Princess Has Taken a Wrong Turn With Good Spirits

[Mackenzie1]

We are currently on the Caribbean Princess and are disappointed with the new Good Spirits at Sea, which was previously the Lobby Bar next to the International Cafe. The previous Lobby Bar was a wonderful place to enjoy a quiet drink with friends and family while looking out the windows at the ports and sea. Unfortunately, Princess has now placed two large screen TVs in the Lobby Bar where from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Princess plays loud promotional videos in the guise of cocktail demonstrations. The promotional videos are just awful, and the chatter from the videos shuts out any opportunity to enjoy conversations with family and friends. We used to be permanent residents of the Lobby Bar, but we’ve moved to Crooners because the videos are so annoying. One good thing, though, is that it’s easier to find a table in the Lobby Bar because it becomes deserted when these videos are on. 

[Potstech]

Mission accomplished.

[skynight]

Put this in your post cruise review.

[Host CJSKIDS]

Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the area, especially since you so enjoyed it on previous cruises. 

 

 

I personally really enjoyed the new shows going on at Good Spirts and the cocktail demonstrations as well as being able to enjoy the specialty cocktails made during those times. Thought it was a nice change as it’s an area I never hung out in on all my prior cruises. 

 

They were not overly loud on our sailing in May though you could hear the bartender doing the demonstrations. 

 

Hopefully you can find another quiet area to sit and enjoy the sea. 

[happy cruzer]

So now you vacate from 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 instead of being a permanent resident?  Others get a chance at a table?  There have been complaints about lack of available seating in that area.

 

Sorry the videos were so annoying to your group.  Time will tell if they are a success or failure with the general cruising population.  Think we would hate them as well from your description.

[Mackenzie1]

22 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the area, especially since you so enjoyed it on previous cruises. 

 

 

I personally really enjoyed the new shows going on at Good Spirts and the cocktail demonstrations as well as being able to enjoy the specialty cocktails made during those times. Thought it was a nice change as it’s an area I never hung out in on all my prior cruises. 

 

They were not overly loud on our sailing in May though you could hear the bartender doing the demonstrations. 

 

Hopefully you can find another quiet area to sit and enjoy the sea. 

Or preferably, let Princess run the promotional videos somewhere else so that you can enjoy them while the rest of us can have our quiet Lobby Bar back. Besides, it’s the same video over and over.  But let the numbers speak—I’ll bet if Princess runs the revenue numbers for the Lobby Bar from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., they will find a huge drop-off in bar revenue. 

[Mackenzie1]

3 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

So now you vacate from 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 instead of being a permanent resident?  Others get a chance at a table?  There have been complaints about lack of available seating in that area.

 

Sorry the videos were so annoying to your group.  Time will tell if they are a success or failure with the general cruising population.  Think we would hate them as well from your description.

I wasn’t being literal when I described us as permanent residents. Of course, we enjoy excursions and other activities, and it’s always been a challenge to find a table in the Lobby Bar.  But no worries for you, it’s easy to find a table now, especially from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. where you can watch the same video loop hour after hour. 

[Mackenzie1]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Put this in your post cruise review.

Thank you for your suggestion. I will make a comment in my review. I’m an avid Princess cruiser, and want to see Princess do well. 

[Colo Cruiser]

36 minutes ago, Mackenzie1 said:

Thank you for your suggestion. I will make a comment in my review. I’m an avid Princess cruiser, and want to see Princess do well. 

Complain verbally onboard as well.

Don't wait until you are off the ship.

[Doug R.]

I am relieved. I thought maybe that Princess was mixing single malt whiskey with coke and promoting it on the cocktail menu. I am sorry this is such an issue that it ruined the cruise for the OP and I concur that the best time to raise this issue was while on board.

[Mackenzie1]

16 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Complain verbally onboard as well.

Don't wait until you are off the ship.

 

Thanks for your suggestion. We have asked the staff to mute the promotional videos in the morning, and they have, but Princess has the videos as a ship activity in the Lobby Bar from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., which makes asking them to mute the videos more awkward, even no one is in the Lobby Bar during these times, anyway. 

[Mackenzie1]

3 minutes ago, Doug R. said:

I am relieved. I thought maybe that Princess was mixing single malt whiskey with coke and promoting it on the cocktail menu. I am sorry this is such an issue that it ruined the cruise for the OP and I concur that the best time to raise this issue was while on board.

 

Thank you, Doug. It hasn’t ruined our cruise at all.  There are other enjoyable areas on the ship, but I don’t want Princess to lose financially because someone thought these promotional videos would make a cheap activity to put in the Princess Patter. 

[toads45froggy]

Ever stop to wonder why they changed?

 

You may be a avid cruiser, but their research and marketing teams spend millions on what works and what doesnt, proof you are a avid princess cruiser for a reason.

 

Whilst they will value your opinion dont expect them to change it anytime soon. They have already weighed the pros and cons of this choice they dont at random just change things around.

[Gettingwarmer]

Princess seems keen to annoy a lot of people at the moment. They don’t seem to care. 

[c-boy]

don't count me as one of them. It takes a lot more then this too ruffle my feathers.

[Mackenzie1]

1 hour ago, toads45froggy said:

Ever stop to wonder why they changed?

 

You may be a avid cruiser, but their research and marketing teams spend millions on what works and what doesnt, proof you are a avid princess cruiser for a reason.

 

Whilst they will value your opinion dont expect them to change it anytime soon. They have already weighed the pros and cons of this choice they dont at random just change things around.

 

I’m not expecting Princess to change anything. Someone has made this decision, and Princess will defend it. I’ll let the revenue numbers speak for themselves. On the one hand, for this cruise, Princess has had little entertainment in the Atrium, so Princess will save on entertainment expenses, but there will be a drop in bar revenue. Princess will have to wait and see whether the lower entertainment costs make up for the drop in bar revenues. If Princess wants to cut entertainment expenses, a better idea would be to pipe in XM Sirius radio music, perhaps having an hour for 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90’s music, along with classical and country music hours. 

[CI66774]

How are you liking the CB otherwise?

[Host CJSKIDS]

4 hours ago, Mackenzie1 said:

Or preferably, let Princess run the promotional videos somewhere else so that you can enjoy them while the rest of us can have our quiet Lobby Bar back. Besides, it’s the same video over and over.  But let the numbers speak—I’ll bet if Princess runs the revenue numbers for the Lobby Bar from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., they will find a huge drop-off in bar revenue. 

 

Again, I'm sorry you don't care for the new venue and my post to you was not meant with any malice. 

 

People always have a differing opinion on things! That's why it was only my personal opinion.

 

Make sure you let them know on the surveys that this took away some of your nightly enjoyment of the ship.  As a bar space, I'm sure they will unfortunately tell you that it's not necessary meant to be a quiet space but perhaps they can turn down the volume if you let the front desk know.

 

It was very busy during those time when we sailed in May as well as when our friends just sailed. Each sailing will of course be different depending on the demographics and itinerary  I'm sure.  From what I was told, they needed to up the revenue in that space because it was mainly used as an overspill for the International Cafe and coffee bar and not the actual bar.  By having cocktails speciality cocktails that you could only get at that one bar and only during those times, it was bringing people in and bar revenue is up. If you look at the majority of cruisers sitting at the tables in the area, they do not have cocktails at their tables and that's what brings in the most revenue. (A friend in the business who sells to them.)

 

After 24 Princess cruises, this was actually the first time that I utilized that bar by actually sitting and enjoying it and did so more than once. 

 

Again, I really hope you are enjoying your sailing.  I really enjoyed the Caribbean Princess and look forward to being on her again soon.

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Host CJSKIDS

[Mackenzie1]

22 minutes ago, CI66774 said:

How are you liking the CB otherwise?

 

Hi C166. Yes, it’s a wonderful cruise! Thanks for asking. 

[voljeep]

4 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

Again, I'm sorry you don't care for the new venue and my post to you was not meant with any malice. 

 

People always have a differing opinion on things! That's why it was only my personal opinion.

 

Make sure you let them know on the surveys that this took away some of your nightly enjoyment of the ship.  As a bar space, I'm sure they will unfortunately tell you that it's not necessary meant to be a quiet space but perhaps they can turn down the volume if you let the front desk know.

 

It was very busy during those time when we sailed in May as well as when our friends just sailed. Each sailing will of course be different depending on the demographics and itinerary from what I'm sure.  From what I was told, they needed to up the revenue in that space because it was mainly used as an overspill for the International Cafe and coffee bar and not the actual bar.  By having cocktails speciality cocktails that you could only get at that one bar and only during those times, it was bringing people in and bar revenue was up. If you look at the majority of cruisers sitting at the tables in the area, they do not have cocktails at their tables and that's what brings in the most revenue. 

 

After 24 Princess cruises, this was actually the first time that I utilized that bar by actually sitting and enjoying it and did so more than once. 

 

Again, I really hope you are enjoying your sailing.  I really enjoyed the Caribbean Princess and look forward to being on her again soon.

 

I'm not sure I really even noticed it on the 4 day CB cruise in May ... we would go to Vines pre-dinner, dinner, then head to Crooners ...

did you book the SKY 3 day in December ... that's our next and looking forward to the new Ship and jazz lounge

[Mackenzie1]

3 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

 

Again, I'm sorry you don't care for the new venue and my post to you was not meant with any malice. 

 

People always have a differing opinion on things! That's why it was only my personal opinion.

 

Make sure you let them know on the surveys that this took away some of your nightly enjoyment of the ship.

 

It was very busy during those time when we sailed in May as well as when our friends just sailed. Each sailing will of course be different depending on the demographics and itinerary from what I'm sure.  From what I was told, they needed to up the revenue in that space because it was mainly used as an overspill for the International Cafe and coffee bar and not the actual bar.  By having cocktails speciality cocktails that you could only get at that one bar and only during those times, it was bringing people in and bar revenue was up. If you look at the majority of cruisers sitting at the tables in the area, they do not have cocktails at their tables and that's what brings in the most revenue. 

 

After 24 Princess cruises, this was actually the first time that I utilized that bar by actually sitting and enjoying it and did so more than once.

 

Again, I really hope you are enjoying your sailing.  I really enjoyed the Caribbean Princess and look forward to being on her again soon.

 

 

Hi Host. I didn’t think you meant any malice, and thank you for your understanding as to why Princess made the change. There’s no doubt that during the day people use the Lobby Bar area as a spill over for the International Cafe, not to mention for playing cards and knitting. This is especially true on cold cruise days when everyone crowds into the Atrium area because the pool deck is too cold. The craft drinks are an interesting option for Princess to try to see if the specialty drinks increase bar revenue in this area. Time will tell if Princess has accomplished its goal of increasing bar revenue by making this change. My observation, however, at least on this cruise, is that it will not because of the drop in the pre-dinner drink crowd. That may be for this cruise only, though.  Once again, thank you for your understanding as to why Princess made the change. I understand it better now.  

[Mackenzie1]

22 minutes ago, voljeep said:

I'm not sure I really even noticed it on the 4 day CB cruise in May ... we would go to Vines pre-dinner, dinner, then head to Crooners ...

did you book the SKY 3 day in December ... that's our next and looking forward to the new Ship and jazz lounge

 

No, unfortunately, I won’t be on the Sky in December. Enjoy your cruise!

[RNRcruisers]

Sounds terrible! I hate TV screens in places like that, really not necessary.

[Mackenzie1]

2 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

Sounds terrible! I hate TV screens in places like that, really not necessary.

 

We are currently in Crooners listening to wonderful folk music. It’s standing room only with 40 or so people crowding to the elevators.  It’s great fun!

Edited August 23, 2019 by Mackenzie1

[4cats4me]

We weren’t fans of the Good Spirit, either, primarily because we wanted to enjoy our drink and then we’re hit up with a sales promo and long winded explanation by our bar server, and I didn’t appreciate the upsell at a late hour when we just wanted to chill.  

Only two drinks appealed to us on that menu, too. They were beta testing the GS on the Royal in April.   Also, I thought it was SO tacky that they listed it as an activity in the Patter. Really? Um, not really.  A bartender explains over the P A system via a headset, how he makes each good spirits drink.  Just kind of an odd deal altogéther I thought.  

 

That said, I believe goodcspirits would be appropriate in the daytime, but it kinda of killed the nighttime ambience that we’ve been accustomed to.