Grand In Drydock !!!!

Just confirmed with Princess the Grand will be in Ft Lauderdale drydocked December 13-19. Being refurbished !!! Going on her Feb 27 2009. She will be very GRAND after this !!!!

Just confirmed with Princess the Grand will be in Ft Lauderdale drydocked December 13-19. Being refurbished !!! Going on her Feb 27 2009. She will be very GRAND after this !!!!

 

 

Hope they don't cancel this one like the CB. ;)

Hope they don't cancel this one like the CB. ;)

I agree, we are going on the CB the first week after the supposed drydock. I for one will never trust Princess to drydock when they say again. I still can't get a straight answer why the Carribbean Princess's drydock was cancelled.

so does anyone know what they will be doing to the Grand in Drydock? I know they are planning on putting in the grand atrium with vines and international cafe in most of their ships. Will the Grand get this too?

That's my understanding -- which will be great! I LUUUVED Vines and the International Cafe. Now if only they could move Skywalkers so you could actually get sun at the aft pool -- and even, dare I say it, remove MUTS -- that would be awesome.

Are you expecting too much for a 6 day refurb?

 

I ask that because 6 days is awfully short for a true "dry dock" where the ship is removed from the water.

 

Just curious myself.

 

Mike:)

I agree, we are going on the CB the first week after the supposed drydock. I for one will never trust Princess to drydock when they say again. I still can't get a straight answer why the Carribbean Princess's drydock was cancelled.

The "straight" answer is that Princess originally planned the drydock to add some amenities to the CB that were already on some other ships, such as the International Cafe. Then, they decided that they would go even further and plan more extensive updates that hadn't been completely planned out yet. Rather than go through a very expensive drydock and have to put off the other updates that were almost ready for implementation for at least a couple of years (until the next drydock), they decided to postpone the drydock until all plans were in place. I have to believe from the griping about the drydock that people are upset that Princess is planning an even better upgrade than original. Doesn't make much sense to me to whine about that.

I agree, we are going on the CB the first week after the supposed drydock. I for one will never trust Princess to drydock when they say again. I still can't get a straight answer why the Carribbean Princess's drydock was cancelled.

Princess indicated that the Caribbean dry dock was cancelled because they wanted to do more than the originally planned for improvements. And they weren't ready to do the additional upgrades yet. No mention of what those upgrades were.

and even, dare I say it, remove MUTS -- that would be awesome

It should have never been on Grand Princess in the first place - I'm with you.

I think 6 days is a little short as well I was on the Grand after its last dry dock before it came to galveston for my first cruise. It was dry docked in Italy for about the same time I know some guy that worked or lived around the area was telling us what he saw going on. turned out to mostly be a change in outdoor furniture and some repainting. I know everyone then expected a bedding change then that didn't happen. Either way its been a while (so I just guessing with the rest of you) think I'm going on another princess cruise, this time San juan should be great.

Are you sure it's going to be drydocked and not wetdocked? They don't need a drydock to change furniture. Dry docks are generally scheduled when they plan to do maintenance on engines, propellers, scrape and paint the underwater parts of the ship, etc. which they can't get to otherwise.

of course! right AFTER my honeymoon cruise in november!

turned out to mostly be a change in outdoor furniture and some repainting. I know everyone then expected a bedding change then that didn't happen.

 

While that may be all that it looked like was being done (and I honestly don't know what was being done), there's no way Princess would drydock a ship for that. Things like bedding and furniture and stuff can all be done with the ship in the water. (For that matter, it's probably easier to do that stuff with the ship in the water).

well you cant paint the parts in the water ;). I dont know man I only get on the ships when its time to go. Who knows all I know is I asked a the guy what they changed he said the furniture and some other stuff that was not something you would think you need to pull a ship in dry dock for either. I'm not Popeye I'm sure they could have done some engine work scrape the barnacles off for all I know:p.

.................... I have to believe from the griping about the drydock that people are upset that Princess is planning an even better upgrade than original. Doesn't make much sense to me to whine about that.

 

 

Some people would complain if you hung them with a new rope!!!!!:)

A hull inspection would require a dry-dock and would not take too long, as compared to more extensive upgrades (e.g. Vines, Int'l Cafe), and while they have it in dry-dock, even if for only a few days, they certainly would make good use of the time to swap out little things like deck chairs, and of course do a little "sprucing up". :p

If the rumours are to be believed in 2010 Grand Princess is being moved to become Ocean Village 3. At least thats what the crew onboard OV1 told me a few weeks back.. If so, we're very grateful.. ;) :)

Hi..what is Oceans Village???? in 2001 we sailed the Ocean Princess to Alaska..a few years later it was sent to Europe to be P+O and was renamed Oceana......is Ocean villages the same thing?? we will be on the Grand for the 2nd time next week.....

Ocean Village is Carnival UK's fastest growing cruise line aimed mainly at UK.

 

The 1st ship in 2003 (OV1) was the old P&O Arcadia which was ex- Star princess (1989)

 

The 2nd ship OV2 re-badged in 2007 was a hand-me down from Aida Blu (which was ex- Crown princess)

 

They have said a new ship is coming in 2010 and with no new build on order it will come from one of the existing Carnival Fleet. Passengers on separate cruises recently have been told it will be either Sea princess or Grand Princess (which I think is one of you oldest '97?).

That's my understanding -- which will be great! I LUUUVED Vines and the International Cafe. Now if only they could move Skywalkers so you could actually get sun at the aft pool -- and even, dare I say it, remove MUTS -- that would be awesome.

 

*Gasp* - What's wrong with MUTS?! I love them.

The wetdock is my question as well. Princess had put a gap in their Grand Princess schedule so this was expected. This is the first we've heard of a Princess ship order for 2010.

it's great to hear they are going to refurbish the ship right before my honeymoon sailing.... woohooo

The wetdock is my question as well. Princess had put a gap in their Grand Princess schedule so this was expected. This is the first we've heard of a Princess ship order for 2010.

 

Nothing about a new order but I'd say that there is about a 80% chance that one of the older Princess ships (Grand or Sea) is changing brand in 2010.

 

With Ruby this year wouldn't you have had 4 new ships in the last 3 years?

*Gasp* - What's wrong with MUTS?! I love them.

 

Sorry, I know, lots of people do, it's just not my cup of gin. I think it's too loud and distracting in the daytime and on the Grand it's particularly egregious because it then detracts from the pool experience at the one real sunny outdoor pool. I don't have an issue with it at night, but then I also haven't had a cabin right under it, either! But in the daytime, it just annoys the crap out of me, to be blunt. Like people who can't be in a room for two seconds without having the television on for noise (naming no names here, but he knows who he is!). However, I realize with resignation that I'm in the minority, and I don't begrudge you your love for MUTS. Sigh.

We just got off the Grand on Sat 2/9. The ship is really looking very tired. The beds are terrible and the sofa in the Mini-suite is even worse. Most of the furniture in the lounges is also very worn and torn. Hopefully they will have time to fix everything in 6 days.

As far as MUTS goes, I have to agree with you. It is much to annoying and loud to stay around the pool. At night it's fun to watch but other than that, I think they should turn it off during the daylight hours.

We won't go on the Grand again until we know for sure it has been refurbished.

That is 2 years in a row that the CB was cancelled for a drydock right at the same week which is the week we always cruise, the April 26, 27, 28 time frame. We would have booked her had we known last year she was being cancelled for drydock but it was too late and this year it was cancelled again but again too late as we are booked on the Crown and already bought air. I hope the new areas they have in mind are worth the wait but I really thought ships had to go through drydock every 3 years. The CB has not been through one yet.