First time on Princess and I need some reassurance!

[BunkerVA]

Hello!

 

I am a new Princess cruiser after years (and many, many cruises) with Royal Caribbean. I made the switch because I loved the itinerary on the cruise we booked and booked it for a great price. It's just a 5 night to give us a "taste" of Princess, but now I am really nervous. I've been reading terrible reviews of the Emerald Princess. How does Princess compare to Royal Caribbean?

 

We are young-ish (I'm 34, DH is 40) and we have a six year old DD. How are the children's programs?

 

I booked balcony cabin (category BB) A522, but now I've read there's an overhang or something??

 

I'm nervous that I've made the switch. Anyone cruised both? I just want to know what to expect...

 

Thank you so much for any information!

Sam :)

[skf]

We sailed Emerald in 2013 for 10 days and loved her. (Some people find one tiny thing wrong and let it ruin their vacation.)

I do not think the overhang is anything...it's probably just the deck above.

Princess has an area for the kiddies; although we have none of our own a lot of people like it.

Best wishes, Steve (we were in South Boston in March. The one in Mass)

[PescadoAmarillo]

The Emerald Princess is one of our favorite ships and we've sailed on it a fair bit. We, too, had mostly RC and Celebrity cruises until we discovered Princess. I'm not certain a five day cruise gives an accurate depiction of a cruise line, but I think you'll be very pleased. There should be other young kids given the length of the cruise and the kids center on the Emerald Princess should be active. I think you'll find the food better and the entertainment not as good, but it's hard to dislike the Emerald Princess.

 

ETA: I see you've been in one the Radiance Class of RC. No ship anywhere can compare to those, in my mind. They are the perfect ships!

 

(And I know exactly where South Boston (YOUR South Boston) is. I've been married 31 years to a good old Southern Virginia guy from just east of you off Highway 58. Only took me 5 years to start to understand him! ;))

Edited June 21, 2015 by PescadoAmarillo

[skynight]

Hello!

 

I am a new Princess cruiser after years (and many, many cruises) with Royal Caribbean. I made the switch because I loved the itinerary on the cruise we booked and booked it for a great price. It's just a 5 night to give us a "taste" of Princess, but now I am really nervous. I've been reading terrible reviews of the Emerald Princess. How does Princess compare to Royal Caribbean?

We are young-ish (I'm 34, DH is 40) and we have a six year old DD. How are the children's programs?

I booked balcony cabin (category BB) A522, but now I've read there's an overhang or something??

I'm nervous that I've made the switch. Anyone cruised both? I just want to know what to expect...

Thank you so much for any information!

Sam :)

The Emerald Princess is a really nice ship, I don't really know what you are reading. A522 is a great balcony cabin in a great location. The balcony will be covered by the balcony deck directly above you, if that is what you mean by an overhang. This is a plus not a minus as no one can look down onto your balcony.

You will not find any rock walls, surfing, zip lines, water slides, on Princess ships. The Emerald has 5 pools, 2 main pools on the lido deck, The adult Terrace Pool, deck 14 aft, The adult Lotus Spa Pool, deck 16 fwd, and the family chill out pool, deck 17 aft. In the evening you will find standard production shows and guest entertainers in the theater, game shows, theme nights, trivia, in Club Fusion and Explorer's Lounge, live music from rock/pop, ballroom, piano/singer, classical in the Wheelhouse Bar, Explorer's Lounge, Club Fusion, Crooner's Lounge, The Piazza. There will most likely be a deck party one evening. Skywalker's opens late and has a DJ.

In addition to the Main Dining Rooms there is free dining at:

The International Cafe open 24/7; Room Service 24/7; Trident Grill and Prego Pizza open 11am to 11pm; Horizon Ct/Cafe Caribe buffet open 5am to 11pm or midnight never closes; there will probably be a Pub Lunch in the Wheelhouse Bar on one sea day; Vines serves shusi and tapas with the purchase of any drink.

Surcharge dining includes Crown Grill & Sabatini's $25/pp. There may also be a Crab Shack served in a closed off section of Cafe Caribe @ $20/pp. Make reservations once on board by calling the DINE line.

There are no reservations for shows, just walk in. The 8 o'clock hour is the busiest and you have to arrive early.

There is an All Inclusive Beverage Package which includes all alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages priced at $56.35/pp/day. Look on line under Princess cellars. For the youth there is a soda and a soda & more package.

I have no first hand knowledge of the youth program.

[Potstech]

Hello!

 

I am a new Princess cruiser after years (and many, many cruises) with Royal Caribbean. I made the switch because I loved the itinerary on the cruise we booked and booked it for a great price. It's just a 5 night to give us a "taste" of Princess, but now I am really nervous. I've been reading terrible reviews of the Emerald Princess. How does Princess compare to Royal Caribbean?

 

We are young-ish (I'm 34, DH is 40) and we have a six year old DD. How are the children's programs?

 

I booked balcony cabin (category BB) A522, but now I've read there's an overhang or something??

 

I'm nervous that I've made the switch. Anyone cruised both? I just want to know what to expect...

 

Thank you so much for any information!

Sam :)

 

Was just on the Emerald two years ago and she was a great ship with a great staff.

 

Travel up 360 and as you pass Brandermill you missed us by about a mile. Have done some work in both South Boston and Halifax.

[BunkerVA]

The Emerald Princess is a really nice ship, I don't really know what you are reading. A522 is a great balcony cabin in a great location. The balcony will be covered by the balcony deck directly above you, if that is what you mean by an overhang. This is a plus not a minus as no one can look down onto your balcony.

You will not find any rock walls, surfing, zip lines, water slides, on Princess ships. The Emerald has 5 pools, 2 main pools on the lido deck, The adult Terrace Pool, deck 14 aft, The adult Lotus Spa Pool, deck 16 fwd, and the family chill out pool, deck 17 aft. In the evening you will find standard production shows and guest entertainers in the theater, game shows, theme nights, trivia, in Club Fusion and Explorer's Lounge, live music from rock/pop, ballroom, piano/singer, classical in the Wheelhouse Bar, Explorer's Lounge, Club Fusion, Crooner's Lounge, The Piazza. There will most likely be a deck party one evening. Skywalker's opens late and has a DJ.

In addition to the Main Dining Rooms there is free dining at:

The International Cafe open 24/7; Room Service 24/7; Trident Grill and Prego Pizza open 11am to 11pm; Horizon Ct/Cafe Caribe buffet open 5am to 11pm or midnight never closes; there will probably be a Pub Lunch in the Wheelhouse Bar on one sea day; Vines serves shusi and tapas with the purchase of any drink.

Surcharge dining includes Crown Grill & Sabatini's $25/pp. There may also be a Crab Shack served in a closed off section of Cafe Caribe @ $20/pp. Make reservations once on board by calling the DINE line.

There are no reservations for shows, just walk in. The 8 o'clock hour is the busiest and you have to arrive early.

There is an All Inclusive Beverage Package which includes all alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages priced at $56.35/pp/day. Look on line under Princess cellars. For the youth there is a soda and a soda & more package.

I have no first hand knowledge of the youth program.

 

Thank you so much for your help! I am a nervous nelly by nature and I can't believe I actually CHANGED something on purpose! We preferred the smaller ships on RCCL so missing the rock wall isn't going to be a problem.

 

Was just on the Emerald two years ago and she was a great ship with a great staff.

 

Travel up 360 and as you pass Brandermill you missed us by about a mile. Have done some work in both South Boston and Halifax.

 

That's so funny! My brother-in-law and his family live in Woodlake in the Brandermill area!

 

Safe travels all,

Sam :D

[chsalas]

we've been on the Emerald 3 times and it's a great ship. set your expectations for a ship that is 8 years old. is well maintained, beautifully decorated and laid out very well overall it's a very well design ship and has amenities that you will enjoy. Check out my links below there are some pictures of the emerald and parts of the ship.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yikes!! :eek: I don't know what you are reading either? We have sailed the Emerald over 10 times. Most recently in March. She is one of the top 3. :)

[BunkerVA]

The Emerald Princess is one of our favorite ships and we've sailed on it a fair bit. We, too, had mostly RC and Celebrity cruises until we discovered Princess. I'm not certain a five day cruise gives an accurate depiction of a cruise line, but I think you'll be very pleased. There should be other young kids given the length of the cruise and the kids center on the Emerald Princess should be active. I think you'll find the food better and the entertainment not as good, but it's hard to dislike the Emerald Princess.

 

ETA: I see you've been in one the Radiance Class of RC. No ship anywhere can compare to those, in my mind. They are the perfect ships!

 

(And I know exactly where South Boston (YOUR South Boston) is. I've been married 31 years to a good old Southern Virginia guy from just east of you off Highway 58. Only took me 5 years to start to understand him! ;))

 

Our favorite ship is Brilliance of the Seas which is a Radiance class ship. We just LOVE Royal, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up!

 

HA! We live very close to Highway 58! It is VERY difficult to understand people who grew up here. The accent is so thick!

 

Cheers,

Sam :D

[RocketMan275]

Thank you so much for your help! I am a nervous nelly by nature and I can't believe I actually CHANGED something on purpose! We preferred the smaller ships on RCCL so missing the rock wall isn't going to be a problem.

 

 

 

Try reading some reviews on your favorite ship on Royal Caribbean. I'm sure you'll find so many negative reviews that you won't recognize your favorite ship.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I've blogged about nearly 300 days on the Emerald Princess in my blog (address is in my signature). Yes, the Brilliance is brilliant but the Emerald Princess is wonderful, too. We like it so much that may be on the cruise with you.:)

Edited June 21, 2015 by PescadoAmarillo

[shredie]

Try reading some reviews on your favorite ship on Royal Caribbean. I'm sure you'll find so many negative reviews that you won't recognize your favorite ship.

 

That is good advice. Reviews are all over the place, no matter what the ship.

[cb at sea]

I really think you'll find the experience more similar than different, as far as overall cruise experience goes. Yeah, the ship will be different, but overall...you have basically the same stuff....meals and shows included...daytime activities (if you wish to participate), plenty of everything....

It's not like you're taking a cruise on a container ship or anything! So, stop being nervous, and get excited!!!

[rjgdjg]

We've done 18 cruises--on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Princess--and like Princess the best. It's a really solid, all-around great experience. Each of the cruise lines has its high and low points, but Princess is the most consistent. Few of the highlights:

 

* Food is the best of the three. The buffet has theme nights (e.g., German night, Italian night), which are a lot of fun and have some neat special treats. Pizza is great

* Piazza is a fun hub of the ship, where something is always happening and the International Café has good snacks 24 hours

* Movie Under the Stars is a nice reminder of the drive-in days, along with free popcorn

* The staff is attentive, including coming around with coffee and juice in the buffet

* The stateroom closets are huge, and the room has ample storage space

* Right now, Princess is celebrating its 50th anniversary and a partnership with Norman Love Chocolates, so there are a few extra treats (truffle pops at the Welcome Toast), etc.

 

We've been on the Emerald and it's a really nice ship. You'll have a blast. - Musing About Cruising

[Mom33]

Hello!

 

I am a new Princess cruiser after years (and many, many cruises) with Royal Caribbean. I made the switch because I loved the itinerary on the cruise we booked and booked it for a great price. It's just a 5 night to give us a "taste" of Princess, but now I am really nervous. I've been reading terrible reviews of the Emerald Princess. How does Princess compare to Royal Caribbean?

 

We are young-ish (I'm 34, DH is 40) and we have a six year old DD. How are the children's programs?

 

I booked balcony cabin (category BB) A522, but now I've read there's an overhang or something??

 

I'm nervous that I've made the switch. Anyone cruised both? I just want to know what to expect...

 

Thank you so much for any information!

Sam :)

 

You would be better off reading the good reviews for the Emerald, as they far outnumber the bad. :D

We have cruised the Emerald 4 times and enjoyed her every time. :)

Have a wonderful cruise.

[jovisoul]

We've been on 6 Princess cruises. The Emerald is our favorite so far!

 

I'm sure you won't be disappointed with either Princess or the Emerald!

 

Enjoy!

[thinfool]

Stay away from the International Cafe. Far away.....far, far away. Open 24 hrs, so the danger is always there....sandwiches, salads, special desserts, gelato and more....far, far away. :D:cool:;)

 

Do we like the Emerald? You betcha.

[Blue Elephant]

I have just finished a 14 day cruise on the Emerald Princess, with only an 11 day gap till we did an Allure of the Seas cruise.

 

We enjoyed both ships. Some things were done better on Princess and

Some were done better on the Allure. Princess was a bit more laid back, which gave it a kind of understated elegance. They had some nice little touches, like being able to order a bowl of fruit for your room and also some small bottles of wine at excellent prices.

 

Occasionally we felt that some of the dining room foods didn't quite work as well on Princess. Can't comment on children's facilitities though. No kids with us.

 

I would cruise with either company again if they were going where I wanted to go!

[DebJ14]

Wow, I also don't know what you have been reading about the Emerald. We are Diamond on RCCL, but also sail Princess. Our cruise in January of this year was on the Emerald and we found it to be a beautiful ship with great service. As for kids, we had no idea that there were many kids aboard that week until we came across all the kids and their counselors having a parade in the Piazza. They looked like they were having great fun.

[BunkerVA]

Thank you for all your replies! I'm sure we will enjoy the trip!!

 

Thanks for the tip on the International Cafe, thinfool! Far, far away. ;)

 

Sam :D

[OCruisers]

Hi BunkerVA ... Sam & John with Sadie (DD)...

We'll be with you on this same Emerald sailing. Gosh, Emerald Princess is an absolutely wonderful ship! :)

 

We also cruise on Royal Caribbean from time to time but have found Princess to the be best fit for us. This one is just a 5 Day cruise so it will give you the opportunity to see what YOU think of a very nice Princess ship. :)

 

LuLu

[GUT2407]

Most reviews are a joke.

 

That simple.

 

They blame the line for things that have nothing to do with the line.

 

I have read reviews of cruises I was one and thought "Are you sure it was the same cruise". The worst thing about reviews is that there is no chance to challenge/question what has been posted. So in effect you can say whatever you like.

[rdsqrl]

Thank you for all your replies! I'm sure we will enjoy the trip!!

 

Thanks for the tip on the International Cafe, thinfool! Far, far away. ;)

 

Sam :D

Especially stay away from the chicken salad. And the warm cookies.

 

Pro tip: All the way aft on Deck 16, next door to the specialty restaurant Sabatini's, is a lovely quiet bar called Adagio. In the evenings, there's generally a very good musician/duo/trio playing up there, and it's never crowded. Most importantly, has a drink you can only get in this one bar: a Citrus Bellini. It's delicious.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[capriccio]

Especially stay away from the chicken salad. And the warm cookies.

 

Pro tip: All the way aft on Deck 16, next door to the specialty restaurant Sabatini's, is a lovely quiet bar called Adagio. In the evenings, there's generally a very good musician/duo/trio playing up there, and it's never crowded. Most importantly, has a drink you can only get in this one bar: a Citrus Bellini. It's delicious.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

As is the tiramisu martini - dessert in a glass!

Edited June 22, 2015 by capriccio

[pedirn]

I have the opposite problem...booked on Freedom of the Seas and nervous about differences. Don't get me wrong....we have done 18 cruises with RCCL before we switched to Princess. Just love the Princess atmosphere and on board offerings and activities. But we are going spring break (😒) and our children picked the RCCL ship. Guess we will see changes since 2007.