Princess to Add 19th Ship to Fleet

[Northender]

Princess is going more pay as you go than you would like to believe.

 

Royal Class Dining Pay as You Go:

 

Crown Grill - $25

Always go to CG, price has not changed in years and worth every penny

Sabatini's - $25

Miss is the "old" Sabs, still same price tho. Depends on menu if we go or not.

Ocean Terrace - a la carte pricing - no interest

Crab Shack - $20 - even less interest:D

Fondue - $20 - Nah

Winemakers Dinner - $40 - Nope and I am a wino.:cool:

Ultimate Balcony Dinner - $50 - Have never done this so do not know if this is more expensive than in the past. May try it sometime tho.

Chef's Table (higher priced/lesser experience) - $115 - Loved it at $75

Gelato's (not even real gelato - it's ice cream) -$3 - Will use my coffee card if I really want some. It used to be $1.50 for three scoops. Better than anything we can get in these parts.;)

 

Of course, there is also the Sanctuary and Enclave and RCI does not charge for the adult solarium.

 

If you think Princess doesn't play the same game as other cruise lines, you are mistaken. They play the same game. They just don't do it as well.

 

Have never used the Sanctuary, but friends that have love it.

 

I would be disappointed if they charge for Alfredo's. But I did enjoy the pizza on the Royal. We are going on the Star in April and no Alfredo's.:eek:

 

I enjoy Princess' dining. Some other lines you have to eat elsewhere. I hope that Princess does watch the upcharges as eventually people just won't take part in that type of venue. I would always be in for Crown Grill on any cruise. Maybe more than once.

[hubofhockey]

Hopefully they don't institute the charges for Alfredo's again. They never did say it was a mistake to charge for Alfredo's, they just admitted they shouldn't have sprung it on passengers in the manner they did.

 

 

Alfredo's really shouldn't rate as an upcharge restaurant. We like it because it's a place for decent casual food where you get served without having to deal with the production of the MDR. The pastas are the size of tapas or appetizers. The pizzas are decent too. You can always get a table too. I think the charge was supposed to be a cover for drink purchases. That was a money grab by Princess. They are no different than other cruise lines. They just aren't as good at it. I think Sabatini's needs a makeover as well. It definitely went downhill subsequent to the change in menu.

[Carolyn R]

I sailed on the Royal last fall and loved the expanded Alfredo's menu. I would be disappointed if there was a charge reinstituted because I think it is a great venue to stop for just a dessert and coffee, or a snack, maybe a small salad or appetizer. Charging would eliminate that type of diner.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Thats great, that means that the droves that are leaving Princess for X will leave lots of room for us Princess loyalists.

I say to them, don't let the door hitcha. ;)

Most doors work both ways, and so do cruise lines.

[Sunviking]

I'd be interested to know what the three other ships were. I'm sure even with two ships some ports can be overwhelmed, much less a fleet of cruise ships riding anchor. But sometimes when there are two larger ships there, the others others might be like the Costa Classica, Thompson Majesty, or Seabourn Spirit. Maybe we can ascertain what the port load was for that day you were there?

 

No, the other ships that were there were the MSC Fantasia, the Costa Magica and I think the third was a HAL ship but I'm not sure because it was anchored on the other side of the old town. The two I remember each carry 3000+ passengers. We estimated that somewhere in the neighborhood of 13,000 cruise pax were deposited in Dubrovnik that day. The throng waiting to go in the Pile Gate was incredible. I turned around and went back to the ship. My DD persisted and eventually got in. Before she did she thought she was going to see a brawl as people pushed, shoved and yelled.

 

I think many of the ports in the Med can be overwhelmed if several large ships stop in them on the same day. Santorini is one of our favorite places and if two or 3 ships the size of a Grand class are there it can be oppressively crowded, especially getting back down to the tender dock.

[shredie]

Thats great, that means that the droves that are leaving Princess for X will leave lots of room for us Princess loyalists.

I say to them, don't let the door hitcha. ;)

 

Yep. I still say that the tipping point is going to come when people decide bigger isn't better and go looking for the smaller ships again. If the only alternative to cruising's future is bigger ships every build, then pretty soon a ship large enough won't be possible. Yes, I know the way of the future, new customers, yada yada, but it's not what I say or what they say, it's what the market says. We'll see.

Edited August 9, 2014 by shredie

[Ethel5]

Yep. I still say that the tipping point is going to come when people decide bigger isn't better and go looking for the smaller ships again. If the only alternative to cruising's future is bigger ships every build, then pretty soon a ship large enough won't be possible. Yes, I know the way of the future, new customers, yada yada, but it's not what I say or what they say, it's what the market says. We'll see.

 

I once asked a Captain just how big the ships will get and his answer was "until the ports can't hold them." So if popular ports can't let a ship dock, then they lose money and the cruise lines have very limited itineraries.

[Iamcruzin]

Princess is going more pay as you go than you would like to believe.

 

 

 

Royal Class Dining Pay as You Go:

 

 

 

Crown Grill - $25

 

Sabatini's - $25

 

Ocean Terrace - a la carte pricing

 

Crab Shack - $20

 

Fondue - $20

 

Winemakers Dinner - $40

 

Ultimate Balcony Dinner - $50

 

Chef's Table (higher priced/lesser experience) - $115

 

Gelato's (not even real gelato - it's ice cream) -$3

 

 

 

Of course, there is also the Sanctuary and Enclave and RCI does not charge for the adult solarium.

 

 

 

If you think Princess doesn't play the same game as other cruise lines, you are mistaken. They play the same game. They just don't do it as well.

 

They have less specialty restaurants than other lines and they cost half the price as the restaurants on Celebrity. Gelato was always an up charge and the other choices such as fondue and crab shack are not permanent fixtures and are only offered a few times per sailing. However they did try to make Alfredo's an up charge venue on the Regal but got caught with their pants down for false advertisement as per the website.NCL's MDR doesn't compare to Princess so you are forced to pay to eat in a specialty restaurant if you want variety. Royal Caribbean is just a mall at see with it's many shops and, Johnny Rockets and Ben and Jerry's which I can get at home. Yes Princes does have up charges but nothing that I need to participate in as I find the included food venues enjoyable. Of course it can all change in the future.

[hubofhockey]

They have less specialty restaurants than other lines and they cost half the price as the restaurants on Celebrity. Gelato was always an up charge and the other choices such as fondue and crab shack are not permanent fixtures and are only offered a few times per sailing. However they did try to make Alfredo's an up charge venue on the Regal but got caught with their pants down for false advertisement as per the website.NCL's MDR doesn't compare to Princess so you are forced to pay to eat in a specialty restaurant if you want variety. Royal Caribbean is just a mall at see with it's many shops and, Johnny Rockets and Ben and Jerry's which I can get at home. Yes Princes does have up charges but nothing that I need to participate in as I find the included food venues enjoyable. Of course it can all change in the future.

 

Mall at sea that has better entertainment and facilities than Princess. Quite honestly, I've never bought anything in a store on Royal Caribbean nor had Ben & Jerrys either. I also prefer Park Cafe to Johnny Rockets. There are enough choices on Royal Caribbean for anyone of all ages.

 

You mention the upcharges that aren't fixtures. Given their lack of popularity, that might be a good thing.

Edited August 9, 2014 by hubofhockey
correction

[caribill]

If I had my 'rathers', I'd rather Princess Cruises got ride of The Sanctuary. It's time has come and gone, and other lines have shown that it can be an adult retreat without pillaging the consumer.

 

Its time has not gone until it is no longer a profit maker.

 

Increasing the daily charge recently from $30 to $40 indicates it still is popular with enough passengers.

[dmwnc1959]

Its time has not gone until it is no longer a profit maker.

 

Increasing the daily charge recently from $30 to $40 indicates it still is popular with enough passengers.

 

 

I'm not sure if 'popular' is the right word. ;) It's literally the only place on a Princess Cruises ship where you can almost Escape Compeltely away from the majority of the other passengers. And that's why people pay for it: the near isolation and seclusion it offers. And there seems to be a sort of vanity involved. It's just a shame you have to pay so much for that. And you're correct in saying that people will pay for this no matter what the price, even if it's just for a day. Which is why we had people lining up at 6am to grab a spot in this little Garden of Eden styled utopia. I much preferred the expansive adult-only solarium on Allure of the Seas. And I didn't have to pay extra to use it.

[dmwnc1959]

No, the other ships that were there were the MSC Fantasia, the Costa Magica and I think the third was a HAL ship...We estimated that somewhere in the neighborhood of 13,000 cruise pax were deposited in Dubrovnik that day.

 

Sounds like an ordeal indeed. These small-scale European cities, especially those confined to an enclosure, weren't built then for what we do to them today with our mass invasion of tourists. We seemed to be stampeding some of these world heritage sights into extinction. Even in the Caribbean when six ships descend on Grand Cayman it's a mess, so I can only imagine how bad it is for places like Dubrovnik.

[dmwnc1959]

Princess is going more pay as you go than you would like to believe.

 

Royal Class Dining Pay as You Go:

 

 

Most of the nine dining venues on your list also exist on the majority of Grand-class ships with three exceptions, and the Winemakers Table seems to be a hit so much to the point all I hear is that people wish Princess Cruises would extend it to the other ships in their fleet. But, as others have mentioned, Celebrity Cruises charges quite a bit more, and NCL is the master of up charge dining.

 

P.S. I dined at/used 8 of the 9 upcharge venues listed (some more than once) on Royal Princess and really enjoyed the experience. It added to the overall enjoyment of my two weeks aboard ship and I wouldn't hesitate to do them again, except maybe Fondues. It was good, but once was enough for me. ;)

 

:D

Edited August 10, 2014 by dmwnc1959

[shredie]

I'm not sure if 'popular' is the right word. ;) It's literally the only place on a Princess Cruises ship where you can almost Escape Compeltely away from the majority of the other passengers.

 

And bigger ships mean bigger crowds.

[dmwnc1959]

And bigger ships mean bigger crowds.

 

My 'crowd' experience on Royal Princess was quite a bit less than that of Ruby Princess the year prior, and Allure of the Seas felt a lot less crowded than either Princess Cruises ship. It's not just a factor of the number of passengers, it's how they're disbursed within and around the ship.

[Coral]

And bigger ships mean bigger crowds.

 

The space ratio on the Royal/Regal is better than the Crown/Ruby/Emerald/Caribbean Princess ships. It should feel less crowded.

[PescadoAmarillo]

The space ratio on the Royal/Regal is better than the Crown/Ruby/Emerald/Caribbean Princess ships. It should feel less crowded.

 

It definitely does. Except for the hot tubs (enough to seat 30 people on a ship with 3600) and elevators (wildly inadequate).