Too Many People, Too Little Ship

[Coral]

I did neglect to mention that I 100% agree with your comment about the photos gallery. You'd think someone would have smartened up there.

 

My point is directed at the specific OP complaints - buffet crowding at breakfast, lines at the dining room esp. when it first opens, and for shows. It is always the same and we have seen the same problems to some extent or another on every ship we have been on Sea (old), Royal (old), Regal to Alaska(I swear people pitched tents in the buffet there, the only table ever available was the shakey table), Grand, Golden, Coral, Caribbean...

 

The times where problems have seemed in my perception to be worse have been cruises with a markedly older group of passengers versus more families with greater range of ages. My conclusion is that you are as likely to experience similar problems on any ship and my observation is that the crowding issues seem to be more prevalent when the clientele is older - including Voyager.

 

Rob - I was totally caught off guard on how bad it was on the Crown. Having been on many Alaska one way cruises where the age was much higher then on Canada NE trip and having done a previous Canada NE trip with the same demographics - these new ships are much worse. The interior of the ship can not absorb the extra 500 passengers.

 

For example - I have never seen people backed up to the couches outside of the Explorer's Lounge trying to watch a show. This was a fire hazzard if there ever was one. And then you get past that and you can't walk in the atrium in front of the stores as it was jammed with people. Another fire hazzard IMO. I have never had to wait 35 minutes to get an elevator for Traditional dining on any ship, ever. This was using the aft elevators, walking to the midship elevators wouldn't work due to the bottleneck in the other areas on Deck 7.

 

I agree with you that there are times when it has seemed crowded on some of the other ships every once in awhile. This was far worse then I encountered on any other ship with an older age demographic (and IMO - this wasn't a very old age demographic trip). It was a very active group and well traveled group.

 

My Explorer of the Seas trip was early December and had no families and was mostly older people.

 

It is funny (in a sick sort of way) - I had a few sets of friends on this trip. They all will not sail on this class of ship again, anywhere. These are loyal Princess people and absolutely hated the ship. I totally understand what a new cruiser would think of Princess after this type of cruise.

[CruiseAdict218]

My Family just did this and yes some areas were crouded but overall we didn't complain just happy we got to cruise:)

[FLACRUISER99]

This is a huge ship! if you're feeling crowded on this ship you will feel the same on others! We did the Crown to Alaska and it was fine

Not true Caribbean Princess 116000/3100=37 tons per person Oasis of the Seas 225282/5400=42 tons per person. Its the space per person that is important. I do agree the newer Grand class are crowded during bad weather.

[CaribbeanIsland]

This is a huge ship! if you're feeling crowded on this ship you will feel the same on others! We did the Crown to Alaska and it was fine

 

The previous Crown Princess was a very spacious ship. The current Crown Princess has never been to Alaska. You are talking about 2 different ships.

[Clutterlady]

Just returned yesterday from the Caribbean Princess. Due to this cruise being very port intensive, it seemed that everyone was eating breakfast at the same time!! Was it hard finding a table? Yes...but we usually managed. We asked several times if a table minded if we shared. If we sat at a table that wasn't bused yet, the service team was right there to clear it and reset. They did a terrific job considering the number of people.

 

We went to several shows in the Explorers Lounge and arrived around 10 minutes before and never had a problem finding a seat. Yes, you can also ask to share at a table. Seems like some people want a large table all to themselves and are anti-social:D

 

Had a wonderful cruise on the CB and refuse to let some things bother me as there is usually a solution to some problems. Met some wonderful people, great staff. The points being made about the big ships and overcrowding may be true to a point, but we always made the best of it. I refuse to let some things ruin my cruise....guess we're just easy to please:)

[CaribbeanIsland]

Just returned yesterday from the Caribbean Princess. Due to this cruise being very port intensive, it seemed that everyone was eating breakfast at the same time!! Was it hard finding a table? Yes...but we usually managed. We asked several times if a table minded if we shared. If we sat at a table that wasn't bused yet, the service team was right there to clear it and reset. They did a terrific job considering the number of people.

 

We went to several shows in the Explorers Lounge and arrived around 10 minutes before and never had a problem finding a seat. Yes, you can also ask to share at a table. Seems like some people want a large table all to themselves and are anti-social:D

 

Had a wonderful cruise on the CB and refuse to let some things bother me as there is usually a solution to some problems. Met some wonderful people, great staff. The points being made about the big ships and overcrowding may be true to a point, but we always made the best of it. I refuse to let some things ruin my cruise....guess we're just easy to please:)

 

I would expect far less problems in August and first of September compared to the end of September and October. Point that people could utilize the tables outside for Horizon Court and people could watch Movies Under the Stars at night. People can swim as it is still summer. A few weeks later, this won't happen which will force anyone outside to go inside. This is when the real problems exist which is also when most want to visit -- to see the fall foliage.

[trixiee]

If you want a real breakfast ----Princess's room service menu has a lot to be desired. There is nothing hot on the menu.

 

It's not on the menu... but you can write in anything your heart desires!

 

For me, it also helps with portion control!:D

[geoherb]

When the Caribbean Princess came out, I knew I never wanted to sail on a ship that large. But then we took an Emerald Princess cruise and loved it. And have been back on it and on the Crown. But all of those cruises were in the Caribbean, and we did not have crowds.

 

One thing we do is avoid the buffet if possible. We've seldom had to wait more than a minute to be seated for breakfast or lunch in the dining room.

 

When we took our cruise to New England and Canada on the Golden, we had anytime dining. The first night was crazy. We had a long wait because we went at 7:30--when everyone else was either finishing up or wanting to start. After that night, we started going after 8:30 and never had to wait. Afternoon tea when we got back from ports each day kept us from getting hungry before then.

[Colo Cruiser]

It's not on the menu... but you can write in anything your heart desires!

 

This would be mostly miss.

It all depends on the ship.

[Coral]

It's not on the menu... but you can write in anything your heart desires!

 

For me, it also helps with portion control!:D

 

This hasn't worked on any Princess ship I have been on in the last 5 plus years. It seems to work if you are in a suite, otherwise, those items are omitted when breakfast arrives.

[Toto2Kansas]

Add me to what Coral and Colo say. No luck writing in extras to be delivered by room service. :(

[DonnaK]

What is wrong with eating meals in the DR instead of the buffet?

 

We prefer the variety, and the ability to make our own selections, in the buffet.

 

 

 

We were on the CB for Canada/NE in 8/08 and the Caribbean in 7/10. We agree with the OP's assessment that the ship is not large enough for the number of people onboard, and the space to passenger ratio is not as favorable as on other ships/cruiselines.

 

We always had to have one member of our party scout for a table while the rest of us selected our meal. One thing we noticed is that people tended to linger long after they were finished eating, oblivious to all the people waiting for their table. This was especially true of the geriatric crowd on the Canada/NE itinerary - they would sit and play cards, or just sit and talk without eating/drinking, tying up tables in the buffet area during prime dining times.

 

We found the Caribe Cafe in the back to be less crowded, so we often walked backed there with our food from Horizon and were better able to find free tables.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Last time we received anything not on the room service menu in our room was on the Sapphire transpacific, Nov 2004. That was a full dinner off the dinner menu. But, frankly, haven't even tried since.

[Colo Cruiser]

We prefer the variety, and the ability to make our own selections, in the buffet.

 

 

Think I would much rather wait in a line at the entrance to the DR then fight for my food selections then fight for a table in the buffet. JMO :cool:

[CaribbeanIsland]

It's not on the menu... but you can write in anything your heart desires!

 

For me, it also helps with portion control!:D

 

You can write whatever you want but they no longer deliver hot meals for breakfast unless you are in a suite.

[Host CJSKIDS]

Last time I wrote in anything on the breakfast ticket was our 2005 Golden sailing. Every morning they were willing to deliver hot items and we were only in a mini suite on that sailing. When I asked about it they told me there were certain items they would do, like eggs but for some reason not pancakes.

I haven't tried it since then.

[Jeniceves]

Wow, what ship?? We were on the Ruby with over 3,000 people and we were never crowded anywhere!

[gertz]

Do believe I have posted more on the horrible space ratios on these ships than any other subject. We just avoid them and we really don't chairish going to the Caribbean any more. Grand Cayman with seven cruise ships there.:eek:

We have never felt crowded on the Coral or the Island or the Grand or the Golden or the Sapphire or the Diamond or the little ships which I don't particularly care for.

We just vote with our $'s and with this economy not so sure how long the $'s will last.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

We were on Crown from Quebec to Ft L as others have posted age of passenger and weather makes a big difference to the on board feeling,

 

we found Crown in the Med was fine while in New England crowded.

 

yours Shogun

[SeattleCruiselover]

One thing that seems to be reported more than a few times is that on this Canadian Itinerary, where it is usually cooler, and many are inside instead of outside, that the ship can seem very crowded. With so many passengers all looking for the warmer areas indoors, that can make for a ship that feels more crowded than normal.

Sorry this cruise didn't meet your expectations, but it is the one reason we have never considered this itineary on a ship of this size.

Hopefull your next cruise, on whatever line you choose will be better. And thanks for confirming other posts I have read in the past. Doesn't sound like something we would be interested in at all.

 

Conversely, and strangely enough, I've done Alaska on Golden twice now, and she's not THAT much bigger than CB. I've never felt crowded at all, and people were, for the most part, indoors except for glacier day and port times. And it's colder there than it is on the eastern side of Canada. Wonder if it is just something about the way the CB is laid out as compared to the Grand class?

[Toto2Kansas]

Conversely, and strangely enough, I've done Alaska on Golden twice now, and she's not THAT much bigger than CB. I've never felt crowded at all, and people were, for the most part, indoors except for glacier day and port times. And it's colder there than it is on the eastern side of Canada. Wonder if it is just something about the way the CB is laid out as compared to the Grand class?

 

I would guess it is because the modified Grand Class has an extra 500 passengers onboard, unlike the Grand Class ships. ;)

[Coral]

Conversely, and strangely enough, I've done Alaska on Golden twice now, and she's not THAT much bigger than CB. I've never felt crowded at all, and people were, for the most part, indoors except for glacier day and port times. And it's colder there than it is on the eastern side of Canada. Wonder if it is just something about the way the CB is laid out as compared to the Grand class?

 

That is because there are 500 less passengers on the Golden (and I have also done the Grand class in Alaska and not been crowded).

 

Think of the Golden but an extra deck of passengers (500 people) onboard. No more public space available on the ship to absorb the people. Oh - and the covered pool doesn't exist on these ships so if it is cool out, people don't go there either like they can on the Grand class.

[mytime53]

And then the sanctuary takes up space, too, so if people aren't using that (hardly anyone was in it on our cruise last Feb.), there's even less space/person than before.

[caribill]

And then the sanctuary takes up space, too, so if people aren't using that (hardly anyone was in it on our cruise last Feb.), there's even less space/person than before.

 

Good point. The basketball court was downsiozed and relocated for the Sanctuary and the good jogging/walking track was also banished from that area.

 

Once the weather turns cooler, the sanctuary gets little, if any, use be it in NE/Canada, Northern Europe, Alaska, etc.

[jomoin]

My DH & I just got off the same cruise as Mysteryreader and we agree 100%. This was our first Princess Cruise, having previously cruised on Carnival, RCL and Celebrity. I suspect it will be our last Princess experience. It didn't come close to the quality of cruises we've had on Celebrity. I really enjoyed the ports and timing of this cruise, which was why we selected it. Our on board experience had much to be desired.

 

We requested early traditional seating and was assigned the new 5:15 seating. That really is too early, but we decided to deal with it since we like traditional seating. Unfortunately, the three other couples assigned to our table should have switched to anytime seating since they were almost always 20-45 minutes late, making it tough on our waiter to schedule the service, as well as making our meal time stretch out a half hour longer than it should have.

 

The casino is riduculously small for this size ship and the older guests on this cruise. You could seldom find a slot machine you wanted to play.

 

We were on the 12th floor, requiring multiple floors to get to any of the public areas. As a result, we were constantly waiting forever for the elevators.

 

After battling the crowds once at the buffet, we took the rest of our meals in the DR or grabbed a bite at the International Cafe.

 

We have no complaints with the DR meals or wait staff. The meals offered were a great variety and very good. Our waiter did an excellent job.

 

While I wouldn't say this was a bad trip...I love all my travels...it ranked last of the total of six cruises we've taken. That said, I still enjoyed my vacation. Bar Harbor and Halifax were our favorite ports, with St. John's being the least interesting to us.

 

If anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to answer if I can.