Shocked by my first Princess Cruise

[flamomo]

I would hope that you would give a Princess another chance to show you what Princess Cruises and ships staff and ships meals, as well as the overall Princess experience, are usually like.

 

Put simply, check my list of cruises below my signature.

Were things normally as awful as you reported experiencing, do you think I would have stayed with Princess for all these cruises?

[floridalover5623]

I would hope that you would give a Princess another chance to show you what Princess Cruises and ships staff and ships meals, as well as the overall Princess experience, are usually like.

 

Put simply, check my list of cruises below my signature.

Were things normally as awful as you reported experiencing, do you think I would have stayed with Princess for all these cruises?

 

You might be a particular as the OP is. There are loads of things that don't bother me in the least that would probably drive the OP nuts.

[spyro1952]

Many people who travel on "luxury cruise lines" automatically have to think they are getting far superior service, food, etc because they've paid so much to begin with. They walk on the ship with those expectations.

I agree the OP who initiated this thread should stick with Crystal. And maybe someone should post on the Crystal thread how ridiculously overpriced their "superior service" really is".

[Musky Ike]

Actually it's free

 

Actually it's included :D

[floridalover5623]

Many people who travel on "luxury cruise lines" automatically have to think they are getting far superior service, food, etc because they've paid so much to begin with. They walk on the ship with those expectations.

I agree the OP who initiated this thread should stick with Crystal. And maybe someone should post on the Crystal thread how ridiculously overpriced their "superior service" really is".

 

Does Crystal actually provide the items as the OP expected?

Not that I had any of that same problems but I was just wondering.

[masterty]

She sampled apples and oranges and was shocked at the different flavor.

Edited August 18, 2016 by masterty

[shredie]

She sampled apples and oranges and was shocked at the different flavor.

 

That is the best analogy yet.

[WupperAV]

We were on Diamond for a Christmas 21 day SE Asia cruise and it was perfect. I made friends with the maitre d and he gave me free coffee at Sabitinis at sunrise every morning. We had a ball with the Specialty coffee crew in the afternoon and made bets every shore trip on what time we'd be back to the coffee bar. I made a close friend in the performers-dancers, met and made friends with the assistant director who was a Russian, 6 months from home and had a 6 yr old girl at home. We made life long friends from other countries and had and blast with them.

[Pushka]

Good to hear re Diamond. On a NYE cruise this year for 12 nights.

 

 

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[keithm]

I consider Princess a luxury line. However, the only other line I have to compare it to is Carnival. We were looking into Celebrity cruises and didn't like the itineraries. So, we'll stick with Princess and all the nice perks we get.:D

Trust me, Princess is NOT a luxury line! It's not even considered "premium". That being said you get decent food, decent shows & good excursions. Those who are in the suites really get a raw deal in my impression. On Cunard you get a complimentary fully stocked bar(not a mini bar)You get a Dedicated restaurant(Queens Grill/Princess Grill)You get butler service in Queens Grill. Celebrity is similar. All you get on Princess(for really the same price)is a complimentary meal in Sabatini's. Not such a great deal if you're spending 5k+ per person.

[keithm]

Many people who travel on "luxury cruise lines" automatically have to think they are getting far superior service, food, etc because they've paid so much to begin with. They walk on the ship with those expectations.

I agree the OP who initiated this thread should stick with Crystal. And maybe someone should post on the Crystal thread how ridiculously overpriced their "superior service" really is".

As they say: Don't knock it till you've tried it luv! We did the Grills twice on Cunard & it blows anything Princess has right out of the water!

[Cairn Mom]

Trust me, Princess is NOT a luxury line! It's not even considered "premium". That being said you get decent food, decent shows & good excursions. Those who are in the suites really get a raw deal in my impression. On Cunard you get a complimentary fully stocked bar(not a mini bar)You get a Dedicated restaurant(Queens Grill/Princess Grill)You get butler service in Queens Grill. Celebrity is similar. All you get on Princess(for really the same price)is a complimentary meal in Sabatini's. Not such a great deal if you're spending 5k+ per person.

 

 

He's right, Elliair. I really like Princess, but according to Travel Weekly it is considered a "Mainstream" cruise line. It cannot be compared to luxury lines like Crystal,and that was the point of this thread.

That said, cruising Crystal is everything it is cracked up to be. It is an elegant experience. There is practically 1:1 ratio of crew to passengers. The food is definitely superior to Princess,and the drinks are included. Please, don't knock it unless you have tried it.

It is not that Crystal is good and Princess is bad. They are two different experiences.

[Aussieflyer]

I always think I get more value from reading reviews from unhappy cruisers esp when they outline their reasons for dissatisfaction so I can determine whether those issues might impact on me too. In this case - the serving of Lobster - not an issue at all. Just wondering if there is an expectation of individual utensils in the kitchen for serving of portions. Crew - it is nice when they are friendly but wouldnt be a deal breaker if not. Nickel and diming? Yeah but happens on most mainstream cruises. Very happy with small portions. People eat too much these days.

So I guess these issues wouldn't impact me at all.

 

 

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Most of the issues the OP found would not be a deal breaker but poor food (and yes it is subjective) would be one thing that would make me very hesitant about ever booking the same cruise line again. Like the OP I would be wanting to find out if this was a one-off or that the food they received was the usual standard.

 

Regarding the lobster shell, if you were in an upscale restaurant you would not expect the wait staff to serve you with another diner's lobster shell on the serving plate. It is not unhygienic but it is poor form from a service point of view IMO. I think it reflects poor training.

 

Should the OP give Princess another chance? Possibly but I wouldn't be holding my breath on a huge difference. I have found grumpy staff on most cruises though by far the vast majority are pleasant.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Aussieflyer

[Colo Cruiser]

Most of the issues the OP found would not be a deal breaker but poor food (and yes it is subjective) would be one thing that would make me very hesitant about ever booking the same cruise line again. Like the OP I would be wanting to find out if this was a one-off or that the food they received was the usual standard. It would be good to know exactly was was wrong with the food from the OP - was it bland, poorly cooked, cold for example?

 

The OP states.........

"Many nights we skipped the MDR since the food was just horrendous: portion was tiny and ingredients were subpar."

 

As I stated before.......

How would one know this if they were not there to sample the food?

[Aus Traveller]

Regarding the lobster shell, if you were in an upscale restaurant you would not expect the wait staff to serve you with another diner's lobster shell on the serving plate. It is not unhygienic but it is poor form from a service point of view IMO. I think it reflects poor training.

On Princess they do not serve you lobster with another diner's lobster shell on the serving plate. Every diner's meal comes plated with lobster tail, veges etc. on the plate. The waiter (or assistant) comes around the table and removes the shell while keeping your lobster tail on your plate. Using utensils, he then lifts the lobster shell off your plate and puts it on a plate he has with him. This plate would usually have one or two lobster shells on it, depending on how far around the table he has got.

 

I am puzzled what the issue is. My lobster remains on my plate and has not come in contact with anyone else's lobster since it left the kitchen. I don't care if the shell (that I do not intend to eat anyway) is put on a plate with someone else's discarded shell that they haven't touched anyway.

 

I feel that the other options for serving would not be good. The other options I see are: serve the lobsters already without the shell :eek: or de-shell one lobster, then hurry to the serving station to get rid of that plate and pick up a fresh plate/utensils to do the next person's lobster etc. etc. I wouldn't bother waiting and let my food get cold. :eek:

Edited August 19, 2016 by Aus Traveller

[Cairn Mom]

As others have said, the OP had unrealistic expectations. Some of his /her complaints were picayune, and would be ignored by most posters including me.As I have said in prior posts, the OP should travel on more upscale lines where there are less passengers, more personal service and attention to small details. There would not be so many cruise lines if everyone wanted the same experience.

[Pushka]

One time all crew members are grumpy is on pre disembarkation night. Just like us cruisers.

 

 

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[mrs and mrs]

As we tendered to an island in Vanuatu glanced back and looked at the beautiful Dawn Princess.

We arrived and stealthily advanced to a group of islanders cooking crayfish(lobster) in pots.

Yes please we said, to a fairly huge crustacean.

As said crustacean was cooked in a cooking vessel over a open fire it was then yanked out by hand, cut up with a massive machete, and served on a banana leaf.

As we mongered into it, with our hands, surrounded by dogs, and our backs against a palm tree, my mind wandered, and I started thinking about dinner in the mdr.

Back on board and its dinner time, and surprise, its lobster.

Well, I mean well. Really.

As the O.P stated, this apparently is not correct procedure, as to the way it was served.

But relax every-one, we did survive the Princess lobster, serving fiasco.

 

Oh and please Scallop shells and Lobster shells, have been washed and reused as serving vessels for years upon years, and at the end of their serving days they then become ash-trays.:eek:;):rolleyes::)

[spyro1952]

The OP who initiated the thread has done the typical "dump and run". Would love to know if they actually returned to read any of the comments. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[donaldsc]

The OP who initiated the thread has done the typical "dump and run". Would love to know if they actually returned to read any of the comments. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

I guess that he must have been disappointed that the rest of us were not impressed that he was Crystal Cruise royalty.

 

DON

[spyro1952]

I guess that he must have been disappointed that the rest of us were not impressed that he was Crystal Cruise royalty.

 

 

 

DON

 

 

 

Totally unimpressed with us [emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12]

 

 

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[KruzPrincess]

On Princess they do not serve you lobster with another diner's lobster shell on the serving plate. Every diner's meal comes plated with lobster tail, veges etc. on the plate. The waiter (or assistant) comes around the table and removes the shell while keeping your lobster tail on your plate. Using utensils, he then lifts the lobster shell off your plate and puts it on a plate he has with him. This plate would usually have one or two lobster shells on it, depending on how far around the table he has got.

 

I am puzzled what the issue is. My lobster remains on my plate and has not come in contact with anyone else's lobster since it left the kitchen. I don't care if the shell (that I do not intend to eat anyway) is put on a plate with someone else's discarded shell that they haven't touched anyway.

 

I feel that the other options for serving would not be good. The other options I see are: serve the lobsters already without the shell :eek: or de-shell one lobster, then hurry to the serving station to get rid of that plate and pick up a fresh plate/utensils to do the next person's lobster etc. etc. I wouldn't bother waiting and let my food get cold. :eek:

 

Bingo.

 

In the Crown Grill, they will bring a platter of de-shelled lobster tails and put them on everyone's plate using the same tongs. I'm not offended by this either.

[Kineticoh20]

If Princess wants to give me 10 lobster tails and uses used 5 other persons untensils I wouldn't care:D

[shredie]

If Princess wants to give me 10 lobster tails and uses used 5 other persons untensils I wouldn't care:D

 

LOL. I'll take those 10 lobsters, too.

[Essiesmom]

The OP who initiated the thread has done the typical "dump and run". Would love to know if they actually returned to read any of the comments. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

He stayed around for 45 min. and hasn't been back since. EM