Your First Princess Cruise

[Cruiserkenn]

20 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

PAX 738

Crew 328

Originally ordered by NCL in 1970 as Seaward.

Order was canceled by NCL and P&O picked up the ship as Spirit of London in 1972.

 

P&O 1972-1974-Spirit of London

Princess 1972-1988-Sea Princess

Thanks for the facts about the original Sun Princess, and your great picture of her, too.  The Princess ships were really different back then, in the 80s.  The memory I treasure the most was the intimate table side cooking, and how you really got to know your waiters.  So much easier with the smaller number of passengers.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

34 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

PAX 738

Crew 328

Originally ordered by NCL in 1970 as Seaward.

Order was canceled by NCL and P&O picked up the ship as Spirit of London in 1972.

 

P&O 1972-1974-Spirit of London

Princess 1972-1988-Sea Princess

 Thank you for that wonderful information. She was small! I’ve never been on a ship that size. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

11 minutes ago, Cruiserkenn said:

Thanks for the facts about the original Sun Princess, and your great picture of her, too.  The Princess ships were really different back then, in the 80s.  The memory I treasure the most was the intimate table side cooking, and how you really got to know your waiters.  So much easier with the smaller number of passengers.

Really?  Table side cooking? I would have loved that. 

[releck97]

Not a Princess ship at the time, Fairsea (later Fair Princess) in 1980. Princess bought out Sitmar in 1988 and she was re-named. The Princess pizza legacy came over from Sitmar. People would wait forever to get a fresh pie made for them in the pizzeria. That pizza was truly amazing.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

17 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

My very first cruise ever was the christening of the Sapphire Princess in Seattle June 10 2004.  We were invited because of my husband's job.  After the ceremony the Sapphire headed up towards Canadian waters.  It was a one night inaugural cruise filled with honored guests and travel agents.  I remember being torn between wanting to stay up all night and enjoying the activities, and going to bed in the junior suite that we were assigned.  I have been on a handful of cruises since then, but you never forget your first!

 What a great memory! How lucky you were! 

[Cruise Raider]

21 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

 Yes, the no flying thing is awesome!

 

I have been on two celebrity cruises but we had huge issues both times. We were on older ships but still… 

 

That's not good.  Sorry to hear that and I can see why you'd stick with Princess.  

The only issues I've ever experienced were cruises while we were on Princess ... but I turn around and do another cruise with them and then have zero complaints.  A couple of times, not even requesting it, we've been compensated more than fairly.  Cruising is just the best!

 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

2 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

That's not good.  Sorry to hear that and I can see why you'd stick with Princess.  

The only issues I've ever experienced were cruises while we were on Princess ... but I turn around and do another cruise with them and then have zero complaints.  A couple of times, not even requesting it, we've been compensated more than fairly.  Cruising is just the best!

 

 On our first celebrity cruise we had some type of fumes coming into our cabin. It was so bad that while taking a nap my friend and I woke up sick to our stomachs and we also both had a headache. On our second celebrity cruise our cabin toilet did not work  five days out of seven...  seriously.  But I want to add that if there was another celebrity cruise that my friends and I wanted to go on, I would do it again and hope for the best 😊😊😊😊

[MsSoCalCruiser]

19 minutes ago, releck97 said:

Not a Princess ship at the time, Fairsea (later Fair Princess) in 1980. Princess bought out Sitmar in 1988 and she was re-named. The Princess pizza legacy came over from Sitmar. People would wait forever to get a fresh pie made for them in the pizzeria. That pizza was truly amazing.

 Sounds wonderful! 

[damiross]

Crown Princess, 2015, California Coastal.

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

 On our first celebrity cruise we had some type of fumes coming into our cabin. It was so bad that while taking a nap my friend and I woke up sick to our stomachs and we also both had a headache. On our second celebrity cruise our cabin toilet did not work  five days out of seven...  seriously.  But I want to add that if there was another celebrity cruise that my friends and I wanted to go on, I would do it again and hope for the best 😊😊😊😊

 

That doesn't sound good at all ... yikes!!  I am also sensitive to fumes and strong smells.  I think I would have had a hard time going back after that.  And yuk ... the toilet breakdown sounds awful.  

You sound like you go with the flow, though ... best approach to life.  

[RMMariner]

Our first was on the Grand to Hawaii in 2015. It was our first time away from our kids in well over a decade, and it felt like we were newlyweds again. We had no idea what to expect. I half expected to hate it, but we really enjoyed ourselves. 

 

Because of this, and despite her age etc., the Grand will always be my favourite ship.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

1 minute ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

That doesn't sound good at all ... yikes!!  I am also sensitive to fumes and strong smells.  I think I would have had a hard time going back after that.  And yuk ... the toilet breakdown sounds awful.  

You sound like you go with the flow, though ... best approach to life.  

You have to go with the flow because “stuff” happens (I borrowed that from my friend Pam in CA). If we quit every time anything happened we’d all never go anywhere.

[jwattle]

Our first Princess cruise was the Grand in 2017, and the service and staff hooked us on Princess after nine cruises on Celebrity. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

11 minutes ago, damiross said:

Crown Princess, 2015, California Coastal.

I think I was on that cruise - Vancouver, BC to LA, a 3 day trip?  The cruise I was on was quite warm and sunny during the sea days.  I remember that there was a 'best legs' contest out by one of the pools and a wounded warrior won with his artificial leg.  It was heartwarming and good fun at the same time!

[damiross]

Just now, Ferry_Watcher said:

I think I was on that cruise - Vancouver, BC to LA, a 3 day trip?  The cruise I was on was quite warm and sunny during the sea days.  I remember that there was a 'best legs' contest out by one of the pools and a wounded warrior won with his artificial leg.  It was heartwarming and good fun at the same time!

No, this was Los Angeles-Catalina-Ensenda-Los Angeles. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 minute ago, damiross said:

No, this was Los Angeles-Catalina-Ensenda-Los Angeles. 

Ah, I was disembarking and you were getting ready to embark.  I enjoyed my cruise, and the warm weather was such a treat!

[cruiserjanet]

Island Princess in 2003 when it was a month old. Northbound Alaska.

[thegoaliegirl]

Star Princess in 2009 RT Seattle to Alaska

[Cruiserkenn]

3 hours ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

Really?  Table side cooking? I would have loved that. 

Yes, the head waiters fixed the pastas and desserts, table side.  Close enough that you were able to converse with them, often.   Desserts included cherries jubilee, bananas foster and peaches flambee.  Absolutely fab!

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, damiross said:

No, this was Los Angeles-Catalina-Ensenda-Los Angeles. 

I did that in the RCCL Viking Serenade several times. Loved it.

[billco]

Golden Princess 2004 7 Caribbean RT out of San Juan.

[Jeffjas]

First was on the original Star Princess in 1996.  

[hokiefans]

Ruby Princess, April 2010 for my 40th birthday!  A transatlantic/grand med!  Fabulous and we have been hooked ever since!

 

[EMS8]

Royal Princess 2016.  We have sailed on her three times.  Getting ready to spend twenty days on Crown Princess.

[Thrak]

10 day round trip San Francisco to Alaska. Sea Princess in 2011. Inside cabin all the way forward on Aloha deck (A323 - 135 sq. ft.) So small I had to go outside to change my mind. Thought I would hate everything about cruising. Loved that cruise and will never forget it.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Thrak