How many would be willing to give up shows for better food

[4cats4me]

I enjoy the cabaret shows much more than I do the production shows in the theatre. Give me a comedian, hypnotist or lounge singer any day over most theater productions.

I love the piano player in Crooner's and I love the 3-piece bands in the atrium, which are actually a lot of times part of the Princess orchestra.

We have always enjoyed the Princess orchestra tremendously.

And I love going to the wheelhouse bar, especially on the Sapphire and Diamond and listening to the various bands there and watching people have a good time dancing, so no, I don't want to see the entertainment disappear. There wouldn't be a whole lot to do in the evening without some form of entertainment, and even if it's lackluster at times, it's still more entertaining than going back to your cabin and watching a movie on a 19-inch screen.

[chris2597]

We love the shows and find the food pretty good. We enjoy the different food venues on the ship but dont put alot of emphasis on eating so we would be totally disappointed if they did away with any shows.

[RickEk]

I enjoy the cabaret shows much more than I do the production shows in the theatre. Give me a comedian, hypnotist or lounge singer any day over most theater productions.

I love the piano player in Crooner's and I love the 3-piece bands in the atrium, which are actually a lot of times part of the Princess orchestra.

We have always enjoyed the Princess orchestra tremendously.

And I love going to the wheelhouse bar, especially on the Sapphire and Diamond and listening to the various bands there and watching people have a good time dancing, so no, I don't want to see the entertainment disappear. There wouldn't be a whole lot to do in the evening without some form of entertainment, and even if it's lackluster at times, it's still more entertaining than going back to your cabin and watching a movie on a 19-inch screen.

 

The best show I EVER saw on Princess was in the Adagio Bar on the Crown Princess last year at New Year's. We just wandered into the bar (there were three other people there) and members of the Princess orchestra were there just noodling. The piano player, bassist, saxophonist and guitarist were just basically having a jam session... it was extraordinary!!! We sat for a couple of hours just enthralled by their skill... it was a shame that there were basically only five people in the room enjoying their music.

[shredie]

Maybe I'm dense, but I don't see how eliminating shows will result in improved food?? It could just as easily result in better toilet paper in the cabins, no?

[Josy1953]

My husband and I rarely go to the shows because we have seen all of the current ones several times but to take them away would be unfair to the many people who do go to them. Have you ever tried to get into a show 10 minutes before it starts ? It is usually impossible because the shows are so popular.

 

Dena, I am sorry but you seem to be thinking purely of your own situation and don't really care who has facilities taken from them so long as you are happy. All ships and land based holidays have some things that don't suit everyone but we all need to compromise a little.

[jefa]

My goodness Dena, you do seem to have a bee in your bonnet over the past couple of weeks:eek:

 

I have only ever been on two cruises, one on the Star for 30 days, and one on a "bucket" spanish cruise line. Both were completely different and both hugely enjoyable.

 

I have now booked an Emerald cruise to the Caribbean for January and as per the other cruises I look forward to enjoying the whole experience, from the food, shows, activities, pools, excursions, the people I will meet, the islands I will see....the list goes on. From the huge amount of choice that Princess provides, if something is not quite to my liking, there will be something else to try instead.

 

So, no, I would not be willing to give up the shows, or (as per your other threads) pay more to eat in a specialty restaurant etc etc. I agree with others, perhaps if you don't like what Princess are doing, you could spend more time researching a cruise line that exactly fits your needs, rather than trying to persuade people to agree wholeheartedly with you?

[1 HappyCruiser]

You are suggesting a fundamental shift in the way cruising has historically operated. A European cruise line tried this, actually, and they went out of business. People do not want to constantly have their cruise card swiped for every activity in which they choose to engage. And, if you had even a smidgen of business sense, you'd realize that no cruise line would want that to happen, either -- they do their best to make it imperceptible how they're separating you from your money onboard; why would they switch to a system where passengers are reminded at every turn that they're spending money?

 

I agree with the others above who've accused you of trying to start some sort of rebellion here. I think we all know what the genesis of this was, and while many of us were in agreement with your disappointment about the closing of the dining room on port days, you have now succeeded only in squandering that goodwill, at least on my part. Frankly, if anything, I'm moved to cheer on the dining room closing now, just because. Childishness; it's contagious.

 

AMEN!

I really think it's time that some cruisers move on up to a more sophisticated cruise line that could cater to their every desire.

[pascalburns]

i enjoy the food and the shows.:)

[whitecap]

Dena,

 

With all due respect you seem to have done nothing over the last week or so but complain about everything or try to ask questions to get support for your point of view. Princess offers a product which many of us have enjoyed for many years. Yes there are things that are no longer offered. Yes the quality of some things might not be what it used to be. But yes the cost per day of cruising today, even without calculating in inflation, is far less than what it was 20 years ago. If you don't like the product being offered, don't partake of it. Go find something else that better suits your needs and expectations. But don't expect the seller, in this case Princess, to modify a product that meets the mass market to suit the needs of a very small minority. Apologies for being so blunt but your ranting and complaining is getting out of hand. And yes I have the option of not reading your posts, but until I do so there is no way of knowing what the subject matter really is. Taking a poll like you are doing is not in any way going to influence what Princess will do in the future.

VERY WELL SAID! Thread after thread of complaint from one or two people. We get it already, you're not happy with Princess because they closed the MDR's at lunch during port days and because you couldn't rally enough that agree with you, you start complaining about other aspects of cruising. Please, don't worry, be happy ;)

[TracieABD]

Dena-

 

No disrepect intended.

 

It is time to let this go.

 

No one person will ever be 100% happy with every decision a cruiseline makes. The folk at corporate make their decisions and some people are happy about it and some people are not. I strongly suspect most do not care or are not even aware that a new policy has been made.

 

I have enjoyed lots of port day lunches in the MDR and yes, I will miss this on my next cruise. AND I also look at this as an opportunity to find new food adventures on the ship (or off the ship).

 

Me? I am going to go with the flow and enjoy the ride. I hope you do, too.

:)

[hubofhockey]

. Maybe having a small cover charge for the shows would make sense.

 

I think my cruise fare is my "cover charge". If they started charging extra just to see a show at night, I would be done with them. It's not as if these shows are even on the level of the productions that are on Royal Caribbean. Carnival Corporation is making enough money. I saw yesterday that their profits were higher than expected and much related to unexpected cost reductions. :rolleyes:

[davekathy]

We enjoy the shows and other entertainment provided during the Cruise. We have no complaints concerning the food. Additional coverage charges...no way!

[JimmyVWine]

Dena: It seems that what you seek is an upgrade in food and are willing to trade other ship services to get it. On the surface, this makes sense. But in reality, the only way to ensure better cruise ship food is to move to smaller ships and/or more luxury lines. (The two concepts are inextricably intertwined.) You (and others) refer to the decline in food service over the years. But what other factor has been implemented in that time?....The ships have gotten bigger. It is simply impossible to serve the highest quality food to 2,500 people dining at or around the same time. Food is prepared in vats, not pans. Trays with dozens of proteins are cooked simultaneously and held warm. Serving 1,000 diners at the same time can result only from food preparation that more closely resembles a banquet or wedding reception than a fine dining restaurant, no matter how elegant the facade of the MDR itself. When you choose to cruise with 2,500 of your closest friends, you have to buy into this notion. The food can be good to very good. But under these circumstances, it can rarely be "great", no matter how much money you want to reallocate from other ship's budget areas. (Note: Desserts can still be outstanding under this model, as a good pastry kitchen can prepare hundreds of like items in advance and still maintain the highest standards.)

 

Newsflash: Thomas Keller is not in the Princess kitchens. Your food is not (and cannot be) pepared "a la minute" unless you are dining at the Chef's Table. Fine dining establishments serve perhaps 30-50 diners at a time. A cruise ship serves ten times that, or more. You cannot expect a mega-ship to serve Per Se food. Princess is an upscale mass market line and the food it serves is in line with that concept. As you can tell from this thread, it meets the needs and expectations of the vast majority of customers who naturally compare price paid to food served. If you want to eat at a Jacques Pepin restaurant on the high seas, you have to go to Oceania. But first, check out the prices of their voyages. You aren't going to get any support here for a downturn in other ship's features and offerings in order to bump up the quality of the food by some marginal level. If you really want to start a crusade, perhaps the focus should be on ramping up the quality of the specialty restaurants for which cruisers already pay an additional fee. It is fair to expect those smaller dining venues to provide a higher level of experience, especially with the added cost associated with dining there. But the MDRs? Those are and will remain large banquet halls with food that is, frankly, better than one might expect given the hardships faced when trying to churn out 500 meals at the same time.

[hubofhockey]

The prices of cruises on luxury lines are coming down. My take is that is what OP is looking for. Of course, with 750 people on a cruise, you aren't going to get the big production show that many people avoid anyway.

[ONT-CA]

Where did anyone say the food was not good??? I think it is excellent and just as good as it was 15 years ago. What is the problem?? Closing the DR for lunch is not going to save any money and probably is a good thing to do for the health of some of the folks on board. I see people beating from dawn to dusk and don;t know how they even can fit through the door of their room.

 

It is not so much the food not being good, as the available selection has diminished. To be served in the MDR in a manner of 15 years ago one now has to go to the specialty restaurants, which is of course the whole point. Those that want should pay for it and those that do not, decline. Bring on a dining room with the a menu offered as "Would you like to see the A la Carte menu tonight?" But the whole thought that the industry can be converted to a pay-for-what-you-want just might be a logistical nightmare. Too many rack of lamb not enough porterhouse. Even if you are able to secure such as the next port of call, it may be days away. But when we do not see acceptable items on the standard fare menu it would be nice ordering something else a la carte without having to run the gauntlet of reservations.

[azdmelani]

The shows must be expensive to provide. We personally do not like them and stopped attending a while ago. I know many others who also skip the show. But everybody has to eat and I don't want to see the food slip any further. Maybe having a small cover charge for the shows would make sense. Or how about showing classic movies.

 

Food was phenomenal on our Golden Princess cruise in August. Dont see how they could top it. Plus, we love the entertainment, so count me out of this one. I dont go on a cruise to watch "classic movies."

[chipmaster]

Slipper slope, they already got speciality resturants, I guess they could go specialty shows and charge for feature entertainers and make it a larger profit center? Ships are big enough for that so it likley won't happen.

 

You want better food, go to the specialty resturant. We are pretty easy going and enjoy the food for what we get. If for an additional 25 bucks I really get food like I do at my better local steak house that is a perk well worth the extra money. I personally have no complaints as to the value of a cruise, but do agree there has been cost cutting. I much prefer cost cutting with minimum price increase versus higher price with what will most be more complaints regardless of service.

 

All the companies are doing the right thing.

 

The shows must be expensive to provide. We personally do not like them and stopped attending a while ago. I know many others who also skip the show. But everybody has to eat and I don't want to see the food slip any further. Maybe having a small cover charge for the shows would make sense. Or how about showing classic movies.

[pablo222]

I think the crew talent show is the best show and the most fun.

 

Personally, I think the crew talent show is worthless filler,

offered because it costs nothing. The only thing that

was worse was "Loveboat Legends". Thank god that

was downsized.

 

But in this thread, I think everyone will agree...

 

Everything 'one' likes should continue to be free.

Everything 'one' doesn't utilize should be charged for.

 

Just ask anyone.

[4cats4me]

Food was phenomenal on our Golden Princess cruise in August. Dont see how they could top it. Plus, we love the entertainment, so count me out of this one. I dont go on a cruise to watch "classic movies."

 

Well, then, they must have gotten a new chef because it was not so good on the July sailing.:eek: Mediocre at best. The least appealing food out of 13 Princess cruises I'm sad to report. However, the food was good on the Sapphire in March, so it definitely varies from ship to ship.

[mr green]

While the food may not be perfect, it is good enough for me.

It is true that some shows are a little tame, however, we have seen the odd memorable show, on Coral they do a very good one now and again in the Universe Lounge, and, when its good, to me it makes the cruise worthwhile for me.

On other cruise lines I have also had a similar experience, just once in a while.

 

john

[RickEk]

Dena: It seems that what you seek is an upgrade in food and are willing to trade other ship services to get it. On the surface, this makes sense. But in reality, the only way to ensure better cruise ship food is to move to smaller ships and/or more luxury lines. (The two concepts are inextricably intertwined.) You (and others) refer to the decline in food service over the years. But what other factor has been implemented in that time?....The ships have gotten bigger. It is simply impossible to serve the highest quality food to 2,500 people dining at or around the same time. Food is prepared in vats, not pans. Trays with dozens of proteins are cooked simultaneously and held warm. Serving 1,000 diners at the same time can result only from food preparation that more closely resembles a banquet or wedding reception than a fine dining restaurant, no matter how elegant the facade of the MDR itself. When you choose to cruise with 2,500 of your closest friends, you have to buy into this notion. The food can be good to very good. But under these circumstances, it can rarely be "great", no matter how much money you want to reallocate from other ship's budget areas. (Note: Desserts can still be outstanding under this model, as a good pastry kitchen can prepare hundreds of like items in advance and still maintain the highest standards.)

 

Newsflash: Thomas Keller is not in the Princess kitchens. Your food is not (and cannot be) pepared "a la minute" unless you are dining at the Chef's Table. Fine dining establishments serve perhaps 30-50 diners at a time. A cruise ship serves ten times that, or more. You cannot expect a mega-ship to serve Per Se food. Princess is an upscale mass market line and the food it serves is in line with that concept. As you can tell from this thread, it meets the needs and expectations of the vast majority of customers who naturally compare price paid to food served. If you want to eat at a Jacques Pepin restaurant on the high seas, you have to go to Oceania. But first, check out the prices of their voyages. You aren't going to get any support here for a downturn in other ship's features and offerings in order to bump up the quality of the food by some marginal level. If you really want to start a crusade, perhaps the focus should be on ramping up the quality of the specialty restaurants for which cruisers already pay an additional fee. It is fair to expect those smaller dining venues to provide a higher level of experience, especially with the added cost associated with dining there. But the MDRs? Those are and will remain large banquet halls with food that is, frankly, better than one might expect given the hardships faced when trying to churn out 500 meals at the same time.

 

Well said... to get the level of food service that the OP wishes, you have to go to a pricier luxury line that has smaller, more intimate ships... (Seabourn, Crystal, Regent, SeaDream, etc.). Personally, I think Princess does just fine and I've enjoyed most (not all, but most) meals that I've had onboard.

[jpg1747]

Personally, I think the crew talent show is worthless filler, offered because it costs nothing. The only thing that

was worse was "Loveboat Legends". Thank god that was downsized.

 

But in this thread, I think everyone will agree...

 

Everything 'one' likes should continue to be free. Everything 'one' doesn't utilize should be charged for.

 

Just ask anyone.

 

I have my Love Boat Legends t-shirt that I got on my 1992 cruise to Alaska. I still wear it on my Princess cruises. It was great fun back then, but I certainly don't miss it now.

 

As to the thread topic -- I cruise solo and absolutely love the cruise experience and price just as it is now. (OK, so I chafe a bit at the single supplement, but it's my choice to cruise that way so I'll deal with it.) There is no way I could get on land what I get on a cruise for the same price. I understand the amount of meals that are been cooked and served and don't expect high end cuisine. I think they do a good job under the circumstances. I also don't expect Broadway quality shows. If that's what I want, I'll go to the theater at home. I can cruise for a week for less than it would cost me for a weekend in NYC. I can only hope that the cruiselines don't go the way of the airlines and start eliminating and/or charging extra for every litle thing that is now inclusive of the base price. At least, not anymore than they have already.

[gertz]

We think it is just fine the way it is. Started in 1991 Crown Princess and have never had a bad cruise and love the entertainment. Have seen Wayne in that little city over 30 times and if I can handle that I can handle most anything and still enjoy it.:eek::D

[Shogun]

Hi All,

 

While I do not attend the shows, never stayed more than ten minutes at any of them, I would defend the right of others to go to them,

 

they are part of cruising, for many people, this is there only chance to see these types of show,

 

they are often packed out, impossible to get a seat, now I am well aware

that part of my cruise fare includes the cost of these shows,

 

but my fare also covers part of the cost of teens area and many other

services I do not use

 

I am happy to pay extra for an extra service, which has a limited number

of people able to use it, like chefs table.

 

but we should not have to pay for main stream items these are part of the cruise experience and covered by the fare.

 

yours Shogun

[betterthanworking]

It is not so much the food not being good, as the available selection has diminished. To be served in the MDR in a manner of 15 years ago one now has to go to the specialty restaurants, which is of course the whole point. Those that want should pay for it and those that do not, decline. Bring on a dining room with the a menu offered as "Would you like to see the A la Carte menu tonight?" But the whole thought that the industry can be converted to a pay-for-what-you-want just might be a logistical nightmare. Too many rack of lamb not enough porterhouse. Even if you are able to secure such as the next port of call, it may be days away. But when we do not see acceptable items on the standard fare menu it would be nice ordering something else a la carte without having to run the gauntlet of reservations.

 

In our 15 years of cruising with Princess I have not seen a diminishing of available slections. There are usually at least five different entres plus the always available items. I have also seen the menu selection change over the years to different dishes and some of the same popular items. Any restaurant that has multiple pages of menu will fail.