I'm having second thoughts

[johnmik1]

I would never sail the Grand again if a newer ship was available!

[Coral]

I would never sail the Grand again if a newer ship was available!

 

I am the opposite. After having a much disappointed cruise on a very crowded Crown Princess - I will choose the Grand, Golden and Star over a newer ship. I have 2 cruises booked on the Grand coming up and could have easily chosen a newer ship but choose not to.

[camofwilliamsburg]

After many cruises and not trying PCL we did try Crown and then went back to try Star. We loved Star because it was a bit smaller and the staff was fantastic. We thought Crown was very crowded for dining and for MUTS. For Star we never had an issue. I love the choices PCL gives you and if you must know, the anytime dining is superb. We were able to do this on Star and not miss any of the fun activities that go on nightly at 9:15. We actually had the same wait staff each night with and without a reservation daily for anytime dining. It was very nice.

We also love the cabins. We like the idea of the bathroom and closet separating the cabin so that the sleeping area remains dark if someone wakes up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. WE also like the ease of getting around on the ship.

We also like that the dining room is open for lunch even on port days.

We also like the look of their ships. They have just the right amount of glitz without looking like a Carnival cruise ship. We find their ships to be a step up from RCI. We also felt their food on Star was better than on Crown. They have a great dessert, the love boat dream. They do many nice things like the cookies and milk around the pool, English tea in the dining room.

I think it is a very nice cruise line.

[newmexicoNita]

Am traveling on the Grand this December and after reading many recent reviews, am having second thoughts :(. My family and I have sailed many times but never on Princess. We thought this would be a welcomed 'change of pace' and try "The Love Boat" - however, the more I read, the less excited I get. I realized everyone's on board experience is different but there seems to be an overwhelming amount of really bad reviews. Say it ain't so, we were looking so forward to this trip.

 

ok, I haven't read the reviews or the responses to your posting, but let me tell you: I don't know what you are expecting or basing your fears on, but no cruise is perfect and most are super great: we have cruised Princess twice; It might not be our very favorite line, but the ships are clean, in good repair, the food in excellent and the crew is wonderful (0verall) You can read reviews and find negative people everywhere. What negatives are you referring to? We only found a couple of areas that were really of concern and we met lots of really nice people. Any cruise and any vacation is what you make it: short of horrible weather, a disaster or some such thing you have nothing to be concerned about.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

Whenever I read threads titled with things like "worst cruise ever", etc, I look at them with a skeptical eye.

 

While bad experiences happen on all cruise lines, if your personality is to acknowledge that things happen when dealing with people, it shouldn't ruin your cruise. As others have said, post-drydock issues can happen after a lengthy overhaul on any cruies line, so those old posts about problems for the most part no longer exist.

 

If you have a problem, make someone onboard aware of it & they'll make an effort to take care of your issue. Too many either don't take care of things onboard (such as checking your bill) then go to CC to say how terrible things are because they didn't address it while onboard. Unless they're informed about a problem, how can they fix it...it's certainly not getting fixed onboard by getting angry & then complaining post cruise.

 

No cruise will be completely perfect but in 25 cruises on various cruise lines, I have never had a have a terrible cruise like some may want you to believe. I inform them about a situation while onboard & if possible they make things right for me. Cruise lines are not in the business of having unhappy passengers but some of the complaints posted on CC are from squeaky wheels who demand everything their way without any concern for what's best for the overwhelming majority of their passengers.

 

So don't worry about your cruise...you'll probably have a great experience! :D

 

great example: worst cruise ever: cruise from HELL: food is inedible: all signs of not really an honest and objective review. Some people do not understand cruising or are just normally negative. The sad thing: they don't realize it..

 

I have noticed four types of complainers: 1-they have never cruised or only once and expect cruising to be something it isn't: they are truely veterans and the awe is wearing off: 3 they are so loyal to one line they can never accept another as being as good as their favorite line or 4-they look for perfection or close to perfection.

 

Nita

[bigguy1]

Peole are prone to critisize; rarely do they praise. This is especially true of cruisers who just like to compalin. We've been on a number of cruises and have never had a bad one . As far as the Grand goes, as you can see from my signature, I've booked her for B2B2B. Don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy your cruise.

[hmh60]

I would never sail the Grand again if a newer ship was available!

 

John, we are doing the Apr. TA on the Grand in one of the new window suites. Shouldn't have to worry about a worn out room as the WS were just put in. Thought the beginning of Apr. would be okay with no balcony as I expect the weather will be a little cool. Hope the same waiters are in Sabatini's.

[hmh60]

[quote=newmexicoNita;30095943

 

I have noticed four types of complainers: 1-they have never cruised or only once and expect cruising to be something it isn't: they are truely veterans and the awe is wearing off: 3 they are so loyal to one line they can never accept another as being as good as their favorite line or 4-they look for perfection or close to perfection.

 

Nita

 

Perfect!!!

[DMRick]

There is a 5th..those who cruised after a dry dock and a lot of things were not finished that should have been, so, if you had no water, toilet, air conditioner, something came loose and banged all night, and the elevators stopped between floors, you too might be a complainer. And that's why a lot of the bad reviews the OP is talking about were posted. If you were on that cruise and nothing went wrong for you..that's great. But sometimes the line at the pursers desk was an hour long, or the phones weren't answered, so it wasn't just about reporting the problem and it would be fixed. Some things couldn't be fixed within a reasonable amount of time or at all. Hopefully Princess learned from their mistake..they had never taken on such a big drydock.

 

Awe isn't wearing off on me..I love cruising. And Princess admitted to many that the ship wasn't ready, and offered enough compensation to show us they meant it. As I said before, I would look at more recent cruise reports from the Grand.

 

I have noticed four types of complainers: 1-they have never cruised or only once and expect cruising to be something it isn't: they are truely veterans and the awe is wearing off: 3 they are so loyal to one line they can never accept another as being as good as their favorite line or 4-they look for perfection or close to perfection.

 

Nita

[DMRick]

I take it you were on the Grand right after the refurb, but everything was ok for you? Because if you weren't, you have no idea why so many had complaints.

 

I never understand on this board why so many say people are prone to criticize or that certain cruisers just like to complain, if they weren't on the cruise that caused all the complaints.

 

Again, if the OP looks at more recent reviews, she'll see that Princess fixed the problems.

 

Peole are prone to critisize; rarely do they praise. This is especially true of cruisers who just like to compalin. We've been on a number of cruises and have never had a bad one . As far as the Grand goes, as you can see from my signature, I've booked her for B2B2B. Don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy your cruise.

[newmexicoNita]

There is a 5th..those who cruised after a dry dock and a lot of things were not finished that should have been, so, if you had no water, toilet, air conditioner, something came loose and banged all night, and the elevators stopped between floors, you too might be a complainer. And that's why a lot of the bad reviews the OP is talking about were posted. If you were on that cruise and nothing went wrong for you..that's great. But sometimes the line at the pursers desk was an hour long, or the phones weren't answered, so it wasn't just about reporting the problem and it would be fixed. Some things couldn't be fixed within a reasonable amount of time or at all. Hopefully Princess learned from their mistake..they had never taken on such a big drydock.

 

Awe isn't wearing off on me..I love cruising. And Princess admitted to many that the ship wasn't ready, and offered enough compensation to show us they meant it. As I said before, I would look at more recent cruise reports from the Grand.

 

ok, I have only cruised on one ship right after dry dock: yes, there were a few unfinished details, but it didn't affect our cruise a bit...I take that back, it did slightly, our cabin stewards were not the best, but that could have had little to do with the post dry dock. I don't know.

 

Nita

[johnmik1]

John, we are doing the Apr. TA on the Grand in one of the new window suites. Shouldn't have to worry about a worn out room as the WS were just put in. Thought the beginning of Apr. would be okay with no balcony as I expect the weather will be a little cool. Hope the same waiters are in Sabatini's.

 

They,like many things,were not completed on the TA so they should be fine.Hope the casino noise doesn't bother you.Reh Lu went home half way through the TA and I don't know if he will be back.

[Shogun]

Hi John

 

I can take it that you will not be joining me on the Grand next November

then.

 

 

yours Shogun

[johnmik1]

Hi John

 

I can take it that you will not be joining me on the Grand next November

then.

 

 

yours Shogun

 

Sorry Steve,Heading over to try HAL with James Deering.