cruzincon Posted January 14, 2008 #1 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We are thinking of booking our first Princess crusie on the Star to Alaska this May. Dh and I are in our mid 30's and have been on 5 Carnival cruises and have loved all of them both with kids and without. We have been on 1 Norweigen and did not care for it as much as Carnival. We are not planning on taking the kids to Alaska this time. Will we like Princess? Our other choice for the time frame we are looking at is Holland America but I don't think we would be comfortable in that environment. I would appreciate any comments form people that have been on both lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffHatfield Posted January 14, 2008 #2 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We are thinking of booking our first Princess crusie on the Star to Alaska this May. Dh and I are in our mid 30's and have been on 5 Carnival cruises and have loved all of them both with kids and without. We have been on 1 Norweigen and did not care for it as much as Carnival. We are not planning on taking the kids to Alaska this time. Will we like Princess? Our other choice for the time frame we are looking at is Holland America but I don't think we would be comfortable in that environment. I would appreciate any comments form people that have been on both lines. We were on our first and probably last Princess cruise last June. Terrible service (and that's giving them the benefit of the doubt). They had the attitude of you are on Princess, that should be good enough. Funny thing is our neighbors (also veterans of many cruises) were on a different Princess ship the next week and they said the same thing. By the way, Princess was my fifth cruise line and I would only rank it ahead of NCL. In order I would rank them Celebrity, RCL, Carnival, Princess & NCL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
versuco Posted January 14, 2008 #3 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We have sailed with Carnival 3 times and loved every cruise. We chose Coral Princess for Alaska, liked the itinerary and also 7 day land tour prior to the cruise. We had a fantastic cruise and would love to cruise with Princess again. We have also sailed Norwegian 2 times and Royal Caribbean once. We enjoyed all our cruises but always seem to come back to Carnival. We are planning our 4th Carnival cruise on the Valor on August 31, can't wait. I think you will be very happy with Princess. Alaska is amazing, you will enjoy your cruise no matter which ship you end up taking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcs819 Posted January 14, 2008 #4 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We didn't enjoy Princess either. Loved their pools over Carnival, but nothing else. Were bored at 11 pm and in bed every night. Tried them once and didn't love them. Found an amazing deal on a jumbo balcony so tried them again. Won't be going back unless it's free. I'm 36, he's 46, so it's not like we're party animals. What do you love about Carnival? Maybe we can help narrow down specific things for you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
versuco Posted January 14, 2008 #5 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Did not expect the negative responses about Princess. We sailed to Alaska in August, 2005 and had wonderful service and great food. We very much enjoyed the night life and shows. Have they changed that much in since then? Maybe I need to reconsider sailing with them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzincon Posted January 14, 2008 Author #6 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Wow I did not expect the negative responces either. I thought Princess was one of the superior lines. I guess cruising is very subjective. I do appreciate all the comment and I think they will help me decide on the right cruise for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribbean dreams Posted January 14, 2008 #7 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I think for an Alaska cruise epsecially, it has to do with age, I would cruise Princess in the Caribbean but maybe not Alaska. I also have to say i have not cruised Princess but used to work right next to a cruise ship port in Alaska and know what type of people got off each ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcs819 Posted January 14, 2008 #8 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Did not expect the negative responses about Princess. We sailed to Alaska in August, 2005 and had wonderful service and great food. We very much enjoyed the night life and shows. Have they changed that much in since then? Maybe I need to reconsider sailing with them again. i think it's really dependant on what you like about carnival. We didn't like anytime dining. Hated it. Didn't enjoy the entertainment. Service was ok. Liked the layout of the pool areas much better, missed the adult/funnel deck. had some service issues that I tried to address and was basically ignored. Any other line, they over-compensate for little issues. Really depends on the individual. What SPECIFICALLY do you love about Carnival, and I can tell you what you'll find on Princess (or at least what I found)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariemorgan Posted January 14, 2008 #9 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I have been on RCCL and Princess so far.. I have loved both cruises and hope to love my Carnival one as well.. I found the food/service comparable on RCCL and Princess.. Like I say to everyone.. go in with an open mind and dont' sweat the small stuff and you will most likely have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzincon Posted January 14, 2008 Author #10 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We are not the party type people. We are generally in bed at 10:00 regardless of weather we are on a cruise or not. We are not looking to be pampered either. What we are looking for are decent pool amenities and courteous staff. We also like to have decent food not 5* but different and presented decently. The more I read about Princess I think it is at least worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehogan Posted January 14, 2008 #11 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We have sailed on most of the lines and sailed Princess on our last cruise. I have to say that I prefer Carnival's entertainment, food and service over that of Princess'. Food was especially poor on Princess. We also prefer traditional dining to the "anytime" dining that Princess offers. We also had some negative issues with our shipboard account on Princess, but that was about them converting our bill into Canadian currency at a rate far higher than it should have been. Another plus for Carnival is that there are free lattes and cappucinos with meals in the dining room. For coffee addicts, that is a big plus. I think you would enjoy both cruises, but my choice would be Carnival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessemon Posted January 14, 2008 #12 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Princess is a very good line to cruise on. Have cruised with CCL, HAL, RCCL, NCL, Celebrity, Regal. 19 cruises in all. Don't let the Carnival faithful turn you away from this line. Have cruised Carnival 4 times. Service was great. Crew were very pleasant. Food in main diningroom was better than CCL. Ship (Golden Princess) was beautiful. Specialty restaurant (Sabatini's) was if not the best on a cruiseline...tied for the honor. Have a great time and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too blessed to be stressed Posted January 14, 2008 #13 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I loved, loved, loved anytime dinning, that in itself would, for me, be a reason to go with princess again. Also had a table for 2 every night, very romantic. Loved 4 stops instead of 3 on a 7 night cruise. Older passengers upper 30's and up. Dressed alot nicer. I prefer more casual. Skipped formal night, but I felt out of place anywhere on the ship like the shows that night. Entertainment did not compare to carnival. Carnival shows obviously have a much higher budget on the shows. Bingo more expensive and not as fun as carnival. Food was ok, but great in the super club on princess. Both had overall good service. I would sail princess again, but I think my husband prefers carnival, because of the shows. We walked out of a couple princess shows because we got bored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIMELMAN Posted January 14, 2008 #14 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I would go on hollan american wife 30 and i 38 did last year and were afraid but found it very enjoyable.Kids also i liked it very much. Had people telling us it was for old people but found that not ot be true.I havent foud a cruise that i havent enjoyed but anything is better than not on a ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom23guys Posted January 14, 2008 #15 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Alaskan cruises are a whole different animal than cruising to warmer climes. Even on Carnival people went to bed early. The itinerery is very port intensive and many of the excursions start EARLY. Then there is the whole daylight thing. And can forget the scenery thing- you just have to be watching outside as much as humanly possible. There really isn't as much interest in the pool games etc on an Alaskan cruise. Princess does a great cruise to Alaska but so does Carnival. We've never sailed Princess but I would certainly give them a shot, especially in Alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madchen Posted January 14, 2008 #16 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Well, my dad goes on Princess with his wife 2-3 times a year. I don't know if it's just the ones he goes on, but I always look at all his pictures when he gets back from a trip and I've noticed it's all older people (he's in his late 60s.) They've had a few issues with Princess (billing problems) but his brother-in-law has a frequent cruiser thing that lets them get in to watch the captain steer the ship, and other perks, so they've put up with it. I wouldn't mind a cruise with older people because you'll find me siting in a corner and reading, not drinking and clubbing... but these were people with oxygen tanks and in wheelchairs. I don't think there was a lot happening on the ships, my dad walks around and films with his video camera and it always looks deserted. My stepmom plays bingo or she gets seasick and hangs out in their room. I'm sure they have a kids' club but I wonder if there wouldn't be many other kids for yours to play with? He's going to the Baltic sea this Spring and Asia in the Fall on Princess, I'll have to keep an eye out for his pics from those cruises and see if they're the same. YMMV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mek Posted January 14, 2008 #17 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Princess is by far my favorite line. I love the food and the ships. MUTS, anytime dining, 24 hour buffet and freshwater pools are just a few of the things that keep me coming back. I also cruise Carnival frequently primarily because we get a military discount, and I like the Carnival cabins and think they have good food. I like variety and switch around a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KruznKel Posted January 14, 2008 #18 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Our next cruise will be with Princess.. and older people are kewl.. I just cruised with my father on Carnival.. and some people couldn't believe he was 60.. so he asked me this question... What does a 60 year old person look like??? I said YOU!!.. I will be cruising in 2009 on Princess with my mother whom will be turning 60 onboard.. so if I have to cruise with the OLDER people.. then I think I will be happy no matter.. it is all about the fun you have not the age of the passengers;) We are actually looking forward to trying something different but I know we will be back to Carnival for the next one:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mek Posted January 14, 2008 #19 Share Posted January 14, 2008 quote=Madchen Well, my dad goes on Princess with his wife 2-3 times a year. I don't know if it's just the ones he goes on, but I always look at all his pictures when he gets back from a trip and I've noticed it's all older people (he's in his late 60s.) I wouldn't mind a cruise with older people because you'll find me siting in a corner and reading, not drinking and clubbing... but these were people with oxygen tanks and in wheelchairs. I don't think there was a lot happening on the ships, my dad walks around and films with his video camera and it always looks deserted. My stepmom plays bingo or she gets seasick and hangs out in their room. I'm sure they have a kids' club but I wonder if there wouldn't be many other kids for yours to play with? He's going to the Baltic sea this Spring and Asia in the Fall on Princess, I'll have to keep an eye out for his pics from those cruises and see if they're the same. It sounds like your dad goes on the more exotic itineraries, and yes they tend to attract an older crowd. However, I did the Baltic on Princess a couple of years ago and it definitely wasn't an old folks cruise. Most Caribbean and Alaskan cruises have a younger demographic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzincon Posted January 14, 2008 Author #20 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Thanks for all the replies. I knew I could count on my fellow Carnival cruisers to give me an honest opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newt98 Posted January 14, 2008 #21 Share Posted January 14, 2008 i don't know why people complain about the anytime dining on princess. anytime dining is OPTIONAL people. we were on the star last february and loved it. we have since been on carnival, and we are going on carnival again in a month. we loved our carnival trip last month also. i thought service was great on both ships. i felt the buffet on Carnival sucked. i ate there one time, and that was it. in contrast i ate ate the buffet on princess everyday, the fresh fruit was much better on princess, and the desserts at the buffet were really good, but the desserts on carnivals buffet were gross, and even the huge dessert buffet did not have good desserts, and believe me, i am not a picky eater. the pools on princess are fresh water, and very nice. i have pics of the pool on the link. i think both lines are great. i can afford to cruise more if i go on ccl. otherwise i might go on princess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flvol77 Posted January 14, 2008 #22 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We are not the party type people. We are generally in bed at 10:00 regardless of weather we are on a cruise or not. We are not looking to be pampered either. What we are looking for are decent pool amenities and courteous staff. We also like to have decent food not 5* but different and presented decently. The more I read about Princess I think it is at least worth a try. Then you will enjoy Princess. I have many friends that have gone to Alaska and it draws an older crowd no matter what line you are on. We have been on Princess seven times and we have 8,9,and 10 booked. My wife and I both just turned 30 and we love the relaxed atmosphere on Princess. We think the dining is great and the ships IMO are well laid out. We are cruising with Carnival for the first time in April and we are going on the Legend. We were on NCL and had an interesting cruise to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.S.Oceanlover Posted January 14, 2008 #23 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We didn't enjoy Princess either. Loved their pools over Carnival, but nothing else. Were bored at 11 pm and in bed every night. Tried them once and didn't love them. Found an amazing deal on a jumbo balcony so tried them again. Won't be going back unless it's free. I'm 36, he's 46, so it's not like we're party animals. What do you love about Carnival? Maybe we can help narrow down specific things for you... Bernie, You are so modest. Not party animals? :D I'll be on your least favorite cruise line in 3 weeks. Hope I have a better time. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newt98 Posted January 14, 2008 #24 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Then you will enjoy Princess. I have many friends that have gone to Alaska and it draws an older crowd no matter what line you are on. We have been on Princess seven times and we have 8,9,and 10 booked. My wife and I both just turned 30 and we love the relaxed atmosphere on Princess. We think the dining is great and the ships IMO are well laid out. We are cruising with Carnival for the first time in April and we are going on the Legend. We were on NCL and had an interesting cruise to say the least. is this jason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonaly Posted January 14, 2008 #25 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We've only cruised twice - once on Royal Carribean & once on Princess (our next cruise in March is Carnival, booked by our company). We really enjoyed both of our cruises, liked the entertainment better on RC, food was better on Princess. No complaints on either, we'd do both again. Alyson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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