upgrading TVs on then Sapphire

[AZJerry]

We just got off the Sapphire yesterday. On Wed they started replacing the TVs on Deck 9 with 40" Samsungs. These just barely fit the spaces the old sets were in.

 

Being hospitality sets, most of the functions potentially available with the remotes were not available. One function the old Viewsonics had was the ability to adjust the display resolution and ratio so that you could minimize the amount of letterboxing and screen cutoffs due to their poor management of the source material. SD content displayed 30 or 40% larger isn't necessarily a good thing.

[Astro Flyer]

We just got off the Sapphire yesterday. On Wed they started replacing the TVs on Deck 9 with 40" Samsungs. These just barely fit the spaces the old sets were in.

 

Being hospitality sets, most of the functions potentially available with the remotes were not available. One function the old Viewsonics had was the ability to adjust the display resolution and ratio so that you could minimize the amount of letterboxing and screen cutoffs due to their poor management of the source material. SD content displayed 30 or 40% larger isn't necessarily a good thing.

That's a surprise because I think the Viewsonic TV's were replaced during the Sapphire's drydock only 2 years ago. I didn't measure the Royal's flat panel located on the wall near the foot of the bed but guessed it was about 40". We sail on the Sapphire next week & will know if they're in our deck 10 cabin also.

[AZJerry]

I'm guessing the old sets were in the 25-30" range. The new sets JUST fit in the designated space. The workman removed and discarded the small brass railing for the edge of the shelf where the TVs are. It makes getting to the outlet behind the set much harder. I liked using that outlet for a power strip for charging phones, camera batteries, etc. No room on the shelf anymore.

[Astro Flyer]

I'm guessing the old sets were in the 25-30" range. The new sets JUST fit in the designated space. The workman removed and discarded the small brass railing for the edge of the shelf where the TVs are. It makes getting to the outlet behind the set much harder. I liked using that outlet for a power strip for charging phones, camera batteries, etc. No room on the shelf anymore.

Losing access to the unused TV plug was my 1st thought because there are not many plugs. They added a 2nd set of plugs to the Royal's desktop area which provided additional useable plugs.

 

Maybe by adding the larger TV's they'll update the system like the great entertainment system on the Royal & maybe even an intranet. It may just be a dream but trying to comprehend why relatively new flat panel TV's are being replaced by larger TV's. :confused:

[Pam in CA]

It may just be a dream but trying to comprehend why relatively new flat panel TV's are being replaced by larger TV's. :confused:

Preparing for the Japanese market? Only thing I can think of.

[Colo Cruiser]

That's a surprise because I think the Viewsonic TV's were replaced during the Sapphire's drydock only 2 years ago. I didn't measure the Royal's flat panel located on the wall near the foot of the bed but guessed it was about 40". We sail on the Sapphire next week & will know if they're in our deck 10 cabin also.

 

Interesting, all 40 inch TV's would be a ton of $$ for Princess to replace the entire ship. :eek:

[dorisis]

Will the new TVs be interactive allowing passengers to order meals, check their accounts, etc.?

[5326jan]

Does anyone know if it still has inputs for RCA cables? We bring a portable DVD on all our cruises for those evenings that we're too tired to go out.

[Astro Flyer]

Will the new TVs be interactive allowing passengers to order meals, check their accounts, etc.?

The Royal is the only ship with an upgraded entertainment system but does not offer ordering meals nor account access. The very basic TV remote has no function for entering an account password but it can be accessed using a password on any Wi-Fi accessible device through their excellent intranet. The TV'S entertainment offers a wide variety of on-demand movies & TV programs, live news channels, repeats of some onboard presentations & Princess produced programs about the history of ports of call.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I'm guessing the old sets were in the 25-30" range. The new sets JUST fit in the designated space. The workman removed and discarded the small brass railing for the edge of the shelf where the TVs are. It makes getting to the outlet behind the set much harder. I liked using that outlet for a power strip for charging phones, camera batteries, etc. No room on the shelf anymore.

 

That makes sense. I was on the Christmas sailing and was noticing that gold railing around the TV. We were on Deck 10, Caribe. That old TV barely fit. Can't imagine squeezing a 40" one in there.

 

Guess they're making changes in anticipation of the new market. When we were onboard, we noticed some of the casino games had been changed out to Chinese and the crew told us all the signage all over the ship would soon be changing to Japanese, Chinese and English.

[Astro Flyer]

Preparing for the Japanese market? Only thing I can think of.

 

Interesting, all 40 inch TV's would be a ton of $$ for Princess to replace the entire ship. :eek:

Based on Mario's post they apparently are willing to spend money on new larger TV'S for the Asian market & I wonder if the upgraded entertainment system & intranet also.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[caribill]

Based on Mario's post they apparently are willing to spend money on new larger TV'S for the Asian market & I wonder if the upgraded entertainment system & intranet also.

 

Princess has announced that the intranet will be added to all ships.

 

For interactive TV entertainment a much bigger expense is required than just new TV sets.

[kenlittleton]

Sapphire Princes Jan 9...

 

 

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[IECalCruiser]

We just got off the Sapphire and the 40" flat screen installations were continuing. We booked a Vista suite with the "free cruise" offer. I don't see how they can install flat screens in the space available in the suites. It will be interesting.

 

Workmen were doing extensive wiring in the corridors. Thought it might be for a interactive system but they said it was for WiFi. That would be good because our WiFi all the way aft was some of the worst I have had on a Princess ship.

 

 

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[san diego sue]

We also were on the Sapphire. We were in a suite deck 10 two weeks ago.

The TV' lined up in the hallway, although the boxes were huge, they are 32 inch TV's.Said so right on the box. Asked the install guy to be sure.

In our suite we already had a small tv and a larger one in a cabinet. He came in when I asked if either one was new. Answer. No. I asked how they would replace those and he didn't know . I saw no extra space to put bigger TV in cabinet.

Don't know where people got the idea these were 40 inch but they need to look again at those boxes and the TV's themselves. They are much bigger than what was there but not 40inch. The ones on the Royal were incredible

and were mounted on the wall.

Edited January 25, 2014 by san diego sue

[Astro Flyer]

The boxes for non-suite cabins were Samsung 40" TVs & they were down to deck 10 installing them so they should be completed soon. I got conflicting info from staff about whether the larger TVs will have the same system as on the Royal including on demand programming.

[WannaCruise365]

Preparing for the Japanese market? Only thing I can think of.

 

Hi Pam...Wonderful finally meeting you in person...it was a nice cruise wasn't it? Great weather, people..crew...Susan~

 

They replaced the TV's because the new ones are "Smart" TV's and they are programming them so they will be interactive, i.e. check out your folio, etc! Finally!

[cr8tiv1]

I was on the Sapphire January 13. Our Caribe cabin had the new televisions. We came back one afternoon and there were "wet paint" signs near the television. So my curiosity got the better of me. Looked, and looked, and looked. Finally saw that they puttied and splotch painted the "wooden" panels that curved along the shelf. IMHO...it was a pretty bad job. Sure hope someone goes back in and puts a finishing coat.

 

Yes, these 2 large televisions do not fit on the shelf in a mini. They do swivel and you can get behind them. I read somewhere that the intranet would be fleet wide by the end of 2013. Not so, yet. Would sure be nice.

[Astro Flyer]

I was on the Sapphire January 13. Our Caribe cabin had the new televisions.

 

Our Caribe deck balcony did not have the larger TVs installed yet & our cabin steward said the insides were done first...were you in an inside? During my 8 days on the Sapphire ending yesterday I saw the boxed TVs & mounts. They were on Aloha, then Baja & finally on Caribe yesterday so the installations should be completed soon.

[cr8tiv1]

Our Caribe deck balcony did not have the larger TVs installed yet & our cabin steward said the insides were done first...were you in an inside? During my 8 days on the Sapphire ending yesterday I saw the boxed TVs & mounts. They were on Aloha, then Baja & finally on Caribe yesterday so the installations should be completed soon.

 

Oops...Sorry, Dolphin 417, mini-suite. I am so glad there are those out there keeping me honest.

[Pam in CA]

I was just on the Sapphire as well and they were working on the WiFi and communications wiring in the ceiling on Emerald deck over a couple of days. No wonder I didn't have any WiFi in my cabin those days! :) I took a photo of the boxes and equipment on Thursday on Baja.

 

Sue, great to meet you, too.

 

[Calif. Cruisers]

We were on the Sapphire in a Mini-Suite with the two new TVs installed. We were sharing the cabin with our son. We had to laugh at the dueling TV remotes. The remote from one TV would affect the other. We could change channels or the volume on the other TV. While it isn't really optimal to have both TVs going with different programs, sometimes we would be watching the bridge cam while he was watching a show, etc. The only solution was to point our remote towards the cabin door instead of at the TV. Nice big sets though!

[poncho1965]

Our cabin D625 had new TV's on the 13th. And yes the remote was controlling both TV's, when I turned one off the other would turn on :-) I like them, very easy on the eyes and hope it is fleet wide!