DanaPointBob

And if we had one more cruise booked before they expire, I would so do that too. If they extend it a year, maybe I will.

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Why would anyone do an AK cruise out of LA. You spend more time getting to and from AK than actually being in LA. I guess that the "different strokes" rule applies.

 

DON

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I wish they would do away with it. It's not well attended and highly noisy if trying to sit by the pool area.

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Just got off Ruby today. No exp date, no date or anything else on completely unmarked, unsigned, undated cards.

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Other than minor changes, I have not seen much of a difference in years! 1at night, Prime Rib, last night, Turkey or Meatliaf. Oye!

It is not absolute nonsense about seats five minutes before the show. I did it on six nights during this cruise. Not only that, four others on my table came with me and we found seats together fairly near the front. Are you trying to call me a liar? I am not a diehard Princess cruiser this was only my second with Princess, although plenty on other lines. You are putting me off cruising with Princess again.

I am not TRYING to call you anything! Just posting what I observed. Readers of CC will glean what they will.

I am suggesting that there are better ships with pretty much the same itinerary that the island has.

 

There are plenty of ships that do Alaska, and Pacific Coastals. There are plenty of ships that do the canal.

Its not likes its some around the world or trans pacific like other Princess ships that are clearly one of a kind.

 

Given that I would choose most other ships in a heartbeat.

 

Other Princess ships really seem to have more entertainment options, more restaurant options, and better technology in addition to the promenade, gym, and other issues.

 

Its the first Princess ship that really disappointed me. I have been on the Diamond, Crown, and Coral and have two booked on the Royal. I also have quite a few under my belt on RCCL, Celebrity, and NCL.

 

Itinerary is part of the decision yes but the ship is just as important to me and given all the equivalent but better alternatives I just cant see one reason to ever do the island again.

I totally agree. Your post absolutely nailed it. I have sailed on the Grand, Star, Ruby, Sapphire, Golden and Island. I would sail again in any of the aforementioned except the Island. I would not sail on her again, nor would I recommend her. One other issue that I noticed on the Sep 20 sailing, was that it was the first time in 23 Princess cruises that there was no one at the aft embarkation location directing people to their cabins not manning the elevators. It was total chaos. Very odd!

Just got off the island princess on Sept 20th in Vancouver. We were on this ship a few years ago and loved it. This time HATED it! The public rooms were overcrowded. In order to get s seat in the theater, you had to be there at least 30 to 40 minutes early! There were way to many passengers for the limited areas. Seating in the piano bars and horizon court was a real issue.:eek: We were assigned anytime seating, but most of the time we were directed to the traditional dining room on another deck!. Imho, book another ship.

I was on the same sailing and totally concur. Anyone who states otherwise about the overcrowding is writing total fiction because they are just diehard Princess groupies! The post stating that there were plenty of seats at the theater even arriving five minutes before the show is absolute nonsense.

Been on 24 Princess Cruises and the Island is by far the worst of all the ships in the Princess fleet. Princess eliminating a two story lounge in order to sell more cabins is unbelievable. Removing the ability to amble around a deck without having to climb stairs or walk through the ship was a pleasure before and now, again unbelievable not possible. And finally, the ship is just not the same as the others in the fleet in that way that most Princess cruisers have come to know and enjoy.

You have the option to use either kind.

 

If it is an allergy go to your personalizer and fill out the medical form about the down allergy and they won't even make it to your cabin.

Went there. No medical form or mention of one. Please inform us of where we might find this. Thanks!

Back in the day, you use to be able to go to passenger services and they would if you wanted, give you a tiny envelope with the chewables in it. Really never heard any recommendations about refraining from alcohol, etc... Then, one night at dinner, actually formal night, a woman got up from the table next to ours and suddenly, BLAM! She hit our table with her head on the way to the ground. She had been taking the aforementioned medicine and drinking wine with dinner and passed out. She hit the our table so hard on her way down that half of the beverages on our table went flying as well. Thus, I have seen first hand what effects are possible mixing alcohol with that drug.

I suppose that one mistake I made was that I took pictures of food, and other fun stuff; however, I failed to take pictures of stained carpets, broken flooring and missing or peeled up baseboards and casings. I also neglected to memorialize trip hazards, scuffed or missing paint, etc... Nonetheless, had I done that and posted aforementioned pictures, I still would not have been able to convey the mold smell on some decks and the sewage smell on others. Hence the comparison to a run down motel.

Can you comment on the buffet? Do they still have the 3 day rotation?

Sorry, can't really comment on buffet as I am not a big fan of the buffet. Trying to find food I may like while waiting in line, only to then have to go search for a table, all while my food which wasn't hot enough to begin with is now getting colder, is not my idea of a good time!

Was on the Star about six weeks ago. Crew was awesome as was food and entertainment. The ship, she's another story. Old and tired and in need of MAJOR refurbishment. Best can be described as an old run down motel instead of the beautiful floating hotel that she once was.

I just looked at the online menu and the online Crown Grill info for my sailing next Saturday to Alaska out of Seattle. There is no info on the website that says additional items cost an additional charge. We plan on eating in the Crown Grill. I think I will print this out and take it with me. If they try to charge us, I'll be explaining that's not what their website says.

The problem I am having is that there seems to be a great deal of inconsistency regarding experiences posted by those who have been to CG on different ships recently. Up charges posted by some on one ship, no up charge to others on same ship. There seems to be a great deal of arbitrary decisions by servers or dining room managers fleet wide. I am really not sure what to make of it.

Thanks for the tip but there shouldn't have to be a strategy in place when ordering a meal, especially if you are paying an up charge in the Crown Grill.

Agreed! It's actually quite ludicrous to consider having to do that. I sure hope Princess execs read these threads and understand that people should not have to strategize in order to thwart quality control issues. Unbelievable!

Not liking the cynics here. Doesn't add a thing to the thread, though this is CC.:(

I do wonder about the charge adder. I've seen a pic of the menu with it showing. I'm hoping it isn't fleet wide and only on the one ship (I forget which one it was.) Hopefully, it isn't on one I'll be sailing on.

Not cynics. Just realists disseminating information and opinions. Oh and not everybody gets a trophy here either. Sorry!

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I cringe when I read the rave reviews about how wonderful the buffet on the Regal and Royal are. Some even bragging how they didn't even eat in the MDR. To me this is the writing on the wall. Create wonderful buffet meals to wean us off of the MDR food and then once they eliminate the MDR the can dumb down the buffet.

You are so right and that will be quite sad!

You didn't think they were just going to absorb it on their own, did you? :D

Absolutely not! I expect the cutbacks, up-sells and shakedowns to increase. I would not be surprised if some day, the only food included in the fare is the buffet!

Depends on the ship. Was on the Star in April and CG had up charge for everything, lobster, seconds, extra apps. Was on the Ruby earlier this month and no up charges. Probably see it go the way of the Star fleet wide soon as they have to pay that 40 million dollar fine somehow!

Been a member of CC for quite some time and not until lately have I seen so many negative reviews and posts about Crown Grill. That alone speaks volumes. That, and when I dined at CG on the Star in March, it was awful!

The cut backs are everywhere.

They have that 40 million dollar fine to pay and I'm sure the cutbacks and quality levels will get worse. When people say there's no noticeable differences and the quality has not changed it makes me realize why McDonald's is still in business!

Been on nearly two dozen Princess voyages and all were exceptional! Sailed on HAL Westerdam last October and it was beyond awful. Everything was either an upsell or a shakedown. Would never recommend HAL!

That may work with a new type of coffee card with a green stripe at the top of the brown card. However the OP said it's years old so it's either an old brown card or one of the older playing card style which were obviously not bought on their cruise even without a date or cruise number listed on the back.

 

But as we all know, coffee card experiences may vary but most likely not for the OP's years old coffee cards. ;)

So true! We just sailed on Ruby 29 Apr, and they traded out mini bar for coffee cards. In doing so, they gave us two new cards w/o sailing voyage or ship written on it. The first time I went to use it for fresh brew, I was asked when did I purchase it? He then wrote voyage date and ship on it. Game over!

I think I might love you a little bit, Bob. You just made this girl SO happy. =)

LOL! It's called Ravioli di Vitello I believe and it's very yummy. One of the standouts to me of the outstanding MDR dinners.