Are deck parties and ice cream really gone

[1 HappyCruiser]

It's real ice cream. I always ask for it and get it.

Well I've learned something after all those cruises. ;)

[Kinkacruiser]

What would Island Night in Raiatea or Hawaii be without a deck party.

We also have a deck party of sorts at sailaway on the Aus ships...lots of fun.

[montgomeryfamily]

We always get the Ultimate Kids Card (at least since they have been selling it to adults), which includes milkshakes and malts, and those are made from the scooped vanilla ice cream. I have asked and have been told that vanilla is the only hand scooped flavor available--this was on the Grand, Star, Caribbean, Crown, and Coral.

 

In addition, while you can ask and perhaps receive the hand-scooped vanilla, I have also seen people ask and been denied the hand scooped vanilla unless they have the Ultimate Kids Card. This was on the Grand and the Star. So I guess it depends on the server you ask.

 

The chocolate used to make the chocolate milkshakes is hersheys syrup poured from a bottle. The only two milkshake and malt flavors available are chocolate and vanilla.

 

 

You don't always get the hand scooped ice cream unless you have the UKP.

 

I don't believe that any passengers were every asked by Princess whether there should be a change from hand scooped ice cream to soft serve. I'm sure it was done only because soft serve is cheaper.

[RickEk]

You don't always get the hand scooped ice cream unless you have the UKP.

 

I don't believe that any passengers were every asked by Princess whether there should be a change from hand scooped ice cream to soft serve. I'm sure it was done only because soft serve is cheaper.

 

Maybe so, but Princess got a lot of heat concerning the fact that previously you could only get free ice cream in the dining rooms or during a certain hour in the afternoons in the Horizon Court. ("Other lines have free ice cream available all the time...blah, blah, blah") Once they decided to move away from Haagen-Dazs at Scoops, they made the majority of passengers happier while also realizing a possible cost savings... a win-win in their minds for sure! But then again, they are giving away something for free, where they used to charge for it, so I'm not sure where those cost-savings come into play... :rolleyes:

[montgomeryfamily]

Maybe so, but Princess got a lot of heat concerning the fact that previously you could only get free ice cream in the dining rooms or during a certain hour in the afternoons in the Horizon Court. ("Other lines have free ice cream available all the time...blah, blah, blah") Once they decided to move away from Haagen-Dazs at Scoops, they made the majority of passengers happier while also realizing a possible cost savings... a win-win in their minds for sure! But then again, they are giving away something for free, where they used to charge for it, so I'm not sure where those cost-savings come into play... :rolleyes:

 

 

The hand scooped ice cream which they gave away in the buffet for an hour a day is more expensive to make than the soft serve ice cream which comes from a mix. So by substituting the soft serve for the ice cream in the buffet, they save money.

 

It is on Cruise Critic that there were posts criticizing Princess and asking for the soft serve--but even those did not suggest getting rid of the one hour a day of hand scooped ice cream in the buffet.

 

When that was discontinued, several of us wrote Princess, especially since the soft serve did not include any sugar free or lactose free options, and the response was that since hand scooped ice cream was available in the main dining room for lunch, it was still available to passengers during the day and so the soft serve just expanded the options. (and we posted this info on the boards) Now with the closing of the MDR for lunch on port days, this will no longer be true.

[RickEk]

The hand scooped ice cream which they gave away in the buffet for an hour a day is more expensive to make than the soft serve ice cream which comes from a mix. So by substituting the soft serve for the ice cream in the buffet, they save money.

 

From what I saw on those days that I remembered to get to the Horizon Court for the afternoon ice cream, it was Breyer's brand (or like brand)... If they're only scooping ice cream for an hour, they were probably using 10-20 gallons a day or less. Scoops is open all day... and always has a line. I still think that, in the long run, the "free" soft serve probably costs them more than did the one hour buffet event.

[lovevacadays]

Sometimes, we all can't get everything we want, when we want it. I learned this in kindergarten; maybe some people were out sick that day.

 

Too funny and too true!

 

Also, we had a deck party in April on the Sapphire to the Mexican Riviera. It was held at the adult's aft pool deck area and was absolutely fabulous. Still loved it even though I've done it several times. Nothing like being on the open deck at night with the stars above, drink in hand, great music.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I often saw lines for the Horizon ice cream.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

What are the hours of Scoops on the Sapphire? DH loves ice cream, whether it be soft serve or the hard stuff. He is happiest on a cruise when he has a cone in his hand.:D

[montgomeryfamily]

They actually make much, if not all, of the ice cream they serve onboard. I had asked before when it was available at the buffet (which always had a huge line), but also in April, when we went on the Ultimate Ship Tour on the Star, we asked about the ice cream and were showed the galley area/equipment they use to make it.

 

The soft serve is a low cost mix which has either seaweed or algae (I forget which), as an emulsifier. I know they were considering changing this, so I don't know if it was done or not.

 

With all of the other cost cutting going on, I believe that if Princess determines it is costing them more to serve the soft serve, then they will either go back to the scoop ice cream (and probably claim due to passenger demand) or discontinue the free ice cream and go back to paid ice cream options.

[4cats4me]

I wish they'd bring back the Haagen Dazs. It's far superior to the soft-serve crud they serve now, and I don't like their little weird homemade flavors very much, i'm afraid : ( .... the worst of all was that mint sorbet. It's ice blue and taste likes Vick's Vapor Rub.

[quincytoo]

Sometimes, we all can't get everything we want, when we want it. I learned this in kindergarten; maybe some people were out sick that day.

 

Great answer (I expected nothing less from you ):):D

 

I remember that lesson well, and yes looking at some posts the last few weeks, it appears someone was sick that day.

 

Now excuse me while I top up my half full glass of wine and count the days down till I can get a soft serve cone on the CB.

[montgomeryfamily]

Sometimes, we all can't get everything we want, when we want it. I learned this in kindergarten; maybe some people were out sick that day.

 

Great answer (I expected nothing less from you ):):D

I remember that lesson well, and yes looking at some posts the last few weeks, it appears someone was sick that day.

 

Now excuse me while I top up my half full glass of wine and count the days down till I can get a soft serve cone on the CB.

 

 

 

I don't know how well you remember the lesson, because what I learned in kindergarden was only last half of that lesson and the least important part--

 

what I learned in the first part of the lesson was to share.

 

Also, if everyone could not eat it or there was not enough for everyone, then no one could have it.

 

It is then that the last part of the lesson--"about not having everything we want when we want it" came into play.

 

 

On a Princess cruise, everyone's fare is the same, regardless of whether or not you can eat all of the same food or participate in the same activities--there is no discount for those who are diabetic and are limited to sugar free desserts or those who are gluten free and can only eat that which is compatible with their dietary restrictions, or those who have mobility impairments and cannot use the tender or the adult pools/hot tubs because there are no lifts into those pools/hot tubs.

 

Those passengers are not suggesting to Princess that all desserts be banished or the other amenities not compatible with their limitations be eliminated, even though doing so would reduce costs and thus everyone's overall fare. I would have hoped that all of the other CC members would support their fellow board members adversely affected by these changes that Princess is making.

 

Yet, it certainly appears that when some of the amenities that these passengers are actually able to enjoy (or even necessary in order to cruise) are taken away by Princess, and those passengers complain or request Princess to restore the amenities, others on this board, in essence, call that selfish.

 

It seems to be a common theme by various posters on this board that, "if it doesn't affect me or maybe even that, "if it provides an additional benefit to me", then its ok, no matter who else this harms or is negatively impacted. This is not what I learned in kindergarden.

[NoGvmnt]

Good to hear that Princess stopped the Ice Cream hour in the HC, those lines of old fogies holding two, three bowls each to be filled with ice cream and blocking the exit from the buffet was nuts.

 

It was like they were starving refugees clamoring for their rice ration.;)

 

Jim

[lachaffin]

That is a shame, I can do without ice-cream, but I wanted to see the lava again.

I can do without lava, but not ice cream.

[caribill]

On a Princess cruise, everyone's fare is the same, regardless of whether or not you can eat all of the same food or participate in the same activities--

 

Just like on an airplance flight, almost everyone will have paid a different fare.

[cantwaitfornextcruise]

Just off the grand 14 day med & 3 day b2b

 

Ice cream is free until 23:00 deck party still happened was loads of fun but no sailaway from port party :mad:

[montgomeryfamily]

Just like on an airplance flight, almost everyone will have paid a different fare.

 

 

On a Princess cruise, everyone's fare is the same, regardless of whether or not you can eat all of the same food or participate in the same activities--there is no discount for those who are diabetic and are limited to sugar free desserts or those who are gluten free and can only eat that which is compatible with their dietary restrictions, or those who have mobility impairments and cannot use the tender or the adult pools/hot tubs because there are no lifts into those pools/hot tubs.

 

Those passengers are not suggesting to Princess that all desserts be banished or the other amenities not compatible with their limitations be eliminated, even though doing so would reduce costs and thus everyone's overall fare. I would have hoped that all of the other CC members would support their fellow board members adversely affected by these changes that Princess is making.

 

Yet, it certainly appears that when some of the amenities that these passengers are actually able to enjoy (or even necessary in order to cruise) are taken away by Princess, and those passengers complain or request Princess to restore the amenities, others on this board, in essence, call that selfish.

 

It seems to be a common theme by various posters on this board that, "if it doesn't affect me or maybe even that, "if it provides an additional benefit to me", then its ok, no matter who else this harms or is negatively impacted. This is not what I learned in kindergarden.

 

 

 

Convenient that you only included a part of my sentence in what you quoted and left off the clarifying portion. So I've included the entire sentence that you quoted and highlighted the portion that was left off.

 

I thought it would be obvious, but let me clarify for those who cannot understand my point. The cruise itself is considered basically inclusive, not a la carte, where the basic amenities and activities are included in the fare which is paid. No one pays extra for the basic amenities, for example there is no fee to use the swimming pool or hot tubs, even though these are items which have a cost to maintain. There is also no fee to use the tender, even though it uses fuel and costs money to maintain. And so on for many of what are considered by most, if not all, as basic amenities to be expected in on a cruise. This is what I mean by stating that everyone pays the same fare.

 

However, if you use a wheelchair, you do not get a discount because you cannot use the adult pools and hot tubs since there is no lift or because you are unable to tender due to Princess' lack of assistance and not providing tendering technology such as her sister companies, Holland America and Carnival provide (and you are still required to pay port fees for those ports). You also do not get a discount if you are diabetic or lactose intolerant and cannot eat the soft serve ice cream and are not provided any alternative ice cream you could eat. These are just examples--there are numerous such situations on a cruise where it is not a matter of preference that someone does not choose to partake--it is actually a restriction and limitation.

 

But the attitude of so many posters seems to be that, if it doesn't affect me, then it is wrong for these other passengers who already have so many limitations on their cruising experience to request the change to be rescinded or equivalent accommodation be provided.

 

That, IMHO, is what I find wrong.

[lovevacadays]

I don't know how well you remember the lesson, because what I learned in kindergarden was only last half of that lesson and the least important part--

 

what I learned in the first part of the lesson was to share.

 

Also, if everyone could not eat it or there was not enough for everyone, then no one could have it.

 

It is then that the last part of the lesson--"about not having everything we want when we want it" came into play.

 

 

On a Princess cruise, everyone's fare is the same, regardless of whether or not you can eat all of the same food or participate in the same activities--there is no discount for those who are diabetic and are limited to sugar free desserts or those who are gluten free and can only eat that which is compatible with their dietary restrictions, or those who have mobility impairments and cannot use the tender or the adult pools/hot tubs because there are no lifts into those pools/hot tubs.

 

Those passengers are not suggesting to Princess that all desserts be banished or the other amenities not compatible with their limitations be eliminated, even though doing so would reduce costs and thus everyone's overall fare. I would have hoped that all of the other CC members would support their fellow board members adversely affected by these changes that Princess is making.

 

Yet, it certainly appears that when some of the amenities that these passengers are actually able to enjoy (or even necessary in order to cruise) are taken away by Princess, and those passengers complain or request Princess to restore the amenities, others on this board, in essence, call that selfish.

 

It seems to be a common theme by various posters on this board that, "if it doesn't affect me or maybe even that, "if it provides an additional benefit to me", then its ok, no matter who else this harms or is negatively impacted. This is not what I learned in kindergarden.

 

Whoa!

[lovevacadays]

Just off the grand 14 day med & 3 day b2b

 

Ice cream is free until 23:00 deck party still happened was loads of fun but no sailaway from port party :mad:

 

Really? No sailaway party? Was the weather bad?

[cantwaitfornextcruise]

Super weather in the Med only sailaway was Gibralta which was good with flags and asingalong, first ship we have ever sailed with no sailaway party :confused:

[bdjam]

Amen, sister

Sometimes, we all can't get everything we want, when we want it. I learned this in kindergarten; maybe some people were out sick that day.

 

Amen, brother (or sister)

Now excuse me while I top up my half full glass of wine and count the days down till I can get a soft serve cone on the CB.

 

I can't count one Princess cruise that I've been on where everyone's fare is the same. While they might not offer discounts for those who are diabetic or those who need gluten free diets, or those who have mobility issues, I would bet - and win - that they would be more than willing to accomodate those who do. In fact I would bet that they are more accomodating than the real world would be. Princess offers a complete escape, especially if the passenger is willing to work with them rather than against them to make it happen.

 

Personally I think it a little offensive to use people with whatever special need they may have to garner sympathy because of the perception that someone's ice cream is cut off. My experience has been that people with special needs rise above them and don't need to pull this "poor me" argument. And in reality, we don't know that Princess is curtailing the availability of sugar, gluten or anything else free foods.

On a Princess cruise, everyone's fare is the same, regardless of whether or not you can eat all of the same food or participate in the same activities--there is no discount for those who are diabetic and are limited to sugar free desserts or those who are gluten free and can only eat that which is compatible with their dietary restrictions, or those who have mobility impairments and cannot use the tender or the adult pools/hot tubs because there are no lifts into those pools/hot tubs.

[betterthanworking]

My 2 cents on ice cream. I have ice cream everyday at home. While on a cruise I will have it at lunch and dinner. IF, in between I want ice cream, I get the $1.50 Gelato and (for you bdjam ) I leave a $100 tip.

[lovevacadays]

Super weather in the Med only sailaway was Gibralta which was good with flags and asingalong, first ship we have ever sailed with no sailaway party :confused:

 

Wow, I wonder why? I love having sailaway parties.

[betterthanworking]

My 2 cents on ice cream. I have ice cream everyday at home. While on a cruise I will have it at lunch and dinner. IF, in between I want ice cream, I get the $1.50 Gelato and (for you bdjam ) I leave a $100 tip.

 

Sorry this was supposed to be a $1 tip.