Why did you pick Princess?

[Dreamcruiser185]

We picked Princess since it presents itself as more upscale line without being “stuffy”.  The cruise line has a laid back feel to it, since it doesn’t have all the slides and water parks at the pool.  We are first time cruisers with Princess, hopefully it lives up to the bill!   Looking forward to our cruise!

[Guest ldtr]

1. Primarily adult focused, though also with enough kids and families to not seem like retirement home at sea (though lately some cruises are starting to get that feeling with Princess running with  the highest average age of the mainstream lines)

2. Good mix of different itineraries

3. Good mix of activities

4. Good value compared to other lines with good service, good food quality

5. The various sources of OBC from FCD's, shareholder and veterans benefits

 

That said we also sail on several other lines, though we tend to spend the most days each year on Princess.

[MissP22]

It's a guarantee that the trip  will remain constant without the rowdy crowd like on Carnival.  The food is usually pretty goog even with the slight cutbacks I've seen recently. 

[RosieCanberra]

It's a good overall cruise line. Good food, events, entertainment, service. I like the Elite perks. But I primarily chose Princess for their great itineraries. 

 

[Coral]

I keep asking myself the same question...... 

[jeromep]

We started with a group cruise with friends many years ago.  One of the couples had cruised Princess before and was highly complimentary.  On top of that Princess is one of two lines which seem to have the most polished product for Alaska cruises.

 

As others have and will mention, itinerary quality is excellent.  I think that speaks to how long they have been in operation.  It is both experience with creating a logical and enjoyable itinerary, but also having long term relationships with ports, which gives them preferred access to ports, etc.

 

Food is subjective.  I generally like what Princess offers.  My wife describes their food as being "continental".  You don't find their food selections at typical restaurants.  So, it is something of an adventure to try out new cuisine when on a cruise.  We live in a world of chain restaurants, fast casual, and fast food, very little food on board fits into any of the typical categories of land based dining.  I think Princess has done a very good job of avoiding having too much of their food start to look like what you could get at home or on a normal land based vacation.

 

Ship interiors are elegant but not gaudy.  Some of those older Carnival ships are incredibly gaudy; and they were gaudy when they were launched, it isn't like those ships were in good taste when they were launched.  Carnival has really reduced the guadyness of their interiors in recent new builds, but their cabins remain incredibly minimal in design and function.  Princess has very well thought out cabins... except for the stand up shower and the shower curtain.  They are quite a bit behind a number of the other lines and their new builds where the shower is enclosed in a glass door rather than that horrible shower curtain that sticks to you.  I suspect that the more and better storage space in Princess cabins comes out of the marginally smaller and less functional bathroom.  On the other hand Princess mini-suite cabin bathrooms are nicely sized and because it is a tub/shower combo, there is plenty of room.  And suite bathrooms are about on par with other cruise line suite bathrooms.

 

On board entertainment is generally excellent.  The cover band, jam band, on board usually fits the vibe of the cruise, and I've enjoyed most theatear shows.  The on board DJ is always a bit of a crap shoot, sometimes really fits the vibe of the crowd, and sometimes just plays what they like.

 

I suppose I could go on and on, but in general Princess is nicely balanced.  Not too snooty for an upmarket cruise line, but not so laid back that if you are more active you can't find something to enjoy while on board.

[tmt218]

Princess was my first cruise ever and was picked by my mom as a post divorce vacation. 
I’ve cruised other lines with my DD I always thought she would be bored without all the bells and whistles that other lines have. She was always curious about Princess so I introduced her with an ABC island cruise. It’s her favorite cruise line now. 

I have continued to pick Princess as I enjoy their atmosphere and itineraries on their ships. 

[ChemistBabe]

I'm hoping I made the right choice!!

 

We are a family of 4, who loved both our Disney cruises.  My kids have (mostly) outgrown the characters.  Their favorite activities in the past were hanging out in the pool watching movies.  We love the Disney magic on the ship, the shows, the family activities...

 

We chose Princess for Alaska because we don't like the Disney prices (Princess is literally have the price of Disney for a similar balcony mini-suite) and for Glacier Bay. 

 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the kids (10 and 15) have enough shipboard activities to keep them happy

[cr8tiv1]

I cruised on Carnival and NCL before settling down with Princess.  My cruisetour to Alaska was the cruise that made me a loyalist.  I did "try" Holland America once for a short repo cruise.  Probably not fair to have made a judgement based on that okay cruise, but Princess' home port is much closer to me.

 

Shortly after my HAL cruise, my brother set up this scenario:  (he knew some big wig with HAL/before he retired).  If he could get me the highest star mariner on Holland America, would I switch my allegiance?  Didn't take me long to say no. 

 

Now, on the other hand, my sister is a HAL loyalist.  I've been trying to get her on a Princess cruise.  Convinced her to give it a try.  She hated the Medallion App (pre-fixes).  We were all set to go when there was a family medical event.  She hated how long it took to process AON.  She did not want FCC since she didn't think she would ever cruise Princess.  I am still working on her.....

[sirclean]

My favorite itenary is Glacier Bay (Alaska).  Ive done it several times!   I like that Princess is very invested in Alaska (with their hotels and Cruise Tours). 

I like that they are calm, especially when compared to the 'fun ships' of the sister line. 

The food has always been good enough for me!  As I have cruised nearly 30 times now, I have sampled just about all of the meals and I know what I like, and what to pass by.  Ive sampled nearly all of the deserts and can probably do without them now and not feel like Ive missed something.  (Especially as I age and have problems reaching the table ... cause my tummy is pushing the table away, if you catch my physical predicament!  )

I REALLY like the entertainment!   They have  good variety and a stage show just about every night and they rotate enough so that I dont see the same show every trip (because I dont go THAT often !) 

 

I like that there are families, and that the children/teens have a place to go and hang out on their own, and the ship is not a moving water slide, or go cart track! 

 

The comedians are clean, (though I could take it if they were 'salty'), but I dont have to worry that anyone will be upset by them. 

 

But the number one reason is Alaska!  Glacier Bay is the place for me, and they do it well! 

[Torfamm]

I chose my first Princess cruise for its unique itinerary. The things I found that I think are positives in addition to that were the International cafe with its selection of savory food rather than just pastries, self-service laundry which makes a huge difference on long trips, incredible closet space and remarkably friendly staff.

[Renmar]

The Princess (DW) choose Princess in 2005, tried HAL (I'm born in Holland so had to give it a try). About 20 cruises later it is still Princess. 

 

Theo 

[JimmyVWine]

4 hours ago, ldtr said:

1. Primarily adult focused, though also with enough kids and families to not seem like retirement home at sea (though lately some cruises are starting to get that feeling with Princess running with  the highest average age of the mainstream lines)

2. Good mix of different itineraries

3. Good mix of activities

4. Good value compared to other lines with good service, good food quality

5. The various sources of OBC from FCD's, shareholder and veterans benefits

 

That said we also sail on several other lines, though we tend to spend the most days each year on Princess.

All of this plus:

6. Affordable Mini-Suites with space for us to sail comfortably as a (small) family, and with a bathtub which is a dealbreaker for Mrs. V. 
7. A very mature and generous BYO wine policy. My screen name says it all and we are a very wine-centric family. We like to enjoy our best wines while on vacation and in fine restaurants that allow us to bring our special occasion wines with us. There are other cruise lines that check most of our boxes, but Princess is unique in allowing us to bring an entire vacation’s worth of wines from our cellar. For this, they get our money. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[MissP22]

We also enjoy the fact (although this is rapidly changing) that Princess isn't a cruise line that attracts children. 

The only time we've seen hundreds of them was during our Christmas cruise, which was to be expected. 

 

[cjpj]

When I was planning my first cruise, 20 odd years ago, there was an elderly gentleman in my Aquafit class at the gym who was always off on a cruise. I believe at that time he'd been on 85, so I asked him what would be the best line to cruise the Mediterranean.  He said Princess without any hesitation. His wife even gave him some Patters to bring me from their last cruise. DH and I are now Elite. I do get the hankering to try Celebrity or Oceana and might someday, but Princess is like an old shoe - I know the fit, the comfort and the occasional calluses. 

[latebloomer56]

Comfortable with Princess, if they have a cruise where I want to go it is always Princess.

[latebloomer56]

11 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I cruised on Carnival and NCL before settling down with Princess.  My cruisetour to Alaska was the cruise that made me a loyalist.  I did "try" Holland America once for a short repo cruise.  Probably not fair to have made a judgement based on that okay cruise, but Princess' home port is much closer to me.

 

Shortly after my HAL cruise, my brother set up this scenario:  (he knew some big wig with HAL/before he retired).  If he could get me the highest star mariner on Holland America, would I switch my allegiance?  Didn't take me long to say no. 

 

Now, on the other hand, my sister is a HAL loyalist.  I've been trying to get her on a Princess cruise.  Convinced her to give it a try.  She hated the Medallion App (pre-fixes).  We were all set to go when there was a family medical event.  She hated how long it took to process AON.  She did not want FCC since she didn't think she would ever cruise Princess.  I am still working on her.....

Sorry to hear about her bad experience with AON as had to cancel last April doctors wouldn't let me fly, and received our refund minus the insurance fee in about five weeks.

Get her to do Alaska, nobody does this like Princess. If their land/sea works this year in Italy plan to take sons and grandson to do this and the cruise after with Princess next year. They are adults now and have only done Carnival and mainly NCL (which is pricing themselves out for the product) think they will like Princess as well.

[Steelers36]

15 hours ago, ldtr said:

though lately some cruises are starting to get that feeling with Princess running with  the highest average age of the mainstream lines

No doubt this is a major factor in them making big changes and attempting to appeal to younger set of new customers.

[Steelers36]

We have always liked the general atmosphere on Princess ships and the crew has always been great.  They have had some interesting itineraries to pursue for longer voyages.  I hope they can recover from the Covid woes and improve in ways that suits us.  They have to get new IT resources and fix that damn App.  So, we have always enjoyed our times on the ships, but lately it has not been fun off the ships trying to get on a ship.  Still, they seem to offer good value for us in a cruise voyage and I hope they maintain the guest-friendly wine policy.

[Jeter02]

Feels like home everytime I step onboard! The comfort of the ships layout throughout the fleet, and how crew have become like my ship family at this point. Love the traditional yet casual vibe. Love the quiet demographic, with zero need for obnoxious add ons like laser tag, rock climbing, rollercoasters etc. Great good and entertainment. Princess is a cruise line for those who want a relaxing and fun, delightful experience. Also the range of itinerary options are pretty awesome too!!!!

 

Princess has been and will.continue my place of choice as my home away from home among the seas. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Jeter02

[Guindalf]

Not sure why, but we were booked for our first Princess cruise to Alaska (our happy place!) with the DW's sister and hubby in May. 2020, and we all know what happened to that!

 

Even though it's just the two of us, we decided it's time to go back to the 'frozen north' in a suite. We have sailed to Alaska on NCL and Celebrity in 2009 and 2019 respectively and had an awesome time on both trips. The weather was outstanding each time with 65 and sun for the first trip on the Pearl and even warmed in '19 on the Eclipse. We'll be on the Discovery in early September after debating whether to stick with Princess or transfer our booking to the Celebrity Solstice, which is the identical itinerary, but following our January trip on that ship (also shadowing Discovery), we decided to try something new.

 

We're just six points short of Elite status on X, so we'll almost certainly be sailing on that line next, but it's nice to have options and, depending on our experience, maybe we'll be stolen away!

[Joy Bunny]

The main reason is they have a ship homeported in San Francisco. The convenience to us is why we have scheduled our second cruise in a row with Princess. Due to old age causing me some health issues, flying to the east coast to board a cruise is becoming increasingly difficult and uncomfortable. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Joy Bunny

[KYTess]

To me it represents the “classic” cruise ship and it’s still affordable. Princess offers great cruise stops, excellent service, and a nice variety of dining options. The comfy beds and the library are added bonuses. I have cruised Carnival, NCL, Royal, and Celebrity and had a great trip on all. Princess & Celebrity are my current favorites but when my kids were younger I loved NCL for all the family friendly activities. 

[Wishing on a star]

Why do we choose Princess?

Well, with some of the cutbacks, and very real customer service issues, that is a good question.

Here are our reasons.

1.  The classic vibe.  While music and activities are going onboard, Princess does not operate mini-cities or amusement parks at sea.

2.   The Piazza.   We really like a resort or cruise with a main central area to provide some kind of community and focus.  Nope, the mini-city (big mall) concept of a strip or promenade is just not that.

3.  Yes, the food on our last sailing was mostly good!  Even though we have had sailings where the head executive in charge was maybe not the best, the food wasn't the best.  Our last sailing the food was good.   NOTE:  just do not count on a good steak on Princess.  We have had good Prime Rib and what they call Beef Medallions.  Just not steak.

4. The adult Retreat Pool area and the Sanctuary.  We enjoy those.  The sanctuary is an extra cost and is a bit more exclusive, we really enjoy that.   They are changing this up on the new ship.  The Sanctuary does not have prime real estate with a 360' view.  As those who book the Reserved, or whatever they call it, class, have access to that area.  Aft facing instead of forward.   However, there will be a major public forward facing area now, on the Sun, that is open to all guests.  That is a big plus.

5.  Itineraries.   This might not always be the case.  But often Princess will have good itineraries with good time in port.  Some lines have port times that are short.  In Alaska, which has been menioned, Princess cruises Glacier Bay.  Which is limited access, and not all lines have a lot of itineraries there.

[cr8tiv1]

5 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Sorry to hear about her bad experience with AON as had to cancel last April doctors wouldn't let me fly, and received our refund minus the insurance fee in about five weeks.

Get her to do Alaska, nobody does this like Princess. If their land/sea works this year in Italy plan to take sons and grandson to do this and the cruise after with Princess next year. They are adults now and have only done Carnival and mainly NCL (which is pricing themselves out for the product) think they will like Princess as well.

 

I will try again.  But she sails only in suites on HAL and has been all over the world.  Not much Princess can offer her.  I love "my" Window Suites and had her convinced.  WIth only the Caribbean and occasionally the Grand, my hopes of getting her on a Princess ship are greatly diminished.  I don't care for suite locations on the other ships.  They are too high, too forward, and I don't care for aft location.

 

So I shall add...

1.  As long as Princess continues to sail out of San Pedro.

2.  As long as Princess brings back the Grand.

3.  As long as there are Window Suites.

4.  As long as the Coral does local runs (not world cruises).

5.  As long as Princess continues to have outstanding crew members.

 

I will continue to sail with Princess. 

 

Thank you for your post.