Caribbean Princess

[patrinka]

I have been reading a lot of reviews on this ship - we are booked for Sept 2016. I am getting worried after reading so many negative reviews. I do not see that the Caribbean Princess will be refurbished before Sept 2016.

Any insight on this? Should we be concerned as the ship will be another year older without any upgrades/major work done.

[slwmjd]

There is nothing wrong with this ship , we have been on it 2 times and thought it was nice. I don't go around looking for bad things I have better things to do while on vacation.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have been reading a lot of reviews on this ship - we are booked for Sept 2016. I am getting worried after reading so many negative reviews. I do not see that the Caribbean Princess will be refurbished before Sept 2016.

Any insight on this? Should we be concerned as the ship will be another year older without any upgrades/major work done.

 

 

Take reviews with a grain of salt.

For every bad review there will be others on the same cruise that could not speak any higher of the ship/cruise.

Makes you wonder how they could be on the same cruise.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[lljost]

This ship is one of our favorites. We will be on her again in February for two weeks. Every ship shows their wear and tear but I'm on board to relax and have fun not go looking for rust. My DH and I love the design and size of this ship. We felt she had a wonderful, hard working crew who made us feel welcomed and spoiled us completely. Relax and enjoy the cruise...

[hm9912]

There is nothing wrong with this ship , we have been on it 2 times and thought it was nice. I don't go around looking for bad things I have better things to do while on vacation.

 

+1

 

We've also been on two prior cruises on this ship and are excited to be on our third in 47 days.

 

Howard

[West Coast Gal]

Was on the Caribbean Princess for my honeymoon and am really looking forward to being on it again in November. I agree with Color Cruiser, take it with a grain of salt. AND if there is something about your room that you don't like, make sure to let the Princess staff know while you are onboard, they will take care of you . . . what I love about Princess!

[PescadoAmarillo]

It's not my favorite but not because of the ship itself (I didn't think it was in bad shape at all, though maintenance and cleaning of the Terrace Deck area could have been better), but it's crew when I was onboard. That can easily change (for better or worse) over a period of a few months and wouldn't stop me from sailing on the ship again.

 

ETA: I hope they've received an adequate supply of washcloths and hand towels since I was on the ship in February.

Edited July 12, 2015 by PescadoAmarillo

[aquilegia]

I was on CB last month. There were no problems. Stop reading reviews!

[majortom10]

Got off Caribbean Princess yesterday and sorry to say but it was my worst experience on a Princess cruise and we are Elite. The ship looked tatty and unkempt in places and didnt even had to look hard to notice and the service was poor seemed to be short staffed in all bars and especially International Cafe. We were planning to go on her in 2016 on British Isles but we have changed our minds pity because we love that cruise and enjoyed Caribbean Princess in past cruises.

[shredie]

I was on CB last month. There were no problems. Stop reading reviews!

 

 

If you go looking for problems you are sure to find them. I ignore reviews.

[Colo Cruiser]

MajorTom that sounds terrible.

 

Hmmmmmm.........

Edited July 12, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[cattolica]

We were on the Caribbean Princess for 10 days in November 2014. Our only complaint had to do with our cabin. When they replaced the carpet it appeared it was cut a little short. It left a "tack" strip exposed by the bed (next to the wall of the closet and also at the balcony door).

 

This was pointed out to our cabin steward who alerted his supervisor. Maintenance came and removed the tack strip as it had staples that pointed up.......would have hurt had we stepped on it. They did not change the carpet so about 2 inches of the floor was exposed in those areas. We survived......it just looked a little odd.

[Colo Cruiser]

We were on the Caribbean Princess for 10 days in November 2014. Our only complaint had to do with our cabin. When they replaced the carpet it appeared it was cut a little short. It left a "tack" strip exposed by the bed (next to the wall of the closet and also at the balcony door).

 

This was pointed out to our cabin steward who alerted his supervisor. Maintenance came and removed the tack strip as it had staples that pointed up.......would have hurt had we stepped on it. They did not change the carpet so about 2 inches of the floor was exposed in those areas. We survived......it just looked a little odd.

 

 

That is strange.

[OCruisers]

For better or worse ... we already have Caribbean Princess booked for 22 days in 2017. :D

 

LuLu

[letsgo39]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2018995&goto=newpost

 

We just got off the Caribbean Princess for our June 11th 15 day Norway Northcape and Summer Solstice cruise.The ports were wonderful and I think Norway is the most beautiful place I have ever seen.

 

The Ship was not great. I don't consider reports of the toilets not working a minor thing.The ship was dirty. You couldn't even see out the windows. Also no matter the opinion of the above person I do NOT look for things to complain about.Actually if you want to go back and look at all my comments over the last years you will see this is the ONLY time I have ever complained about a ship.I definitely would not cruise on this ship again. Please read the above thread by people who have just cruised on her.

[EdmPair]

I find an irony here in some people are saying to not read reviews. If you honestly believe that, why join CC at all. Everybody is constantly reviewing every aspect of every cruise on every ship. I read them and so do you.

 

However, I like the advice to take review or comment with some gentle caution. It is easier and more motivational to write out a complain than a compliment and that is shown here often. So read reviews and know it is one persons point of view at one point in time.

 

I am here as I am considering a trip on this ship next year. Now I know I should read more but a cruise to me is the ports more than the ship and I know that of myself. The comment so far have not scared me off but does guide my choices.

[venicecruiser]

I was on CB in November 2014 and loved the ship! Crew was great....I had no problems whatsoever.

 

Claudia

[maiseric]

Got off Caribbean Princess yesterday and sorry to say but it was my worst experience on a Princess cruise and we are Elite. The ship looked tatty and unkempt in places and didnt even had to look hard to notice and the service was poor seemed to be short staffed in all bars and especially International Cafe. We were planning to go on her in 2016 on British Isles but we have changed our minds pity because we love that cruise and enjoyed Caribbean Princess in past cruises.

 

 

On this same cruise and I have to agree. I have never had such bad service. Our window suite was very tatty.

[pablo222]

I find an irony here in some people are saying to not read reviews. If you honestly believe that, why join CC at all. Everybody is constantly reviewing every aspect of every cruise on every ship. I read them and so do you.

 

The advice is not to not read reviews, but only read reviews that you

agree with.

 

This is like calling princess -- keep calling until you get an answer you

like and then post it here as the word of god.

 

I was on Carribbean twice in November 2014. I found the ship condition

poor. These cruises were essentially free. $399 fare, with $400 obc.

For that price, it was fine.

 

If I were paying a real cruise fare, I would pick Emerald/Ruby/Crown

over Carribbean, in a heart-beat.

 

Those 3 are both newer, and have better passenger space, with

Adagio added, and Sabatini's moved.

[Bogof1]

I too have just got off this ship on Saturday. We had a wonderful cruise. Everyone has different ideals, values expectations etc. I've sailed on three princess ships, Grand Crown and now the Caribbean. Of the three my favourite is the grand but probably because we sailed on her after her refit and modernisation in 2011. We had no issues at all with food anywhere.....however if eating in Horizon court we take the meal back to our room purely because it's a zoo up there! Main dining rooms on anytime dining were fine. Good staff, hot food and willing to please. Sadly no limoncello shot glasses they have gone so couldn't complete my set of glasses....sigh!

The ship is tired looking, there are areas of neglect but none of this was an issue to us. There was definitely a smell mid ships on deck 7 but I just ran through :)

On last day there were two gentlemen walking round club fusion whilst we were waiting to disembark who were obviously checking the state of the ship, they clearly said improvements needed to be made to furnishings etc.

you will enjoy your cruise.....we did....it was far better than being at home doing housework :D

[Colo Cruiser]

I too have just got off this ship on Saturday. We had a wonderful cruise. Everyone has different ideals, values expectations etc. I've sailed on three princess ships, Grand Crown and now the Caribbean. Of the three my favourite is the grand but probably because we sailed on her after her refit and modernisation in 2011. We had no issues at all with food anywhere.....however if eating in Horizon court we take the meal back to our room purely because it's a zoo up there! Main dining rooms on anytime dining were fine. Good staff, hot food and willing to please. Sadly no limoncello shot glasses they have gone so couldn't complete my set of glasses....sigh!

The ship is tired looking, there are areas of neglect but none of this was an issue to us. There was definitely a smell mid ships on deck 7 but I just ran through :)

On last day there were two gentlemen walking round club fusion whilst we were waiting to disembark who were obviously checking the state of the ship, they clearly said improvements needed to be made to furnishings etc.

you will enjoy your cruise.....we did....it was far better than being at home doing housework :D

 

 

Glad you had a great cruise. As far as smells, they have to exit somewhere and the vents along the Promenade deck are going to stink once in awhile. There is a garbage room below where refuse if held.

We have smelled this on every ship we have sailed on.

[letsgo39]

Glad you had a great cruise. As far as smells, they have to exit somewhere and the vents along the Promenade deck are going to stink once in awhile. There is a garbage room below where refuse if held.

We have smelled this on every ship we have sailed on.

 

It is a sewer smell not a garbage smell. I thought it was because the toilets were not flushing.

The smell was really bad on deck 12 but not all the time.I guess I have been lucky as I have never noticed it before on any ship I have been on.

[SwissDave]

I got off the ship from the previous 2 cruises prior to the 15day North Cape.

 

Nothing much physically wrong with the ship in terms of state of repair but certainly a few areas need some work, some as replacing missing tiles on the pools surrounds, some of the chairs in various venues could do with reupholstering, but nothing major. Food was very good in all venues, and 3 or 4 'stand out' bar tenders.

 

The problem with the ship for me (and it's my opinion not saying others have to feel the same), is that you just don't get that 'hug' when you board as with other ships. You walk on and it's a bit of an anti climax. Probably because the piazza is very crowded with not much space for seating, the large areas under the stairs are not conducive to sitting and so on. The main problem is the crowds, even though the ship was not full. CB has the extra passenger deck but no extra space such as Adagio, or the reconfigured Vines bar (where the bar is set against the windows rather than sticking out into the Piazza.

 

To me the ship just does not feel right, and several people made the same comment.

 

Give me the Grand, Crown or Emerald anytime, but not CB. I will be avoiding it in the future.

[Colo Cruiser]

It is a sewer smell not a garbage smell. I thought it was because the toilets were not flushing.

The smell was really bad on deck 12 but not all the time.I guess I have been lucky as I have never noticed it before on any ship I have been on.

 

I was commenting on a specific post that said they ran through a smell on deck 7.

 

I agree smells of sewage on passenger cabin decks is not a good sign.

[aquilegia]

I find an irony here in some people are saying to not read reviews. If you honestly believe that, why join CC at all.

 

As the one who originally on this thread said stop reading reviews, I'd better answer this!

 

I've been a member of CC for a number of years now and I certainly did not join to read reviews. In fact, I've probably not read more than a dozen in all that time. Why join CC at all, you ask? I joined so that I could gain more factual (and I repeat factual) information about ports I wanted to visit, facilities on different ships and answers to specific queries. I also thought that I could contribute by answering questions. Where personal opinions on ships and cruises are concerned, I've come to know over the years which contributors are generally respected and can be relied upon - Pam in CA is one, there are plenty of others. I might read the odd review if I'm thinking of cruising to a new destination, say, but I never read a review of a ship once I've made a booking on it. To my mind, he time for research is before you book. Part of my pleasure in cruising is the anticipation. I always assume I'm going to have a great time (and oddly enough, I always have!). I don't want to be fretting about bad reviews.