Bye Bye Princess

[gremlinbangles]

The bottom line is always profit. So if they can draw the masses in with less and cater to the wants they will do it. This is why elegant nights are being diminished. ie i know skeet shooting and golf are not my thing. It does sound nice the way you describe it, however we do enjoy current day cruising

 

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[keithm]

20 years ago there was no such thing as a private balcony except perhaps in a suite. Paid as much for a OV then as I regularly pay for a balcony now. Other undisputedly great improvements have been in entertainment (though on some lines it peaked 5 years or so ago - but still better than it was). There are more ports of departure and more ports of call and fewer tender ports. Bigger ships have more venues but there are still plenty of small ships for those who would prefer that. And, generally speaking, the free casual eating venues have more variety and open hours.

 

I do get nostalgic for the days when every one ate at one of two times, went to one of two shows, and conformed to the same dress codes. It was more of a shared adventure then. I miss skeet shooting and golfing off the stern, horse racing, the Captains party and the midnight buffet.

 

So I find myself wishing that some of the big lines would pick a modern ship and designate it as a ship that offers a "Classic" experience.

The closest to that would be Cunard. We'd still be with them if they hadn't cut back their Caribbean schedule so much(mass competition). So we tried 2 Celebrity trips(the Eclipse)This ship came closest to Cunard. You need to do the 14 day trips in the winter. We're trying 1 B2B(14 days)on Feb.7 on the Regal Princess. If it's fine we'll stay with them awhile. If not then we'll go back to Cunard/Celebrity. Cunard is starting to do Caribbean trips again.

[nasa1974]

Shogun,

Sorry to see you go. I have always enjoyed your posts.

I guess the DW and myself are still new enough to cruising that we still have the WOW factor when we cruise. Besides we just made Platinum and can't jump ship yet. :eek: However, we have talked about booking one of the big RCL ships just for the ship and not worry about the ports. ;)

Stay in touch and I really hope you can grab that WOW factor again.

Good luck and enjoyment in all your future cruises.

 

Marty

[monakayk]

Shogun,

 

Never say...Never. There may be a a PCL cruise that will just right for you again that you can't resist. However it is always good (IMHO) to try out other cruise lines. All have something 'special' to offer.

 

We love PCL and are trying to get to Elite ---to take a World Cruise, but if another line has better deals...we will go with them. So far I have been pleased with all the cruise lines we have cruised with so far. Some more than others.

 

Good luck to you and happy cruising!:D

[Coral]

20 years ago there was no such thing as a private balcony except perhaps in a suite. Paid as much for a OV then as I regularly pay for a balcony now. Other undisputedly great improvements have been in entertainment (though on some lines it peaked 5 years or so ago - but still better than it was). There are more ports of departure and more ports of call and fewer tender ports. Bigger ships have more venues but there are still plenty of small ships for those who would prefer that. And, generally speaking, the free casual eating venues have more variety and open hours.

 

I do get nostalgic for the days when every one ate at one of two times, went to one of two shows, and conformed to the same dress codes. It was more of a shared adventure then. I miss skeet shooting and golfing off the stern, horse racing, the Captains party and the midnight buffet.

 

So I find myself wishing that some of the big lines would pick a modern ship and designate it as a ship that offers a "Classic" experience.

 

The Sun Princess came out in 1995 and had "affordable balconies". Her sisters came out shortly after. I fell in love with cruising with the Sun Class ships.

 

I do wish for the cruising experience I had 20 years ago. I would pay more for that today. I am not into all the "cool features" today's ships have. I would much rather have a quartet in the atrium than the loud music or whatever it was that pounded into my head on my last cruise. I would rather have the pool side bands as opposed to MUTS all the time. I still love Traditional dining times.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Coral

[sssteele]

We love cruising and will continue to do so, but DH and I have decided that some of our vacations in the future will be spent RV-ing throughout our own beautiful country! We have lived in almost every area of the country over the 40 years we have been married, but there are so many places we have yet to visit, in particular the many National Parks out west. So we bought an RV and so far have enjoyed several month long trips across the USA! To be continued......

 

Hi,

Hope you guys are doing well. I know you're planning for your coming TA...I've been in touch with Val, and ran into Kathy and Herb on a recent cruise.

I agree about spending time in the RV....Sam and I got a new, smaller unit and will do more on the road. We've planned a short trip to Florida in the spring, and traveling to Oregon and Washington this summer.

 

Shogun, You will surely be missed on the Princess Roll Calls, and we wish you good health and great adventures wherever you travel.

Joanie

Edited February 12, 2016 by sssteele

[OzKiwiJJ]

The Sun Princess came out in 1995 and had "affordable balconies". Her sisters came out shortly after. I fell in love with cruising with the Sun Class ships.

 

 

They are still cruising around our part of the world. :D

[Coral]

They are still cruising around our part of the world. :D

 

I actually looked at them for Christmas this year. They are doing some short cruises - makes it sort of difficult to fly to your part of the world for a short cruise. I still love the ships and if the itinerary is right, I would love to visit your part of the world!

[OzKiwiJJ]

I actually looked at them for Christmas this year. They are doing some short cruises - makes it sort of difficult to fly to your part of the world for a short cruise. I still love the ships and if the itinerary is right, I would love to visit your part of the world!

 

The Australian Top End cruises are very good. 17 nights Sydney to Fremantle or vice versa. They are best done in our winter though, otherwise it's too hot and humid.

 

The popular cruises do book out quite quickly on those ships.

 

Also you may find B2Bs available - New Zealand followed by a Pacific Island cruise, for example. If you could combine those two you could get up to 28 nights cruising.

 

BTW Dawn is going over to P&O Australia sometime next year, but Sun and Sea are staying in the Princess Australia fleet. Princess is starting to use the bigger ships here now - Diamond, Golden and Emerald.

Edited February 12, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[suzyed]

Hi,

Hope you guys are doing well. I know you're planning for your coming TA...I've been in touch with Val, and ran into Kathy and Herb on a recent cruise.

I agree about spending time in the RV....Sam and I got a new, smaller unit and will do more on the road. We've planned a short trip to Florida in the spring, and traveling to Oregon and Washington this summer.

 

Shogun, You will surely be missed on the Princess Roll Calls, and we wish you good health and great adventures wherever you travel.

Joanie

 

Joanie, wouldn't it be great if we ran into each other on one of our trips? Last June we were on an RV trip and went to Reba's(Foghornleghorn) neck of the woods and spend a lovely day with her!

[Coral]

The Australian Top End cruises are very good. 17 nights Sydney to Fremantle or vice versa. They are best done in our winter though, otherwise it's too hot and humid.

 

The popular cruises do book out quite quickly on those ships.

 

Also you may find B2Bs available - New Zealand followed by a Pacific Island cruise, for example. If you could combine those two you could get up to 28 nights cruising.

 

BTW Dawn is going over to P&O Australia sometime next year, but Sun and Sea are staying in the Princess Australia fleet. Princess is starting to use the bigger ships here now - Diamond, Golden and Emerald.

 

Thanks - I will look again. I looked a few months ago and my memory was a bunch of 3-5 days. Ideally - 14 days would be great. Not retired so 28 is not possible. I was looking at your summer (our winter) cruises. Will look again this weekend. Would love to see your beautiful part of the world!

[wblynch]

So many factors to consider.

 

For East Coast cruises we prefer Royal Caribbean. They no longer serve the US West Coast so we go on Princess.

 

We sailed HAL --- once

 

NCL or Carnival? ..meh

[TNTLAMB]

Is it possible its not the cruise line and just too many cruises? There are differences to be sure, but they are often not that significant.

 

We took a break for a while (not by choice but some difficult circumstances) We were amazed how great it was when we returned and pleasantly surprised how little things had changed even though we though they had. It really was like coming home again.

[Bogof1]

I too am looking elsewhere.. we Luke cruising round trip from Southampton and want to go back to the med. 5 yrs ago 12-15 sailings next year 3!!!!

[Gwendy]

Is it possible its not the cruise line and just too many cruises? There are differences to be sure, but they are often not that significant.

 

We took a break for a while (not by choice but some difficult circumstances) We were amazed how great it was when we returned and pleasantly surprised how little things had changed even though we though they had. It really was like coming home again.

 

No no no. There can never be too many cruises. Lol

[baldercash]

Is it possible its not the cruise line and just too many cruises? There are differences to be sure, but they are often not that significant.

 

We took a break for a while (not by choice but some difficult circumstances) We were amazed how great it was when we returned and pleasantly surprised how little things had changed even though we though they had. It really was like coming home again.

 

Too many cruises may be part of the problem we have done close to 40 over a lot of cruise lines but one also does not get the depth of experience that only time in a given location gives while cruising.

 

After spending a month traveling Europe between trans-Atlantic crossings last year we really took note of the advantages of land travel.

We were able to spend 16 days in Paris at a fraction of the cost of a Med cruise and we now know Paris as we have walked it and lived it. Stayed on a barge in Amsterdam for 4 days two blocks from Anne Franks house that kind of thing.

 

Now when I read about cruisers planing a hectic day in Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice or wherever I think so much effort for such a small taste.

For a taste of a city is all one gets during a port day if lucky and we knew that when we started cruising our original plan while we were working was cruise different venues every cruise get a taste of the cities and countries and decide if we want to come back and immerse and experience the country in depth once retired.

Somewhere we lost sight of that and now after five years into retirement we plan on living where we travel. Maybe the ship had become the destination?

 

Since mid December we have spent 5 days in Seattle, 14 days in Vancouver 30 days in Hawaii and now are spending a month in Mexico.

We are in Playa Del Carmen at present and yesterday we thought we might take the ferry to Cozumel a city we have been a few times while cruising but never taken the ferry.

Well I checked to see what ships would be in port and it appears there are on average 5 ships porting everyday but Sunday so we decided to take a pass to do other things not done before.

 

I posted on this thread in November supporting Shogun in his quest to move on to not just different cruise lines but travel in different modes as well. At that time I cancelled 2 S. American cruises and a Vietnam cruise. We are currently planning a land vacation of a few months for next winter in either Vietnam and Cambodia and surrounds or South America.

Keeping our options open but no longer having a cruise ship as a destination we will use them as a mod of transportation to get from one destination to another.

So much to do and see and so little time.

Edited February 13, 2016 by baldercash

[hllwdcruiser]

Too many cruises may be part of the problem we have done close to 40 over a lot of cruise lines but one also does not get the depth of experience that only time in a given location gives while cruising.

 

After spending a month traveling Europe between trans-Atlantic crossings last year we really took note of the advantages of land travel.

We were able to spend 16 days in Paris at a fraction of the cost of a Med cruise and we now know Paris as we have walked it and lived it. Stayed on a barge in Amsterdam for 4 days two blocks from Anne Franks house that kind of thing.

 

Now when I read about cruisers planing a hectic day in Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice or wherever I think so much effort for such a small taste.

For a taste of a city is all one gets during a port day if lucky and we knew that when we started cruising our original plan while we were working was cruise different venues every cruise get a taste of the cities and countries and decide if we want to come back and immerse and experience the country in depth once retired.

Somewhere we lost sight of that and now after five years into retirement we plan on living where we travel. Maybe the ship had become the destination?

 

Since mid December we have spent 5 days in Seattle, 14 days in Vancouver 30 days in Hawaii and now are spending a month in Mexico.

We are in Playa Del Carmen at present and yesterday we thought we might take the ferry to Cozumel a city we have been a few times while cruising but never taken the ferry.

Well I checked to see what ships would be in port and it appears there are on average 5 ships porting everyday but Sunday so we decided to take a pass to do other things not done before.

 

I posted on this thread in November supporting Shogun in his quest to move on to not just different cruise lines but travel in different modes as well. At that time I cancelled 2 S. American cruises and a Vietnam cruise. We are currently planning a land vacation of a few months for next winter in either Vietnam and Cambodia and surrounds or South America.

Keeping our options open but no longer having a cruise ship as a destination we will use them as a mod of transportation to get from one destination to another.

So much to do and see and so little time.

 

I am so envious of the life you are leading - what a perfect retirement!

 

I have to say, I couldn't agree with you more and it really hit home after our Alaska trip last June. Even though we did a land tour prior and an excursion at every port, we kept on saying that we needed to come back on our own to spend more time and really see Alaska.

 

I am fortunate that although born in the US I grew up "over the pond" and travelled most of Europe well into my teens. We always took extended holidays renting cars and thoroughly exploring whatever locale we were visiting. DH and I still do this today.

 

We started cruising the Caribbean as an escape, to get away from it all and reconnect with each other without life's normal distractions. We don't have to make any decisions as to where to eat or what to do. No stress, no worries for one beautiful week. Except for Alaska, we stick to the Caribbean. The ports don't even matter as we've already taken land based vacations on most of the islands.

 

When we go to Europe we rent apartments and stay for a fraction of the cost of a cruise or a hotel. We may not visit as many countries in a week or 10 days, but those port extensive cruises just sound too exhausting to me.

[Gwendy]

They are really two different holidays. Choose the one that suits you and your destination. A cruise is a good way to experience lots of places, sometimes I have gone back and spent more time to really get the feel of a place. For a solo traveller a cruise is excellent. A safe place to come back to every night and no continuous juggling of luggage. My new year resolution, pack lightly. Oh that was three or four years ago and I am still working on it. Enjoy whichever way you holiday.