Ruby Princess answer for hard mattress

[Toto2Kansas]

Toto, I've read this tip from you before and found it a suburb idea which I have used on ALL my near port cruises lately, but have gone to the full extreme of buying NEW 2 in. memory form with the real egg crate effect, split a queen down the middle and do two twins. Put it in the extra large space bag as you say and ta da you are good to go. Have cruised princess and suffered before, but with 14 days coming in Nov. and then 28 days next fall I thinking this is a must have item even flying, so something else has to go! :D By the way, DH thought I was a genius for thinking of the stewards vaccum, but I fested up eventually;) Thanks for some really great ideas over the years, this board has made our cruise life even greater!

 

Happy to hear it worked as well for you as it has for us. :)

[Nightengale31]

I have a very bad back from too many years in the nursing profession, so aside from my home Tempur-Pedic, any mattress that is firm I just cannot sleep on even with an egg crate. Since my husband and I enjoy traveling this was an issue, but that issue resolved when I happened upon the TravelSet by Tempur-Pedic on the Brookstone web site. This is basically a Tempur-Pedic mattress topper with a travel pillow that rolls up nicely and is carried in it's own rolling duffle bag which has to be checked just like your luggage. It is pricey, about $379 for a twin size which is the only size they make, but it is well worth the $$$ if you have a bad back and an egg crate just won't cut it. For me it's the gift that keeps on giving :)

[kymbakitty]

I have a very bad back from too many years in the nursing profession, so aside from my home Tempur-Pedic, any mattress that is firm I just cannot sleep on even with an egg crate. Since my husband and I enjoy traveling this was an issue, but that issue resolved when I happened upon the TravelSet by Tempur-Pedic on the Brookstone web site. This is basically a Tempur-Pedic mattress topper with a travel pillow that rolls up nicely and is carried in it's own rolling duffle bag which has to be checked just like your luggage. It is pricey, about $379 for a twin size which is the only size they make, but it is well worth the $$$ if you have a bad back and an egg crate just won't cut it. For me it's the gift that keeps on giving :)

 

We've been forever spoiled with a Tempur-Pedic mattress as well and you don't even know how cr*ppy your mattress is until you sleep on one of those--ha! My husband wishes we would have bought one a decade ago but it truly is the only mattress you'll ever need.

 

Having said that, I still like the idea of picking up a 2" memory foam topper at the port we're leaving from....maybe $99 - $150. My husband does not drink alcohol or gamble--since our cruises are typically 14 days, this is a very modest amount to spend considering all the $$ we could have spent if he did either of those two!

 

Also, I don't want to schlep it from home and back with the luggage restrictions today, and I think it would be a great gift to give one of those hard working stewards that puportedly have worse beds that the cruise ship passengers!

 

I know FLL will be easy to acquire a topper, but I'm not real sure about Rio or Singapore in 2011--ugh. I wonder if Costco/Sam's will ship to the Marriott in Rio prior to our cruise? We've had entertainment books delivered to us in our Australia hotel and pants from Land's End sent to our hotel in Florida....so maybe there is hope.

 

:)

[Thurston Howell lll]

More likely due to different users almost every week, placing of heavy suitcases on the bed, etc.

 

Gees...The mattress they buy is crap. You will not find beds like this on HAL or even on NCL, in fact, I was impressed by the beds on NCL on my last cruise. The beds on Princess are about as bad as the bunks on my old Navy Destroyer.

[Thurston Howell lll]

When I book a Princess cruise, the first thing on my packing list is my inflatable camping pad. In fact, before the last time, I went to a thicker pad because the original one just wasn't big enough (I now have a 2.5" thick model). I put the egg crate/foam on top of that to avoid the clammy feeling from the camping pad, and voila - an almost comfortable bed.

 

Still find it strange that both Carnival and HAL sister companies have such good beds, but Princess is a literal pain in the tush.

 

Princess is the Motel 6 of the seas when it comes to beds.

[Morgsmom]

Princess is the Motel 6 of the seas when it comes to beds.

 

LOL!!!! Princess, are you reading???:rolleyes:

[KruzPrincess]

I haven't stayed in a Motel 6 in years, but I bet the beds at Motel 6 are better than the beds on Princess.

[celticlady]

Better pillows, robe and slippers? can you explain please? is this for a mini or suite? i know you can ask for more pillows, but i didint know there were different kinds. And slippers?

thank you!

Hey red, We are booked in a mini, but I called princess to ask about the things you are asking about now. I was told that anyone can get feather pillows, slipper, and even the better "suite" robes if you ask your steward. As for the pillows, you can call princess and ask them to put in down in your onboard preferences in "my princess". Then give it alittle time and you can go see your request listed. For the rest, you have to wait to get on the ship to ask. Happy Cruising ;)

[Thurston Howell lll]

LOL!!!! Princess, are you reading???:rolleyes:

 

I just sent Princess an email about the problem and told them that I was changing my next Alaska cruise over to HAL.

I also suggested that they log on and read a few posts here on the boards to get in touch with customers.

[sheldrake]

Okay....this question if for anyone who cruised Princess 1 - 2 years ago and used the egg crate mattress toppers back then and found them comfortable...and who have recently cruised princess...

 

I found the mattresses on Princess with the egg crate toppers from 1-2 years ago comfortable.

 

For anyone who has cruised more recently....are the new toppers that much different?

 

If you liked the mattress with the old topper, what is your opinion with the new toppers?

I cruised on the Emerald in September and slept like a baby,we ordered egg crates in advance and they were there .I have athritis in my neck and spine and sleep on two matresses plus a memory foam topper at home,but I must have been lucky by the sounds of it. We had a balcony cabin on Carib deck.

[Astro Flyer]

Gees...The mattress they buy is crap. You will not find beds like this on HAL or even on NCL, in fact, I was impressed by the beds on NCL on my last cruise. The beds on Princess are about as bad as the bunks on my old Navy Destroyer.

Those on my aircraft carrier were better :eek: and I was just an enlisted puke! :rolleyes:

[kymbakitty]

We cruise out of FLL tomorrow on the Emerald. After our experience on the Grand in March, we will not take the chance that the bedding is as bad as it was on the Grand. And it is so much more than just "hard beds."

 

Anyway, we went to BJ's today, purchased a Queen 2.5 memory topper for $130 bucks and will open up and let it breath on the ship. DH may have to rough it for the first night or two.

 

It is such a small price to pay to have a good night's sleep. We just consider it a part of the cruise/vacation. We don't spend (i.e., donate) a dime to the casino so it is not even an issue for us.

 

We differ just a bit from others with respect to taking this home. After I read a few posts about how grateful the room stewards are if you leave it to them, we knew we'd never take one home. Just the thought of lugging it back (this s*cker was heavy) to California is just silly (in our minds....not for others I'm sure)....especially when it is something that is so small that would make a room stewards bed that much more comfortable was all we needed to hear.

 

I hear their beds are WORSE than the passengers. While I find that hard to believe, I also don't doubt that it is probably true.

 

Enjoy!!!!

 

Dawn

[suzyed]

We just sailed on our first Princess Cruise and I was concerned about the mattresses after reading the CC boards.

We found the mattresses to be perfectly confortable...not hard at all....we slept very well! I don't know if we had old ones , new ones or what...but they were very comfy! :D

[suzyed]

We must have been lucky - we just returned from the Ruby, cabin C433, and we slept like babies!

We were on Ruby too...D715 and we slept like babies too (without all the crying...LOL) ;)

[FINTUCKYFARMS]

This Aug, we were on the Sapphire Princess and the beds were the hardest I have EVER slept on. We requested an egg crate the first day and it was no help. It was very thin and very worn. My husband and I agree next time we will take our air mattress no matter what! That said, the mattresses on the Amsterdam were great, best sleep I'd had in a long time.

[caribill]

This Aug, we were on the Sapphire Princess and the beds were the hardest I have EVER slept on. We requested an egg crate the first day and it was no help. It was very thin and very worn. My husband and I agree next time we will take our air mattress no matter what! That said, the mattresses on the Amsterdam were great, best sleep I'd had in a long time.

 

 

Some people skip the ineffective egg crate and request that another duvet be put on the bed to replace the bottom sheet.

[red4u2]

Hey red, We are booked in a mini, but I called princess to ask about the things you are asking about now. I was told that anyone can get feather pillows, slipper, and even the better "suite" robes if you ask your steward. As for the pillows, you can call princess and ask them to put in down in your onboard preferences in "my princess". Then give it alittle time and you can go see your request listed. For the rest, you have to wait to get on the ship to ask. Happy Cruising ;)

 

Wow Celticlady- thank you so much for the info!! i will be looking forward to all the extras i didnt know about!!

 

Thanks again!! 9 days and counting.......

[iheartbda]

All this talk about the hard mattresses had me concerned so my roomie requested the egg crates, then I find out that they aren't much help either.:( I found a 1 1/2" memory foam for dorm beds which are usually extra long twins at TJMaxx.....$20. Their other sizes were quite reasonable as well.

 

I'm a curled up side sleeper so if it doesn't shrink down enough in a space bag, I'll cut it in half since I don't REALLY need the whole length. I'm cutting down on clothes for the first time so I may be able to get the whole thing packed without going over my weight limit.

 

So either way, with the whole or the half foam topper and the egg crate, I think I'll be in good shape.:) I usually travel with my own down pillow but will the steward be able to get me one once I'm on the ship?

[dillonsmimi]

We will be sailing on the Ruby in December.

You are the first poster that voiced satisfaction with the bed mattress.

I know everyone has their "fave", but would you mind comparing your home vs Ruby mattress?

We traded our Select Comfort for the Hotel brand pillowtop.

Have not slept this well since my first back surgery.

Hoping to have a comparable experience.

Thanks,

mimi

[school nurse]

Glad to hear you slept well, we are in D718 in February!

[rdsqrl]

Princess is the Motel 6 of the seas when it comes to beds.

I thought the Motel 6 of the Seas was RCI's new budget ship?

[cruisemom42]

Count me as another that wishes Princess would upgrade their bedding. I usually have no problem getting to sleep, but after a couple of hours I find myself tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable on that concrete slab, then generally wake up stiff and aching back in the morning. And I'm only mid-40s, never ever had a problem with such a hard mattress except in cheap Italian hotels!

 

I didn't think it would make such a difference, but I really enjoyed the mattress on HAL on my recent cruise -- and waking up refreshed and well rested in the mornings. A good thing as it was a very intensive itinerary.

[atlasali]

Our solution when headed on a 30-night cruise was to stop at Bed, Bath and Beyond in our departure city. We lprobably ooked a bit weird riding on a bus with massive amounts of bedding. We purchased a foam pad and a 3-inch thick fiberfill pillowtopper. My cruise was fabulous and comfortable. I intended to leave the bedding behind for the room steward to do as he pleased, but we ran into a B2B cruiser who was lamenting about another 30 nights on his hard bed. I asked, and he was thrilled to inherit our solution.

 

In Feb. when we embark for 14 nights, we are flying Southwest so my second piece of free luggage will contain my bedding.

 

I love Princess. I love the international cafe, the ships, the fellow passengers, the crew. We have cruised on numerous cruise lines and no one else has as miserably hard beds as Princess. When will Princess take notice? I even suggested that I would pay Princess a pillowtopper fee for the rental of a good quality mattress for the week. Like paying for a pass to the Thermal Suites for the week. Buy the way the heated granite loungers in the Thermal suite are more comfortable than the mattresses!

[suzyed]

We will be sailing on the Ruby in December.

You are the first poster that voiced satisfaction with the bed mattress.

I know everyone has their "fave", but would you mind comparing your home vs Ruby mattress?

We traded our Select Comfort for the Hotel brand pillowtop.

Have not slept this well since my first back surgery.

Hoping to have a comparable experience.

Thanks,

mimi

We bought a very expensive mattress for our bedroom in FL at Macy's several years ago...very thick pillow top(the sales woman called it the "Mac Daddy" of mattresses)...it's almost too squishy..DH hates it.

Our bed in GA, is a Serta and very comfy.

With that said, I am NOT a good sleeper...I have to take Ambien CR on occasion just to sleep through the night, and I must say, both DH and I slept very well on the Ruby. Maybe it was the gentle rocking of the ship..but I had no issue with the mattresses at all. When I mentioned to my DH, that people were complaining about the hard mattresses, he was quite surprised and stated that he thought they were fine.

The funny thing is, before we sailed on Princess, I was concerned about the hard mattresses...it was a few days into our sailing that I remembered that the mattresses were supposed to be awful....LOL!

[suzyed]

Glad to hear you slept well, we are in D718 in February!

 

Have fun! And pleasant dreams!