deal breakers on princess cruises

[Comptech]

The only time I would consider changing from Princess or HAL would be if the ship let from Norfolk, and did the itinerary I liked. We do have some Carnival and RCL ships that leave from Norfolk, but I do not like the itinerary's.. In fact that is how we found HAL. The Maasdam was leaving on her last sail from Norfolk and we decided to take a chance, Glad we did. We then switched to HAL for several years but now have gone back to try Princess again.

[geoherb]

We loved sailing from Norfolk on the Maasdam. It's a pity that the cruise lines haven't flocked to the port. We've taken one other HAL cruise since and had a great time on it. But the HAL itineraries and prices haven't aligned right for us to take more. That's why we've been back on two more Princess cruises since our last HAL cruise--and have the third one booked for December.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

For me there is no deal breaker. I have been perfectly happy with my 4 cruises and am planning to take more. I figure those who use the excuse of mattress, ice cream, etc were never really happy with anything and just looking for a reason to hate the ship. A sad way to travel.

[shepp]

Reading this thread, I initially thought, "There's no single deal-breaker for me."

 

But I did think of one: homophobia.

 

I'm really not particularly thin-skinned, but when I'm stuk on a ship with a couple thousand mostly straight strangers, I'd rather not feel the leaast bit singled out.

 

On the Crown, one comedian started making jokes that made my partner and me very uncomfortable. We both walked out, but when we confronted the comic later, he said he was bi, had played lots of gay cruises, etc. And yes, in a largely LGBT crowd, his routine would probably have seemed totally fine. But it wasn't, and it wasn't.

 

I was also on another line when the CD started making "us straights vs. them gays" jokes, and like I said, it was pretty isloating, especially when some other anti-gay stuff happened later in the cruise. I realize that a line can't be held responsible for all the routines of all the acts they hire, or the off-the-cuf wisecracks of its CDs. But if I felt that their was a pattern of tolerance for intolerance, I'd choose another line.

 

Like I said, I'm not thin skinned. I love it when, oh, Lisa Lampanelli launches into gay men. But that's not on a largely het cruise. Anyway, Princess does have a reputation as a very gay-friendly line; on the Sea this month, I never felt a bit excluded.

 

On the other hand, unless Princess comes up with new prizes for the trivia contests, I WILL NEVER SAIL THE LINE AGAIN! ;)

[rdsqrl]

Right now, no dealbreakers for me but a very serious one could be a future scenario where Princess slowly started dropping the smaller ships out of the fleet -- and by smaller, I don't just mean the little girls but the Sun-class and Coral/Island-class. I don't want to be limited to just the two new megaships and the SuperGrands and Grand-class.

In fact, Princess, while I'm on the subject, if you don't bring the Dawn back here to us soon, to quote my good friend, Shepp, I WILL NEVER SAIL THE LINE AGAIN!!

[PescadoAmarillo]

If Princess did away with their Elite benefit of internet minutes, and laundry and dry cleaning, AND pulled the self serve laundries out of their ships AND did away with the FCC program, that might be a deal breaker.

 

But I do think it would take all of that for us to permanently de-camp.

[lilacbirman]

I've only gone on three cruises but the biggest factor is itinerary and price.

 

Deal breaker for me would be cruises/ships that have a constant party atmosphere. Being a light sleeper, noise would really bother me. The beds on Princess are definitely hard but the padding does help.

[KruzPrincess]

I've sailed on several cruise lines and the majority of them have been on Princess. I love Princess and will sail on Princess cruises in the future. This year, though, I decided to book a Celebrity cruise. It's my first on Celebrity. I have a new career with limited vacation time, so I can't take too many days to go on long or distant cruises. I've been to most of the ports in the Caribbean several times, so itinerary doesn't matter that much. I just wanted a 10 day cruise with a holiday in it to give me extra days. I found a Princess cruise and a Celebrity cruise for the same time period. The Princess cruise was $1000 more than the Celebrity cruise. I booked both of them waiting for the Princess price to drop. Finally, I booked my air and was tied to sailing a certain date. I cancelled Princess. After a few weeks, Princess dropped their price to what I had with Celebrity. I still had a better cabin on Celebrity, though. Anyway, all considered, I still probably would have picked Princess if I hadn't already had my air and hotel paid for, but now I'm going with Celebrity. So, I guess price was the deal breaker. They lost my business because they kept their prices high for a longer time. I'm looking forward to trying Celebrity now. It' will be fun. I do hate Princess beds so I'm looking forward to trying other beds, but that's not why a chose another cruise line. I'm looking at a transatlantic for 2011 and Celebrity prices seem better for that, too. I think I'm going to wait longer next year before I commit to something, though.

 

In general, I don't think any cruise line is perfect, but I think Princess offers a really good all around cruise experience. I do wish they'd get better beds, though.

[Katie333]

High prices would be a deal breaker for me. I accept that Princess isn't a luxury line (but a great fit for us) and wouldn't expect to pay those kind of prices. Since I'm diligently paying and cruising my way to Elite, it might be a deal breaker if they eliminated or severely reduced the current benefit package.

 

There have always been some nitpicky things that aren't my favourite about Princess, but overall I'm happy.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We prefer Princess because it most closely matches on what I consider to be the most important issues. For us, Princess has delivered on service, comfort, itinerary,price and activities. we have sailed with Carnival (1 time only-never again), NCL, RCCL, Costa, Disney and Celebrity.

 

We choose to try the other lines due to a price difference or an itinerary. I found that we missed things like a 24 hour buffet (very annoying to return from an excursion at 3:00 and not be able to find a sandwich). I missed the oh so easy life boat drill as opposed to baking in the hot hot sun while wearing a life preserver. I missed the amount of flat surfaces in the room to put down cameras, laptops, etc. I missed having more that one plug! I missed fresh water pools and quiet nooks.

 

One major fit for us is the clientèle of Princess. On other lines, I sometimes felt like I came from a different planet. On board Princess, I make new friends and generally find lots of happy people.

 

There are things on other ships that surpass Princess in one area or another but for us nothing surpasses the total experience. That being said, and I have another Princess cruise coming in April, my next cruise is on RCCL. The reason you ask? It is only a 4 day weekend cruise that leaves from a port very close to us. So I don't really count that-it is just a stopgap until the real thing later. ;) Of course, if it turns out really well...:rolleyes: LOL

 

We've just been on Carnival and Princess and it just seems Princess seems a bit more civilized -- less announcements (but would still love it if we didn't have to hear about bingo or art auctions) and less obnoxious pool games. My hubby likes hard mattresses so that's not a problem for him, but he has definitely said that the self-service laundries are a must, especially if we go on longer cruises. So no RC or Celebrity for us.

 

For me, no traditional dining rooms would be a deal breaker for me. I can do "freestyle" at home just by going to restaurants around here. I want something more special on a cruise and having a waitstaff that knows my preferences makes cruising stand out from other vacations.

[Passin Thru]

Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Maybe.... OH my point is I am not a morning person. They had better have good coffee at sunrise because it is the only place I will get up unless forced to, before sunrise. Other than that food, the value per day compared to flying/driving/trains etc. We have been on every kind of vacation including flying our own plane and camping under the wing and horseback in CO with a French Chef and a British Commando (who BTW made the coffee).

[jd1966]

Not a deal breaker but a tie breaker: Clean air!! (i.e. limited smoking)

[navychop3]

Reading this thread, I initially thought, "There's no single deal-breaker for me."

 

But I did think of one: homophobia.

 

I'm really not particularly thin-skinned, but when I'm stuk on a ship with a couple thousand mostly straight strangers, I'd rather not feel the leaast bit singled out.

 

On the Crown, one comedian started making jokes that made my partner and me very uncomfortable. We both walked out, but when we confronted the comic later, he said he was bi, had played lots of gay cruises, etc. And yes, in a largely LGBT crowd, his routine would probably have seemed totally fine. But it wasn't, and it wasn't.

 

I was also on another line when the CD started making "us straights vs. them gays" jokes, and like I said, it was pretty isloating, especially when some other anti-gay stuff happened later in the cruise. I realize that a line can't be held responsible for all the routines of all the acts they hire, or the off-the-cuf wisecracks of its CDs. But if I felt that their was a pattern of tolerance for intolerance, I'd choose another line.

 

Like I said, I'm not thin skinned. I love it when, oh, Lisa Lampanelli launches into gay men. But that's not on a largely het cruise. Anyway, Princess does have a reputation as a very gay-friendly line; on the Sea this month, I never felt a bit excluded.

 

On the other hand, unless Princess comes up with new prizes for the trivia contests, I WILL NEVER SAIL THE LINE AGAIN! ;)

 

Thank you for this post. I'm old enough, and fed up enough, to call out a CD on this, requesting he keep his hatreds to himself, and that I will be reporting it, and posting it widely, so he'd might as well cut his losses right now.

 

My wife and I are not going on a cruise to hear somebody's politics, religion, or bigotry.

[romnan]

I read other posts where others decide to choose another line due to bad mattresses or something like when ice cream wasn't free,

 

otoh, I read other posts when others decide to choose Princess due to freshwater pools or having the best pizza or because they have only cruised princess,

 

We choose for itenary/price/cruiseline

 

What is ur deal breaker to book a princess cruise

Funny you should ask. For the most part I have been loyal to one cruiseline.

 

We have cruised Princess before,but that was more than 10 years ago. For us now is an issue of where the ships are going and how interesting it sounds.

 

After 9 cruise I think we pretty much know how to get around on a cruise

[Astro Flyer]

For me there is no deal breaker. I have been perfectly happy with my 4 cruises and am planning to take more. I figure those who use the excuse of mattress, ice cream, etc were never really happy with anything and just looking for a reason to hate the ship. A sad way to travel.

While there are some "squeaky wheels" who are rarely happy with anything & feel their desires are all that count; however the overwhelming majority of posters are loyal Princess passengers who continue to sail with them because they're great cruises.

 

There are areas where improvement can be made but saying that anyone who brings up something that could improve is just looking for a reason to hate the ship. A sad way to travel is not accurate! Princess solicits input on improving their cruises & in over the past 20 years of sailing with Princess, I've seen many of those suggestions implemented to continue to improve the great cruise line we love & will continue to sail again & again.

 

I've even had them call me to get more info on a suggestion I've made...complaining without a solution is worthless to them. They seek constructive criticism that comes with a solution on how to improve. It's an every evolving experience & I'm amazed how quickly Princess improves their experience and why we keep sailing them.

 

So you're wrong to say that anyone who voices an opinion on how to improve things is just looking for a reason to hate the ship...that simply is not true!

 

I've enjoyed everyone of my 15 Princess cruises & wouldn't trade my 200 days onboard for anything. Even with areas where improvement could be made, they're not a deal breaker for us!

[fendbass]

No deal breakers on Princess, but, most likely no more NCL for us because... (drum roll please)

 

Pepsi products

 

I can deal with either Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke, although I prefer Coke, but the wife considers Diet Pepsi to be 'swill', and won't go on a cruise where she can't have Diet Coke

 

Have to keep her happy

[tiyana4]

Price is a big factor for us since we like to cruise more often. However, a bigger part is itinerary and the time of year we can actually sail. With DD still in high school, we are limited to school holidays where prices can be pretty steep. Add to the fact that some of Princess' best and longest itineraries are during the school year (New England, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, deep S. Caribbean, etc).

 

Now that Princess has Anytime Dining, we try to sail on them whenever possible, but price and itinerary are our deal breakers.

[shepp]

I'm old enough, and fed up enough, to call out a CD on this, requesting he keep his hatreds to himself, and that I will be reporting it, and posting it widely, so he'd might as well cut his losses right now.

 

Not to veer OT, but since we're discussing it, let me be clearer - the CD actually didn't vent "hatred," just snarkiness. It was on HAL, we'd been docked next to an all-gay cruise, and the CD made a crack about it being easy to tell who was on which ship....and indeed it mostly was, HAL not being particularly known for good-looking young male passengers in gym-perfect shape. (I'd like, at this remove, to think I'm misremembering that he also made a "This is a cruise ship, not a ferryboat" groaner.) But it did set an us vs. them mood which, later that show, came to something of a boil when Joel Mason, a well-known Elton John impersonator punned, "So tonight, let's all be happy and gay" and at least a few passengers made audibly negative responses, including one guy behind me who loudly shouted "NO!"

 

Like I said, I'm pretty thickskinned, but I sure felt uncomfortable for the rest of that show. Did the CD in a sense give permission to the homophobes in the audience? I have no idea, but Mason later told me he was surprised and shocked by the response, as well.

[DonnaK]

The deal breaker for us is that Princess has pulled all its ships from the Caribbean for the summer 2011. With kids still in school, and I teach at a college, we can only cruise at that time. The other itineraries are not affordable for us when we factor in the higher cost of airfare to Europe or Vancouver/Seattle, etc for our family of 4. We've already done the CB 9 day Caribbean itinerary and would rather go somewhere else than repeat it.

 

So...it's back to Royal Caribbean for us, at least for our summer 2011 cruise.

 

Another deal breaker would be if we cannot be guaranteed early traditional dining. We had a very bad and frustrating experience with Anytime dining on our CB cruise to Canada/NE in summer 2008 (very long lines, no reservations accepted, could not request same table/waiter for the duration of the cruise, etc.)

[MichTraveler]

No deal breakers on Princess, but, most likely no more NCL for us because... (drum roll please)

 

Pepsi products

 

I can deal with either Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke, although I prefer Coke, but the wife considers Diet Pepsi to be 'swill', and won't go on a cruise where she can't have Diet Coke ...

 

I have done a few different lines but prefer Princess. As with my land cruises, I try to stick with one or only a few brands for consistancy. So I have an airline that works best for me and try to book it first; I have a hotel chain I prefer and try to stick with it (but I am elite in 3 chains due to my work travel); and I have a crusie line I prefer: Princess.

I don't love the buffet coffee, the hair dryers, or other minor problems, but I work around them as there are differing problems on other lines. I love anytime dining, easy embarkation/disembarkation, and the typical passenger ages which is similar to ours.

But the one deal breaker the DH has insisted on is Pepsi not Coke. So to keep me on Princess cruises, I must also find a Pepsi retailer at the embarkation port so we can bring our own -- my work-around for that!

[DeirdreTours]

Same issue here--DH must have 2-3 diet pepsis each and every day to maintain happiness. So, we are pretty much limited to lines that either serve diet pepsi (none so far!) or will let us carry on soda to feed his addiction. On our HAL transatlantic last May we carried on 24 bottles (each 20 ounces) for the 13 days. Just recently I was itching to book a transatlantic on RC-- but when I called them they told me they only serve coke products and they would not permit ANY beverages to be carried on-- so no booking from us.

In fact, I am only surfing the Princess forum gettng info on their May 5 transatlantic because RC said no to diet pepsi!

[roe2ship]

I don’t have a problem with the mattresses or care if the pools are freshwater but I really hate Princess’ coffee... however, something that trivial would never be the deciding factor in picking a cruise. For me, it is always itinerary first, followed by price and cruise line although I actually did not use that method for my last cruise or upcoming cruise. I ended up deciding cruise line second and price last. The other choices for the lines were Carnival or NCL and I guess I read too much into these forums that I was too much of a chicken to decide and pick those who had significantly lower pricing. With that said, I certainly intend to try every line to see for myself what I like and/or dislike about each of them and will have plenty of fun doing that!

[Woobstr112G]

For me it's itinerary and price. Would really like to try Celebrity's Solstice class ships but for now (imho) Princess has the better European itineraries.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Thumper69]

Not to veer OT, but since we're discussing it, let me be clearer - the CD actually didn't vent "hatred," just snarkiness. It was on HAL, we'd been docked next to an all-gay cruise, and the CD made a crack about it being easy to tell who was on which ship....and indeed it mostly was, HAL not being particularly known for good-looking young male passengers in gym-perfect shape. (I'd like, at this remove, to think I'm misremembering that he also made a "This is a cruise ship, not a ferryboat" groaner.) But it did set an us vs. them mood which, later that show, came to something of a boil when Joel Mason, a well-known Elton John impersonator punned, "So tonight, let's all be happy and gay" and at least a few passengers made audibly negative responses, including one guy behind me who loudly shouted "NO!"

 

Like I said, I'm pretty thickskinned, but I sure felt uncomfortable for the rest of that show. Did the CD in a sense give permission to the homophobes in the audience? I have no idea, but Mason later told me he was surprised and shocked by the response, as well.

 

I'm thankful to say in my experience that the all cruise staff have always been nothing less than respectful to my partner and myself. I have even felt they go out of their way to make sure we feel comfortable, which we always do. However some of the other passengers on every line we have sailed there have been some passengers that are passive aggressive or snide in their approach to us. There are the very few that just can't get along regardless of what their prejudice is. Like you it hasn't stopped us from cruising, which we love to do. We usually just let it go say nothing, don't make a scene. On our last cruise some of the other passengers that weren't even sitting with us actually said something to the person and they actually suggested she should move to another table if she didn't like sitting near us. We have had drinks sent to us from other passengers on another occasion when they felt bad for what they saw had happened. Some people just want to be miserable, I'm glad it's not us.

 

Anthony

[maxxedout2]

We, because of still busy schedules, can cruise once maybe

twice per year, together.

 

To maximize cruise time we choose to cruise from close-by Port Everglades.

 

No wasted days flying to and fro.

 

So, right now, deal breakers are long or distant cruises....like what

I read about in all that junk mail cruise advertising in the mailbox

every week.

 

We like Princess 7 day cruises so far but, because Princess

does not do shorter cruises, we have planned some 4 dayers

with Royal Caribbean out of FLL that fit our schedule.

 

Hopefully, in a few years and when we exhaust the local itineraries,

we can do a few around the globe B2B's together!

 

 

 

:cool::)