New to Princess

[Ken_W]

Hello to all! While I'm not new to cruising, I have not yet cruised on Princess. What has piqued my interest is an itinerary that consists of ports along the West Coast, up and down California and including Ensenada on the (I believe) Star Princess. The cruise is in October, and it's round-trip San Francisco -- which is where my husband and I live, so no flying into and out of port!

 

It's a seven-day itinerary, but the ports are of less interest to us than just getting back onto a ship and getting pampered for few days!

 

My question is this; what is it about Princess that you good folk -- lets call you The Princess Regulars -- like about cruising with Princess as opposed to other lines?

 

I'm sure the dining options play a large part in your preferences, but what else is it about Princess that keeps you coming back for more?

 

For me, a day on board a ship is always preferable to day on land, and when on a ship I can always be found somewhere near the stern watching the wake of the ship receding into the distance. That's me, pretty darned happy, to be back on the water and away from the stress of everyday life...

[rdsqrl]

- Freshwater pools.

- Friendly, generally excellent, service.

- Onboard ambiance strikes a balance: not too quiet/not too cheesy-loud-tacky.

- Big ships w/a small ship vibe: smaller spaces giving a more intimate feel (no cavernous two-story dining rooms, relatively small atria on most ships compared to the Behemoths of the Seas and their ilk), and public rooms/public spaces where you can see the sea -- lots of windows looking out over the promenade deck.

- Huge closet spaces! (Although the rest of the cabin is probably the tiniest at sea -- no sofa/pint-sized bathroom.).

 

Those are my top 5, other than itineraries, which is what drew me to Princess at first, long ago. Since you've got your eye on a particular cruise, you've already found out that part.

[gingera]

One of my favorite parts of the ship is the aft up on level 14, where I can view the wake....love that area.

 

I think Princess offers decent dining options...we love the Vines and the International Café. At the Vines, providing you buy a drink, you can have sushi and tapas. The International Café offers fresh pastries in the morning, sandwiches and salads for lunch and later on. At around 3:30, fresh baked cookies are given to the passengers with milk...nice touch!

 

I think the entertainment is good,,,,my only complaint is that the DJ starts so late for me. I can't stay up past 10 waiting for more current music to dance to. But, if you like the classic or ballroom dancing, there is plenty of that offered earlier.

 

My stateroom has always been very quiet so I usually sleep very well. I love the rocking of the ship....the last cruse we got an upgrade but we were under the walk way of the pool and eating area, so we heard chairs moving all day long and sometimes at 3am. So, I have learned the hard way that upgrades is not always a good thing.

 

I hope you enjoy your trip!

[rpcv77]

My dd and I just did the same itinerary on the Grand in early April. We have cruised Disney, Carnival and dd has done RCL. This was our second Princess cruise, the first being AUS/NZ . We liked the food better, in all venues and loved the International Cafe (which was not on the Diamond). Overall, the atmosphere was less glitzy and frantic than Carnival. There is plenty to do, but if you want zip lines, climbing walls and skating rinks, Princess is not your line. I cruise to relax, when not in port. On the CA coastal, I saw five Academy Award caliber movies (I love MUTS!), read two books and just watched the world drift by. I live in San Jose, so it was a treat to not have to fly anywhere. We had been to all the ports before so just strolled around on our own with two exceptions. The half day winery tour (LA Cetto and doña Lupe) was well worth it, with tastings, snacks and a free bottle of wine. In the afternoon, we walked to the Ensenada fish market for delicious, incredibly fresh fish tacos and cocteles de pulpo. In San Diego, we rented bikes for a few hours and just enjoyed a casual ride along the waterfront and the city. After two cruises, I'm sold on Princess as is dd so we both made future cruise deposits. Enjoy!

[Pam in CA]

Compared to other lines I've been on, Princess cabins seem to be more sound-proof. There are very few announcements during the day and the vibe is laid back.

 

When you board one Princess ship, you feel at home on just about all the others. You know what to expect. All Princess ships have self-serve laundries.

 

For me, Princess has the best loyalty program. I don't care about a free drink but prefer a really good Internet package, unlimited laundry service (especially nice on a longer cruise), and other perks.

 

I'm a 3-star Mariner on HAL, have sailed RCL several times and taken a Celebrity cruise. Overall, I've had the best food, waitstaff and cabin staff on Princess.

[shredie]

 

When you board one Princess ship, you feel at home on just about all the others. You know what to expect.

 

 

This is true and one of the reasons I like Princess. I like the subdued and elegant decor on Princess ships. I also like the more subdued crowd. (I don't miss the hairy chest contests like on other lines.) The Princess Theater has good sight lines and comfortable seats. We sailed Princess more often because of the west coast departure ports, but we've also done Carnival for the same reasons. When there is a choice, we take Princess.

[satxdiver]

I agree with what has been said so far. Add to those comments Princess allows you to reserve ship tours with cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour on most and does not charge you until you board the ship. Also no pre-payment of gratuities (RCI charges if free time dining selected).

 

I enjoy the smaller venues and the large windows no matter where you are on the ship so that you can see out. I enjoy the large jumbo screen over the main pool (MUTS) and the evening movies. The pizza from the pizzaria is delicious and available 11 AM to 11 PM as is the grill with hamburgers/hotdogs etc. Both are located near the main pool.

 

The best perk though for me is the Veterans OBC (amount depending on length of cruise from $50 to $250) so if you are a military Veteran be sure to apply for it before you sail. All you need is a copy of your DD214 sent to Princess. They remember it after that.

[Pam in CA]

Forgot to mention that Princess allows TAs to discount fares and if your TA books a lot of Princess cruises and discounts, you can save 10-20%, depending on when you book, cabin category and cruise. If they don't, find a TA that does.

[avalon1025]

Just returned from a similar cruise and though service was good in the areas of the ship that we remained in (most of the general public areas of the Crown were way to crowded), I would say Princess provides a basic cruise product, not wow, not terrible, but a cruise for those who want everything rather bland. Now the Star carries less passengers that will solve some of the issues I had with the crown, but sailing from SF is convenient and the price it right, go for it. Just don't expect a five star experience

[paluni]

We stay with Princess partly because we're afraid to try other lines. We're always happy with Princess, so why take a chance on something different? My husband is definitely a creature of habit. I have to have a laundromat - can't imagine not being able to do my own laundry. The staff tend to be nice and friendly, there aren't many smokers, I can't recall seeing a drunk, the people in general are over 50 (but so are we), and they are nice and intelligent. We don't encounter many children, which is a plus for us. We like a promenade deck, which means we may never try the Royal Princess. All in all, it's a good experience for us. We like the food and everything. There's a part of me that would like to experience the fabled Carnival, but time and money don't allow us to just do it to satisfy curiosity. Might not work for us!

[dorisis]

All of the above and the Elite benefits are better than other lines. Princess also allows you to combine OBCs and will even refund what you don't spend. And you can spend them on anything onboard.

[skynight]

My question is this; what is it about Princess that you good folk -- lets call you The Princess Regulars -- like about cruising with Princess as opposed to other lines? I'm sure the dining options play a large part in your preferences, but what else is it about Princess that keeps you coming back for more?

Here is my long winded take. The Star is a nice ship. It is one of the three original Grand Class ships with a very nice public space to passenger layout. We sailed 58 days on her over the last few years and are booked for another 32 next winter from SF.

Dining: Free dining includes the Main Dining Rooms, International Cafe, Horizon Ct. Buffet, and the outdoor areas by the Neptune's Reef Pool with Pizza and The Grill. The Star also has an indoor pool with lots of tables for eating, playing cards, etc. The MDR's are open each day for breakfast and dinner and for lunch on sea days. Evening dining can be either traditional fixed seating or anytime (ATD) dining. The International Cafe is open 24 hours, Buffet from 6am continuously until 11pm. There will also be a Pub Lunch served on certain sea days in the Crown Grill at no charge. Vines wine bar in the piazza offers sushi & tapas for no extra charge with the purchase of any drink. Free room service is also available. Afternoon tea is held mid afternoon each day. The surcharge restaurants are Crown Grill with seafood, steaks and chops, Sabatini’s Italian both have the current fee of $25pp. The Star Princess may also offer the Crab Shack on certain evenings. This is held in a section of the buffet seating area, current cost is $20pp. Reservations are recommended for surcharge dining venues. Call the DINE line once on board. No pre-cruise reservations. You can also make reservations each day for ATD, by calling the DINE line.

Boarding: Go directly to your cabin, drop your stuff and start cruising. No lugging around your carry ons until the cabin call. Muster is held in the indoor lounges on deck 7. No standing around on deck. Arrive 5 to 10 mins. early to get a seat. You are allowed to carry on one 750ml bottle of wine per adult at no charge for use in your cabin. You can bring on additional wine at a $15 per bottle corkage charge. These bottles will be marked and can be used anywhere on the ship. No spirits or beer allowed. You are allowed to carry on as many soft drinks as you wish. In exchange for having your cabin ready upon boarding, it is requested that you exit your cabin by 8am on the last day. Since you are most likely driving to the pier, would suggest you take the early self walk off option. You should be on the road by 8am.

Tipping: Princess uses the “Auto-Tip” system. Each night your folio will be charged $11.50pp “Hotel Charge.” The amount is $12pp for mini and full suites. This covers all the tips for the room steward, waiters and others that serve you. We always provide our room steward and waiters (if we have traditional dining) with an additional cash tip. A 15% grat. is added to all bar charges.

Entertainment: Daytime activities are all the normal ones, including trivia, bingo, silly games, etc. There will also be hour long free Zumba, normally in the Vista Lounge. In the evening there will be production shows and guest entertainers in the Theater and the Vista Lounge. No reservations, just walk in, but for the shows around 8pm, arrive early. Live music is provided in all the lounges around the ship. Game shows, theme nights, evening trivia, pub night, in Explorer’s Lounge, Piano music in Crooner’s, and for the party people a DJ in Skywalker’s starting a 10pm. By the way, many people sit and read or just chill out in Skywalker’s during the day. Very nice views.

Smoking: Smoking is not allowed in any cabin or on any balcony. There are limited designated smoking areas around the ship outdoors, and indoors you can only smoke in the Casino and Shooter’s Cigar Bar. Smoking isn’t defined as port or starboard, and lounging areas all around the pools are non smoking.

 

Hope this information is helpful.

[mcgratru]

Hairy Chest contest!! This is exactly how I explain why I like Princess over Carnival....several other reasons but this says it all for me!

[RetiredNTraveling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pam in CA View Post

 

When you board one Princess ship, you feel at home on just about all the others. You know what to expect.

 

 

This is true and one of the reasons I like Princess. I like the subdued and elegant decor on Princess ships. I also like the more subdued crowd. (I don't miss the hairy chest contests like on other lines.) The Princess Theater has good sight lines and comfortable seats. We sailed Princess more often because of the west coast departure ports, but we've also done Carnival for the same reasons. When there is a choice, we take Princess.

 

Princess is just perfect for us, as we enjoy the "at home feelings that you get upon boarding"! ;) As for choice, well if you are landlocked like us, you go for the best every time! "Only Princess"! :D

[sfpen66]

I used to be loyal to Royal. Not anymore! Princess is grand!!

 

We love the cabins, plenty of storage space and so quite no matter what location your cabin is in. Excellent service from everyone. We just came off the Star Princess last month on our Hawaii cruise. The ship is so elegant. The entertainment was great, especially the comedians.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Bruin Steve]

Hello to all! While I'm not new to cruising, I have not yet cruised on Princess. What has piqued my interest is an itinerary that consists of ports along the West Coast, up and down California and including Ensenada on the (I believe) Star Princess. The cruise is in October, and it's round-trip San Francisco -- which is where my husband and I live, so no flying into and out of port!

 

It's a seven-day itinerary, but the ports are of less interest to us than just getting back onto a ship and getting pampered for few days!

 

My question is this; what is it about Princess that you good folk -- lets call you The Princess Regulars -- like about cruising with Princess as opposed to other lines?

 

I'm sure the dining options play a large part in your preferences, but what else is it about Princess that keeps you coming back for more?

 

For me, a day on board a ship is always preferable to day on land, and when on a ship I can always be found somewhere near the stern watching the wake of the ship receding into the distance. That's me, pretty darned happy, to be back on the water and away from the stress of everyday life...

 

Ken,

I'll give you a little different perspective than most on here.

I have cruised on seven different cruise lines, including Princess, though Princess is far from my favorite...not the bottom of my list either, but not my favorite. I prefer Celebrity or Oceania--for a number of reasons...

But Princess is, certainly, at least, acceptable and enjoyable.

I could nitpick about a few items where, IMHO, they fall short of, say, Celebrity...but it would be nitpicking...

My perspective on Princess is that they do a lot of things fairly well...

All cruise lines do a lot of the same things--they feed you, entertain you and take you from port to port...they provide pools and jacuzzis, a spa, a casino, various lounges and bars and other venues in which to relax...

What separates most cruise lines is those few small extras, the spaciousness and elegance of the experience, the level of the service and the layout/design of the ships...

And, of course, everyone has different criteria and different standards by which they judge--so, what may win high marks with me might be unimportant or even negative to others--and vice versa.

For me, for example, I don't enjoy Carnival--too crowded, service not elegant, too many corners cut. I love Celebrity--less crowded ships, high level of service, etc.

So, where does Princess come out on my scale? They are somewhere in the middle...Though I find some failings from time to time, there's nothing that would make me say I'm not coming back...

For example, the cabins are not laid out well--unless you move up to at least a mini-suite--the standard balcony cabins have no real sitting area--no sofa, etc. But they do have very good closet and storage space...and how much time do you spend in the cabin after all. If you like large baclonies, the Caribe Deck on most Princess ships will oblige you there...

The entertainment is fairly good...so is the food (though I find the dining rooms somewhat disorganized and the service less than one finds on, say, Celebrity or Oceania--but still better than most restaurants back home)...

 

Overall, though, and most importantly, it is a relaxing and enjoyable experience...I think that if this particular cruise would only fit my schedule, I would take it in a heartbeat...

 

We actually are taking Princess in November for a short three-nighter...for the second year in a row...Why? My wife works for the LA School District and the cruise fits neatly into her calendar--tucked in just before the Thanksgiving holiday and family commitments--and it leaves from LA so we don't have to deal with planes or airfare or logistics...The itinerary is meaningless to us--we're doing it only for the cruise experience.

 

There is something really nice about just getting on a ship locally and kicking back...enjoying three great meals a day in the dining room (One other good thing about Princess here--they open the main dining room for lunch at embarkation-something most cruise lines don't do)...going to a show each night, hanging out in a bar or lounge, meeting people, enjoying social interaction, relaxing while other serve you...Something decadent--and highly enjoyable--about all that...

 

I look at these California Coastal itineraries and think "Geez, how can I get excited going to a bunch of ports I could drive to in a short weekend?" BUT, then again, the ports aren't important...I'd get off at each port and do something touristy--just to do it and to get a break on land...but what I'd really savor is the relaxing cruise time. Know that it's not going to be as exciting as, say, a Mediterranean cruise--where you look forward to long days of touring art and architecture and archaeology and savoring the different cultures, cuisines and histories...

 

Is this the itinerary that goes to Ensenada, Long Beach, San Diego and Santa Barbara? Yeah, none of those ports are going to be too exciting...but here's what I would do:

Ensenada: We go there often when we do these short cruise like out Golden Princess cruise in November...It's not the greatest Mexican port--by a long shot--but, after many visits, we've settled on this routine: The ship offers an excursion that visits two small wineries--tours and wine tasting...also olive oil, bread and cheese in one, pizza in the other...and they throw in a free bottle of wine to each participant...It's a nice little getaway from the the town as these wineries are off in a secluded valley. Then, we opt to be let off in town, have some fish tacos at Papas 'n' Beer...and walk back to the ship with a little shopping along the way...

Long Beach: It's really somewhat remote from the sights of Los Angeles--but, since you are a Cunard regular, you might want to just walk next door and tour the Queen Mary--then back on the ship...

San Diego: Again, not very exciting...but there's the Zoo...or a harbor cruise

Santa Barbara: I would probably try to put together a group and arrange for a private tour up to the Santa Ynez Valley wine country and, perhaps, a walk around Solvang...

Altogether, the ports won't wow you...and the ship likely won't blow you away...BUT it will be a very enjoyable week, you will be treated very well, you will eat well, you will be entertained and taken care of...and it beats being home, working and fending for yourselves...

 

ENJOY...

[OCruisers]

While we sometimes sail on other cruise lines, Princess is the best fit for us and feel more "at home" on Princess. :)

Among other things, we like ...

The passenger base (normally many from the UK)

Bar/lounges are comfortable friendly places to be

No advance payment when booking shore excursions

Cabins being ready when we board

International Café (on the ships that have them)

Best loyalty program of all cruise lines

LuLu

[Ken_W]

First let me take a moment to say "Thank you" for all of the really thoughtful and well-expressed comments that you've all provided. I appreciate the time that you took as much as I appreciate the content, and I have to say that if you're representative of the typical Princess passenger, then Princess attracts a very nice lot of people indeed and it would be a pleasure to sail with you.

 

You've covered just about everything I can think of (and very well, which tells me a lot), but there is one thing I'd like to know; if we've chosen ATD (is that Any Time Dining? Did I get the acronym right? Am I catching on?) and I order a bottle of wine but don't finish it, is that bottle available for me to finish only if I return to the same restaurant? Or can I go to a different restaurant and get "my" bottle? (My partner doesn't drink wine, so it frequently happens that one bottle lasts me two nights or more. Usually.)

 

The next step in the decision making process is for my partner to confirm that he can get the time off from work. I'll keep you all posted, and thanks again.

[Pam in CA]

If you buy a bottle of wine and don't finish it, they tag it with your name and cabin # and store it in a central location. Whether you're in a different dining room, in a specialty restaurant or even in the buffet, you can ask for it and it'll be delivered and poured.

[skynight]

[quote name=Ken_W;42650241

You've covered just about everything I can think of (and very well' date=' which tells me a lot), but there is one thing I'd like to know; if we've chosen ATD (is that Any Time Dining? Did I get the acronym right? Am I catching on?) and I order a bottle of wine but don't finish it, is that bottle available for me to finish only if I return to the same restaurant? Or can I go to a different restaurant and get "my" bottle? (My partner doesn't drink wine, so it frequently happens that one bottle lasts me two nights or more. Usually.)

[/quote]

 

You can order a bottle of wine in any dining room. If you don't finish it just tell your waiter that you wish to have it saved. They will mark the bottle for you and save it. Go to any dining area, even the buffet, show them your cruise card and mention you have an unfinished bottle, and they will retrieve it for you. In some restaurants it might take a little time as the storage area could be further away, but they will get it, no problem.

[Ken_W]

Just wanted to let you all know that yes, we're booked on the Star Princess for the 10/11/14 Coastal California voyage. Vacation days have been staked out, deposit made and, since the prices were so right, we've splurged a bit on a mini-suite.

 

I have really enjoyed all you responses, and have been reading more and more on the Princess board here and have been impressed by the friendliness and the knowledge of all the Princess regulars, and hope to meet some of you on board.

 

Cheers, and happy sailing to all!

[Coveguy4]

You will have a great cruise! My partner and I and many of our friends prefer Princess as our cruise line of choice.

[TorontoTL]

Hi Ken, I am sure that you and your partner will enjoy your first Princess cruise as much as my partner and I have enjoyed all of ours! I think you will also find that the cruise line and staff are all very gay positive as well. Look out the the LGBT get togethers listed in the Princess Patters (daily activity guide) if you're interested in meeting other gay couples on board. There are usually at least a few other couples who show up on most cruises we've been on.

[lovevacadays]

:)

- Freshwater pools.

- Friendly, generally excellent, service.

- Onboard ambiance strikes a balance: not too quiet/not too cheesy-loud-tacky.

- Big ships w/a small ship vibe: smaller spaces giving a more intimate feel (no cavernous two-story dining rooms, relatively small atria on most ships compared to the Behemoths of the Seas and their ilk), and public rooms/public spaces where you can see the sea -- lots of windows looking out over the promenade deck.

- Huge closet spaces! (Although the rest of the cabin is probably the tiniest at sea -- no sofa/pint-sized bathroom.).

 

Those are my top 5, other than itineraries, which is what drew me to Princess at first, long ago. Since you've got your eye on a particular cruise, you've already found out that part.

 

All of this plus, you can go straight to your cabin when you board (not so one some other lines), the aft deck area outside of the Horizon Court is great with the amazing view of the wake, the buffet is open longer hours than some other cruise lines, there are so many quiet places on Princess ships where you can just relax and read, and more and more.:):):)

[navybaby1113]

:)

 

All of this plus, you can go straight to your cabin when you board (not so one some other lines), the aft deck area outside of the Horizon Court is great with the amazing view of the wake, the buffet is open longer hours than some other cruise lines, there are so many quiet places on Princess ships where you can just relax and read, and more and more.:):):)

 

Oh, getting to your cabin immediately is a nice perk. Does everyone get that perk, regardless of what category room?