Sky Princess - review of Sep 6-10, four-night 'seacation'

[shythom]

On 9/19/2021 at 7:25 AM, defbref said:

Currently on sky princess at the moment and have had zero issues ordering drinks either by the app or via staff. Been impressed actually as having read so much on here was fearing the worst. 

Great to hear! Hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

May I ask a favor? I haven't sailed with Princess, or at all, for so long. For the Lido deck/main pool area, is the music very loud? Are there times it's not so loud or no music at all? Like in the mornings, mid-late evenings or when in port?

 

Thank you.

[dave_k58]

On 9/19/2021 at 12:37 AM, caribill said:

 

Before Princess started offering the PrincessPlus package which a great many passengers book, many people did not have a beverage package and paid for each drink.

 

In that case, every drink served was additional revenue to Princess. Even for those who did purchase a beverage package, the price was high enough that Princess made $$$ from it.

 

But with so many people now having Princess Plus, each drink served is a cost to Princess, not a source of revenue. There is no incentive to deliver drinks quickly as the slower drinks reach the passengers, the demand for drinks may go down and thus save Princess $$$.

and most of the bartenders would prefer to wait on the cash customers, because they are more likely to get a tip - the package includes the tip - so they already have that.

[c-boy]

On 9/19/2021 at 4:25 AM, defbref said:

Currently on sky princess at the moment and have had zero issues ordering drinks either by the app or via staff. Been impressed actually as having read so much on here was fearing the worst. 

your good fortune has renewed the faint hearted 

[caribill]

28 minutes ago, dave_k58 said:

and most of the bartenders would prefer to wait on the cash customers, because they are more likely to get a tip - the package includes the tip - so they already have that.

If you do not have the beverage package, an 18% tip (which goes into the bar tip pool)  is added to every drink you purchase.

 

People who wish to tip in addition to the included tip are often wanting to do that with or without the package.

[wowzz]

37 minutes ago, dave_k58 said:

and most of the bartenders would prefer to wait on the cash customers, because they are more likely to get a tip - the package includes the tip - so they already have that.

No one is a cash customer. Everyone uses the medallion, and if you want to tip you can do so,  package or not. 

[cltnccruisers]

We're on Sky on November 27 provided we can get tested on Thanksgiving or Black Friday.  Hopefully this will turn out as a shakedown cruise to get all the kinks worked out before then.

[JP82]

Just came off the September 13th Sky sailing, and have to say other than the app occasionally logging out (but easily logged back into) it worked fine for us... In terms of drink ordering at least. I didn't like the layout and how much scrolling you had to do to see events. But for the drinks and dining functions, it worked a treat.

[cltnccruisers]

This will be our first time on Princess since 2008.  I hope I'm misreading this but am I to believe I won't be able to just belly up to the bar and order?

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

We're on Sky on November 27 provided we can get tested on Thanksgiving or Black Friday.  Hopefully this will turn out as a shakedown cruise to get all the kinks worked out before then.

Given that Sky will have been cruising constantly since early September, there will be no need for a shakedown cruise.

[dave_k58]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

If you do not have the beverage package, an 18% tip (which goes into the bar tip pool)  is added to every drink you purchase.

 

People who wish to tip in addition to the included tip are often wanting to do that with or without the package.

I always do, and have the package

 

[Stokie33]

19 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

This will be our first time on Princess since 2008.  I hope I'm misreading this but am I to believe I won't be able to just belly up to the bar and order?

It probably depends on the COVID regs when you travel,

[Alcairns]

20 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

This will be our first time on Princess since 2008.  I hope I'm misreading this but am I to believe I won't be able to just belly up to the bar and order?

At the moment the bars are off limits to passengers. You need to use the app or catch a waiters eye!

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, Alcairns said:

At the moment the bars are off limits to passengers. You need to use the app or catch a waiters eye!

only in the UK, as per numerous postings.  Live from Alaska reports bars are open for drinks from the bartenders, not waiters only

[kmb4567]

Wondering if there is suggested place to lounge outside that is shaded?  Not a fan of direct sun.

[wowzz]

8 hours ago, kmb4567 said:

Wondering if there is suggested place to lounge outside that is shaded?  Not a fan of direct sun.

Won't the answer depend on the position of the sun,  so difficult to provide precise locatiins ?

[Alushar]

We were on this cruise our first time on Princess and really enjoyed it. I'd agree with the OP that the food was nothing special but was ok we ate in all 3 specialist restaurants. Crown grill was good and Sabatanis was  good. We had a poor experience in Sur Le Mer and won't be returning.

 

We liked the App and it seemed to work for us we ordered food and drinks on it, checked schedules and even used find your shipmate. I didn't think the wait for drinks was too much most times either via App or ordering from waiters but that's my personal opinion

[Alcairns]

19 hours ago, voljeep said:

only in the UK, as per numerous postings.  Live from Alaska reports bars are open for drinks from the bartenders, not waiters only

This is a post about a U.K. seacation nothing to do with Alaska!

[nini]

4 hours ago, Alcairns said:

This is a post about a U.K. seacation nothing to do with Alaska!

@voljeep was only contributing information.

@cltnccruisers asked a question, as it looks like "cltnccruisers" will be on the Sky this November.