad. Specialty restaurants not much better. I spoke to the head food person wasted time. Too many pay venues with no additional staff. We have 10 cruises with Princess if no improvement we will find something else to do. Not the fault of the staff they did their best.

Tablemates of ours claimed that the MDR food was terrible last year and much improved this time. I thought it was acceptable this cruise.

There are a few threads about Kory, here's one. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511224

It seems that folks either love him or hate him.

Like Bert Stratton. Cruisers either love him or hate him.

There are a few threads about Kory, here's one. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511224

It seems that folks either love him or hate him.

We are on Crown next April - Kory Simon would be reason to cancel !

I also just got off this ship, same time.

Everything normal.

Has to be the cleanest ship on the fleet now. Super clean. Only report of sickness was several Sea Sickness and one Swimmers ear according to a nurse I ran into off the record.

We are on Crown next April - Kory Simon would be reason to cancel !

Really? Cancel because of some lame piano player?

The Maitre d' is Neville Saldanha...he just started his contract a few weeks ago.

Thank you. Never had him before...is he good?

Check the MD thread where they are posted for all ships. I just updated it for the prior cruise and I doubt there was a change.

Thanks!!

So now I have learned that there are good MD's and not so good MD's ??

OK, I'll bite - what makes a difference? If they accommodate you ,while not doing so for someone else?

So now I have learned that there are good MD's and not so good MD's ??

 

OK, I'll bite - what makes a difference? If they accommodate you ,while not doing so for someone else?

It's somewhat an intangible...When we first started cruising, we could care less about the MD. In fact, we kind of avoided them as it seemed they were around on the last night to strong-arm you for a tip. Over time, we have become foodies and enjoy a great meal paired with great wines. When you bring a good wine aboard, or order one from the wine list, you kind of get on the staff's radar, and start getting more interaction from the Head Waiters and MD. Suddenly, special dishes start showing up at your table, or special accommodations are made with your dining reservations. From cruise to cruise, you start meeting the MDs and you know which ones are willing to go the extra mile for you, and which ones are visible no matter where you eat. We have been fortunate enough to have cruised with Neville several times, and I would rank him as the best in the Princess fleet. Extremely personable, and commands the respect of his staff.

We are not production show people, so would rather have an outstanding meal followed by a nightcap in vines, where we often run into the MDs and their Head Wait staff after they are done for the night, so we get to know them on a personal basis. I am "Friends" with many of them and other staff on FB. I was able to have some gifts delivered to Carmen in Vines through a friend and got the most wonderful thank you on FB this morning from her!

So now I have learned that there are good MD's and not so good MD's ??

 

OK, I'll bite - what makes a difference? If they accommodate you ,while not doing so for someone else?

It's been 2 years since my husband's neck dissection, chemo and radiation and there are residual side effects, such as needing fluid in order to eat. Also food cannot be dry or tough, so need extra dressing, gravy, etc. For instance for breakfast in Sabatini, they don't give out large OJs (I guess it is a rule) but will for him because of his situation. He feels uncomfortable having to keep asking for more to drink. This way the MD handles it and we don't have to explain over and over. We also have gotten to know some of the MDs and even before this. Some MDs, just come around to all the tables and are everywhere, like Genrosso, one of our favorites, even before hubby had cancer. So, for special circumstances for us.

use your cruise card for tokens - $3 wash, $3 dry - wife took own pods and dryer sheets

 

not planning on having to wash on the 5 day - but ended up doing a load of whites

Thank you!

what was the itinerary this cruise? and do you happen to have pictures of menus or patters? im going on a 5 day to roaatan/cozumel in january and there isnt much info on the shorter 5 day cruises

It's somewhat an intangible...When we first started cruising, we could care less about the MD. In fact, we kind of avoided them as it seemed they were around on the last night to strong-arm you for a tip. Over time, we have become foodies and enjoy a great meal paired with great wines. When you bring a good wine aboard, or order one from the wine list, you kind of get on the staff's radar, and start getting more interaction from the Head Waiters and MD. Suddenly, special dishes start showing up at your table, or special accommodations are made with your dining reservations. From cruise to cruise, you start meeting the MDs and you know which ones are willing to go the extra mile for you, and which ones are visible no matter where you eat. We have been fortunate enough to have cruised with Neville several times, and I would rank him as the best in the Princess fleet. Extremely personable, and commands the respect of his staff.

 

We are not production show people, so would rather have an outstanding meal followed by a nightcap in vines, where we often run into the MDs and their Head Wait staff after they are done for the night, so we get to know them on a personal basis. I am "Friends" with many of them and other staff on FB. I was able to have some gifts delivered to Carmen in Vines through a friend and got the most wonderful thank you on FB this morning from her!

We have only met one MD that we felt made a difference and it was Neville Saldanha who luckily we had on our first two cruises on the Coral and then the Crown .

He is the only one I have seen be visible around the ship, not only stopping into the kitchens but visiting the dining rooms and stopping to chat. He is very charming and witty and a real personality. He always asks for comments on the food and service which is under his supervision and in the case of those two cruises both were stellar.

That's only two cruises out of 10 where I saw the Maitre d' beyond the Champagne Fountain or the smoking section.

Some keep a very low profile indeed and must have secret stairways. I like someone who is "on the job" and visibly so.

Finding out that Neville is on our next cruise 53 days away gives me confidence that our dining experience will be a good one. He seems to motivate and take pride in his team.

Norris