Newbie to Princess - Crown Princess (Western Sampler)

[nmg85]

Hello,

 

I am new to Princess and have a couple of questions which I would be grateful for any help you can give

 

1. We usually sail Celebrity however we are looking to try something new... Does anyone know how Princess compares?

2. We are looking at the 4 night Western Sampler to test the water but does anyone know if these shorter cruises on Princess attract a younger 'party' crowd as other lines do? We are in our late 20's but aren't party animals.

3. I have noticed that a number of the aft cabins are labelled as partially obstructed... Is it worth getting one of these cabins compared to a standard balcony?

 

Thanks nmg85

[flamomo]

As a veteran of quite a few Princess cruises, I will say that, IMPO, Princess is not a "party ship" cruiseline. Even on shorter itineraries, when there is often a younger demographic (young adults and younger families), there is still a certain amount of "class".

 

I suggest you do a search on this board for "dreaded beam" posts, which refers to aft balconies.

[nmg85]

Thank you, I did think it would be unlikely that Princess would be a 'party ship' but just wanted to check :-)

[lovevacadays]

Thank you, I did think it would be unlikely that Princess would be a 'party ship' but just wanted to check :-)

 

Up to now Princess has not done the shorter 3-5 day cruises. It will be interesting to see what demographics will be on these cruises. I don't believe these sailing don't start until the Fall. I would imagine the weekend cruises will be different than the week day cruises. I have a 3 day booked for week day sailing. I am seeing that Princess' prices are still above Carnival who typically does these types of cruises. I'm hoping this means not as many party animals.

[akeasley]

I'm hoping to do one of these short cruises next spring and am also hoping it doesn't start attracting 'party animals'.

[Pam in CA]

Princess has very similar demographics to Celebrity in that in general, it's a more "mature" passenger. Princess is more laid back and "escape completely" than Carnival or similar. However, since Princess hasn't done shorter cruises other than a very few repositioning cruises on the West Coast, so no one really knows for sure whether they will attract more partiers. My guess is yes but without as many super active activities or things like a hairy chest contest, they could be younger than usual on Princess but hopefully, more mature.

 

A few differences between Celebrity and Princess:

 

-- you can go directly to your cabin upon boarding; no waiting or having to go up to the Lido for several hours.

 

-- drinks/beverages are a lot cheaper on Princess than Celebrity. The unlimited soda card (a sticker on your cruise card) is $5.13/day, including the 15% service charge. Martinis are about $7, to give you an idea.

 

-- the buffet doesn't close between very early in the morning until very late at night so you can get a full breakfast mid- or late morning or a late lunch, for instance.

 

-- the buffet has table service. Tables are set with silverware and napkins and waitstaff will get you anything from juice to coffee to a soda to a drink.

 

-- the International Cafe is open 24/7 with delicious pastries, muffins, donuts, breakfast sandwiches, etc. in the morning, a variety of salads and sandwiches in addition to the pastries, cookies the rest of the time.

 

-- the pizza on Princess is probably the best out of all the cruise lines. :)

 

-- if you are military or a veteran, you are eligible for a very nice OBC.

 

-- if you own CCL stock, you are also eligible for a very nice OBC.

 

-- OBC on Princess is combinable. It's all added up for a total credit at the start of your cruise. FYI, there's no pre-cruise hold on your credit card.

 

-- on Princess, if you book a ship's tour, you can pre-reserve online but you aren't charged until you board the ship when the charge goes on your onboard account.

 

My favorite lounge on the Crown is the Adagio Lounge on the deck above the buffet. In the evening, it's a piano bar with relaxed entertainment. Rarely used during the day for activities, it's a quiet place to go and read or play cards as there are comfortable chairs and couches.

[IECalCruiser]

Hello,

 

I am new to Princess and have a couple of questions which I would be grateful for any help you can give

 

1. We usually sail Celebrity however we are looking to try something new... Does anyone know how Princess compares?

2. We are looking at the 4 night Western Sampler to test the water but does anyone know if these shorter cruises on Princess attract a younger 'party' crowd as other lines do? We are in our late 20's but aren't party animals.

3. I have noticed that a number of the aft cabins are labelled as partially obstructed... Is it worth getting one of these cabins compared to a standard balcony?

 

Thanks nmg85

There was a very good thread about the "true aft" cabins but the links to OP's photos are no longer valid. I have attached one post that still has a valid photo link.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=15394022&postcount=25

 

Most of the "true aft" cabin balconies are larger than any but the Caribe deck balconies. These cabins are in high demand and under the soon to be implemented cabin recategorization plan these cabins will be Cat B4, the highest priced balcony cabins. The "true aft" cabins have some issues with "beams" and "vents". The vents are in the center and there have been reports of issues with noise and odor from the vents. The beams are about 18"-24" wide but do not appear to be an issue and vary by cabin. Hope this helps somewhat.

[nmg85]

Thank you all so much for your helpful replies. Now I just need to convince my other half that we can book another cruise this year :)

 

I love the sound of the food etc especially the Pizza! Cheaper drink costs also sound great as it it always nice to try new cocktails :)

[saltypeer]

Not sure which 4 dayer you are looking at, but we have one booked for Sept 2013 followed by a 2 weeker to the Med.

 

In our opinion we are happy with Princess in the most. We are not party animals and although we enjoy dinner with the same tablemates each night (so we get to know a little about one another) we don't live in other peoples pockets.

 

We have made some good friends via cruising Princess and like the feel of the ships and the entertainment packages. You are not pressured into anything and generally you don't see kids and youths running amok. All quite civilised really. Do as much or as little as you fancy.

 

Try it......we are sure you will come back for more.

 

Pete