Disappointment in Caribbean Princess 4/19-4/26

[kendon]

Review from another person on the same cruise.

Would I recommend Caribbean Princess? Absolutely! (With Pictures)

 

Perhaps it wasnt' a good cruise for the OP...for a number of reasons. Maybe expectations were too high, maybe things just went "wrong" for this cruiser, maybe Princess is not a good fit. I get that. I've had misses on Princess myself, but with all of our Princess experiences, I knew that they were just hiccups and never gave up on the line...and glad I didn't!

[Working 2 Cruise]

Carnival would not be a better fit for the OP. If she was disappointed in the food on Princess, she'll starve on Carnival.

 

That's so true!

 

I think cruising may not be for her... I think whatever cruise line she chooses, she probably expects a five star restaurant experience. She did not do any research and as such missed out on so many wonderful options!

 

Did you notice she never came back?

[shredie]

With all due respect to the OP (if I'm wrong) but the OP had not explained or at very least commented on posts by others who have stated quite contrary experiences while onboard the same ship. Does everybody know what a troll is.

 

Yes. It's someone who prefers bananas served in the form of a happy face. ;):p:D

[Tullabelle]

This was not my first cruise nor was it my first Princess cruise....... and to clarify Europe cruise with the family will be my 3rd European cruise.

 

No I didn't research this out as I was invited by friends -- who happen to have Platinum status with Princess. They too were disappointed.

 

We did try the international restaurant..... the pastries were what was offered in the MDR the night before. The soup was the same soup being offered on the buffet and the MDR. And yes I did send food back, more often than I would have liked...... When I asked about alternative food sources I was told that all the dining rooms offered the same menu. Many times when we went to eat the Horizon was closed and we were sent to Cafe Caribe. On the oriental offering day the line to Cafe Caribe made it impossible for us to be served as we had appointments scheduled during the time it was offered.

 

We did eat in the Crown Grill one night and the service and food were excellent. However, when one is paying $2000 + per person I expect to be entertained and served and have a satisfactory meal. Not one that I have to beg for beverages or send my entree back several times. I was looking forward to Rack of Lamb not mutton chops and Eye of Round substitued for Filet Mignon.

 

I agree that cruising has definitely changed. Gone are the days of being spoiled rotten.

[DeeMr]

It's been several years since I have cruised with Princess, however, I joined a group of friends on the Caribbean Princess this last week. I was totally disappointed with the cruise. It was the first cruise for my room mate and trust me she refuses to do another. Have to admit that if this had been my first cruise, I wouldn't either.

What happened to "fun" being part of the cruise? While there were a few people on board that jazzed things up as a whole it was more like lets just do our job but no more. No joking and playing with the passengers, no fun presentation of the food etc. One morning my sliced bananas came in the form of a happy face on the plate, the rest of the time just dumped in a bowl. "Glasses of milk" were delivered, warm in cream pitchers. Food selections were pretty much the same all over the ship and I felt like they were recycling food if they couldn't get rid of it. We did eat in the Crown Grill one night which was excellent, but honestly that was the only meal I enjoyed. Since when are beef filets tough and full of gristle..... There was no presentation. To me the menus were old and tired. I was so looking forward to Rack of Lamb but never did see it on the menu. Did get a lamb chop that tasted more like mutton than lamb. And what's up with all the sugar free stuff? I cook sugar free but I at least substitute artificial sweetener. When they say sugar free they mean sugar free, tasteless and bitter. What I have loved with the other cruise lines is the variety of food all over the ship..... Without spending the extra for the specialty your only other choice was pizza or hamburgers....... not much choice in my opinion. I am happy at home most days eating lean cuisine so I am not that picky but the food on this ship was disgusting at best..... Felt too that everything was being rationed. I had a beverage card but it was like pulling teeth to get a beverage.

The musical entertainment was great. Although I am not one to hang out in the bars. Saw one show and that was enough..... To me everything was geared for the over '70 crowd or those that hang in bars. We were certainly a fish out of water, no matter how hard we tried.

I probably won't do another princess cruise -- which is sad because I am taking my daughter and family to Europe next year, but I want us to really enjoy the trip and based on this past week I'm not hopeful that Princess can deliver.

We just got back from this cruise. Thought it was GREAT. Really impresses with the food and the presentation. Good service from all. Enjoyed the shows but wished they had been longer.we went with another couple, who had gone on one other cruise and said never again. Talked them into this as the are divers, we are not. They also thought it was grat.We cruise once a year, and eat out frequently,so we think it is how you want to see it. Just want others know the other side.

[ar1950]

This is not a criticism of the OP just to be clear. Everybody has a different experience on a cruise. I will say, just judging by the three reviews of the same cruise that are currently on the board, the whole cruise experience is very subjective.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2033536

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2033350

 

Two thumbs up to one thumb down. Guess I would tend to cruise on this ship and itinerary. :cool:

 

YMMV.

 

And PS:

 

We just got back from this cruise. Thought it was GREAT. Really impresses with the food and the presentation. Good service from all. Enjoyed the shows but wished they had been longer.we went with another couple, who had gone on one other cruise and said never again. Talked them into this as the are divers, we are not. They also thought it was grat.We cruise once a year, and eat out frequently,so we think it is how you want to see it. Just want others know the other side.

 

Three thumbs up to one thumb down. Better yet! :cool:

Edited April 28, 2014 by ar1950

[wrongwaywatson]

We were on the CB the week before the OP, and didn't experience any of the problems that they did. We thought that the food in Horizon Court was the best that we have ever had in the buffet, on any of our 7 cruises.

 

The pastries in the IC are NOT left over from the Dining Room. I can guarantee that. They are freshly baked.

 

I thought everyone was super friendly. I had a coke sticker, and I never once had trouble getting a coke.

 

As for music, where else would they be playing if not in the bars? That is where the sound system and stage are. It's hardly like going into a local hometown dumpy bar. I don't drink in there, and I've never felt awkward in one.

 

I guess it is in perception. We were so happy to be on vacation and we don't expect people to fawn all over us. We received prompt, courteous service, and we were very happy with that

[traveling psych nurse]

We were on this cruise and the one before it. We loved it. The staff was friendly and joked with us. The waiter had my husband's jalapeno pepper every night. I was happy with the food. There were many choices. One side of the Horizon Court was open from about 0600 to about 2300. I was in line at the Caribe for 10 minutes or less for sushi lunch both weeks. We found many activities on board and met many lovely people. The bands and comedians were good. No complaints here.

[Tullabelle]

All but one of my group was a seasoned cruiser...... We were all disappointed with this particular cruise. I'm happy that others were not.

I too eat out frequently and being from Houston area I have eaten at many wonderful restaurants, not to mention I have a restaurant/hospitality background. In addition I love to cook and personally would not buy meat that was the quality that was offered.

Rather than continuing to attack me for "my lack of cruise experience" suffice it to say that I'm happy you all got what you paid for, I was merely posting what the experience was like for the 4 of us. The fact that our "virgin cruiser" refuses to cruise again speaks volumes....... especially traveling with people that cruise frequently.

[ar1950]

All but one of my group was a seasoned cruiser...... We were all disappointed with this particular cruise. .................

.............. I was merely posting what the experience was like for the 4 of us. The fact that our "virgin cruiser" refuses to cruise again speaks volumes....... especially traveling with people that cruise frequently.

 

Hmm, maybe. More like it speaks to the "virgin" cruiser's mindset that they wouldn't want to cruise again when, I'm sure, the "experienced" cruisers must have told them that this was not the typical experience that they were used to in cruising. Not an endorsement of anything else to my thinking. Again, not a criticism, just an observation.

[COMBOY]

This was not my first cruise nor was it my first Princess cruise....... and to clarify Europe cruise with the family will be my 3rd European cruise.

 

No I didn't research this out as I was invited by friends -- who happen to have Platinum status with Princess. They too were disappointed.

 

We did try the international restaurant..... the pastries were what was offered in the MDR the night before. The soup was the same soup being offered on the buffet and the MDR. And yes I did send food back, more often than I would have liked...... When I asked about alternative food sources I was told that all the dining rooms offered the same menu. Many times when we went to eat the Horizon was closed and we were sent to Cafe Caribe. On the oriental offering day the line to Cafe Caribe made it impossible for us to be served as we had appointments scheduled during the time it was offered.

 

We did eat in the Crown Grill one night and the service and food were excellent. However, when one is paying $2000 + per person I expect to be entertained and served and have a satisfactory meal. Not one that I have to beg for beverages or send my entree back several times. I was looking forward to Rack of Lamb not mutton chops and Eye of Round substitued for Filet Mignon.

 

I agree that cruising has definitely changed. Gone are the days of being spoiled rotten.

 

I'm sorry for your cruise was disappointing. Food is very subjective and Princess clearly didn't live up to your expectation. Today...cruise prices are very low. I've seen prices as low as $399 for a 7 day cruise so you know they can't provide 5+ star service and cuisine as they used to. Now you can find ships that will spoiled you rotten and service you Rack of Lamb; however you will pay 3 to 4x what you paid on Princess. Looked to Crystal, Oceania, Seaborne, Silversea, Regent or maybe Cunard. Remember, you get what you pay for. Also, food and service can vary greatly between ship to ship even within a cruise line. The industry is very stratified - luxury, upscale mid-market, mass market, budget. Either your standards were too high and/or this ship greatly failed and I believe it was a little of both. This is probably because hadn't cruise with Princess in while and not researched the type of cruise product you had booked. I do believe a majority of passenger are happy with the Princess product given it's price point; but there will always be those that won't and they will need to look to other upscale lines.

[Tullabelle]

I don't call $1500 ea an inexpensive cruise

[Working 2 Cruise]

Comboy, out of four reviews on this board now, this is the only bad one. I agree that the OP should stick.to.luxury lines, but of course, there is no way of guaranteeing that she will like the food. Maybe the brand of caviar they carry may not be good enough for her...

 

By the way, the International Cafe serves salads, sandwiches, pastries and desserts all freshly made, so it's obvious she doesn't know what she's talking about.

[Working 2 Cruise]

I don't call $1500 ea an inexpensive cruise

 

Just be prepared to pay $3000 to $5000 for a 7 day on the luxury lines. Enjoy!

[lovevacadays]

Sorry to hear you and your friends didn't like this cruise. Hopefully you all will find something you like better. Isn't life funny. I just finished reading a review of your cruise from another CC poster who really enjoyed the cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Host Jazzbeau]

I haven't sailed Caribbean Princess, but I did sail Coral Princess twice within the last year. In Alaska, we loved the cruise in general but felt the food wasn't as good as it could be [but "disgusting at best" -- what!!!]. On the same ship a few months later for the Panama Canal, the food was the best we have had on any cruise [and as you can see in my sig, that includes Oceania].

 

OP says "While there were a few people on board that jazzed things up as a whole it was more like lets just do our job but no more. No joking and playing with the passengers, no fun presentation of the food etc. One morning my sliced bananas came in the form of a happy face on the plate, the rest of the time just dumped in a bowl." Is this what they do on Carnival? I don't know, because we haven't sailed that line. But frankly, until I've had my second cup of coffee I don't want anyone joking or playing with my food!!! And happy face bananas would just creep me out ;)

 

Re-reading through the original post and OP's follow-ups, I'm hard pressed to advise any alternative. I have sailed a number of cruise lines, researched many more, and taken a lot of land trips and thanks to business travel have dined in many top restaurants around the US. If a Princess cruise that other cruisers loved was this terrible for OP, it's hard to think what could please her.

 

PS -- I am not even a Cruise Critic host on this forum, just a fellow Princess cruiser.

[DrivesLikeMario]

...I had a beverage card but it was like pulling teeth to get a beverage...

 

Sorry your cruise wasn't what you wanted it to be.

 

As far as your comment above, we've felt that way for many years about the beverage sticker. We used to buy them as a family (yes, we were one of the few families that bought 4 stickers so we each had one and didn't "share"). We felt like we were second class citizens with getting served at bars and the frowns we'd get on waiters' faces when they'd see we had the sticker. Once the price went up, we had even more reason never to buy the soda stickers again.

 

Now, we pay per drink and it's cheaper in the long run and the waiters are more attentive.

[M4dC0w]

The fact that our "virgin cruiser" refuses to cruise again speaks volumes....... especially traveling with people that cruise frequently.

 

Maybe it was the company?

 

Sounds like the virgin cruiser had unreasonable expectations

Edited April 29, 2014 by M4dC0w

[ar1950]

Maybe it was the company

 

Uh, ya' think?? :rolleyes:...... Tried earlier, but, couldn't have said it better myself. :cool:

Edited April 29, 2014 by ar1950

[HMSDingy]

I don't call $1500 ea an inexpensive cruise

 

You're kidding about the cost, right? Again if you had to do some kind of research, you would see that $1500 is not an exorbitant cost for a cruise. Again, IMHO, you seem to dictate to others your experience as a" connoisseur" of fine tastes but yet label foods as disgusting without elaborating on taste, presentation, manner of cooking...etc. BTW how did your cruise jump from $1500 to $2000 in a few paragraphs. I apologize to the other posters on this thread for being blatantly blunt but heck people when has anyone on any cruise line have to "beg" for beverages!! :mad:

[jnc411]

To the OP, So sorry you had a unpleasant experience on the cruise, I do hope you find another cruise line that suits your needs, each person has different wants and needs for a cruise and that is fine . We have cruised with several lines and just have found Princess to be our choice. We have not experienced the things you mentioned, I do not expect 5 * dining I know it is a large ship with alot of people to feed, so I usually am happy with what is offered and there are many options for dinning . As for the sugar free deserts, my husband is a diabetic and he seems to enjoy them just fine. I really don't mind if we don't get towel animals , etc. and the crew has always been friendly toward us. I do hope you can convience your friend to try cruising again with you , it is a lovely way to spend a vacation. As other posters mentioned, perhaps Celebrity X , or Oceania, one of the lux. lines would be a better fit for you. Have a wonderful European cruise , enjoy.

Cori

[Tullabelle]

I'm sure there were several others that enjoyed the cruise...... I merely pointed out my opinion only to be blasted by almost everyone on this board. I agree prices have come down but I did not pay $299 for this cruise. Frankly I am tired of being flamed on this board so please refrain from posting and allow this thread to disappear.

[Skai]

#1 (mass-market)Cruising provides for a good value vacation for a majority of people.

 

#2 (mass-market)Cruising may not be for everyone.

 

#3 Food can be hit-or-miss on (mass-market)cruise ships. Nobody ought to be expecting 5-star gourmet quality. However, one can usually find some pretty good items and not go hungry if they know where to find them.

 

Anybody who has multiple experiences cruising the mass-market lines ought to know this going in.

 

If food is such a 'make or break' for the OP (who claims to live off of Lean Cuisine at home) , then perhaps she ought to look into the luxury lines.

 

However, if she balks at having to pay a cover charge for dining at the specialty restaurant(s) - Which she found to be "excellent".......(SEE: #1 above for more info as it relates to luxury cruising)

[HMSDingy]

Not everyone blasted you on this board, in fact many were overly polite. But again, IMHO, some of your comments seemed a tad over the top for them to be plausible on any cruise, regardless of the price. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion. BTW I stand accused of lighting that match to the flame.:rolleyes:

[Skai]

I'm sure there were several others that enjoyed the cruise...... I merely pointed out my opinion only to be blasted by almost everyone on this board. I agree prices have come down but I did not pay $299 for this cruise. Frankly I am tired of being flamed on this board so please refrain from posting and allow this thread to disappear.

 

Understand that this board is used to a lot of 1st time posters who come to this board and do a 'hit and run' seemingly exaggerated negative review without ever returning and expounding further.

 

There are also a lot of Princess loyalists/cheerleaders here that will fiercely defend the line that they've chosen as their favorite.

 

It must be stated however: What you paid for your cruise is what you paid for in real estate. Your cabin. Aside from suite/loyalty perks, The person paying $299 and the person paying $1999 have access to the same food/service/entertainment etc. on board.

 

You paid for the square footage of your cabin, nothing more.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Skai