Star or Grand Princess? Which is better?

[#1Nanna]

We are looking to book a Mexico cruise, Jan 2015. We are trying to decide between 9 days on the Grand out of LA or 10 days on the Star out of San Francisco. Itinerary is the same except for 1 extra sea day on the Star. So I am not needing to know about ports, only differences or preferences on ships. Thanks for your help!!!

Edited February 18, 2014 by #1Nanna

[cr8tiv1]

The Grand Princess has (recommended) Window Suites, no Skywalker's Lounge, but does have Alfredo's. I haven't been on the Grand, yet, but I did not like how the Star restricts the flow of foot traffic on deck 7. With the Grand's redesign for the Window Suites, the passage ways to the Princess Theater flow smoother.

 

Same cost? I'd take the extra sea day.

[Cras108er]

I don't cruise for ships. My first criteria is itinerary, my second is length, and my third is price. You can only control so many variables. Having said that, I have cruised both the Star and the Grand. I think the ships are pretty similar. The Grand shows it's age more, but I'd take an extra cruise day on any serviceable ship any day.

[cardqb]

We weighed the pros and cons of the Grand and Star for an upcoming cruise to Hawaii. We decided on the Grand because of Alfredo's. The extra dining option was a perk. We enjoyed Alfredo's several times on our cruise to Alaska on the Grand, so wouldn't want to be without it. Also the Grand was sailing out of LA.. Star out of SF... parking and luggage drop off at SF was a pain, so LA hopefully will be easier. And taxes out of SF are a tad bit higher as well.

Edited February 18, 2014 by cardqb

[J-D]

As already noted, they are sister ships, but Star was built more recently, and various modifications have been made such that they now have quite a few differences. We have been on each of these ships twice. Alfredo's on the Grand is indeed a very good addition. Some of us are not happy about the Grand's "Skywalkersectomy"; others like the resulting extra sunlight aft. We find the lack of a regularly-accessible central staircase on the Grand above deck 7 to be quite annoying; some people don't mind. Probably not much of an issue for the OP's relatively short cruise, but the closets in the Grand's balcony, oceanview, and interior cabins have a much shorter clothes railing than in the later ships including the Star -- much less space for hangars on the Grand

 

All things considered, we prefer the Star, but would not hesitate to travel on the Grand again if that seemed best from other considerations. However, we would try to avoid a cabin in the central part of the Grand given the frequent congestion at the central elevators associated with the lack of (accessible) central stairs.

 

John

[ctemkg]

We find the lack of a regularly-accessible central staircase on the Grand above deck 7 to be quite annoying; some people don't mind.

 

Hi J-D. When I looked at the Grand deck plans on the princess site, they show a central staircase next to the central elevators. Were you referring to something else?

[Cras108er]

Hi J-D. When I looked at the Grand deck plans on the princess site, they show a central staircase next to the central elevators. Were you referring to something else?

 

The central staircase only goes to Deck 7. You either have to use the forward or aft staircases from there, or take the elevator. It takes some getting used to.

[#1Nanna]

The central staircase only goes to Deck 7. You either have to use the forward or aft staircases from there, or take the elevator. It takes some getting used to.

 

 

That's for all of your help! I am just curious, why does the central elevator not go past deck 7? What is there?

[bhopal21]

That's for all of your help! I am just curious, why does the central elevator not go past deck 7? What is there?

 

Staircase.

 

The elevators go all the way.

 

Mike:)

[#1Nanna]

Sorry - I meant staircase.

[sfo2008]

The grand deck plans are misleading and the central elevator can bottleneck because of lack of stairs. Otherwise she's a great ship

[scanditaly]

consider that the star has a covered reef pool; good for not so hot climates, or even to stay out of the sun.

 

I do not believe the Grand has the same. trying to figure out the Crown's pool status.

[cruisincdns]

The central staircase only goes to Deck 7. You either have to use the forward or aft staircases from there, or take the elevator. It takes some getting used to.

 

On the Grand deck plans, it shows the central stairs going from the Plaza Level 4 to the Lido Deck 14. Are they "closed/gated" off from public access, with signage, from Emerald to Lido decks?

[Cras108er]

That's for all of your help! I am just curious, why does the central elevator not go past deck 7? What is there?

 

The stairs lead to a crew only access on deck 8. Not sure why. As someone else said, the elevators operate all the way to Lido.

 

BTW, the Grand also has a covered Reef pool. One pool is covered, the other is not.

[J-D]

The key point is that, on the Grand, the central staircase above deck 7 is not regularly accessible -- it is normally "crew only". Those stairs are available for passenger use only during emergencies or simulated emergencies, e.g., boat drill on embarkation day. All of the large Princess ships built subsequently had a permanently-accessible central staircase until the current Royal Princess was commissioned -- inexplicably, with the same flaw as the Grand despite all the problems & complaints about the Grand's lack of a regularly-accessible central stairwell.

 

Again, some people do not find this to be a problem. However, those of us who like to use the central stairs to quickly get from deck-to-deck (and/or for exercise), along with those who fret about elevator congestion and delays, are often frustrated by the lack of a useable central stairwell.

 

John

[TLC535]

As someone who has sail on both, we would choose the Star, the lack of center (passenger) staircase was an issue for us as we like using the stairs, I was aware of the staircase not being accessible before we booked but didn't feel (at the time) it would be an issue...live & learn ;) for us, it was very frustrating and definitely caused slower elevators...did it "ruin" our cruise...NOT at all, but probably would not choose the Grand again unless it was an amazing itinerary that we couldn't get elsewhere, plus for some unknown reason to us, we just did not "feel" as comfortable or "at home" on the Grand as we did on the Star and every other Princess cruise we have taken :confused: - plus an extra cruising day is always a good thing in our book :D

Whichever you do....ENJOY !!!