RMS Olympic

With 26 Princess cruises under my belt I am so saddened to see how Princess has changed. I called this morning to cancel a cruise for next September and the service was unacceptable in my opinion. I was asked why I was cancelling....I said for personal reasons. The Princess rep said she could not cancel the booking unless I explained why. I told her I was diagnosed with cancer and I might die. Her response....oh let me put you on hold. After being put on hold I finally was told the reservation was cancelled. I In turn asked to speak with a supervisor and was asked why I wanted to speak with a supervisor. I said I wanted to speak with a supervisor...and was put on hold. When the rep came back on lineI was told the supervisor would not speak with me because the reservation was cancelled. I asked for a phone number for customer service and was told they no longer have a Customer service number. This is not the Princess I have known and loved. I still have yet another booking for the maiden voyage of the Star Princess which I thought I would keep just in case I made it through my medical challenges. When I calm down I’ll cancel that booking as well. I am much saddened with this situation.....I hope no one else has to go through this level of customer service.

On the cruise mapper web site the deck plan has the room labeled as The magic hour bar. The mystery continues.

I spotted a note on a cruise news site that indicated the mystery room is some sort of dining venue. Maybe a dinner show room? or something copied from Virgin voyages ships?

Illusion room? Maybe a high end high rollers gambling room. The illusion is having your money disappear right before your very eyes? 🤪 The S on the door....sorry for your loss😝

My last Princess cruise was on the Caribbean Princess in the spring last year. The ship appeared to be way under staffed...the crew were working hard but it was easy to see they were stretched way too thin. I asked a senior staff officer out on deck while having my morning coffee how short the crew was. He said the ship was at 70% staffing with a 100% passenger load. He frankly said he had no idea what corporate was doing. I complimented the crew for how hard they were working, and not complaining. If staffing is still short and this is due to cutting expenses I would want to adjust my expectations for my upcoming cruises. Your thought, your observation? Thank you.

Host Kat. I am sorry you had to move my post. Since the sailing has yet to be open for reservation, not locked in stone I did not see opening a roll call for a cruise I’m not booked on. My intention was to ask others if they had interest in the inaugural. I read the rules which referenced posting on the date of your cruise....and I’m not even booked. please delete my post, and all posts I have throughout cruise critic boards to save other hosts from having to do additional clean up work. If you can delete my CC account I have held since 2002, please do so. This way I don’t have to worry about misinterpretation of rules on my part. Thank you, Respectfully RMS Olympic

Just announced will be August 4, 2025. Intend to book when reservations open on June 1st. Anyone else interested in a fabulous 9 day round trip out of Rome. Already picked out my cabin.....credit card at the ready. Exciting and new. Ciao for now🤗

Well now to wait till June 1st for reservations to open.Although I have cruised to all the ports planned for the inaugural cruise, I intend to book this inaugural.The intinerary and time of year is perfect. Intend to book the same stateroom I booked on the Sun Princess for her Sept 14 2024 sailing. I truly loved the original Star Princess.....let’s see how this much bigger princess does.....exciting and new. As Janet Edwards use to say....Ciao for now 🍸

Thank you for this update. Now all I have to do is get my T-shirt printed with the image of both Nieuw Amsterdam’s and my sailing dates of 24 Nov 1984 and 25 November 2023....what fun🤓 Thanks again.

I was on the Dec 2 sailing...it was cancelled. I’m guessing a full ship charter reserved the ship for two consecutive sailings. I rebooked on the Nov 25th sailing as a result. Best of luck in your decisions.

Well I just booked a cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam in November.....time to get back on a DAM ship. If I experience or witness any negativity from the crew, I’ll post about upon my return. If it’s concerning other passengers....I probably won’t post about it.....

How is the overall condition of the ship? I just booked her for a Nov 25th sailing and I hope she is looking fine. To think my first cruise on a Holland America ship was the same week in November on the previous Nieuw Amsterdam (111) in 1983.

Having read a second ship is due in the spring of 2025, has anyone seen any info as to its name, possible changes or home port? Depending on how early in the spring she will be delivered, her steel cutting should be starting soon. I’d like to make her maiden voyage😉

Everyone has different experiences. I’ve sailedHAL and never had problems with the crew. I just booked the Nieuw Amsterdam for a December cruise, and don’t expect any problems. If it comes down to a rude passenger.....I have learned not to hold back. I did that on the Rotterdam with a rude dinner table mate...and he was a know it all gay man that thought I was straight giving me attitude....and I held back. No one has the right to cause stress to another passenger...I regretted biting my tongue. Crew....you never know. I was on the Celebrity Edge for my big birthday and was dinning in the steak restaurant seated alone. I watched Captain Kate stop at every table in the room to say hello with everyone....but walked past me and went to the next table. Not a memorable birthday moment. So much for the famous Captain Kate. Now that I’m in the senior citizen category, I’m hoping HAL is a good fit along with my favorite Wind Star cruises.

Greetings! Thank you for this posting. I just booked a Dec 2nd cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam and will finally get back to HAL since 2019 on the Nieuw Statendam. My first HAL cruise was on the previous Nieuw AMSTERDAM that sailed out of Tampa years ago....so this ship of the same name has special meaning to me. Im hoping HAL won’t let me down.....I have few demands...a clean bed, a hot shower, good service and bacon for breakfast🥓🥓🥓😛. Keep this thread going!😎

Only draw back after the Pride is saying goodbye to big ships. Thank heavens for WindStar. After 40+ years on cruise ships, I can’t see going back on big ships, thousands of passengers, lines to dine, tender tickets, making reservations for dinner or a show. Just entering to Amphora without a reservation....heaven. I currently have the Spirit booked for March 2024.....and now thinking of adding a December canal cruise back on the Pride. All it takes is💵💸💰🥴

Thank you for posting. Please share your thoughts post cruise on Hurtigruten, staff, food overall level of satisfaction with the cruise line. I have been contemplating sailing them in Europe for some time. Thanks in advance. Tom

I booked a March 2024 sailing on the Spirit round trip from Barbados. Now to figure out if I can squeeze a cruise this December on the Pride. The single rate is good.....but it’s the pooch that may keep me from going. She is getting old and no longer handles boarding well.

Last week on the Pride rekindled my joy in cruising which has been negatively impacted by jumbo cruise ships. Now for me it’s.... once you go small, it’s no more seagoing amusement park shopping malls😉

Just got off the Pride on Saturday. The Pride was wonderful!!! JP running the Amphora dinning restaurant was a true treasure. Mr Maier the hotel manager always around.....monitoring the crew and conversing with passengers. Mel at the Star Bar.....always a smile. And thanks to Emmeli the future cruise consultant.....I booked a 2024 cruise on the Spirit😎

This has been an interesting read....all 9 pages. Im a loyal Princess cruiser and have already booked a cruise on the Sun Princess. I sailed two Princess cruises in 2022... one on the Sky, the other on the Caribbean Princess. Neither cruises were up to what I would call the usual Princess standard. Considering there are people that don’t know where their next meal is coming from....being able to take a cruise keeps me from being too demanding. The only issue I hope will be addressed is staffing. It affects the onboard service and is totally unfair to the crew. On the Caribbean Princess a senior staff officer confirmed they were only at 70% staffing....and the ship was fully booked. I witnessed the poor crew member working the pool side grill....all alone. He had to take the orders, Cook the food, plate the food all while smiling. I repeatedly counted the number of people standing in line....averaged 40 to 50 people. If this was the military, that crew member deserved combat pay. Princess upper management.....your crew is What makes Princess,Princess....take care of them. Now I’ll shut up.

A full ship? Oh no! lines everywhere, waiting on over packed elevators, tender tickets, little or no deck chairs available. Say it isn’t so. 😢 No more big ships for me.....Windstar and Star Clippers keep me going to sea. I hope a full ship on Windstar is still fantastic. Thank you for these posts...a week from tomorrow embarkation....can’t wait. Question.....based on the port schedule is there one particular night that is best for candles dining? I want to make reservations as soon as I can.🦐🥩🥂🍰

Rough is when your beverage is spilled due to excessive rocking. Be it coffee beer or a lemon drop....one drop spilled is unacceptable.....stabilizers please🤪😝😜😎

Thanks for the note on St Thomas.....and that on Sundays it’s quiet. Guess I lucked out in that the only excursion I booked was for St Thomas. Hope the swim platform is open the rest of the week....if not it’s walk the ports and try to take in the local color.....and remember the ports from days gone by....😈