Does Princess respect its passengers.

[richsea]

Perhaps these changes are the result of Carnivalization of Princess.

I always have to laugh when I read a post like this. I read the same drivel on Celebrity boards. Carnival bought Princess over 15 years ago; Royal Caribbean bought Celebrity over 15 years ago. Yet,here we are, everytime something that changes that some do not agree with, we hear “it’s the Carnivalization of Princess, or the Royalization of Celebrity”. It really gets old! It is nothing more than a corporation trying to improve their bottom line. Deal with it, write the Company, or move on!

 

If enough people complain in their post cruise surveys, they will realize that the bean counters made an error, and fix it.

[riclop]

It's all about the mighty $$$$$$.

[Northumberland]

As we have only been on one previous Princess cruise which was 18 years ago, I can't compare the service level yet. I'll have a better feel for that after our second cruise in March. However, I can reference the cost from then to now. Back in Feb. 2000 our first cruise was a 7 day Southern Caribbean out of San Juan with 2 days in San Juan prior to the cruise. Flight, 2 nights hotel & cruise cost $9000.00 CDN. Now a 10 day cruise of the Southern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale along with 3 nights hotel in Florida & flight cost us around $5000.00 CDN. My expectations on the ship won't be as high as they were on our first cruise. So, I shouldn't be disappointed if the service level isn't as good.

[satxdiver]

Princess didn’t start buying a cheaper cheese, their supplier changed products on them, and they have already attempted to bring in a better product but are still looking for something even better.

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This unfortunately is a common occurrence as some supplier in the food chain decides to cheapen their product to increase profits in hope the end user is none the wiser. Princess is a bulk customer with very large demands for any food product. I imagine they do have problems getting the food products they need at the proper time and port. If this is the case, I hope they solve it quickly.

[sprint180]

They respect the bottom line.

 

 

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[kruisey]

Every successful business provides the quality and levels of service that appeal to their target market.

Princess has decided that their target market is not very discerning when it comes to food and drink.

 

Why spend extra money for good pizza ingredients when the target cruiser is quite happy with the cheaper bad ones?

I just had a look at the Princess wine list posted by Steeler36. Forget the prices. I wouldn't even consider drinking most of those wines - regardless of the price. Once again, Princess has chosen to go with cheap quality/high profits, matching the WalMart tastes of the majority of its target market.

 

I dealt with it, but was unhappy. I contacted the Senior Management to tell them about my displeasure and got no satisfactory response or result. I moved on.

I hate to say this but I must agree with what you say.

Princess does have first and Second class customers now so one pays for the privilege to be first class and have a different dining area. one of the reasons I picked Princess was because it had first class dining for everyone ............'Sigh' all has changed:')

[BAI@bay]

For the most part, Princess is pretty good, however, our dining experience was dampened when the head waiter refused to give my husband original menu's and instead give him Xerox copies, because he was just a jerk and was too lazy to put together the menu's. My husband offered to pay for the menu's originally, so the arrogant bottom feeder, eventually on our last night gave my husband something that could not be put in album, and was about as useful as toilet paper-just saying!!!

 

This happened on the Ruby Princess cruise from December 9 through the 16th.:evilsmile:

[sailco]

Respect or lack of respect is not really what we're talking about here. Princess has changed a lot of the lovely things that we took for granted and made us love the brand. Sure, they have to move with the times but it's really disappointing to see so much of what we loved disappearing. The worst thing is that no one at Princess is listening.

[Reader0108598]

Respect or lack of respect is not really what we're talking about here. Princess has changed a lot of the lovely things that we took for granted and made us love the brand. Sure, they have to move with the times but it's really disappointing to see so much of what we loved disappearing. The worst thing is that no one at Princess is listening.

 

 

Exactly!!!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Respect or lack of respect is not really what we're talking about here. Princess has changed a lot of the lovely things that we took for granted and made us love the brand. Sure, they have to move with the times but it's really disappointing to see so much of what we loved disappearing. The worst thing is that no one at Princess is listening.

 

 

Time to consider moving up to Oceania. If you love what Princess used to be, you'll enjoy experiencing what a $40 million retrofit of the old Ocean Princess has done for the now renamed Sirena.

 

 

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[RocketMan275]

I too don't think "disrespected" is the right term, but along the lines of others thoughts, I too am afraid there is a trend to "dumb down" the product. And whether it is them telling suppliers they won't pay more, or a supplier trying to scam them with inferior substitute product for same price, it isn't good. Princess' buyers should be on the ball and aware of changes.

 

I'd rather be paying a higher fare, inflation adjusted, than the same fare as a few years ago and get an inferior product.

 

You're the exception. An article on WSJ recently reported that air line passenger surveys expressed a desire to pay more for better seating, other information indicated that passengers typically choose the cheapest fares even if better seating was available at higher cost.

[Reader0108598]

You're the exception. An article on WSJ recently reported that air line passenger surveys expressed a desire to pay more for better seating, other information indicated that passengers typically choose the cheapest fares even if better seating was available at higher cost.

 

No thanks...sick of paying more for less!

[Flatbush Flyer]

You're the exception. An article on WSJ recently reported that air line passenger surveys expressed a desire to pay more for better seating, other information indicated that passengers typically choose the cheapest fares even if better seating was available at higher cost.

 

 

 

Less than 1 day in transit vs 1 week (or more) cruising are vastly different things.

 

 

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[dckmusic]

We're just about to depart on our second Princess sailing after being on Norwegian for several cruises. It sounds like a lot of the same things we had issue with on Norwegian, but the reality is, Norwegian made a business decision to be more family and budget friendly and they've done that successfully. I still don't mind Norwegian, but we decided to try Princess last time and we liked it better overall so we're sailing again. What we experienced two years ago on Princess was completely good with us and I expect it to be the same again.

 

The thing that bothers me, though, is the post that started this thread begins with "if what I'm reading is true..." so you are beginning a complaint without any experience, just relying on others who may have completely different tastes and needs to your own. I don't decide what movie to go to based on the reviews, I decide for myself what I think I might enjoy. Sometimes the reviews were right, sometimes (and often) they aren't. I'd rather decide from my own experience.

[RocketMan275]

Less than 1 day in transit vs 1 week (or more) cruising are vastly different things.

 

 

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There are multiple examples of people choosing the low cost option over paying more for better products. If the airlines could increase the profit margin with better seats, they would provide better seats but the public buys the cheapest option.

[Flatbush Flyer]

There are multiple examples of people choosing the low cost option over paying more for better products. If the airlines could increase the profit margin with better seats, they would provide better seats but the public buys the cheapest option.

 

 

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most long haul airlines are doing fairly expensive expansions, renovations and upgrades to biz class (e.g., better sleep seats). Check out United Polaris Class. Why? Because bizclass may be a comparatively expensive product but it is widely sought out by folks flying for work and geezers like me (and a goodly number of the rest of the baby boomers wanting comfort in their "old age").

 

 

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[keithm]

Princess didn’t start buying a cheaper cheese, their supplier changed products on them, and they have already attempted to bring in a better product but are still looking for something even better.

 

 

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Sorry, not true! I'm in the food industry. Vendors don't switch products. What happens is they raise prices. We're then left to either: pay those prices or have the reps give us other samples to test. In some cases we bite the bullet. In other we switch to lower costs. Depends on our clients. High priced clients get the good stuff. Cheaper clients get the cheaper substitutes. You can't expect the same quality on a mid class line like Princess to match the quality of something like Oceania or other similar line.

[floridalover5623]

Sorry, not true! I'm in the food industry. Vendors don't switch products. What happens is they raise prices. We're then left to either: pay those prices or have the reps give us other samples to test. In some cases we bite the bullet. In other we switch to lower costs. Depends on our clients. High priced clients get the good stuff. Cheaper clients get the cheaper substitutes. You can't expect the same quality on a mid class line like Princess to match the quality of something like Oceania or other similar line.

A little off topic but they recently had the same old boring desserts on the Royal buffet. Some people were swearing that Princess made them in their galley but they were identical to the ones we had last year and I know they're purchased as you have said....nothing to get excited over. Of course I found something to nibble on.;)

They did have better choices in the DR.

[ExploringTheGlobe]

The thing that bothers me, though, is the post that started this thread begins with "if what I'm reading is true..." so you are beginning a complaint without any experience, just relying on others who may have completely different tastes and needs to your own. I don't decide what movie to go to based on the reviews, I decide for myself what I think I might enjoy. Sometimes the reviews were right, sometimes (and often) they aren't. I'd rather decide from my own experience.

 

I pointed out the same thing in an earlier reply but the OP hasn't responded. I'm thinking the OP is just a pot stirrer (posted a similar thread at the same time as this one too "Is Princess stale"). I've had several sailings with Princess and have been very satisfied! (Obviously, I keep returning!) Do things change in a way I don't always prefer, sure. And sometimes I love the changes. It is all about personal preference.

[RocketMan275]

Perhaps you haven't noticed but most long haul airlines are doing fairly expensive expansions, renovations and upgrades to biz class (e.g., better sleep seats). Check out United Polaris Class. Why? Because bizclass may be a comparatively expensive product but it is widely sought out by folks flying for work and geezers like me (and a goodly number of the rest of the baby boomers wanting comfort in their "old age").

 

 

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Business passengers are often not as cost conscious since airline tickets are a business expense that can be charged to employers.

 

But, in case you haven't noticed, airlines are installing additional seats and reducing leg room in coach compartments.

 

There is a parallelism.

Business class and suites class.

Coach class and less than suites class.

[Rivington90]

Perhaps these changes are the result of Carnivalization of Princess.

 

That is my fear too.

 

Since we started cruising in the 1990's Princess and others were taken over by Carnival and we have seen a steady but very clear decline. Whilst cruise prices may not have kept up with costs, the on-board sell most certainly has whilst food quality along with other experiences and quality has declined. Very sad.:'):'):')

[RDC1]

Business passengers are often not as cost conscious since airline tickets are a business expense that can be charged to employers.

 

But, in case you haven't noticed, airlines are installing additional seats and reducing leg room in coach compartments.

 

There is a parallelism.

Business class and suites class.

Coach class and less than suites class.

 

Also keep in mind that the main stream cruise lines are fairly rapidly increasing capacity. That means that they have to attract more customers than they have in the past. The lower they can keep their price point the larger the potential market. It is also why you are seeing more cases of class structure showing up in mainstream lines. Gives the ability to raise price of suites and other classes of service, while keeping the majority of fares low. This is also why you are seeing the cruise lines expand for pay options on ships (such as dining options). Same reason airlines are competing with comfort for high price business class tickets, while competing on low price for coach, going so far as implementing basic coach fares to compete with no frills lines.

 

As far as food goes it CCL spends an average of $11.50 per passenger per day on food across all of its cruise lines (this includes its higher cost lines as well as its mainstream lines). This is based upon its last quarter 10Q report indicating 270 million spent during the 3 months period, with 23.5 million passenger days. This includes all food purchased, including that for the crew.

[RDC1]

That is my fear too.

 

Since we started cruising in the 1990's Princess and others were taken over by Carnival and we have seen a steady but very clear decline. Whilst cruise prices may not have kept up with costs, the on-board sell most certainly has whilst food quality along with other experiences and quality has declined. Very sad.:'):'):')

 

If Carnival had not purchased Princess in 1990 then most likely you would not be sailing on a Princess ship today, because they were close to failing when Carnival purchased them. The primary reason most mainstream cruise lines are owned by the big 3. Their inability to compete as an independent cruise line.

[richsea]

There are multiple examples of people choosing the low cost option over paying more for better products. If the airlines could increase the profit margin with better seats, they would provide better seats but the public buys the cheapest option.

So you are saying that the public told the airlines to build their planes with smaller seats and less legroom?? :o I would think it was more a case of “let’s squeeze as many a$$es in the plane as possible to increase profits; comfort be damned”.

[cflutist]

I think Oceania IS filling the "upper middle class" niche. They are not 'all-inclusive' (alcoholic drinks are not included) in the way Regency, Silversea, Seabourn and Ponant are... and their fares reflect it.

We have been booking suites on Princess but am doing a 15-night cruise to Antarctica on the Silversea Cloud expedition ship in 2018. It is all inclusive but we don't drink so it is not a good value to us. We also have 20-day Greenland Iceland and British Isles on Oceania. Am looking forwards to their 28-day dry aged USDA Prime beef in their specialty restaurant (our booking says that we have 3 complimentary meals there). Was never really impressed with the quality of the beef im the Crown Grill or Sterling steakhouse on the Pacific Princess.