hypercafe Posted August 16, 2013 #26 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I am always taken back when people come back from a trip and have such bad comments. You can research this to death and see lots of pictures before you go, also the price should give you a clue as to what to expect! I think sometimes people book a 1500$ trip expecting what they got on their 6000$ trip. I think all lines give what they say they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted August 16, 2013 #27 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I think this thread has gotten a little out of hand... The OP returned from the cruise on Princess (remember, this thread originally began back in February) and clearly wasn't impressed...made the point in a rather emphatic way... Then, Hawaiidan came on and attempted to use a bit of possibly hyperbolic humor... ...and all hell has broken loose... People really ought to just be reasonable...accept each cruise experience for what it is...know that we all have different expectations, different standards, different criteria... It certainly may be possible for an Oceania cruiser to try Princess and not be satisfied--especially if they are going to compare it with their Oceania experience. OTOH, another Oceania cruiser might try Princess and find it acceptable...But it all depends on your attitude and outlook going in... I eat at some fine restaurants...and I also eat at some very ordinary chain restaurants...I'm okay with eating at the lesser places from time to time...depends on the circumstances...Sometimes I'm just hungry and want to get some food...Not every meal has to measure up to my favorites... I have actually just booked another Princess cruise...Why? I certainly don't expect it to match up with my past Oceania cruises...Or even with my Celebrity cruises. (I also don't expect to be as awful as the Carnival cruises I've taken). So why am I doing it? Because I have a few days off prior to Thanksgiving into which I can squeeze a SHORT cruise. I need something close to home and easy. (Certainly, it is NOT, as one poster opined, that Princess is all I can afford, the poor soul that I am). Oceania doesn't have acruise that fits these parameters...neither does Celebrity...or Regent...or HAL...Heck, I'm down to two cruise lines: Princess or Carnival...and I certainly don't want to take it on Carnival--so, Princess it is... I'd rather take this cruise than take none at all... I don't have to get drunk for 10 days beforehand...or check into a Motel 6 ...or even eat at McDonalds... I will show up just like to any other cruise...I will not expect the same level of service as on Oceania...or perhaps even as comfortable a bed... I will know that there is an added charge for a specialty restaurant... OTOH, I will not look down on my shipmates...I will enjoy the experience for what it is--some meals in the dining room where, though it might not be my favorite restaurant, I am sure I can find some food to my liking...some entertainment at night and activities during the day...a nice quiret balcony with a nice ocean view if I want some quiet time, etc. A cruise is what you make of it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted August 16, 2013 #28 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Bruin Steve, as usual, a sober assessment of the situation. Enjoy your cruise (as is and for what it is) - and think of all the money you saved towards your next O cruise :D Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviargal Posted August 16, 2013 #29 Share Posted August 16, 2013 It's kind of funny that some of the comments from O cruisers regarding Princess, echo the recent comments from Seabourn cruisers regarding O. I,guess we all like to look down our noses at someone. I wonder what Princess cruisers comments about Carnival would be? Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app I have never been on O so mine was just a report on our experience. I posted a full review when we returned. We do not enjoy ocean cruising enough anymore to feel that "I'd rather take this cruise than take none at all..." We would rather fly somewhere we enjoy than cruise just to cruise. I appreciate that others love cruising enough to just enjoy being on a ship. That does not apply to us. Our decision to cruise was made when I exhausted all the options we were interested in. It was convenient, the price was decent and we had the time off. We choose Princess because we assumed it would be a more adult experience and they were actually one of the few options we had, since we booked two weeks out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck.qc Posted August 16, 2013 #30 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Bruin Steve,as usual, a sober assessment of the situation. Enjoy your cruise (as is and for what it is) - and think of all the money you saved towards your next O cruise :D Paul +1. I have read your many posts while researching our European travels. I find your comments regarding this thread spot on.. Bon Voyage!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadzone1003 Posted August 16, 2013 #31 Share Posted August 16, 2013 My wife and I usually sail Princess and we are scheduled for 10-day cruise in January on the Regatta for our first Oceania cruise. We usually sail Princess primarily because of the itineraries they offer at a reasonable price. The Coral Princess is our favorite Princess ship. It has most of the amenities of their larger ships and yet it is only a Panamax ship holding under 2000 passengers It is almost their roomiest ship in terms of public area, including their R-class ships. It was built for Alaska and the Panama Canal with plenty of areas for bow or aft viewing (There are no bow or aft cabins, just viewing decks.) The buffet is in the bow section which most people use for viewing - gets congested going through Glacier Bay or the Panama Canal. Foodwise, Princess can't compete with Oceania with the probable exception of their pizza and Cafe Bayou. The latter is creole/cajun cafe with entertainment. However, it is not great creole/cajun cooking, but a very nice change of pace - ask them to cook it as if the cafe was in New Orleans that way it will not be too bland. Their winelist is somewhat limited compared to Oceania's but their prices are probably the lowest of most cruiselines. Majority of their winelist is below $40. They only have a few wines that are over $100. They supposed to offer wine packages. If you want to bring your own, corkage charge is $15 bottle. Your itinerary goes to Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay which is about as good as gets for Alaska. Just remember, when you cruise Alaska, you should be seeing Alaska not for the cruising experience. Also, get a balcony, preferably on the Carribbean deck, on the Port side. PS - Alaska cruising tend to have alot of kids as there are more families - HAL has their youngest demographics while the Carnival crowd is at their most "civilized" state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globevest Posted August 16, 2013 #32 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Let me first say that we have not sailed Princess but if we saw an itinerary that really appealed we certainly would. O is our favorite cruise line for the reasons many on this board have noted. We have sailed 'O' 6 out of 10 cruises and are very fortunate that we have been able to afford to do so. Last Oct Royal Caribbean had an itinerary that took our interest. 10 days from Quebec City around the St Lawrence calling in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI. Having travelled extensively in Canada we had never been to the Maritimes area before. What a great experience. The fall colors were fabulous and the posts very interesting. Did the onboard experience match Oceania.....heavens no!... but being realistic we did not expect it to......it cost less that half of a 10 day 'O' cruise. The food was certainly very acceptable although we avoided the buffet (very crowded). Our balcony cabin was fine and we slept well although we did miss those fabulous 'O' beds and linen. There were no children onboard.....not the season for them or the itinerary. We learned to avoid the sales pitches without much inconvenience. We had a very nice cruise, which met our expectations. We would certainly sail RCL again if the timing and itinerary was right. IHMO it is a matter of personal attitude.....make the most of your time and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prada Cowboy Posted August 16, 2013 #33 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I would not sail Princess! Never! Food is like at Denny's and service close to it! HAL actually has with Celebrity the only good mass market product! I have been a couple times on HAL and we enjoyed food, service and the more mature crowd! HAL ships are at least in some way clasy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no fuss travel Posted August 17, 2013 #34 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I would not sail Princess! Never! Food is like at Denny's and service close to it! HAL actually has with Celebrity the only good mass market product! I have been a couple times on HAL and we enjoyed food, service and the more mature crowd! HAL ships are at least in some way clasy! Unless you sail on a holiday cruise and parents do not keep an eye on their children. I don't think it matters what cruise line you are on if parents take off holiday time from being a parent, their kids will not be appreciated period. To be honest I have noticed that the majority of mass cruise lines have lowered their standards from when I first started cruising in the mid-seventies. I find that Oceania is close to what standards I encountered on the old Sitmar Cruise Line. Mind you there was no specialty restaurants in those days.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted August 17, 2013 #35 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I find that Oceania is close to what standards I encountered on the old Sitmar Cruise Line. Mind you there was no specialty restaurants in those days. Odd that you should mention Sitmar on this Princess thread, because my British grandparents who were dyed in the wool Cunarders, at least until 1967 when it collapsed from under them, followed the Carinthia and Sylvania over to Sitmar. When Nana was paying, it was always the Fairsea or the Fairwind, and it is very odd to realize now that although those two ships were almost exactly the same dimensions as the R ships (600 feet long and 80 feet wide) that they had THREE swimming pools on three different decks! While there weren't any specialty restaurants, it WAS the very first time that we ever saw a Pizzeria on a ship, a feature which Princess picked up for the first time in '88 when they absorbed Sitmar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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