Changes in Princess

[flhusker]

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

[happy cruzer]

7:30 is too early?  Don't buy the extras?  Why sooo angry?  And yes try another line to see if they are different.

[LACruiser88]

Dinner times still vary among ships.  On our recent cruise on the Sea Princess, 2nd seating was at 7:45 with most guests arriving around 8:00...

[AF-1]

Some guests have kids and grandkids;  such as myself.  The 5:15 or 5:30 early seating is perfect for us;  the kids eat then can go to kids club until bedtime; and we get to roam the ship for the evening.  You will get a free lanyard with your medallion;  we got one shipped with our medallion in Feb. You also have the choice of anytime dining in one of the dining rooms.  

Edited April 20, 2019 by AF-1
added txt

[hokiefans]

41 minutes ago, flhusker said:

 Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

 

We received the lanyards with our medallions at check-in - no charge!

[Doug R.]

1 hour ago, flhusker said:

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

We bid you a fond farewell as we happily sail into the sunset on our next Princess Cruise. If you don't like the dinner times for fixed dining there is always anytime dining. When we cruised on the Regal in January we were provided with a lanyard for the medallion. You can buy other accessories for it at extra cost. Don't believe everything a friend tells you. 

[FritzG]

35 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

Some guests have kids and grandkids;  such as myself.  The 5:15 or 5:30 early seating is perfect for us;  the kids eat then can go to kids club until bedtime; and we get to roam the ship for the evening.  You will get a free lanyard with your medallion;  we got one shipped with our medallion in Feb. You also have the choice of anytime dining in one of the dining rooms.  

I agree that 5pm works for some people.  However, they have had an early 1st seating at 5 or 5:15 pm and a later 5:45 or 6pm for several years.  The early one was in a AT dining room, and the 6pm was in the main TD dining room--that's the one that has been eliminated.  I've read that the rationale was that there were so many people waiting at the door for the mdr to open so they assumed passengers wanted to eat early.  There will always be a group of people waiting in line to get in no matter what time dinner is served; that's just their normal way of doing things.  

We love the ambiance of td with the same waiter and table every night, and we're not big fans of the early dining times.    

[paul929207]

On the Royal Princess in February & March, we ate late seating at 7:45pm.

 

Lanyards were free.

[jagoffee]

FritzlG, It sounds like you might be making a decision without having all the facts or a clear understanding of the facts.

 

Of course, it is your right.  

 

1. It is not clear why a 7:15 -7:45 PM TD will not work for you, but perhaps you are too old? (My attempt at humor)

2.  You might want to research and find out if it is necessary for you to purchase a Medallion or get a different friend. (Another attempt at humor).

 

If you wish to try a different cruise line, you might want to try a Celebrity cruise on their new Edge ship.  A lot of mature people are complaining that the ship is designed for a younger crowd. 

 

Good Luck

Edited April 20, 2019 by jagoffee

[Musky Ike]

1 hour ago, flhusker said:

Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early. 

I consider myself an "active senior" and like to eat early.  Apparently not alone based on the popularity of early  TD. We are also up and going in the morning  at 5 or 6 AM while others are sleeping in. People are different, good luck on your new adventure but relax and have fun.

[pms4104]

This is like deja vu all over again ... reminds me of recent 2 elites leaving Princess thread.

 

I fail to understand why moving on has become so hard and such a big deal ... if one is that displeased, one should just find a more pleasing experience.  Do we all need to know about it?

 

Courtesy of Douglas Adams:  "so long and thanks for all the fish."

 

[ohnonotmeagain]

Obviously we NEED to know the inner workings of this persons mind, just think how empty our lives would be without it.What DID we do before the Internet? 

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, flhusker said:

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

There is a reason why more and more cruisers opt for open sitting, anytime dining, or whatever it is called on each line.  You simply dine when you please.  I do agree that the show times on Princess are often a bit weird.  But since we dine when we please, we simply eat dinner when it will not interfere with our show schedule.  On some of the cruises they will have a 7pm show which works fine for us and it happens to be the least crowded show.  So we go that early show which usually ends around 7:45.  Depending on our mood we might then go have a cocktail before heading to the MDR or perhaps go directly after the show.  If they happen to have a later show (we have been on Princess cruises where they had a 10pm show) we might dine a little earlier (perhaps 7:45) and then head to the show after dinner.

 

My point is that you are creating your own problem by using Fixed dining.  In fact, on the ultra luxury lines (such as Seabourn, Regent, Silverseas, etc) there is no such thing as Fixed dining.  A few years ago when the mass market lines started implementing open dining schemes, DW said to me, "we do not have fixed dining at home....so why should we do it on a cruise?"

 

Regarding the Medallion issue, we completely agree with you and do not understand all the excitement over a device that is being implemented as a marketing tool so that Princess can better target marketing to their customers.  I do not need them to tell me when and where to shop (we do not shop onboard) of that I can gamble without even going to the casino.  A card has always been fine as it gets me in my cabin and works to buy drinks.   As to the lanyards, we refuse to wear those things now and will not be wearing them in the future :).  DW likes to say that she hung up her last lanyard the day she retired from being a teacher (she always wore a lanyard with her room key and a whistle).  She also laughs at those who decorate doors...as it is something she had to do for over thirty years!  Now......no way!

 

Hank

[RMMariner]

3 hours ago, flhusker said:

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

 

Say hi to the Two Elites when you see them.

[AF-1]

2 hours ago, FritzG said:

I agree that 5pm works for some people.  However, they have had an early 1st seating at 5 or 5:15 pm and a later 5:45 or 6pm for several years.  The early one was in a AT dining room, and the 6pm was in the main TD dining room--that's the one that has been eliminated.  I've read that the rationale was that there were so many people waiting at the door for the mdr to open so they assumed passengers wanted to eat early.  There will always be a group of people waiting in line to get in no matter what time dinner is served; that's just their normal way of doing things.  

We love the ambiance of td with the same waiter and table every night, and we're not big fans of the early dining times.    

I get it;  no matter what time you eat;  have fun and enjoy your cruise experience.  We have fun with kids without kids, early dining or eating in buffet.  Not a issue for us.  We just enjoy being on a cruise from time to time.  Happy Easter

[tonit964]

3 hours ago, flhusker said:

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

We are not loyal to any cruise line. We like to branch out and try different ones to see what they have to offer.

I can't wait to try Celebrity.

We will not stop sailing any particular line either just because there are things we don't like about it.

I think it's a good thing for you to experience another cruise line.

Enjoy your next cruise!

[Mom33]

3 hours ago, flhusker said:

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

 

In the grand scheme of things, having good health so that you can freely cruise where and when you want  is more important than any complaint about dinner times.

Happy cruising wherever you go.

[Colo Cruiser]

One word comes to mind.....anytime.   

[JimmyVWine]

1.  Anytime dining. Look into it. 

2.  How is 7:30 too early (unless you are from Spain)?

3.  Jumping ship only works if the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. (Sorry for the mixed metaphor). What cruise line in the Princess price point offers full traditional dining at 8:00 or later?  And if 8:00 is considered optimal, is an extra 30 minutes off of 7:30 worth a tantrum?

4.  Your life. Your money. Your choice. 

[maggie777]

No complaints about Princess except the removal of adequate seating in balcony cabins. Have not yet experienced a Medallion cruise but don't expect it to be a problem. 

[Renmar]

28 minutes ago, maggie777 said:

No complaints about Princess except the removal of adequate seating in balcony cabins. Have not yet experienced a Medallion cruise but don't expect it to be a problem. 

Ahhh, the barrel seat issue. Agree, not a smart decision (IMHO ofcourse).

 

Theo

[myjillian]

3 hours ago, jagoffee said:

FritzlG, It sounds like you might be making a decision without having all the facts or a clear understanding of the facts.

 

Of course, it is your right.  

 

1. It is not clear why a 7:15 -7:45 PM TD will not work for you, but perhaps you are too old? (My attempt at humor)

2.  You might want to research and find out if it is necessary for you to purchase a Medallion or get a different friend. (Another attempt at humor).

 

If you wish to try a different cruise line, you might want to try a Celebrity cruise on their new Edge ship.  A lot of mature people are complaining that the ship is designed for a younger crowd. 

 

Good Luck

Adorable post.. and...😍.I just saved $298.80 on my Oct booking

[Diver2014]

We love the 5:15pm traditional dining time since we eat at 5pm at home.  We're not 'spring chickens' either.  I do not like going to bed on a full stomach.  Oh, we're usually in the sack by 9pm.  Yes, we have been on many Holland America cruises with others our age.  

 

Okay, I'm being sarcastic (but everything I wrote is true).   I don't think the OP is going to be perfectly satisfied with any cruise line.  

[XBGuy]

OP, thank you for taking the time to give us your comments.  I think it is fine, and, maybe even, healthy, that you explore different options.  You, certainly, have nothing to lose.

 

Mrs. XBGuy and I started cruising with Princess in 2011.  We were tickled to learn about Anytime Dining at that time and have selected it for every one of the our subsequent cruises.  Our half-dozen, or so, previous cruises offered only the fixed time/fixed table paradigm,  although, on a Celebrity cruise in 2004 there was a single specialty restaurant alternative to the dining room.

 

I've read a lot of fuss here on Cruise Critic about the new early times for the Traditional Dining seating.  Our second ever cruise was on the Costa Riviera in the early 1980s.  We were assigned to the early seating -- 5:30.  On embarkation day we decided that we would get to the dining room a bit early, get the lay of the land and make ourselves comfortable at our table.  So, we left our cabin to walk to the dining room, arriving at about 5:25.  I was amazed that there was a line out the door into the corridor.  We were, practically, late-comers.

 

My obvious point, here, is that Princess is not blazing a new trail with these new times--unless somebody wants to quibble that 5:15 is early and 5:30 is not.  Early dining in that timeframe has been around for quite a while.

[mnocket]

4 hours ago, pms4104 said:

This is like deja vu all over again ... reminds me of recent 2 elites leaving Princess thread.

 

I fail to understand why moving on has become so hard and such a big deal ... if one is that displeased, one should just find a more pleasing experience.  Do we all need to know about it?

 

Courtesy of Douglas Adams:  "so long and thanks for all the fish."

 

 

I don't think it's too surprising that when someone is angry/disappointed/frustrated they want to tell people about it.  It's just the opposite side of the coin from those who write glowing over-the-top comments where Princess can do no wrong.  Neither really bother me.