Disappointed with Sapphire Princess Care and Quality

[suev]

Many cruises under my belt on all the other lines , but this was my with Princess. I am quite stunned by the lack of friendliness, care, and professionalism throughout our whole entire cruise. EZ Air never notified us that 8 months earlier, our airline had cancelled our main flight so that our connecting flights did not match up with our itinerary. When I found the problem just days before leaving, it turned into a HUGE hassle and I felt bullied and was treated with rudeness with no care or concern for us. "It's all we can do for you with such late timing" Now getting in two days before my cruise and extra hotel and eating expenses that Princess nor insurance will cover but had I let myself get stranded at midnight in Chicago with no connecting flight, that would be different. I actually called the airline to confirm WHEN the change was made and that Princess was indeed notified.All we heard was it was not Princesses' fault, it was the airline... 8 Months was plenty of time if someone cared to review it.

 

First morning room service coffee came with curdled cream. YUK!

Dining room wait staff had no friendly rapport. I couldn't even get a "You're welcome" back when I was thanking them for their service...This turned into our own form of wagering until it was clear that it was a sure bet, nobody was willing to bet on Princess anymore. I guess they were too busy to simply be polite. Seated by a service station one night we witnessed a server take pats of butter from a used butter dish to fill a different one for a new table top.. Umm, can someone say, "Cross contamination from a sneeze, cough, etc...

They enforce their dining room attire requirements but to me it is laughable when you have replaced your steak from the everyday menu with a Hamburger!! Really !??!

I usually do not get dressed up to go for fine dining to order a HAMBURGER! Cheap, cheap, cheap.. shame on you Princess.

Other "cheapened" things I noticed.. no self serve juice.. you have to wait for someone to come around with a small juice glass for you.. hoping they come by before you are finished with your breakfast. Even the daytime lemonade is not self service, you must ask for it! Same with the ice cream cone machine.

I was going to pay $11 for an alcoholic drink but asked for Sprite to be substituted for the pineapple juice it called for. I was told that they'd have to up-charge me $2 for it because they'd have to open a can of soda. I thought I was in luck, I have a soda card! Nope, they didn't have Sprite in their soda gun. Keep it, that is ridiculous!

 

Say what you want about Carnival (the cheapest of the cruise lines)but they are hands down a better value / product than Princess. I have gotten cans of soda out by the pool with my soda card on Carnival and have eaten a many of steaks in the dining room ;with my dress shorts on even.

[easyboy]

Am onboard Sapphire and has also experienced rudeness from the bar supervisor at Piazza, sous chef at Horizon Court, and shore excursion staff that are supposed to guide guests disembarking for excursion. They appear to be not wanting to answer questions and evading passengers needing assistance.

 

 

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[gomerrily]

OMG...I'm so disappointed to read this poor review of Princess Sapphire. My husband and I are booked on the Sapphire out of Singapore on March 28, 2018. It has been awhile since we cruised on Princess, but our previous experiences were good. I hope someone at the TOP of the Princess fleet sees this review and is horrified enough to make immediate changes.

[Thrak]

Be sure to write up your complaints and issues and send them via email (a Word attachment works well) to:

customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

This is the proper email address for your concerns. Don't let it slide. Complaints here on CC are good for venting but accomplish nothing "real". Send your complaints to Princess and they will definitely get read. You may well receive a phone call (after a few weeks) regarding your letter.

[Lanwood]

We we're on the Sapphire Princess last month. Totally agree with your comments and view of the ship and crew. Had it been our first Princess it definately would have been our last.

On board the Golden Princess at the moment. Perfect. Total opposite of the Sapphire and back to the Princess we know.

[caribill]

EZ Air never notified us that 8 months earlier, our airline had cancelled our main flight so that our connecting flights did not match up with our itinerary. When I found the problem just days before leaving, it turned into a HUGE hassle and I felt bullied and was treated with rudeness with no care or concern for us. "It's all we can do for you with such late timing" Now getting in two days before my cruise and extra hotel and eating expenses that Princess nor insurance will cover but had I let myself get stranded at midnight in Chicago with no connecting flight, that would be different. I actually called the airline to confirm WHEN the change was made and that Princess was indeed notified.All we heard was it was not Princesses' fault, it was the airline... 8 Months was plenty of time if someone cared to review it.

 

Probably no person reviews anything. Computers talk to each other. The airline's computer told the Princess computer the flight had changed. The Princess computer should have, but did not, notify you (unless it tried to and it went to a spam file).

 

Did the airline have your E-mail address? If so, it should also have notified you with an E-mail at the time the change was made.

 

It is good practice that, no matter how an airline reservation is made (direct with an airline, with a travel agent, with Princess), to periodically check to make sure the flights and times have not changed.

[Keith1010]

Sorry the cruise didn't work out for you.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Am onboard Sapphire and has also experienced rudeness from the bar supervisor at Piazza, sous chef at Horizon Court, and shore excursion staff that are supposed to guide guests disembarking for excursion. They appear to be not wanting to answer questions and evading passengers needing assistance.

 

 

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Sorry to hear this.

 

Hope you are enjoying the cruise otherwise.

 

Keith

[hooked-cruiser]

I had a similar problem last year on another ship. I believe that this sort of thing has to be nipped in the bud and be reported at the time and not when it is too late.

I visited the desk and asked to see the manager and was asked to submit a written request. I declined and stated that if not contacted within 2 hours I would be making an official email complaint to the CEO immediately after the time expired.

Approximately 20 minutes later I was asked to meet the manager at a venue of my choice where the usual offering of drinks etc was made. I declined and made my comments and complaints known. The manager accepted that these were reasonable remarks and stated that action would be taken immediately.

I was again offered a complimentary specialty restaurant meal for 2 as an apology which I declined stating that this was not the reason I was complaining.

I noticed over the next few days a remarkable improvement in the manner guests were spoken too over the remainder of the cruise. Therefore my personal advice is bring it to the attention of management at the time. It is the only way of seeing if your complaint was worth while.

[Ebony J]

We were also on board Sapphire last month - I totally agree about the shore excursion staff, I was taken aback at how I was spoken to by one of them. Our shore excursion had been cancelled, and I wanted to ask about a change or refund but got an earful. The situation was dealt with, but I had to go through formal channels and when I am on vacation, I don't like having to spend my time complaining. Also, Vines was not opened for the entire trip and the list of drinks they did not have on board at one point was almost as big as the list of the ones they did have. It was our first time in a suite which we were so looking forward to, but it will be our last. When we went to the enclave to try it out, we were told we would have to book it in advance and we could use it once only. Our "flower arrangement" was an orchid in a pot. The strawberries in the fruit basket developed mould and we asked them to be taken away - only to be returned, but this time dipped in chocolate! Club class dining was also the polar opposite of the experiences of other people posting in CC (and not in a good way) . And yes, if this had been our first Princess cruise, it would have been our last too. :(

[floridalover5623]

Usually people posting complaints are just venting in general but I do agree with most of your points.

 

Unfortunately most of it can be attributed to an overworked crew which you seemed to have run into more than others.

[Croptop]

I was just on the Sapphire earlier this month. I agree that there were signs of cut backs from previous levels of service and food provided by Princess but my experience with the crew was nothing but positive. Everyone from my cabin steward to the bar tenders to the dining room wait staff treated me in a friendly and efficient manner. I had a billing issue early on in the cruise (I was double charged for my coffee card) and it was handled quickly and professionally by the Passenger Services desk.

 

I'm sorry to hear that your experience wasn't as pleasant as mine.

[likeadisguise]

Other "cheapened" things I noticed.. no self serve juice.. you have to wait for someone to come around with a small juice glass for you.. hoping they come by before you are finished with your breakfast. Even the daytime lemonade is not self service, you must ask for it! Same with the ice cream cone machine.

 

This is for sanitary reasons to avoid cross-contamination, which you were very concerned with three paragraphs earlier. People can return with a used glass for a second serving, and touch the rim to the dispenser.

 

Sorry for all the other problems you mentioned, but this seems overly nitpicking.

[Cruiserkenn]

So sorry to hear of the problems. Sapphire was my favorite when she was on the Wedt Coast . I sailed on the Sapphire to Alaska, Hawaii, and California Coastals. Love the promenade deck, the buffet area, and Alfedo's. I hope things will be looking up, soon.

[floridalover5623]

This is for sanitary reasons to avoid cross-contamination, which you were very concerned with three paragraphs earlier. People can return with a used glass for a second serving, and touch the rim to the dispenser.

 

Sorry for all the other problems you mentioned, but this seems overly nitpicking.

They could also do the same thing at the water, coffee or ice tea dispenser.

[srpilo]

This is for sanitary reasons to avoid cross-contamination, which you were very concerned with three paragraphs earlier. People can return with a used glass for a second serving, and touch the rim to the dispenser.

 

Sorry for all the other problems you mentioned, but this seems overly nitpicking.

 

LOL... I'm sure you probably heard this explanation from someone onboard, but to just play forward this feeble Princess money saving myth is laughable..

 

Self service beverage dispenser's are a international excepted sanitary standard , and available virtually every where in the world. To further this point what's the difference between the self-serve coffee or water dispensers that are available on every single Princess ship sailing today and self service orange juice or lemonade ? No difference, except that OJ cost more that water

 

It's great to defend Princess, but not at the expense of obvious flawed logic

Srpilo

[Griller]

LOL... I'm sure you probably heard this explanation from someone onboard, but to just play forward this feeble Princess money saving myth is laughable..

 

Self service beverage dispenser's are a international excepted sanitary standard , and available virtually every where in the world. To further this point what's the difference between the self-serve coffee or water dispensers that are available on every single Princess ship sailing today and self service orange juice or lemonade ? No difference, except that OJ cost more that water

 

It's great to defend Princess, but not at the expense of obvious flawed logic

Srpilo

 

They have OJ dispensers on Pacific Princess. However it may be labeled as Orange Juice but it isn't.

The concentrate packs they refill them with are marked Orange Cocktail and include other ingredients besides orange juice.

Way worse than actual orange juice particularly if you are diabetic. But way cheaper of course......................

[pshaze]

Be sure to write up your complaints and issues and send them via email (a Word attachment works well) to:

customerrelations@princesscruises.com

 

This is the proper email address for your concerns. Don't let it slide. Complaints here on CC are good for venting but accomplish nothing "real". Send your complaints to Princess and they will definitely get read. You may well receive a phone call (after a few weeks) regarding your letter.

I agree!

This is disheartening to hear so many complaints about the Sapphire! We are going on her for 14 days. Please everyone, send your complaints and experiences to Princess! Help your fellow passengers out!

[suev]

This is for sanitary reasons to avoid cross-contamination, which you were very concerned with three paragraphs earlier. People can return with a used glass for a second serving, and touch the rim to the dispenser.

 

Sorry for all the other problems you mentioned, but this seems overly nitpicking.

 

And returning with a used glass / container and touching the rim doesn't happen with water or coffee? Because those two are available as self serve... Why would you just take two options away.. the juice and lemonade .. but leave water and coffee? Your reasoning doesn't make sense.

[XCSailors]

Attitude for good customer service comes from the top.

 

Officers in charge of various areas on the ship need to remind their staff of positive attitude towards passengers.

 

This is MHO, but, I have read on these boards and have seen firsthand on the NCL Breakaway that Asian passengers have been known to be pushy,demanding and seemingly unaware of the personal space of other passengers on the ship.

 

Perhaps trying to serve this passenger demographic has caused the staff’s apparent rudeness and lack of customer service expressed here by some who have experienced cruising on the Sapphire Princess recently.

 

 

 

I think you hit the nail on the head! Asian culture is very different.

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

Wow! I spent 20 days on a Princess cruise in Japan and another couple of weeks in the country. I found the people to be very helpful and friendly. Yes, they have a different concept of personal space than Americans do, and different customs---like you don't talk on the train because people are studying, sleeping, etc and making noise is considered rude.

 

We had MANY positive interactions, both on the ship and while in Tokyo...the time we were standing on a street corner discussing directions to our destination and an older Japanese woman asked if she could help. That's unusual because while most read and write English, their studies don't include much speaking, and most are shy about speaking because they don't want to do it wrong. The ship offered basic Japanese classes for the English speakers on board...and I still laugh about the time a Japanese lady and I said "Excuse me" to each other at the same time, using each others language. The crew on board was bi or tri lingual and as friendly as can be.

 

No, this wasn't on the Sapphire, it was on the Diamond Princess. But to slam the inhabitants of an entire continent because service on a ship was poor????

[land lover]

how disappointing, for u sapphire cruisers...what can be said...so I guess I'll say nothing....

[MJSailors]

If you are referring to the opinion I posted previously regarding cultural differences perhaps displayed by passengers on a cruise visiting Asian ports with cruises sailing out of US or European ports, my intention was not to slam any country or continent.I was trying to point out that some characteristic behavior could be difficult for the staff on the Sapphire Princess to understand and accommodate.

 

 

I also did mention in that post that proper customer service comes from the top of a business. It is the responsibility of officers and or managers of the various areas of the ship to train their crew and staff to realize the cultural differences displayed by various demographics that sail on the ship and serve the passengers in the best possible way.

 

 

Likewise, the staff and crew should also be treated in a respectful way by management. Unfortunately,there seems to be cutbacks on all cruise lines that ultimately cause a heavier work load for the staff and crew. ie- a steward may be assigned a significantly larger amount of cabins to service than a number assigned in previous years.

As any good manager knows -a happy staff is a productive staff. From recent reports of cruises ,particularly in the Asian market, this is not always the case.

[Thrak]

We are booked for 12 days on Sapphire in late 2019 for the Search for the Northern Lights cruise. Hopefully we won't encounter these issues. We've never had a problem with Princess so far and hope that continues in the future.

[caribill]

Club class dining was also the polar opposite of the experiences of other people posting in CC (and not in a good way) .

 

Could you please tell us what went wrong with Club Class dining?