Returning to Princess

[RhondaPerr]

Hi,

 

It has been a while since I have sailed on Princess. This will be my 25th cruise... I have a few questions. We are doing the Caribbean in April on the Ruby Out of Ft Lauderdale. Do they have the luggage Valet Service where they take your bags and you don't see them again to your home port?

 

Does Princess provide you with luggage tags or is it it all e-docs now? Right now I have a mini-suite..are the perks enough to warrant upgrading to a full suite?

 

How was the entertainment? That was the one thing about Celebrity that was not great!

 

Thanks

 

Rhonda

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi,

 

It has been a while since I have sailed on Princess. This will be my 25th cruise... I have a few questions. We are doing the Caribbean in April on the Ruby Out of Ft Lauderdale. Do they have the luggage Valet Service where they take your bags and you don't see them again to your home port?

 

Does Princess provide you with luggage tags or is it it all e-docs now? Right now I have a mini-suite..are the perks enough to warrant upgrading to a full suite?

 

How was the entertainment? That was the one thing about Celebrity that was not great!

 

Thanks

 

Rhonda

 

 

Depending on the airline you are flying they may have the luggage service on your cruise.

 

You will have to print luggage tags out on the Princess website.

 

As far as the suite it depends on how much of a price difference there is.

The perks usually do not warrant the price difference. :)

[Toto2Kansas]

I can't answer the luggage valet question, but I can answer the suite vs mini suite question.

Mini suites on Princess have very few perks, only the larger staterroom and glass of champagne after arriving at your mini suite.

Full suite perks are listed here: http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na828&submit=pk Along with breakfast at Sabatinis for full suite guests only (not even guests are allowed).

 

We enjoy the full suite perks, but depending on the length of sailing, not sure if they are worth the price unless it is at least a 10 day cruise, and better if even longer. We had a full suite on our last 7 day cruise, and thankfully we were upgraded to it that time, as to us, it would not have been worth the price for only 7 days as we used very few of the full suite perks for only a week. But it all depends on what you are looking for I guess. On longer cruises, we always book a full suite, as the perks are used on a daily basis for longer voyages.

 

Keep in mind that now booking a full suite, you receive two cruise credits for that sailing in a full suite towards your captain's circle status. (recently a new addition to the perks of booking a full suite on Princess).

[RhondaPerr]

Thanks for the responses. Keeping fingers crossed that the valet service is available..best thing ever!

[FLACRUISER99]

Hi,

 

 

 

How was the entertainment? That was the one thing about Celebrity that was not great!

 

Thanks

 

Rhonda

Very subjective but IMO I don't score Princess very high in entertainment. However they do have some excellent lectures on the longer cruises.

[Woobstr112G]

Toto;

 

Probably a dumb question, but is that new doubl credit policy retroactive.....?)

 

Bob

[FLACRUISER99]

No just for cruises after it was announced.

[Toto2Kansas]

Toto;

 

Probably a dumb question, but is that new doubl credit policy retroactive.....?)

 

Bob

 

Bob, No unfortunately not. Just from the date they began giving the credit. It was sometime after the beginning of January 2008 as we were in a suite for that cruise but only received one cruise credit for that one (but I would have to look up the exact date this took effect).

 

Edited-found the date it took effect. It was December 12, 2008. any full suites before that date only received one cruise credit.

[tigragirl]

etickets seem to be princess way of doing things.

 

It is rather subjective but I wouldn't expect much from the so called Broadway Quality shows, The Ruby's singers and dancers put 3 shows on in the 12 day cruise and built the last one up to be their highlight. Nobody we spoke to had a good thing to say about it. As I say it is rather subjective but I think someone should have strong words with the team in LA because they don't show talent off to its true potential. If I only had 2 word to discribe the theatre provided by Ruby entertainment team they would be "not good".

The best night which involved the Ruby's staff was the staff talent show and had a party atmosphere - everyone we spoke to really enjoyed that show.

There was a show in explorers lounge...can't remember what it was called but they had 4 members of staff explain meanings of words then the audiance were put into teams if they wanted to play and decide who was telling the truth. That was quite funny.

The comedian was dire (he used to write for Benny Hill and should have given up when he died)

A couple of acrobats performed in the Piazza a few times and they were very good. The residant band and the swing quartet in the Wheelhouse were very easy listening and many a happy hour was spent in the wheelhouse listening to them.

There was a crooner on........you gussed it the crooners bar who was ok we never got to hear who was supposed to play in the adadgio bar it was always empty when we went.

The wheelhouse was our favourite haunt.