Princess Coral Princess or P&O Pacific Encounter ( ex- Star Princess)??

[bazzaw]

These two ships will apparently base in Brisbane - I know that Encounter is a Grand Class ship and Coral is it's own class. Any thoughts about these two? Your preferences and why?? Any other cruiselines basing in Brisbane ? It will be nice to have some  new (to us) ships locally. I did love Pacific Dawn - but she was pretty much all we had for a long time. 

[SinbadThePorter]

The food should be better on Coral, but other than that I don't think there is much to choose between them.

[cruisermsoon]

Coral gets very good reviews, and apparently, as a slightly smaller ship than the Grand Class, and carrying fewer passengers, is an extremely well designed ship for passenger flow and public areas. 

Encounter is an ex Princess ship [Star], larger and carrying more passengers, but will be similarly grand in scope as the other Grand Class ships.

Why not try both ships. I certainly shall, and in fact have already booked cruises on both.

 

[JohnGc]

I believe  RCC  Quantum of the seas will be there and it is also rumoured that Costa Magica that is being refurbished as a Carnival fun ship  (yet to be named ) will be based there instead of Carnival Spirit. I am booked on the Quantum and would like to try the others but still trying to find out if they do a balcony cabin with a sofa bed for a third person,at this stage I can only see balcony cabins with just a bunk bed or pullman bed which are not practical for us.

 

Cheers John.

Edited April 3, 2022 by JohnGc

[arxcards]

Yes, for this season, those two ships plus Quantum of the Seas. For now, Pacific Encounter will be the only all-year-round ship. Carnival xxxxx to join in next year, so awesome to see Brisbane offering more and more choice.

 

I have cruised on Star Princess and a few other Grand class - love them. Yes, I prefer Princess dining to P&O, but have never gone hungry on a ship.

 

In my mind, there is one massive difference. You have your black elite card Barry? Along with the other perks, it includes priority tendering. Bigger ship and more tender capacity, but the tender wharves are still small. Given that the QLD domestic cruises are all tender ports, and that will also apply to most of the Pacific Island ports when they resume their calls, that is the deal breaker for me.

[subaru94]

45 minutes ago, cruisermsoon said:

Coral gets very good reviews, and apparently, as a slightly smaller ship than the Grand Class, and carrying fewer passengers, is an extremely well designed ship for passenger flow and public areas. 

Encounter is an ex Princess ship [Star], larger and carrying more passengers, but will be similarly grand in scope as the other Grand Class ships.

Why not try both ships. I certainly shall, and in fact have already booked cruises on both.

 

I thought P&O Encounter was the Golden Princess?  Explorer (Dawn Princess)?

 

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, subaru94 said:

I thought P&O Encounter was the Golden Princess?  Explorer (Dawn Princess)?

 

Pacific Explorer - Dawn Princess

Pacific Adventure - Golden Princess

Pacific Encounter - Star Princess

[bazzaw]

15 hours ago, arxcards said:

 You have your black elite card Barry? Along with the other perks, it includes priority tendering. Bigger ship and more tender capacity, but the tender wharves are still small. Given that the QLD domestic cruises are all tender ports, and that will also apply to most of the Pacific Island ports when they resume their calls, that is the deal breaker for me.

This is good thinking. I haven't cruised with Princess for a long time - but I assume that we are still "Elite status"

[Aus Traveller]

27 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

This is good thinking. I haven't cruised with Princess for a long time - but I assume that we are still "Elite status"

None of us have cruised with Princess recently. 😁 However, I know what you mean. Anyway, you don't lose the status.

[NSWP]

Having been on Coral Princess twice - Alaska and Panama Canal, also Star Princess, Sydney to HK when she was new back in 2004, I prefer the Coral, just a bit smaller than Star. But now Star Princess is Pacific Encounter you won't get the style of service, food, entertainment etc you got when it was a Princess ship. But you get what you pay for.

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Having been on Coral Princess twice - Alaska and Panama Canal, also Star Princess, Sydney to HK when she was new back in 2004, I prefer the Coral, just a bit smaller than Star. But now Star Princess is Pacific Encounter you won't get the style of service, food, entertainment etc you got when it was a Princess ship. But you get what you pay for.

Agreed. We have booked cruises on both the Coral Princess and P&Os Pacific Encounter - the latter is cheaper. We know what to expect from both cruise lines and prefer Princess.

 

I should mention that, at the moment, the Princess 'winter' cruises from May onwards, are available at a good price.

Edited April 4, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[NSWP]

8 hours ago, bazzaw said:

This is good thinking. I haven't cruised with Princess for a long time - but I assume that we are still "Elite status"

Barry,  last cruises with Princess in 2018 in Europe, been Elite since 2009. Checked the other day still Elite. Complimentary Laundry, mini bar, priority tendering from ship (not return) Internet, alll a bonus.

[OzKiwiJJ]

17 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Barry,  last cruises with Princess in 2018 in Europe, been Elite since 2009. Checked the other day still Elite. Complimentary Laundry, mini bar, priority tendering from ship (not return) Internet, alll a bonus.

No free internet any more, just a 50% discount on the internet package. But the Plus fare is such good value that even if you didn't drink much it would probably be worth it.

[CDaze71]

6 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

... But the Plus fare is such good value that even if you didn't drink much it would probably be worth it.

JJ did you notice that for our cruise, the PLUS Fare isn't an option any longer ? They must have a quota and when it's reached, they just sell the Saver Fare only. So glad I booked when I did.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

On 4/3/2022 at 5:10 PM, bazzaw said:

Any other cruiselines basing in Brisbane ? It will be nice to have some  new (to us) ships locally.

 

Quantum of the Seas is due to be based in Brisbane.

 

and there is also going to be a another Carnival ship based in Brisbane as well.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, CDaze71 said:

JJ did you notice that for our cruise, the PLUS Fare isn't an option any longer ? They must have a quota and when it's reached, they just sell the Saver Fare only. So glad I booked when I did.

Yes, and yes they do have a quota. Definitely one of the advantages of getting in early on popular intineraries. Mind you I got a plus fare on the NZ Majestic cruise I recently booked and that one was released ages ago.

[carlandlyn]

So, first time cruising with Princess, a question for you seasoned Princess cruiser, what are, generally, the times for the shows on Coral Princess? We are looking at booking meal times / specialty restaurants and curious when to book so we can fit in a show?

Thanks

Lynn and Carl

[NSWP]

12 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

No free internet any more, just a 50% discount on the internet package. But the Plus fare is such good value that even if you didn't drink much it would probably be worth it.

And the Americans went beserk on CC re loss of Elite internet.

[rkmw]

8 hours ago, carlandlyn said:

So, first time cruising with Princess, a question for you seasoned Princess cruiser, what are, generally, the times for the shows on Coral Princess? We are looking at booking meal times / specialty restaurants and curious when to book so we can fit in a show?

Thanks

Lynn and Carl

Sometimes they change the show times but normally it’s 8pm & 10pm

so if you book early dinner at 5.30 you should be ok to see both shows if you like

[OzKiwiJJ]

11 hours ago, carlandlyn said:

So, first time cruising with Princess, a question for you seasoned Princess cruiser, what are, generally, the times for the shows on Coral Princess? We are looking at booking meal times / specialty restaurants and curious when to book so we can fit in a show?

Thanks

Lynn and Carl

On the last two cruises we were on, both in 2019, the shows were 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Typically we would have dinner 7-7:30pm and comfortably make it to the late show.

[Aus Traveller]

11 hours ago, carlandlyn said:

So, first time cruising with Princess, a question for you seasoned Princess cruiser, what are, generally, the times for the shows on Coral Princess? We are looking at booking meal times / specialty restaurants and curious when to book so we can fit in a show?

Thanks

Lynn and Carl

The times of the shows are set by the Entertainment Director/Cruise Director. All we can tell you is what we have been on previous cruises. I have also seen on previous cruises, where the times are altered on one or two nights.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

The times of the shows are set by the Entertainment Director/Cruise Director. All we can tell you is what we have been on previous cruises. I have also seen on previous cruises, where the times are altered on one or two nights.

True but Princess tended to time the shows around the Traditional dining times so people could have dinner then go to a show. Who knows what will happen now. I asked this on the main Princess forum and indications are they are sticking to those times, give or take 15 minutes, in the US so hopefully they'll be the same here.

 

 

[valantine80]

When we were on the 35 night Hawaii/Tahiti cruise, show times often varied night to night. Sometimes there would be a very early show for those on late dining. We had first sitting and often there would be a crush of people waiting outside the theater to get into the second show about 7.30. The Cruise Director on that cruise left a lot to be desired on several accounts.

[NSWP]

Show times do vary, ship to ship, region to region, as do meal times.  For example..cruising on Princess from the USA, 1st sitting in MDR was often 5pm or 5.15pm. Crikey, that is happy hour lol. I have heard many times on the ships and on CC...'Americans like to eat early.' By crikey they do.

[arxcards]

7 hours ago, NSWP said:

Show times do vary, ship to ship, region to region, as do meal times.  For example..cruising on Princess from the USA, 1st sitting in MDR was often 5pm or 5.15pm. Crikey, that is happy hour lol. I have heard many times on the ships and on CC...'Americans like to eat early.' By crikey they do.

The Princess motto - Eat early, Eat often!! 🍽️