Princess 2022-2023

[23ros]

19 hours ago, badgerbill said:

We have just registered an interest in Coral P's  W.C 2023.... great ports and reasonably priced.... our last hoorah as Elite pax with Princess me thinks..... one thing we have learned over the last year is life is for living.... full stop....😉😁😁😁

 

We also have emailed our TA about booking the WC 2023.  

We have no idea what the world will be like in 2023, but we have to keep our cruising dreams alive, even if it's just a booking that we can cancel if we need to.  

I agree with you Badgerbill,  Life is not standing still, Time is ticking, so enjoy life while we can. 

[Ondine]

I don't know why they don't put a bit more variation in Melb itineraries.  We hardly seem to get Eden in our itin's and Princess just do the same old ports in NZ.  Why not include Picton for a change.  I did get to Gisborne one year but it is usually not on any current itineraries.  I do think Napier is better anyway.

 

The cruise companies do take Melb for granted.  We now have Princess from early Nov to end of March (thank goodness) and P&O are only doing Dec and Jan now that they have only 3 ships.  Cunard come in Dec to Feb but are expensive and also disappear to Sydney for some trips.  Celebrity gave up on bringing Eclipse which is now scheduled for Sydney.  Carnival appear one year and not the next.  How they expect to get some sort of loyalty I have no idea.

 

They never have trouble filling the ships with most being sold out long before sailing and it is mostly Australian passengers.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Ondine
spelling

[NSWP]

44 minutes ago, Ondine said:

I don't know why they don't put a bit more variation in Melb itineraries.  We hardly seem to get Eden in our itin's and Princess just do the same old ports in NZ.  Why not include Picton for a change.  I did get to Gisborne one year but it is usually not on any current itineraries.  I do think Napier is better anyway.

 

The cruise companies do take Melb for granted.  We now have Princess from early Nov to end of March (thank goodness) and P&O are only doing Dec and Jan now that they have only 3 ships.  Cunard come in Dec to Feb but are expensive and also disappear to Sydney for some trips.  Celebrity gave up on bringing Eclipse which is now scheduled for Sydney.  Carnival appear one year and not the next.  How they expect to get some sort of loyalty I have no idea.

 

They never have trouble filling the ships with most being sold out long before sailing and it is mostly Australian passengers.

Plenty of well heeled Aussies do the worldie year after year. Big bikkies.

[GUT2407]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

I don't know why they don't put a bit more variation in Melb itineraries.  We hardly seem to get Eden in our itin's and Princess just do the same old ports in NZ.  Why not include Picton for a change.  I did get to Gisborne one year but it is usually not on any current itineraries.  I do think Napier is better anyway.

 

The cruise companies do take Melb for granted.  We now have Princess from early Nov to end of March (thank goodness) and P&O are only doing Dec and Jan now that they have only 3 ships.  Cunard come in Dec to Feb but are expensive and also disappear to Sydney for some trips.  Celebrity gave up on bringing Eclipse which is now scheduled for Sydney.  Carnival appear one year and not the next.  How they expect to get some sort of loyalty I have no idea.

 

They never have trouble filling the ships with most being sold out long before sailing and it is mostly Australian passengers.

We have done Picton with Princess, such a pretty little post.

[Relaxing Robbies]

We cruised Alaska on the Grand in 2015, and have cruised many days on Golden. We much prefer Golden with the shopping trolley handle still attached. The view from Skywalkers is great and the space is used day and night. We love the grand class ships and being able to walk the promenade deck, even though there is a change in levels. Shame that Princess are sending us a very tired old ship.

[BRANDEE]

4 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We liked Skywalkers on the Golden Princess. I think it was the Golden. Skywalkers is a lovely quiet spot during the day. Hardly anyone went there.

 

5 hours ago, NSWP said:

That is why we got it, when the Americans have finished with the oldies, we get them.  Nothing new. We were on Grand in 2009, the Med. They took the skywalkers pram handle off some years ago. I like the pram handle on the Grand Class.

Many American cruisers are pretty pissed that you Aussies get all our great Princess ships.  Wish Princess  would send you the  bland newbies that are floating hotels and shopping malls..not cruise ships.  No promenade deck, less pools, less outside areas, overcrowded atriums, tiny balconies...please take the Regal, Royal , Sky and Enchanted.  If I want a hotel..I'll stay on land.  Give me the Grand, and the Sapphire back. And love the Skywalker for canapes, drinks  and dancing!

Edited February 19, 2021 by BRANDEE

[getting older slowly]

We had done 100 nights on the Golden... loved it..

particularly skywalkers, great for canapés ..

 

As far as New Zealand ports

Also have done picton, napier and gisborne....

 

On one of the cancelled 2020 cruises we were doing  Lyttelton as well as picton.. and skipping wellington  which was looking forward to

 

Also another cancelled 2020 cruise  melbourne, adelaide , port lincoln , kangaroo island, burnie hobart sydney return to melbourne.... would have be great

 

We had a nice arrangement.... we gave them money and they lets as cruise....

 

Starting to wonder now..... Don

 

 

 

 

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, BRANDEE said:

 

Many American cruisers are pretty pissed that you Aussies get all our great Princess ships.  Wish Princess  would send you the  bland newbies that are floating hotels and shopping malls..not cruise ships.  No promenade deck, less pools, less outside areas, overcrowded atriums, tiny balconies...please take the Regal, Royal , Sky and Enchanted.  If I want a hotel..I'll stay on land.  Give me the Grand, and the Sapphire back. And love the Skywalker for canapes, drinks  and dancing!

I agree, i have been on royal princess, dont like the class, for reasons above. Yet princess is still building them. Give me grand  class any day.

[badgerbill]

13 hours ago, NSWP said:

Reasonably priced? You are surely jocular.

With all due respect Les, and I have always shown you respect, please don't put me down because i think it's a reasonable price for a product that suits our needs and wants , obviously compared to the giveaway price you paid for the  half worldie you did it's pricey but  that was  a freak once in a lifetime price...  All that matters is for us it has a great itinerary and the pricing fits our disposable savings....and all going well we are going to bloody well enjoy ourselves.

[icat2000]

12 hours ago, badgerbill said:

With all due respect Les, and I have always shown you respect, please don't put me down because i think it's a reasonable price for a product that suits our needs and wants , obviously compared to the giveaway price you paid for the  half worldie you did it's pricey but  that was  a freak once in a lifetime price...  All that matters is for us it has a great itinerary and the pricing fits our disposable savings....and all going well we are going to bloody well enjoy ourselves.

I don't think that the pricing is too bad. Its got a high demand market of cruisers who love it. I want to do a WC too. I just have to wait until the right itinerary comes up on the WC. I probably only going to have one shot at dragging my partner on one. But its always been a huge bucket list goal of mine.

 

It will do well on opening day for bookings.

 

BTW - when is opening day for bookings. I still waiting for Princess to return my FCC back from the cancelled PNG on Pacific PRincess 😞. Still really gutted about that.

[bazshirl2]

13 hours ago, NSWP said:

I agree, i have been on royal princess, dont like the class, for reasons above. Yet princess is still building them. Give me grand  class any day.

Totally agree. Where is Sapphire going ? It is due here next summer but not the next ?

[sewgood]

43 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

BTW - when is opening day for bookings.

 

ON SALE 2 MAR FOR ELITE GUESTS &
GENERAL SALE FROM 3 MAR - 9AM AEDT

[By The Bay]

45 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

BTW - when is opening day for bookings. I still waiting for Princess to return my FCC back from the cancelled PNG on Pacific PRincess 😞. Still really gutted about that.

2rd March for Elite. Next day for all. Beaten to the punch. 🙂

Edited February 19, 2021 by By The Bay

[SinbadThePorter]

16 hours ago, BRANDEE said:

the  bland newbies that are floating hotels and shopping malls..not cruise ships.

 

This is it exactly.

 

I'd never been on a ship that felt less like being on a ship until I cruised on Majestic.

[GUT2407]

10 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

This is it exactly.

 

I'd never been on a ship that felt less like being on a ship until I cruised on Majestic.

Have to agree, I love the motion of the Ocean. Probably why Pacif Princess is still my number 1. Unfortunately with all our restrictions there aren’t many small ship options, looked at one of the Expedition lines. Not wheelchair friendly, Azamara, virtually no round trips. So we now look for the smallest we can get.

[NSWP]

40 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Have to agree, I love the motion of the Ocean. Probably why Pacif Princess is still my number 1. Unfortunately with all our restrictions there aren’t many small ship options, looked at one of the Expedition lines. Not wheelchair friendly, Azamara, virtually no round trips. So we now look for the smallest we can get.

Small ship for you mate, no tipping and Mrs Macs pies available on board.

Edited February 19, 2021 by NSWP

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

This is it exactly.

 

I'd never been on a ship that felt less like being on a ship until I cruised on Majestic.

It felt like that on Oasis OTS.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

This is it exactly.

 

I'd never been on a ship that felt less like being on a ship until I cruised on Majestic.

Agreed. Princess will be losing some of our cruise dollars in future as the majority of cruises out of Sydney are on Majestic and Royal. I've been on both those ships and aren't interested in going on them again.

 

The big cruises on Coral - World, Round Australia and Hawaii/Tahiti - have embarkations from Sydney so we might look at doing the Hawaii/Tahiti cruise again in April 2023. We might start looking at world cruises in 2024. I think 2023 might still be too early for a worldie.

[BRANDEE]

57 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by BRANDEE

[BRANDEE]

I have to agree with you about Princess pushing away her devoted customers with these new improved huge  floating hotels.  I was so happy to be able to do the Australian/NZ/Fiji cruise on the Ruby last year. But the itinerary for the 2022 Caribbean sailings has the Regal, Enchanted and Caribbean. (if it happens)  Of course, the Caribbean Princess  is a favorite (6x's) but if I want a longer cruise I have to go on the Enchanted..that still hasn't sailed yet.  I'm thinking our last cruise with Princess was last year's Ruby.  Pretty sad about that.  Looking for smaller ships with a feeling of the ocean.  We only cruise once a year so want it to be special. Our other trips are roadtrips and timeshare/hotels.

 

I remember the first time on the Royal..Her second sailing (what a disaster) , almost 4000 passengers in 94F all looking  to go into one pool.  (480 were kids) Dah!!  

 

Now I sound like an old fart..LOL

[OzKiwiJJ]

BRANDEE, I didn't even like Ruby! Admittedly on the short South Pacific cruise we did in December 2019 the ship was crammed full whereas we usually do repositioning cruises or out of peak cruises so never really crowded. It wasn't Princess at it's best.

[SinbadThePorter]

I did Tas/Fiji last November on Ruby and I didn't mind it.

 

To me it was noticeably more crowded than Diamond, but not enough to put me off.

 

I'm hoping to get aboard Coral this year, I hear good things said about her.

 

But like others here, I have no need to get on another Royal Class ship.

[OzKiwiJJ]

On the voyage we did if you wanted a table for two for breakfast you had to line up 30 minutes before the MDR opened or wait up to an hour. It was amost impossible to get a table for two at dinner. The waiters were run off their feet and the wine service was appalling especially if you had ordered a white wine. To get a table in the buffet you had to circle around for up to 30 minutes. Crooners was jam-packed, partly because the Wheelhouse Bar also operated as the Salty Dog and stank of fried seafood.

[By The Bay]

14 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

On the voyage we did if you wanted a table for two for breakfast you had to line up 30 minutes before the MDR opened or wait up to an hour. It was amost impossible to get a table for two at dinner. The waiters were run off their feet and the wine service was appalling especially if you had ordered a white wine. To get a table in the buffet you had to circle around for up to 30 minutes. Crooners was jam-packed, partly because the Wheelhouse Bar also operated as the Salty Dog and stank of fried seafood.

That doesn't sound like fun. Even worse if social distancing is enforced.😷

[BRANDEE]

21 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

On the voyage we did if you wanted a table for two for breakfast you had to line up 30 minutes before the MDR opened or wait up to an hour. It was amost impossible to get a table for two at dinner. The waiters were run off their feet and the wine service was appalling especially if you had ordered a white wine. To get a table in the buffet you had to circle around for up to 30 minutes. Crooners was jam-packed, partly because the Wheelhouse Bar also operated as the Salty Dog and stank of fried seafood.

My favorite smaller ships have all been refurbished to make more staterooms at the expense of getting rid of the wrap around promenade deck.  The Island, Sapphire and Coral to name a few.  To cruise on smaller ships now for americans,  it is taking the more expensive Viking and Crystal and Regent ship . The prices of Princess cruises has risen quite a bit for when they get started again and really not sure if we won't be finding other trips to replace cruising..

 

We find Caribbean itinerary trips to just sail.  Hardly, get off anymore since we have been to the islands so many times.  We usually just sit around the pool or take a taxi to one of our favorite beaches, on port days.  I read that now  we may have to take ship tours to get off at ports.  We were hoping to continue taking cruises in the Caribbean as we get older to just be out in the ocean. 

 

Our last big "adventurous" cruise and land vacation was suppose to be our 6 week NZ/Fiji/ Australia trip. We've been lucky to see most of what we have wanted to see over the years. Relaxing on a cruise ship with 5000 "friends" just not what we want.

Edited February 20, 2021 by BRANDEE