Potential evidence Princess has made too many cutbacks?

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

Not necessarily. I have cruised most of the major lines previously. I returned to one line recently and they still impressed me. I actually saw improvements and not cutbacks.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Coral

[c-boy]

2 minutes ago, Coral said:

Most of my original friends who I cruised with on Princess have now moved on to different lines. I think they probably would have stayed if every year there wasn't additional cut backs.

 

For those still happy with the line - more power to you. I hope you are still happy in 5 years also.

time will tell.  ya have to take it all in stride, prices haven't gone up dramatically, as opposed to the cost of living in California.

[c-boy]

3 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

👍  Brilliant !

[jwattle]

4 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

Agreed! You can't miss what you didn't have...that "greener grass on the other side" may be spray painted to look green...just like the grass at Pebble Beach before the AT&T Pro Am...

[Coral]

5 minutes ago, c-boy said:

time will tell.  ya have to take it all in stride, prices haven't gone up dramatically, as opposed to the cost of living in California.

It all depends on where you are cruising. I was looking at a Princess cruise in Europe this summer (that I had sailed last summer) and it was quite a bit more than last year - approx 60% more. There will always be cheap Mexican, Alaskan and Caribbean cruises for those who want them.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Coral

[jwattle]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

It all depends on where you are cruising. I was looking at a Princess cruise in Europe this summer (that I had sailed last summer) and it was quite a bit more than last year - approx 60% more. There will always be cheap Mexican and Caribbean cruises.

We booked the Enchanted's first Transatlantic when it first came out, and asked for (as well as received) a casino rate. I priced other TA's on other comparable lines; no one came close...their Panama Canal has remained steady for what it was last year on the Coral, at least the ones that we priced.

[ceilidh1]

6 minutes ago, c-boy said:

time will tell.  ya have to take it all in stride, prices haven't gone up dramatically, as opposed to the cost of living in California.

Not sure about that....

 

I did a cruise to Hawaii in 2018 - priced out the exact same cruise for 2019 and it was almost three times as much!

[ceilidh1]

10 minutes ago, voljeep said:

if you didn't like Royal before ( we do like both Regal and Royal ) you're really not going to like the Royal in Alaska

 

those fire  sales are there for a reason ...

You're probably right - she sure isn't getting the reviews that other ships usually get in Alaska. However, I have done Alaska so many times that this trip is more about taking a cheap trip rather than staying home. The price was right, I can walk to the port, and maybe I will get lucky and be offered a move-over so I can grab that Hawaii cruise I can't afford! LOL

[#love2cruise]

59 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I am hoping all paper handouts discontinue with the medallion. Less waste 🤞

Yes, they could save a lot of money if they stopped all the paperwork they leave in our cabin every day. They have many ways now to advertise and push their products...tv, medallion, interactive boards around the ship. Etc.   PRINCESS, USE your head for a change.  Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know, that lowering prices for all things for sale onboard will increase the sales volume to benefit you.  You are losing loyal guest.

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, jwattle said:

We booked the Enchanted's first Transatlantic when it first came out, and asked for (as well as received) a casino rate. I priced other TA's on other comparable lines; no one came close...their Panama Canal has remained steady for what it was last year on the Coral, at least the ones that we priced.

Most of us don't have access to casino rates - so I am not using that as an indicator or rates.

[geoherb]

I think the food quality has improved, but perhaps it's because I'm making wiser choices in the dining room. I don't eat as much red meat as I used to, and the quality of the dining room beef has never been prime. I won't miss the chair in my cabin on my upcoming cruises. The cruise log is nice, but not something I'd cancel a cruise over. 

 

Overall, I look for value for my money. Princess still gives me what I'm looking for a lot of the time. I will book cruises on other lines when I get a better value on them. For instance, we booked a HAL cruise to the Panama Canal because it was several hundred dollars less than the equivalent Princess cruise.

[jwattle]

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

Most of us don't have access to casino rates - so I am not using that as an indicator or rates.

Actually, I think that most do, they just don't ask. I didn't put much through the casino, but I had read on here about ASKING for the casino rate, and VOILA, it worked.

[cheeseclan]

We too have cruised with only Princess for many years.  After our last cruise on the Crown , which was not good, we have booked on 2 other lines.  Will see how they work for us...

 

 

Edited June 9, 2019 by cheeseclan

[Ombud]

As a vegetarian who cannot tolerate spicy food I see a definite improvement 

[c-boy]

7 minutes ago, Ombud said:

As a vegetarian who cannot tolerate spicy food I see a definite improvement 

that's good to know

[crystalspin]

I don't even see how removing chairs that were already there saves money? Anyone? They can't all have gone shabby on all the ships at once.

 

We're on the Emerald in an oceanview that had two chairs when I booked it. And doesn't now. For 28 days... as our first Princess cruise.

Edited June 9, 2019 by crystalspin

[neverbeenhere]

1) many were as you say “shabby”

 

2) Stewart doesn’t have to clean it

 

3) the steward can vacuum the room quicker

 

4) it was in my way and I’m happier without it

 

5) they don’t have to buy new ones

 

6) 

[waltd]

It was a catch all for all the junk we bought, never sat in it

Edited June 9, 2019 by waltd

[peanutter]

How about an incorrect (or at least partially incorrect) cruise log?  On our less than stellar Emerald to Hawaii this past February, there were a few mix-ups on the log.  A few of the islands we called on were reversed, some of the times we ported were way off, the weather and seas reported were questionable.  I can't really take an accurate wave height from my cabin but I can notice a difference between 1-3 foot waves versus 8-10.  It was just a really obvious "cut and paste" job from a previous cruise.  I would rather have nothing.

 

I want to still be in love with Princess and hope we can rekindle our relationship on our cruise this fall on the Regal.  But I'm planning to play the field with a HAL cruise in January.  

[pms4104]

28 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

I don't even see how removing chairs that were already there saves money? Anyone? They can't all have gone shabby on all the ships at once.

 

We're on the Emerald in an oceanview that had two chairs when I booked it. And doesn't now. For 28 days... as our first Princess cruise.

Less furniture = less weight = less fuel consumed = less $$$ spent to sail the ship around

[mnocket]

1 hour ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

 

Perhaps, but they will see what the differences are between the two lines (positive and negative) and discover which they like best.  You might consider those who never try another line to be the "ignorant" ones continuing blissfully along never knowing what else is out there.

[richsea]

1 hour ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

Very true. We were pretty loyal to Celebrity for the better part of 20 years, but due to a combination of cutbacks & inflated pricing, we have drifted to Princess, thus are not familiar to most of their cutbacks (aside from the missing chair & elimination of BOGO happy hour)

[kywildcatfanone]

There is no question Princess is cutting back on benefits and becoming a nickel and diming kind of cruise line, exactly what Carnival wants them to be. 

[mreasier]

While none of the cutbacks individually are major, to us it is death from a thousand cuts. We are Elite on Princess with well over 300 days but have cancelled our next Princess cruise in favor of Viking. As someone posted earlier, when everything that is included is considered, it is not that much more expensive than Princess.

[dcrow72]

4 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

amen to that!  A chair??? Really.  I could care less about a chair.  I love Royal and Regal although I do miss the Promenade walk around, but that's it!  Just off Royal in Alaska and loved it.  Food was amazing. Service great.  Medallion spectacular.  Everyone makes cuts and has to punt to save $$$ and keep the rooms filled.  The old addage "the grass isn't greener" certainly applies here!