what to do about uncomfortable beds??

[betonic]

We're getting ready to go on our first Princess cruise and it's for 17 nights. I've read here that the beds can be uncomfortable for some people. We had great beds on HAL which I believe are softer than the beds on Princess. I know that you can request and egg crate from the cabin steward. I also remember reading here about people bringing something but I don't remember what it was. If you have any suggestions for bettering the sleep qualtity please let me know. We will probably have an extra suitcase because we plan to shop in Ft. Lauderdale on our way home from the cruise so I'm trying to decide if I should pack something for the mattress or not.

 

Thanks in advance.

[KruzPrincess]

If you like an extra firm mattress you will likely be OK with Princess mattresses. You may get one of the new mattress pad toppers or you may not. Some people say these help. You can request a foam topper, but these vary in quality. They are often dirty and worthless. I had one that was about a 1/2 inch thick and didn't do anything. You can ask if they will put one of the bedspread/comforters under the sheet, too. For me, I bring my own foam topper. The true memory foam toppers are too heavy to fly with, so I get the thickest topper I think is affordable. I actually buy a queen size topper and fold it in half for my side of the bed. I have a space bag and I put it in a space bag to flatten it out for travel. This works for me. Some people use air mattresses, but I haven't tried that.

[paul929207]

We have always slept well on the Princess beds

[waltd]

It's rare for us to have a problem with the mattresses. We just take what we get. Our cruises are short so not an issue. I would never consider taking anything along for the beds. I want to travel as light as possible.

[RotaryMike]

To compensate for a mattress that you might consider too hard or too soft, consider packing a few "rum-runners" full of your favorite liquid sleep aid. Take a dose or two before retiring and enjoy a restful night. :p:D:p

[Nebr.cruiser]

We've never had a problem, but we like a firmer mattress. Are you used to super-soft?

[Pam in CA]

We have always slept well on the Princess beds

Me, too. I have a problem with HAL beds, though. Not enough support.

[TracieABD]

I love the little slabs of concrete known as the Princess bed. I sleep so well on Princess.

 

HAL is another story... I felt like I was drowning.

[waltd]

TracieABD I must have bought my home bed from the same place Hal buys theirs. :( I need a new one. I definitely like a mattress that has some support to it.

[DonnasMom&Dad]

Strangely enough, with arthritis in my lower back, I sleep good/well on the Princess firm/hard concrete slabs/mattresses.;)

 

Cato :)

 

Completed Cruises !

 

Pre-cruise Days - The Big Red Boat, 1993 ??

 

1st cruise - Coral Princess, 19 November 2008, 10 day Panama Canal, FLL to ACA

2nd cruise - Coral Princess, 15 May 2009, 3 day Repositioning, Los Angeles to Vancouver.

3rd cruise - Sapphire Princess, 25 November 2009? 7 day Mexican Riviera.

4th cruise - Golden Princes, 12 June 2010, 7 day Alaska. (Golden Anniversary Cruise)

5th Cruise - Island Princess, 04 October 2010, Vancouver - Los Angeles, Repositioning

6th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 05 January 2011, 10 day Mexican Riviera. LA to LA.

7th cruise - Golden Princess, 11 May 2011, 3 day, LA to Vancouver, Repositioning

8th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 14 May 2011, 1 day, Vancouver to Seattle, Repositioning

9th cruise - Coral Princess 19 May 2011 2 day, San Francisco to Vancouver, Repositioning

10th & 11th cruises - Coral Princess 02 July to 16 July 2011, round trip Vancouver - Whittier Alaska, B2B

12th & 13th cruises - Sapphire Princess, x2, Cabins, 18 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning

14th & 15th cruises - Golden Princess, x2, Cabins, 24 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning.

We have now reached Elite status with Princess Cruise Lines

16th cruise - Oasis of the Seas, 26 Nov. 2011, 7 day, Western Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale, Ret.

17th & 18th cruises - Crown Princess B2B, 03 - 10 Dec & 10 - 17 Dec 2011, 14 Days, South & western Caribbean

19th cruise - Grand Princess, 31 Mar. - 07Jun.0212 7 Days, Eastern Caribbean, FLL - FLL

20th cruise - Island Princess, 06-16 June 2012, 10 day cruisetour Vancouver - Wittier

21th cruise - Emerald Princess, 16 day, 10 - 26 Sep. 2012, TA, Copenhagen - New York

 

 

Future & Hopeful Cruises !

( Already booked )

 

22nd cruise - Carnival Ecstasy 10 - 14 January, 2013, 4 Day Bahamas, Port Canaveral Ret.

23rd cruise - Sapphire Princess 31 March - 06 April, 2013, 7 Day Coastal LA - LA

24thh cruise - Royal Princess 16 June - 05 July, 2013, 19 Day Inaugural cruise, Southampton - Venice.

25thcruise - Emerald Princess, 01 Oct. - 16 Oct. 2013, 16 Day Cruisetour, Toronto Via Quebec City to New York City

26th cruise - Royal Princess, 14 November - 01 December, 2013, Eastern Caribbean, Fort Lauderdale Ret.

[Happy ks]

We always request the foam mattress pads, ever since after our first Princess cruise. I felt like I was sleeping on an ironing board.

 

I don't equate a firm mattress with a supportive mattress. My mattress at home is firm and supportive, but not hard. The Princess mattress mentioned above was just a hard slab, could have been a park bench in its first life.

[TracieABD]

TracieABD I must have bought my home bed from the same place Hal buys theirs. :( I need a new one. I definitely like a mattress that has some support to it.

I just don't sleep well on all of this "heavenly bed" mess... Too much stuff going on.

 

I need a very firm mattress and mattress cover and a sheet. Enough. Done...:cool:

[waltd]

I just don't sleep well on all of this "heavenly bed" mess... Too much stuff going on.

 

I need a very firm mattress and mattress cover and a sheet. Enough. Done...:cool:

 

But, but, but I want my chocolate on the pillow please......

[betonic]

Thanks for your comments.

 

We like the "heavenly bed" type of bed so I think we will be uncomfortable with the hard/slab type bed. I'm going to take a look and see what kind of inexpensive mattress topper I can find that I don't mind leaving on the ship.

[sueandkent]

We just got off the Ruby Princess yesterday and I thought the bed was great. No problems at all, very comfortable and the pillows were great. Never had nor needed an egg crate. We were a group of 6 with 3 cabins and non of us had any issues with the beds. We were in balcony cabins on Aloha deck.

[caribill]

what to do about uncomfortable beds??

 

Step 1: wait until 2 AM

 

Step 2: Bring it outside on the Promenade deck

 

Step 3: Splash

[AKman2495]

After reading many of the threads about the Princess beds, I was quite surprised to find them quite comfortable. Of course, I prefer a form bed.

 

The pillows, however, were terrible. They were soft thin things that maybe three would have worked. We asked the steward the next day for some firmer pillows and he got them for us. They were great. Had no problems for the rest of the cruise.:)

[Earthworm Jim]

I wouldn't say the mattresses are slabs, but they are a little firmer than, say, the typical mattress you get in a hotel. As a side sleeper, my hip tends to get a little bit sore by morning.

 

I think the pillows are good quality, just not the type I prefer. They have a loose filling (down?) and every time I wake up I find the filling have squeezed out from under my head to the ends of the pillow. So there is nothing left supporting my head.

[PunkiC]

While there is no bed as comfortable a my own at home, I never have a problem sleeping on a ship. Even on a large ship, I think that the movement of the water is calming.

[rugbypopsie]

I find the beds a bit on the hard side, numb hip bones in the morning. I intend buying an eggcrate in Honolulu for our month on Ocean Princess and then giving it to the steward...of course this will mean that I will find for the first time that the bed doesn't need the topper I have just purchased! LOL

 

Sue

[Nebr.cruiser]

I wouldn't say the mattresses are slabs, but they are a little firmer than, say, the typical mattress you get in a hotel. As a side sleeper, my hip tends to get a little bit sore by morning.

 

I think the pillows are good quality, just not the type I prefer. They have a loose filling (down?) and every time I wake up I find the filling have squeezed out from under my head to the ends of the pillow. So there is nothing left supporting my head.

 

So funny, how different we all are. I like a soft pillow that I can mold into the shape I want; and most pillows away from home are way too firm and high. At home I use one of those contour neck pillows, good for a side sleeper.

 

That's why it is hard to please everyone. I guess if we'd book a suite, we might get a pillow menu. Not sure if Princess does that, though.

[YaddaBest]

We're getting ready to go on our first Princess cruise and it's for 17 nights. I've read here that the beds can be uncomfortable for some people. We had great beds on HAL which I believe are softer than the beds on Princess. I know that you can request and egg crate from the cabin steward. I also remember reading here about people bringing something but I don't remember what it was. If you have any suggestions for bettering the sleep qualtity please let me know. We will probably have an extra suitcase because we plan to shop in Ft. Lauderdale on our way home from the cruise so I'm trying to decide if I should pack something for the mattress or not.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I remember years ago how my back would ache from the stiff beds. I got the egg crates and slept like a baby. Before I would have to go for massages quite often. Was in an accident back in 2004 and back issues bothered me for a while till I got a masseuse to just work those knots out of my back. I have not had a problem the past few years since i got the egg crates. I heard about new pillow tops are coming and someone said they are even better than the Holland America's mattresses.

[gertz]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still recovering from back surgery but did sleep great as always on our Island Panama cruise in February and our Sapphire coastal last month. But have never had a bad night in over twenty years with Princess. Except maybe on the return from Honolulu a few years ago when I was awaken think in mid air as the ship (Golden) was reacting to some choppy waves and we had a very aft cabin.:eek:

 

Think if it were me on the Crown I would worry more about space ratio rather than beds.

[gymbomb]

My issue with the bed on my Princess cruise wasn't that it was hard -- that I could have lived with -- it was that it was very lumpy and uneven. I can sleep well on a flat bed of almost any firmness, but not one that has very large bumps and craters.

[cruisemom42]

We always request the foam mattress pads, ever since after our first Princess cruise. I felt like I was sleeping on an ironing board.

 

I don't equate a firm mattress with a supportive mattress. My mattress at home is firm and supportive, but not hard. The Princess mattress mentioned above was just a hard slab, could have been a park bench in its first life.

 

I completely agree. My "extra firm" mattress at home bears no resemblance to the thin and hard slabs that Princess uses for their beds. It's not GETTING to sleep that's the problem. As others have said, I wake up in the morning aching.

 

Sadly, this is probably the major reason that I have not booked any cruises on Princess in recent years.