Princess Staff and Crew

[BroncoLvrs]

I am so thankful for CC and have learned SO much from all of you! This will be our first cruise so I can't really comment on the shipboard experience, but I can say that EVERY TIME I've called Princess they have been WONDERFUL! This cruise will be a dream come true for us...celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary AND my 50th birthday :eek:! Woo Hoo! This vacation is going to be AWESOME and the Princess Staff will only make it better! HAPPY CRUISING ALL....

[i_heart_cruzin]

Thanks Shogun for your comments!!!

 

I am a relative newbie to CC, but quickly found the information to be invaluable! Then quickly became a CC addict :D. And along the way I did become a bit dismayed at some of the negativity -- however, I also noted when certain folks speak, that is when you listen! (you and Pam, for instance)

 

For everyone who takes the time to post the excellent information and fun stories -- thank you so much!! It is really appreciated! :)

[Shogun]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for the nice words, but nicer to see that so many think the way I do.

 

Happy cruising to all

 

yours Shogun

[Talisker92]

Well said, Shogun. We have traveled a bit and have learned to make lemonade out of any situation. There are some folks, who are just plain negative, sort of like Joe Bstflx in the comics that have a dark cloud hovering over them.

I also agree with the poster who said expectations may also be a function of age, gender and marital status.

[UpcountryTravelers]

I look at it this way: If I don't complement those deserving, then I have no right to complain when things are less than my expectations. With Princess, it has all been compliments so far.

 

"Attitude is the difference between adversity and adventure."

[wickedwitchofthewest]

Shogun

I so agree with what you say - and I think if a person can't be constructive in what they say whether it is good or bad then it is far better to say nothing at all, although everyone is entitled to their opinion, some seem to do nothing but complain and get upset when others disagree with them!

 

Hope you have a great trip on board the Ruby -I'll be looking forward to your review.

 

Ann

[Shogun]

Hi Ann

 

Where have you been hiding, enjoy the Emerald Princess, may be we will

 

cruise together again one day

 

yours Shogun

[wickedwitchofthewest]

Hi Shogun

been working far too hard! and I have been bringing up a foal that needed a lot of looking after - needed bottle feeding for a while!

Looking forward to June counting the days!

Hopefully one of these days we'll get to cruise together again. Been watching the jewels with envy.

[zahav1]

I truly feel that 99% of the staff on Princess is top notch. Many enjoy posting negative remarks without any substance. There may have been one or two problems on each cruise but that's expected. I live near an area with hundreds of great restaurants and I haven't been able to find one that comes close to any of the Princess ships' service.

 

We got hooked on Princess during our first cruise on the old Crown Princess to the Panama Canal from Ft Lauderdale. We had lunch in the main dining room during one of the sea days, my DH ordered just a hamburger, he then requested ketchup. The waiter came over with the ketchup in a pretty container and proceeded to put the ketchup on the hamburger for him, he said "sir let me know when it's sufficient". We were stunned. My DH said, "that's it, we're always going to cruise on Princess from now on".

[robgvic]

This posting is so good and refreshing especially when compared to "Cowardly Princess Cruises treats passengers with contempt"

Thank you for starting it , Shugun. You are a very positive calm person. I remember how calmly you handled the lost luggage a few years ago

[captainron]

My wife and I were on a TA last year Star Princess. Richard Joseph was the CD and fantastic job he did too. Sam an English girl we met too part of the crew working with Richard was superb. Crew were superb to us couldn't do enough. Some passengers will moan regardless that's just the way they are made. One woman at our table shouted at the table staff as she didn't like the gravy on her plate? Next time we saw her she was ranting at a bus driver because she wanted on his bus but didn't have a ticket. I wonder why these people don't just stay at home if they are that miserable and going to try to find faults in everything. We booked again with Princess for May TA because of the great attitude of the staff on Star Princess.

 

I concur with your remarks regarding Richard, the Star Princess' CD staff, the Ship's Officers and all service personnel. Out of the 4 Princess ships I have had the opportunity to sail on, the positive attitude of all ship's company (especially when mastered by Capt Ed Perrin) make Star the leading candidate for "Attaboy Award". 30 days onboard across the Pacific in 2009 endeared me to the crew and the ship in general. Crown in August will have something to aspire to.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[Shogun]

Hi Robgvic

 

Thank you, in a few weeks I am returning to the scene of the crime,

 

I hope I do not have to repeat the story,

 

Also taking the kilt that replaced the one stolen.

 

yours Shogun

[robgvic]

Hi Shogun

I have to wait 6 week s to board the Crown to Soughampton and know how good the crew are on her. I cant wait to be spoiled completely

[Putterdude]

Having now completed a dozen Princes cruises I would say that we have run into exactly two rude crew members on Princess ships. A casino manager on the Ruby who should be fired and a cabin steward who was going to be fired until I intervened. Now when you consider the thousands of crew members we have come into contact with...well thats a pretty darn good job Princess.

I also have issues with at least one of the threads in this forum which has singled a single person by name to knife...this person(s) does not have the opportunity of any kind of rebuttal.

[Posaune]

One of my goals is to be on a cruise with Shogun one of these days. We have followed him by a couple of weeks a few times and are doing so again this summer. Just about everyone on the Crown knew Shogun and knew about the luggage problems he had on a cruise. They all had high praise for the way he handled the situation and treated the employees!

[sweet tooth]

My "job" on vacation is to make sure I have a good time, no matter what actually happens. I don't want to waste my money on being frustrated or angry, so choose to make the best of any situation and go on to whatever is next. I'm always puzzled by folks who choose to spend their time and money complaining while on vacation, just seems contradictory to the purpose of vacations.

 

I just returned from a great cruise on the Sapphire, wonderful staff, wonderful trip.

[robgvic]

Bravo sweet tooth.

I think the highlight of cruising for some here is that they can complain about almost everything and they are here often enough that they find many thing to comment on.

To me they cause only problems, especially for people just starting.

Sorry folks.

Get on the ship, relax and have a great time instead of looking for things to complain about

[hansi]

Shogun

Thanks for saying what I believe sp strongly. I was almost ready to quit Cruisecritics because of all the negativity. Some members take the title Cruise Critics, too seriously and feel they can destroy everything in sight. After reading your entry I will stay online for a while. Thanks

 

I also feel that the site is wrongly named and would put some people off participating. Why not change it to Cruise Lovers!;)

[Shogun]

HI Posaune,

 

What can I say, that was such I nice thing to say.

 

In 2009 we had planned to cruise from Quebec b2b around the Caribbean and back to Ft L,

 

What we never expected was both our dogs to die within weeks of each other in the Spring and as such we had to get out of the house as it was just to painful returning to an empty home.

 

We booked almost the first cruise we could get on which was the Crown doing the Med.

 

We found an excellant crew, but more than that many knew the story of our loss.

 

We became friends with many from a barman to officer.

 

Now we all know that its impossible to visit a cruise while in port,

 

so to get two invites to visit the Crown while in Scotland in the summer was amazing.

 

We were able to say hello to our new friends.

 

Then in the autumn our long b2b cruise was excellant nothing was a

 

problem for the crew, so when it came to leave on the last night we

 

tracked down a number of crew members to thank them for an excellant

 

cruise, what I did not expect was for some of them to start crying, we had

 

gone past the relationship between crew member and passenger to one

 

of good friends.

 

Now for me it is easy to treat a crew member with respect, they are human

 

and will have good days and bad days, now if they do make a mistake give

 

them a chance to put things right, if you bring an error to their attention

 

they will be so sorry and will do all in their power to correct it.

 

yours Shogun

[hiworldtraveler]

Shogun,

 

You are right on the money! I am an elite member with Captain's Circle and enjoyed every one of the cruises that I have been on. In fact, I still keep in touch with both former passengers and crew. The crew works hard and I always make an effort to complete the "You made my cruise" cards because I know it could help with promotions/advancement opportunities. Besides, it feels good to get praises and encouragement and know that you are appreciated versus constant complaints.

 

Kerso mentioned there are often rude passengers who only complain which is another reason why I take time out to fill-out those cards. I have seen my share of rude passengers and how they treat crew members is unbelievable! Remember the phrase treat others like how you want to be treated. How many of those rude people can do any crew member's job? None.

[chamima]

Shogun,

 

You are right on the money! I am an elite member with Captain's Circle and enjoyed every one of the cruises that I have been on. In fact, I still keep in touch with both former passengers and crew. The crew works hard and I always make an effort to complete the "You made my cruise" cards because I know it could help with promotions/advancement opportunities. Besides, it feels good to get praises and encouragement and know that you are appreciated versus constant complaints.

 

Kerso mentioned there are often rude passengers who only complain which is another reason why I take time out to fill-out those cards. I have seen my share of rude passengers and how they treat crew members is unbelievable! Remember the phrase treat others like how you want to be treated. How many of those rude people can do any crew member's job? None.

 

As someone else said before, I've seen WAY many more rude passengers than I ever have crew. There have been a couple of times where great crew have saved what could have been a not great cruise due to my "lovely" (not) fellow passengers.

[simbasmom]

Hi All,

 

With 17 ships in the fleet I expect know one here could name

 

all the Cruise Directors, Hotel Managers etc,

 

However it is clear that Princess has been lucky in finding some real

 

super stars in its work force.

 

From time to time folks write about outstanding service and name

 

the person.

 

But it is a fact that folks will complain more and praise less when

 

asked what do you recall from your past cruises.

 

Now it is a free world here and folks have every right to complain

 

but what makes me wonder how come two folk on the same cruise

 

can say the worest CD every while the next says the best.

 

I think we should take a little bit more care when putting the knife into

 

some ones career. If they are so bad can we have some detail please

 

of what was wrong and an idea of what they could of done, or what you

 

wanted.

 

Now I am of on the high seas soon after my puppy break, I will try and

 

post live from the ship, if things are bad I will try and explain what

 

things are like so you can decide, if excellant likewise. I hope I will

 

never just post cruise from hell never going to cruise with Princess ever

 

again as this helps know one.

 

I still recall years ago posting from The Sun, we had noro bad, engine

 

issues, plumbing problems etc Folk were posting cruise ship from Hell

 

do not go etc, I posted what I saw or tried to.

 

After we got off the ship while waiting for a taxi in Ft L I saw folks with

 

Sun Princess Tags on the bags they saw ours so we started chatting they

 

said they were going to cancel as the reports had been so bad but they

 

had followed the posts of Shogun and decided to take the risk, afterwards

 

the lady posted not an outstanding cruise, but a good cruise, but they were

 

happy that they had gone. We have a lot of power here on these boards

 

to do good, help others and CC has helped me get more from cruising

 

Remember Princess does read these boards and does take note, and they

 

do talk about us.

 

yours shogun

 

Thanks, Shogun-you made my day. And your about to make the day of a bunch of staff members on the Sea Princess, where my son's a staff member (in music). Such a nice post!

[Kiwicruiser25]

Hi All

My personal experience on a Princess Cruise, and the terrific staff I met, has led me to book a second cruise in the same year for only 2 nights at a cost of $800 approx AirFares + Cabin, just so I can say a farewell to a couple of staff (friends I've made) before they finish and move on.. Probably won't get to see them for long but it will be worth

the sheer surprise they will get at seeing me.. I Hope!! and to say a final thank you for just making my holiday so special.

:)

[bfmac]

I also feel that the site is wrongly named and would put some people off participating. Why not change it to Cruise Lovers!;)

 

 

I agree. I've thought that for a long time.:p

 

Shogun, this is an excelllent thread. Thanks for starting it.

[Shogun]

Hi simbasmom and all

 

If I made you smile, then it has been a good day.

 

 

yours Shogun