Grand Princess...bad reviews

[ts548]

Help...just about ready to book the Grand Princess for a British Isles cruise next July. I was reading recent reviews on this board. Not so many good things being posted. Any recent Grand cruisers...can you help me..should I worry? I am really not too picky..but don't want it to be awful either. Any insight on your experoience would be appreciated!!

Trish

[dforeigner]

Help...just about ready to book the Grand Princess for a British Isles cruise next July. I was reading recent reviews on this board. Not so many good things being posted. Any recent Grand cruisers...can you help me..should I worry? I am really not too picky..but don't want it to be awful either. Any insight on your experoience would be appreciated!!

Trish

 

 

Keep the following in mind. 96% of people that cruise are satisfied. The other 4% that are unhappy, do a search on how to put a critique about their "terrible" cruise and Google will have www.cruisecritic.com in their results.

 

On the other hand, only (from what I hear) 1% of the total cruisers know about this site. This is why the discrepancy why the Stats.

 

Give it some time and maybe those with positive feedbacks from their British Cruises will chime in.

 

Meanwhile, visit www.casshew.com Once on that WEB site, click on the British Isles and Casshew (a member on this board) will talk about their trip on board the Grand.

[spongerob]

My review wasn't bad, and it was recent. Everyone has different perceptions. Sometimes when people encounter a problem and don't feel that it was resolved to their satisfaction, don't like the tours, or whatever, it might taint the entire review. And, I guess, some people just get a visit from the Bad Cruise Fairy. It happens.

[ts548]

Hi Spongerob..I know your review was great & in fact I am currently re-reading it again. It certainly re-assured me. I like to read good & bad...I am not omplaining about the bad...just want to make sure that the experience will be as good as yours. Thanks for that long, detailed, wonderful review.

Trish

[ts548]

dforeigner..what a GRRRRRRREAT LINK. I just saved it to my fav's as I think I need to read it in its entirety!! Thank YOU for sharing!! Trish

[Romy40]

Yes, you can read reviews from the same cruise, and one will rant about all the horrible this and that, and the other review is glowing.

Princess ships are so beautiful. You will have a wonderful cruise.

"MAKE IT SO."

[Nymue]

Cassie's review is WONDERFUL....and it was an amazing cruise, in part due to the great job she did in putting together a spectacular Roll Call group that is STILL together:D More than a year later, the Roll Call is STILL going :p {{{{{Hugs to Cass}}}}}

However, it was the GOLDEN, not the Grand, that we sailed on :rolleyes:

 

Anne....who has rebooked the BI cruise for next July on the Grand.

 

 

Meanwhile, visit www.casshew.com Once on that WEB site, click on the British Isles and Casshew (a member on this board) will talk about their trip on board the Grand.

[Nymue]

Rob,

 

I read your review!!! It has me dreaming of next year already :p My only regret is that once again we'll miss the Orkney's. We always seem to hit it on an off year :(

Great review.

 

Anne

 

My review wasn't bad, and it was recent. Everyone has different perceptions. Sometimes when people encounter a problem and don't feel that it was resolved to their satisfaction, don't like the tours, or whatever, it might taint the entire review. And, I guess, some people just get a visit from the Bad Cruise Fairy. It happens.

[chasetf]

dforeigner..what a GRRRRRRREAT LINK. I just saved it to my fav's as I think I need to read it in its entirety!! Thank YOU for sharing!! Trish

We were on that same cruise with Cashew and met her and her daughter. My suggestion is if there is anyway you can go in Aug instead of Jul then you will be able to attend the Tattoo in Edinburgh. The Tattoo is a must do in Scotland. ;)

[sailor moon]

We are looking at this trip for June 2008 and wonder which type of cabin we would be OK with. I need a balcony :) as I have claustophobia (that's what I told DH.... ) Any thoughts?? We usually book a J/S on RCCL and this would be our first Princess cruise and I have no experience with these ships and deck plans.

[MercedMike]

Help...just about ready to book the Grand Princess for a British Isles cruise next July. I was reading recent reviews on this board. Not so many good things being posted. Any recent Grand cruisers...can you help me..should I worry? I am really not too picky..but don't want it to be awful either. Any insight on your experoience would be appreciated!!

Trish

 

You will find basically positive reviews of our two cruises on Grand Princess at our website in my sig file below. She is a very nice ship and you will probably like her a lot.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Premontre65]

The Grand is a fine ship. We sailed on the Grand in December 2006 and are looking forward to sailing on her again in December 2007.

[Northshorecruisers]

We're sailing the Grand in November and I can hardly wait! Guess I've only seen the good reviews - or I tend to discount the negative.

So much of the cruise experience is subjective.

[marie61]

Re. all the bad reviews:

 

My husband and I went on our first cruise together last March on the Star. for the 8 months prior to embarkation, i read one bad review after another of the Star, including the infamous sewage smell that permeated the ship! I was ready to cancel the cruise but eventually decided to go ahead with it. We had a fabulous time! the ship was amazing, the food was delicious and we had no complaints at all.

 

As you have been advised above, the people who are unhappy complain here. Those who have had a great cruise just enjoy the memories quietly.

 

My advice: research your cruise thoroughly--know what you're getting, bring what you need and enjoy yourself!

[mytime53]

We were on the Grand last November, and we'd gladly cruise on her again in a heartbeat! I don't know what the reviews you are reading say is wrong, but if it's staff, they'll probably change by next July anyway! I know that they were doing a big changeover when we got off.

[katier825]

3000 people per week cruise on these ships. Hardly any write reviews. Usually the people who had a bad experience tend to vent, but that doesn't mean it's a ship or cruiseline to avoid. Many people have a great time!

 

Some people are extremely picky, expect every single thing to go their way. Some are just negative and look for problems (I can't imagine spending my precious vacation looking for spots on the carpet). :confused: If you go with a positive attitude and are flexible (in case your plans need to change due to weather or other reasons) then you will be fine.

 

Relax and enjoy!

:)

[Sandytoes]

Keep the following in mind. 96% of people that cruise are satisfied. The other 4% that are unhappy,

The 4% are usually "One Hit Wonders". They post bad reviews, put down the cruise line, complain, complain, complain, and never hear from them again.

 

On the other hand, only (from what I hear) 1% of the total cruisers know about this site. This is why the discrepancy why the Stats.

Or a lot of cruise travelers know about it and can't be bothered with posting their experiences.

 

Meanwhile, visit www.casshew.com Once on that WEB site, click on the British Isles and Casshew (a member on this board) will talk about their trip on board the Grand.

As for the casshew cruise it states Golden not Grand.

10 Days on the Golden Princess

 

We have sailed on it twice. Loved it so much, my family will be sailing on the Grand this coming Nov, but without me....:(

And just to let you know, they never, ever use this site and have sailed on many, many cruise lines and ships.

 

It's all in your frame of mind....Are you going to let the little things spoil your cruise? I hope not. Enjoy the food, entertainment, everything the Grand has to offer....And after your well deserved vacation, walk away, with fond memories and post your experience on the Grand here.

 

 

[goldenrod]

We were on that same cruise with Cashew and met her and her daughter. My suggestion is if there is anyway you can go in Aug instead of Jul then you will be able to attend the Tattoo in Edinburgh. The Tattoo is a must do in Scotland. ;)

Hi, read your post we are taking the Grand next Aug. to the British Isles what is the Tattoo in Edinburgh you mentioned?

thanks Jerry

[dforeigner]

As for the casshew cruise it states Golden not Grand.

10 Days on the Golden Princess

 

We have sailed on it twice. Loved it so much, my family will be sailing on the Grand this coming Nov, but without me....:(

And just to let you know, they never, ever use this site and have sailed on many, many cruise lines and ships.

 

It's all in your frame of mind....Are you going to let the little things spoil your cruise? I hope not. Enjoy the food, entertainment, everything the Grand has to offer....And after your well deserved vacation, walk away, with fond memories and post your experience on the Grand here.

 

 

 

 

OK so it is her twin sister ship. They look so alike, even I cannot tell them apart.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

The Grand is a fine ship OK not new but very well maintained.

 

Yes some one will have a cabin awaiting a new carpet but the cabin next door will already have theres.

 

The ship is constantly being painted, but all cruise ships are, salt water and steel do not mix.

 

As to the food if it was as bad as some folk say why do most come home with an extra inch or two.

 

As to the UK so much to see and do as other have said the Edinburgh Tattoo is a must.

 

 

yours Shogun

[goldenrod]

My review wasn't bad, and it was recent. Everyone has different perceptions. Sometimes when people encounter a problem and don't feel that it was resolved to their satisfaction, don't like the tours, or whatever, it might taint the entire review. And, I guess, some people just get a visit from the Bad Cruise Fairy. It happens.

Hi, I also read your review of the Grand British Isles cruise and some of the others were you all on the same ship? LOL. We are taking the same trip next year in Aug. I read you stayed in Southampton did you fly into London? If so how did you travel to Southampton and at what cost? We are thinking of also staying in Southampton, you did say their is quite a bit to see in the area, and we have been to London several times. Was your hotel good or would suggest we stay elsewhere?

Thanks Jerry

PS we are leaving on the Emerald Princess from Venice on Oct. 8th for a 17 day 8 port TA trip that ends in Fort Lauderdale. yippee!!!!!!!

[mycruz]

We've cruised on three Princess ships and the Grand would be my least favorite of the three. Would I sail on her agian, sure! nothing that happened ruined our cruise, just some crew issues. The ship was in great shape.

[spongerob]

I read you stayed in Southampton did you fly into London? If so how did you travel to Southampton and at what cost? We are thinking of also staying in Southampton, you did say their is quite a bit to see in the area, and we have been to London several times.

Yes, we flew into Heathrow, and had the car service I mentioned in the review waiting for us. They ask for your airline and flight number and will keep track of your arrival time. It's not cheap to use private transportation on your own, as we did on the way down. If you can arrange through a roll call to share the cost with others it can be less expensive than cruise line transfers. There's lots of info about transportation on the Britain message board. We shared with our friends on the way back and did some touring on the way back to the airport. It made for a nice day despite having to get off the ship.

 

The hotel was fantastic. Their standard rooms are quite nice and their premium rooms are awesome. They really took care of us.