Is Princess For Us?

[david63]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

a special section of a main dining room labeled as Club Class

This has now been renamed/rebranded as "Reserve Dining"

[Sailin Gal]

We too are jeans/sweats/sneaks type.  Packing for an AK cruise is very different from a Caribbean cruise for us. Rain gear, layers, and hiking boots get top packing priority, so we have to get creative with what luggage space is left.  Last time I took black hiking and yoga pants that did double duty. They do outdoor activities during the day, are easier and lighter to pack than jeans, and easily pair with a cute top and shoes for dinner. DH took a couple golf shirts for dinner. As others have said, its all about the ports, scenery, and Alaska experience.  Just do you and enjoy Alaska!

[Torfamm]

On 2/19/2023 at 12:12 PM, Hammergirl said:

Is Princess for us for an Alaskan cruise?

We are a couple in our late 40's and really struggling with which cruise line/ship is for us. We are active and like entertainment while onboard, but we are not partiers by any means. We like to sit on deck and our balcony and just watch the world go by, with snacks and a good drink.

We love the itinerary of Princess, but we are really struggling to figure out if we will fit in on those ships. We are not people who like to dress up. I do not want to have come back from an excursion and take a shower and get dressed up to eat. I know we can always eat at the buffet, but I am not really wanting to eat 3 meals a day in a buffet. 

We are jeans, sweatshirt and tennis shoes type people. Are we going feel out of place and be disappointed if we do Princess? If so, what other line or ship to do recommend? We prefer suites and or Haven/Retreat kind of rooms, if that helps.

I think you will see plenty of people in jeans, but maybe not so many in sweatshirts and tennis shoes in the dining room on most Princess ships.

The itinerary you are looking at will make a difference. Alaska, or possibly Antarctica, might be the only itineraries where sweatshirts are common. That said, on a Caribbean or other warm weather cruise you probably wouldn’t be wearing jeans and a sweatshirt on an excursion anyway.  😎

 

If you like Celebrity, you will probably like Princess too. I like the fact that Princess has self-service laundry, will deliver food and drink to you anywhere on the ship at no charge, savory food at the International Cafe instead of just sweets at Cafe Al Baccio. Celebrity though does seem to have better food and doesn’t allow indoor smoking anywhere on their ships.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Torfamm

[stevenr597]

On 2/19/2023 at 11:12 AM, Hammergirl said:

Is Princess for us for an Alaskan cruise?

We are a couple in our late 40's and really struggling with which cruise line/ship is for us. We are active and like entertainment while onboard, but we are not partiers by any means. We like to sit on deck and our balcony and just watch the world go by, with snacks and a good drink.

We love the itinerary of Princess, but we are really struggling to figure out if we will fit in on those ships. We are not people who like to dress up. I do not want to have come back from an excursion and take a shower and get dressed up to eat. I know we can always eat at the buffet, but I am not really wanting to eat 3 meals a day in a buffet. 

We are jeans, sweatshirt and tennis shoes type people. Are we going feel out of place and be disappointed if we do Princess? If so, what other line or ship to do recommend? We prefer suites and or Haven/Retreat kind of rooms, if that helps.

In the "good old days" one was expect to "dress up" and even wear a Tuxedo or black suit on Formal Nights.  That is no longer the case.  Princess in respect to dress can be regarded as being casual.  But there is a dress code in the main dining room, although some people do not follow it.  

I would suggest that you can get away with dress jeans and even presentable tennis shoes.  But Sweatshirts or T-shirts might not pass (although as I mentioned this is probably violated by cruisers)

Suites, Yacht Club, and Haven/Retreat are quite expensive areas, and I believe that one should dress appropriately for this type of class.

 

[jeromep]

Yes, Princess is for you.  I'm solidly in my mid-40s and my wife is in her early 40s.  We have a 7yo daughter.  We have done a number of Princess cruises, and every one has fit us.  We started cruising with Princess when we were in our 30s.  The onboard vibe really doesn't change all that much from cruise to cruise, whether it is Alaska or Caribbean.  The predominant age of the cruisers does tend to vary with itinerary and time of year and this can impact how active the ship is at night or at different times of day.  A Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruise may be very active in the evening, but Alaska will often be pretty quiet.  That just means more space for you to enjoy late shows, especially in the lounges and clubs.

 

My wife and I are very casual.  Most of my working years I've had to wear a shirt and tie to the office, so I avoid that whenever possible outside of working hours.  That has changed recently in my office to be a bit more casual.  I guess we now call it business casual, so a lot of polo shirts with our company brand on them and dress pants, so business on the bottom and trade show conference sheik on top.  I'd hope that anyone that works corporate knows the feeling.

 

I don't take formal nights seriously anymore.  I do try to behave, so I have a shirt and tie and slacks and play nice with it all.  My wife does a very nice job of dressing up, and because I have most of the business wear that works for formal nights, it isn't a huge pain.  You are not going to be relegated to the buffet for 3 meals a day.  I find that you can dress pretty casually for MDR breakfast and lunch with no issues.  At dinner you'll be fine with a polo and jeans, aside from the formal nights, and you will not be out of place.

 

Princess has upped their suite game a bit on the Royal class ships.  The Concierge Lounge is a nice suite guest only location where you can pop in for a snack and a complimentary beverage.  They will also take care of any dining reservations, help you book shore excursions, and kind of behave like a private passenger services desk.  It's a nice touch.  If you are looking for a particular snack or food item, you want just ask, it will start showing up every day.

 

There are quite a few suite perks, including access to the Enclave on Royal class ships and the thermal suites on the older Grand and Island class ships.  A complimentary specialty restaurant dinner on embarkation night is included with suite bookings.  There is a mini-bar setup in a suite, too.  And don't forget Club Class, or Reserve Collection dining (they are doing a bit of a rebranding on this feature right now).  If you book a suite you will have access to the Club Class section of the MDR, so no wait times to get seated, some extra items on the menu, it's nice.  If you are booked in a suite there is a separate dining room that is open in the morning for breakfast.  It is a very laid back vibe for breakfast and you can order from the menu or you can put together a breakfast of your own design, a la carte.  The list of other suite perks is extensive enough that I won't go through all of it here.

 

If you are looking to book for the Alaska 2023 season, time is tight and cabin selection might be poor.  If you are looking to book for 2024, now is a great time.

[Hammergirl]

1 hour ago, jeromep said:

Yes, Princess is for you.  I'm solidly in my mid-40s and my wife is in her early 40s.  We have a 7yo daughter.  We have done a number of Princess cruises, and every one has fit us.  We started cruising with Princess when we were in our 30s.  The onboard vibe really doesn't change all that much from cruise to cruise, whether it is Alaska or Caribbean.  The predominant age of the cruisers does tend to vary with itinerary and time of year and this can impact how active the ship is at night or at different times of day.  A Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruise may be very active in the evening, but Alaska will often be pretty quiet.  That just means more space for you to enjoy late shows, especially in the lounges and clubs.

 

My wife and I are very casual.  Most of my working years I've had to wear a shirt and tie to the office, so I avoid that whenever possible outside of working hours.  That has changed recently in my office to be a bit more casual.  I guess we now call it business casual, so a lot of polo shirts with our company brand on them and dress pants, so business on the bottom and trade show conference sheik on top.  I'd hope that anyone that works corporate knows the feeling.

 

I don't take formal nights seriously anymore.  I do try to behave, so I have a shirt and tie and slacks and play nice with it all.  My wife does a very nice job of dressing up, and because I have most of the business wear that works for formal nights, it isn't a huge pain.  You are not going to be relegated to the buffet for 3 meals a day.  I find that you can dress pretty casually for MDR breakfast and lunch with no issues.  At dinner you'll be fine with a polo and jeans, aside from the formal nights, and you will not be out of place.

 

Princess has upped their suite game a bit on the Royal class ships.  The Concierge Lounge is a nice suite guest only location where you can pop in for a snack and a complimentary beverage.  They will also take care of any dining reservations, help you book shore excursions, and kind of behave like a private passenger services desk.  It's a nice touch.  If you are looking for a particular snack or food item, you want just ask, it will start showing up every day.

 

There are quite a few suite perks, including access to the Enclave on Royal class ships and the thermal suites on the older Grand and Island class ships.  A complimentary specialty restaurant dinner on embarkation night is included with suite bookings.  There is a mini-bar setup in a suite, too.  And don't forget Club Class, or Reserve Collection dining (they are doing a bit of a rebranding on this feature right now).  If you book a suite you will have access to the Club Class section of the MDR, so no wait times to get seated, some extra items on the menu, it's nice.  If you are booked in a suite there is a separate dining room that is open in the morning for breakfast.  It is a very laid back vibe for breakfast and you can order from the menu or you can put together a breakfast of your own design, a la carte.  The list of other suite perks is extensive enough that I won't go through all of it here.

 

If you are looking to book for the Alaska 2023 season, time is tight and cabin selection might be poor.  If you are looking to book for 2024, now is a great time.

This is all very informative, thank you! You seem to know a lot of suite cruising and I appreciate that! I was told by two travel agents today that the thermal suites are NOT included with booking a suite and there would be a charge for that. We are looking at the Majestic. 

[MissP22]

On 2/19/2023 at 11:12 AM, Hammergirl said:

Is Princess for us for an Alaskan cruise?

We are a couple in our late 40's and really struggling with which cruise line/ship is for us. We are active and like entertainment while onboard, but we are not partiers by any means. We like to sit on deck and our balcony and just watch the world go by, with snacks and a good drink.

We love the itinerary of Princess, but we are really struggling to figure out if we will fit in on those ships. We are not people who like to dress up. I do not want to have come back from an excursion and take a shower and get dressed up to eat. I know we can always eat at the buffet, but I am not really wanting to eat 3 meals a day in a buffet. 

We are jeans, sweatshirt and tennis shoes type people. Are we going feel out of place and be disappointed if we do Princess? If so, what other line or ship to do recommend? We prefer suites and or Haven/Retreat kind of rooms, if that helps.

Considering what dressing has become on Princess in the last year or so I think you'll fit in very nicely. The days of "requiring" people to dress in gowns, suit & tie are long gone. Although some people still dress up a lot have learned that they can choose to be comfortable & not have to please anyone but themselves.

No one is forced to eat at the buffet on either casual of formal nights.

[startedwithamouse]

49 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

a lot have learned that they can choose to be comfortable

Amen to that!