My Island Princess Experience (and a Comparison to my Celebrity Cruises)

[cruzendude]

We have been on Princess and Celebrity, as well as other cruise lines, quite a number of times and have found that the quality and service standards can vary significantly from ship to ship within the line's fleet.

IMO, the implimentation of the Company's policies and procedures, on a cruise, start "at the top" with the Captain and on down with the Hotel Manager and Cruise/Entertainment Director. These men and/or ladies set the "tone" of the cruise experience.

 

Question...how can you as a pax determine how much a Captain impliments the companies policiea and procedures or tell what "tone" the Captain has set?

 

MAYBE the HD or CD to a certain degree but the VERY limited times you would actually interact with the Captain which basicly consists of glad handling pax at staged events CANNOT enlighten you as to his adherance of policies which the majority of you know not of them to begin with....:rolleyes:

[EdSails]

There was a "port" lecturer and a Panama Canal narrator. There were no other enrichment lectures.

 

There was also an interesting "Navigation at Sea" lecture thst I attended as well as a few "Spanish at Sea" lectures on the cruise (4/13-4/23).

[Coco Creek]

And for itineraries, Celebrity does a good job with half the ships of Princess. Celebrities Caribbean 2010 is far better and leave from varied departure ports, But Keep in mind Celebrity does not have as many ships as princess! so they have to choose itineraries that are sellable

 

Yes, definitely true. But I want to go places, New Zealand-Australia, Far East, Amazon River, places that Celebrity does not currently offer itineraries.

 

Thus, I am glad to have an alternative to Celebrity that does offer the itiineraries I am seeking.

[Bluwaterz]

Thanks for this well thought out review. We will be sailing with Celebrity for the first time next year and it was interesting to read your comparisons with no bias.

[City_Woman]

Terrific info. How about cost? For similar category comparisons of course. I've always assumed that Celebrity is more but I am interested in hearing some feedback on this. Thanks...

 

Our upcoming Equinox cruise is no more than what we have paid for Princess.

[dinosaurdem]

Question...how can you as a pax determine how much a Captain impliments the companies policiea and procedures or tell what "tone" the Captain has set?

 

MAYBE the HD or CD to a certain degree but the VERY limited times you would actually interact with the Captain which basicly consists of glad handling pax at staged events CANNOT enlighten you as to his adherance of policies which the majority of you know not of them to begin with....:rolleyes:

 

Whatever the business, the CEO sets the tone.

 

A Retired CEO.

[IanB]

Hi,

my wife and I cruised on the Island 3rd April this year. Fantastic itinerary and our favourite Princess ship to date. We didn't think the service in the dining rooms was up to standard but it did improve as the cruise progressed. The Island seems to me to have more space than any other Princess ship with an excellent promenade deck.

We cruise on the Solstice in July so we'll compare our experiences with yours.

Ian

[IanB]

Hi,

my wife and I cruised on the Island 3rd April this year. Fantastic itinerary and our favourite Princess ship to date. We didn't think the service in the dining rooms was up to standard but it did improve as the cruise progressed. The Island seems to me to have more space than any other Princess ship with an excellent promenade deck.

We cruise on the Solstice in July so we'll compare our experiences with yours.

Ian

[cereus]

Thanks for the comparison. It is of special interest to me as I am cruising Princess for the first time in Sept. Have cruised Celebrity several times, the last time on the Solstice in Dec. and it was absolutely fantastic. Some of the older X ships are not quite as great, tho.

[Cruisin Oma]

Great comparison - just what I was looking for.