Seeking Advice

[mllewis48]

Hello,

 

My wife and I are fairly new to Princess, just completed our first last month on the Regal in Canada/New England, and are looking at a 2017 Hawaii trip over Christmas and New Years. I see that Princess has the Star out of LA and the Grand out of San Fran both 15 day cruises. We are seeking input from seasoned Princess cruisers as to the Pro's and Con's of these two ships and Embarkation Ports. We would be flying from Ohio so I am thinking possibly the LA departure may be the best after looking at comparable flights. Mostly interested in the ships and have the following questions:

1. If we chose late dining which dining room is that assigned to?

2. Does it make sense to go with a Mini Suite? We had a Balcony on the Regal and missed the extra seating in the room.

3. Any special treatment in Mini Suites?

4. Any major differences in the two ships? I looked at the layout and it appears they are very similar.

5. We have cruised Holland for many years and is there anyone that has cruised both lines that can offer their personal opinion of any glaring differences?

 

I hope this is not a repeat post of anything previous.

Thx

Mike and Linda

Columbus, Ohio

[reedprincess]

Main difference for sailing is experience out of San Francisco with Golden Gate, Alcatraz, etc. And cooler weather generally in San Francisco. Flights and hotel costs may make more of a difference to you - only you know which is more important, etc.. Both cruises are great, same itinerary basically, etc.

 

Star is our preference as we love Skywalkers, which Grand doesn't have. During the day, it's wonderful for quiet sea views, reading etc and nighttime it's the nightclub. That's the only major difference between them. Same class of ship, only a fee years apart in age, etc.

 

Late dining is aft dining room on deck six on both.

 

Mini-suites have larger cabin, larger bathroom with tub, and completely open balconies (unless you get the few aft on Emerald deck on both ships) The only extra perks currently are a glass of "champagne" (swill) on arrival, larger room, etc. If you book a Club Class mini-suite, you'll get the perks that go with that - see website for details. For us, not really worth the extra usually but sometimes it is - again, only you know your budget and what's worth it to you.. Check out Caribe deck balcony cabins - very large balconies, half covered, half uncovered.

Holland and Princess arw pretty similar in onboard atmosphere. Sure, some differences but overall, they're each other's competition. Lol..

 

Our choice would be Star, for LA as we have some friends and family around there and the Star as we really love Skywalkers and the ship in general...

 

Enjoy, whichever you choose..

[mllewis48]

Main difference for sailing is experience out of San Francisco with Golden Gate, Alcatraz, etc. And cooler weather generally in San Francisco. Flights and hotel costs may make more of a difference to you - only you know which is more important, etc.. Both cruises are great, same itinerary basically, etc.

 

 

 

Star is our preference as we love Skywalkers, which Grand doesn't have. During the day, it's wonderful for quiet sea views, reading etc and nighttime it's the nightclub. That's the only major difference between them. Same class of ship, only a fee years apart in age, etc.

 

 

 

Late dining is aft dining room on deck six on both.

 

 

 

Mini-suites have larger cabin, larger bathroom with tub, and completely open balconies (unless you get the few aft on Emerald deck on both ships) The only extra perks currently are a glass of "champagne" (swill) on arrival, larger room, etc. If you book a Club Class mini-suite, you'll get the perks that go with that - see website for details. For us, not really worth the extra usually but sometimes it is - again, only you know your budget and what's worth it to you.. Check out Caribe deck balcony cabins - very large balconies, half covered, half uncovered.

 

Holland and Princess arw pretty similar in onboard atmosphere. Sure, some differences but overall, they're each other's competition. Lol..

 

 

 

Our choice would be Star, for LA as we have some friends and family around there and the Star as we really love Skywalkers and the ship in general...

 

 

 

Enjoy, whichever you choose..

 

 

 

Thx that's exactly what we were looking for!

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

The Star and the Regal are 2 totally different ships with very major differences. ;)

[mllewis48]

The Star and the Regal are 2 totally different ships with very major differences. ;)

 

 

 

Yes I know that, we sailed on the Regal last month. My ? Was comparing the Star and the Grand on Hawaii cruises in 2017.

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Yes I know that, we sailed on the Regal last month. My ? Was comparing the Star and the Grand on Hawaii cruises in 2017.

 

My bad.. The Grand had Skywalkers removed.

We won't sail her anymore because of that. :(

Other then that they are pretty much the same.

[Skai]

5. We have cruised Holland for many years and is there anyone that has cruised both lines that can offer their personal opinion of any glaring differences?

 

Do you have any specific questions?

 

Not sure if you might enjoy an evening on deck watching a feature film, but MUTS(Movies Under The Stars) could provide for a pleasant low-key option only available on a handful of HAL ships.

 

One glaring difference that immediately comes to mind...(For casual eats) The (Dive-in)burgers on HAL are pretty good, on Princess(Trident Grill) not so much.

 

However, the opposite is true in regards to Pizza offerings. IIRC the Grand also has Alfredo's(complimentary sit-down pizzeria/limited Italian menu) which is pretty tasty -- not necessarily a make-or-break of course.

 

On our recent lone HAL sailing, we had to adjust to being served by the staff in the buffet-line for the entire cruise. As I understand it, this is now a standard practice on HAL regardless of whether there is a current health advisory or not. It definitely led to some confusion and disorganization.

 

On Princess, other than the carving station or perhaps a special cook-to-order offering, the buffet-line is self-serve most all of the time.

 

If one drinks (speciality) coffees there is more than one service station onboard Princess ships to order them, unlike only the Exploration Cafe on HAL all the way forward. One can also get them earlier than 7a on Princess.

 

These are just a few food&drink related differences off the top of my head.

 

One other standout that just came fresh to mind is that the showers on Princess are very compact(if in a cabin below a mini-suite). It's not only a difference between Princess and HAL. It's in comparison to most mainstream cruiselines. Something to consider if you don't like icky shower curtains trying to hug you while you're showering.

 

Are these the types of specifics that you're looking to be prepared for sailing Princess?

Edited November 4, 2016 by Skai

[Dobermangal]

We recently sailed on the Star after years of exclusively HAL cruises (we are just shy of 4 stars.) Enjoyed it so much that we bought FCCs on day 2.

 

Loved the way that seats were always readily available in the buffet seating area, and found the crowd control in the buffet itself lent to a much more pleasant experience than we had experienced before. Really good flow or something.

 

So much so that on our next Princess cruise we will be fine with doing anytime dining...we try avoid the Lido on HAL with the exception of port days.

 

Enjoyed the pub lunch on sea day. Didn't try any surcharge restaurants, that's for next trip.

 

Hours for the buffet and offerings/stations available there throughout the entire day are much more generous than on HAL as well.

 

Star never seemed crowded on sea days, or actually ever.

 

Skywalkers was a great place for enjoying scenic sailing into ports and again, we were always able to get good seats!

 

2 gangways in ports made getting off shortly after arrival easy. (Don't know if HAL does this on their bigger ships, we've only sailed on the R and Vista classes)

 

Loved the International Cafe (24 hours!) and found it located very conveniently. Great specialty coffees and I am so glad I bought a coffee card because of this board.

 

I actually preferred the burgers on Princess to the Dive In and the poolside pizza is so much better on Princess. Again, minimal waits for service here, no buzzers!

 

Amount of "mail" from the shops and art auctions is about equal. Appreciated the self serve "print your onboard statement kiosks". Organization of disembarkation was great.

 

Used the free "princess at sea" on my phone to double check show locations and times quite a bit. Neat.

 

Oh and we really liked the closet vs bathroom setup in our standard balcony room, lots of long hanging and storage space and one person can be looking for something to wear and not get hit by the other with bathroom door!

 

Star was clean, crew were pleasant and we are looking to sail on her again as soon as we can.

 

Of course we will still sail HAL. Pluses in different areas for both (I prefer the MDR experience overall on HAL) but an equally enjoyable vacation.

 

I think that's about all I can think of for now. Oh and muster inside, in the lounges. In chairs! That's a big plus for Princess. Makes waiting out the inevitable crowds at the elevators after a lot nicer too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited November 4, 2016 by Dobermangal

[skynight]

Hello,

 

My wife and I are fairly new to Princess, just completed our first last month on the Regal in Canada/New England, and are looking at a 2017 Hawaii trip over Christmas and New Years. I see that Princess has the Star out of LA and the Grand out of San Fran both 15 day cruises. We are seeking input from seasoned Princess cruisers as to the Pro's and Con's of these two ships and Embarkation Ports. We would be flying from Ohio so I am thinking possibly the LA departure may be the best after looking at comparable flights. Mostly interested in the ships and have the following questions:

1. If we chose late dining which dining room is that assigned to?

Early or late seating, Deck 6 aft Amalifi DR. Very early seating, Deck 6 mid ship, Portofino DR. All MDR's have the same menu and dress codes.

2. Does it make sense to go with a Mini Suite? We had a Balcony on the Regal and missed the extra seating in the room.

On the Star (and Grand) balcony cat. cabins do not have a seating area. To get a seating area you have to book a mini suite or full suite. You may have an interest in a Club Class mini suite which includes Club Class dining and some other perks. Look up Princess Club Class on the net.

3. Any special treatment in Mini Suites?

Very little extra in a standard mini suite over a balcony cabin except the extra space and a welcome glass on champagne. Of course there is a lot of difference if you book a Club Class mini.

4. Any major differences in the two ships? I looked at the layout and it appears they are very similar.

The Star has more space around the main pool area, Skywalker's better buffet layout, larger 6' closets. The Grand had a major re-fitting a few years ago. Lots of things were done. Skywalker's was removed, Alfredo's added, main atrium re-done plus more.

5. We have cruised Holland for many years and is there anyone that has cruised both lines that can offer their personal opinion of any glaring differences?

Princess has more activities, more evening live music in various lounges with a number of different bands and groups, a larger selection of free dining that is open all or most of the day, the International cafe open 24/7, more cruise staff lower priced drinks, mostly all under $10. Princess Pax. kind of stay awake longer in the evening.

 

I hope this is not a repeat post of anything previous.

Thx

Mike and Linda

Columbus, Ohio

I would select the Star Princess. It's just a better ship. The only plus the Grand has is Alfredo's pizza and San Francisco is a nicer port if you intend to spend some pre-cruise days there. My comments above refer to the Star. I have been on the Star for 90 days.

[cynbar]

Look closely at the mini suites on either ship. We think they are well worth the extra cost, it's a much superior cabin to a regular balcony ---- a full sofa/seating area next to the balcony with a 2nd TV, and a much larger bathroom with tub/shower combo and full vanity. On a voyage with so many sea days, I think you'd get a lot of benefit from the additional space. The new Club Class mini suites with the enhanced dining are a new option, but no one has sailed in them yet so we have no feedback on whether they will justify the added expense.

[JimmyVWine]

The move up to a Mini-Suite is definitely a personal choice based on wants and needs. When we started sailing on Princess, we were always a family of three, so we started out in Mini-Suites to allow us sufficient room to move about and sit together. Once we did that, we got hooked. I love the seating area, the larger shower space and the large, open balcony. I hate having to use my bed as a seat. My wife will not stay anywhere for more than two days that does not have a bath tub. She can handle a day or two with just a shower, but after that, there has to be a tub. Thankfully, on Princess, the cost to level up from a Balcony to a Mini-Suite is not that much so we do it every time, even though our next cruise will be just the two of us. For others people, none of the things that we have come to depend on matter to them, so even though the cost of a MS isn't that much more, it is still money that they choose not to spend, and that makes sense.

Edited November 4, 2016 by JimmyVWine

[VTX-AL]

Princess also offers the 15 day Hawaii round trip out of Vancouver as well.

 

...VTX-Al

[jsmac3]

I would opt for the Grand out of SF if a window suite is available . . . they cost about the same as a mini-suite and you have a lot more room and are entitled to suite benefits.

[Carolyn R]

Whichever ship has Elua (Dave and Leialoha) on board with their Hawaiian music and culture.

[mllewis48]

Thx to all so far we are starting to develop our direction. We're leaning toward the Star with a Club Class Mini Suite, waiting for our Princess PCC to get back to us! [emoji928][emoji924][emoji929]

 

 

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[Cruisin Broad]

Have you checked the location of the club class mini-suites? On the Grand, they appear to all be mid-ship. I was considering a club class mini-suite, but decided against it since they all appeared to be located mid-ship, near the elevators and stairs.

[skynight]

Have you checked the location of the club class mini-suites? On the Grand' date=' they appear to all be mid-ship. I was considering a club class mini-suite, but decided against it since they all appeared to be located mid-ship, near the elevators and stairs.[/quote']

There is no noise or other disturbance being mid-ship near the elevators and stairs. It's a plus.

[Sacto Rick]

I've sailed on both. They are close enough that it shouldn't really matter. For the record, I much prefer sail away under the Golden Gate. I would choose the Grand.

[Cruise Raider]

I have sailed more than once on both ships and these are my impressions:

 

The Star is a much nicer and newer ship overall ... is better maintained in my opinion. The in cabin closets are bigger, there is a central staircase and they have Skywalkers. If all you are interested in is the difference between the two ships, the Star wins hands down in my book.

 

The Grand has one of the best crews / staff of any cruise ship, their food is better as well. These things do change but noticed the same on both cruises on her.

 

The port of LA ... ugh! What can I say?? Not much!

The port of San Francisco ... WOW!! It is right in town with quick access to the most fabulous transportation system in a city. You are literally within walking distance of so many things to do and see. The negative is, it is so expensive but definitely a city worth visiting.

 

All in all, I would chose the Star over the Grand if it were just the ship taken into account. But, I would choose the Grand for the overall experience if you are able to spend a night or two in the City of SF.

BTW, not sure about the Star but the Grand has those window suites with no balcony. We sneaked into one last time onboard since we boarded before everyone else. We liked it so much that we booked one for a cruise in 2018 to experience the suite life....and it was only $40 more pp than the mini-suite.

Otherwise, I would definitely consider a mini-suite over a balcony just for the extra room.

 

PS -- we've done the Hawaii from the west coast itinerary 3 times, once on the Star out of SF, twice on the Golden out of LA. It can be a very rocky crossing ... just a head's up!

[jennybenny]

Hello,

 

My wife and I are fairly new to Princess, just completed our first last month on the Regal in Canada/New England, and are looking at a 2017 Hawaii trip over Christmas and New Years. I see that Princess has the Star out of LA and the Grand out of San Fran both 15 day cruises. We are seeking input from seasoned Princess cruisers as to the Pro's and Con's of these two ships and Embarkation Ports. We would be flying from Ohio so I am thinking possibly the LA departure may be the best after looking at comparable flights. Mostly interested in the ships and have the following questions:

1. If we chose late dining which dining room is that assigned to?

2. Does it make sense to go with a Mini Suite? We had a Balcony on the Regal and missed the extra seating in the room.

3. Any special treatment in Mini Suites?

4. Any major differences in the two ships? I looked at the layout and it appears they are very similar.

5. We have cruised Holland for many years and is there anyone that has cruised both lines that can offer their personal opinion of any glaring differences?

 

I hope this is not a repeat post of anything previous.

Thx

Mike and Linda

Columbus, Ohio

 

I prefer the Star Princess because I prefer the Vines area there over the Grand, but both ships are nice. We've mostly gone on the Grand since it sails out of SF and it's our home port. What I did not like about the Grand was the spa does not have showers to use there, and the Star does have showers. When traveling with 4 to a room, it's nice to be able to work out and shower in the Spa, rather than fight for space in the cabin.

 

We did the 15 day to Hawaii on the Star and next time we do Hawaii we are doing the Grand. I'm happy either way, as long as it's a cruise to Hawaii. The pricing on airfare and hotel might make a difference for you.

Sailing under the Golden Gate is beautiful and one of my favorite photo opportunities.

Weather in SF is chilly, sometimes raining in December. You more than likely will have warmer weather out of Los Angeles.

 

If you like the extra space of a mini suite, then yes, it's worth it. You could book a Club mini that has additional perks. The Balcony rooms will be larger than Regal Princes on both the Grand and Star. At least the actual balcony will be larger. you can check out You Tube to see videos of the rooms.

 

We've never cruised HAL, so cannot comment on that.

 

Good luck! You will have a great time regardless of what you pick.

Edited November 4, 2016 by jennybenny

[Cruisin' Chick]

Whichever ship has Elua (Dave and Leialoha) on board with their Hawaiian music and culture.

 

We've gone on the holiday Hawaiian RTs three times on Princess out of LA, and the last two times Elua was on board. So if you get lucky, this duo will be on your sailing. they helped develop the excellent Hawaiian cultural program that provides many great activities on the Hawaiian cruises (there's at least one other duo on at least one of the other ships doing this itinerary; maybe there's three by now). Just keep an eye on the Patter each day and see where the music will be (on our last cruise, sometimes Elua performed in the Piazza in the grand atrium, sometimes on the pool deck during the day). Dave taught the uke classes and Leialoha the hula classes and at the end of the cruise, those who took the classes were invited to perform on stage together. there's also talks about the islands and lei making classes. If Elua isn't on your ship, the other activities still will happen.

 

Our first Princess ship was the Star, but back in 2003 so it's been changed since then. Our last two cruises (Hawaii) were on the Golden, which is the sister ship to the Grand, but the Golden has skywalkers.

 

We haven't sailed out of SF, but last November and March we spent some time in that city and saw where the terminal is (near Fisherman's Wharf).