Too Many People, Too Little Ship

[sbflcruiser]

We were also on this cruise 9/4- 9/11, however, the only time we found crowd issues was at the anytime dining rooms. Our schedules must have just been enough off the masses. We had breakfast in the Horizon court 5 mornings and had a table within 1 minute of exiting the buffet, always sharing with others. The wait staff was quick to get juice and coffee. Ate in the dining room one morning- just doesn't really work for us(too long). Lunch was at the Pizza or grill. The dining room for dinner was always a long wait, even with a reservation. We never had trouble at the finding space or seating. We did not attend any shows in the theater other than Martin Kaye, which we arrived 15 minutes prior to show time and found great seats. Went to comedy shows and did not have any trouble with seats. Went into skywalkers in the afternoon to read and DH called it the "coma room", it was so quite and unoccupied. We also did MUTS in the afternoon and evening once each and did not have any trouble with seats.

 

Not sure if it was just timing differences when hitting the various areas of the ship or we were just really lucky. We enjoyed our cruise very much however the ship experience it's self was probably our least favorite. That having to do with staff not as friendly/helpful as the other ships we have been on. Also the rudest fellow passengers I have ever encounter in my entire life. But the crowding itself was a nonissue for us.

[Kamloops50]

We found that any cruise that goes to a cooler climate (ie Alaska) the inside places get crowded faster . On a Panama Canal Cruise most people congregate around the pool.

This I observed RCI , HAL and Princess.

[Seal]

Princess has prepared me for my work's cafeteria going "trayless" this year. So now at work I get to go back and fourth but with a smaller plate and get food.

 

That saves one tray per person--what a deal---you can see the food falling off the plates now--to avoid going back for a 2nd plate--it seems that everyone, every business and every everything is going something---LESS---

 

Hope you are well--Coral

 

Nancy:D

[caribill]

I don't understand why ANYONE would choose to eat in the Horizon Court----what is wrong with the Dining Room---?

 

 

Speed of service. As much as we like eating breakfast and lunch in the dining room, it will often take over an hour and planned activities (shore excursions, lectures, etc.) often do not allow time for such a leisurely meal.

[Coral]

We found that any cruise that goes to a cooler climate (ie Alaska) the inside places get crowded faster . On a Panama Canal Cruise most people congregate around the pool.

This I observed RCI , HAL and Princess.

 

While to some extent, I agree with this. Though - I have done a ton of Alaska cruises and never had the type of crowding we experienced until we hit a ship with 500 more passengers compared to other ships. It was so much worse to the point where it affected our cruising experience. Think of an Alaskan cruise where you can tell there are more people inside and add 500 more people! I had done a Canada NE on the Golden previously (similar weather in the ports that were the same) and it was so much worse with the additional passengers on the Crown.

 

So while most ships (original Grand class, Island, Coral) can absorb these extra people inside with out affecting too much on the ship, these new ships just can't.

 

When these ships were designed, it was originally with the idea that they would stay in the Caribbean all year (at least with the Caribbean Princess) and if that is the case, it would probably work....

[Coral]

That saves one tray per person--what a deal---you can see the food falling off the plates now--to avoid going back for a 2nd plate--it seems that everyone, every business and every everything is going something---LESS---

 

Hope you are well--Coral

 

Nancy:D

 

Hi Seal!

[earljr]

Speed of service. As much as we like eating breakfast and lunch in the dining room, it will often take over an hour and planned activities (shore excursions, lectures, etc.) often do not allow time for such a leisurely meal.

 

Agree -- we feel the same way

[gertz]

Gertz, yes it is the space ratio, passenger space ratio. The Island/ Coral Princess have the best space ratios in the Princess fleet. We absolutely love the Coral. The Grand, Golden, Star ratios are fine as well.

There is definitely a problem with passenger space ratio on the newer builds, you cannot hide 500 extra passsengers. We noticed the issue 5-6 years ago and have purposely avoided them. We vote with our feet. We continue to sail Princess but if I'm looking for a cruise and Caribbean, Ruby, Emerald or Crown comes up, we avoid it.

 

Periodically this becomes a hot topic on this message board as it should. Princess is a very nice line but they goofed big time on the Caribbean, Ruby, Emerald, Crown.

The issue is not whether one person sits alone at a table in the Horizon Court, that person probably looked and looked to find that table and it is their right to sit there for hours if they wish.

The problem is too many people in inadequate public space.

 

Hay someone agrees with me.:D

Not to be picky but the small ships have better ratio at 46 and the Diamond and Sapphire at 43 not as good at the C/Island but very good.

M O O above 40 is passable below 40 is not. And read some place the new ships will be around 40 or below but don't take that as gospel.

Another M O O it is not only the extra deck at 500 people but the added 2nd and 3rd births that fill up in the Caribbean.

[Loonbeam]

It's not just a matter of tonnage to space however. Using the Oasis as an example they have a lot of space based on tonnage, but a lot of it is not usable space (the aqua theater and flow riders eat up a lot just to name two items).

 

The measure I would like to see is square feet of common passenger space (public areas) per passenger. Not sure how to get that without digging through a lot of floor plans to scale. You could break it down to pool space per person, etc.

 

A princess example - adding the sanctuary doesn't change the overall space per person based on tonnage, but reduces the overall public space availability.

 

Hay someone agrees with me.:D

 

Not to be picky but the small ships have better ratio at 46 and the Diamond and Sapphire at 43 not as good at the C/Island but very good.

 

M O O above 40 is passable below 40 is not. And read some place the new ships will be around 40 or below but don't take that as gospel.

 

Another M O O it is not only the extra deck at 500 people but the added 2nd and 3rd births that fill up in the Caribbean.

[CrusinAgain]

We took the Caribbean Princess on her last run last Oct. for the New England route and the outside decks were closed so everyone was inside but the only place we really experienced overcrowding that was noticeable was the casino. We saved money by rarely ever able to get a machine but as far as the Horizon Court or theater we never noticed a difference from a Caribbean run or this run. In fact sometimes it was easier to get a theater seat since they started showing the shows more than one night. Next month we are going on the Crown leaving out of Quebec City for the New England run then down to Ft. Lauderdale and we don't expect it to be any different. We'll just find a cozy nook and play some games instead of losing money at the casino for the down time.

[The Big Booper]

It's not just a matter of tonnage to space however. Using the Oasis as an example they have a lot of space based on tonnage, but a lot of it is not usable space (the aqua theater and flow riders eat up a lot just to name two items).

 

The measure I would like to see is square feet of common passenger space (public areas) per passenger. Not sure how to get that without digging through a lot of floor plans to scale. You could break it down to pool space per person, etc.

 

A princess example - adding the sanctuary doesn't change the overall space per person based on tonnage, but reduces the overall public space availability.

 

Gross Tonnage NEVER includes open space not covered by a ceiling. So the Sanctuary and pool decks are not counted on Princess ships along with the Flowriders, pool decks, sports decks etc. of RCI. And all the open space on the Oasis class (Aqua theater, flowriders,main and Solarium pool areas, Boardwalk and the lovely quiet Central Park don't count in the GRT calculations.

 

The Super-Grands are 951 feet long. The Explorer class is 1030 feet long. The Freedom class is over 1,100 feet long. That is why the CB and sisters feel crowded in so-so conditions where everybody is inside.