Suggestions to Princess

[AlainBob]

I'm pretty sure that there are some Princess staff who read these boards. So why don't we use them to make some suggestions ? Of course, if we want them to listen to us, we have to make serious suggestions !

 

So here we go...

 

My first suggestion is about the photo system on a cruise ship... They take many pictures of us; they print them in 5x7 or 8x10 format (and if there is many people/couples in the picture, they make many copies of it). In the end, they put almost 90% of them in the garbage since we don't buy them (too pricey or not good pictures). Imagine the cost of the photo paper and the ink they use to print them... That all adds up to the price they charge for a little 5x7 (10$) or an 8x10 (20$)...

 

So here is my suggestion:

 

They use digital camera now. I'm sure they can find a system out there that can store some information about the picture they take (like the stateroom number). Suppose a little card reader that you can slide your stateroom card. The camera now know that the next few pictures are for cabin XYZ... until the next card is inserted in the reader.

 

Now, instead of a corridor with all the pictures, put a few computer displays with a keyboard. All you have to do is enter your cabin number and bingo, the system will show your pictures. Select the one you want and the system will print them. Simple !

 

No more waste of photo paper or ink... No recycling to do... Less material cost... Maybe they can drop the prices a little bit with a system like this ! If so, more people will buy photos and, in the long run, I'm sure they will make more profit !!! What do you think ?

 

Any more suggestions ?

 

Alain R.

 

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Want to see some pictures from our cruises ?

Just go to:

Alain & Linda cruises pictures

... and enjoy !

---------- *** ----------

1995 - Regal Princess (Eastern Carrib)

2000 - Sea Princess (Western Carrib)

2002 - Dawn Princess (Southern Carrib)

2004 - Coral Princess (Panama canal)

NEXT CRUISE:

2005/03/20 - Dawn Princess (Southern Carrib Meddley)

 

[This message was edited by AlainBob on 06-05-04 at 12:34 PM.]

[srphnx]

It seems a good idea but do you really think all the photogs will run around annoying people for candid shots and then getting them to announce cabin numbers aloud. What about women who have security/privacy concerns. The cost of implementing this would far exceed the cost of paper/ink which is offset in prices.

 

They can't even get most internet connections working properly, I can't imagine any line complicating the IT on a ship so they can reduce prices on photos.

 

Life is at it's best when your address floats

Two MORE open Bookings.

<FONT color=red>Alaska</FONT>

Diamond Princess 05/04 ~~ Mercury 06/02

Rhapsody o.t. Seas 05/98 ~~ Legend o.t. Seas 09/95

<FONT color=red>Mexican Riviera</FONT>

Diamond Princess 12/04

Diamond Princess 11/04 ~~ Diamond Princess 04/04

Sea Princess 01/02 ~~ Vision o.t. Seas 04/02<FONT color=red>

West Coast-Baja Mexico</FONT>

Ecstacy 09/01

<FONT color=red>Eastern Carribean</FONT>

Century 12/97

<FONT color=red>Western Carribean</FONT>

Century 9/96

 

[bpwarne]

This really is an excellent idea and one which you will see implemented in the near future I am sure. Everything being digital, it would not be that difficult to do at all.

 

Carnival Spirit 12/10/03

Coral Princess 5/15/04

[Toto2Kansas]

Lets go one step further, face recognition, that would keep it really simple! lol Expensive, but simple and would pay for itself in the end.

 

I just wish that the cruise lines read these boards, we could really fill them in with ideas. Wish they would have a place on their actual internet sites for cruisers ideas.

 

Tahitian Princess 10/14/04

RCI-Legend of the Seas 3/27/05 Panama Canal.

One Phantom Booking still open with Princess.

[CruiseFever]

...actually Carnival is in the process of implementing such a system right now to reduce the amount of wasted photos in line with their environmental efforts combined with a general upgrade in the photo department.

 

I understand the new system will free up promenade space used to display photos by allowing passengers to view them via kiosks or in their cabins via FunVision. Last I heard you still had to glance over everyone's photos to get to yours but via page after page of thumbnail size photos. Find one you like, select it, then choose how you would like it printed or transfer to a CD to take home.

 

This is still being developed but I believe that printed photos would be available to pick up within a certain amount of time. That sounds like something Princess would deliver to your cabin.

 

Carnival is really hot to trot on anything they can get out of the interactive FunVision system in addition to pay-per-view movies, folio review and the purchase of shore excursions (which tickets for ARE delivered to your stateroom).

 

I should have added that to the list of things that are different between Carnival and Princess. CCL really gets the nod on technology from FunVision to speedy internet connections, traditional and wireless.

 

That was one of the things I noticed in our cabin on our first Princess cruise: "Oh, its's just a TV"

 

But then I picked up phone and ordered off the dining room dinner menu which had been delivered to my stateroom on request, had a kiwi out of the fresh fruit bowl that was replenished each day and forgot all about technology issues.

 

Happy Cruising

 

Chris

 

www.LifeIsCruising.com

 

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/26/04

Star Princess 10/24/04

Diamond Princess 12/22/04

Sapphire Princess June '05

Caribbean Princess 09/17/05

Carnival Valor 10/30/05

 

[bpwarne]

Another nice thing about the Carnival setup is you can view your account at any time on your TV in your cabin. You always know just how much you've "run up" your tab.

 

Carnival Spirit 12/10/03

Coral Princess 5/15/04

[srphnx]

the check your balance feature is available on Celebrity as well.

 

Life is at it's best when your address floats

Two MORE open Bookings.

<FONT color=red>Alaska</FONT>

Diamond Princess 05/04 ~~ Mercury 06/02

Rhapsody o.t. Seas 05/98 ~~ Legend o.t. Seas 09/95

<FONT color=red>Mexican Riviera</FONT>

Diamond Princess 12/04

Diamond Princess 11/04 ~~ Diamond Princess 04/04

Sea Princess 01/02 ~~ Vision o.t. Seas 04/02<FONT color=red>

West Coast-Baja Mexico</FONT>

Ecstacy 09/01

<FONT color=red>Eastern Carribean</FONT>

Century 12/97

<FONT color=red>Western Carribean</FONT>

Century 9/96

 

[spongerob]

On a slightly different tangent, I'd like to comment about the casino offerings now that Carnival-style procedures have gone into effect. The change is not for the better.

 

Ship's casinos are going to be somewhat tight, compared to Las Vegas, and it has always been quite evident that this is so. Yet, the company that manages all of the Carnival casinos has introduced new lows. Here are a few things I was very disappointed to find on our most recent cruises:

 

- Progressive jackpots are re-set to the minimum value at the beginning of each cruise. Players contribute to progressive funds through reduced pay schedules (video poker/slots) or by making an additional side bet (Caribbean stud). It is not money that comes out of the casino's pocket. Re-setting jackpots is actually illegal in Nevada. Where it's not illegal, it's just greedy.

 

- Replacement of most blackjack tables with higher-profit blackjack variants. Most of the time only one "real" blackjack table is open. Since I won't pay the highly profitable (for the casino) "Super Fun" and "Lucky Wheel" variants, it makes it hard to find a seat. When a seat is available, the minimum bet is usually $25. This pushes smaller bettors to the more profitable games or just out of the casino. I have a hard time playing green or black chips when I have to buy my own drinks or pay for my room. For that kind of action, I can get treated like a king in LV.

 

- Pay schedules for some games have been reduced. For example, the "bonus" (dollar side bet) for a royal flush on Let It Ride has been reduced from the standard $20,000 to $10,000. Princess used a bonus schedule that is considered the most player friendly. The schedule used by Carnival (Corp.) is the worst. Cutting the RF by 50% adds insult to injury, or injury to insult.

 

-Coin-in requirements for video poker are now 10 coins, instead of 5. Again, this concerns the royal flush. Playing maximum coin is required to win the progressive jackpot, if offered. On a non-progressive machine, playing maximum coin increases the payout for the royal flush also. Doubling the coin-in requirements exposes players to much higher risk.

 

- Video poker theoretical payout percentages have been lowered even further. Cruise ships typically offer the absolute worst pay schedules on video poker. The new casino operations go a step further. On many machines the payout for three of a kind has been reduced from 3:1 to 2:1. This is a huge hit for the player.

 

- Video poker that really isn't. Under Nevada law, where the machines are originally built, the electronics that run the game are very precisely defined. The hand that is dealt to you must be entirely random as determined by a sophisticated Random Number Generator (RNG). Once you have selected the cards you wish to keep, the drawn cards are then randomly selected from the remaining cards available in the deck. There can be NO alteration of the results to maintain a hold percentage. The winning hands must appear with the statistically correct frequency.

 

This is entirely subjective, but I believe that the video poker machines in use today on Princess ships have been reprogrammed so that the results are not statistically correct. There are too many large hands (4 of a kind or better dealt) and too few hands are hit on the draw. The "feel", and there is no better term, just isn't there.

 

These changes do little but drive off players who might spend time in the casino. I view gambling as a form of recreation where I'm more likely to lose than win. However, it's only fun if I think I have better than a snowball's chance in hell of winning. The changes that have been made to Princess casino operations have made most their games unplayable. Hopefully they can be convinced to reverse this trend before the casinos become a large room where the only reason people go in is to smoke in air-conditioned comfort.

 

Completed:

Sea Princess, Royal Princess, Grand Princess (3X), Caribbean Princess, Golden Princess

[DoniaG]

Spongerob I can deal with all the other stuff in the casino, but I was really looking forward to playing blackjack at a $5 table. Is the situation as you describe every night, or does it vary. Like you, I consider gambling entertainment, but there's a limit to what I'll spend on my "ticket". Thanks for info so I can adjust my expectations before I go. Donia

[spongerob]

It probably does vary some. I'm sure it varies from ship to ship, too. The casino on the Golden wasn't quite as bad as it was on the Caribbean Princess.

 

Completed:

Sea Princess, Royal Princess, Grand Princess (3X), Caribbean Princess, Golden Princess

 

[NightOne]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by spongerob:

 

...

- Progressive jackpots are re-set to the minimum value at the beginning of each cruise.

...

- Pay schedules for some games have been reduced. For example, the "bonus" (dollar side bet) for a royal flush on Let It Ride has been reduced from the standard $20,000 to $10,000.

...

- Video poker that really isn't. Under Nevada law, where the machines are originally built, the electronics that run the game are very precisely defined. ... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Resetting the progressives is pretty lousy.

 

Also, the dollar side bet on Let it Ride is a terrible bet in any casino and in my opinion should never be made. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but the house edge on this is HUGE!!

 

What you state about Nevada video poker is correct. It is determined by the gaming comission in each state. In Nevada, the rule is that video poker has to deal from a "real" deck with the odds being exactly as they would be if you were using a real deck. In Atlantic City, video poker is more like playing a standard slot machine. The comission there allows machines that meet a certain range of percentages of paybacks to be used without regard to the true odds of a deck of cards. It also allows machines to make secondary decisions such as making the odds much higher of drawing a royal when you are holding 4 to the royal than would be the case with a true deck of cards.

 

I live in Illinois and our video poker law is similar to Nevada. Across the stateline in Indiana, it is like Atlantic City which is a much worse game.

 

Finally, when you have machines based on the "Nevada" principal, you can look at the payout table on the machine and determine the exact payout percentage of the machine because of the mathematical probabilities that must be adhered to, but in Atlantic City type jurisdictions, they mean nothing when it comes to payout percentage. It is instead determined by the chip's payout percentage. (like a slot)

 

Of course, when you are gambling in international waters, who know what rules (if any) apply. I would say that the best bets in the Princess casinos are the $20 entry tournaments that they hold just about every day. I still enjoy playing in the casino, but I understand that I am not playing with the best of odds.

 

Carl

 

 

Time until Sailing

[spongerob]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Also, the dollar side bet on Let it Ride is a terrible bet in any casino and in my opinion should never be made. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but the house edge on this is HUGE!! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

LIR is a pretty awful game with or without the side bet. But it's the only table game my wife will play...(sigh). There are numerous bonus schedules in use. The one that Princess formerly used was pretty good, around 95% I think. The one in use now is less than 75%. I've got the numbers somewhere. If it's of real interest I'll dig them up.

 

Completed:

Sea Princess, Royal Princess, Grand Princess (3X), Caribbean Princess, Golden Princess

 

[Guest]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CruisingIsLife:

...actually Carnival is in the process of implementing such a system right now to reduce the amount of wasted photos in line with their environmental efforts combined with a general upgrade in the photo department. I understand the new system will free up promenade space used to display photos by allowing passengers to view them via kiosks or in their cabins via FunVision. Last I heard you still had to glance over everyone's photos to get to yours but via page after page of thumbnail size photos. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Carnival is testing facial recognition to make it easier to find your photos. Read all about it at http://www.iwsinc.com/News/carnival.cfm.

 

Diamond Princess 11/2004; NCL Sky, 1/2004; NCL Wind, 3/2003; Carnival Legend, 12/2002; Zenith, 1/202; R5, 5/2001; Destiny, 9/2000; Westerdam, 1/2000; Sensation, 11/1999; Tropicale, 11/1998

[catdancers]

I'd like to be able to sign up for the soda card in advance like the shore excursions.

 

Norway 8/83

Norway 11/85

Golden Princess 11/01

Golden Princess 3/02

Star Princess 11/02

Diamond Princess 4/04

Coral Princess 12/04

Caribbean Princess 9/05

[Northender]

Well you can please some of the people some of the time

And you can please all of the people some of the time

But you can't please all of the people all of the time. (Don't know who said this but it is very apropos).

 

I only have one suggestion for Princess - better coffee. (I think I may have said this once or twice before (LOL)

 

 

 

Grand Princess 4/4/04

 

[DoniaG]

The actual quote is

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."

Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865), (attributed)

 

He also said "If this is tea, please bring me coffee. If this is coffee, please bring me tea."

 

Seemed too apropos to not mention!

[Aquarian]

Just my two cents: I'm gambling illiterate but definitely did notice the mostly empty casino on our May 8-15 Caribbean cruise. We dropped by a couple of times and watched the slots eat our money without any promise of any give-back, so we just quit going in and I guess so did everybody else. How does this make money for Carnival if it turns everyone off and they stay away from the casino?

[BJS]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>How does this make money for Carnival if it turns everyone off and they stay away from the casino? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I agree. Besides having "tight" machines with almost no pay out and very poor odds on the video poker they usually only have a "handful" of nickle machines. Increase the odds, restrict smoking to only a small section, and add more nickle machines and they could have a real money maker.

 

Future cruises:

9/04 Star Princess-Med.x2 Venice to Barcelona/ Barcelona to Rome

11/04 Dawn Princess-Southern Caribbean

Jan. 05 Diamond Princess-Mexican Riviera

July 05 Star Princess-Baltics

Aug. 05 Star Princess-Baltics

Past cruises:

04 HAL-Amsterdam-Alaska

04 Dawn Princess- Southern Caribbean x2

03 Grand Princess-W.Caribbean

03 Sun Princess -Mexico

03-Tahitian Princess-Tahiti/ Cook Islands

03 Royal Princess-x2 British Isles & Norwegian Fjords/ Iceland

03 Island Princess-Panama Canal

01 HAL Ryndam x 2-S. America San Diego to Valpariso/ & around Cape Horn to Rio

00 Sky Princess-China/Orient

79 Sitmar's Fairwind- Caribbean/Panama Canal

[Jane110]

Spongerob,

 

Many thanks for your detailed report.

 

We're recreational gamblers - play a few hundred $$$ on a cruise ship and then go to Vegas once a year.

 

I never expect to win, but I want to have a "nice little ride" for my money. And sometimes I even come out a few sheckles ahead. But with what you've exposed, I think that Princess will not be seeing any of our money on our upcoming cruise next week. I'm not playing $25. minimum BJ games and I'm certainly not going to sit at the sucker tables.

And at 10 coins for a progressive win and only a 2:1 win on video poker, I think Princess will lose even more money from us as we sit on our balcony and enjoy the Cosmo's I make from the vodka in our room or drink them at the shows!

 

Their greed = their loss.

 

Jane

[TWA4Ever]

Here's our suggestion for Princess (and it has nothing to do with gambling).

 

Mid-Atlantic ports. Philly, Baltimore, Norfolk (maybe even the Port of Alexandria). Somewhere that affords a lot of us the opportunity to drive to our ship, instead of fly.

 

Star Princess 4/2005

Pride of Aloha (America) - 9/2004

Golden Princess - 3/2003

Pacific Princess - 9/2002

MS Patriot - 9/2001

 

 

<IMG SRC=http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2002;9;15;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500><img

 

Since the original Love Boat!

 

<img src=http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&prgb=32CD32&cdt=2004;09;05;20;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500><img

 

Until Pride of Aloha and a US Flag again!

[Aquarian]

I second mid-Atlantic ports!

[kendon]

Regarding the ship photos, how about reducing the price significantly. You'd be surprised how many would be sold. They are just too expensive.

[Northender]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DoniaG:

The actual quote is

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."

Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865), (attributed)

 

He also said "If this is tea, please bring me coffee. If this is coffee, please bring me tea."

 

Seemed too apropos to not mention! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

LOVE IT

 

 

 

Grand Princess 4/4/04

 

[Guest]

How about bringing back the premium details that used to make Princess a standout cruise line? Like Cherries Jubilee, Crepes, pastas and Caesar Salads prepared tableside. Service levels which were the envy of the industry. Low density ships. Repositioning the brand in the Carnival family – the premise now that Holland America is an alternative for Princess doesn’t work for me – so that Princess is pointing toward premium. Continue with the innovation in ships and ship-board programs, like Personal Choice, but discontinue the corporate need to compete with other mass-market lines to enhance stockholder return.

 

Thanks to Chris’ suggestion – CruisingIsLife – I went out on eBay and was actually able to purchase an inaugural book on Grand Princess from 1998. At the time she was a one-off, the largest passenger ship in the world, and it was obvious from John Maxtone-Graham’s writings that she was innovative and meant for something other than pumping out a profit. The descriptions of the ship and her crew indicate that Princess was a forward looking cruise line interested in offering a high-quality product to their passengers. That may or may not be so, but it seems that there’s now a focus more on the bottom line…which has spoiled the special experience Princess once offered.

 

-------------------------

Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

[Druke I]

I think Princess might do well to build some new ships in the 50,000GRT 1200 passenger range.

 

There are many of us out here who prefer a smaller ship, and the ability to get into smaller ports without tendering.

 

Michael