Small Cutbacks Noticed

[JimmyVWine]

3 hours ago, Level six said:

At home nachos are a treat, here it was literally every single meal except breakfast.  After 14 days, I was literally eating a few pieces of cheese and some crackers.  It was horribly bad!! 

Did you go to the buffet every day for dinner?  If it was so bad, why didn't you go to an MDR? If I saw the same food options every day for 14 straight days, I'd make a pivot, no?

[MissP22]

No pens.

No paper

No chocolates 

They might as well get rid of the free laundry and save even more money. 

 

[Level six]

59 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

Did you go to the buffet every day for dinner?  If it was so bad, why didn't you go to an MDR? If I saw the same food options every day for 14 straight days, I'd make a pivot, no?

True, but the lines at the dining room were really, really long and we were told we could not come before 8:30 when we asked.  We are early eaters and could not eat that late because of health issues. 

Also, we don't take much dining room attire, we only take carry on.  We just kept hoping it would get better.  We are to blame for thinking that.   But, like I said before, we mostly take cruises that are 14 days or longer, our longest being 48 days and we never got bored eating at the buffet before this cruise. 

But, you are right, we should have done something different. I will think of you next time!!!

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Make your MDR rezzies on the good ole app (if you can) for everynight.

I've done this the past few cruises (on Majestic) and got in every time within 5 mins,

of our 6:00 res time.

When we booked a specialty dining?  I just cancelled the one nite at MDR.

I've come to the conclusion book MDR ahead, cancel day of,  if you don't need it.

 

As far as Pens/paper.  Many major Hotels are doing this too.

I now keep a pad of Postit notes & couple pens in my suitcase.

 

 

[Level six]

26 minutes ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

Make your MDR rezzies on the good ole app (if you can) for everynight.

I've done this the past few cruises (on Majestic) and got in every time within 5 mins,

of our 6:00 res time.

When we booked a specialty dining?  I just cancelled the one nite at MDR.

I've come to the conclusion book MDR ahead, cancel day of,  if you don't need it.

 

As far as Pens/paper.  Many major Hotels are doing this too.

I now keep a pad of Postit notes & couple pens in my suitcase.

 

 

Good idea.  I didn't want to make a standing reservation every night because I knew we wouldn't go every night, plus, our medallion didn't work before the cruise to make reservations.........Thanks. 

[Billish]

4 hours ago, Level six said:

Every morning they had 2 lines of the buffet open, but all the same things at every few grills(bacon, sausage, eggs sometimes, egg mcmuffin, toast, hash browns and fruit, pastry, etc),

I'm sorry, but what else do you want to eat at breakfast? 

Seems like they have catered for everybody with that selection.

[Level six]

16 minutes ago, Billish said:

I'm sorry, but what else do you want to eat at breakfast? 

Seems like they have catered for everybody with that selection.

Yeah, breakfast was okay, it was the other meals. 

 

Anyway, As I said before, everyone has different tastes.  I was just giving my opinion and hoping to help others who were concerned or curious. 

[caribill]

6 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

 

no destination guides for any cruises.  I was told it was a Covid thing.  Use your stateroom television.  I downloaded a pdf version to my computer AND had them mail me one.  

 

That should be no more of a Covid thing than getting a paper Patter.

 

When you said "mail me one" did you mean E-mail during (or before) the cruise?

 

Do you know where we can go to download PDF versions before a cruise?

[Billish]

14 minutes ago, Level six said:

Yeah, breakfast was okay, it was the other meals.

So why complain about it ?

[caribill]

6 hours ago, Level six said:

  Lines to get into every dining room.

 

2 hours ago, Level six said:

True, but the lines at the dining room were really, really long

 

Do you know if the people on these long lines already had reservations with DMW or if they just showed up when they wanted to eat (true anytime)?

 

If the lines are this bad with the ships not near capacity, I wonder if it can get better by the time the ships are full again.

[Level six]

1 minute ago, Billish said:

So why complain about it ?

Maybe it is the way you read it?  I was just saying what was offered at each meal, I didn't specially complain about breakfast. Oh well...........whatever. 

[Level six]

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

 

Do you know if the people on these long lines already had reservations with DMW or if they just showed up when they wanted to eat (true anytime)?

 

If the lines are this bad with the ships not near capacity, I wonder if it can get better by the time the ships are full again.

Hey caribill, I have played trivia with you before, cheers.

I don't know what other people were doing, all I know is what was told to me personally.

But, I do agree with what will happen when full. 

[Billish]

2 minutes ago, Level six said:

Maybe it is the way you read it?  I was just saying what was offered at each meal, I didn't specially complain about breakfast. Oh well...........whatever. 

Sorry, as your whole post was a rant, I assumed you included breakfast in your diatribe.

[Level six]

Just now, Billish said:

Sorry, as your whole post was a rant, I assumed you included breakfast in your diatribe.

All good.  I didn't really think of it as a rant, but more information.  But, I understand also that it seemed that way...........maybe it was, haha

[gone2c]

I was on the Enchanted three weeks ago.  There were 1900 of us and I swear that many crew.  The service was superb!. The buffet was only open on one side but the selections were various and the food was very good.  When did the Magestic start back up cruising. I'm thinking that maybe this is part of the problem.  Maybe its a new crew and not fully staffed yet and they are working on ironing out the problems.  My boarding was problem free and it was probably the easiest of any of my 70 cruises (fully realizing that the ship was only half full).  I will be on the Discovery in June and will be anxious to compare experiences.    

[dickinson]

46 minutes ago, gone2c said:

I was on the Enchanted three weeks ago.  There were 1900 of us and I swear that many crew.  The service was superb!. The buffet was only open on one side but the selections were various and the food was very good.  When did the Magestic start back up cruising. I'm thinking that maybe this is part of the problem.  Maybe its a new crew and not fully staffed yet and they are working on ironing out the problems.  My boarding was problem free and it was probably the easiest of any of my 70 cruises (fully realizing that the ship was only half full).  I will be on the Discovery in June and will be anxious to compare experiences.    

If I remember correctly, Majestic did Alaska this past summer.  Still could be a lot of new crew though.

[Kmkub]

1 hour ago, gone2c said:

I was on the Enchanted three weeks ago.  There were 1900 of us and I swear that many crew.  The service was superb!. The buffet was only open on one side but the selections were various and the food was very good.  When did the Magestic start back up cruising. I'm thinking that maybe this is part of the problem.  Maybe its a new crew and not fully staffed yet and they are working on ironing out the problems.  My boarding was problem free and it was probably the easiest of any of my 70 cruises (fully realizing that the ship was only half full).  I will be on the Discovery in June and will be anxious to compare experiences.    

I did a glowing review of Enchanted in January, which was also at low capacity. Amazing crew, amazing food; best cruise ever.

 

[Ciren219]

I got off the Majestic Princess a week ago and noticed the cutbacks in food ingredients. I cruise with food allergies, and while there was gluten-free bread, there were no waffles or buns. Onboard, there was no lactose-free spread or cheese. I wanted to try out the specialty restaurants but was told I could only eat in one, the Crown Grill, and what they served me was extremely disappointing. With so many people with food allergies, it was sad to see they have made our ability to eat onboard more challenging.

[brisalta]

11 hours ago, Coral said:

A space to hang the towels so that they dry. 

 

My solution was to ask for more towels so if I want to take a shower later in the day, I am not using a wet towel to dry myself.

 

There is a clothes line in the shower. Hang some towels over that so they dry. I bring heavy duty plastic hangars with me which I hang from the clothes line and then place items to dry on them.

Also make sure the air vent in the ceiling is open so that dry air is coming into the space.

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, Kmkub said:

I did a glowing review of Enchanted in January, which was also at low capacity. Amazing crew, amazing food; best cruise ever.

 

We (group of 6 adults) just disembarked the Enchanted Princess today.  Our cruise had 2500 passengers (about 62%) - the largest number to date during her inaugural season. The cruise departing today had 3000 (about 75%). 

 

The first two evenings only 2 of the 3 MDRs were open and it was chaotic.  Finally on the third night they opened 1/2 of the third MDR for the remainder of the cruise (and I presume for the current cruise).  The food and the wine availability was not nearly as good as on the Caribbean Princess in early January when the CB was sailing then with only 30% capacity. 

 

We have serious concerns about space allocation on the Enchanted Princess when she begins to

sail at full (or close to) capacity.   Gigi's (new name for Alfredo's) had 1/2 hour + waiting times at lunch under the current conditions.  While across the piazza, the other half of that deck occupied by the Bistro was used for only 4 hours a day at dinner time.  The same schedule was true for the Salty Dog Gastropub which replaced Vines.  Finally, not food related but the theater seems very small and was almost full for the late show a couple of nights.  That doesn't bode well for future cruises.

 

One thing we all agreed on was that she is a beautiful ship.

 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

44 minutes ago, Ciren219 said:

I got off the Majestic Princess a week ago and noticed the cutbacks in food ingredients. I cruise with food allergies, and while there was gluten-free bread, there were no waffles or buns. Onboard, there was no lactose-free spread or cheese. I wanted to try out the specialty restaurants but was told I could only eat in one, the Crown Grill, and what they served me was extremely disappointing. With so many people with food allergies, it was sad to see they have made our ability to eat onboard more challenging.

I also cruise with food allergies (dairy) and I had problems finding food on my last cruise in December.  I am not lactose intolerant. I have a dairy allergy.  Please send an email to customer relations and let them know. If we don’t let them know then things will only continue to get worse. They contacted me right away. I’m hoping things are better on my next cruise.  Good luck!  
 

ETA:  They have never had plant-based cheeses or spread onboard but they do have dairy free margarine if you are able to have that.

Edited March 21, 2022 by MsSoCalCruiser

[WAvoyager]

3 hours ago, dickinson said:

If I remember correctly, Majestic did Alaska this past summer.  Still could be a lot of new crew though.

Yup - She was in Alaska for the summer and then moved down for Cali Coast and Mexico cruises.

 

I only know this because we were booked for an Alaskan cruise on Majestic, and then we were told (1 month from sailing) that if we wanted to cruise, we would have to leave our (unvaccinated) daughter behind.  She’s 5.  🙄  That cruise is now rebooked for June.

[insidecabin]

The cruise line has millions of data point to deal with when working out what's working  but little old me its just a few a year.

 

We  have an idea what  I want from our trip in terms of accommodation food drinks entertainment etc and at the end of the day it comes down to what is it going to cost, I use pppd to benchmark

 

I don't care what princess thinks it makes from Princess+  for me(UK) it's £30pppd or PAYG for what I want.

 

Its that £30 on top of the cruise fare or I add an allowance for the grats, drinks, Wifi. to get the price.

 

Then I can compare value with the other lines using whatever price model they have adopted..

 

As it happens(in Europe)  RCI, celebrity are pricing high, NCL have tried high but are creeping  back with deals but have cutbacks as well, more local  like P&O/Cunard not for us, Marella the UK "budget AI" option is also a bit high but not ridiculous an easy one stop shop as they package.

 

MSC and Costa have had great rates and MSC tried northern Europe for a winter season with good rates and it seems to have been a success.

 

Princess is winning for us so we shall see where the product has moved since our last trip(2017) to see if the value still stacks up.

 

Cutbacks change the value proposition we each have our own value points or a change that will have us look elsewhere.

 

If caught in the loyalty trap it might take a bit more to break you 

 

For a cruise line that breaks loyalty, it can take a lot to bring people back to exclusive again once they try something else.

 

The Olive story is only part of the picture, yes you save $ taking one out of a salad but as you squeeze each item there comes a point when the portion is just too small or disappears completely 

 

Cruise food is already  on very tight budgets, $10-$15pppd to feed pax and crew)  there is not much room to make changes without impacting the experience, and a small increase can make a huge difference(for the better). 

 

The issue with cutbacks is it makes the sale proposition harder so probably more needs to be spent on sales, marketing and commissions to attract business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[donaldsc]

11 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Having been on the Majestic several times in the past six months, they have been critically understaffed and we were told that they have been "slowly" bringing on more crew as the passenger loads increase. 

 

Maybe it's time for them to have a full crew, as the passengers counts have dramatically increased since the re-start?

 

Maybe if they do not enough crew for the number of passengers they should take fewer passengers.  When the crew is large enough to give the expected number of passengers the service they have paid for, then increase the number of passengers.

 

DON

[cruzin4us]

On 3/16/2022 at 6:56 PM, Kineticoh20 said:

The only cut backs we care about are culinary. We found food on the Majestic in Dec to be sub standard in fact it was the worst we ever encountered, this was true in all specialty restaurants. We are booked in April on the Discovery and June on the Caribbean. If the food is still not to our liking we will move on from Princess. Other than food other cutbacks don’t bother us at all.

I found this to be true when we were on the Majestic in October.   Crown Grill was fair, service was poor.   Harmony was the worst meal I've ever had at sea and I eat everything except black licorice.  Even the International Cafe seemed to be lacking different choices everyday.   The buffet while large was lacking in flavor, most items were just kind of blah.   I just wandered around picking a few items and taking one bite and going this is just "blah"

As for the ship, I love the Majestic.....but the food was a different story