Why I love Princess & Hooked 4Ever

[Rosethorn40]

We really love Princess as well, but have also enjoyed our forays to the "Dark Side" of other lines. I do think there is a time and place, at least for us, for other ships. I like Carnival for the Caribbean (But love the Sanctuary in the Caribbean too-Carnival's Serenity just can't compare), I thought HAL is overall wonderful, and since Princess doesn't do River Cruises, Viking fills in there very nicely.

 

But, after I have been away for a year or more, when I walk onto a Princess ship I do feel like its coming home.

[Mom33]

Welcome to Princess! Glad you enjoyed the beautiful Regal.:)

[svend52]

Remembering Goldilocks....

This porridge is too hot.

And this porridge is too cold.

This bed is too hard.

And this bed is too soft.

Well, this cruise line is just right.....for us!

We love Princess!!!

[Astro Flyer]

No arguments from me, but I fear that Princess are heading towards all mega and not providing for those who like a smaller ship.

 

I love Princess but the big ships just don't work in many locations.

No arguments from me either & I certainly understand why some prefer a smaller ship experience which is sadly being phased out by Princess. There'll come a point that they'll lose passengers like you who will seek options on other cruise lines.

 

I have friends who sometimes sail with us on Princess (including on the Regal) for a more affordable cruise experience. However they prefer Oceania who has old Renaissance ships such as the current Pacific Princess. They also like those old R-class ships Azamara sails but both cruise lines are more expensive & they cannot sail as frequently. Both are more all-inclusive so it may be cost effective for them. However with higher prices those all-inclusive options are not truly free & I may not want all of those options on a cruise.

 

On our all-inclusive river cruise we discovered that we could only drink so much but again the cost is built into the price whether we did a lot of drinking or not it was factored into the cruise fare...nothing is truly "free". :p

Edited August 2, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[Lucky TGO]

I was on nine Princess ships I like all of them.My favorite one is the Emerald Princess. I can't say why I like this one or that one. I had a great time on all of them. We have made friends with people from all over the world and still keep in touch with them. Some people we meet every year just to cruise together.

They are from RI,NY,CA,IL,MA,FL,TX,WI,WA,Canada,Netherlands,Scotland,Wales,England,

Russia,India, and Austarlia.

Tony

Edited August 3, 2016 by Lucky TGO

[Astro Flyer]

I was on nine Princess ships I like all of them.My favorite one is the Emerald Princess. I can't say why I like this one or that one. I had a great time on all of them. We have made friends with people from all over the world and still keep in touch with them. Some people we meet every year just to cruise together.

They are from RI,NY,CA,IL,MA,FL,TX,WI,WA,Canada,Netherlands,Scotland,Wales,England,

Russia,India, and Austarlia.

Tony

 

I feel the same way...enjoyed each ship but the wonderful people we've met on Princess cruises make it even more enjoyable. Particularly passengers we've had the pleasure to sail with multiple times & who have become friends from around the world who we keep in contact with each other. :D

Edited August 3, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[northcalgal]

I went on my first Princess cruise, February 2015, on the Regal. FELL IN LOVE, head over heels in love. In fact, going back in 2017. Why I love Princess so much is their ships, IMO, hold true to the "cruising" concept while staying modern and with the times.

 

The more popular cruise lines, keep building these ships, or "floating circuses" and it to me, it's a turn off. To much to see, too much to do just like the "New Las Vegas".

 

I'm a new princess fan, and considering the trends of other lines, will forever be Princess.

 

I agree I read about these new big ships and all the new things they have. Not for me to much noise and stimulation. I like the peacefulness of the seas & have the fun in ports. But that's just me others I know like the new big ships.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

We took our first Princess cruise last year after many cruises on Carnival and RCI. We are hooked.

[riclop]

We will only sail Royal/Regal.

[GUT2407]

No arguments from me either & I certainly understand why some prefer a smaller ship experience which is sadly being phased out by Princess. There'll come a point that they'll lose passengers like you who will seek options on other cruise lines.

 

I have friends who sometimes sail with us on Princess (including on the Regal) for a more affordable cruise experience. However they prefer Oceania who has old Renaissance ships such as the current Pacific Princess. They also like those old R-class ships Azamara sails but both cruise lines are more expensive & they cannot sail as frequently. Both are more all-inclusive so it may be cost effective for them. However with higher prices those all-inclusive options are not truly free & I may not want all of those options on a cruise.

 

On our all-inclusive river cruise we discovered that we could only drink so much but again the cost is built into the price whether we did a lot of drinking or not it was factored into the cruise fare...nothing is truly "free". :p

 

My first cruise was on PP as were my next few, that may be why I love the smaller ships, all I know is that if I have the choice I go smaller, unfortunately that choice is fast disappearing with Princess.

[SeagoingMom]

I so much want to love Princess as much as ya'll do!!!

 

Our only Princess cruise was on Caribbean Princess, and we were not fans. What I think is funny, is that it was the same sort of gushing about Princess that I find on this thread that caused me to choose Princess for our most recent cruise; and, I have to admit, that also caused me to feel disappointed with the cruise: Princess fans were so enthusiastic that I expected so much more than I got on Princess.

 

I have to say that Princess cruisers are some of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for their preferred cruise line of any I know. But I have found that try as I might, I can rarely get Princess fans to say specifically what it is they love so much about Princess.

 

I can't help but feel that we either chose the wrong Princess ship -- CB was quite a bit bigger than we prefer -- or that we just somehow don't "get" whatever it is about Princess that fans love. I sometimes think we just haven't "seen the light."

 

Though it may not be any time soon, I am still open to sailing on one of the smaller Princess ships to see it I have a "road to Damascus" sort of experience. My hubby, who was even less enthusiastic about our CB cruise than I was, will have to be convinced that the smaller size of the ship will make the difference.

 

The few specific positives about Princess mentioned on this board are also true of HAL, and some also of Celebrity, yet folks seem to be stuck on Princess. Is it an "if it ain't broke" situation, or is there really some magic that Princess has that HAL and Celebrity lack?

[shredie]

 

I have to say that Princess cruisers are some of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for their preferred cruise line of any I know. But I have found that try as I might, I can rarely get Princess fans to say specifically what it is they love so much about Princess.

 

 

I think you need to read more threads. LOL. Okay, one specific thing I love about Princess is the decor of the ships. I also like my Elite benefits.

[GUT2407]

I so much want to love Princess as much as ya'll do!!!

 

Our only Princess cruise was on Caribbean Princess, and we were not fans. What I think is funny, is that it was the same sort of gushing about Princess that I find on this thread that caused me to choose Princess for our most recent cruise; and, I have to admit, that also caused me to feel disappointed with the cruise: Princess fans were so enthusiastic that I expected so much more than I got on Princess.

 

I have to say that Princess cruisers are some of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for their preferred cruise line of any I know. But I have found that try as I might, I can rarely get Princess fans to say specifically what it is they love so much about Princess.

 

I can't help but feel that we either chose the wrong Princess ship -- CB was quite a bit bigger than we prefer -- or that we just somehow don't "get" whatever it is about Princess that fans love. I sometimes think we just haven't "seen the light."

 

Though it may not be any time soon, I am still open to sailing on one of the smaller Princess ships to see it I have a "road to Damascus" sort of experience. My hubby, who was even less enthusiastic about our CB cruise than I was, will have to be convinced that the smaller size of the ship will make the difference.

 

The few specific positives about Princess mentioned on this board are also true of HAL, and some also of Celebrity, yet folks seem to be stuck on Princess. Is it an "if it ain't broke" situation, or is there really some magic that Princess has that HAL and Celebrity lack?

 

 

I like celebrity nearly as much as I like Princess,Moto me probably two things Princess has a much greater presence in Aus than Celebrity which gives me a lot more options and it's all in Aus$.

[Astro Flyer]

I think you need to read more threads. LOL. Okay, one specific thing I love about Princess is the decor of the ships. I also like my Elite benefits.

 

I also like the decor & design of their ships and the elite level benefits plus: combinable OBCs, no prepayment for shore excursions (which can be paid using OBC), military veterans OBC, cabins ready upon boarding the ship, not being bombarded by PA announcements promoting sales & activities (I can read the Patter), the great International Cafe, less expensive drinks, can bring soda & water onboard, can bring an unlimited amount of wine with a less expensive corkage fee, food that I enjoy more than on RCCL & Carnival...and sure that I'll eventually think of other things that I enjoy better than on other cruise lines. ;)

 

Princess isn't perfect & I will express my feelings to them about other ways to do something that could improve their experience...for that I'm a Princess "hater". When expressing what I like then I'm a Princess "cheerleader". Maybe that means I'm being objective by having pros & cons about Princess. :p

 

Overall, Princess provides my best cruise experience but it's not best for everyone. I prefer the Princess ships, service, food, entertainment and destinations but other passengers will have a better overall experience on another cruise line...no cruise line is the best option for everyone & it's good to have choices! :D

Edited August 3, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[easyboy]

I went on my first Princess cruise, February 2015, on the Regal. FELL IN LOVE, head over heels in love. In fact, going back in 2017. Why I love Princess so much is their ships, IMO, hold true to the "cruising" concept while staying modern and with the times.

 

The more popular cruise lines, keep building these ships, or "floating circuses" and it to me, it's a turn off. To much to see, too much to do just like the "New Las Vegas".

 

I'm a new princess fan, and considering the trends of other lines, will forever be Princess.

Glad you "loved" it!

[mrs and mrs]

SSSSH lets just keep it amongst ourselves.Dont want overcrowding and fares to sky-rocket.

Some-one needs to start a thread Princess is horrible.;);)

[SeagoingMom]

I also like the decor & design of their ships and the elite level benefits plus: combinable OBCs, no prepayment for shore excursions (which can be paid using OBC), military veterans OBC, cabins ready upon boarding the ship, not being bombarded by PA announcements promoting sales & activities (I can read the Patter), the great International Cafe, less expensive drinks, can bring soda & water onboard, can bring an unlimited amount of wine with a less expensive corkage fee, food that I enjoy more than on RCCL & Carnival...and sure that I'll eventually think of other things that I enjoy better than on other cruise lines. ;)

 

Princess isn't perfect & I will express my feelings to them about other ways to do something that could improve their experience...for that I'm a Princess "hater". When expressing what I like then I'm a Princess "cheerleader". Maybe that means I'm being objective by having pros & cons about Princess. :p

 

Overall, Princess provides my best cruise experience but it's not best for everyone. I prefer the Princess ships, service, food, entertainment and destinations but other passengers will have a better overall experience on another cruise line...no cruise line is the best option for everyone & it's good to have choices! :D

 

If you "express [your] feelings to [Princess] about other ways to do something that could improve their experience..." or express on CC opinions about what may need "buffing up" on Princess, it in no way makes you a "hater," in my book!

 

And perhaps I was too quick to use the word "cheerleader" in describing Princess fans -- I know the word "cheerleader" is loaded... But to some extent, I have felt a little of that "loaded" connotation on Princess boards; my observation is not that Princess fans believe Princess can do no wrong, but rather that Princess fans seem often to provide few specific reasons why they love Princess so much.

 

You, however, have given me a boatload of reasons! And the specifics you provide place you well above the common "cheerleader" category. Specifics help me to assess whether the opinion of another person -- in this case, you :) -- will likely correspond to my own, as each of us values different aspects of our cruise experience.

[srpilo]

I so much want to love Princess as much as ya'll do!!!

 

Our only Princess cruise was on Caribbean Princess, and we were not fans. What I think is funny, is that it was the same sort of gushing about Princess that I find on this thread that caused me to choose Princess for our most recent cruise; and, I have to admit, that also caused me to feel disappointed with the cruise: Princess fans were so enthusiastic that I expected so much more than I got on Princess.

 

I have to say that Princess cruisers are some of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for their preferred cruise line of any I know. But I have found that try as I might, I can rarely get Princess fans to say specifically what it is they love so much about Princess.

 

I can't help but feel that we either chose the wrong Princess ship -- CB was quite a bit bigger than we prefer -- or that we just somehow don't "get" whatever it is about Princess that fans love. I sometimes think we just haven't "seen the light."

 

Though it may not be any time soon, I am still open to sailing on one of the smaller Princess ships to see it I have a "road to Damascus" sort of experience. My hubby, who was even less enthusiastic about our CB cruise than I was, will have to be convinced that the smaller size of the ship will make the difference.

 

The few specific positives about Princess mentioned on this board are also true of HAL, and some also of Celebrity, yet folks seem to be stuck on Princess. Is it an "if it ain't broke" situation, or is there really some magic that Princess has that HAL and Celebrity lack?

 

While my preferred cruise line Princess is far from perfect, but so are all the others.. So while we definitely sail Celebrity and HAL and enjoy them, Princess is just a all round better fit for us - YMMV

 

But, as far as your experience on Princess, I'll just say that "one bad cruise does not a true experience make" ... Maybe give them another try ?

 

Srpilo

[CATGUY7]

I so much want to love Princess as much as ya'll do!!!

 

Our only Princess cruise was on Caribbean Princess, and we were not fans. What I think is funny, is that it was the same sort of gushing about Princess that I find on this thread that caused me to choose Princess for our most recent cruise; and, I have to admit, that also caused me to feel disappointed with the cruise: Princess fans were so enthusiastic that I expected so much more than I got on Princess.

 

I have to say that Princess cruisers are some of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for their preferred cruise line of any I know. But I have found that try as I might, I can rarely get Princess fans to say specifically what it is they love so much about Princess.

 

I can't help but feel that we either chose the wrong Princess ship -- CB was quite a bit bigger than we prefer -- or that we just somehow don't "get" whatever it is about Princess that fans love. I sometimes think we just haven't "seen the light."

 

Though it may not be any time soon, I am still open to sailing on one of the smaller Princess ships to see it I have a "road to Damascus" sort of experience. My hubby, who was even less enthusiastic about our CB cruise than I was, will have to be convinced that the smaller size of the ship will make the difference.

 

The few specific positives about Princess mentioned on this board are also true of HAL, and some also of Celebrity, yet folks seem to be stuck on Princess. Is it an "if it ain't broke" situation, or is there really some magic that Princess has that HAL and Celebrity lack?

 

What specifically did you not like about Princess?

[Astro Flyer]

If you "express [your] feelings to [Princess] about other ways to do something that could improve their experience..." or express on CC opinions about what may need "buffing up" on Princess, it in no way makes you a "hater," in my book!

 

And perhaps I was too quick to use the word "cheerleader" in describing Princess fans -- I know the word "cheerleader" is loaded... But to some extent, I have felt a little of that "loaded" connotation on Princess boards; my observation is not that Princess fans believe Princess can do no wrong, but rather that Princess fans seem often to provide few specific reasons why they love Princess so much.

 

You, however, have given me a boatload of reasons! And the specifics you provide place you well above the common "cheerleader" category. Specifics help me to assess whether the opinion of another person -- in this case, you :) -- will likely correspond to my own, as each of us values different aspects of our cruise experience.

Thanks for understanding my point of view & glad that sharing the things I enjoy about Princess was helpful.

 

I believe that in any situation constructive criticism is much better than merely complaining without offering what might be a better way to do anything. Cheerleader generally has a negative connotation when discussing any cruise line & that people are unwilling to accept any criticism about their favorite cruise line.

 

Thanks for explaining how you used the word & overall Princess is our best option but it won't be for many other passengers.

[Kineticoh20]

I so much want to love Princess as much as ya'll do!!!

 

Our only Princess cruise was on Caribbean Princess, and we were not fans. What I think is funny, is that it was the same sort of gushing about Princess that I find on this thread that caused me to choose Princess for our most recent cruise; and, I have to admit, that also caused me to feel disappointed with the cruise: Princess fans were so enthusiastic that I expected so much more than I got on Princess.

 

I have to say that Princess cruisers are some of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders for their preferred cruise line of any I know. But I have found that try as I might, I can rarely get Princess fans to say specifically what it is they love so much about Princess.

 

I can't help but feel that we either chose the wrong Princess ship -- CB was quite a bit bigger than we prefer -- or that we just somehow don't "get" whatever it is about Princess that fans love. I sometimes think we just haven't "seen the light."

 

Though it may not be any time soon, I am still open to sailing on one of the smaller Princess ships to see it I have a "road to Damascus" sort of experience. My hubby, who was even less enthusiastic about our CB cruise than I was, will have to be convinced that the smaller size of the ship will make the difference.

 

The few specific positives about Princess mentioned on this board are also true of HAL, and some also of Celebrity, yet folks seem to be stuck on Princess. Is it an "if it ain't broke" situation, or is there really some magic that Princess has that HAL and Celebrity lack?

 

I would have no problem sailing on either Celebrity or Royal Caribbean, both have a similar feel to Princess. Having just sailed on Carnival's newest and largest ship the differences are glaring and too many to list. For me Princess just has a classy feel, not pretentious or cold. It's kind of like goldilocks it is just right. It is a bang for the buck ratio I think. Sure spending twice as much might get you a better experience on the ultra luxury lines it just seems Princess has the 40 to 60 crowd in it's corner. So whether its MUTS or the dining experience or specialty restaurants to us Princess feels like the sort of resorts that we like to go to. Having done several Caribbean cruises I also would like to know what you didn't like?

Edited August 3, 2016 by Kineticoh20

[mrobstad]

I began cruising on RCCL, switched to NCL because it is solo friendly. this year, i ended up taking two Princess cruises, one Caribbean and one British Isles.....

heres my take......please dont crucify me.....

i prefer newer, glitzy ships, mainly because of the superior entertainment and speciality restaurants.

as a solo traveler, i refuse to pay more than a 25% supplement.

The 2 Princess ships were old and tired....no indoor pool, 2 speciality restsurants.....

 

But heres why Ill consider Princess a top contender in the future, and i havent seen all of these reasons posted.....

1. passengers are friendlier, staff is more courteous

2. sharing is offered for dining: eat with your family or share a table--this is in direct contrast to NCL. Ive met so many interesting people at meals, and dont care if you chhose to dine with your travel companions.

3. non Caribbean itineraries are hard to beat.

Just my humble opinion....

[jnc411]

I've only sailed with Princess and so far I'm happy with them. I don't want or need rock climbing, wave riders, zip lining or a central park with shops/burger places for a fee. I love the Regal and can't wait to be back on her in a few weeks :)

 

Well said, agree completely.

Cori

[easyboy]

I've only sailed with Princess and so far I'm happy with them. I don't want or need rock climbing, wave riders, zip lining or a central park with shops/burger places for a fee. I love the Regal and can't wait to be back on her in a few weeks :)

Same here.

[SeagoingMom]

While my preferred cruise line Princess is far from perfect, but so are all the others.. So while we definitely sail Celebrity and HAL and enjoy them, Princess is just a all round better fit for us - YMMV

 

But, as far as your experience on Princess, I'll just say that "one bad cruise does not a true experience make"

Maybe give them another try ?

 

 

Srpilo

"one bad cruise does not a true experience make"

 

I totally agree! (And we did not, btw, have a "bad" cruise. We simply did not find the "Princess experience" to be what we expected.)

 

"Maybe give them another try ?"

 

It is with this exact consideration in mind that I am reading threads such as this one and encouraging Princess fans to tell me what, specifically, they love about Princess. I am trying to ascertain whether what we experienced that was not to our taste was an aberration, or whether we did get the true "Princess experience," but it just wasn't for us.