Princess' latest PR, to position themselves as a more mainstream (non Carnival/RCI) family cruise.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

16 hours ago, MichiganFisherman said:

Families won't choose princess for a 7 day caribbean.

we have and we do. DS is 11 and he loves cruising no matter what line.

 

My BFF (late 40s like me) with 13 and 15 yo kids has been cruising with Princess exclusively for the past several years. They have tried RCI and Celebrity and didn't like it.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[ScottsSweetie]

6 hours ago, MichiganFisherman said:

Took my teenage girls to Vegas Las year for 8 days. 4 days at the Mirage and 4 at Mandalay Bay. It was an amazing family vacation.  Saw lots of shows, great dining, great shopping, pools and water parks, roller coasters, arcades, went to Valley of Fire tours, Grand Canyon tours from Vegas, Hoover Dam .... Great time with the teens. 

I'm not advocating for or against taking kids - just telling you what their current advertising is.

[Wishing on a star]

MichiganF made some insightful comments.

I think that the sentence mentioned here is a basic generality,  not a TOTAL assumption.

No need to mis-read.

Many families will, and do, choose Carnival and RCI over Princess in the Caribbean.

So, I would think that those comments were a fair statement.

I have sailed the Caribbean on Princess, and the number of kids onboard seems very very low.  Single digits maybe.  Yes, there are more now, during Summer.  But, guess what.  Princess isn't big on sailing the Caribbean during the summer.   I don't think Spring Breakers are lining up to book Princess.  I just don't see that.

 

And, yes, many families have kids who are easier pleased, laid back, and maybe overwhelmed.

There are cruise lines for everyone.

[junglejane]

One of the points I was trying to make is that there's a difference between a 7-day "beach and sun" type of cruise (Caribbean, Mexican Riviera) vs a longer (10+ days) port intensive cruise. On the longer, port intensive cruise I think the choice is often driven much more by price, itinerary and timing with amenities like waterslides etc maybe being a tie-breaker. And for families with kids who have busy schedules even in the summer, sometimes the available window of travel dates is pretty restricted. So you find yourself narrowing it down to just a few choices before you even start looking at onboard amenities.

[CrankyOldGuy]

19 hours ago, MichiganFisherman said:

Today, the lines want the revenue that families like mine bring. Four cruisers instead of two.

Yes, the cruise line is eager in anticipation on the bar, spa and casino revenue your children are going to generate. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

19 minutes ago, CrankyOldGuy said:

Yes, the cruise line is eager in anticipation on the bar, spa and casino revenue your children are going to generate. 

we (the adults) have never gone to a spa or casino on a cruise. Is Princess thrilled about that?

As for bars, we aren't big drinkers at all. Maybe, a couple of beers or mixed drinks per cruise.

 

Oh, and most fun things on RCI are free anyway. They aren't exactly producing the kid related revenue either.

[malba2366]

20 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

Princess can advertise to families, but families aren't going to flock to Princess.  The ships just don't have the amenities to keep kids busy and entertained for a week at a time. 

Sure they can.  They can market cruises to desirable destinations (Europe, Alaska, Australia, New England/Canada etc) as a family vacation and they will have some success.  You are correct that very few families will opt for a Princess cruise from Florida to the Caribbean as the ships do not have the proper amenities.

[CrankyOldGuy]

56 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

we (the adults) have never gone to a spa or casino on a cruise. Is Princess thrilled about that?

As for bars, we aren't big drinkers at all. Maybe, a couple of beers or mixed drinks per cruise.

 

Oh, and most fun things on RCI are free anyway. They aren't exactly producing the kid related revenue either.

 

No, Princess isn't thrilled about passengers like you because Carnival Corporation is heading towards bankruptcy and they need all the revenue they can get. 

[Wishing on a star]

ALL cruise lines are well aware that underaged passengers do not spend money in the bars and in the Casino or Spa.  Many still cater to, and market to, families.

This doesn't need to become an argument, or to start personal attacks.

 

ALL cruise lines do not allow anyone underage to sail without an adult.  Many kids sail in the same cabin with their parents.  That is a win/win, as long as the parents are onboard.  Lines are thrilled with any increase in number of passengers, of any persuasion.  Any passenger is a passenger.  (Unless you are a line like Virgin)

 

It is a very simple numbers game.

The more guests onboard the better.

If parents/grandparents feel more comfortable bringing kids onboard to sail on Princess, maybe the parents will also end up paying for alcoholic beverages, visiting the spa, or the casino.

 

This brings us to a big issue with Princess.

With staffing and supply chain issues,  by most all accounts, if any ship is sailing near capacity, there are real problems and service issues.  

If Princess wants to keep their ships full by getting parents to bring the kids along, then they should be prepared to service a FULL SHIP and all of the kids onboard.

I, personally, based on what I am hearing, do not believe that this is true, at all.

And, Princess doesn't seem to want to acknowledge this issue.

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Wishing on a star

[Wishing on a star]

I will also tell you how this is backfiring and keeping adult couples OFF of Princess.

In an effort to appeal to families, they are actually NOT allowing guests traveling as a party of two to choose a cabin when booking Deluxe Balcony cabins, an ENTIRE category onboard.   A category which includes cabins that are desirable because they are mid-ship, Aft/wakeview facing, etc.

Now THAT is a problem.   That is something I would take issue with.

 

[Wishing on a star]

And, if we are talking about enticing families onboard, let's look at the very limited kid's menu.  I hear that they do not even offer the spaghetti and meatballs any more?

[junglejane]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

I will also tell you how this is backfiring and keeping adult couples OFF of Princess.

In an effort to appeal to families, they are actually NOT allowing guests traveling as a party of two to choose a cabin when booking Deluxe Balcony cabins, an ENTIRE category onboard.   A category which includes cabins that are desirable because they are mid-ship, Aft/wakeview facing, etc.

Now THAT is a problem.   That is something I would take issue with.

 

Maybe that is happening sometimes, but it wasn't the case when my D booked on 11/1. She and her fiance deposited on a 7-day Med cruise in Sept 2023 on the Enchanted Princess and had no problem booking a Deluxe Balcony for 2. (This is the cruise where the fiance wants to cancel and go on a land trip for their honeymoon, which is probably what they will do.)

[startedwithamouse]

Princess is changing it's image. Families and younger adults are listed in brochures. First time hearing the DJ on the lido deck play Lizzo and people up dancing, very fun. Cruise staff loves having kids at trivia and pays special attention interacting with them. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

And, if we are talking about enticing families onboard, let's look at the very limited kid's menu.  I hear that they do not even offer the spaghetti and meatballs any more?

Our kids have been sailing princess for years and have never seen a kids menu. Cruises are about trying new foods and expanding the palates, not dumbing it down. Traditional kids foods are unhealthy and overprocessed. Families want the value of eating healthy meals for everyone in their party, not just adults. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

I will also tell you how this is backfiring and keeping adult couples OFF of Princess.

In an effort to appeal to families, they are actually NOT allowing guests traveling as a party of two to choose a cabin when booking Deluxe Balcony cabins, an ENTIRE category onboard.   A category which includes cabins that are desirable because they are mid-ship, Aft/wakeview facing, etc.

Now THAT is a problem.   That is something I would take issue with.

 

Do these cabins accommodate 3 or 4 guests? If yes, why would a party of two take up these cabins, which there are clearly less of, when they are only 2 people? You want a sofa? Plenty of those in the public areas. Princess should hold back these cabins for larger parties. There are also suites that accommodate only 2 guests that have a sofa. Can you book those?

[junglejane]

5 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Our kids have been sailing princess for years and have never seen a kids menu. Cruises are about trying new foods and expanding the palates, not dumbing it down. Traditional kids foods are unhealthy and overprocessed. Families want the value of eating healthy meals for everyone in their party, not just adults. 

Amen to this! My kids are now 22 and 26. They started cruising when they were 4 and 8. The first night of the first cruise (Caribbean Princess) they learned with excitement that they could order off the adult menu. I remember my 4 year old with a prime rib that was so big it hung over the edge of the plate, and she enthusiastically polished off every last bite. After that they never looked back and loved trying out new foods in a low stress situation where Mom and Dad wouldn't freak out that they'd ordered an expensive appetizer and didn't finish it.

[ldubs]

23 hours ago, MissP22 said:

 

The older folks are dyeing off slowly but what I don't quite grasp is why they didn't make some major changes (like RCI & NCL) in their newer ships to attract a younger crowd with kids. 

 

At the same time, the younger folks are getting older, so it isn't like that "old" demographic is going to disappear.   Off course, the young ones moving up will never be as cool as we are!  Haha

 

We took our SIL (mid 60's) on her first Princess cruise last month.   While she enjoyed many things about it, she categorized it as "Everyone is really old".  I personally have enjoyed Princess for many years and look forward to future cruises with them.   I guess I've finally achieved that "really old" status now. lol.  

Edited November 17, 2022 by ldubs

[Wishing on a star]

To the post just above that quoted me.  Ummmmm.....  all-righty then.   No further comment.

[ChemistBabe]

My two cents...  We have done two Disney cruises to the Caribbean and loved them.  We enjoy the characters, the aqua duck water slide, hanging out in the pool watching Disney movies on the movie screen...

 

We are planning to go to Alaska next summer with Princess ONLY because of Glacier Bay.  Well, that and its half the price for a similar room.

 

As for the food...  I truly wish my younger one would expand his palate.  Unfortunately, he is the child that will eat a very limited menu of food prepared the way he likes it.  I love that my older child can order off adult menus and eat happily, but I'm equally glad that ships have a lowest common denominator children's menu so my little one can eat.  I would honestly NOT go on a ship that didn't take care of my picky little child.

[billco]

3 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Do these cabins accommodate 3 or 4 guests? If yes, why would a party of two take up these cabins, which there are clearly less of, when they are only 2 people? You want a sofa? Plenty of those in the public areas. Princess should hold back these cabins for larger parties. There are also suites that accommodate only 2 guests that have a sofa. Can you book those?

We are a party of two. We only book Deluxe Balconies on the Royal class and Mini Suites on the Grand class since they took the extra chair out of the Balcony cabins. The options in current balcony cabins is one person sits on the desk chair and one sits on the bed. Obviously, Princess is making more money off us and like minded people by taking that chair out of the Balcony cabins. OTOH, we are also booking more cruises on other cruise lines like NCL, Celebrity, Holland America who have couches in all their Balcony cabins.

Edited November 18, 2022 by billco

[texasgirl29]

When our daughters were young, we sailed on Princess, Disney and Celebrity. They never experienced the theme park rides on RCI and Carnival, so they didn't miss it. (Aqua Duck was good for one or two rides, but that was about it.) They liked the excursions, the shows and the food. My youngest daughter loved the kids clubs and later the teen club, but her sister would rather hang out with mom and dad. We didn't do any specialty dining, never went to the casino, mostly did the ship excursions and only bought a few drinks. 

 

It wasn't until our first cruise this summer without the girls or their grandparents that we spent any time in the casino or playing trivia in Princess Live and enjoying cocktails with our Princess Plus package. 

 

The youngest, now a senior in college, is looking for a "drop and go" cruise during spring break, but probably on Carnival because as students, they're looking for a bargain. She still likes Princess, and would go with us in a heartbeat. 

 

[WoodstockGirl]

On 11/17/2022 at 10:43 AM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

we have and we do. DS is 11 and he loves cruising no matter what line.

 

My BFF (late 40s like me) with 13 and 15 yo kids has been cruising with Princess exclusively for the past several years. They have tried RCI and Celebrity and didn't like it.

 

What is it about RCI and Celebrity that your kids don't like?

 

[tampabrat22]

It definitely depends on the family dynamics. My kids have been cruising since they were toddlers and are now 20 & 25. We've tried Disney, Royal, MSC, Carnival, Royal and now Princess. When they were young they definitely loved the vibe on the ships with all the bells and whistles, by their later teen years the novelty of all of that wore off. My son was very mature for his age and preferred the company of adults and my daughter is a book worm and just loves to find a quiet spot to read. As for my husband and I, we have grown tired of the party crowd and want a more quiet relaxing cruise.

 

Families change and evolve as kids grow up. We love Carnival when we want a lively atmosphere, but we also appreciate the relaxing ambiance that Princess provides. And once I have Grandbabies I'm sure we will be back on the Disney ships.😁

Edited November 18, 2022 by tampabrat22

[nbsjcruiser]

We're in our early 60's/late 50's. For years we cruised on our favoured line, RCI. I like the layout of the Royal Promenade, the pool decks, their shows, Chops and of course the service has always been quite good. But something changed with us in our early 50's when we started sampling other lines. We tried  HAL, too old and quiet although the food and service were impeccable. Tried NCL's bigger ships. Noise, blaring music everywhere it seemed, crowded pool decks with too much crammed into an area too small, although they do know how to do My Time Dining better than anyone. Then we tried Princess. Great food, beautiful ships, a nice quiet pool deck where getting a deck chair is not a battle, beautiful beds - this was and is the line for us.

 

Recently we came off the Liberty of the Seas (last week in fact). Our son and his fiancee and her parents booked it last year and we thought, why not, lets jump on and get to know each other. We had a good time, no question, but we both came off convinced that Princess is still the line for us. There wasn't anything really wrong with the Liberty but 600 kids, wave runners and slides are not on our bucket list of things to enjoy while taking a vacation. Admittedly, I did do the wave runner 🙂. On our last sea day I went up on the pool deck looking for a chair and the pool deck was a zoo. Kids running all over the place, hairy leg contest, belly flop contest - just not something that I care about anymore. Next week we'll be on the Sky and our daughter and her husband are joining us, they're both in their late 30's, no kids and its going to be interesting to see how they enjoy Princess. They're not into water slides, wave runners, bumper cars - they prefer a more dialed back experience with good food but having only cruised on RCI, it will be interesting to get their take on Princess once its over. Once we do come off, I'm going to do a side-by-side comparison of both the Liberty and Sky and post a review on both boards. 

Edited November 19, 2022 by nbsjcruiser

[MichiganFisherman]

I think when Princess is trying to become more family inclusive I think they mean families with kids in their teens and under like the video the original poster shared.