Mini review of the suite life ... first and probably the last time!

[Cruise Raider]

Even though I am all unpacked and even have gotten the laundry done, house cleaned and groceries bought, I can't seem to get myself into gear to write a proper review of our most recent sailing on the Grand Princess ... but will try to at least complete a mini review and can put it out there that I am more than willing to answer any questions anyone may have about the Grand.

 

So, the title indicates it was our first time ever, in over 50 cruises, in a full suite. We actually booked a window suite and would do so again in a heartbeat ... but only if it fits into our travel budget, which is probably won't, which is why I noted it will probably be our last time to enjoy the suite life. Did we miss having a balcony?? Well, not at all for us as we usually travel in the obstructed oceanview cabins on deck 8 on Princess. Some passengers may have trouble with no balcony but that might work to our advantage as there are so few window suites available anyway.

 

These are the features we loved about our cabin:

 

- the extra room in our cabin, plenty of natural light without obstruction, the large bathroom with fabulous towels, robes, etc, plus, plenty of drawer, shelf and closet space

- the location of the cabin (hardly felt any movement); convenient to everything

- the special breakfast in the Crown Grill

- the specialty dinner on the day of embarkation

- Club Class dining (never had a wait); the extra offerings, nicer wine glasses at the table

- new and comfy mattresses, bedding and pillows (think these may be available in all cabins now?)

- fresh flowers in our cabin

 

 

There was also a DVD player with a DVD library you could borrow from, which we never used.

The furniture was in decent shape and free of nicks and gouges, however, the couch could really have been replaced. The bathroom, which was kept spic and span by the room steward, was in desperate need of some TLC. It was beyond what the room steward could take care of ... it needed to be re-tiled and re-grouted, especially inside the shower stall.

The whirlpool tub ended up with a rusty scum ring at the water line, which we identified as coming from the rusty drain plug. We decided not to soak in that water due to a possible health risk?

 

As for the ship itself, it appears they replaced a great deal of the carpeting around the ship ... a definite improvement since we've sailed on her last. They picked out a beautiful pattern through the hallways and landings and it looks to be holding up very nicely. It gives the ship a cleaner feel. They have yet to replace some of the furniture in the lounges and they are in desperate need of replacement. They have changed out all the tables and chairs in the Horizon Court and wow ... well done!! It looks so fresh and clean in there now. The Coffee and Cones stand also looks very nice and I certainly didn't notice nearly as much rust throughout the outdoor public areas that were previously present. So, all in all, the last dry dock had some much needed maintenance with a few areas missed but it did have a nicer feel.

 

As for the food, everything we had was very good to excellent save one dish that my DH thought made him sick. He thought it was a little off when he started eating it so didn't finish it. We tried Sabatini's and while my DH loved it, I just thought it was good. We both loved the Crown Grill for breakfast every morning and I loved it for dinner one night but there, my DH was a bit disappointed. The service there simply couldn't be beat!

I have a new found love for Alfredos even though we only went once (I wasn't previously impressed but loved it this time). The International Cafe never disappoints and on this sailing, it was no different. Such a wonderful and accommodating staff there.

We did visit the Trident Grill once ... it was just ok. We also only ate the pizza from the pool area and thought it was very good. We've read many complaints about it since they made some change to the cheese (?) .. the only thing we noticed was that it was no longer greasy. We only went to the buffet once, the day we were in Ensenada and were disappointed that there was no attempt to have any Mexican food available ... not even chips and guacamole or salsa. I got a salad instead and was pleased everything in the salad bar looked and tasted nice and fresh.

Other than that, we ate all our sit down meals in the Club Class dining, which was amazing! The staff in there worked together so well to make sure everyone was happy, happy, happy!

They did have special menu items and pastas cooked table sides. I think the Club Class dining is what I will miss the most of all ... it was amazing and so nice not to ever have a wait. They still ask if you are willing to share a table and sometimes seated people at different times around the table ... so the timing of food delivery was sometimes a bit awkward but they made it work seamlessly by the end of the meal.

 

We had the premium beverage package and found the wines available by the glass were extremely limited. The guy that ran Vines wasn't the friendliest staff member we've ever encountered, either. We'd try to find something we'd like to try on the menu and it was never available. Well, maybe that's why he was a little curt ... maybe frustrated with having to be the bad guy. There was a 25% discount if you bought the bottle but that defeated the purpose of having the beverage package, right?? At least there was one decent chardonnay and one decent merlot that was available throughout the cruise, we'd have just liked a bit of variety! Vines hours were extremely limited and when we did go, we were never able to take our nicer glasses to the dining area ... so we'd have to transfer our wine into a heavier glass and then they would transfer it back into a nice glass once in the MDR (Club Class). It was a bit inconvenient and rather nonsensical if you ask me. Oh well, their ship, their rules! Anyhow, I can also confirm the BOGO event is gone. Even with the package, we did miss the afternoon event as it always drew a fun crowd and there was always music playing. I don't think we'd go with the beverage package again and just bring our own wine and pay the corkage. I will have some coffee cards to use up before they expire and will just order water for our room next time around. Coffee Cards do now have an expiration date printed on the back (Dec 31, 2018) and when we asked, they said even the punches would be invalid on those cards, used or not.

 

The entertainers were great and the cruise director was a hoot and a half. We enjoyed all the singers and bands throughout the ship and the comedian they booked was hilarious without being dirty or vulgar. All entertainment seemed very appropriate for the crowd that was onboard. I had a bit of luck in the casino (DH did not). There was a lack of bar waiters wandering through the casino so if you wanted a beverage, you could go to the casino bar to get one. There were a lot of fun activities while we were at sea ... new ones, at that (egg drop, martini making, etc) with great audience participation. I think that is a sign of a good cruise director and activities staff. Kudos!

 

The captain's circle hostess was not at all welcoming or professional. She wasn't in her office during her posted hours and then tried to rush you along if you did talk to her. We also weren't impressed with the future cruise consultant who wasn't knowledgeable about the newly released sailings and told us things very inconsistent from what we were told by those working at the Princess reservation center. Maybe there were just bad vibes from that little office area onboard the ship.

 

We had a couple additional charges for drinks (we had the beverage package) found on our folio that were removed by guest services. Be sure to check those folios every so often ... it happens every so often when we sail on Princess.

 

We didn't take any excursions from the ship so can't speak to that. It wasn't the warmest weather sailing so there were always plenty of loungers available by the pool. We had very decent luck in finding seats in the theaters and lounges for the shows, which hasn't always been our experience on Princess ships. We also found great seats going to a movie at MUTS one night although nobody there to get us fresh blankets so we gathered a couple of used ones from other lounges. No obvious place to get popcorn for the outdoor movies ... maybe discontinued??

 

So, all in all, we had a very nice cruise on the Grand (Pacific Coastal itinerary) with very few missteps / curt staff members. For the most part, our service was excellent!! And, the embarkation and disembarkation was the smoothest, quickest process we've ever encountered.

 

Any questions, feel free to ask!

[Cruzinbabe06]

Thank you for posting your review.☺

[getting older slowly]

Glad you enjoy your suite and a must say a very good review.... window suites seam to very well liked for those who travel in them...We just have to be able to step outside, so a window suite is out for us... but they are great value.

 

And I must say club class dinning was good for us as well, but have never taken any off the beverage packages, as so far it has always turned out cheaper for us to PAYG

 

Cheers Don

 

(looking forward to canapés and a G&T at Skywalkers on our next cruise)

[Kingofcool1947]

Even though I am all unpacked and even have gotten the laundry done, house cleaned and groceries bought, I can't seem to get myself into gear to write a proper review of our most recent sailing on the Grand Princess ... but will try to at least complete a mini review and can put it out there that I am more than willing to answer any questions anyone may have about the Grand.

 

So, the title indicates it was our first time ever, in over 50 cruises, in a full suite. We actually booked a window suite and would do so again in a heartbeat ... but only if it fits into our travel budget, which is probably won't, which is why I noted it will probably be our last time to enjoy the suite life. Did we miss having a balcony?? Well, not at all for us as we usually travel in the obstructed oceanview cabins on deck 8 on Princess. Some passengers may have trouble with no balcony but that might work to our advantage as there are so few window suites available anyway.

 

These are the features we loved about our cabin:

 

- the extra room in our cabin, plenty of natural light without obstruction, the large bathroom with fabulous towels, robes, etc, plus, plenty of drawer, shelf and closet space

- the location of the cabin (hardly felt any movement); convenient to everything

- the special breakfast in the Crown Grill

- the specialty dinner on the day of embarkation

- Club Class dining (never had a wait); the extra offerings, nicer wine glasses at the table

- new and comfy mattresses, bedding and pillows (think these may be available in all cabins now?)

- fresh flowers in our cabin

 

 

There was also a DVD player with a DVD library you could borrow from, which we never used.

The furniture was in decent shape and free of nicks and gouges, however, the couch could really have been replaced. The bathroom, which was kept spic and span by the room steward, was in desperate need of some TLC. It was beyond what the room steward could take care of ... it needed to be re-tiled and re-grouted, especially inside the shower stall.

The whirlpool tub ended up with a rusty scum ring at the water line, which we identified as coming from the rusty drain plug. We decided not to soak in that water due to a possible health risk?

 

As for the ship itself, it appears they replaced a great deal of the carpeting around the ship ... a definite improvement since we've sailed on her last. They picked out a beautiful pattern through the hallways and landings and it looks to be holding up very nicely. It gives the ship a cleaner feel. They have yet to replace some of the furniture in the lounges and they are in desperate need of replacement. They have changed out all the tables and chairs in the Horizon Court and wow ... well done!! It looks so fresh and clean in there now. The Coffee and Cones stand also looks very nice and I certainly didn't notice nearly as much rust throughout the outdoor public areas that were previously present. So, all in all, the last dry dock had some much needed maintenance with a few areas missed but it did have a nicer feel.

 

As for the food, everything we had was very good to excellent save one dish that my DH thought made him sick. He thought it was a little off when he started eating it so didn't finish it. We tried Sabatini's and while my DH loved it, I just thought it was good. We both loved the Crown Grill for breakfast every morning and I loved it for dinner one night but there, my DH was a bit disappointed. The service there simply couldn't be beat!

I have a new found love for Alfredos even though we only went once (I wasn't previously impressed but loved it this time). The International Cafe never disappoints and on this sailing, it was no different. Such a wonderful and accommodating staff there.

We did visit the Trident Grill once ... it was just ok. We also only ate the pizza from the pool area and thought it was very good. We've read many complaints about it since they made some change to the cheese (?) .. the only thing we noticed was that it was no longer greasy. We only went to the buffet once, the day we were in Ensenada and were disappointed that there was no attempt to have any Mexican food available ... not even chips and guacamole or salsa. I got a salad instead and was pleased everything in the salad bar looked and tasted nice and fresh.

Other than that, we ate all our sit down meals in the Club Class dining, which was amazing! The staff in there worked together so well to make sure everyone was happy, happy, happy!

They did have special menu items and pastas cooked table sides. I think the Club Class dining is what I will miss the most of all ... it was amazing and so nice not to ever have a wait. They still ask if you are willing to share a table and sometimes seated people at different times around the table ... so the timing of food delivery was sometimes a bit awkward but they made it work seamlessly by the end of the meal.

 

We had the premium beverage package and found the wines available by the glass were extremely limited. The guy that ran Vines wasn't the friendliest staff member we've ever encountered, either. We'd try to find something we'd like to try on the menu and it was never available. Well, maybe that's why he was a little curt ... maybe frustrated with having to be the bad guy. There was a 25% discount if you bought the bottle but that defeated the purpose of having the beverage package, right?? At least there was one decent chardonnay and one decent merlot that was available throughout the cruise, we'd have just liked a bit of variety! Vines hours were extremely limited and when we did go, we were never able to take our nicer glasses to the dining area ... so we'd have to transfer our wine into a heavier glass and then they would transfer it back into a nice glass once in the MDR (Club Class). It was a bit inconvenient and rather nonsensical if you ask me. Oh well, their ship, their rules! Anyhow, I can also confirm the BOGO event is gone. Even with the package, we did miss the afternoon event as it always drew a fun crowd and there was always music playing. I don't think we'd go with the beverage package again and just bring our own wine and pay the corkage. I will have some coffee cards to use up before they expire and will just order water for our room next time around. Coffee Cards do now have an expiration date printed on the back (Dec 31, 2018) and when we asked, they said even the punches would be invalid on those cards, used or not.

 

The entertainers were great and the cruise director was a hoot and a half. We enjoyed all the singers and bands throughout the ship and the comedian they booked was hilarious without being dirty or vulgar. All entertainment seemed very appropriate for the crowd that was onboard. I had a bit of luck in the casino (DH did not). There was a lack of bar waiters wandering through the casino so if you wanted a beverage, you could go to the casino bar to get one. There were a lot of fun activities while we were at sea ... new ones, at that (egg drop, martini making, etc) with great audience participation. I think that is a sign of a good cruise director and activities staff. Kudos!

 

The captain's circle hostess was not at all welcoming or professional. She wasn't in her office during her posted hours and then tried to rush you along if you did talk to her. We also weren't impressed with the future cruise consultant who wasn't knowledgeable about the newly released sailings and told us things very inconsistent from what we were told by those working at the Princess reservation center. Maybe there were just bad vibes from that little office area onboard the ship.

 

We had a couple additional charges for drinks (we had the beverage package) found on our folio that were removed by guest services. Be sure to check those folios every so often ... it happens every so often when we sail on Princess.

 

We didn't take any excursions from the ship so can't speak to that. It wasn't the warmest weather sailing so there were always plenty of loungers available by the pool. We had very decent luck in finding seats in the theaters and lounges for the shows, which hasn't always been our experience on Princess ships. We also found great seats going to a movie at MUTS one night although nobody there to get us fresh blankets so we gathered a couple of used ones from other lounges. No obvious place to get popcorn for the outdoor movies ... maybe discontinued??

 

So, all in all, we had a very nice cruise on the Grand (Pacific Coastal itinerary) with very few missteps / curt staff members. For the most part, our service was excellent!! And, the embarkation and disembarkation was the smoothest, quickest process we've ever encountered.

 

Any questions, feel free to ask!

 

Nice review. But, why didn’t you get off the ship in Ensenada, and have some real authentic Mexican cuisine?

[Lucky TGO]

Thanks for sharing nice review.

Tony

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.....:):):)

 

Bob

[cdngrl]

thanks for the review. its probably as close to a suite as i'll get. i'm not sure i like knowing what i'm missing!

 

i've had one cruise where the future cruise lady was snarky and gave out wrong information. i knew it was wrong and i nicely, in my passive aggressive way, let her know what my understanding of the issue was. she couldn't see it and didn't try to. its frustrating!

 

thanks for the mini (but comprehensive) review!

[neverbeenhere]

Mmmmm Life on a cruise.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Nice review. But, why didn’t you get off the ship in Ensenada, and have some real authentic Mexican cuisine?

 

The nicest way we can phrase this is to say perhaps because they were familiar with local food in Mexico and what it can possibly do to your digestive system if you aren't used to it.

[Ron the Rev]

Many thanks for your review. Ah the suite life !. Many people are still wondering about the validity of coffee cards after the expiry date. I wish Princess would officially firm up on that one.

[aknursemom]

Thank you for your lovely review. We will be in a suite for the first time next week. Nice to read your impressions.

[suekel]

Thank you for this. I'm sailing on the Grand in January. I had a window suite booked but changed it to a Vista when the price went down. My husband really likes a balcony. I'm hoping we meet someone in a window so we can check it out and maybe he'll decide that sometime he wants to try one. This will also be our first time in a suite, sounds wonderful.

[Shivatopia]

Even though I am all unpacked and even have gotten the laundry done, house cleaned and groceries bought, I can't seem to get myself into gear to write a proper review of our most recent sailing on the Grand Princess ... but will try to at least complete a mini review and can put it out there that I am more than willing to answer any questions anyone may have about the Grand.

 

So, the title indicates it was our first time ever, in over 50 cruises, in a full suite. We actually booked a window suite and would do so again in a heartbeat ... but only if it fits into our travel budget, which is probably won't, which is why I noted it will probably be our last time to enjoy the suite life. Did we miss having a balcony?? Well, not at all for us as we usually travel in the obstructed oceanview cabins on deck 8 on Princess. Some passengers may have trouble with no balcony but that might work to our advantage as there are so few window suites available anyway.

 

These are the features we loved about our cabin:

 

- the extra room in our cabin, plenty of natural light without obstruction, the large bathroom with fabulous towels, robes, etc, plus, plenty of drawer, shelf and closet space

- the location of the cabin (hardly felt any movement); convenient to everything

- the special breakfast in the Crown Grill

- the specialty dinner on the day of embarkation

- Club Class dining (never had a wait); the extra offerings, nicer wine glasses at the table

- new and comfy mattresses, bedding and pillows (think these may be available in all cabins now?)

- fresh flowers in our cabin

 

 

There was also a DVD player with a DVD library you could borrow from, which we never used.

The furniture was in decent shape and free of nicks and gouges, however, the couch could really have been replaced. The bathroom, which was kept spic and span by the room steward, was in desperate need of some TLC. It was beyond what the room steward could take care of ... it needed to be re-tiled and re-grouted, especially inside the shower stall.

The whirlpool tub ended up with a rusty scum ring at the water line, which we identified as coming from the rusty drain plug. We decided not to soak in that water due to a possible health risk?

 

As for the ship itself, it appears they replaced a great deal of the carpeting around the ship ... a definite improvement since we've sailed on her last. They picked out a beautiful pattern through the hallways and landings and it looks to be holding up very nicely. It gives the ship a cleaner feel. They have yet to replace some of the furniture in the lounges and they are in desperate need of replacement. They have changed out all the tables and chairs in the Horizon Court and wow ... well done!! It looks so fresh and clean in there now. The Coffee and Cones stand also looks very nice and I certainly didn't notice nearly as much rust throughout the outdoor public areas that were previously present. So, all in all, the last dry dock had some much needed maintenance with a few areas missed but it did have a nicer feel.

 

As for the food, everything we had was very good to excellent save one dish that my DH thought made him sick. He thought it was a little off when he started eating it so didn't finish it. We tried Sabatini's and while my DH loved it, I just thought it was good. We both loved the Crown Grill for breakfast every morning and I loved it for dinner one night but there, my DH was a bit disappointed. The service there simply couldn't be beat!

I have a new found love for Alfredos even though we only went once (I wasn't previously impressed but loved it this time). The International Cafe never disappoints and on this sailing, it was no different. Such a wonderful and accommodating staff there.

We did visit the Trident Grill once ... it was just ok. We also only ate the pizza from the pool area and thought it was very good. We've read many complaints about it since they made some change to the cheese (?) .. the only thing we noticed was that it was no longer greasy. We only went to the buffet once, the day we were in Ensenada and were disappointed that there was no attempt to have any Mexican food available ... not even chips and guacamole or salsa. I got a salad instead and was pleased everything in the salad bar looked and tasted nice and fresh.

Other than that, we ate all our sit down meals in the Club Class dining, which was amazing! The staff in there worked together so well to make sure everyone was happy, happy, happy!

They did have special menu items and pastas cooked table sides. I think the Club Class dining is what I will miss the most of all ... it was amazing and so nice not to ever have a wait. They still ask if you are willing to share a table and sometimes seated people at different times around the table ... so the timing of food delivery was sometimes a bit awkward but they made it work seamlessly by the end of the meal.

 

We had the premium beverage package and found the wines available by the glass were extremely limited. The guy that ran Vines wasn't the friendliest staff member we've ever encountered, either. We'd try to find something we'd like to try on the menu and it was never available. Well, maybe that's why he was a little curt ... maybe frustrated with having to be the bad guy. There was a 25% discount if you bought the bottle but that defeated the purpose of having the beverage package, right?? At least there was one decent chardonnay and one decent merlot that was available throughout the cruise, we'd have just liked a bit of variety! Vines hours were extremely limited and when we did go, we were never able to take our nicer glasses to the dining area ... so we'd have to transfer our wine into a heavier glass and then they would transfer it back into a nice glass once in the MDR (Club Class). It was a bit inconvenient and rather nonsensical if you ask me. Oh well, their ship, their rules! Anyhow, I can also confirm the BOGO event is gone. Even with the package, we did miss the afternoon event as it always drew a fun crowd and there was always music playing. I don't think we'd go with the beverage package again and just bring our own wine and pay the corkage. I will have some coffee cards to use up before they expire and will just order water for our room next time around. Coffee Cards do now have an expiration date printed on the back (Dec 31, 2018) and when we asked, they said even the punches would be invalid on those cards, used or not.

 

The entertainers were great and the cruise director was a hoot and a half. We enjoyed all the singers and bands throughout the ship and the comedian they booked was hilarious without being dirty or vulgar. All entertainment seemed very appropriate for the crowd that was onboard. I had a bit of luck in the casino (DH did not). There was a lack of bar waiters wandering through the casino so if you wanted a beverage, you could go to the casino bar to get one. There were a lot of fun activities while we were at sea ... new ones, at that (egg drop, martini making, etc) with great audience participation. I think that is a sign of a good cruise director and activities staff. Kudos!

 

The captain's circle hostess was not at all welcoming or professional. She wasn't in her office during her posted hours and then tried to rush you along if you did talk to her. We also weren't impressed with the future cruise consultant who wasn't knowledgeable about the newly released sailings and told us things very inconsistent from what we were told by those working at the Princess reservation center. Maybe there were just bad vibes from that little office area onboard the ship.

 

We had a couple additional charges for drinks (we had the beverage package) found on our folio that were removed by guest services. Be sure to check those folios every so often ... it happens every so often when we sail on Princess.

 

We didn't take any excursions from the ship so can't speak to that. It wasn't the warmest weather sailing so there were always plenty of loungers available by the pool. We had very decent luck in finding seats in the theaters and lounges for the shows, which hasn't always been our experience on Princess ships. We also found great seats going to a movie at MUTS one night although nobody there to get us fresh blankets so we gathered a couple of used ones from other lounges. No obvious place to get popcorn for the outdoor movies ... maybe discontinued??

 

So, all in all, we had a very nice cruise on the Grand (Pacific Coastal itinerary) with very few missteps / curt staff members. For the most part, our service was excellent!! And, the embarkation and disembarkation was the smoothest, quickest process we've ever encountered.

 

Any questions, feel free to ask!

 

Awesome review! We were on the same cruise as you (and it was my first ocean cruise ever) and were in one of the Penthouse Suites... and I have to say that I don't think I can come down from being in that suite. A nice couple that we met on the cruise that were in a Club Class Mini Suite in the deck below us were kind enough to let us have a first-hand look at the layout of their cabin, but I think I am really hooked on the more open layout of the full suites (plus the full suite amenities). In fact, yesterday, I booked the exact same suite for an Alaska cruise next year on the Grand Princess. A couple of Window Suites were still available, but the sentimental side of me wanted to go back to the same cabin. We have 9 months to figure out if we have the budget for it on a $2 deposit, so I figured it would be better to lock the cabin down first and figure it out later.

 

And for our experience, we also had really courteous and excellent crew member interactions throughout the journey, though it should be noted that we seldom used the Guest Dervices desk, and we did not visit the Future Cruise Consultant at all.

[emmak8]

Thank you for your wonderful review.

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your review. We took an upsell to a suite in December and had a great time. But like you, we will probably never sail in one again. It was nice but not nice enough to pay full price for the amenities. (Although I did miss my special breakfasts when we sailed in a regular balcony cabin in February.)

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[FLCruise7]

Thanks for your review - we're in a window suite on the Grand for our upcoming August cruise to Alaska. Looking forward to the extra space & trying out the Club Class dining.

[californiaamy]

Great review, thanks for the info!

[flutprop]

Awesome review! We were on the same cruise as you (and it was my first ocean cruise ever) and were in one of the Penthouse Suites... and I have to say that I don't think I can come down from being in that suite. A nice couple that we met on the cruise that were in a Club Class Mini Suite in the deck below us were kind enough to let us have a first-hand look at the layout of their cabin, but I think I am really hooked on the more open layout of the full suites (plus the full suite amenities). In fact, yesterday, I booked the exact same suite for an Alaska cruise next year on the Grand Princess. A couple of Window Suites were still available, but the sentimental side of me wanted to go back to the same cabin. We have 9 months to figure out if we have the budget for it on a $2 deposit, so I figured it would be better to lock the cabin down first and figure it out later.

 

And for our experience, we also had really courteous and excellent crew member interactions throughout the journey, though it should be noted that we seldom used the Guest Dervices desk, and we did not visit the Future Cruise Consultant at all.

 

We sailed in a Vista in 2015, and had the Grand Suite and another Vista booked for this summer to Alaska. Had to switch from Alaska to the Caribbean, and are in a Window and then a Vista. I know what you mean about giving up the room in the Presidential, but I am thinking I want to experience every Suite category.

[Cruise Raider]

Nice review. But, why didn’t you get off the ship in Ensenada, and have some real authentic Mexican cuisine?

 

We did get off the ship in Ensenada and walked around down past the dancing fountains ... it was very enjoyable. But, I am very leery of eating food down in Mexico since I got terribly sick on it once. That's all it took to make me shy away from getting 'authentic' Mexican food. And, everyone who has been to my house for dinner knows that I make the best Mexican food known to man. hahaha!! I just had some of my famous homemade enchiladas with a fried egg on it for dinner as a matter of fact. So, problem solved! :D

[Cruise Raider]

Awesome review! We were on the same cruise as you (and it was my first ocean cruise ever) and were in one of the Penthouse Suites... and I have to say that I don't think I can come down from being in that suite. A nice couple that we met on the cruise that were in a Club Class Mini Suite in the deck below us were kind enough to let us have a first-hand look at the layout of their cabin, but I think I am really hooked on the more open layout of the full suites (plus the full suite amenities). In fact, yesterday, I booked the exact same suite for an Alaska cruise next year on the Grand Princess. A couple of Window Suites were still available, but the sentimental side of me wanted to go back to the same cabin. We have 9 months to figure out if we have the budget for it on a $2 deposit, so I figured it would be better to lock the cabin down first and figure it out later.

 

And for our experience, we also had really courteous and excellent crew member interactions throughout the journey, though it should be noted that we seldom used the Guest Dervices desk, and we did not visit the Future Cruise Consultant at all.

 

 

My DH thought he'd really miss having that balcony and he was genuinely surprised at how much he loved the window suite. Said he didn't miss that balcony one little bit (because of the two large windows). The location on the ship did it for me! Didn't know how much I would love that but it was the best!! I could just run over to the casino bar to grab a couple of drinks for enjoying in the cabin. And, the dining room was just steps away! We were hoping to be upgraded to a suite with a balcony, which I am sure is quite nice but I would think twice about accepting an upgrade after staying in that room. My only regret is that we didn't get quite as much exercise as everything was so convenient to our cabin.

[Ellipooh]

Wonderful review! Very informative and balanced.

 

We are in a WS on the Grand to Alaska in September, they are such a great deal. I wish more ships had them. Convenient to everything and nicely tucked away in a private hall. Perfect for us!

 

I thought the Suite breakfast was served in Sabatini’s on our last cruise on the Grand — did that change? And did you use the Laundry service at all?

 

Shame about expiring Coffee Cards. Somehow that just isn’t fair when they’re bought and paid for. Fortunately we booked during Sip&Sail so we’ll have full coffee bar privileges.

 

Great to hear good things about Horizon Court. It’s actually one of the reasons we keep coming back to Princess, because the Buffet has extended hours and we like to snack:D Even with CC dining (which we enjoyed quite a bit, mostly because of the freedom to show up and sit right down whenever we felt like it) we still like the option of a good buffet.

 

Thanks for taking the time to review your trip!

[Cruise Raider]

Wonderful review! Very informative and balanced.

 

We are in a WS on the Grand to Alaska in September, they are such a great deal. I wish more ships had them. Convenient to everything and nicely tucked away in a private hall. Perfect for us!

 

I thought the Suite breakfast was served in Sabatini’s on our last cruise on the Grand — did that change? And did you use the Laundry service at all?

 

Shame about expiring Coffee Cards. Somehow that just isn’t fair when they’re bought and paid for. Fortunately we booked during Sip&Sail so we’ll have full coffee bar privileges.

 

Great to hear good things about Horizon Court. It’s actually one of the reasons we keep coming back to Princess, because the Buffet has extended hours and we like to snack:D Even with CC dining (which we enjoyed quite a bit, mostly because of the freedom to show up and sit right down whenever we felt like it) we still like the option of a good buffet.

 

Thanks for taking the time to review your trip!

 

You are most welcome.

And, no, we did not ever use the laundry services. We have been elite for several years and used it a few times but just don't like the way the laundry is done. We still use it for pressing on occasion, though.

The breakfast was in the Crown Grill and we loved that atmosphere ... much nicer than in Sabatini's. It was delicious! The first day, I inquired if they had turkey sausage and they said they didn't have any that first day but would ensure that every other day, they would have it on hand. I didn't even have to request it from there on out ... it always arrived with my order. I loved their poached eggs over the potatoes that they served in this cute little bowl. All the food was so good and the service was phenomenal. I ordered a half-caff cappuccino once and Siwa or Antonio would just set it down shortly after we arrived. That, along with the Club Class dining has me looking for deals on suites now. Alas, it will never be as good as the one I found for this past sailing.

I am disappointed that the coffee cards now have an expiration date, too. We had the sip and sail so traded in our two mini bars for 4 coffee cards (one for elite, one for being in a suite). We have two future cruises without the sip and sail package included before they expire ... so I am sure I will be handing a couple of them off to fellow passengers. We don't use them for brewed coffee as it just isn't that important to us ... but I sure do like a nice cappuccino in the morning and my DH likes those caramel or mocha coffees. Funny thing is, I do like a steamed milk at night with cinnamon on top so would hit up the coffee bar every evening. On Celebrity, never a charge, but on Princess, they'd run our card through for charging purposes ... although it was included in the Sip and Sail. So, maybe we will use up one more of those cards after all.

Yes to the arriving and being seated for dinner immediately. We were asked if we'd be willing to share a few times and sometimes said yes, sometimes, no. Just depended on how we felt at the time. They were always respectful of this. They did 'borrow' a few tables from the MDR on several nights, indicated by more elegant table cloths, napkins and wine glasses. The service never really failed, though....even when it was busy. If anything, we'd wait a bit longer for our wine than expected but if that's all I have to complain about, I would say I was just being a picky butt. :D

[voljeep]

you replied to a post that had plenty of sentence breaks for easy reading...

 

yours, not a single one...

 

tldr...:(

[judyjudy56]

Did you hear much noise from deck 7 above you and was there an issue with smoke from the casino? We are considering booking one.

 

 

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