RCI Loyalist - now looking at Princess...

[DJAM]

Hi all --

 

My husband is tired of the RCI Promenade Parades and evening entertainment.

 

Can anyone give me a quick rundown of some Princess options and events?

 

Does the Princess have ongoing parades and what is the average Princess Cruise experience?:rolleyes:

[SingerEsq]

Parades??????!!!! Well, you have just answered my question, would I ever sail RCI. No.

 

I actually prefer much smaller ships (i.e., 60 - 650 passengers). However, I have sailed the Coral and the Island. They are beautifully understated. There are no rock climbing walls (who does this, really? .... when I recently saw a rock wall on the back of a Holland American, ship I was horrified; I thought they were so much more) .... no ice skating rinks, no Johnnie Rockets ..... no, you will not find those yet (hopefully, never) on a Princess ship ... only at the Mall of America and on RCI ships.

 

The only "parade" was the Baked Alaska parade on the last night in the dining room, and I felt bad for the waiters/chefs for having to undertake this demeaning act even then, but at least it was only 1 night.

 

No, you will not find parades on Princess. But you will have to be content with taking a walk on the Promenade. Reading a book. Listening to music, seeing a show, etc. I'm 45 and was not bored on either the Coral or the Island. With some trepidation, I have agreed to sail the Caribbean Princess (3,100 passengers???????). But so far, I am pleased by the CC comments and am going with an open mind.

 

I personally think Princess has a great mid-range product. But I am looking for smaller, not bigger, which is why my next Princess cruise after the CB is scheduled for the Tahitian (650 passengers)

[bdjam]

Parades??????!!!! Well, you have just answered my question, would I ever sail RCI. No.

 

I actually prefer much smaller ships (i.e., 60 - 650 passengers). However, I have sailed the Coral and the Island. They are beautifully understated. There are no rock climbing walls (who does this, really? .... when I recently saw a rock wall on the back of a Holland American, ship I was horrified; I thought they were so much more) .... no ice skating rinks, no Johnnie Rockets ..... no, you will not find those yet (hopefully, never) on a Princess ship ... only at the Mall of America and on RCI ships.

 

The only "parade" was the Baked Alaska parade on the last night in the dining room, and I felt bad for the waiters/chefs for having to undertake this demeaning act even then, but at least it was only 1 night.

 

No, you will not find parades on Princess. But you will have to be content with taking a walk on the Promenade. Reading a book. Listening to music, seeing a show, etc. I'm 45 and was not bored on either the Coral or the Island. With some trepidation, I have agreed to sail the Caribbean Princess (3,100 passengers???????). But so far, I am pleased by the CC comments and am going with an open mind.

 

I personally think Princess has a great mid-range product. But I am looking for smaller, not bigger, which is why my next Princess cruise after the CB is scheduled for the Tahitian (650 passengers)

:D :D

[TheParrotHeads]

Hi all --

 

My husband is tired of the RCI Promenade Parades and evening entertainment.

 

Can anyone give me a quick rundown of some Princess options and events?

 

Does the Princess have ongoing parades and what is the average Princess Cruise experience?:rolleyes:

 

Hey DJAM,

 

We we are a young couple in our Mid 20's who made the switch about a year ago from RCI to Princess. We started cruising with NCL and after two with them, we KNEW there had to be better. Honestly, we had a love-hate with RCI. Granted we were on the Voyager series and never any of the smaller class ships. That said after our second cruise with RCI we found ourselves forcing a relationship that just wasn't there--along with some bad experiences which left us questioning if paying more was worth it.

 

The following short review is based on the Caribbean Princess a Grand Class ship. So if you are looking for smaller and even more intimate with fewer kids than look for the Sun Class.

 

The ships, in our opinion, are better appointed. We find them to be more refined. There are no rock walls, kid water parks, 1 large cafeteria...I mean dining room ;) , or 1 central pool for everyone to share. Princess believes in taking all the space onboard and breaking it up into many smaller more intimate settings. You will notice this theme throughout my short review.

 

Fine Dining: The food on Princess in the main dining room was much better than anything we ever had on RCI. For the first time, we spent more nights in the main dining room than specialty restaurants. Princess allows for Anytime dining or traditional seating at the standard times. Anytime dining is great. You can make reservations once onboard for a set time and table for the entire week. Even if we missed our reservation, it was never more than a 5-10minute wait. There are multiple dining rooms (4 or 5 on the Grand Class) so you never feel as if half of the ship is dining with you. Also, Sabatinis and Sterlings, are two very good specialty restaurants. Sabatinis is an Italian restaurant which serves up some of the best Italy has to offer. We find it to be better than Portofinos (however Portofino's bread is better ;) ). Here you can order from the menu or choose to sample smaller portions of almost everything on the menu! Sterlings is a great steak house with generous portions. They really do a good chop and again, find them better than Chops. You can even splurge and choose to dine on your own balcony with linen wrapped sileverware on a linen table along with your own wait staff. It is set up as a romantic evening and something we have yet to try.

 

Casual Dining: The pizza, burgers and hot dogs are really the best at sea. Forget anything you've had on RCI. And the nice thing is there's no surcharge. Everything is served pool side as well. The buffets are much better than anything RCI offered. On the first night there is a cold seafood buffet which is outstanding. On formal night there is a hot seafood buffet which is even better.

 

Formal Evenings: Having sailed on the Caribbean Princess (CB) in August with many families onboard we found that most of them adhered to the formal code (more so than RCI). I was actually shocked to see how many children, ages 5-18 were in tuxes or formal gowns. Heck I saw more youngsters better dressed than middle aged couples. I had a very nice dark suit on and those younger than me made me feel like I should have brought a tux.

 

 

Staterooms: We found the staterooms to be relatively comparable to RCI, maybe the slightest bit nicer. I can't comment on this too much because we have only had a mini-suite with Princess. They are much better than a Junior Suite on RCI and priced more competitively.

 

Entertainment: The production shows are better on RCI, but the comedians/small bands/hypnotists are much better on Princess. The comedians gear their performances toward adults, where RCI seemed a little more tame (family conscious). There are usually multiple shows taking place on Princess. Unlike RCI where everything is timed so all 3000 can hurry to take in a performance, Princess breaks things up. There are mulitple venues onboard for nightly entertainment and you don't have to get there an hour early to reserve a seat. Some of the Grand Class ships are equipped with MUTS (Movies Under The Stars). However, it is not intrucive and despite us not being fans of it...it does keep all the kids/families in one area for most the evening.

 

Nightlife: I don't care what anyone says about Princess nightlife being boring. I have yet to have a bad night at the nightclub Skywalkers. It is located all the way aft elevated above the ship providing wonderful views during the day time. The design is better than RCI and less congested. The music is better, well mixed and yes, on Princess you do see more couples and even the 30-50 crowd dancing.

 

The pools are probably one of the biggest draws for us. There are four options, all of which are spacious. There are two adult only pools and the rules are enforced. We never saw the "youth security" have to address the issue, since most of the kids were better behaved than those on RCI. That said, they are not affraid to approach the kids or seek out parents when they are acting up--seen it first hand and been confirmed by others. The aft pool is adult only and offers a peaceful escape from the rest of the ship. This is our favorite place onboard...probably the one reason we could never return to RCI. The mid ship pools are larger and for everyone to use. However, if you are on a ship with MUTS, you will find most of the kids/families will be on the pool with MUTS; leaving the other large pool feeling like adults only :) . The Grand Class ships which do not offer MUTS provide an enclosed pool with a canopy like that of the Radiance Class on RCI. The fourth pool is located forward and is adults only as well. It is a little smaller than the main pools yet very quiet and intimate.

 

Princess Passengers: We found Princess cruisers to be more intuned with the guidelines/policies of the cruiseline. Most everyone adheres to the suggested attire for the evenings. I would be naive to say that we don't have our few who do wear jeans on formal night or attend the dining room with more casual wear. However, it is on a much smaller scale than what I saw on RCI. We only saw a handful. In fact most remained formally dressed after dinner. On RCI, it seemed everyone rushed back to the room and was changed. Princess is mostly couples, middle aged folks, and families. The children on our cruise were well-behaved and never caused problems. I wish I could say the same on RCI.

 

Overall we have found a good fit, for the moment, but hopefully longer. I hope this short overview provides you with some insight. I'll answer more questions, but I need to get to bed! There are more seasoned Princess cruisers on this board who can offer better information. I'm sure they'll be on here to help you as well ;)

[NancyIL]

I've never been on a Voyager-class RCI ship, but the smaller ships are beautiful - especially Radiance-class. Don't give up on RCI! Having said that, we'll try Princess for the first time next summer when we take the Pacific Princess to Alaska.

[newmexicoNita]

I've never been on a Voyager-class RCI ship, but the smaller ships are beautiful - especially Radiance-class. Don't give up on RCI! Having said that, we'll try Princess for the first time next summer when we take the Pacific Princess to Alaska.

I happen to agree with you:don't give up on any line unless you have had a really horrible experience more than once. Each has something special to offer and the class of the ship plus age often has something to do with it: We have sailed all mass marketed lines, each gave us a vacation to remember: we are getting tired of the parades in the dining room as well: Celebrity still does it as well. I would guess Carnival does, but this certainly wouldn't be a consideration when we look for a cruise. We were about to book the Regal for the Canal even though I read some pretty nasty reviews: actually we have decided to do HAL only because the Regal was going to be so hard to get to transportation wise and the itineraray on the Coral isn't as good for us as on HALs Amsterdam. When we want total relaxation and a truely awesome crew that isn't phoney we choose NCL. We love true freestyle. Normally I think the number concern for us is itinerary as we have cruised so many times and seen so many of the islands more than I can count. We look for something new: all lines, even Carnival offer something for someone. NMnita

[cws]

There are no rock climbing walls (who does this, really? .... when I recently saw a rock wall on the back of a Holland American, ship I was horrified; I thought they were so much more)

 

You must have been mistaken. There are no rock climbing walls on any Holland America ship. Only Royal Caribbean has them, although a new NCL ship will also have one (not sure which ship).

[cws]

Hi all --

 

My husband is tired of the RCI Promenade Parades and evening entertainment.

 

Can anyone give me a quick rundown of some Princess options and events?

 

Does the Princess have ongoing parades and what is the average Princess Cruise experience?:rolleyes:

 

Here are some activity highlights exclusive to the new Crown Princess, debuting today. The last two items will soon go fleet-wide.

 

• The Sanctuary -- An adults-only "pocket of tranquility" on the uppermost forward deck of the ship, The Sanctuary offers a relaxing alternative to the myriad activities available throughout the ship. Solitude seekers will be able to escape completely to this plush, outdoor spa-inspired setting with signature beverages, light meals, massages, relaxing personal entertainment and attentive service from the area's Serenity Stewards.

 

• The Bee at Sea --- Crown Princess passengers will also have the opportunity to compete in one of the nation's hottest "new" reality competitions: the spelling bee. Princess' new "The Bee at Sea" features a two-day challenge that will test participants' skills and nerve with intense drama, escalating word difficulty, and suspense-filled elimination rounds. Featured in the Princess Theater on each sailing, The Bee at Sea will feature both an adult and kids version, and the winners will receive a special dictionary signed by the ship's captain. Finalists will enjoy a larger audience for their 15 minutes of fame when the final rounds of competition are shown in the ship's dramatic Movies Under the Stars outdoor film venue.

 

• Competitive Edge --- Two new fun competition events will also debut on Crown Princess. The first, Ballroom Blitz, offers participants the opportunity to learn a variety of basic ballroom dances at lessons throughout the cruise and can then show off their moves in a series of evening competitions inspired by the recent popularity of ballroom dancing on television. In Princess Peer Factor (Friends, Family or Foe?) two teams of peers square off in fun events where they can try out their skills at a variety of interesting shipboard tasks, such as pizza making, casino dealing, ice carving, cocktail mixing or trying to keep up with the ship's entertainers.

 

Also note the atrium "street performers" mentioned in Cruise Critic's review of Crown Princess:

 

A fresh twist on the atrium: Atriums are often abuzz during the day ... and then ghost towns once the boutiques have closed and guests have moved on to post-dinner shows or dancing. To that end, Princess has jazzed up Crown's Piazza (the lower level of the atrium) with the first 24-hour International Cafe in the fleet, offering not only coffees to stay and to go, but also snacks ranging from pastries and freshly baked cookies to salads and sandwiches. There are also "street performers" -- singers, magicians, and a man dressed as a chef who stands on his head and swallows balloons -- that appear randomly (on our sailing, about once an hour) to entertain the crowd. A new wine and seafood bar, Vines, adds additional life to the space, open on our sailing from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.

[caviargal]

I've never been on a Voyager-class RCI ship, but the smaller ships are beautiful - especially Radiance-class. .

 

I agree. Personally, I do not care for anything about Voyager class or FOS, but Radiance class is a different experience.

 

That said, I think you should try Princess as I have heard/read many good things and hope to do so myself soon after a long hiatus, being disillusioned with RCI for many other reasons.:)

[SingerEsq]

You must have been mistaken. There are no rock climbing walls on any Holland America ship. Only Royal Caribbean has them, although a new NCL ship will also have one (not sure which ship).

 

CWS-- You are correct, I was mistaken. We saw the Westerdam in Ensenda. I now realize what I saw is called The Oasis (teens only area) on the aft section of the ship. However, it's stainless steel -- that's right, stainless steel -- palm trees, faux rock waterfall, etc., are a no less unsightly addition to these beautiful ships as is the rock walls on RCI Voyagers.

[daveky]

Thanks for the great and indepth reviews and comparisons. This is the first time I've ventured over to the Princess site and was looking for a thread exactly like this. Wanting to try something else and was looking at Princess. As you can see from my cruise list, done Carnival twice and the rest RCI. A Diamond+ member here (their highest) and sort of getting tired of the same thing.

Wanted to try something new. I'm still loyal to RCI but the quality of the food is lessening, parades abit too much, getting tired of the Promenade as I've sailed all the Voyager class ships total of 11 times. So, looking at something different. Done Hawaii, Panama Canal, Alaska, Bermuda so again looking for a different "ship" experience and I think Princess will get me that.

Thanks

 

Dave

[caviargal]

A Diamond+ member here (their highest) and sort of getting tired of the same thing.

Wanted to try something new. I'm still loyal to RCI but the quality of the food is lessening, parades abit too much, getting tired of the Promenade as I've sailed all the Voyager class ships total of 11 times.

Dave

 

Dave, also D+ here with 47 on RCI since the late 70s but disenchanted and disillusioned for the reasons you mention plus: out of control kids, totally lack of any respect for dress code and ala carte cruising taken to new heights.

 

I don't care for Voyager class or FOS and cannot bring myself to try Radiance class again for all the above reasons.

 

Please post when you decide and also when you complete your cruise. I will be very interested in your feedback.

 

While the perks are great, IMO they are not worth the rest :(.

[Juliadlf]

Wanted to try something new. I'm still loyal to RCI but the quality of the food is lessening, parades abit too much, getting tired of the Promenade as I've sailed all the Voyager class ships total of 11 times. So, looking at something different. Done Hawaii, Panama Canal, Alaska, Bermuda so again looking for a different "ship" experience and I think Princess will get me that.

Thanks

 

Dave

 

Dave:

Have you thought to do a Mediterranean cruise? From the list you provided it doesn't look as if you've ventured into that territory yet. Princess has come out with several great itineraries for the region. Just a thought....

 

Julia

[ssantow]

We are die hard Princess fans but just out of curiosity and lack of an interesting itinerary on Princess we took four RCI cruises (2 back to back) We sailed on the Jewel of the Seas and the Mariner of the Seas. They were enjoyable cruises and we had no problems, but we have returned to Princess.

I must say that The Parrotheads covered all the bases quite well, so I will not elaborate any further with the exception of better coffee and deserts on RCI. We have our two girls and their families saving up for a big family cruise in a couple of years and may try the super voyager class because the grand kids might enjoy it.

Stan

[Pam in CA]

Having been on many Princess cruises and Explorer of the Seas and Nordic Empress (shortly before she was extended and renamed), there are many things that are similar on both lines and some things that are different. Neither is perfect but I prefer Princess.

 

Overall, I think the standard outside cabin on RCI ships are larger than Princess cabins with their small couch and table, which Princess standard outside cabins don't have. However, closet and storage space definitely goes to Princess.

 

Some RCI fans love the double-level dining room(s) and consider them more elegant. In the RCI dining rooms I've been in, they're huge and open. Having been in the middle on the lower level both cruises, I felt that people were looking down at us and I was uncomfortable with that. Princess dining rooms have a much more intimate feel, with tables separated into sections by dividers.

 

On both our RCI cruises in recent years, there was a piano player during dinner, which I liked if I didn't know my tablemates and wasn't talking a lot but found it distracting and loud when we were talking. You won't find the pianos in Princess dining rooms.

 

Also on both of our RCI cruises in recent years, the assistant waiters sang and danced every night. I found that frustrating since invariably, it took place between the main course and dessert -- and we were left with dirty dishes on the table waiting for our asst. waiter to finish his entertainment.

 

Many prefer the two line system (one on each side) of the Windjammer and find the Princess buffet set up with "food stations" confusing. It is, sort of, until you see what's happening. In the Princess buffet, you take your plate and silverware, and can wander around throughout the buffet, taking what you want from each station. It really is far more efficient and less nerve-wracking. We wound up standing in line for over 30 minutes going into the Windjammer and if I didn't take something I thought I might like while on line, people gave me grief if I decided to go back to get something I'd missed. Overall, I think the food is pretty equal between the Windjammer and the Princess buffet. I like being able to get a made-to-order sandwich in the Windjammer, but I like the pasta fresh-made in front of you on Princess better. :) I also like the egg stations on Princess where you can get eggs made to order any way you want them for breakfast.

 

Yes... I did find the kids more out-of-control on our RCI cruises. They'd take over banks of elevators, sitting on the floor and not letting anyone in. We also ran into gangs of teenagers who literally pushed us aside as they went past us in the hallway.

 

Something else I prefer on Princess which actually has more to do with the layout of the ship is that on RCI, with the Promenade, there are very few real lounges that you can go to for a before or after-dinner drink where you don't feel as though you're in a mall. On Princess, there are several lounges with or without entertainment to go to. There are lounges with a piano, a band, a dance band, a full show, etc. I think there are many more entertainment options on Princess.

[TexasMom2]

For a change of pace, I would recommend the southern Caribbean on whatever line you choose next. All of the islands or so scenic (many are mountainous and lush) and a change of pace, especially from western ports.

 

It's so funny that opinions can be so different. I thought the WJ buffet was 10 times more efficient than the HC on Princess. I thought the dining rooms were more beautiful and seemed more formal than the feeling you get on the Grand, which to me is like a Hilton or Marriott banquet, but with low, low ceilings. I never felt like someone was watching me from above, but that may have been due to my table locations.

 

The service and wait staff were definitely better on RCI (but I had anytime on the Grand so that point of view may be skewed). I'm looking forward to experiencing Princess traditional on the Tahitian. One great feature at RCI is full room service, 24 hours.

 

I thought the cabins were better on RCI, especially not having a club chair that you have to move around to get out on the balcony. A sofa would be much better. My favorite is RCI but I would hop on just about any Princess ship in a heartbeat. Like Pam says, neither line is perfect and each has great qualities and offers different things. The only way to find out for sure is to try as many as possible! So many possibilities, too few vacation days!

[spongerob]

There's no harm in looking at other cruise lines. I've often considered some of Princess' competitors. Circumstances, itineraries, loyalty incentives, and pricing just haven't pushed me in another direction - yet. I think all cruise lines have their strengths and weaknesses. It's not like anyone is keeping score, nor is it like cheating on your spouse to look at other options.

[DJAM]

Thank you for all the great responses. Keep them coming...

 

 

I am glad to see that we are not the only people out there who feel as we do -- we were starting to feel burned out on RCI and we love cruising - so we had concerns. The beautiful descriptions listed above are exactly what my husband and I are looking for. We are in our late 30's and are not looking for the "Disney World" experience that RCI seems to be moving towards.

 

I have to agree about the children onboard RCI ships - simply out of control. I do have to say that we were on the Maiden Voyage of the FOS and we actually went out of our way to tip the Deck Patrol for keeping children out of the adult only pool areas - this was the first time we ever had witnessed them doing thier jobs!!! Their parents were right there arguing with them, but the signs were posted everywhere. Just unbelievable.

 

Thanks to these posts, we are already looking at Princess for a booking :D

[Cruising Greek]

Parades??????!!!! Well, you have just answered my question, would I ever sail RCI. No.

 

I actually prefer much smaller ships (i.e., 60 - 650 passengers). However, I have sailed the Coral and the Island. They are beautifully understated. There are no rock climbing walls (who does this, really? .... when I recently saw a rock wall on the back of a Holland American, ship I was horrified; I thought they were so much more) .... no ice skating rinks, no Johnnie Rockets ..... no, you will not find those yet (hopefully, never) on a Princess ship ... only at the Mall of America and on RCI ships.

 

The only "parade" was the Baked Alaska parade on the last night in the dining room, and I felt bad for the waiters/chefs for having to undertake this demeaning act even then, but at least it was only 1 night.

 

No, you will not find parades on Princess. But you will have to be content with taking a walk on the Promenade. Reading a book. Listening to music, seeing a show, etc. I'm 45 and was not bored on either the Coral or the Island. With some trepidation, I have agreed to sail the Caribbean Princess (3,100 passengers???????). But so far, I am pleased by the CC comments and am going with an open mind.

 

I personally think Princess has a great mid-range product. But I am looking for smaller, not bigger, which is why my next Princess cruise after the CB is scheduled for the Tahitian (650 passengers)

 

You will LOVE the Tahitian Princess. My wife and I did that cruise in 2003 and had a great time! We felt that we got better service on that ship than on the Diamond Princess. Not sure if it was just due to the size, or the crew. Maybe a combination of both?

 

-Cruising Greek

[TexasMom2]

You will LOVE the Tahitian Princess. My wife and I did that cruise in 2003 and had a great time! We felt that we got better service on that ship than on the Diamond Princess. Not sure if it was just due to the size, or the crew. Maybe a combination of both?

 

-Cruising Greek

 

Thank you - I waited a long time to book for our 25th anniversary, and now I have to wait another year, but I have a feeling the years of waiting will be worth every second.

[reggierail]

I was very impressed with the Sapphire Princess.

I have to say that Princess is a lot nicer than RCCL.

Being Diamond on RCCL and Elite because of matching benefits

on Celebrity, I do recieve a lot of perks.

It's a toss up between Celebrity and Princess.

Some things I prefer about Celebrity and a few

things I prefer about Princess.

 

Reggie :)

[AZUDO]

Wow glad to hear the kids are better on the princes and there are adult only pools we go on the Sapphire Princes xmas cruise. Our kids are grown up now and love to holiday after a hard years work, the last thing you need is someone elses kids bothering you! Are there any cruises that are for adults only, no kids?

[Pam in CA]

Are there any cruises that are for adults only, no kids?

Unless it's a group that has booked the entire ship, no. At least not on Princess. Perhaps on other cruiselines?

 

You'll find that cruises longer than 7 days, particularly during the normal school year (late August through mid-June) have fewer kids onboard; and, cruises 14 days and longer have very few kids on board. A reality is that the fewer kids on board, the older the average age of the adult passengers.

[negc]

Wow glad to hear the kids are better on the princess

Right, the kids and passengers on Princess are of a much higher class than those on the other (inferior) lines. Give me a break.:rolleyes:

[caviargal]

Right, the kids and passengers on Princess are of a much higher class than those on the other (inferior) lines. Give me a break.:rolleyes:

 

Is it true that the adult areas are better enforced on Princess?

 

I have read/heard that: 1) #of kids per sailing are limited but have no idea what the limit is so maybe that is a misconception, (2) the Security Patrol is around to make sure they do not have a negative impact on other pax, (3) the adult pools are actually kept for adults?

 

As one who has had several cruises totally disrupted by unruly and unsupervised kids, I would be happy to know that Princess does not leave it up to the parents to keep the kids under control. While I am sure most do, I have unfortunately seen many who do not.:(