Some questions from new Princess Cruiser

[bigred4770]

Hi!

 

I am going on the CP on Aug. 13. I have been on Celebrity and RCCL many times and felt that both of these lines seem to be in slight decline in recent trips.

 

Some questions that I have about the Caribbean Princess, and I guess in general to all of Princess cruisers are:

 

1. I have heard there is an English Tea each day at 4pm. Is this true?

 

2. Is the Lotus Spa better than the Steiner Spas I have used on other lines?

 

3. I have chosen standard dining. Is this better than Personal Choice? Can I go to the Personal Choice Dining rooms if I miss my early seating?

 

4. Do they have a library onboard?

 

5. Is the coke card worth it?

 

6. Is there a certain desert or main entree that I should definitly try?

 

7. Are the art auctions run by Park West?

 

8. Is Sabbotini's or Sterlings worth the extra money? If so which one?

 

I realized this is a lot of questions but I am a bit compulsive when it comes to cruise planning. Sometimes the anticipation is almost as good as the cruise itself. Thanks for all your responses.

[nancyrg]

Here is what I can answer for you:

 

the spa is run by steiner-I think all their spas are similar-I really enjoyed my services in the spa on the Caribbean Princess

 

dining-it is a matter of personal preference-I have done both & like both-ny husband & I like the flexibility of pc dining, my parents (who we travel with a lot) prefer fixed seating-so when we are with them we do fixed dining. Both are good.

 

yes, there is a library-there are lots of books to check out

 

coke card-I think is is $25 for a week. I do not drink soda but it seems like a good deal if you drink soda.

 

art auctions are not run by park west-they are run by Princess-I think they do a great job-I have purchased a lot of art over the years & have always been satisfied. they offer great service & most of the auctioneers are great.

 

I have eated in Sabotini's & enjoyed it-I thought it was worth the money-although, be prepared for a minimum 2 hour dinner.

 

have a fantastic cruise!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Nancy

[Times Prince]

Some questions that I have about the Caribbean Princess, and I guess in general to all of Princess cruisers are:

1. I have heard there is an English Tea each day at 4pm. Is this true?

2. Is the Lotus Spa better than the Steiner Spas I have used on other lines?

3. I have chosen standard dining. Is this better than Personal Choice? Can I go to the Personal Choice Dining rooms if I miss my early seating?

4. Do they have a library onboard?

5. Is the coke card worth it?

6. Is there a certain desert or main entree that I should definitly try?

7. Are the art auctions run by Park West?

8. Is Sabbotini's or Sterlings worth the extra money? If so which one?

I realized this is a lot of questions but I am a bit compulsive when it comes to cruise planning. Sometimes the anticipation is almost as good as the cruise itself. Thanks for all your responses.

1. Yes, but I am not sure of the time. Some ships have it earlier, around 2:30, I think.

2. No info

3. Standard dining lets you get to know a set of your fellow passengers better, if at a larger table. It also lets the wait staff know your tastes, and you seldom have to ask twice for things (e.g. we like lemon wedges for our water - ask the first time, it comes without asking from there on). You can always go to other dining rooms, but if you are going to do this most of the time, then transfer to Personal Choice, as there is a wait list for traditional seating.

4. Yes, varies in size from ship to ship.

5. Coke card: is worth it if you drink more than one soft drink a day and don't mind the bar gun type of drink

6. I love the Profiteroles (usually offered only on the first night. Get one to share if you prefer another dessert.

7. Art auctions are by Princess, not an outside agency.

8. no comment.

[fakeanne]

The Sterling Steakhouse is excellent. Best steak I have ever eaten in my life. It is definetly worth the extra money. Coke cards are a matter of how much you drink. Drink 3 or 4 a day and it might be worth it. A can is $1.50. 3 a day would cost you $4.50 times 7 days, that's like just over $30.00. So, if you just have one a day, I'd say charge it to your shipboard account. If you are a die hard 32 oz. drinker a couple times a day like me, buy a coke card.

[Cruisin' Chick]

3. I have chosen standard dining. Is this better than Personal Choice? Can I go to the Personal Choice Dining rooms if I miss my early seating?

 

If I'm reading the question right, you are asking if you can go to a PC dining room some night if you miss your regular seating. The answer is no, from what I have read on the boards here. Your ID card will say if you are PC or assigned to the traditional dining room. When you show up at the PC dining room, they will check your card to make sure you're with PC. That's so the PC diners will be able to get a table.

 

If you are traditional, and can't make it to your seating, go to the Horizon Court (or whatever the casual dining room is called on your ship). It will be opened 24 hours/day -- there are two sides, so if they are putting out new food, it'll be only on one side at a time with the other side still open. Or there's always room service.

[samjj]

If I'm reading the question right' date=' you are asking if you can go to a PC dining room some night if you miss your regular seating. The answer is no, from what I have read on the boards here. Your ID card will say if you are PC or assigned to the traditional dining room. When you show up at the PC dining room, they will check your card to make sure you're with PC. That's so the PC diners will be able to get a table.

[/quote']

 

Do they really check your card? We had PC dining on the Star and no-one EVER asked to see our card. We just stood in line and when we came to the front of it they just seated us at a table. No questions asked.

[Italy52]

Do they really check your card? We had PC dining on the Star and no-one EVER asked to see our card. We just stood in line and when we came to the front of it they just seated us at a table. No questions asked.

 

 

We had PC dining on the Sapphire. When we went into the PC dining rooms we were asked our cabin number and the reservations person looked our dining preference up in the computer.

[spongerob]

3. I have chosen standard dining. Is this better than Personal Choice? Can I go to the Personal Choice Dining rooms if I miss my early seating?

 

We prefer traditional dining (fixed seating) but go for the late seating. There is an alternative on Caribbean Princess for no added cost called the Cafe Caribe that generally gets very good reviews. If you miss your early seating, you might check it out, or, you can see if Sterling or Sabatini's has seating available. Of the two, we'd choose Sterling first, only because Sabatini's serves so much food that it gets to be too much.

 

6. Is there a certain desert or main entree that I should definitly try?

Most of the evening menus are quite good. There is a Caribbean menu one evening that I thought was quite good. The lunch menus in the dining room also are very good and have a couple of pasta selections each day. Breakfast and lunch are open seating, regardless if you have traditional or anytime dining.

[bardgal]

1. I have heard there is an English Tea each day at 4pm. Is this true?

2. Is the Lotus Spa better than the Steiner Spas I have used on other lines?

3. I have chosen standard dining. Is this better than Personal Choice? Can I go to the Personal Choice Dining rooms if I miss my early seating?

4. Do they have a library onboard?

5. Is the coke card worth it?

6. Is there a certain desert or main entree that I should definitly try?

7. Are the art auctions run by Park West?

8. Is Sabbotini's or Sterlings worth the extra money? If so which one?

1 - Yes. 3:30p-4:30p Patters can be found here:http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4287012711&code=9426013&mode=invite

2 - They're pretty much the same. Say you already have everything they sell, so you can enjoy your treatment without listening to a sales pitch.

 

3 - Dining is a matter of personal taste. I have loved traditional dining, getting to bond with your table mates and waitstaff, however, recently I made the change to PC, and now love that as well - We found a table for two in a station with waiters we loved, and turned that into our own PC Traditional dining with a standing reservation in their station at that table for 8pm every night. It was perfect.

However, as for the rest of your question...

(bardgal steps on her soapbox)

NO NO NOOOOOOOO!!!! If you have traditional seating, you CANNOT go to the PC dining rooms. (This is directed to EVERYONE who doesn't get this.) This kind of confusion is exactly why the dining has changed on SAPPHIRE and DIAMOND and they've taken away the themed menus from the PC (Anytime Dining) restaurants. Almost every single sailing on every single ship, Princess has a waitlist for Traditional dining, yet every night there are empty seats in these dining rooms while PC diners have trouble getting to eat "Anytime" because so many traditional diners are in the PC dining rooms. If you want PC dining, then change to PC so someone on the waitlist can get the dining they want. If you miss your seating you can go to Horizon Court, see if they can accomodate you in either Sterling or Sabatini's, or order anything off the dining room menu from room service. Just because they are not checking your dining card, doesn't mean it's right, and even if they've allowed you to do this, it sends a very confusing message and can lead to later problems in that dining room when PC diners come expecting a table and are told they cannot be accommodated.

(bardgal steps down off her soapbox)

 

4 - yes

5 - not unless you drink soda 24/7. Seriously. How much are soda cards now? I read that on the CarbP they're $30 with tip? You can get a medium glass from a bar for $1, and a can for $1.50. Will you drink 30 sodas in a week? If so, get the card, (and a good dental plan ;) ).

6. The gnocchi, and Panicotta dessert at Sabatini's.

7. No clue.

8. Sterling - yes if you really like steak (but don't expect Arnie Morton's or Smith & Wollensky), Sabatini's - yes if you like Italian Seafood.

 

oh - and I TOTALLY understand compulsiveness when it comes to cruise planning. That's almost as fun as boarding the ship! :D

[meemeec]

Bardgal,

 

Thank you for your very eloquent soapbox speech re: PC vs. traditional dining!! Would you please repeat this speech often and everywhere!!

Gratefully,

Maureen

[Seasons]

It's good to hear that you CAN order room service off the dining room menu.

 

I, too, will be cruising Princess for the first time. Any tips? (Have only been on RCCL, X, HAL and Carnival before.)

 

Will I be breaking any rules if I bring my own soda (de-caffeinated coke/pepsi) since I find it's hard to get decaffeinated cola drinks on ships.

 

When the statement of account is printed up, will it have what charges were made by which passenger, or will it just be all thrown together so you have to weed through it yourself? (I plan to use the same credit card for both room passengers, but we need to separate it.)

[spongerob]

The jury appears to still be out on whether or not you can order from the dining room menu and have it delivered to your room, at least for those not booked in suites. There is some variance from ship to ship, or appears to be anyway. It doesn't hurt to ask, though.

[fakeanne]

The jury appears to still be out on whether or not you can order from the dining room menu and have it delivered to your room, at least for those not booked in suites. There is some variance from ship to ship, or appears to be anyway. It doesn't hurt to ask, though.

 

Not on the 6/11-6/18 sailing. I made this specific request for my husband and was told a big NO. I pushed a little to see if they would go the extra mile, but when the lady told me that she was going to get her supervisor and I could talk to him I told her to forget it and ordered the turkey club.

[bardgal]

Not on the 6/11-6/18 sailing. I made this specific request for my husband and was told a big NO. I pushed a little to see if they would go the extra mile, but when the lady told me that she was going to get her supervisor and I could talk to him I told her to forget it and ordered the turkey club.

What ship were you on? I know people in inside rooms ordering from the dining room menu on the STAR & SUN, and I've done it on the SEA and the TAHITIAN.

 

Maybe we need a specific thread to find out what's going on with room service/dining room menu fleet-wide.

[spongerob]

It is awfully hard to figure out, isn't it? Seems like the 7-day itineraries have cut it out entirely, maybe the longer and/or more exotic cruises still offer room service deliveries from the dining room. It wasn't that long ago that we were able to do it.