Has Princess lost some of it's luster??

[Lucky TGO]

Please note: this is not a comment! (Come to think of it, it might be!)

 

How many cabins was a steward responsible for before and now?

 

How many tables in the MDRs was a waiter responsible for and now?

 

How many "waiters" were available in the buffet area before and now?

 

How many performers were on before and now?

 

How many people were responsible for activities and now?

 

How many people dedicated to information about excursions were active and now?

 

I guess those questions might sound negative but we love Princess!

 

That's the kind of questions that my DW and I have been asking each other for the last forty years so we could become better at what we were.

 

It worked:cool:

 

I like to know the answers to all your questions myself.

Tony

[Lulubelle45]

In many hotels these days, there is a card to hang on your door to dismiss service in the guise of helping the environment by cleaning less, reuse towels etc. In reality, upon collecting these cards in the evening, the hotel managers determine how many staff are needed the next day, and call staff accordingly and tell them they are not needed thereby eliminating their work and pay.

Cruise ships are in all likelihood doing the same by hiring less staff and giving customers less service. Displacing some laundry personel room stewards etc saves them $$$$ in the long run. It is a business afterall.

I personally never use those hotel cards and opt for full service to keep people earning a living.

[moki'smommy]

I took my first Princess cruise in 2000. There has definitely been a loss of 'lustre' over the years. It's happened through a series of tiny, incremental changes (almost unnoticeable while happening) that add up to not quite so 'shiny' an experience.

 

It isn't just on Princess......

[moki'smommy]

In many hotels these days, there is a card to hang on your door to dismiss service in the guise of helping the environment by cleaning less, reuse towels etc. In reality, upon collecting these cards in the evening, the hotel managers determine how many staff are needed the next day, and call staff accordingly and tell them they are not needed thereby eliminating their work and pay.

I personally never use those hotel cards and opt for full service to keep people earning a living.

 

I've found that some hotels offer a "limited service" option for quite a discount. In one location, between booking a "weekly rate" and a "limited service" rate, I was able to save almost 50% of the best rate I could find otherwise. This was a business trip. I knew I was going to be out of the room by 7:30 every morning and back home about 8:00. How much mess could I make?

 

I was told that the room would be serviced twice during my 7 night stay. Imagine my surprise when I returned on day 1 to a made bed. When I called the desk I was informed that it would be "full service" twice which included towel switch out and vacuuming. I would have "light service" on other days. Not bad at all. I'll take a 50% discount for that any day!

[Skai]

Wages / Salaries...

 

...Not bad when you come from a 2nd or 3rd world country, free room and board plus medical while on board and play no tax!

 

Please break that down to an hourly wage(and any overtime after 40).

 

TIA.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

We are told constantly that times are tough,

 

So we would expect to see

 

Cruise passenger numbers falling.

 

Lack of investment,

 

Cruise ships going out of service,

 

Companies leaving the industry,

 

So if things are so tough for the cruise industry

 

Why so many new builds

 

New players entering the market

 

Increased numbers of passengers

 

More new 6 star build on the way,

 

it appears to me that cruise market is following the American airline industry

 

and go for as cheap as possible with everything an extra,

 

The problem is we cruise not to get from a to b but for an experience,

 

that experience comes at a cost we accept that, and we are willing to pay for it,

 

Remember easycruise no frills cruising pay for everything, did not last long,

 

Princess needs to stop cut backs are increase prices a litttle, if we are getting

 

amazing value for our money we will pay, its simply if your cruise costs

 

$50 a day but the service you get feels like $40 you are unhappy,

 

but pay $55 a day and get service that feels like $75 you are happy.

 

For me Princess has lost its appeal because I feel the service is only at $40

 

I will only book now when I see silly cheap prices at $40 or less,per day,

 

 

 

yours Shogun

[Ron the Rev]

I took my first Princess cruise in 2000. There has definitely been a loss of 'lustre' over the years. It's happened through a series of tiny, incremental changes (almost unnoticeable while happening) that add up to not quite so 'shiny' an experience.

Agreed, the industry is so cut throat between the mid range cruise lines that slowly but surly standards have dropped.On Princess I believe that moves are afoot to make a better product, or should I say a cost related product for all passengers, the new club class dinning, Share and Salty dog. Yes main dining room experience over the years has lessened in "goodness", so pay a bit more for Club is one option. Rest assured Princess want a full ship of all thicknesses of wallet/purse. :)

[wintersno]

I took my first Princess cruise in 2000. There has definitely been a loss of 'lustre' over the years. It's happened through a series of tiny, incremental changes (almost unnoticeable while happening) that add up to not quite so 'shiny' an experience.

 

My first cruise with Princess was in 2002 and I agree with you.

Tony

 

My first cruise was in 2009 and unfortunately I have to agree too.

 

There have been many small changes removing "shiny" from the experience.

I guess the gap bettween mass market lines and luxury lines is getting bigger.

 

Wintersno

[golfb4cruzing]

We are just off a Carnival trip last month. Might have been the particular ship, since we haven't cruised Carnival in 4 years but the lines were very long and service slow or impossible. I wasn't bothered by the lack of tablecloth as much as I thought I might. Bar staff had 1 or 2 staff at the wrong times. MDR service was very slow and unimpressive food. We found staff to be crankier than usual. We also ran into some impolite Security and Maintenance staff. We were missing Princess quickly after a terrible boarding process. What I appreciate most with Princess, so far, has been their control. Carnival seems to be a free for all.

[Cruise Junky]

We definitely don't look to Princess anymore as our first and foremost when shopping for a cruise. We look to Celebrity. I'm not sure if that's because Princess has become "lacklustre" or if our preferences have changed. I just find Princess to be pretty Vanilla these days.

[Heidi13]

Here are some quotes on payment of crews:

 

At least with Princess, your quote stating that the crews are required to pay the cost of their airfares is incorrect, as the Shipping Act dictates this is the company responsibility.

 

Having been a Navigator for P&O/Princess in the 1970's, our son had a similar position and our DIL was a Steiner, I am well aware of previous and current contracts. The company is responsible for all costs from airport of record to the ship and also the return. The company is also responsible for any crew medical issues/workplace injuries, with these expenses covered by P&I Club.

 

The terms of the contracts vary based on position and nationality. For example, the three 3rd Officers probably make different salaries. Our son started on a N/American contract (least pay) that paid cash on board each month - no pay when on leave and zero benefits. He was responsible for all college expenses and his Transport Canada medical. He subsequently negotiated a UK contract, which paid a higher rate and included benefits.

 

Steiners were different in that they paid a hefty fee to attend Steiner training, which included flight to the ship. Provided they completed their 10 mo contract the return flight was paid. However, they had to pay a weekly room and board fee to stay aboard.

[mamkmm2]

Agreed, the industry is so cut throat between the mid range cruise lines that slowly but surly standards have dropped.On Princess I believe that moves are afoot to make a better product, or should I say a cost related product for all passengers, the new club class dinning, Share and Salty dog. Yes main dining room experience over the years has lessened in "goodness", so pay a bit more for Club is one option. Rest assured Princess want a full ship of all thicknesses of wallet/purse. :)

 

And you can definitely bet people will complain about the rising cost to get their luxury on. :rolleyes: I've read post after post after post here on cruise critic about people complaining of price. It is like people want something for nothing. All people really have to do is go to the grocery store these days and compare prices even five years ago that things are getting expensive. The cost of doing business has risen dramatically in the last ten to fifteen years.

 

Then there are people that don't understand basic accounting principles. When you set up to contract for a new ship and the money (down payment onward) is allocated toward that particular expense, that must remain true or you can get in serious legal trouble through contract issues, tax issues, etc. It isn't like going to buy a car on a lot ... you contract well in advance and then take delivery and pray your investment pays off. The ship builders don't build those babies on spec.

[baldercash]

Please break that down to an hourly wage(and any overtime after 40).

 

TIA.

 

You think unskilled workers get overtime and only work 40 hour a week in the Philippines, Thailand, India or China?

Yes by the average Starbucks barista standards ship staff may be hard pressed but they make more then twice the annual income of skilled trades people back home with better and safer working conditions. Many staff are highly educated but with no prospects back home, think of foreign trained Doctors or engineers driving cabs in NY city.

 

$40,000.00 US will buy most of these people a home and as stated it comes tax free, medical care plus room and board.

 

Consider migrant farm and slaughter house workers next time you shop for groceries at Costco or Sam's Club and consider what is happening to the foreign underclass in the United States let alone on a cruise ship.

[Heidi13]

Getting back to the question raised by the OP; your answer is obviously dictated by the number of years you have cruised with the company.

 

Our first experience was in 1979, shortly after Princess was purchased by P&O Cruises. At that time Princess was deemed one of the luxury lines, unfortunately, in our opinion and experience, at present they are maintstream, slightly above Carnival, NCL, etc.

 

In 2000 the P&O conglomerate hived off the cruise division into a separate company. The resultant P&O/Princess Cruises was purchased by Carnival Corp in 2003, which is when we started noting the reductions. In 2008 the standards took a steep dive and in our opinion and experience have continued ever since.

 

What has changed?

 

Dinning Rooms - The original silver service and wine waiters are long gone and the waiters now serve additional passengers. The Jnr Waiter is now responsible for getting drinks. The waiters are now so busy they have little, if any time to chat or add the little extra we know from earlier cruises. Princess no longer has officers at the tables, which was removed years ago

 

Cabins - the number of cabins per steward has increased significantly, with less time in each cabin. We used to get towel art every evening.

 

Food - The quality of the food has deteriorated and on the WC we frequently ran out of items, as the orders were submitted 3-months in advance. No more buying locally. The menus are more basic - example is lobster is now on same menu as beef wellington and lobster used to be 2 lobsters, now it is one + crayfish/prawn. On the WC the steaks were generally tough and one night everyone sent the lamb chops back, as they couldn't be cut.

 

Captain Cocktails - used to be one for each sitting, now only 1. Previously you could order any drink, now only pre-mixed drinks. The cocktail party used to include a receiving line to meet the Captain. It is so crammed now, we don't even attend.

 

Prizes - can only be described as the ultimate in cheap. You would be amazed at how cheap the bubbly is they give away.

 

Production Shows - Have been cut back to about 30 min shows. On the WC they contacted them out to basically 4 singers and 5 dancers. No elaborate costumes, stage decorations. Again we didn't attend.

 

Pax/Space Ratio - along with design of the ship this dictates the level of crowding. Princess are now cramming more people into the ships. The "Super Grands" are the same hull and pax spaces as the "Grand" class ships, but they have an extra deck of cabins (c. 500 pax). IP recently had an extra 150+ cabins added.

 

Maintenance - The Sea Princess looked like a Greek tramp ship during the WC and had frequent leaks.

 

The WC was our final cruise, as Princess have finally reduced their standards to below what we expect on a cruise. Yes, we have high expectations and are researching the smaller luxury lines, but it definitely wont be a Carnival brand.

[Woobstr112G]

We definitely don't look to Princess anymore as our first and foremost when shopping for a cruise. We look to Celebrity. I'm not sure if that's because Princess has become "lacklustre" or if our preferences have changed. I just find Princess to be pretty Vanilla these days.

 

Well said.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Heidi13]

Wages / Salaries

 

The cruise ship staff is divided into two main groups - tipping personnel and non-tipping personnel.

Tipping personnel

 

Tipping personnel are the staff with direct contact with the guests who pay them "tips". There are specified amounts of tips per particular positions which are advised to guests prior to embarkation and which vary from one cruise line to another. Such personnel are waiters, busboys /assistant waiters, bar waiters/waitresses, bartenders, cocktail waitresses, etc. Tipping personnel have a small base salary. Most of their earnings are tips. Approximate sample earnings in this group are (in U.S. Dollars per month):

Waiter - $2500 to $4000

Busboy / Assistant Waiter - $1500 to $3000

Bar Waiter / Waitress - $1000 to $2500

Bartender - $1500 to $3000

 

Not bad when you come from a 2nd or 3rd world country, free room and board plus medical while on board and play no tax!

 

These rates are only earned while working on board. When off the ship, on leave, they get no pay.

[lesharona]

My sister is currently on the Carnival Dream, she emailed me this morning and said they were disappointed that there were no table cloths in the dining room, your cabin is attended to only once a day, and the staff no longer have time to talk or joke with you, she asked if I noticed these things last year when I cruised on Princess in Alaska. My answer to her was no, not at all! Has it changed with Princess? We go on a cruise to feel pampered, I think it would be a big mistake for cruise lines to cut corners in this way. What are your thoughts?

 

I received another email from my sister this morning. She said yesterday they noticed the towels that were on the floor had been hung back up on the towel rack. If this is how Carnival is doing things these days, I am glad I am a faithful Princess cruiser. The price of fare should pay for basic niceities such as clean towels every day, and table cloths in the dining room. She did say for formal night there were table cloths.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I have been cruising for many years. My first cruise was in 1967 (as a small child with my parents). My first Princess cruise was in 1989 (soon after Princess purchased Sitmar). All of the lines have changed over the years. However, I still enjoy my Princess cruises.

 

I have taken four Princess cruises during the past year and always had a wonderful time. Overall, I think Princess still offers a fine product for a good value. I am looking forward to my Diamond Princess cruise in Japan this July.

 

Chuck

Edited May 25, 2016 by seacruise9

[PescadoAmarillo]

It used to be, when I read these sorts of threads about Princess cutbacks, I would pipe up and say, "Au contraire! There have actually been many, many new Princess features, and not necessarily at extra cost, that add to our enjoyment of our cruises!" When we first started cruising Princess in 2003, I don't think anyone could have said with straight face that it provided a better cruise experience than Celebrity. We cruised several ships on both cruise lines in quick succession in 2005 and the difference was striking. But Princess had the best itineraries...and passenger laundries...and a decently priced soda package. The combination of the three kept us returning. The Sun Princess in 2007 in the Caribbean was among the worst cruises we have ever taken...but the Emerald Princess launched shortly thereafter and changed our perceptions enormously.

 

So many new features...the International Cafe, MUTS, EZ Check and EZ Air, Cafe Caribe...the Elite Lounge..the list is not short. We were happy campers.

 

But...for the first time two winters ago on the Caribbean Princess, and last year on the Emerald Princess, it seemed like everywhere we turned, we were met with 'in your face' cutbacks. None of them are deal breakers but I have described it as death by a thousand cutbacks, and that's exactly what it is.

 

Not enough towels to service the ship. This is craziness. It's a hotel; would I tolerate a hotel without enough towels? Why should I just because it's my beloved Princess?

 

No notepaper and pen in the cabin unless requested. Seriously? Let's wait until AFTER you need it to take a message to give it to you.

 

For B2B cruisers...no Princess beach bag or Elite benefits for the subsequent cruises. 'Cause those two (cheap) Qtips each should last us 60 days!!!

 

No wine packages when there should be wine packages. Because Princess procurement just can't get their act together.

 

Anything Curtis Stone related. The elimination of the 'good' always available items fm the menu.

 

New bedding that puts my body in contact with something that contacted someone else's body last night. Ditto the shower curtain (though that's long been an issue).

 

What really opened our eyes was a conversation DH had in a hot tub with a fellow cruiser, first timer on Princess, who was rightfully complaining about some of these things. And it became obvious that we have been simply accepting these things as what Princess now is, kind of like the relative who's become a bit of a PITA but you still tolerate for Thanksgiving dinner. Just the way it is.

 

But the luster is definitely gone. That's not necessarily a deal breaker. Life moves on and things change. But, for us, it was a first time cruiser who really opened our eyes to what has been happening, bit by bit. And I'm grateful for that.

[moki'smommy]

It used to be, when I read these sorts of threads about Princess cutbacks, I would pipe up and say, "Au contraire! There have actually been many, many new Princess features, and not necessarily at extra cost, that add to our enjoyment of our cruises!" When we first started cruising Princess in 2003, I don't think anyone could have said with straight face that it provided a better cruise experience than Celebrity. We cruised several ships on both cruise lines in quick succession in 2005 and the difference was striking. But Princess had the best itineraries...and passenger laundries...and a decently priced soda package. The combination of the three kept us returning. The Sun Princess in 2007 in the Caribbean was among the worst cruises we have ever taken...but the Emerald Princess launched shortly thereafter and changed our perceptions enormously.

 

So many new features...the International Cafe, MUTS, EZ Check and EZ Air, Cafe Caribe...the Elite Lounge..the list is not short. We were happy campers.

 

But...for the first time two winters ago on the Caribbean Princess, and last year on the Emerald Princess, it seemed like everywhere we turned, we were met with 'in your face' cutbacks. None of them are deal breakers but I have described it as death by a thousand cutbacks, and that's exactly what it is.

 

Not enough towels to service the ship. This is craziness. It's a hotel; would I tolerate a hotel without enough towels? Why should I just because it's my beloved Princess?

 

No notepaper and pen in the cabin unless requested. Seriously? Let's wait until AFTER you need it to take a message to give it to you.

 

For B2B cruisers...no Princess beach bag or Elite benefits for the subsequent cruises. 'Cause those two (cheap) Qtips each should last us 60 days!!!

 

No wine packages when there should be wine packages. Because Princess procurement just can't get their act together.

 

Anything Curtis Stone related. The elimination of the 'good' always available items fm the menu.

 

New bedding that puts my body in contact with something that contacted someone else's body last night. Ditto the shower curtain (though that's long been an issue).

 

What really opened our eyes was a conversation DH had in a hot tub with a fellow cruiser, first timer on Princess, who was rightfully complaining about some of these things. And it became obvious that we have been simply accepting these things as what Princess now is, kind of like the relative who's become a bit of a PITA but you still tolerate for Thanksgiving dinner. Just the way it is.

 

But the luster is definitely gone. That's not necessarily a deal breaker. Life moves on and things change. But, for us, it was a first time cruiser who really opened our eyes to what has been happening, bit by bit. And I'm grateful for that.

This puts a lot of things into perspective from our first Princess cruise. There were many things we liked, but also many things included on the list above that our favorite line does better. Honestly, we looked at Princess and decided that there was "nothing wrong" with it and that for the price, it was a good deal.

 

I would add to the list that the Princess shampoo/conditioner and body wash are awful (we will bring our own for all future cruises). And of course that beach bag--I never knew that was a part of Princess, but we always get a nice quality tote of some sort (backpack, beach bag, shopping tote, whatever the style is at that time) filled with some goodies on the other line. On Princess, we got a very cheap bag that was good only for advertising, and it was empty.

 

As first timers, we didn't expect a lot of extras. We were surprised to be told that we couldn't have a blanket, a mattress topper, and something else that I asked for. And one of the mattresses was totally awful.

 

Other lines have better internet service and pricing. I would MUCH rather pay by mb, where I am getting charged for what I actually use, than by minute where I am at the mercy of how the system is working/not working that day!

 

However, all in all Princess was a good value for the money and we are booked for 2 more cruises.

[traveling1969]

Here's our take on the issue for what it's worth.

 

Our first cruise was in 2005 and we seldom take land-based vacations any more as cruising is such a bargain and as we say "It's not just a vacation, it's an adventure!" We cruise primarily with RCCL and Princess with a few Carnival cruises thrown in for seasoning;).

 

We find that the cost of cruising is not significantly higher now than it was then. Our cost per day per person varies (based on stateroom and itinerary) between $50 and $150. We have trouble finding good hotels for that price. Transatlantics have gone up a bit in price but that was inevitable as they were underpriced as far as we were concerned.

 

As for cutbacks, there have been a few but their impact on our cruising experience has been minimal. We don't agree that the quality of food in the dining rooms has suffered. I quess we're easy to please because we never have a problem finding very good food at every meal. Sure we hit a klunker or two occasionally but that happens even in the finest restaurants. We seldom dine at the buffet other than a quick bite now and then so we can't really comment on that.

 

Drink prices are up a bit but not out of line with prices elsewhere. Sure I can get a beer for $2.50 at my corner bar but you should see the clientele:eek:.

Seriously though, the one bottle of wine per person limit has bumped up our bar bill a bit but it is an understandable move by Princess (and most other cruise lines as well).

 

People complain about being nickel and dimed for extras but hey, those are extras. The core experience is still sound. People complain about aggressive in-your-face marketing but we just ignore it or politely decline and that's the end of it for us.

 

It does appear that the employees are being asked to do more and that is unfortunate however the service we receive is not appreciably different than it has been in the past. We take extra time to encourage and compliment our steward and other wait staff and they seem to appreciate it. We take pains to reward good service. We carry a bunch of ones and take great pleasure in tipping deck hands, bathroom attendants and others who seldom get tips. We are very happy with the service we receive; no lost luster there!

 

Maybe our glass-half-full philosophy has blinded us to the decline many see in the cruise-experience. If so, lucky us!

 

Harry and Joyce

Edited May 25, 2016 by traveling1969

[umuva]

Just off 17 day TA on the Regal. Wonderful cruise. Plenty of activities. Superb staff from cabin attendant to servers to cruise staff. Yes prizes can be cheap. So what. You took a cruise to win a prize?

There are some big production shows like Fiero. On a recent B2B we got our elite benefits on both. No problem . We ask our steward for top sheet. No problem. Want more than one lobster,ask. Actually, you don't as I have always been asked if I want more. When we cruised Celebrity years ago, they wouldn't.

Yes, Emerald was a problem last year, we were on TA, but it was going into dry dock the next month for fixing.

At Captains Party, and there is more than one, you can order other drinks. I order double Drambuies, no problem.

Yes, you can have a bad experience. It happens. But, 99% of our experiences have been positive.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[JF - retired RRT]

We find that the cost of cruising is not significantly higher now than it was then. Our cost per day per person varies (based on stateroom and itinerary) between $50 and $150. We have trouble finding good hotels for that price.

Harry and Joyce

And if you found a hotel for those prices, it wouldn't include food and entertainment (except for a TV).:D

Plus for $50, it would include bedbugs and dust balls.;)

[Astro Flyer]

Overall a Princess cruise is still our most cost effective enjoyable cruise experience & we enjoy them more than other similarly priced cruise lines.

 

As said, they've added some good things but successful things such as Alfredo's Pizzeria & the Winemakers Dinner have not been expanded to other ships. Instead things such as Share, Salty Dog & Effy (not many Princess passengers can afford items from $500-$1,200) are added because they may generate additional income. I'm skeptical about them succeeding any more than the Vines Shop failure. And adding the Salty Dog gastropub in the middle of their classical nautically themed Wheelhouse Bar is an example of downgrading their experience. I understand their desire to attract younger passengers but it was unnecessary to adversely affect a great venue.

 

Taste is subjective but after telling friends sailing with us about the Crown Grill being great it wasn't exceptional like previously. If it was a one time experience that may be understandable but within the last year on several cruises the food & service have been disappointing.

 

To me Princess is losing some of their luster and it could use some buffing before we seriously consider other cruise lines. Of course if I went to their CC forums many cutback issues would probably exist on other cruise lines similar to Princess.

[FritzG]

It used to be, when I read these sorts of threads about Princess cutbacks, I would pipe up and say, "Au contraire! There have actually been many, many new Princess features, and not necessarily at extra cost, that add to our enjoyment of our cruises!" When we first started cruising Princess in 2003, I don't think anyone could have said with straight face that it provided a better cruise experience than Celebrity. We cruised several ships on both cruise lines in quick succession in 2005 and the difference was striking. But Princess had the best itineraries...and passenger laundries...and a decently priced soda package. The combination of the three kept us returning. The Sun Princess in 2007 in the Caribbean was among the worst cruises we have ever taken...but the Emerald Princess launched shortly thereafter and changed our perceptions enormously.

 

So many new features...the International Cafe, MUTS, EZ Check and EZ Air, Cafe Caribe...the Elite Lounge..the list is not short. We were happy campers.

 

But...for the first time two winters ago on the Caribbean Princess, and last year on the Emerald Princess, it seemed like everywhere we turned, we were met with 'in your face' cutbacks. None of them are deal breakers but I have described it as death by a thousand cutbacks, and that's exactly what it is.

 

Not enough towels to service the ship. This is craziness. It's a hotel; would I tolerate a hotel without enough towels? Why should I just because it's my beloved Princess?

 

No notepaper and pen in the cabin unless requested. Seriously? Let's wait until AFTER you need it to take a message to give it to you.

 

For B2B cruisers...no Princess beach bag or Elite benefits for the subsequent cruises. 'Cause those two (cheap) Qtips each should last us 60 days!!!

 

No wine packages when there should be wine packages. Because Princess procurement just can't get their act together.

 

Anything Curtis Stone related. The elimination of the 'good' always available items fm the menu.

 

New bedding that puts my body in contact with something that contacted someone else's body last night. Ditto the shower curtain (though that's long been an issue).

 

What really opened our eyes was a conversation DH had in a hot tub with a fellow cruiser, first timer on Princess, who was rightfully complaining about some of these things. And it became obvious that we have been simply accepting these things as what Princess now is, kind of like the relative who's become a bit of a PITA but you still tolerate for Thanksgiving dinner. Just the way it is.

 

But the luster is definitely gone. That's not necessarily a deal breaker. Life moves on and things change. But, for us, it was a first time cruiser who really opened our eyes to what has been happening, bit by bit. And I'm grateful for that.

 

Exactly! You put the mixed feelings I'm having after our Ruby Alaska cruise last week into words. We enjoyed the cruise, but there were so many little disappointments that have us questioning our fall Baltic/ta b2 b, and our 2017 LA Tahiti cruises. We'll most likely stay with Princess, but we remarked that many first timers probably wouldn't be coming back--and we certainly can understand it.

Edited May 26, 2016 by FritzG