Princess v P&O

[Presto2]

As noted in another thread we are toying with a Fjord's cruise in the future.

 

We have been looking at P&O's Arcadia for a 12 night cruise and have just checked out a 14 day cruise with a similar itinerary on the Sapphire Princess. The price difference is that Princess come out as about the same as the cruise on Arcadia in a mini suite (and this is a proper suite with wrap round balcony and perks) compared to the Princess ' Mini suite' - which on Ventura is a Deluxe Cabin.

 

Any thoughts re what people think is welcome. I don't want this to turn in to P&O or Princess 'bashing' as we realise that they are 2 very different brands - though in the same 'family'. We know that drinks, gratuities etc will be more expensive on Princess but know that we can transfer our 'loyalty' points.

 

 

Any thoughts folks?

Edited December 29, 2016 by Presto2

[eddie11]

If they were the same price I would go for Princess every time. It will ultimately cost you more because of gratuities and because of the service charge on everything.

 

Princess excursions are much better, imo. More varied, less crowded, better guides

 

Staff are from all around the world. I think this is better. They have a North American Can-Do attitude.

 

Meals are good. Buffet is much better.

 

Entertainment happens all round the ship - much less emphasis on the theatre one end and the cabaret lounge at the other.

 

International passengers on Princess - you decide whether this is good or bad

 

You'll love the fiords, whichever you chose

[Presto2]

 

Staff are from all around the world. I think this is better. They have a North American Can-Do attitude

 

Its been a long time since every one we met said "Have a nice day" ;)

[Thejuggler]

Princess is very similar to P&O, the same ship style reinforces this.

 

We found however the downside with all the Grand class ships, which includes Sapphire and P&O Ventura and Azura is the lack of a crows nest and every other bar is very inward looking.

 

The bar at the rear is OK for a limited view, but it is very small and can have limited opening hours.

 

On a fjords cruise, when weather can be inclement not being able to see even a wet view is a downside and we have dismissed Princess North Cape cruises for this very reason.

[john watson]

In the technical sense Arcadia is 84,000 tons with approx 2,000 pax.

 

Most people will think that Sapphire Princess is nearly identical to Azura/Ventura. This is a mistake because although they are sisters and all about the same displacement a complete accommodation deck is missing on Sapphire Princess but all the infrastructure decks in place. This gives rise to there being more than 500 fewer passengers than on the two aforementioned ships. Sapphire Princess is 116,000 tons with approx 2,600 passengers. So considerably more spacey for passengers.

 

She was built in Japan to a slightly different design being about three feet wider than others in the class (except Diamond). The reason for this I believe is so that full length loungers may be deployed on the Promenade Deck with Alaska in mind.

 

Note Arcadia is adults only ship.

 

Regards John

Edited December 29, 2016 by john watson

[h3rjp]

Remember your P&O points only count on Princess and not the other way around. I'm one off elite on Princess but lower tier scum on P&O [emoji12]

 

If it were me I honestly don't know which I'd choose. On Princess there is an all inclusive drinks package that can be fun, and the passengers are more international.

 

On P&O you can make a decent cup of tea in your cabin (something that princess only manage in the international cafe) and the fellow passengers will be 98% brits. But drinks are reasonable and you can take the entire wine cellar onboard and no one would bat an eye lid.

 

Food is pretty good on both although Princess do prime rib much better.

 

As the other poster pointed out the passenger tonnage ratio is slightly better on Princess. Although I personally find princess's decor to be dated and drap compared to P&O (although my 84 year old grand mother said Arcadia was "boring").

 

If it was me, I'd probably go the mini suite on P&O. But you won't go far wrong with either!

 

 

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[mercury7289]

Presto2

 

Your Cruise, your Budget, why do you want influencing by strangers?

 

Gut feeling all the way!

[john watson]

Well Presto,

 

If you go down the Princess route, it will be your 7th cruise having done 6 qualifying previous ones with P&O and Ocean Village. Assuming you make sure these are logged in your Princess website history, you will be given the Platinum level of the Captain's Circle.

 

You will get preferred check in at Southampton no long queueing, 250 free minutes of internet in cafe or wifi if you take a suitable device (based on an 8-20 day cruise) and be able to use the Platinum disembarkation lounge while waiting to disembark at cruise end.

 

Regards John

[Cruiser Bruiser]

As noted in another thread we are toying with a Fjord's cruise in the future.

 

We have been looking at P&O's Arcadia for a 12 night cruise and have just checked out a 14 day cruise with a similar itinerary on the Sapphire Princess. The price difference is that Princess come out as about the same as the cruise on Arcadia in a mini suite (and this is a proper suite with wrap round balcony and perks) compared to the Princess ' Mini suite' - which on Ventura is a Deluxe Cabin. Any thoughts folks?

 

I sailed P&O for the first time this month, and I have sailed with Princess three times and have two more cruises booked, including a 10-night European Explorer itinerary on Sapphire. I enjoy both lines, but I was surprised how much I liked P&O, such that I'm trying to persuade a friend to switch our Baltics cruise on NCL to P&O's Arcadia. Go figure.

 

The Princess advantage is the two extra nights on the cruise. Full stop. Arcadia was renovated in 2013, and as it was originally intended for Holland America, it has the main Lido pool with magrodome roof and a Crow's Nest forward observation lounge. Arcadia also has an excellent thermal suite (a HAL signature) if you're into the whole spa thing. Both features would be very appealing on a fjords cruise, I would think. And as already mentioned, P&O has the advantage with lower cost drinks and gratuities.

 

I know which one I would pick. Good luck with your choice. :)

[Presto2]

Thanks everyone for your words of advice and help. I' m more confused than ever now :D:D, but that's what CC is here for. As anyone who had followed our decisions re what cruise to go on in the past knows, it takes a lot of research and we tend to check out all options. Prefer to get what we want for our money than go and be miserable. :) Some is down to 'gut reaction' but with this one we haven't got that 'this is it' feeling. If the truth be known, if the Silhouette was doing the same cruise we'd book that in a flash but she's off to Russian for 2 weeks instead (if we haven't broken off all diplomatic ties by then !!!)

 

I am surprised to read that there are few outward facing bar areas of Ventura etc as we have 17 days on her in August for the first time and we love to sit somewhere with a view of the sea. Oh well.

 

:D:D

[john watson]

 

I am surprised to read that there are few outward facing bar areas of Ventura etc as we have 17 days on her in August for the first time and we love to sit somewhere with a view of the sea. Oh well.

 

:D:D

 

Do not feel down, the Metropolis bar at the stern is brilliant on Ventura; Sky Deck (18) Aft you can see Aft, Port, Starboard and Forward from some seats. Sometimes live music near stage and tiny dance floor to Starboard end Port end is better for quieter with conversation. The guys will find you a seat if you ask and drag it to your table then sell you drinks. I find you just need to ask sometimes in the correct manner and they will do what they can.

 

Regards John

[Dorset cruise fan]

I have no experience of Princess so can't help with the original query but am replying to Cruiser bruiser. We met on his last cruise and myself and husband really enjoyed our lunch and conversation, then didn't meet up again so it's lovely to see his kind comments re P&O. Good to hear that you enjoyed it Cruiser bruiser, glad we didn't put you off.

[terrierjohn]

One extra point worth considering with Princess is that they will offer to price match if they bring in a special offer price after you have booked, but before final payment, something that P&O never do, and normally their deposit is way lower than P&O.

Another point is that Sapphire has 4 differently themed freedom dining restaurants rather than the normal 2 on other Grand class ships. No more space just that they have split each mid-ship MDR into two separate sections.

[Presto2]

Do not feel down, the Metropolis bar at the stern is brilliant on Ventura; Sky Deck (18) Aft you can see Aft, Port, Starboard and Forward from some seats. Sometimes live music near stage and tiny dance floor to Starboard end Port end is better for quieter with conversation. The guys will find you a seat if you ask and drag it to your table then sell you drinks. I find you just need to ask sometimes in the correct manner and they will do what they can.

 

Regards John

 

One extra point worth considering with Princess is that they will offer to price match if they bring in a special offer price after you have booked, but before final payment, something that P&O never do, and normally their deposit is way lower than P&O.

Another point is that Sapphire has 4 differently themed freedom dining restaurants rather than the normal 2 on other Grand class ships. No more space just that they have split each mid-ship MDR into two separate sections.

 

Thanks both. Good tips for Ventura for us We tend to get on well with the staff on our cruises and, like you, we find that they will help all they can when approached properly. :)

 

Good tip re the price match - didn't know that one.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

I have no experience of Princess so can't help with the original query but am replying to Cruiser bruiser. We met on his last cruise and myself and husband really enjoyed our lunch and conversation, then didn't meet up again so it's lovely to see his kind comments re P&O. Good to hear that you enjoyed it Cruiser bruiser, glad we didn't put you off.

 

Thanks very much re the above. We only just proved the rule that on cruises you either see folks every day of the cruise or once and never again. Funny how that works. Perhaps we'll see each other on the next one. :)

[Thejuggler]

Do not feel down, the Metropolis bar at the stern is brilliant on Ventura; Sky Deck (18) Aft you can see Aft, Port, Starboard and Forward from some seats. Sometimes live music near stage and tiny dance floor to Starboard end Port end is better for quieter with conversation. The guys will find you a seat if you ask and drag it to your table then sell you drinks. I find you just need to ask sometimes in the correct manner and they will do what they can.

 

Regards John

 

This bar is OK in the evening, but during the day when you may want to watch the world go by the bar isn't open and the venue can be closed while they prepare for the evening.

[Presto2]

This bar is OK in the evening, but during the day when you may want to watch the world go by the bar isn't open and the venue can be closed while they prepare for the evening.

 

We have booked a large balcony on D deck (yes the large over looked ones :)) so we will make use of that. ;)

[marylizcat]

One disadvantage we found on Princess is that their evening shows are very short, usually only 30 minutes. And they can't make scones properly! Other than that, and onboard costs being higher, we find the two lines pretty equal. Oh, yes, Princess beds used to be very hard and uncomfortable, but they seem to be improving them a bit now.

[Frogemax]

I find Princess are always trying to upsell all the time and a ship full of American humour can be draining to say the least. Also the costs of drinks and service charges are high, no taking any booze on board or tea / coffee in room

 

 

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[wowzz]

You can actually take one bottle of wine per person on board.

I actually like the cosmopolitan mix you get on Princess. On our last cruise through the Panama Canal there was a great mix of Australians, Canadians, and obviously Americans. Always made for interesting dinner conversation, with such a wide variety of experiences - probably more so than P&O with its predominantly British clientele.

 

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[terrierjohn]

Where is that darned like button.

[the english lady]

Personally if it was me I would go on a ship that had somewhere comfy to sit if the weather isn't brilliant where you have a view.

The crows nest on Arcadia looks forward and is good. Having done Fjord cruises on her and Aurora the CN lounges were always popular of an evening on the cruise down the Fjord.

Having been on a pando ship without a CN we really missed having a drink with a view.

One extra point worth considering with Princess is that they will offer to price match if they bring in a special offer price after you have booked, but before final payment, something that P&O never do, and normally their deposit is way lower than P&O.

Terrierjohn I didn't know you could do that with princess. I thought it only applied to US bookings not UK ones as our T and C here never seem to be as good as over there.

[terrierjohn]

One extra point worth considering with Princess is that they will offer to price match if they bring in a special offer price after you have booked, but before final payment, something that P&O never do, and normally their deposit is way lower than P&O.

Terrierjohn I didn't know you could do that with princess. I thought it only applied to US bookings not UK ones as our T and C here never seem to be as good as over there.

They certainly did with our family cruise in 2014, twice actually and in the end I paid only 60% of the original price I was due to pay.

[Cahpek]

One disadvantage we found on Princess is that their evening shows are very short, usually only 30 minutes. And they can't make scones properly! Other than that, and onboard costs being higher, we find the two lines pretty equal. Oh, yes, Princess beds used to be very hard and uncomfortable, but they seem to be improving them a bit now.

 

For us, we found that on Princess (at least on the Regal Princess), the chefs seems to make one of the worst pastries we have ever eaten (it tasted like "cardboard"). Or should we say, we have "never" eaten because they were so bad that we had to leave and could not swallow them! The poorly made pastries were both for savory and sweet dishes.

 

Having said that, the buffet on Princess , especially their savoury dishes were better on Princess. The buffet lunch on P&O (Aurora) was nice, but for the buffet dinner, it was very poor, with a significantly reduced choice. We even asked P&O staff why and all they said was evening buffets attracted less people, so they offered less food. Seemed like a vicious circle, make the dinner buffet less attractive, and even fewer passengers come.

 

The sausages on P&O for their "English" breakfast, quite suprisingly, was one of the lowest quality sausages we have ever eaten on a cruise, English or otherwise. Princess breakfast offers a great deal more - smoked salmon was often offered in generous amounts. We hardly saw smoked salmon on P&O and if we remembered correctly, never seen it at breakfast , and very seldom at other times of the day. And if P&O served smoked salmon, it was just so little it might just be enough for 3-4 people for a ship that could take thousands of passengers!

 

Having said that, the desserts on P&O are superior to the desserts on Princess eventhough on Princess, the chefs seem to have more expensive ingredients to prepare their foods with. On P&O, it felt very "ungenerous".

 

For activities, although both Princess and P&0 were good, we felt P&O was better and the latter had more things happening.

 

On P&O , we felt we have more space and it was not as crowded. The were more seats in public areas than on Princess, the latter which seem like a "scrum".

Edited January 4, 2017 by Cahpek