Cost Savings or Cutbacks You Noticed on Princess

[miched]

I recently sailed on the Ruby. Noticed a cost savings or cut back that seems a little minute but I guess it adds up and doesn't really affect anything. The toilet tissue roll is smaller in width. There is a larger gap than normal between the holders bars.

 

I mentioned that to my wife and she said that proves that us Americans don't have butts as big as people think. I then reminded her that this was the first cruise out of Fl after being in Europe and it may be leftover stock.

 

Another is they no longer publish the daily news sheets.

 

Anybody else notice cut backs that aren't obvious? Was always told that everyone sees the big mistake but it is the little one that no one sees and causes all of the problems. Same could be applied to this. Cut back on little things and they add up but no one will ever notice.

[flamomo]

Princess has not published the daily news sheet for a few years!!!!

It would have been very welcome on a 28 day cruise in the South Pacific when we were out of TV satellite range for over 2 weeks.

 

They also stopped offering printed daily crossword puzzles in the library about the same time. They do offer daily Sudoku printouts now, but that is no replacement for crossword fans.

[Infi]

I've noticed smaller serving dishes for the salads and less selection of desserts and pastries at the IC on both the Crown in June and a BVE on the Ruby last week. The move to 30 min shows and only having one form of entertainment (production show, comedian etc.) each night is also a cost saving mechanism.

 

I know this is subjective, but I believe the new menus are also a major example of cutbacks as well.

[highheel girl]

I recently sailed on the Ruby. Noticed a cost savings or cut back that seems a little minute but I guess it adds up and doesn't really affect anything. The toilet tissue roll is smaller in width. There is a larger gap than normal between the holders bars.

 

I mentioned that to my wife and she said that proves that us Americans don't have butts as big as people think. I then reminded her that this was the first cruise out of Fl after being in Europe and it may be leftover stock.

 

Another is they no longer publish the daily news sheets.

 

Anybody else notice cut backs that aren't obvious? Was always told that everyone sees the big mistake but it is the little one that no one sees and causes all of the problems. Same could be applied to this. Cut back on little things and they add up but no one will ever notice.

 

Similar thread from last month...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1717327&highlight=princess+cutbacks

[Tatka]

Compare to what year?

 

When we first sailed with Princess in 2006 (Caribbean Princess) there was huge... no HUGE seafood buffet with everything including Alaskan crab legs already split in halves.

 

Since then buffets got smaller.. On our last cruise on Grand Princess (although in North Europe) there was no seafood buffet.. but you could still find seafood dishes in the regular one.

 

Other than that I can't find any cutbacks. Princess offers great and consistent product which we love.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I do not notice much of anything that I would consider a cutback, and feel that cruising on Princess is an excellent value. Yes the shows are a little shorter, but they are put on more frequently. The lobster tail is a little smaller, there is no more tableside cooking, but these to me are very minor as we enjoy the overall quality of the food, service levels, the ships, the entertainment and the overall cruise experience. And cruising is so easy...that is what we love!

[miched]

Similar thread from last month...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1717327&highlight=princess+cutbacks

 

Thanks for the link. I was cruising for the last month and don't look at the internet even though I get some free minutes.

[bbq]

There use to be three parties hosted by Princess. The captains "Welcome Aboard", "the Captains Circle" and the "Captains Farwell". What happened to the latter one? Also crab legs are gone?

[paul929207]

There use to be three parties hosted by Princess. The captains "Welcome Aboard", "the Captains Circle" and the "Captains Farwell". What happened to the latter one? Also crab legs are gone?

I think the Farewell Party is based on the length of the cruise. The three are usually on sea days. So if there are less than three, no Farewell Party

[windsor26]

On my first princess cruise which was cut into 4 segments There were 8 welcome Captains parties and 8 Welcome BACK to previous cruisers parties and there were 4 Champagne waterfalls. They had an early and a late sitting separate party each time Now the waterfall is part of the ONE welcome party and that is what you get to drink We have never had a farewell party

However I am not complaining as I think their overall product is excellent and for the money one of the best available.

[dbeckett]

Getting off in Bankok 2 weeks ago there was a farewell party on the Diamond

[Richie2pies]

Every line is cutting back. They want to maintain lower prices on cruises to attract more people. Most cruisers don't even notice most of the cutbacks.

[sonnenschein]

April 2011 on the Golden to Hawaii we had 3 wonderful outdoor deck buffets. one dessert, one oriental and one on the evening Island party which reminded me of the long gone midnight buffets,lots of wonderful food. Same trip one year later on the Star and all the buffets had disappeared and the Horizon food was a let down.

[luv2travel77]

I recently got off the Emerald and was on it one year ago. Here are some of the things I noticed between my two cruises:

 

Less varieties on the menus, there were more items that are "fixed" meaning that they can be ordered any night. This is especially true for the dessert menu.

 

The visit to the galley towards the end of the cruise is now much shorter.

 

The orchestra is now used less in the performances with the dancers and singers. The show times are shorter too but that is known already.

 

More shows are being held in their bar/lounges. Last year the Beatle Maniacs performed their two shows in the Theater whereas this year their second show was done at Club Fusion.

 

At the dining room tables, they use artificial flowers instead of using fresh ones and replacing them every 10 days or so.

 

To a new cruiser then he/she probably wouldn't have any complaints. But for seasoned cruisers, I'd say the differences are obvious.

 

Princess is still providing an excellent value to cruising. But if they keep this up then they can remove themselves from any "premium" categories they might be rated in.

[cruzsnooze]

 

 

 

 

 

Princess is still providing an excellent value to cruising. But if they keep this up then they can remove themselves from any "premium" categories they might be rated in.

I never considered Princess a premium line. They are a mass market line. I sail on the sapphire quite bit and found the dining room menu to be less expensive dishes and less variety then previously. I also didn't like the shorter production show. it's over almost after it begins.

[caribill]

I recently sailed on the Ruby. Noticed a cost savings or cut back that seems a little minute but I guess it adds up and doesn't really affect anything. The toilet tissue roll is smaller in width. There is a larger gap than normal between the holders bars.

 

Check what you use at home.

 

All manufacturers have cut back the width on what is sold in grocery stores also.

[caribill]

Baked Alaska swerving on a recent Princess cruise:

 

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Compare to what year?

 

When we first sailed with Princess in 2006 (Caribbean Princess) there was huge... no HUGE seafood buffet with everything including Alaskan crab legs already split in halves.

 

Since then buffets got smaller.. On our last cruise on Grand Princess (although in North Europe) there was no seafood buffet.. but you could still find seafood dishes in the regular one.

 

Other than that I can't find any cutbacks. Princess offers great and consistent product which we love.

 

There used to be seafood nightly in the Horizon Court too.

 

Not only is that seafood gone, the Horizon Court is not even open at night now.

 

Bill

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I do not notice much of anything that I would consider a cutback, and feel that cruising on Princess is an excellent value. Yes the shows are a little shorter, but they are put on more frequently. The lobster tail is a little smaller, there is no more tableside cooking, but these to me are very minor as we enjoy the overall quality of the food, service levels, the ships, the entertainment and the overall cruise experience. And cruising is so easy...that is what we love!

 

You don't consider that a cutback? How is having the same "shorter" show multiple times not a cutback?

 

If it's true that there is no longer multiple venues offering entertainment and the show is only 30 minutes long what is there left to do at night other than frequent a bar or go to the casino?

 

Bill

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

The whole world is cutting back instead of putting prices up,

 

just take a trip to any supermarket,

 

the packet or tin is the same size as last year

 

but the contents have been reduced,

 

Princess is just doing the same,

 

so long as fuel keeps going up wards

 

this will be the way things will be

 

UK fuel is meant to go up 15p a gallon again soon in tax again.

 

yours Shogun

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Hi All

 

The whole world is cutting back instead of putting prices up,

 

just take a trip to any supermarket,

 

the packet or tin is the same size as last year

 

but the contents have been reduced,

 

Princess is just doing the same,

 

so long as fuel keeps going up wards

 

this will be the way things will be

 

UK fuel is meant to go up 15p a gallon again soon in tax again.

 

yours Shogun

 

I agree that all major lines are taking part in the cutbacks - so it's not like you can bail on one and think that another will keep the bar level.

 

While fuel costs are a factor, I imagine that we'd see cutbacks regardless. Everyone can relate to the cost of fuel though.

 

Our cruise on the CB next Saturday will be our first with Princess - and it's only because I booked prior to some point in July that we were grandfathered in for free internet (suite perk), since they have eliminated that going forward. Granted, they have now added in a free cover on the first night to a specialty restaurant - but if you look at what they forgo in revenue for that meal vs. what people might typically spend on an internet package, I'd say that's a cost savings too. We usually spend close to $100 or more on an internet package - and find ourselves in a specialty restaurant almost every night, so booking when we did was a "win-win"!

 

Tom

[SoBaycruiser]

April 2011 on the Golden to Hawaii we had 3 wonderful outdoor deck buffets. one dessert, one oriental and one on the evening Island party which reminded me of the long gone midnight buffets,lots of wonderful food. Same trip one year later on the Star and all the buffets had disappeared and the Horizon food was a let down.

 

Maybe that was a function of being on the Star. We were on the Golden in April 2012 and they had at least three big outdoor buffets...including a Mexican one.

[many cruises]

We noticed cutbacks in the dining room. All the dining rooms are now closed on port days and the dinner menus include hamburgers. We had to send our lobster back because it was spoiled. The service was still good but it was very difficult for us to attend the shows because of the scheduled show times.

 

We are die-hard Princess cruisers and we will continue to cruise on Princess, but have decided to try the Celebrity Eclipse for our next cruise because of the wonderful reviews the Solstice ships are receiving.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

We are die-hard Princess cruisers and we will continue to cruise on Princess, but have decided to try the Celebrity Eclipse for our next cruise because of the wonderful reviews the Solstice ships are receiving. [/color]

 

You won't regret that. As soon as we stepped foot on the Solstice in 2008 I knew we had found something special. Jumped at the chance of getting back on (the Eclipse) earlier this year and looking forward to the Reflection next month!! :):):)

 

Tom

[caribill]

If it's true that there is no longer multiple venues offering entertainment and the show is only 30 minutes long what is there left to do at night other than frequent a bar or go to the casino?

 

 

On at least one ship the Marriage Game is now offered twice in one evening instead of the traditional one time.

 

That is one way for Princess to fill in the time an entertainer used to scheduled.