A Carnival Cheerleader Gives Princess A Try

[Spaniel Lover]

After 20 cruises with Carnival, I got an offer I couldn't refuse from Princess and decided to... pardon the pun... jump ship.

 

We did a 4-day cruise out of San Pedro (Los Angeles) on the Sapphire Princess... to the exotic ports of Santa Barbara, California, and Ensenada, Mexico. Of course, this wasn't about the ports... it was about seeing if Princess was a good fit for me, or not.

 

The truth is, I was a lot younger when I started cruising with Carnival in 1996. I didn't really mind the hairy chest competitions and the loud music at the mid-ship pool back then. But all the craziness of the mid-ship pool has been increasingly getting on my nerves over the last few years. Things kind of boiled over when I cruised on the Carnival Sunshine in December and all the noise of the mid-ship pool bled over to the Serenity Retreat... and there wasn't a quiet aft pool for me to escape to.

 

So when Princess basically offered free cruises out of Los Angeles in January... it was, as I said, an offer that I could not refuse.

 

Here's how the deal worked...

Book any cabin on the Sapphire Princess in January and they would credit 100% of the cruise fare towards another cruise of 7-days or more between now and the end of the year. Since I had already agreed to go on a Princess Alaska cruisetour this summer with my siblings... the deal was perfect for me, and made the 4-day cruise essentially free, except for gratuities, taxes, and the bar tab.

 

So, that's the introduction to the story. I know you're probably curious about how I liked Princess and how it compared to Carnival. I'm going to give you a few of the highlights and share a few of the best pictures with you, and then I'm going to point you over to the Princess board here on Cruise Critic to read the full review and to see ALL the pictures, if you are intrigued.

 

 

The big thing that jumped out at me from practically the minute we got onboard was how MELLOW things were on the ship. I had worried that Princess might be BORING compared to Carnival... but I totally had that wrong. It wasn't boring at all. It was quiet and relaxing. I loved it.

 

I've heard "Gangham Style" played at maximum volume at the mid-ship pool on Carnival way too many times. When we walked across the Lido deck on the way to the buffet on the first day of the Princess cruise, they were playing a James Taylor concert on the big screen. James Taylor! This is my music. This is what's on my MP3 player. This is what I listen to in the car. Princess was playing music for me... not for some 20-year-old. And it was playing so softly that you could have a conversation without raising your voice. I loved it.

 

The entire cruise was mellow. You know how Carnival plays background music throughout the whole ship? In the hallways, at the aft-pool, in the restaurants... everywhere. That frustrates me, because it usually isn't the kind of music I would listen to. Princess doesn't play background music anywhere on the ship, as far as I could tell. All you could hear was the quiet, happy voices of people chatting around you. It was really relaxing. They did usually have something going on the big screen out at the mid-ship pool, but guess what? They have FIVE swimming pools on the Sapphire Princess. (Six, if you count the crew pool. Yes, the crew has their own pool... and two Jacuzzis.) So, if you didn't like the noise of whatever was on the big screen at the mid-ship pool, or if you got annoyed by all the families with kids that were hanging out there, there were four other pools to choose from. And two of them were adults-only!

 

Crew pool and Jacuzzis on Sapphire Princess

 

The other area where I noticed a huge difference between Carnival and Princess was in the food at the buffet.

 

Eating lunch and dinner in the buffet on the Sapphire Princess was a total pleasure. It was quite a bit better than what we were used to on Carnival. It wasn't just that the food was good, but also the fact that there were so many different items to choose from. The variety was amazing, and I never had problems finding something I liked. There were LOTS more items to choose from than at the buffet on Carnival. I was so amazed by it, that one day at lunch I decided to make a note of everything they offered on that particular day. Here's what they had:

 

Miso Soup With Tofu

Mexican Albondigas Soup

Szechuan Hot Pot with sliced pork

(and a Szechuan sauce available on the side)

A lamb dish called Gosht Roghni

Braised short ribs

Lasagna (with Parmesan cheese available to sprinkle on top)

Pasta with fresh tomato sauce and basil

A thin steak they called a "minute steak"

Roasted chicken

Barbecued chicken

Pork Milanese

Salmon croquette

Submarine sandwich

Turkey ciabatta sandwich

Shrimp salad and bean sprout sandwich

Grilled vegetable sandwich

Mashed potatoes and gravy

Potato & Onion casserole

Roasted Corn & Pumpkin in cream & herb sauce

Chili Mussel and Lotus Root

Chinese Cabbage

Carrozza with mozzarella and anchovy

Succotash

Plain rice

Indian Dhal Tadka

PLUS... a full salad bar, a large selection of fruit, and a full dessert bar!

 

Remember... that was just the selections available at the lunch buffet on one particular day. The menu changed at every meal, every day. I was totally impressed by the huge variety of selections.

 

My wife and I are very casual and prefer to eat all of our meals at the buffet, rather than going to the fancier sit-down restaurants. I was getting so frustrated with dinners at the buffet on Carnival ships! Every night at dinner they would have some interesting entrees, but the only potato choice would be a baked potato. It got so old having a baked potato with my meal night after night. Never any other potato option at dinner... just a baked potato. I laughed out loud when I saw three different potato options at the Sapphire Princess buffet one day: mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and oven-baked diced potatoes... all available at the same meal!

 

Here's a shot of a meal I really enjoyed on the Sapphire Princess, and I found it kind of ironic since I've been on so many Carnival cruises to Mexico where they didn't serve any Mexican food at all!

 

Beef fajitas, chicken taquitos, nachos, chips, and refried beans... from the Horizon Court buffet.

A cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, that actually featured some Mexican food. What a concept!

 

As much as I enjoyed lunch and dinner in the buffet, I have to say that breakfast was a disappointment. On Carnival, I love to have a made-to-order omelet every morning... and they're fantastic. The Sapphire Princess had a very odd setup for their made-to-order omelets. I didn't like it at all. The way it works is that you place an order with the chef, and he hands you a little ticket. When you get to your table, you give that ticket to your server. Then you hope that the server doesn't get busy with other things and that he gets your omelet to you in a reasonable time. Meanwhile, your breakfast partner is sitting at the table with you, trying to figure out whether to start eating her breakfast... or to wait for your omelet to arrive. You're both so hungry that you start eating what you have, and by the time the omelet arrives... you've finished everything else on your plate already. It works a lot better on Carnival.

 

So, as you know, Carnival does indeed have a lot of things going for it. Here's a little list I put together of all the things I think Carnival does better than Princess:

 

Guy Fieri burgers

Self-serve ice cream & frozen yogurt

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

Bigger showers and bathrooms in staterooms

Better breakfast buffet, especially omelets

Ship locator and channel guide on the cabin TVs

You can get a pitcher of margaritas for $25 at Blue Iguana cantina

Towel animals

More comedians

Small comedy club improves the dynamic… comedian feels like he’s playing to a standing-room only crowd, because in most cases he is!

On embarkation day, boarding starts earlier than Princess.

Onboard stores seemed slightly better than what the Sapphire Princess had.

Not required to bring life jacket to safety drill

Magnifying makeup mirror in the bathroom

 

But... with all that said... I've got an even longer list of things that I liked better about Princess over Carnival:

 

The vibe is SO mellow!

No background music

No smoking on balconies

Five swimming pools… fresh water, heated

Hugely better lunch and dinner buffet

No formal night on 4-day cruise

After six cruises, 150 free Internet minutes

Better seating arrangement in the Princess theater

Waiter in the buffet keeps your glass full, removes empty plates fast

More free gifts… tote bag, fruit platter, free bottle of wine

More music and dancing

Mariachi band at the Mexican-themed bar, one hour per day.

There are more outdoor loungers with thick cushions

Nicer interior design (no Joe Farcus)

Free chips and salsa at the aft bar

Free backstage tour

Soft volume of movies and music

No pushy drink servers

Future cruise certificates will yield a $100 onboard credit

HDMI television input that you can actually use

Larger public restrooms

The muster stations are all inside

Restaurants open earlier Breakfast: 6 AM Dinner: 5:30 PM

Closet arrangement is much better. One big closet, not 2 small ones.

No shortage of seats for comedy shows, as they are in the big theater.

“The Sanctuary” takes Carnival’s “Serenity” area to the next level, for a fee.

Larger cast, more talented singers in the production shows

 

Before I point you over to the full review on the Princess board, I want to share with you a little 3-minute video I put together of some of the fun moments from our cruise on the Sapphire Princess.

to see the video!

 

Those are a few quick highlights for you. If you're interested in reading more details and seeing a LOT more photos and videos, head on over to http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1979061 and read the full review.

 

[TMS9539]

Princess is my favorite. I agree the overall vibe is much nicer. I was reluctant to try Carnival again after our cruise on the Pride, which I didn't like at all. However, we got such a good deal that we tried again and sailed the Conquest last year - and had a great time. We're cruising on the Glory in March because we got a great deal again. We're hoping to go back to Princess in December, but honestly it depends on the price. We spend a lot of time on the balcony of our cabin so it really doesn't matter what ship we're on for that. I don't care for most of Carnival's entertainment, so that is disappointing, but no matter what ship I'm on, I'm a) warm and b) not at work. Can't go wrong there!

 

I'd love to give Celebrity a try, but so far haven't been able to find a fare that makes it worth it.

[JustCruizeIt59]

Very nice review and loved your comparisons of each cruise line. I also prefer Princess and have been on the Sapphire but I keep getting sucked back on CCL ships as that's where my friends like to cruise. I just can't convince them to try something new.

[minniem64]

Thanks for sharing!

[Disconnections]

Very nice review and loved your comparisons of each cruise line. I also prefer Princess and have been on the Sapphire but I keep getting sucked back on CCL ships as that's where my friends like to cruise. I just can't convince them to try something new.

 

Hi Betsy!

 

Excellent review, Spaniel Lover.

[golfb4cruzing]

OP you are absolutely correct. Although on Caribbean and Ruby, the omelettes are made while you wait with your ticket. Very quick. We tried Princess and can't force myself back to Carnival. When you are done with Princess, you feel like you have had a relaxing vacation. This year we are going longer, 11 days, to the Panama Canal. I'm glad you had a great time. Carnival is for the younger I think. I want to relax and get pampered.

[Tapi]

Thanks for the quick review! As we prepare to take our first Princess cruise later this year, I'm reading as many reviews as possible, and reviews like yours (Carnival cruiser sailing Princess for the 1st time) are VERY helpful!

 

October can't get here fast enough!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Lineaway]

Totally agree. I like Princess (Jan. 2012 Ruby) better although Celebrity is my favorite. My problem with Princess is the price. I can find better fares on Celebrity and Carnival with my family is waaaay cheaper.

 

I was looking to book something in Oct. or Jan. Celebrity, Carnival, NCL and RCL all have some type of promo going or reduced rates. Nothing on Princess. Balconies are over 1000. Seems they only discount more last minute and my Vacation scheduling doesn't work that way. I have to book a ways out.

 

I have yet to have a bad cruise although I wouldn't go Costa again.

[golfadj]

Thanks so much for doing this. We have done 20 plus cruises with Carnival and will be doing our first with Princess in three months a TA.

 

Thinking we might have found a new home for our cruises but looking forward to it more than any we have done for some years.

[Butterbean1000]

Very interesting.

[CruiseGirlKS]

Great pics! :)

[cruisinqt]

The one thing that was a big plus for you is what was a turn off for us, lol. I loved our ship and ports on the grand princess but it was way too quiet and laid back for us. Everything shut down around ten pm. We went to the club around 10:30 pm and it was empty. We love the young, fun atmosphere on carnival. Princess was just a little too mellow. We are in our forties with two teenaged daughters so maybe when we are older and don't have kids we will feel different. I did like the buffet on Princess better, there were more pools, and the adults area wasn't near as full.

[shukapaw]

Hey Jim,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post this as well as the video and review on the Princess board.

 

We don't have quite the extensive list of sailings as you do with Carnival but they do make up the bulk of our cruises. We sailed with Princess last summer for the first time (kinda back to back with a CCL cruise) and I tend to share your enthusiasm for Princess. I'm 56 but extremely young at heart (read immature) and my wife is 38. Right now, I'd say we are evenly split on Carnival vs Princess. As you can see from my signature, we have a B2B situation this summer with 7 days in the Caribbean with Princess followed immediately by an 8 day sailing on Carnival. :D

 

Right now, it's nice to have 2 "favorites" so we can take advantage of whichever has the best price/itinerary for the time we are interested in traveling.

 

One thing you did not mention as a plus for Princess was the International Cafe. Imagine being in a nice pastry shop where you had your choice of whatever they had... free (open around the clock if I recall correctly). You can see a picture of it here (scroll down to #6 in their list) Although they don't show in the picture, they also had sandwiches and cookies.

 

Another Princess nicety was the warm cookies. See above link at #1

 

The buffets were laid out much better than Carnival's. You could access many of the serving tables from both sides and there was never the traffic jam that we encountered on Carnival.

 

Each day at lunch there was a man in the buffet area preparing a FRESH daily pasta special. Every day was a different pasta and sauce.

 

I don't remember this but my wife says the room service selection was better on Princess.

 

Gee, it looks like all my comments have to do with food!

 

Remember, I'm still a huge Carnival fan. This is in no way meant to slam them.

 

Oh yeah, just thought of a non-food-related plus! Princess offers OBC to those with honorable military service. So in addition to the $100 I get as a shareholder, I get another $100 for submitting proof of my service (this is for a 7-day trip. You get less for shorter trips and more for longer trips.... just like the shareholder bonus). Cha-ching!!

 

Brian

Edited January 27, 2014 by shukapaw

[victory2020]

Thanks for the review. I'll be on the Sapphire in March. I think Princess does a much better job on many things - I actually like the fact that they serve the softserve to you - so many times I've went up to it on Carnival &it was a big mess. Did they have German night in the buffet? They have incredible cheese strudel.

[Phlybice]

 

 

 

 

I LOVE this pic!

[jimbo5544]

I agree, it is a very nice pic.

[stampinrobin]

Thanks for the great review. I've been wanting to try Princess but am afraid it will be too low-vibe for me. I think you put that fear to rest!

 

But - what about the dress code. We like to be casual on our vacation because we have to dress every day for work. We like to eat in the buffet for most meals, but do dress up for Elegant night and the steak house night.

 

Would I feel out of place wearing jean capri's and nice top in the evening to stroll the ship - I would NOT be eating in the MDR on the jean capri nights.

 

Please give me your honest observation. I don't want to feel out of place, I'm generally a rule follower! and that's why we cruise Carnival! ha ha but would love to try something else.

 

Thanks

[walty]

A couple of weeks ago I took the same deal on the Ruby Princess out of Ft Lauderdale and had the exact same reaction you did. When I first got on the ship the vibe was dull and almost surreal, but I couldn't put my finger on it. The crew seemed less friendly and have generally low morale because they didn't make eye contact, smile and greet people.

 

When I crossed the pool deck to get to the buffet I thought how boring and sedate it was and then the staff in the buffet seemed so serious.

 

It really took some time to get used to the "mellow" vibe, but I was never really overwhelmed with Princess. I did like how the cabins were laid out, though.

Edited January 27, 2014 by walty

[suzski]

But - what about the dress code. We like to be casual on our vacation because we have to dress every day for work. We like to eat in the buffet for most meals, but do dress up for Elegant night and the steak house night.

 

 

We cruise Carnival and Princess as well and I can guarantee you would be fine!

[santos949]

We are Elite on Princess and Platinum on Carnival, so we feel they both have their advantages. We sail on Carnival with our children and grandchildren. We sail on Princess to see the world--we love their itineraries. We recently took the Oasis of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) out of Ft. Lauderdale. That was one amazing experience! The Oasis is our favorite ship (NOT the cruise line- RCCL) and we will be introducing her to our children and grandchildren in the near future. IT can really be beneficial to try new things. Thanks for your review. It was a good one!

[Dave85]

Thanks for an excellent comparision and review! Princess definitely doesn't appeal to me right now, but perhaps someday in the future when I'm looking for a more mellow environment.

[JohnBoy in NC]

I was just on the Crown Princess for my 1st Caribbean Princess cruise and while parts of the cruise may seem mellow - overall is was very lively (all shows/entertainment venues were packed---standing room only every night) - lots of bands/music throughout - dance lessons.....so even though the overall crowd was older than my Carnival experiences....I did not see a drop off in the "Fun".

 

The food/menus were amazing --- I could have sailed a B2B2B with Princess without hesitation....I could not do the same on Carnival (food/menus). There were many other little things that Princess does better (to me)...will write a review soon. So far it was my best Caribbean cruise so far...

 

John in NC

[CI66774]

Thanks so much for doing this. We have done 20 plus cruises with Carnival and will be doing our first with Princess in three months a TA.

 

Thinking we might have found a new home for our cruises but looking forward to it more than any we have done for some years.

 

Are you going on the Baltic TA or the English Isles TA?

[DobberDog]

Thanks for your wonderful review. The elegance makes me want to do Princess cruise next year.

 

Did you see a lot of children? If so, what ages did you see most or did their children's program keep them busy?

 

Thanks again!

[Gingee]

How was the dress up night? I do miss that on the Carnival and maybe a couple other ships. I like to dress up.

 

Have friends coming back on Princess right now and they seem to go for the Princess ships. I would like to try them if I could get the right price and right itinerary. We tend to go for the destinations and such.