Items on the cruise that you could do without

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

Really never experienced it on any of the 3 lines I sail. How can they do it with everyone eating at different times? Maybe I always manage to miss it. The Baked Alaska is just a shadow of itself now.  It certainly doesn't deserve a parade.  On my last cruise which was on Royal Caribbean we were seated in the traditional dining room since the my time dining rooms were backed up. We were seated just as traditional was having dessert. They did the parade and napkin wave and the staff were less than thrilled. They really just phoned it in not even a smile. I can't say I blame them. The Baked Alaska was meh...

 

I suspect that the dining room he went to had a first seating for Traditional Dining and then after that the rest of the seatings were for any time dining. That happened to me once were I went a bit early for any time dining in the room which had early seating as traditional dining.  They seated me and it was the tail end of the traditional dining on the formal night so while waiting to be served we saw the silly parade.

[brisalta]

10 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

 I once heard a women in the elevator tell her husband that she wants to look at the ammolite jewelry. She read it was becoming extinct.

 

Now that is amusing.

It is almost amusing as the people who rave over the very iffy EFFY jewellry.

Edited January 7, 2020 by brisalta

[Iamcruzin]

17 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

Now that is amusing.

It is almost amusing as the people who rave over the very iffy EFFY jewellry.

Which is available at Macy's and any other major department store.

[brisalta]

 

7 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Which is available at Macy's and any other major department store.

 

Macy's standards have really gone down over the years.

[stoneharborlady]

4 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

 

Macy's standards have really gone down over the years.

And thats the truth!

[Maui Girl]

I like my pillow chocolate, even though my waistline doesn’t need it!   I don’t think I have ever had a towel animal on Princess, the stewards work so hard, I don’t need them. 
Don’t ever watch MUTS but it doesn’t bother me, a lot of people like it I guess. 
Totally agree with the waste of paper in the cabin, our upcoming cruise is a medallion cruise on the Ruby, maybe less paper because of the app?  
I used to go to the spa occasionally but not anymore, don’t like the hard sell of product, and the bully attitude that you should give them an additional tip on top of the automatic tip.  Going to a spa should be relaxing not stressful and embarrassing. 
Definitely looking forward to digital photos, what a colossal waste of paper there also!  

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, Maui Girl said:

I like my pillow chocolate, even though my waistline doesn’t need it!   I don’t think I have ever had a towel animal on Princess, the stewards work so hard, I don’t need them. 

 

I often eat the chocolate when I get up in the morning. Not fabulous but I've definitely had far worse. I have never had a towel animal and don't have any desire for one.

[Maui Girl]

34 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I often eat the chocolate when I get up in the morning. Not fabulous but I've definitely had far worse. I have never had a towel animal and don't have any desire for one.

Chocolate and coffee, one of my faves!  We recently did a RC cruise with our kids/grandkids and our room steward did towel animals 3 times in a 7 night cruise!  And none of the kids were in our cabin.  It’s cute, but I would much rather they had a little more time off duty.  

[Wehwalt]

I could do without the very heavy duvet placed on the beds. They wouldn't put it there unless a lot of people liked it, certainly, but for me it's usually the first thing on the list when I have the embarkation day talk with my cabin attendant. A top sheet is all I want. 

 

Also could do without anything placed on the bed during the day. I tend to gather that up and place it under the bed. 

 

And I'm with those who find evening turn down more of an annoyance than a service. However, I don't feel that I can say "don't do it". Besides, I like the chocolates!

Edited January 8, 2020 by Wehwalt

[Nebr.cruiser]

5 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

I could do without the very heavy duvet placed on the beds. They wouldn't put it there unless a lot of people liked it, certainly, but for me it's usually the first thing on the list when I have the embarkation day talk with my cabin attendant. A top sheet is all I want. 

 

Also could do without anything placed on the bed during the day. I tend to gather that up and place it under the bed. 

 

And I'm with those who find evening turn down more of an annoyance than a service. However, I don't feel that I can say "don't do it". Besides, I like the chocolates!

Oh, the duvet--maybe my # 1 one thing I don't need/like.  Give me a top sheet and a blanket.  At least a top sheet.  I hate the bulky/heavy duvet--too hot with it on, too cold with nothing.

 

I must admit I like the chocolates, don't care if I have towel animals; although they are cute we've had many on other cruises.  I also enjoy the 'parade' in the dining room.  Have to laugh at the idea of germs flying around though!  

[BarbinMich]

Presumably, if there weren't Art Auctions, photographs to buy, Effy, etc., our cruises would cost more.  At least I assume Princess makes a bit on all these transactions.  And enough pax keep buying to make it worth their while.  As for towel animals, we've never gotten any on our many Princess cruises, but they're standard procedure on HAL ships from what we've experienced on that line.  The only shopping I do on a ship is at the sales they hold near the end of the cruise.

Edited January 8, 2020 by BarbinMich

[34TigerLily]

On 1/5/2020 at 12:48 PM, Thrak said:

Stupid Baked Alaska Parade with the napkin waving. Art auctions and the attendant paper advertisements. EFFY and their paper advertisements. "Shopping Hosts". Port photo ops with stupid costumes - also the same thing outside the dining rooms. Pushy photographers in the dining room. HEARING SWEET CAROLINE EVER AGAIN!!! (There is no part of the song that actually includes, "so good, so good, so good". GAH!!!)

I cover my ears and walk out of the room whenever I hear "Sweet Caroline".😁

[loge23]

Formal nights - top of my list

Loud bands in the atrium

Junk mail

Photographers in the DR and at the ramps

Medallions (been on two so far, maybe they'll get better)

 

 

[onboard2005]

I don't know why they still have photo walls.  Maybe that will eventually go with the facial recognition. RCCL has done the facial recognition kiosk thing for many years on the mega ships. Hate the cheezy stuff with people in costumes, also being bugged while dining or going off the ship in port.  I never buy photos because they're too expensive and why is that since they're all digital??  I like the chocolates and turn down at night.  I don't get that at home!  I never use the spa after experiencing the high pressure sales pitch on my very first cruise for a simple manicure.  I make 2 piles of all the paper stuff.  One for the daily patters and one for the junk.  At the end of the cruise the junk pile is large and it goes in the round file.  It's just fun to see how large it is at the end!  I don't do formal night- I save space by not packing extra stuff and only take a carry on to fly! I enjoy many things on my cruises and avoid the stuff I'm not interested in!  To each his own!

[Times Prince]

On 1/6/2020 at 5:53 PM, Cruise Raider said:

Not really an item but I really don't need morning and evening service from the room steward.  One or the other is enough ... I don't need my bed turned down and I can count the times on one hand when I needed extra towels.  I oftentimes just tell the steward that if he/she doesn't have time, don't worry about our room in the evening.  I'm not trying to cheap out on the tips either, I just think that if they can get done a little early, they have a little more free time for dining, sleeping, relaxing.  They rarely  take us up on that offer though ... I think they've probably been burned in the past.  It's really too bad as we just aren't all that needy.  Just a couple of clean towels and an extra roll of TP and we're good!! 

While we have also at times recommended the steward just do the minimum, we also have to keep in mind the many things they do that maintain the health of the passenger, like cleaning surfaces, changing sheets, and sanitizing toilets.  So we let them do what they are supposed to do, and don't sweat the details.

 

Talking with some of the stewards, we learned that supervisors will randomly inspect their work, and will require both a high standard of work and that required tasks are done.  

[CruiseVA]

We were on the Sky in December, no more photo walls. A bunch of monitors.

[Cruise Raider]

On 1/17/2020 at 3:08 PM, CruiseVA said:

We were on the Sky in December, no more photo walls. A bunch of monitors.

 

I actually like that better.  Glad to see they are going in  that direction.  

[MixerDave]

Since they are eliminating photo walls, they should lower the price and would probably sell a lot more photos.

[Cruise Raider]

6 hours ago, MixerDave said:

Since they are eliminating photo walls, they should lower the price and would probably sell a lot more photos.

 

BINGO!!  It used to be that you could buy a photo for $7.95 ... now, yikes ... $25 for the same photo.  I guess it is just keeping up with inflation.  We only buy the one embarkation photo and that is it.  We might purchase more if they weren't priced so crazily!!  

[loge23]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

BINGO!!  It used to be that you could buy a photo for $7.95 ... now, yikes ... $25 for the same photo.  I guess it is just keeping up with inflation.  We only buy the one embarkation photo and that is it.  We might purchase more if they weren't priced so crazily!!  

We used to do the same - only the embarkation photo, we had a collection of them. But guess what, they don't do the embarkation photo anymore in the manner that they used to. They now take the photo and put in a porthole frame but no itinerary or ship name anymore. So, no photo for us either.  

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, loge23 said:

We used to do the same - only the embarkation photo, we had a collection of them. But guess what, they don't do the embarkation photo anymore in the manner that they used to. They now take the photo and put in a porthole frame but no itinerary or ship name anymore. So, no photo for us either.  

 

Just ask them to put the photo into a different background.  We always do that!  I don't really want a picture of just us ... but a reminder of the cruiseship and the itinerary.  They have to reprint it for you ... just need to pick it up on the following day ... usually after 6 PM.  No extra charge.  

 

[getting older slowly]

OH  a good one...... the on board account at the end of the cruise       LOL

 

Other wise.....MUTS......Loud music in the atrium ...... Chair Hogs........

towel animals...... all the adverts in the mail box.......

turn down service at night ( but please leave chocolates ) ........

 

Oh yes the dancing in MDR for some desert......

 

But really of all the things offered.... some like them and other don't

 

Just enjoy the ones you like.....

 

Cheers Don  

 

[MCC retired]

Get rid of the Art Auctions . Wasted public space .

I thought that they would have run their course and be gone by now ?

[lahlah57]

The photographer that hits you up for embarking photo after you've been flying for 10 hours......leave me alone, I just want a shower and a drink!!!

Stupid paper...paper and more paper.

Photo walls with a sea of photos...what a waste!

The corny baked alaska parade......these poor waiters!

[lahlah57]

I do love turn down service with the evening dimmed light...and...

Towel animals!