Just off Caribbean Princess 5/27, another wonderful cruise!!

[Coral]

Well, unless we have a very early excursion, this is one of the reasons that we always have breakfast in the main dining room (it doesn't matter which ship we're on) and not the buffet. We're always seated immediately, service is very prompt and it's much nicer to be waited on... :)

 

Maybe I am on the wrong cruises, but I have seen lines to get into the dining room for breakfast before. It blew me away - it was primarily on cruises with norovirus but there can be lines for the dining room also for breakfast.

[RickEk]

Maybe I am on the wrong cruises, but I have seen lines to get into the dining room for breakfast before. It blew me away - it was primarily on cruises with norovirus but there can be lines for the dining room also for breakfast.

 

Well, I've never been on a ship with noro, so I can't speak to that, but I guess there is sometimes a "line", but only to match you with a crewmember who takes you to your table. In other words, the line never stands still...

[Feelin' Nauti']

I found the CB crowded when I cruised on her before. Is she feeling that way to others?

This coming July will be my 4th time on the CB. Never have I felt the ship crowded.

Maybe at certain times, - finding a lounge chair near the pool or a theater seat.

 

We just got of of the CB yesterday and, yes, they had a wonderful Seafood Buffet in the Horizon Court, the night of the sailaway - lobster claws, shrimp, steamed mussels, etc., etc., ...but not in the dining rooms. The Horizion Court and the Calypso Cafe, are fortunate to have a wonderful chef and great waiters. Enjoy.

Oh Goodie! You made my day. :D:D

 

 

OK, here is my impression of Princess - they obviously have a huge problem with staff. No one is happy unless they are leaving - meaning the crew, if it is the end of their contract!

:eek::cool:

We enjoy sailing on Princess due to the crew members. RC is a different matter. :cool:

[Coral]

Well, I've never been on a ship with noro, so I can't speak to that, but I guess there is sometimes a "line", but only to match you with a crewmember who takes you to your table. In other words, the line never stands still...

 

Obviously we were not on the same cruises then. I have seen where there is a 20-25 minute wait for breakfast in the dining rooms before.

[carib123]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to our questions ASLC. It is helpful to know where you had issues and concerns. Hopefully they will be resolved. That is definitely not good PR for Princess. For those people that were bashing you I think that was in poor taste. Everybody is entitled to an opinion.

 

First of all Funinla, How do you KNOW that everyone else enjoyed their cruise? We did a "GO PRINCESS" when a couple of women at our table one night, didn't get their bottle of wine from the night before for an hour or so, because they were told they drank it. When the big boss finally found it, his response was, and I quote: "This is why you should always finish the bottle" The poor women were mortified. The Maitre'd was completely out of line.

 

By the way, I am the true ASLC, my wife comes on here now and again to post. Just kinda keeps you guessing if it's a guy or a girl doesn't it? Not that it should matter.

 

OK, here is my impression of Princess - they obviously have a huge problem with staff. No one is happy unless they are leaving - meaning the crew, if it is the end of their contract.

 

For all the cheerleaders out there I will give you a first hand account of my last cruise. Don't whine and say it was because this or that, just hear me out.

 

An elderly lady fell and cut her head. We came across her and her Granddaughter standing in front of the elevator, trying to get to deck 4 for medical attention - the elevators in this area did not go to deck 4.

 

Several and I mean SEVERAL staff passed us by with this poor woman trying to sop up the blood coming out of her head. We asked a member of the staff to go get a wheelchair to move the lady midship to an elevator that would access the infirmary.

 

As I went to get the lady a glass of ice water, my wife went over to two staff bingo card sellers and explained the situation. She politely asked for one of their chairs, only to be told, and I quote: "tell her to go sit over there"

 

When my wife said " she can't go sit over there," the wonderful cruise member said and I quote: "Well I ain't givin up MY seat"

 

GO PRINCESS!!!

 

I didn't mean for this to be a review, but since I'm in so deep, I will say that the breakfast buffet is unbelievable. It only took us, and I kid you not, 15 - 30 minutes to find a table!! GO PRINCESS!!

 

Food: IMHO? - Walmart. (Does Walmart even serve food?)

 

Entertainment - Only went to the Hypnotist show - that WAS good!

 

Cabins - Lido deck are great, HUGE walk in closet.

 

MUTS - Loved that.

 

GO PRINCESS!!

[ocntscha]

I will say that the breakfast buffet is unbelievable. It only took us, and I kid you not, 15 - 30 minutes to find a table!!

I've been on Crown, Emerald, and Caribbean all within about the past 2 years. Obviously I'm ok with Princess overall since we keep going back but I do concur; trying to get a table in the buffet areas is quite often ridiculous.

[Asil65]

Well, unless we have a very early excursion, this is one of the reasons that we always have breakfast in the main dining room (it doesn't matter which ship we're on) and not the buffet. We're always seated immediately, service is very prompt and it's much nicer to be waited on... :)

 

I totally agree with you. The buffet area can be crowded and why do I want to get up and get my food when I can get to my seat, be waited on and relax.

[jagsfan]

On every one of my cruises, regardless of the cruise line, I've never not been able

to walk up to a table with 2-4 people eating and joined them. Are some of you guys

saying every chair has been filled. That's something I've never seen.

We've found people to be very welcoming when we ask if we can join them. If they finish

before we do, we may have somebody new join us.

As far as a 25 minute wait in the MDR for breakfast.......never ever in my experience.

Even disembarkation morning when more people seem to eat there, we've always been

seated immediately.

I'm sorry for the bad experiences some of you have had. It's a shame to spend that much

money and not enjoy your cruise.

[pjn]

My husband and I enjoy having breakfasts in the main dining room. We always ask for a table for two. This will be our fourth Princess cruise and even with this special request, we never wait very long. Perhaps it is a timing issue. I have seen lines when people show up close to closing time.

 

It is hard to believe that staff members would be rude to an injured passenger. Too bad you didn't get their names and then report them.

[senior lady]

I've never had a probem getting a table in the horizon court. I usually wait until the "big" rush is over and then eat. Also there usually are tables outside by the pool.

[BratDet]

My husband & I- if we went to eat at Horizon on CB when it was busy- one of us would get seats and the other would get food and then we would switch. Was it a big deal...nah...just not perfect....

ONLY once were we NOT able to get a window table....

 

 

I am interested in hearing more negatives cause it helps us all figure out strategies to avoid the same issue- no matter what ship you are on.

 

Bernadette

[snowmen]

Everyone seems to love Caribbean Princess. Why is it so different?

[DonnaK]

Everyone seems to love Caribbean Princess. Why is it so different?

 

 

For us, it's because the CB leaves from Brooklyn, which is a huge convenience. Also, although RCI is our first choice of lines, similar itineraries on the CB cost much less than Explorer of the Sea, which leaves from the same area. (The difference was over $2000 for our family of 4)

[BratDet]

Hi,

 

To answer why the CB...this will only be our 3rd cruise.

 

The first was on Celebrity- the ship is now the Azmara Journey. It was smaller and we had a wonderful first time cruise.

 

Last year, I was able to book a CB9 day balcony cabin

over a the 7 day window (no balcony) price the first was.......for less......so great value.

 

Our biggest concern last year was whether a huge ship would cause many issues.

It did not. We did feel having our own balcony alleviated the possibility of feeling overcrowded...and it did. We loved the balcony cabin.

 

I rebooked the CB cause we can drive to Brooklyn, the price, the balcony, the itinerary, and we did love the ship. We had a great relaxing vacation.

VERY GOOD food...The were things we did not do the first time on ship- so we plan to do some this time- and we will make sure to repeat the ultimate balcony dining.

My husband says we will never fly to a port, so that eliminates west coast departures.....

 

I am very willing to try other cruising destinations...especially Bermuda ones where they still dock in Hamilton....but- since this cruise does stop a day Bermuda and we love going there...it made it a no-brainer to do again....

Can't wait....

 

Bernadette

[Coral]

My husband & I- if we went to eat at Horizon on CB when it was busy- one of us would get seats and the other would get food and then we would switch. Was it a big deal...nah...just not perfect....

ONLY once were we NOT able to get a window table....

 

 

I am interested in hearing more negatives cause it helps us all figure out strategies to avoid the same issue- no matter what ship you are on.

 

Bernadette

 

The negatives I had was on the Crown Princess (a similar ship). The main difference is that we were on a cooler climate cruise and a very port intensive cruise. While the Caribbean may be port intensive, it is more of a relaxing cruise where people often don't book excursions and just play it by year and leave the ship and do their own thing. We were in Canada NE where we started with near blizzard conditions. So people were not eating outside for the vast majority of the cruise as after we left snowy conditions, the highs for the day were maybe 40's so it could have been freezing temps when we were eating (don't remember but remember highs for some of the days didn't make it to 50). Also, with a port intensive trip - with people anxious to get off the ship right when we docked to get going on their all day tours so people were eating at the same time.

 

Someone mentioned that I probably wasn't willing to share a table with others. This is not true. I recognized a head waiter from the night before and he tried to find us a table and after 15-20 minutes he could not! This was finding a table to share or an empty table. He indicated this happens all the time on these types of trips is what he said (which I interpreted non-Caribbean cruises).

 

I have done the Canada NE trip on the Star previously and this was not a problem (due to 500 less passengers on the ship) and also have done many Alaskan cruises on ships with less than 500 passengers and also did not have a problem on those other ships.

[pseudochicken]

I find it funny that the people bashing above_sea_level_cruiser are no where to be found now that he has responded to their uncalled for bashing.

 

I really dislike how people on this forum immediately jump on someone if that person doesn't like a particular cruise, cruise ship or cruise line. It is their own opinion and they are entitled to it.

[PhoneGoddess]

I find it funny that the people bashing above_sea_level_cruiser are no where to be found now that he has responded to their uncalled for bashing.

 

I really dislike how people on this forum immediately jump on someone if that person doesn't like a particular cruise, cruise ship or cruise line. It is their own opinion and they are entitled to it.

 

I don't recall anyone bashing ASLC unless I missed a post. We just asked for more details.

 

I haven't replied because they relayed their experience and what else can one say? I'm sorry that they did not have an enjoyable experience. I was appalled to hear that crew did not respond to someone who was injured. I've never seen anything like that but that doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

 

I've had nothing but wonderful experiences on the CB. The staff has always been friendly and professional and the food is delicious. Obviously, I really enjoy this ship because I am boarding her again in less than a week! :D

 

That's my experience. I'm sorry that ASLC did not have the same experience but I thank them for coming back and giving us a more detailed explanation.

[BratDet]

Hi- I am from Jersey too...sailing CB

7/11. Are you going to Bermuda...if so are you buying a transportation pass?? I would love to find someone sailing who is ahead of me and can get two one days for me...those lines were not pleasant last year...let me know & I will give you the $$

 

I work in Jersey City (Nurse) & live in central jersey...

 

my e-mail is Brat Det AT aol.com...of course no spaces...

 

Thanks!

 

Bernadette

 

last year on the CB we wound up next to people who lived just a mile away in the same town...

[above sea level cruiser]

I find it funny that the people bashing above_sea_level_cruiser are no where to be found now that he has responded to their uncalled for bashing.

 

I really dislike how people on this forum immediately jump on someone if that person doesn't like a particular cruise, cruise ship or cruise line. It is their own opinion and they are entitled to it.

 

Not to worry - I've been around a long time and have grown a thick skin. Did I mention that a 91 year old ladies' suitcase fell in the water? Hmmmm. must have missed that. I watched an officer run like mad from the bridge wing then pop out onto the pier below me. While the other bridge crew looked through binoculars and pointed at the water beside the ship, the stevedores got long poles with hooks and fished the luggage out of the river.

 

Go Princess!!! The officer never said Jack squat. Here is your luggage. That guy knew that a number of suitcases fell in the water, yet did jack crap to solve the problem.

 

We happened to sit with them (the couple with the wet suitcase) for dinner one night and the Lady complained that "everything in my suitcase is soaking wet". Another GO PRINCESS moment.

 

So you see, things were not as they should have been.

 

We have sailed Costa, NCL, RCCI and Princess. Anyone wanna guess our favorite line?

[boating girl]

Just don't say NCL, please.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Please try Crystal or Seabourn or regent. Hopefully there will be something to like

[Working 2 Cruise]

This person has only Complaints. Must be a happy person!

[Working 2 Cruise]

I find it funny that the people bashing above_sea_level_cruiser are no where to be found now that he has responded to their uncalled for bashing.

 

I really dislike how people on this forum immediately jump on someone if that person doesn't like a particular cruise, cruise ship or cruise line. It is theirI also dislike own opinion and they are entitled to it.

I also dislike people who have no regard forget others

[Working 2 Cruise]

By the way nothing is ever going ti be perfect

I find it funny that the people bashing above_sea_level_cruiser are no where to be found now that he has responded to their uncalled for bashing.

 

I really dislike how people on this forum immediately jump on someone if that person doesn't like a particular cruise, cruise ship or cruise line. It is their own opinion and they are entitled to it.

[jagsfan]

Did you really say a 91 year old suitcase? must not have been watertight!

My teachers would have said the suitcase of a 91 year old lady. They tried really hard

to get that into our heads......sometimes it worked.

I've seen baggage hit the water several times, just never on Princess. Obviously it can

happen with them, too.