What are the "little things" the accountants think we'll never miss when they're gone

[Pierlesscruisers]

I hope you ment to say 10" X 12" because 10' X 12' would be a biggie :D

 

Theo

 

I did that just to see if anybody would catch it. You believe that, too, right? :rolleyes: And the funny thing was, that I was typing on a laptop that, for some reason wanted to jump the cursor around the page while I was typing and looked at the "/' key specifically to see that I'd type the correct mark! ARGH!!

 

Thanks for the catch.

 

Tom

[mr green]

Ah! We had a sailing booked on the Norway and were just weeks away from sailing when they had the explosion. We were so disappointed that we never got to see and experience that beautiful ship! :(

 

I hate to day it, but about two years prior to the explosion, [two sailors were killed as i recall], I had sailed on Norway, and in my report I stated that she should be taken out of service, and retired.

Her glory days seemed to have departed, and she showed her age badly. Her theater was however one of the best that i have ever been in.

 

john

[Ethel5]

I heard some ship (not Princess) used to change the carpet on the elevator floors each day of the week with a sign on it to indicate the day of the week, as a nice little service for passengers. That would be good for me too! But I wouldn't push Princess to do that too.

 

On the Brilliance of the Seas, it was a metal plate at the entrance to the elevator car that had the day of the week. I got a kick out of that!

[ccrain]

I've read this thread and Shogun's thread, and having just got off the Crown yesterday, I'm not sure any of the things mentioned so far really bother me.

 

If I had to narrow my list down to the top things that really impacted our Crown cruise I would say there are really only a few.

 

1 - Crew workload - as related to overall morale

 

2 - Entertainment Budget

 

3 - Drink Prices

 

4 - Photo prices

 

 

The easy ones are the Drink Prices and Photo Prices. They are out of control. I like to keep the boarding photo and photo for each new port we go to, but even that is getting to be ridiculously expensive.

 

Drink prices - oh come on - they have now, with the 15% tip - exceeded most land based drink prices - and most land based drinks have more volume - especially comparing my favorites like a Long Island Iced Tea, Moscow or Kentucky Mule to what I can get at Chili's or any major chain restaurant.

 

The Crew Workload and morale is a biggie and impacted a lot of different areas. Our steward was one of the most friendly and nicest we've ever had, but he almost never got a break during the day as he was doing morning cleaning till 1400, then started turn down at 1700. They were up to 18 cabins in June on the Golden. Did it go to 20 since then? That resulted in errors in the cabin. Not big things but we did have to track him down for towels, laundry bags, clean glasses, ice, etc. every once in a while. BTW, on Port Days he was almost perfect as most of us left for the whole day, so that's why I concluded it was work load, not performance.

 

The Crew Workload also seriously impacted the entertainment and cruise staff. They were run ragged. Yes, that many sea days will, but Princess used to add ACD staff on HI runs because of that. There is no longer a dedicated DJ at Skywalkers. The regular staff has to fill in. They even had to use passengers to run events because staff was not available or injured and no one to fill in. Princess should have added at least 2 ACDs or JACDs on a cruise with so many sea days. The crew workload also contributed to scheduling issues with major entertainment events. I'm not sure the 3 shows a night work any better than 2 shows a night with a repeat of the show in one time frame on the following night. We had Brian and Rowena, HI cultural couple, on the way to HI, but they left, leaving a huge hole in the activity schedule for the sea days to follow to the South Pacific.

 

And when I say Workload, I mean corporate paperwork as well. Both Kelvin and Matais appeared to be so buried in paperwork, none of the other staff wanted to entertain the notion of being a Deputy or CD. (Maybe the new re-org will help.)

 

The reduced entertainment budget also shows in the prizes - which are getting really pathetic. Bottle after bottle of Champoo. The best prize we saw - the Princess Water Bottle. Remember the days of the key chains and passport holders and luggage tags! No, its not really a big deal - give me an extra ACD anytime - but its a symptom of the overall problem.

 

So basically I believe the cutbacks we see in the issues discussed to date are the tip of the iceberg. There are probably many more cutbacks behind the scenes (salaries, number of staff, promotions, benefits, etc.) that are impacting crew morale and thus affecting us via the interaction with that crew.

 

Something to think about and ponder...

[mr green]

I heard some ship (not Princess) used to change the carpet on the elevator floors each day of the week with a sign on it to indicate the day of the week, as a nice little service for passengers. That would be good for me too! But I wouldn't push Princess to do that too.

 

HAL always did that. On one ship that we were on they made a mistake after crossing the 'Date Line'.;)

 

john

[suzyed]

I hate to day it, but about two years prior to the explosion, [two sailors were killed as i recall], I had sailed on Norway, and in my report I stated that she should be taken out of service, and retired.

Her glory days seemed to have departed, and she showed her age badly. Her theater was however one of the best that i have ever been in.

 

john

 

I'm sure you are right....but we just were so looking forward to experiencing her...all the history and all! And the rates were fantastic! We had booked 3 suites and they were so inexpensive, it was almost unbelievable!

When we got cancelled we booked a Royal Caribbean cruise for the family....and could book only a 5 day in OV cabins for a similar price that the suites were costing for 7 days!

[suzyed]

On the Brilliance of the Seas, it was a metal plate at the entrance to the elevator car that had the day of the week. I got a kick out of that!

 

On the Freedom of the Seas, it was a strip of carpet the width of the elevator car with the day of the week. Great idea!

[suzyed]

I've read this thread and Shogun's thread, and having just got off the Crown yesterday, I'm not sure any of the things mentioned so far really bother me.

 

If I had to narrow my list down to the top things that really impacted our Crown cruise I would say there are really only a few.

 

1 - Crew workload - as related to overall morale

 

2 - Entertainment Budget

 

3 - Drink Prices

 

4 - Photo prices

 

 

The easy ones are the Drink Prices and Photo Prices. They are out of control. I like to keep the boarding photo and photo for each new port we go to, but even that is getting to be ridiculously expensive.

 

Drink prices - oh come on - they have now, with the 15% tip - exceeded most land based drink prices - and most land based drinks have more volume - especially comparing my favorites like a Long Island Iced Tea, Moscow or Kentucky Mule to what I can get at Chili's or any major chain restaurant.

 

The Crew Workload and morale is a biggie and impacted a lot of different areas. Our steward was one of the most friendly and nicest we've ever had, but he almost never got a break during the day as he was doing morning cleaning till 1400, then started turn down at 1700. They were up to 18 cabins in June on the Golden. Did it go to 20 since then? That resulted in errors in the cabin. Not big things but we did have to track him down for towels, laundry bags, clean glasses, ice, etc. every once in a while. BTW, on Port Days he was almost perfect as most of us left for the whole day, so that's why I concluded it was work load, not performance.

 

The Crew Workload also seriously impacted the entertainment and cruise staff. They were run ragged. Yes, that many sea days will, but Princess used to add ACD staff on HI runs because of that. There is no longer a dedicated DJ at Skywalkers. The regular staff has to fill in. They even had to use passengers to run events because staff was not available or injured and no one to fill in. Princess should have added at least 2 ACDs or JACDs on a cruise with so many sea days. The crew workload also contributed to scheduling issues with major entertainment events. I'm not sure the 3 shows a night work any better than 2 shows a night with a repeat of the show in one time frame on the following night. We had Brian and Rowena, HI cultural couple, on the way to HI, but they left, leaving a huge hole in the activity schedule for the sea days to follow to the South Pacific.

 

And when I say Workload, I mean corporate paperwork as well. Both Kelvin and Matais appeared to be so buried in paperwork, none of the other staff wanted to entertain the notion of being a Deputy or CD. (Maybe the new re-org will help.)

 

The reduced entertainment budget also shows in the prizes - which are getting really pathetic. Bottle after bottle of Champoo. The best prize we saw - the Princess Water Bottle. Remember the days of the key chains and passport holders and luggage tags! No, its not really a big deal - give me an extra ACD anytime - but its a symptom of the overall problem.

 

So basically I believe the cutbacks we see in the issues discussed to date are the tip of the iceberg. There are probably many more cutbacks behind the scenes (salaries, number of staff, promotions, benefits, etc.) that are impacting crew morale and thus affecting us via the interaction with that crew.

 

Something to think about and ponder...

 

We went on that same cruise last year and the Cruise Director staff was top notch!! Funny, friendly, hardworking to be sure, but also very accessible! by the end of the 29 days, we felt like we made new friends! The best we had ever experienced! I and most of our friends on that sailing specifically mention the CD staff on our comment cards! I know many if not most of them were going to other ships along with Bill Hygate.

[space cowboy]

Hi Mr Green

 

 

 

Princess no longer does different coloured carpets,

 

 

 

yours Shogun

 

 

Still had them on the Emerald last month.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[caribill]

Still had them on the Emerald last month.

 

 

 

They are not ripping them out, but any replacement carpets will be only one of the two colors previously used and the new ships do not get the different colors at all.

[2pbears]

What are the "little things" the accountants think we'll never miss when they're gone?

 

The upgrade fairy being replaced by upsells. :mad:

[bigmjh]

Princess has increasingly been taking over lounges and using them for revenue generating spaces (i.e. Parkwest and Bingo :mad:). Parkwest has gotten so out of hand that they monopolize Explorers for entire days ... several times per cruise. On sea days, it is getting more and more difficult to find a comfortable place to relax and read or converse with friends, etc. :(

[chamima]

What are the "little things" the accountants think we'll never miss when they're gone?

 

The upgrade fairy being replaced by upsells. :mad:

 

 

Tom and Diane,

I know there are lots and lots of people who waited with baited breath for the Upgrade Fairy.

We, however, weren't one (or two) of them.

We've always chosen specific cabins by location early in the game and had them marked "no upgrade".

Upsells actually appeal to us because it gives us the opportunity to upgrade with the knowledge of exactly what we're getting. (I know you were supposed to have been notified about the free upgrade with 24 hours to accept or not but that didn't always happen)

 

So for some of us this is a win-win for the cruise line and us.

[cruise flotsam]

I miss getting the daily brief printed news reports. They used to be delivered to the cabin daily then they were only available in the library now not at all. The different donuts at breakfast

[Jessejo]

It's a very small thing - but I miss crisp/fully cooked bacon! Princess probably saves a bundle serving half cooked bacon as few people eat it.

[Griller]

It's a very small thing - but I miss crisp/fully cooked bacon! Princess probably saves a bundle serving half cooked bacon as few people eat it.

 

MMMM... bacon! On our Caribbean Princess cruise last month they had American tray baked crispy bacon, what had been decent English back bacon - unfortunately simmering in water losing all its flavor after being cooked in some fashion - and occasionally Canadian bacon.

 

On Royal P. this Friday so will look forward to seeing what's frying in the apparently improved buffet on there.

[Greyhound3]

What are the "little things" the accountants think we'll never miss when they're gone?

 

The upgrade fairy being replaced by upsells. :mad:

 

I'm with you on this one - we've had upsell offers on our last three cruises. Two of them, however, were worth taking. The third, not so much...

 

Upsell #1, 3 night cruise - from an OV to a window suite for $149 pp. Jumped on that with both feet and we loved the WS!

 

Upsell #2, 3 night cruise - from a balcony to a penthouse suite for $249 pp. Absolutely!

 

Upsell #3, 7 night cruise - balcony to a minisuite for $199 pp. Uhm... no, thanks. For a full suite, I'd be interested, but they're not doing me any favors only offering a mini.

 

 

Grey

[mek]

It's funny what some people feel is important compared to others.

 

Eucalyptus shampoo, hated the stuff always bring my own. Shows, I could care less. Tissues, I'm a handkerchief guy. TV guide, Hey I'm on vacation to escape from things like TV. A Priest, I bring my Bible.

 

I do really miss the sommelier. To me talking with the sommelier and getting advice on wine pairing is a important part of fine dinning.

 

Won't stop me from cruising Princess.

 

Honestly, I haven't experienced anything close to fine dining on a mass line since the late 1980's. There are very nice upscale options on some lines, but that's as far as it goes IMHO.

[pandora518]

Personally, I won't bemoan small changes as long as prices remain low and port choices remain intriguing. With low prices, I can spend my own money to fill in the gaps. No pillow chocolates? I'll spend $2.50 and bring my own. No sommelier but a generous personal wine policy and low corkage fee? I'll select my own wines and bring them on board. Bathroom tissue not to my liking? I'll spend a buck and bring my favorite brand. Don't like shampoo with conditioner? Bring your preferred brand on board. Most of the "little things" that are getting eroded can be replicated to your complete satisfaction by making a 15 minute stop at Target or Walgreens that will cost less than $20. Now shrinking balconies and Promenades? Those are things that I cannot fix, so they matter far more to me.

 

Jimmy, you are so right! As long as prices stay reasonable and the itineraries are (honestly) the best we've found among many lines, we aren't complaining about most of the little changes. I actually like that Princess has eliminated the little bottles of shampoo and such in favor of the pumps, as that's a LOT of plastic not going into landfills (or home with pax!) I certainly have enough free sample packets and little bottles from various hotel stays; I can just toss a few of those so I have conditioner. We own an RV, so we are very sensitive to the types of paper that can be flushed, and we also learned last year that flushing cushy facial tissues down our toilets at home had clogged our main outflow pipe. So, I understand that change. (And yes: flushable t-paper and tissues are MUCH pricier than regular!) As for chocolates: on our last cruise (Regal in April/May) we nominated our room steward for the outstanding service award. When we got back to our room that night our bed was literally strewn with chocolates!

 

I do miss the sommeliers. In answer to the person who posted that each ship wout need 5 or 6: that wasn't how it worked. There was one sommelier per cruise. Typically, he hung out in Vines a good part of the day, always willing to answer questions and make recommendations. He oversaw most of the wine tastings. During dinner hours, he floated among the MDRs and specialty dining venues ensuring that everyone was getting what they wanted and answering many more questions. I love wine and trying new wines, so I do miss having that expertise onboard. But most of the maitre'ds have at least some knowledge of wines, and a few have a lot.

 

Finally, we have found service onboard to be outstanding on every Princess cruise we've taken. I do tend to smile and converse pleasantly with everyone, and I think that helps. Because "TIP" means To Insure Promptness, we always give our steward an extra tip the first time we meet him/her. We have found there is nothing they won't do to make your trip more pleasant if you just treat them with respect and genuine warmth, but the extra $$ doesn't hurt. ;)

 

We aren't Elite (yet), but if we do achieve that status and the free laundry is a bit late, oh well: we always over pack anyway. And we always bring a few laundry pods so we can do an emergency load or 2 ourselves if need be. (We're just grateful they still have self-service laundries! Many other lines have phased them out.)

 

I agree: losing the full promenades and balconies that barely fit 2 little chairs are much more important. But we still have choices as long as there are still Crown class ships. :)

 

Sue

[caribill]

We aren't complaining about most of the little changes. I actually like that Princess has eliminated the little bottles of shampoo and such in favor of the pumps, as that's a LOT of plastic not going into landfills (or home with pax!) I certainly have enough free sample packets and little bottles from various hotel stays; I can just toss a few of those so I have conditioner.

 

To many, the problem is not that the little bottles have been replaced by a pump bottle in the shower, it is that the contents of these little bottles are not what is provided in those shower containers.

 

The combined shampoo/conditioner has not won any praise from any woman posting in this forum. The body wash is not a good substitute for real soap bars.

[san diego sue]

On our recent 28 day Crown cruise:

Bananas Foster and Cherries Jubilee both prepared and served in Fixed dining room.Also special pastas prepared too.

On some lunches in dining room, Maitre 'D Neville made special custom salads with choice of Chicken, shrimp, etc(bacon and other condiments could be added).

I think it is a good Maitre'D that decides those little extra touches.

 

As far as toiletries: I always bring my own shampoo and conditioner in leakproof travel containers(enough to last for a cruise, and can go through security at airport). Also bring my own shower body wash(pack it) .

 

What I miss is Elite laundry coming back the next day instead of 5 days. On the recent Crown cruise it took that long although notice said 72 hours. With 830 elites on board, I fully understood that happening. In July, on 7 day cruise it did come back next day (hardly any Elites on board).

 

 

Edited November 19, 2015 by san diego sue

[NIATPAC29]

Complain less enjoy more. If not go to a higher and cruise line.

[Jimbo59]

The swim against the current pool doesn't exist on the Royal and Regal (and probably won't exist on any new Princess ship).

 

The lack of true 14 day Caribbean cruises. Now Princess combines two seven day cruises and calls them 14 day cruises.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Jimbo59

[suzyed]

On our April Caribbean Princess cruise I noticed the salad bar lacked the usual assortment of nuts. On the Regal in December and look forward to their salad bar.

 

I've seen quite a few assorted nuts at the salad bar! Oh, wait! You meant nuts to put on your salad?

 

Nevermind!:rolleyes::p