Princess vs Celebrity

[BosoxI]

I know this topic has been frequently addressed but I can't resist making a few observations. DW and I took a 16 day TA on the Connie in November, our eighteenth on Celebrity, and yesterday we ended a 16 day back to back on the Caribbean and Island Princess, our twenty third on that line. We hadn't been on Princess in four years.

 

These cruises confirmed that we would be happy on either, depending on itinerary and price, of course.

 

The striking difference is the dining experience in the main restaurants. Princess is the clear winner, as it's chefs properly season the food. The pasta dishes were particularly outstanding. The Princess dining rooms were proper restaurants, lower ceilings with well spaced tables. In sixteen nights only twice was our table for two in close proximity to a neighbor's. In comparison there are times on X ships when I've been convinced that the chefs were limited to salt and pepper, so bland was the food, and the cavernous dining rooms with tables almost butted up to each other hold little appeal. Also, Princess employs head waiters to ensure a smooth operation but, unlike Celebrity, does not have sommeliers. We didn't see Princess waiters rushing though the restaurant, as is usually the case on X ships. Yet, Oceanliners is still our favorite specialty restaurant, and in general Celebrity's specialty restaurants are superior to Princess'

 

I know it's cheap sparkling wine, but I missed it when boarding the Princess ships.

 

Celebrity runs its Anytime Dining far better than Princess. X matches stateroom to the passenger's dining choice; Princess doesn't and there always seems to be confusion at the entrance to the Princess Select dining room. DW really appreciates Blu and there is no counterpart on Princess.

 

Once we realized that Princess was running a 2 for 1 drink deal twice a day, we stopped going to their Elite lounge where only the drink of the day was available at $5. The Elite breakfast and cocktail hour benefits on Celebrity are hard to beat.

 

Celebrity also is wise in using the cruise card to note the passenger's account for photographs. Princess doesn't so finding pictures can be an adventure. We had to wait in line for 15 minutes at the lone computer to find a set of pictures that had not been made into prints. Predictably, we didn't like any of them :D

[hulamoon]

It's been 10 years since I have been on Princess...so I always appreciate knowing how things are there for Celebrity guests.

 

In Dec and April..we really noticed the rushing around in the dining room..not so this month though...staffing seemed back to normal.

[hsmcruise]

U make very good points. I,ve been on both ships mentioned. I use to think that celebrity had a slight edge over princess, but not after our trip on the silhoutte.

They are pretty equal. The worst part of celebrity was the constant pushing to

Spend more money. I understand that the cruise lines undercut their prices to get u on board, but it was so constant and became uncomfortable to just walk pass the shops. Celebrity seemed a little more sophisticated, but is more royal

Caribbean . Nevertheless, I am booked on another celebrity cruise but mainly for its itinerary. I would like the old celebrity back but that's what azmarA is for .

[TomTN]

I know this topic has been frequently addressed but I can't resist making a few observations. DW and I took a 16 day TA on the Connie in November, our eighteenth on Celebrity, and yesterday we ended a 16 day back to back on the Caribbean and Island Princess, our twenty third on that line. We hadn't been on Princess in four years.

 

These cruises confirmed that we would be happy on either, depending on itinerary and price, of course.

 

The striking difference is the dining experience in the main restaurants. Princess is the clear winner, as it's chefs properly season the food. The pasta dishes were particularly outstanding. The Princess dining rooms were proper restaurants, lower ceilings with well spaced tables. In sixteen nights only twice was our table for two in close proximity to a neighbor's. In comparison there are times on X ships when I've been convinced that the chefs were limited to salt and pepper, so bland was the food, and the cavernous dining rooms with tables almost butted up to each other hold little appeal. Also, Princess employs head waiters to ensure a smooth operation but, unlike Celebrity, does not have sommeliers. We didn't see Princess waiters rushing though the restaurant, as is usually the case on X ships. Yet, Oceanliners is still our favorite specialty restaurant, and in general Celebrity's specialty restaurants are superior to Princess'

 

I know it's cheap sparkling wine, but I missed it when boarding the Princess ships.

 

Celebrity runs its Anytime Dining far better than Princess. X matches stateroom to the passenger's dining choice; Princess doesn't and there always seems to be confusion at the entrance to the Princess Select dining room. DW really appreciates Blu and there is no counterpart on Princess.

 

Once we realized that Princess was running a 2 for 1 drink deal twice a day, we stopped going to their Elite lounge where only the drink of the day was available at $5. The Elite breakfast and cocktail hour benefits on Celebrity are hard to beat.

 

Celebrity also is wise in using the cruise card to note the passenger's account for photographs. Princess doesn't so finding pictures can be an adventure. We had to wait in line for 15 minutes at the lone computer to find a set of pictures that had not been made into prints. Predictably, we didn't like any of them :D

 

What do you mean by "matches staterooms"? I understand Blu is for Aqua passengers, but that is a small part of the ship.

[TLCOhio]

Excellent details and summary. Appreciate your sharing. We've only done two sailings with Celebrity and both have worked out well. There are always "trade-offs" among the major cruise lines. Where we are wanting to go and "value" are our two main driving points, plus timing needs. It's great to have many good options and potentials.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 90,093 views for this posting.

[4774Papa]

I know this topic has been frequently addressed but I can't resist making a few observations. DW and I took a 16 day TA on the Connie in November, our eighteenth on Celebrity, and yesterday we ended a 16 day back to back on the Caribbean and Island Princess, our twenty third on that line. We hadn't been on Princess in four years.

 

These cruises confirmed that we would be happy on either, depending on itinerary and price, of course.

 

The striking difference is the dining experience in the main restaurants. Princess is the clear winner, as it's chefs properly season the food. The pasta dishes were particularly outstanding. The Princess dining rooms were proper restaurants, lower ceilings with well spaced tables. In sixteen nights only twice was our table for two in close proximity to a neighbor's. In comparison there are times on X ships when I've been convinced that the chefs were limited to salt and pepper, so bland was the food, and the cavernous dining rooms with tables almost butted up to each other hold little appeal. Also, Princess employs head waiters to ensure a smooth operation but, unlike Celebrity, does not have sommeliers. We didn't see Princess waiters rushing though the restaurant, as is usually the case on X ships. Yet, Oceanliners is still our favorite specialty restaurant, and in general Celebrity's specialty restaurants are superior to Princess'

 

I know it's cheap sparkling wine, but I missed it when boarding the Princess ships.

 

Celebrity runs its Anytime Dining far better than Princess. X matches stateroom to the passenger's dining choice; Princess doesn't and there always seems to be confusion at the entrance to the Princess Select dining room. DW really appreciates Blu and there is no counterpart on Princess.

 

Once we realized that Princess was running a 2 for 1 drink deal twice a day, we stopped going to their Elite lounge where only the drink of the day was available at $5. The Elite breakfast and cocktail hour benefits on Celebrity are hard to beat.

 

Celebrity also is wise in using the cruise card to note the passenger's account for photographs. Princess doesn't so finding pictures can be an adventure. We had to wait in line for 15 minutes at the lone computer to find a set of pictures that had not been made into prints. Predictably, we didn't like any of them :D

We are not fond of a lot of salt in our food. We never add salt to our food. Once you are used to low salt food, in my opinion it tasted much better.

 

Spices like garlic, oregano, etc. are good, depending on the dish.

 

We have never cruised Princess, but if their food has more salt, we would not like it.

 

We notice the salt in X's food. It is not that bad, but it is more than we cook with.

[maggie.1008]

Celebrity is our cruise line of choice. We have done 2 Princess cruises in the last few months because they leave from LA. San Pedro. I do like the way Princess will let you combine many perks. ( stock holders, ect. )

[KKB]

Having cruised Princess more than any other line, we are fans. Took our first Celebrity cruise last year & were instant fans. We dined in Blu & were swooned. We have found dining as a 2 top table was uncomfortable on Princess (select dining)--tables too close together, never got to know the waiter. But we had select once on Princess, made a standing time & was good the rest of the week (table for 4).

 

We will be in the MDR this time--we shall see how it goes.

 

Personally I don't find that a "proper dining room" has lower ceilings--I often find the ceilings a bit TOO low on cruise lines. Have always been disappointed that we have yet to get that cavernous dining room made popular many years ago on cruise ships.

 

With all 4 lines we have cruised we find many more similarities than differences. Each line/ship has things we like better than other lines, but not one has it collectively better than others. RCL's Adventures of the Seas was our least fav--not many activity choices during the day, MX Riv is our least fav itinerary we decided (not a line OR a ship issue) BUT Allure was our fav--tho dining each night in select dining rooms added to that one (we had won the cruise, were sailing as a couple, so decided to splurge).

 

My folks have sailed Celebrity, RCL, Princess & NCL. Like them all tho NCL is a distant 4th in their opinion. BUT they would cruise them all again.

 

One we will may not cruise (but never say never) is Carnival; both my extended family (uncle, his kids/spouses & grandchildren) were not impressed (not a family with high standards--they love Circus Circus in Vegas which is a big NO for me) and my 87YO very active aunt said there wasn't enough to do on her Carnival cruise:eek: We have looked at it for family cruises (DM, DF, us, bro's family) & honestly once you get past Carnival's cheapest rooms that are bunks, other lines are not any more expensive. BUT ANY CRUISE IS A GOOD CRUISE! (even that Carnival one that got caught at sea--we all agree it would be an adventure we could talk about for the rest of our lives!)

[BosoxI]

We are not fond of a lot of salt in our food. We never add salt to our food. Once you are used to low salt food, in my opinion it tasted much better.

 

Spices like garlic, oregano, etc. are good, depending on the dish.

 

We have never cruised Princess, but if their food has more salt, we would not like it.

 

We notice the salt in X's food. It is not that bad, but it is more than we cook with.

 

I should have mentioned the salt content. I am quite sensitive to salt and use it only in the pasta water when preparing a meal. I rarely add it to my food. So I am used to having my ankles swell a bit when on a cruise ship, but on the Princess ship, I noticed both ankles were quite swollen. I stopped eating the soups, and the swelling was reduced markedly. Too bad for me, as the Princess soups were excellent but being able to put on my shoes seemed more important. I've been home less than a day and my ankles are back to normal. On a Pacific Princess cruise five years ago, we met a woman who was operating on one kidney and could not eat salt. She arranged the day's meals on the previous night and avoided any problems. She was an extreme case. I would be more concerned about salt on a Celebrity ship, as their chefs really don't use spices adequately but seem to resort to salt and a bottle of tabasco to "spice" the food.

 

What do you mean by "matches staterooms"? I understand Blu is for Aqua passengers, but that is a small part of the ship.

 

It's always been my opinion that the reason Princess Select dining is mayhem is because there are no controls on who eats in the Select room and traditional diners are free to use it. This causes an overflow and very frequent waits with a blinker in hand. Celebrity asks for a cabin number to ensure the guest in really an anytime diner and in so doing, the need for a blinker is far less frequent.

[BosoxI]

Having cruised Princess more than any other line, we are fans. Took our first Celebrity cruise last year & were instant fans. We dined in Blu & were swooned. We have found dining as a 2 top table was uncomfortable on Princess (select dining)--tables too close together, never got to know the waiter. But we had select once on Princess, made a standing time & was good the rest of the week (table for 4).

 

My folks have sailed Celebrity, RCL, Princess & NCL. Like them all tho NCL is a distant 4th in their opinion. BUT they would cruise them all again.

 

Blu is OK because of the venue, but for me the food there is no better than in the MDR. We book Aqua when we can get a decent price for an 11th deck cabin on the Millenium class or a bump out on the Solstice class but never because of the food quality in Blu. We haven't been on a Grand class ship in some time but some of their two tops were lined up against a wall. Not very pleasant. This wasn't the case on the Carib and Island Princess where the tables were almost universally well spaced. A waiter told us that the table layout can change depending on the cruise. I was unaware of this, as the tables seem to be permanently fixed. Live and learn. Frankly, getting to know a waiter is simply unimportant to me, and making a standing time reservation in Select seems to defeat the purpose of Select dining but to each his own.

 

We met a well traveled couple who says Holland American is their line of choice. We haven't been on HA in 20 years and enjoyed it but haven't been back. Several years ago in the van taking passengers to the port a couple, middle aged, told us this would be their 16th cruise on Carnival. I guess I looked surprised but they assured me Carnival was fine, if one avoided school vacations. My favorite ship is the QM2 but only if I can eat in one of the smaller restaurants which, unfortunately, come with the more expensive cabins. The MDR on it is about the size of Madison Square Garden and half as appealing as a dining venue, plus the food is not that great.

[miched]

Sailed on the Caribbean Princess before sailing on the Eclipse in Nov

 

I found the Princess ship to be rather bland.

 

The dining room was too dark and the ceiling was so low that I could almost touch them when sitting at the table. Felt like we were in a cellar.

 

The happy hour in the Wheelhouse Bar was SRO, hard to get service and the mixed drinks were really watered down and mostly ice.

 

We went to the Platinum/Elite happy hour. Each night feature one drink. One night was a mojito. It was terrible, they did not muddle fresh limes with mint because it was too much work so they used a mix.

 

Purchased a coffee card. The coffee drinks in the coffee shop aren't as good as those served in Cafe al Bacio but the card was a good value.

 

They also had a few activites in the Plaza the same as a celebrity does in the Atrium. Problem on Princess is the veiwng area is very limited and worse than it is on Celebrity.

 

Unless you went up a deck and back down you had to walk thru the smoky casino to get to the theater or restuarant.

 

Smoke from the cigar/ sports bar would filter thru to the stairwell and part of the theater.

 

It was our 10th cruise on Princess and will probably be our last. The only reason we did that one was because of the really cheap price. The next cruise was even cheaper, they were offering mini suites for $100pp plus giving $100 SBC PP for a 4 day cruise. Problem for us was the Celebrity cruise was leaving in 3 days. If we had more time between cruises we would have done it as it would be a lot cheaper than what a hotel was.

 

Everyone has their own likes and opinions and that is why every cruise line should not try to be the same and cater to the same people.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[TomTN]

I should have mentioned the salt content. I am quite sensitive to salt and use it only in the pasta water when preparing a meal. I rarely add it to my food. So I am used to having my ankles swell a bit when on a cruise ship, but on the Princess ship, I noticed both ankles were quite swollen. I stopped eating the soups, and the swelling was reduced markedly. Too bad for me, as the Princess soups were excellent but being able to put on my shoes seemed more important. I've been home less than a day and my ankles are back to normal. On a Pacific Princess cruise five years ago, we met a woman who was operating on one kidney and could not eat salt. She arranged the day's meals on the previous night and avoided any problems. She was an extreme case. I would be more concerned about salt on a Celebrity ship, as their chefs really don't use spices adequately but seem to resort to salt and a bottle of tabasco to "spice" the food.

 

 

 

It's always been my opinion that the reason Princess Select dining is mayhem is because there are no controls on who eats in the Select room and traditional diners are free to use it. This causes an overflow and very frequent waits with a blinker in hand. Celebrity asks for a cabin number to ensure the guest in really an anytime diner and in so doing, the need for a blinker is far less frequent.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[baldercash]

I know this topic has been frequently addressed but I can't resist making a few observations.

 

These cruises confirmed that we would be happy on either, depending on itinerary and price, of course.

 

The striking difference is the dining experience in the main restaurants. Princess is the clear winner, as it's chefs properly season the food. The pasta dishes were particularly outstanding. The Princess dining rooms were proper restaurants, lower ceilings with well spaced tables. In sixteen nights only twice was our table for two in close proximity to a neighbor's. In comparison there are times on X ships when I've been convinced that the chefs were limited to salt and pepper, so bland was the food, and the cavernous dining rooms with tables almost butted up to each other hold little appeal. Also, Princess employs head waiters to ensure a smooth operation but, unlike Celebrity, does not have sommeliers. We didn't see Princess waiters rushing though the restaurant, as is usually the case on X ships. Yet, Oceanliners is still our favorite specialty restaurant, and in general Celebrity's specialty restaurants are superior to Princess'

:D

 

You need to compare an S Class the M's are old and getting rather temperamental

Check the Cruise Critics Choice awards ....

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/cruiserschoice_index.cfm?category=Dining&sort=large

You will find 4 S Class ships in the top 10 for Best Dinning and no Princess ships listed.

We all have personal preferences but......

 

We did 14 days on Caribbean Princess in November the food was okay but not memorable.

I don't usually expect hamburgers, meat loaf or fried chicken in the MDR.

I personally find the Caribbean Princess dinning rooms dark with low ceilings rather claustrophobic with not much sense of occasion, but that is not just my opinion.

If you check all the categories in the Choice Awards from Best Overall to Dinning or say Public rooms it is rare to find a Princess ship but there will be 3 or 4 S Class in the Top 10.

Even more interesting is to check "All time history" and you can compare ratings for all ships.

 

That said we bought Future cruise deposits while on board Princess as we enjoy Princess for what they offer.

Edited December 30, 2014 by baldercash

[keithm]

Having cruised Princess more than any other line, we are fans. Took our first Celebrity cruise last year & were instant fans. We dined in Blu & were swooned. We have found dining as a 2 top table was uncomfortable on Princess (select dining)--tables too close together, never got to know the waiter. But we had select once on Princess, made a standing time & was good the rest of the week (table for 4).

 

My folks have sailed Celebrity, RCL, Princess & NCL. Like them all tho NCL is a distant 4th in their opinion. BUT they would cruise them all again.

 

Blu is OK because of the venue, but for me the food there is no better than in the MDR. We book Aqua when we can get a decent price for an 11th deck cabin on the Millenium class or a bump out on the Solstice class but never because of the food quality in Blu. We haven't been on a Grand class ship in some time but some of their two tops were lined up against a wall. Not very pleasant. This wasn't the case on the Carib and Island Princess where the tables were almost universally well spaced. A waiter told us that the table layout can change depending on the cruise. I was unaware of this, as the tables seem to be permanently fixed. Live and learn. Frankly, getting to know a waiter is simply unimportant to me, and making a standing time reservation in Select seems to defeat the purpose of Select dining but to each his own.

 

We met a well traveled couple who says Holland American is their line of choice. We haven't been on HA in 20 years and enjoyed it but haven't been back. Several years ago in the van taking passengers to the port a couple, middle aged, told us this would be their 16th cruise on Carnival. I guess I looked surprised but they assured me Carnival was fine, if one avoided school vacations. My favorite ship is the QM2 but only if I can eat in one of the smaller restaurants which, unfortunately, come with the more expensive cabins. The MDR on it is about the size of Madison Square Garden and half as appealing as a dining venue, plus the food is not that great.

We always found the food on the QM2 to be fine, but yes, the Grills ARE the way to go!

Don't like what's on the menu? In most cases they can prepare most anything to your liking. Some really off items might take a day's notice,however.Our trip last year aboard the Eclipse was excellent. We found the food superior to that of Britannia on Cunard. Can't say it's that way on all Celebrity ships, but it was aboard the Eclipse, which is why we've booked it again this Jan.

[cynbar]

We enjoy both Princess and Celebrity, don't think either line is perfect but both provide a nice cruise experience. I actually much prefer the smaller MDRs on Princess to the cavernous, noisy large one on Celebrity, but it is not a deal breaker. We have never found a cruise line that we think is head and shoulders above the others, but try to appreciate the strengths of each.

[Oxo]

We did 14 days on Caribbean Princess in November the food was okay but not memorable.

I don't usually expect hamburgers, meat loaf or fried chicken in the MDR.

Funny you mentioned those items in the Princess' MDR. We got off the Eclipse 3 weeks ago. Guess what was on the menu more than once?

Liver, Pork and Beans,Hamburgers, Fried Chicken and Meat Loaf. Go figure. We were surprised at the difference in the Celebrity MDR menu on the Eclipse this time. Yes, we do cruise X, Princess and RCI many times each year. Menus do change and IMHO all cruise lines are cutting back on the quality and choice in the MDR. Even in the Buffet area, too.

[Ozzmund]

We have sailed both lines and find them both an enjoyable experience. We prefer Celebrity for their smoking policy, AQ class, and solarium.

We like Princess for.their entertainment and itineraries.

Both are winners in our book.

[chamima]

It's been 10 years since I have been on Princess...so I always appreciate knowing how things are there for Celebrity guests.

 

In Dec and April..we really noticed the rushing around in the dining room..not so this month though...staffing seemed back to normal.

 

 

 

I REALLY hope you're right, Sharie! :)

Last year we did 2 weeks on the Eclipse followed immediately by a week on the Royal Princess and, while the rushing had bothered us on the Eclipse, the lack of it and the leisurely service on the Royal was a glaring difference.

 

This year we've just returned from 10 days on the Royal Princess that were just about as perfect as I could imagine a cruise to be.

(We did miss the Molecular Bar, though.)

 

We board the Equinox in a month followed by 2 weeks on the Eclipse again and would be SO happy to have leisurely dinners!

(BTW - we eat in Blu on Celebrity specifically because we're looking for a quieter, calmer dinner.)

 

I also prefer the food on Princess but find I gain less weight on Celebrity, so that's a positive. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Princess pasta.

Edited December 31, 2014 by chamima

[BosoxI]

You need to compare an S Class the M's are old and getting rather temperamental

Check the Cruise Critics Choice awards ....

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/cruiserschoice_index.cfm?category=Dining&sort=large

You will find 4 S Class ships in the top 10 for Best Dinning and no Princess ships listed.

We all have personal preferences but......

 

We did 14 days on Caribbean Princess in November the food was okay but not memorable.

I don't usually expect hamburgers, meat loaf or fried chicken in the MDR.

I personally find the Caribbean Princess dinning rooms dark with low ceilings rather claustrophobic with not much sense of occasion, but that is not just my opinion.

If you check all the categories in the Choice Awards from Best Overall to Dinning or say Public rooms it is rare to find a Princess ship but there will be 3 or 4 S Class in the Top 10.

Even more interesting is to check "All time history" and you can compare ratings for all ships.

 

That said we bought Future cruise deposits while on board Princess as we enjoy Princess for what they offer.

 

Thanks for your research but why would I trust the opinions of people I don't know when I have the actual experience of 41 cruises on the two lines in question? Princess' food has always been better; in fact when we first tried Celebrity for two cruises in the early 1990s, the reason we dropped them was poor food and dining rooms set up like army mess halls. They've made great strides since then but their food still tends to be bland.

 

I am 6'5" tall and can touch an 8' high ceiling standing flatfooted. Eight feet is the typical height of ceilings in American homes. I doubt I could touch the ceiling in a Princess restaurant; I wish I had tried. Yes, they are darkish, but when I enter one, I feel like I'm in a restaurant, not a gymnasium. The waiters on Princess don't appear rushed, while those on X always seem frantic. I've seen too many near collisions on X, simply not a good dining experience for me. My wife's love of Aqua is largely driven by her complete dislike of the atmosphere in the X MDRs, an opinion that has cost us quite a bit over the years. :(

 

I know threads such as this eventually bring out the apologists. It wasn't my intent to persuade or dissuade anyone; I wanted to give even handed opinions as to the merits or weaknesses of the two lines. I wouldn't expect anyone to book or cancel a cruise based on what I've written (although they'd be wise to do so:D:D:D)

 

Incidentally, our next three booked cruises will be on Celebrity, but I've got my eye set on several Princess cruises to fill in the gaps, now that I've been reminded of how much we've enjoyed them

[NOSaints1]

My DW and I looked at Princess but after my sister in law who is a TA and been on Princess she said to try Celebrity so we booked on the Soltice to Alaska, and everything I read on the two I heard the food on X was better, the AQ class top notch.

 

 

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[Christine Frances]

Having never sailed on Princess there are a few things that stop me from booking.

 

Smoking - I like the Casino but am so used to X's policy I think that would be a big turn off. I have been on ships when they have a "non smoking" night but it still reeks of stale smoke.

 

I don't like the toiletries. Don't like the idea of dispensers in the showers. Shampoo/Conditioner combo - :confused: Really cheapo. Can't even think of any hotel that does that.

 

Don't like the small main theatre's and short shows (3 times a night)

 

No aft al fresco dining/bar areas from what I can see - Sunset/Ocean View eg

 

Adult solarium areas are fee based ie the Sanctuary

 

Coffee other than pay for is "syrup" based:confused: who does that?

 

Can you get Sushi every night?

 

Is there a grill in the evening where you can get steak, fish, lamb & chicken in the evening at the buffet?

 

They don't have sommelier's in the MDR

 

They don't have Butler's in their suites

 

 

I am sure Princess fans could come up with their own list:)

Edited December 31, 2014 by Christine Frances

[NOSaints1]

Is the X solarium free? Or does it cost money?

 

 

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[BosoxI]

Having never sailed on Princess there are a few things that stop me from booking.

 

Smoking - I like the Casino but am so used to X's policy I think that would be a big turn off. I have been on ships when they have a "non smoking" night but it still reeks of stale smoke.

 

I don't like the toiletries. Don't like the idea of dispensers in the showers. Shampoo/Conditioner combo - :confused: Really cheapo. Can't even think of any hotel that does that.

 

Don't like the small main theatre's and short shows (3 times a night)

 

No aft al fresco dining/bar areas from what I can see - Sunset/Ocean View eg

 

Adult solarium areas are fee based ie the Sanctuary

 

Coffee other than pay for is "syrup" based:confused: who does that?

 

Can you get Sushi every night?

 

Is there a grill in the evening where you can get steak, fish, lamb & chicken in the evening at the buffet?

 

They don't have sommelier's in the MDR

 

They don't have Butler's in their suites

 

 

I am sure Princess fans could come up with their own list:)

 

 

Wow, that's an impressive list from someone who's never been on a Princess ship.

[Oxo]

My DW and I looked at Princess but after my sister in law who is a TA and been on Princess she said to try Celebrity so we booked on the Soltice to Alaska, and everything I read on the two I heard the food on X was better, the AQ class top notch.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Food is very subjective. IMHO the food and these two cruise lines are about the same. If you are talking AQ class as top notch, compare what you are paying extra for AQ class. At that rate you can do Specialty Restaurants every night and come out ahead. On X specialty Restaurants are $45 and $50, whereas on Princess they are only $25. We do both cruise lines each year and they both provide their pluses and minuses.

[Christine Frances]

Wow, that's an impressive list from someone who's never been on a Princess ship.

 

I know!!! I admit it! I would be going in with things I like that would not be there. There would have to be something about Princess that would outweigh my "prejudices" for me to book. These things are important to me.