New Princess Cruiser - coffee - have my armor on!

[indycrew]

We just finished our first Princess cruise, Ruby in the Med. Lovely time...,I'll write my big review later.

HOWEVER...

It is sad that the coffee situation about has us convinced to never use Princess again. Too bad, we loved the ship - (though hard to navigate)...but I would love to review our very first day with the Ruby.

On board, loved the decor, and did the "hunt" to get our stamps for the prizes on sailaway. We bought a coffee card at the Horizon, got a note on it to take to the International Cafe to get our mug and coffee. Hurrah!...got there, and the manager of the Cafe informed us that she would not give us a mug, it would confuse their inventory. She was extremely (can I say, EXTREMELY) rude. We are easy going mid-westerners, but not used to being treated so harshly. I informed her that the girl told us that this was the process. She wanted us to go back up to the 15th deck and go to a bar where they may (or may not) have stock of the mugs. Did I mention she was very rude? Well, I did tell her I was the passenger, and did not want to go back up - when they had a tall stack of mugs behind her and she finally relented. I will say the rest of the staff were rolling their eyes, too! ha ha...Then we found out even with a coffee card and paying extra we could not get "good" coffee in the dining room, or at breakfast without going to the International Cafe and picking it up on our way! Really??? Princess what are you thinking?!!! So in our tux and formal gown we are walking around with a travel mug?!! AND you want us to dress??? This is seriously an issue that Princess Corporate needs to address. Every day/breakfast/dinner, was a reminder of this very poor policy. You think the coffee leaves a bad taste in your mouth???!! Please don't point out about "other" lines....they all need to review if they are doing this. For heavens sake McDonalds can provide good coffee, why can't a cruiseline!!

[Pia1913]

We just finished our first Princess cruise, Ruby in the Med. Lovely time...,I'll write my big review later.

HOWEVER...

It is sad that the coffee situation about has us convinced to never use Princess again. Too bad, we loved the ship - (though hard to navigate)...but I would love to review our very first day with the Ruby.

On board, loved the decor, and did the "hunt" to get our stamps for the prizes on sailaway. We bought a coffee card at the Horizon, got a note on it to take to the International Cafe to get our mug and coffee. Hurrah!...got there, and the manager of the Cafe informed us that she would not give us a mug, it would confuse their inventory. She was extremely (can I say, EXTREMELY) rude. We are easy going mid-westerners, but not used to being treated so harshly. I informed her that the girl told us that this was the process. She wanted us to go back up to the 15th deck and go to a bar where they may (or may not) have stock of the mugs. Did I mention she was very rude? Well, I did tell her I was the passenger, and did not want to go back up - when they had a tall stack of mugs behind her and she finally relented. I will say the rest of the staff were rolling their eyes, too! ha ha...Then we found out even with a coffee card and paying extra we could not get "good" coffee in the dining room, or at breakfast without going to the International Cafe and picking it up on our way! Really??? Princess what are you thinking?!!! So in our tux and formal gown we are walking around with a travel mug?!! AND you want us to dress??? This is seriously an issue that Princess Corporate needs to address. Every day/breakfast/dinner, was a reminder of this very poor policy. You think the coffee leaves a bad taste in your mouth???!! Please don't point out about "other" lines....they all need to review if they are doing this. For heavens sake McDonalds can provide good coffee, why can't a cruiseline!!

 

There have been many reasons for people stating they would never cruise Princess again, but you post "takes the cake." YIKES!

[indycrew]

I know, but it was all about the "attitude"...:rolleyes:

[quincytoo]

Coffee was the deal breaker here????? Really???? OMG:eek:

[Toto2Kansas]

OP-I will stick up for you on this one. Many many years ago my DH felt the same way. He said if he couldn't get a decent cup of coffee, he was through (this was many years before brewed coffee was available or coffee cards). I found a way around the problem, as we both really liked Princess, but also feel enjoying our coffee is a must. I now take our little cup at a time coffee maker with us on each sailing.

But I also see your point here, being treated rudely is not a good selling point either. ;)

[PescadoAmarillo]

I agree that, if you buy a coffee card, you should be able to get brewed coffee in the dinng room. We have done it for so long that going to the IC first thing in the morning for a cup of brewed coffee to go, and then carrying it up one flight of stairs to the dining room that it is second nature to us, and we don't even think about it anymore, but, stepping back for a moment to consider, it IS a ridiculous situation. After dinner, that's not an option, so I get a cappuccino using my card and DH doesn't drink coffee.

 

There is definitely room for improvement. However, for us, it's not enough to make us reconsider cruising Princess.

[indycrew]

Thanks Toto2...I am grinning - it is a very little thing, I know. I believe meeting this person as our first representative of the ship also grated. Believe me, when we were in the queue for coffee in the am we were the last served! We kind of look at it as - coffee is such a small thing to ask......even if it were available with room service? Something? ...

[HappyMe_]

Indy, I have to concur that the bad attitude is something not to be happy about.

 

Maybe it has just been my experience, but of all the areas on Princess, the coffee bar is the one where we too noticed a bit of testyness. I sort of dismissed it, as they are like short order cooks and it can get very busy there and people have a variety of ways in which they enjoy their java. I frequent this spot as coffee is my drink of choice.

 

Send off a mail and hopefully the protocol for dispensing the mugs will be looked at.

 

Princess really is a great cruise line, hope you will give them another try :).

[Coolmama_1]

It is amazing how one attitude can really make a difference! We sailed on the Crown in April 2010 and the crew in the International Cafe was fantastic. I really looked forward to going down each day for my fix. When we cruised on the Crown in 2011, different crew was there and while they were not rude ( like you experienced) it wasn't the same!

 

I am sorry that they gave you such a rough go.

[Doug R.]

I am speechless that coffee is such a big deal that one would never cruise on a line again over it. :eek:

 

However I am curious. Did the OP report the surly employee or did they just let the situation fester until they decided to throw Princess under the bus???

[ONT-CA]

Until I have my morning coffee the world had better steer a course around me... I know we are going to get "creamed" about this but each morning when we present our two coffee cards to the server, moments after it opens and the first pot is ready, we include with them a simple note of gratitude bearing the face of George Washington. Service thereafter is supreme. A new "Starter Bucks" is born. When people say to us "We'd give anything for a good cup of coffee" we tell them how we get ours with a little extra "sugar". And considering what we are asked to pay for java in the Cafe's at home, it's a great deal. Pass the "cream" please

[greysol1]

Until I have my morning coffee the world had better steer a course around me... I know we are going to get "creamed" about this but each morning when we present our two coffee cards to the server, moments after it opens and the first pot is ready, we include with them a simple note of gratitude bearing the face of George Washington. Service thereafter is supreme. A new "Starter Bucks" is born. When people say to us "We'd give anything for a good cup of coffee" we tell them how we get ours with a little extra "sugar". And considering what we are asked to pay for java in the Cafe's at home, it's a great deal. Pass the "cream" please

 

I do the same - down to the IC, show two cards and a Washington, get a smile then take them back to our room, then to breakfast. Sometimes get a refill on the way. After about two days they have it ready for me when they ssee me coming out of the elevator, again with a smile.

[Toddy709]

I sympathize with the coffee thing, even though I'm not a coffee drinker. Just seems like a small thing they should be able to improve.

 

The rudeness of the employee is inexcusable, and should have been reported!

 

However, what really amazes me is that this is the thing you choose to write about as soon as you get home. Surely there was something good about the cruise that would outweigh and overshadow this bad beginning?!?

[floatie]

No matter how much effort a business puts into maintaining customer relations there will always be the odd bad apple. You happen to have met one, don't bag Princess entirely for it. Report it so they can address the matter.

 

I had to report a staff member once and the result was clearly swift and positive.

 

Personally I have found Princess staff and the service they provide exceptional to the point that I choose them first above other lines, without hesitation.

 

BTW.. On the subject of coffee?... Some people complain that the bistro coffee is too strong.. It is made that way on purpose as some prefer strong coffee and there is always hot water available to dilute to your personal taste. It's hard to cater for all... LOL

:)

[indycrew]

Seriously, not throwing anyone under the bus. I saw another of the endless posts on coffee, and decided to post my own instead of adding to. I will be posting my full review when I get time to do it justice. There were many good about this cruise, and things we really enjoyed with Princess. We did, however, have two surly employees jump on us the first day (the other in the spa), which soured our initial impression. Luckily we ran into a wonderful bar server (Max), and eased ourselves out of the "uh oh, what did we do??" First impressions really make a difference. We did talk later to another employee that said our coffee manager had 11 years with the company and did as she pleased...and many people had issues with her. I wasn't wasting my vacation time reporting people. I do that on my work time, not my vacation time!!

[cherylandtk]

Seriously, not throwing anyone under the bus. I saw another of the endless posts on coffee, and decided to post my own instead of adding to. I will be posting my full review when I get time to do it justice. There were many good about this cruise, and things we really enjoyed with Princess. We did, however, have two surly employees jump on us the first day (the other in the spa), which soured our initial impression. Luckily we ran into a wonderful bar server (Max), and eased ourselves out of the "uh oh, what did we do??" First impressions really make a difference. We did talk later to another employee that said our coffee manager had 11 years with the company and did as she pleased...and many people had issues with her. I wasn't wasting my vacation time reporting people. I do that on my work time, not my vacation time!!

Now this post makes a lot better argument for why you would not want to cruise with Princess again. Surly employees.. Hate that, especially on the first day just upon boarding. But your initial post, the title of this thread and the reason you actually gave was the quality and availability of the coffee. You went into that at some length and explained how you disliked having to carry around a mug to get good coffee or go to a special location. I am still not sure if you were more bothered by the surliness, the coffee, or equally bothered by both. But your titled reason is the coffee....

[indycrew]

I will post my full review, and I did "overstate" in my first post...my point, I believe, is...cruising is very competitive, we love to cruise, have done three lines now, and they have many, many, many similarities. They also are all "adding" fees, speciality restaurants, coffee, water, etc. etc. It is the little things that make them stand apart. The extra service, the smile, the remembering of your name, the BREWED coffee! ha ha..

If you have something that grates on you the entire trip - even though it is a small thing, it is a reason to try someone new. Just like trying new countries, new excursions, new itineraries - it is sometimes to your advantage to spread your wings and experience something new....we have tried Princess, and may again, probably not the next time....

[User Error]

A quick and easy solution to your coffee problem.

 

Drink beer!!!

[swifty]

Toto, isn't there some rule about not using a coffee maker in your room because of safety considerations?

[happytalk44]

We recently spent 28 days on the Ruby and experienced several instances of total rudeness by employees. The absolute worst was the deputy cruise director--Dan. Anyone on the TA who was awaiting entrance to the Captain's Circle cocktail party will know who I am.

[Toto2Kansas]

Toto, isn't there some rule about not using a coffee maker in your room because of safety considerations?

A regular coffee maker with a heating plate is a no-no, from what I am told. This one has no heating plate, and takes less electricity then a normal curling iron. Also, it has an auto shut off and the moment it is finish, it shuts completely off. It makes only one brewed cup at a time, and as said, is no more dangerous than a curling iron or hair dryer. Those regular coffee makers that keep the coffee hot with a heating plate I would say are actually banned by the cruise line.

[Doug R.]

Seriously, not throwing anyone under the bus. I saw another of the endless posts on coffee, and decided to post my own instead of adding to. I will be posting my full review when I get time to do it justice. There were many good about this cruise, and things we really enjoyed with Princess. We did, however, have two surly employees jump on us the first day (the other in the spa), which soured our initial impression. Luckily we ran into a wonderful bar server (Max), and eased ourselves out of the "uh oh, what did we do??" First impressions really make a difference. We did talk later to another employee that said our coffee manager had 11 years with the company and did as she pleased...and many people had issues with her. I wasn't wasting my vacation time reporting people. I do that on my work time, not my vacation time!!

 

That attitude is why she has gotten away with surly behavior for 11 years. It only takes a moment to fill out a customer comment card. You don't even have to stand in line just fill it out and put it in the box.

[lilbuddy]

A quick and easy solution to your coffee problem.

 

Drink beer!!!

 

FINALLY, a sensible solution!

 

Remember: Beer, it's not just for breakfast anymore!

[luvtravel]

Personally, I know not everything can be perfect on any cruise and therefore I think it isn't right when people criticize the reviewer of a cruise. Read what they say and decide for yourself. Everyone experiences things differently ... and staff on ships can be rude one minute and nice later. It wasn't the coffee on this one...it was the lack of customer service and rudeness. Nothing wrong with talking about that on this board. If nothing else, perhaps things will improve if its true that the cruiselines read these boards too.

[indycrew]

That attitude is why she has gotten away with surly behavior for 11 years. It only takes a moment to fill out a customer comment card. You don't even have to stand in line just fill it out and put it in the box.

 

 

I hear you, Doug, but her co-worker said she was reported about once a day. (when I said I thought I would write something up) They considered her teflon.....:rolleyes: