Help a Girl Out - Back to Princess???

[missac]

Hi there -

 

My husband and I are fairly experienced cruisers - I think we counted 11 in the past 14 years (how did that happen?!?!?). We took at Tahiti cruise with Princess in 2003, and then a Caribbean cruise on the Grand Princess in 2004.

 

Since then, for a variety of reasons, all our cruises have been on Celebrity. BUT - we want to cruise in the Caribbean over Thanksgiving, and we aren't in love with our Celebrity choices, so we are thinking of giving Princess a try again.

 

Tell me why we should, please? What is Princess doing right/good now? Has it improved or changed since the early 2000s? We're looking at a sailing on the Crown Princess, if that helps, or potentially the Caribbean Princess.

 

Thanks so much!!

Aimee

[shofer]

My first Princess cruise was in 2007 and I definitely can see the change in the food quality in the MDR. It will not be a good as Celebrity. But, the overall cruise experience should be about the same. If you are doing a one week Caribbean cruise you will enjoy it.

 

Depending on which ship you choose, you will have the International Cafe in the atrium which is a big plus in my book.

 

The passenger/space ratio is greater on Celebrity compared to certain Princess ships. The Island/Coral is equal to the M-class on X.

 

Sue

[DonnasMom&Dad]

Hi there -

 

My husband and I are fairly experienced cruisers - I think we counted 11 in the past 14 years (how did that happen?!?!?). We took at Tahiti cruise with Princess in 2003, and then a Caribbean cruise on the Grand Princess in 2004.

 

Since then, for a variety of reasons, all our cruises have been on Celebrity. BUT - we want to cruise in the Caribbean over Thanksgiving, and we aren't in love with our Celebrity choices, so we are thinking of giving Princess a try again.

 

Tell me why we should, please? What is Princess doing right/good now? Has it improved or changed since the early 2000s? We're looking at a sailing on the Crown Princess, if that helps, or potentially the Caribbean Princess.

 

Thanks so much!!

Aimee

 

For your information the new Royal Princess will be doing the Caribbean over thanks giving. ;)

 

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. - 07 April 2012, 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

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

23rd cruise - Sapphire Princess 30 March - 06 April, 2013, 7 Day Coastal LA - LA

 

 

Future & Hopeful Cruises !

( Already booked )

 

.24th cruise - Coral Princess, 19 May - 22 May, 2013, 3 Day Repositioning Cruise, LA - Vancouver

25th cruise - Royal Princess 16 June - 05 July, 2013, 19 Day Inaugural cruise, Southampton - Venice.

26th cruise - Emerald Princess, 06 Oct. - 16 Oct. 2013, 10 Day Cruise, Quebec City to New York City

27th cruise - Royal Princess, 14 November - 01 December, 2013, Eastern Caribbean, Fort Lauderdale Ret.

28th cruise - Star Princess, 20 December, 2013 - 04 January, 2014, 15 Day, Hawaii, Christmas-New Years, LA-LA

29th cruise - Crown Princess, 15 February - 05 April, 2014, South America, FLL - LAX, 49 Days.

30th cruise - Regal Princess, 02 June - 19 June, 2014, Venice - Barcelona, - Venice 17 days

 

 

[skynight]

Just a heads up. A Thanksgiving cruise will be crowded with lots of kids. Many of the extra berths in the cabins will be filled.

[cr8tiv1]

I try to avoid holidays now that I am retired. A previous poster said it was going to be filled with families. If you are okay with that, then go ahead and book a Princess cruise. I have only sailed with Celebrity once. I found them to be very similar to Princess. I was very much impressed with their dining room layout and food. I thought they did a good job at the buffet too. I liked the concept of different stations. It kind of separated out the group.

 

I know that the Caribbean Princess has Window Suites. These are absolutely wonderful accommodations for about the price of a mini-suite. It includes some marvelous perks like breakfast in Sabatini's every morning, free laundry, delicious chocolate covered strawberries, and the list goes on.

 

Welcome back to Princess.

 

Renee

[missac]

Thanks for the tips, folks, keep them coming :-)

 

I did see about the Royal - but I am also being a picky person about itineraries, and I liked these stops better ... but maybe I am being short sighted!

 

We have done a couple Thanksgiving cruises before - one through the Panama Canal in 2010, and then one last year out of San Juan on Celebrity's Summit. I didn't find either to be particularly packed with kids, but are you saying I will see more on Princess?

 

Full disclosure, I'll be sailing with an almost 3 year old - her first cruise was last Nov as an almost 2 and she loved it, and we loved the down time to spend with her. So I'm not fussed about kids in general, but I don't want to be unable to walk down the halls, either. And she is too young for the kids program, so that's not a consideration.

 

Tell me more!

Aimee

[cr8tiv1]

Generally, you do not see a lot of children on longer cruises. You will probably find them on a 7 day. I did a Panama Canal Cruise last spring (2013) and there were maybe 5 children on board. One had her own nanny and the others had the full staff of children watchers.

 

Most children on Princess cruises are pretty well behaved (compared to Carnival). I don't think you will have a problem.

 

On the other hand...I am doing a 3 day get away from Los Angeles the few days before Thanksgiving. When I checked the boards, there was one posted for the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday that will have 600 "Wizards" onboard, sponsored by Whimsical Alley. That should be an interesting voyage.

 

If you like the itinerary, then book it. I haven't found a Princess cruise that I was disappointed in.

 

Renee

[Cruisin' Chick]

Generally, you do not see a lot of children on longer cruises. You will probably find them on a 7 day. I did a Panama Canal Cruise last spring (2013) and there were maybe 5 children on board. One had her own nanny and the others had the full staff of children watchers.

 

Most children on Princess cruises are pretty well behaved (compared to Carnival). I don't think you will have a problem.

 

On the other hand...I am doing a 3 day get away from Los Angeles the few days before Thanksgiving. When I checked the boards, there was one posted for the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday that will have 600 "Wizards" onboard, sponsored by Whimsical Alley. That should be an interesting voyage.

 

If you like the itinerary, then book it. I haven't found a Princess cruise that I was disappointed in.

 

Renee

 

I saw the info about the Whimsical Alley group -- it's marketed for adults and not children.

[cr8tiv1]

I saw the info about the Whimsical Alley group -- it's marketed for adults and not children.

 

Thanks for that clarification. I am still glad that I am on the ship the cruise before this one.

 

You should be a good source for verifying children on cruises during vacation holidays. Were there many on your cruise to Hawaii at Christmas?

 

Renee

[missac]

... has anyone sailed both Princess and X recently enough that you could compare for me? Tell me what you think Princess does better??

[Lynda90]

I will never do a 7 day holiday cruise again! The Caribbean cruise over New Year's Eve was absolutely packed with kids all over the place. They were running up and down the halls and completely took over the atrium area in the evenings. Parents did nothing to stop this and many were just not even present. So, it would not be fair to compare a 7 day holiday Caribbean cruise on Princess with a Panama Canal cruise X. I enjoy the Princess fleet, but not over a holiday. JMHO! :p

[missac]

I will never do a 7 day holiday cruise again! The Caribbean cruise over New Year's Eve was absolutely packed with kids all over the place. They were running up and down the halls and completely took over the atrium area in the evenings. Parents did nothing to stop this and many were just not even present. So, it would not be fair to compare a 7 day holiday Caribbean cruise on Princess with a Panama Canal cruise X. I enjoy the Princess fleet, but not over a holiday. JMHO! :p

 

Thanks Lynda90 - so you think Princess sees more kids @ holidays?? We did a 7 day Thanksgiving last year on X ... there were kids, but also huge family groups from Puerto Rico b/c we sailed out of there. I'm a parent too - and I firmly kept my wee person in check. ;-p But I know lots don't...

[mizLORInj]

Last cruise was 10 nights on Equinox in March. While I like this class of X ship, there are also things I don't like about it.

Last Princess cruise was Caribbean Princess repositioning in 2011. It was a great family cruise. We've also sailed Crown Princess and other Princess ships.

I think food is subjective and there are very good and just eh on both (actually on ALL mass market lines). I think service, shows, etc. are all comparable.

I like better on Princess: more elevators/stairs for 3000 people (X class has one less bank of elevators/stairs). Princess pools; X class needs a larger or another pool.

Yet, I'd sail either again tomorrow.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thanks for that clarification. I am still glad that I am on the ship the cruise before this one.

 

You should be a good source for verifying children on cruises during vacation holidays. Were there many on your cruise to Hawaii at Christmas?

 

Renee

 

Our holiday cruises were all during the same type of cruise: the two week Hawaiian one for that last week or two of December and the first week of January or so. So it could be different for the seven day cruises.

 

I do remember the number 250 for our 2005/06 cruise, but that was also the only cruise we've ever been on that had misbehaving kids that we've seen. And those were all from the same extended family and I would definitely blame the parents in that case. On our 2010/11 cruise, I never heard complaints about the kids, just about some of the senior crowd (even some of the other seniors were complaining that their peers were fairly rude). I'm sure there were plenty of kids on our most recent one, but they seemed to keep busy with the kids' activities or watching movies on MUTS or swimming. My girl as a 15-year-old hung out with five other kids her age for much of the cruise.

[missac]

Last cruise was 10 nights on Equinox in March. While I like this class of X ship, there are also things I don't like about it.

Last Princess cruise was Caribbean Princess repositioning in 2011. It was a great family cruise. We've also sailed Crown Princess and other Princess ships.

I think food is subjective and there are very good and just eh on both (actually on ALL mass market lines). I think service, shows, etc. are all comparable.

I like better on Princess: more elevators/stairs for 3000 people (X class has one less bank of elevators/stairs). Princess pools; X class needs a larger or another pool.

Yet, I'd sail either again tomorrow.

 

Mizlorinj - THANK YOU. This is *exactly* the kind of feedback I am looking for! :D

 

I have not sailed the newer class of X ship, only the Infinity/Summit size, so that was a question. I've always heard that Princess entertainment was better... and I know SO much of this is subjective, but I figure the best people to ask are the people who love Princess, y'know?

[FritzG]

My first Princess cruise was in 2007 and I definitely can see the change in the food quality in the MDR. It will not be a good as Celebrity. But, the overall cruise experience should be about the same. If you are doing a one week Caribbean cruise you will enjoy it.

 

Depending on which ship you choose, you will have the International Cafe in the atrium which is a big plus in my book.

 

The passenger/space ratio is greater on Celebrity compared to certain Princess ships. The Island/Coral is equal to the M-class on X.

 

Sue

 

While I agree that the food quality on Princess has gone down in the last couple of years, I still think the food we had on our Hawaiian cruise last month was better overall than the food we had on the Eclipse TA in Nov. 2010.