Shocked by my first Princess Cruise

[Brisbane41]

As I said earlier I believe most of their issues were total fabrications and examples like none of the crew smiling is a total fabrication which is obvious to begin with.

 

I have noticed another review has been posted on the Diamond Princess right after the cruise I reviewed and this other member has also given Diamond Princess an excellent rating.

 

If you read my earlier reply you will see that I think this persons background with Crystal is totally irrelevant. I sailed in a suite, have stayed in 5 star hotels around the world and flown in business class to and from Australia for that cruise. I am used to the finer things in life also. I have also stayed at chap backpacker places and done rough travelling so I know to appreciate everything in life. I also grew up in the working class suburbs and have a very open mind on life.

 

In my opinion there is no problem with Princess, only with these people who posted the review. They are the problem and I feel sorry for the staff that have to wait on and serve people like them because by the look at what they have written they sound like mean and demanding people who must treat everyone bad and consider others beneath them.

 

When I was on Diamond Princess I was low maintenance and was very relaxed. I had hugs from female staff members on my birthday and had the men shaking hands with me, the bar staff would keep a seat for me beside the bar when they knew I would likely come by after dinner. All I did was treat people nicely and not be too demanding and engaged in conversation and I had a great cruise. I could only imagine if these people who wrote this post were rude and condescending to the staff of course they wanted nothing to do with them. If the crew were not smiling it is probably because they saw them coming.

 

The "Bucket Woman" in real life is probably what they were.

[Aussieflyer]

On Princess they do not serve you lobster with another diner's lobster shell on the serving plate. Every diner's meal comes plated with lobster tail, veges etc. on the plate. The waiter (or assistant) comes around the table and removes the shell while keeping your lobster tail on your plate. Using utensils, he then lifts the lobster shell off your plate and puts it on a plate he has with him. This plate would usually have one or two lobster shells on it, depending on how far around the table he has got.

 

I am puzzled what the issue is. My lobster remains on my plate and has not come in contact with anyone else's lobster since it left the kitchen. I don't care if the shell (that I do not intend to eat anyway) is put on a plate with someone else's discarded shell that they haven't touched anyway.

 

I feel that the other options for serving would not be good. The other options I see are: serve the lobsters already without the shell :eek: or de-shell one lobster, then hurry to the serving station to get rid of that plate and pick up a fresh plate/utensils to do the next person's lobster etc. etc. I wouldn't bother waiting and let my food get cold. :eek:

AusTraveller I did mot mean on my own plate. I was under the impression that the lobster came on a separate plate and was then deshelled and served - obviously I was mistaken. If this had bee the practice it is poor service standard. However, as you say that the lobster is already plated, having shells on a central plate is not an problem. I wouldn't know really as the lobster tail on cruises being frozen is something I don't order.

 

Some posters also have quoted me asking the OP to explain the issue with he MDR food> Actually as soon as I posted that I went back to the OP and noticed they had commented so had edited my post, evidently others beat me though by quoting my original post.

Edited August 21, 2016 by Aussieflyer

[Pushka]

I am just glad I dont like lobster! :p

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

I am just glad I dont like lobster! :p

 

 

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Good more for us. :p

[mom2tcdx2]

I too wasn't quite following the comment about the lobster and the plate they discard the shells onto. Never bothered me to remove it from my plate with the utensils as it was done before anyone was eating anyway.

 

Have done 4 Princess cruises, overall I have not really encountered unfriendly staff. Only had an issue once with a service rep at guest services who was less then friendly. He did really sour the experience.

 

We have done anytime and set dining and I can say I overly haven't found a problem with dining. The portions are on the small side, but personally I find most cruises that way though good grief there is free food all over the place. And you can order more than one of anything if you wanted more.

[ar1950]

Good more for us. :p

 

OK, where is the "LIKE" button. My thoughts exactly. :D

[ar1950]

I too wasn't quite following the comment about the lobster and the plate they discard the shells onto. Never bothered me to remove it from my plate with the utensils as it was done before anyone was eating anyway.

 

Have done 4 Princess cruises, overall I have not really encountered unfriendly staff. Only had an issue once with a service rep at guest services who was less then friendly. He did really sour the experience.

 

We have done anytime and set dining and I can say I overly haven't found a problem with dining. The portions are on the small side, but personally I find most cruises that way though good grief there is free food all over the place. And you can order more than one of anything if you wanted more.

 

I think that you may have nailed the crux of why the OP's post rang a little shallow. I don't expect that we will hear back from them anytime soon, or, if ever (22 posts in 7 years, hmm, "see ya' later alligator").

Edited August 22, 2016 by ar1950

[Pushka]

Good more for us. :p

 

 

You are most welcome to it :p

 

 

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[Lucky TGO]

OK, where is the "LIKE" button. My thoughts exactly. :D

 

It's right here 🛎 :D

Tony

[BabsinTX]

Our first Princess cruise was on the Grand, and the food was extremely disappointing. Since then (on other ships), the food has been good to great. Though I do wish every ship had an Alfredo's pizza!

[NSWP]

I am just glad I dont like lobster! :p

 

 

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I used to like it but now avoid all shell fish, lobster, prawns, oysters etc...resurrects ye olde GOUT, big time, a killer. ! Always something else to try.

 

Maybe on the OP's cruise many pax 'reduced' or 'removed' their daily gratuities, that would demotivate staff. Ship operating from Japan, I know many Asian nations do not believe in tipping, Japan for one. (Not being racist.)

Edited August 23, 2016 by NSWP

[Brisbane41]

I used to like it but now avoid all shell fish, lobster, prawns, oysters etc...resurrects ye olde GOUT, big time, a killer. ! Always something else to try.

 

Maybe on the OP's cruise many pax 'reduced' or 'removed' their daily gratuities, that would demotivate staff. Ship operating from Japan, I know many Asian nations do not believe in tipping, Japan for one. (Not being racist.)

 

As I have continually stated the whole crew being sad statement is a total fabrication. I was on Diamond Princess on 25th July around Japan and found this persons statements fictitious to say the least.

 

There were over 1,800 Japanese on my sailing. While they do not tip in their culture it is highly likely that it will be factored in as part of the service charge which is common in Asia. In many Asian countries you get the hotel bill and on top of that which is not published is a mandatory service charge so in all likelihood the Japanese would have seen it as such and not seen it as tipping.

 

I personally prepaid mine to avoid the daily deductions.

 

Every crew member I met on the Diamond Princess was smiling and happy and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

 

These people probably saw sad crew members because the crew saw them coming and knew them to be high maintenance.

[Astro Flyer]

These people probably saw sad crew members because the crew saw them coming and knew them to be high maintenance.

Even though I don't know the OP that's a possibility because I've seen it happen too often on a cruise.

 

One of our most cheerful & helpful cabin stewards one day suddenly lost his smile. I asked what happened & he begrudgingly shared with us that passengers in one of his cabins wrote him up...not because he was inefficient but because he wasn't cheerful enough. So I submitted a you made a difference form to tell management how much we appreciated his wonderful & cheerful service.

 

Some people are too full of themselves & treat crew poorly and when that happens the result is a cheerless crew...something that you didn't experience.

 

1. The crew's attitude. The crew was completely cheerless: you could tell they were doing their job as if they are on an assembly line. No friendly greetings in the hallway.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Astro Flyer