are we getting less satisfied with princess?

[bdjam]

Princess is only a part now no more a whole or equal being part of WorldCruise CCL/CUK::NYSE/LSE they do have to compete and are doing it slowly ..

There is a difference between competing within one's market and competing with products that are not part of the market. You are suggesting that Princess compete with luxury cruise lines. That is not possible.

And Hawaii is not on the West Coast.

[sonomaphil]

Princess is only a part now no more a whole or equal being part of WorldCruise CCL/CUK::NYSE/LSE they do have to compete and are doing it slowly ..

 

 

Each line in the CCL world has it's market segment. Each and every line does not have to compete, as you say, in every category.

 

McDonald's is a restaurant. So is Ruths Chris Streak House, they don't need to compete with each other.

[Ethel5]

I can't believe that a cruise line would get downgraded based on Smoked Salmon!!!!!! :eek:

[critterchick]

I have only 2 lines to compare, Princess and RCI. We just completed a coastal cruise on the Diamond Princess, and I think that ship is a home run (it's our 3rd time on her) - I posted a review last week. I still prefer RCI by a whisker (mainly for service and loyalty perks plus I prefer an RCI JS to a Princess minisuite), but DP has closed the gap!

 

I had only minor quibbles - Sterling Steakhouse wasn't worth the additional charge, our headwaiter was the Invisible Man, many activities were scheduled so that traditional late diners could not take advantage, etc. - but our cabin steward and basic waitstaff were as good as any we've encountered on RCI, the food was good, the ports were fun and the CC group was awesome (which has nothing to do w/Princess, but still...) - what more can one ask for?

[lynn21]

I`m on the Emerald on the 22 June and I`m really interested to see how things have changed since 1996 when we were on the old Crown. Since then I`ve been on HAL once and X several times. Each line has somethings that are good and some that are not so good. I can`t imagine I would ever have a bad cruise. Personally, I will be pleased if the service is rushed as the main reason for coming back to Princess is that 2nd seating dinner was taking over 2 hours on X and the only entertainment on offer after 11pm was the theatre or karioke. I`m really looking forward to Personal Choice dining even though we`ve always enjoyed being with the same 8 table companions. I think cruising is great value for money and you can chose whether you book the ship`s excursions or use the spa which 11 years ago was considerably cheaper and not as luxurious. As far as the food is concerned, I never got up from a meal hungry and I`ve never sat down to a meal hungry.

[CrusinAgain]

We really are big HAL fans but are looking forward to our new Princess adventure - I just hope the bedding is comparable!! Nothing like a great night's sleep on the ocean!

 

Dave

 

That is one area that Princess needs to improve on are the mattresses. Carnival and HAL changed to the wonderful mattresses on all their ships while Princess has not. Make sure you request an eggcrate topper in advance so it will help.

 

Those that have only experienced Princess cruiselines mattresses and not other cruiselines will more than likely say they are fine, but they are not. Cruisecritic had the news article about it sometime last year on the front page about HAL beds and Carnival beds. However, the bedding has been replaced with the new Duvets.

[JackWP]

We have cruised on nine different cruise lines. Each is a little different from the other, however we find that the cruise lines are more common than we like to admit. Princess is probably our third most favorite, but our past two cruises and the one booked are with Princess because they were going where we wanted to go and had the most value to us. Our next booking will most likely be with another cruise line, not because we are mad at Princess but because they are going where we want to go. In all cases if the service delivered is higher than our expectations, we are happy. If service is low and expectations are high, we are disappointed. We have not had a perfect cruise, but all have meet our expectations.

[bdjam]

Those that have only experienced Princess cruiselines mattresses and not other cruiselines will more than likely say they are fine, but they are not. Cruisecritic had the news article about it sometime last year on the front page about HAL beds and Carnival beds. However, the bedding has been replaced with the new Duvets.

I like a hard mattress - the one I had on Island Princess was darn close to the one I have at home - except for the seam down the middle. I don't think I need to experience another cruise line just to have an opinion on the mattresses :confused:

 

I slept on one of the "improved" mattresses on Dawn Princess where I had a mini-suite...it was horrible. Somewhat like sleeping in a sling. I'd trade that for the standard mattresses any day.

[CrusinAgain]

I like a hard mattress - the one I had on Island Princess was darn close to the one I have at home - except for the seam down the middle. I don't think I need to experience another cruise line just to have an opinion on the mattresses :confused:

 

I slept on one of the "improved" mattresses on Dawn Princess where I had a mini-suite...it was horrible. Somewhat like sleeping in a sling. I'd trade that for the standard mattresses any day.

 

Well alot of people with back problems can't tolerate hard mattresses or feeling the springs or being in the sags of a bed. That is my only complaint with Princess are those mattresses other than the tiny showers but they can't do anything about that but they can change out those awful mattresses.

 

I have never slept on the Dawn in a minisuite on their "improved" mattress but Carnival was wonderful and from reading about HAL's mattresses they are fantastic.

 

In fact both cruiselines, Carnival and HAL sell their beds online, HAL's is called "The Mariners Dream Bed" located here:

 

http://www.shophollandamerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category_detail&category_id_int=11671

[bdjam]

Well alot of people with back problems can't tolerate hard mattresses or feeling the springs or being in the sags of a bed. That is my only complaint with Princess are those mattresses other than the tiny showers but they can't do anything about that but they can change out those awful mattresses.

Whatever - I think a lot of people probably don't mind the Princess standard mattresses...that was my point.

[sonomaphil]

It's funny, people talk about the decline in food quality but as a new cruiser I of course don't notice a decline. I think the food is great!

 

Interesting thing happened after my last cruise. We went with my in-laws who were first time cruisers who got hooked. They found out that a bunch of their friends are going a Panama Canal FLL-SFO next year on Celebrity and decided to join them. They asked me what I knew of Celebrity. I said I heard that in general (please, no flames) people seem to say Celebrity has a little better food than Princess but Princess has better entertainment. There reaction, they could believe the food could be any better than they had on the Caribbean Princess!

 

Keeps things in perspective!

[chrismch]

I've cruised Princess & Celebrity 5x each and have raved and also been upset with them. To me the food is equal except Princess doesn't have an omelette bar or a lunch time pasta bar which Celebrity has. I have also cruised HAL, RCL, Carnival, NCL and Crystal. If the prices were equal I would cruise Crystal exclusively. However, as they are not. So, I do my web search for itinerary and price. From there I check the ship's rating 3, 4, 5 stars and that is how I make my decision. The upgrades for loyalty to a particular cruiseline are diminishing so I don't see the need for staying with one exclusively unless it works with price & itinerary.

[firefly333]

It's funny, people talk about the decline in food quality but as a new cruiser I of course don't notice a decline. I think the food is great!

 

Interesting thing happened after my last cruise. We went with my in-laws who were first time cruisers who got hooked. They found out that a bunch of their friends are going a Panama Canal FLL-SFO next year on Celebrity and decided to join them. They asked me what I knew of Celebrity. I said I heard that in general (please, no flames) people seem to say Celebrity has a little better food than Princess but Princess has better entertainment. There reaction, they could believe the food could be any better than they had on the Caribbean Princess!

 

Keeps things in perspective!

 

I have to say the Caribbean Princess so far has been my favorite cruise. I admit it, even on the RCI board where I got flamed pretty bad, but I loved the cabin we had especially. It was just a special cruise and loved the ship itself.

[bdjam]

To me the food is equal except Princess doesn't have an omelette bar or a lunch time pasta bar which Celebrity has.

Princess has an egg station where you can have omelettes made daily at the Horizon Court during breakfast. They also have a daily pasta choice in the buffet and on the dinner menus.

[partybarbie]

The smoked salmon is offered daily for breakfast in the dining room, based on the Island Princess menu of 05-11-07. I don't find it any more difficult to walk to the dining room over the Horizon court, but that seems to be an issue for some.

[sonomaphil]

Smoked Salmon was on the buffet every morning in the Horizon Court two weeks ago on the CB. It was even out on the cold seafood night!

 

And it was presently beautifully with the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast! :)

[Sandytoes]

. To me the food is equal except Princess doesn't have an omelette bar or a lunch time pasta bar which Celebrity has.

Actually they do....Right in the center, behind the buffet there are chefs waiting to make you an omelette, fresh sunny side up egg, scrambled. You just have to ask them....They'll be happy to whip one up for you.

They also have a wide variety of pasta dishes.

Excellent Fettuccine Alfredo..

[CrusinAgain]

Whatever - I think a lot of people probably don't mind the Princess standard mattresses...that was my point.

 

Brian, I am giving my factual opinion based on my experience on 3 times on Princess in the last year with those mattresses and the difference it was on the Carnival bed. I do have a bad back - maybe you don't and that in itself would make a big difference in how we experience the comfort of the mattress.

 

You were giving your factual opinion on your experience on the Dawn. Personally I never read where they upgraded the beds in the minisuites as I have only read they upgraded the beds in the full suites. This post you wrote to me came off snotty to me, you may not have meant it to be, but that is how I perceive it.

[CrusinAgain]

Actually they do....Right in the center, behind the buffet there are chefs waiting to make you an omelette, fresh sunny side up egg, scrambled. You just have to ask them....They'll be happy to whip one up for you.

They also have a wide variety of pasta dishes.

Excellent Fettuccine Alfredo..

 

Yes they sure did on the Caribbean Princess but they were premade on the Diamond Princess in the Horizon court. People asked for made to order omelettes and were told no on the Diamond. Might have been that particular sailing as it was during Spring Break.

[Ula]

Personally since we started cruising Princess must do good since our last three cruises were sold old. Even a small three day repo one.

On the matress, my husband has degernative spine disease and so far has not complained. For me a cruise it is a time he does not snore. That is a good thing.

I think we are just not particular. We like the 24/7 buffet on Princess because on vacation we do not like a schedule. We do that in our work life. That is why we adore princess we can do what we like when we like.

The back thing is hard for me to understand. I have spent time in the ER and such with mu husband, but the beds we have had were fine. We do not even do egg crate.

[bdjam]

This post you wrote to me came off snotty to me, you may not have meant it to be, but that is how I perceive it.

If there was anything snotty it was in response to the statement that without sailing on other cruise lines, my opinion of the mattresses is invalid. Other than that all I indicated was that the mattress feels the same as the one I have at home - perfectly comfortable. My apologies for having a different opinion.

Sorry that Princess' mattresses aren't adequate for some passengers - I'm sure they do the best they can to make everyone happy. All they have to do for me is push the beds together.

[coiran]

If there was anything snotty it was in response to the statement that without sailing on other cruise lines, my opinion of the mattresses is invalid. Other than that all I indicated was that the mattress feels the same as the one I have at home - perfectly comfortable. My apologies for having a different opinion.

 

Sorry that Princess' mattresses aren't adequate for some passengers - I'm sure they do the best they can to make everyone happy. All they have to do for me is push the beds together.

 

 

I don't know why we are getting other cruise lines involved on the thread - the original PO was discussing the alleged decline of Princess which would be comparing Princes of old with the current Princess, which IMHO has not happened. I like nthe new beds, but also had no problem with the old ones.

 

Keep up the good responses bdjam.

 

Ron

[CrusinAgain]

If there was anything snotty it was in response to the statement that without sailing on other cruise lines, my opinion of the mattresses is invalid. Other than that all I indicated was that the mattress feels the same as the one I have at home - perfectly comfortable. My apologies for having a different opinion.

 

Sorry that Princess' mattresses aren't adequate for some passengers - I'm sure they do the best they can to make everyone happy. All they have to do for me is push the beds together.

 

Brian, I never said your opinion of the mattress is invalid. Please point out where I said this about you. I did respond to and quoted someone's post regarding HAL's mattresses and they were hoping Princess was the same. This is exactly what I said "Those that have only experienced Princess cruiselines mattresses and not other cruiselines will more than likely say they are fine, but they are not."

 

It doesn't say your opinion is invalid and it wasn't even saying you. And I do stand firm that if anyone has only experienced one cruiseline they cannot compare what the other cruiseline mattress has to offer because that person has not tried the other cruiseline so its speculation not fact.

 

The fact is also there are alot of posts on this board about the awful mattresses on Princess and reviews stating this and needing the eggcrate toppers. This is a fact. Just because you have no problems with the mattresses doesn't mean a problem doesn't exist.

[CrusinAgain]

I don't know why we are getting other cruise lines involved on the thread - the original PO was discussing the alleged decline of Princess which would be comparing Princes of old with the current Princess, which IMHO has not happened. I like nthe new beds, but also had no problem with the old ones.

 

Keep up the good responses bdjam.

 

Ron

 

What new beds?

 

These were only put in the suites not the other cabins.

[Desert Cruizers]

We have only done 2 Princess Cruises, 1st with the Sea Princess to the Mexican Riviera and recently on the older Sun thru the Panama West bound. I have no complaints with the Princess lines, with one exception, they really need to improve the Horizon Court set up. To many prople trying to go thru a narrow area. Food, Service, their Wacky pool Games, Staff, are all excellant in my book.