Princess Has Lost Us as Future "Guests"

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, alanstarr said:

But there's still a charge at the coffee bar (if you don't have a beverage package). Its nominal (~1.75 for a large, ~1.25 for a small), but its not free. 

Agreed. Never said it was free. I was responding to the post that sounded like he thought that he HAD to buy coffee in order to get food from the IC.

[cltnccruisers]

We were on Sky in late November.  Nice mini-suite, so-so bar service until we landed at Vines, barely acceptable MDR service and food.  Ate in Alfredo's as much as possible.  DW felt cramped compared to Caribbean Princess.  We're looking at Enchanted for a 10 day Southern with Martinique in Feb, 2023.  It will fill in some gaps in our island hopping.  Vines is replaced so that's out.  We just used Crooners on CP last month for our pre-dinner drinks so we may end up there.  The MDR is our main concern. On both Sky and Caribbean we got bounced from table to table for the first 4 nights.  Very inefficient.  Food on CP was good to very good.  Food on Sky didn't even approach good until day 5.  Also, more than once on Sky the staff was argumentative (trying to be polite with that word).

 

So  we're mainly looking for MDR and bar comparisons between Sky and Enchanted.  We've seen a few in this thread but more is usually better.

[Ombud]

On 4/9/2022 at 5:47 AM, Ride-The-Waves said:

Princess promised at booking.  “Moroccan Passage” it was NOT.  Third effort to visit the country of Berber, Arabic and European cultures unsuccessful.  Likely no more opportunities.  While the first miss was on me (medical), the second on COVID, this one squarely was on Princess

 

20 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

......missing Casablanca was understood......we had our doubts we would make it based on reading that they had just opened up for air travel but not for ferries

Princess cannot override any country's decision .... including Morocco. IMHO the OP needs to book a land trip. Just fly in, handle your luggage, book a hotel, and hire drivers. It's not hard

[Ferry_Watcher]

14 hours ago, robbsf said:

CUNARD is very strict at MDR and will turn people away who dont wear a sport coat for dinner and ladies wear dresses ....

Women can't wear dress pants?

[caribill]

2 hours ago, billco said:

Comments like this that are not based in fact should be prefaced with IMO or similar disclaimer. 

 

OK, in my opinion:

 

o Beef medallions are no longer on the always available part of the dinner menu.

 

o An included beef entry is no longer on the dining room menu each evening. (But you can pay $$ extra to get a steak.)

 

o The special pasta dish that was cooked by the headwaiter on Italian night is no longer available.

 

o Portions are smaller.

 

o There is less variety on the dinner dessert menu.

 

o Based on posts in this thread and others, quality of what is served in the MDR is down.

 

 

[Ombud]

IMHO  The yogurt parfait with latte fills me up for breakfast and I still couldn't finish my MDR lunch or dinner if I wanted my sorbet afterwards.

 

Y'know maybe it's just me but I've always had plenty to eat

 

Adding: i don't really want to defend Princess. For some of us (as the Captain of the Rowboat used to say): A bad day at sea is better than a good day on land. I hope that everyone can find a way of traveling (be that sea / land / space 90 seconds / camping / RV) that they enjoy. For me & older grandkids: its Princess / my DS is RCCL / my DD Carnival 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by Ombud

[FlaMariner]

21 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

No. You DO NOT have to buy coffee. The coffee bar is next to the IC, not part of it.

 

True.  But if you want a dessert and want to enjoy coffee with it you either pay up at the IC or take an elevator to the lido and wait for the server to pour you a cup.  

 

 

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Celebrity does sound like a better option if dressing up is important to you.

HUH??  Celebrity doesn't pretend to be Formal anymore.  They went Smart Casual and Evening Chic a long time ago.  The latter indicates Formal wear welcome, but the requirements are much looser than Princess.  And, they say they only have max 2 per voyage, no matter how long over 7+ nights.

[MissP22]

9 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

The latter indicates Formal wear welcome, but the requirements are much looser than Princess.

I don't know how it could be any less formal then Princess. 

Last formal night there might have been 1/4 of out DR without jackets wearing both mixed short and long sleeve shirts.

My husband wore his jeans 👖 and Polo.

If it were any looser people would be in bathrobes and Princess slipers. 😉

[MissP22]

19 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

HUH??  Celebrity doesn't pretend to be Formal anymore.  They went Smart Casual and Evening Chic a long time ago.  The latter indicates Formal wear welcome, but the requirements are much looser than Princess.  And, they say they only have max 2 per voyage, no matter how long over 7+ nights.

gbmhunter believes they are. 

I haven't been on a Celebrity ship in over 20 years so I can only go by what I read.

[Steelers36]

11 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I don't know how it could be any less formal then Princess. 

Last formal night there might have been 1/4 of out DR without jackets wearing both mixed short and long sleeve shirts.

My husband wore his jeans 👖 and Polo.

If it were any looser people would be in bathrobes and Princess slippers. 😉

You are writing about what you see in the DR.  My post was about the written recommendations/policies.

 

5 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

gbmhunter believes they are. 

I haven't been on a Celebrity ship in over 20 years so I can only go by what I read.

Neither have I, but I can read their dress code requirements and I can read Princess recommendations and I can compare the two.

 

 

Perhaps Celebrity is enforcing their code as written, whereas Princess enforces a different code than is written and seems to even be laxer than pre-Covid (in terms of shorts and ball-caps).   Hence, @gmbhunter's observation on enforcement.

 

I don't really care all that much what others wear and we don't do the clothing anymore that corresponds to Princess's Formal Night recommendations (never did do the tux and gown scene).

 

That said, I can understand a reasonable dress code that is enforced.  It seems Princess is all over the map with it whereas Celebrity looks pretty straight-forward on paper.  

[nini]

I have just read EVERY post. And I have to say that we will never go on a Celebrity ship again! We were on the Celebrity Reflection Pre-Covid in October 2018. 

* Not liking the enclosed dark feel of the main area

*Good luck having any kind of service in the buffet area ( removing used plates, offering coffee, water, or beverages of any kind)

* Very snooty attitude from most staff, especially bartenders who enjoyed telling me that my beverage package only had two kinds of white wine that qualified

* Not enjoying the lazy attitude of buffet staff with frowns and observing all of the flies around and on the food

* We missed a port due to a crewmember throwing himself off of the ship and maritime law requires that all ships in the area return and look for him for a certain amount t of time

P.S. We LOVED our cabin steward

 

So, maybe the post by OP was just their experience because SO MANY people love Celebrity? 

 

I am truly hoping that we have a great cruise this May  on the Emerald Princess!

Edited April 10, 2022 by nini
Spelling

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

You are writing about what you see in the DR.  My post was about the written recommendations/policies.

 

Neither have I, but I can read their dress code requirements and I can read Princess recommendations and I can compare the two.

 

 

Perhaps Celebrity is enforcing their code as written, whereas Princess enforces a different code than is written and seems to even be laxer than pre-Covid (in terms of shorts and ball-caps).   Hence, @gmbhunter's observation on enforcement.

 

I don't really care all that much what others wear and we don't do the clothing anymore that corresponds to Princess's Formal Night recommendations (never did do the tux and gown scene).

 

That said, I can understand a reasonable dress code that is enforced.  It seems Princess is all over the map with it whereas Celebrity looks pretty straight-forward on paper.  

Other than what Princess puts on their website the ship says nothing about it once onboard. 

[Princessfan20]

3 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

True.  But if you want a dessert and want to enjoy coffee with it you either pay up at the IC or take an elevator to the lido and wait for the server to pour you a cup.  

 

 

Same if you order Gelato you have to go somewhere else to get coffee if you would like to have both.  

[pris993]

15 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Princess (and their competitors) reduce MDR quality in the hopes you will pay extra to dine in specialty restaurants to get the quality that used to be included in the MDR at no additional cost.

Yes, you are right, so we decided to skip the MDR.  We are just as happy with the buffet many nights and for something special we go to the Crown Grill.  The money we would have tipped extra in the MDR we spend in the Crown Grill.  We get more for our money that way.  It is a matter of choice. 

[*Miss G*]

On 4/9/2022 at 1:13 PM, gmbhunter said:

NO DRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT IN MAIN DINING ROOM. Multiple men wearing ballcaps (2 on backward), shorts present every night, one evening a woman had a pool towel draped over her bathing suit.  I asked Table captain to please ask man at next table to remove his hat and was told---- "I can't do that since it might upset him".  I wrote Princess about the situation and got a reply that "all" the people in question were given a "medical discharge" to wear hats----what a PATRONIZING BS answer. How naive do they think we are?  I am still awaiting a further reply. Just came off Celebrity Constellation,,,, happy to say they DO enforce the dress code. Politely turned away guests in shorts and suggested the buffet for their evening meal.  Time to move to a new cruise line.

 

My father has recently had a number of surgeries for melanoma on the top of his head.  The last surgery involved the removal of his entire scalp, scraping down the bone, then a number of skin grafts from his thighs to recover the head.  We were on the recent Sky Princess TA and he and my mother were not going to go to the main dining room as he now has to wear a hat.  That made me really sad because they love the main dining room experience.

 

All this to say… maybe Princess’ response wasn’t “PATRONIZING BS”.

[muffin]

I hav3 seen a few men wearing true hats, as opposed to caps. They looked jaunty! I assume they had scalp problems and had spoken to the maître d.  Backward caps are a different matter.  Go prepared?   

[Steelers36]

50 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

My father has recently had a number of surgeries for melanoma on the top of his head.  The last surgery involved the removal of his entire scalp, scraping down the bone, then a number of skin grafts from his thighs to recover the head.  We were on the recent Sky Princess TA and he and my mother were not going to go to the main dining room as he now has to wear a hat.  That made me really sad because they love the main dining room experience.

 

All this to say… maybe Princess’ response wasn’t “PATRONIZING BS”.

 

9 minutes ago, muffin said:

I hav3 seen a few men wearing true hats, as opposed to caps. They looked jaunty! I assume they had scalp problems and had spoken to the maître d.  Backward caps are a different matter.  Go prepared?   

I have also read about people having scalp issues and therefore wearing a hat.  I think it is a lot different if the hat is worn with nice clothes versus shorts, t-shirt and runners. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

53 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

My father has recently had a number of surgeries for melanoma on the top of his head.  The last surgery involved the removal of his entire scalp, scraping down the bone, then a number of skin grafts from his thighs to recover the head.  We were on the recent Sky Princess TA and he and my mother were not going to go to the main dining room as he now has to wear a hat.  That made me really sad because they love the main dining room experience.

 

All this to say… maybe Princess’ response wasn’t “PATRONIZING BS”.

I have no issue with hats in the dining room, at lunch or dinner. In fact, I’ve seen several scalps with evidence of skin cancers that I kind of wish were covered, and I think people in that situation should not be shamed for wearing a hat. It’s cruel. 
 

Oh, and to the OP, you are certain any entitled to your decision to not do any further cruises with Princess. In talking with one of Princess’s MOST Most Traveled Guests (like one of the top), she said that once her many $1000s of non refundable FCCs are spent, she doesn’t believe she’ll return either. Times change, experiences change, opinions change. 

Edited April 11, 2022 by PescadoAmarillo

[cardiffman]

18 hours ago, rdsqrl said:

I've not complained, but I have mocked.  Pure entertainment.  What can I say, I'm a Mean Girl. 

 

I love how rank-and-file passengers always seem to know The Truth.  And the ship's officers are always in a conspiracy to Hide The Truth.  P.S.:  Don't forget about the Communists under the bed and the aliens in Area 57. 

Did you write Area 57 or was it Area 51? Sometimes in cursive 7’s and 1’s look similar. The place where the CIA keep the aliens 👽 is Area 51. 😎

 

I hope all the unhappy people find happiness and/or are mistaken. We just boarded Discovery P. and we have some trepidation because, knowing we paid less, we wonder if we’ll miss the Celebrity retreat life. 

[rdsqrl]

11 minutes ago, cardiffman said:

Did you write Area 57 or was it Area 51? Sometimes in cursive 7’s and 1’s look similar. The place where the CIA keep the aliens 👽 is Area 51. 😎

 

See, that just goes to show how disinterested I am in conspiracy theories . .  .  and aliens.  I appreciate the correction; snark is always better when it's accurate. 

[caribill]

6 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

My father has recently had a number of surgeries for melanoma on the top of his head.  The last surgery involved the removal of his entire scalp, scraping down the bone, then a number of skin grafts from his thighs to recover the head.  We were on the recent Sky Princess TA and he and my mother were not going to go to the main dining room as he now has to wear a hat.  That made me really sad because they love the main dining room experience.

 

 

Speaking with the Maitre d' (or whatever the current position is called) should have resulted in allowing your father to eat in the MDR without any problem.

[Ombud]

9 hours ago, Princessfan20 said:

Same if you order Gelato you have to go somewhere else to get coffee if you would like to have both.  

Obviously you haven't been to IC in the afternoon 

[cltnccruisers]

Celebrity has been our line of choice, especially the S Class ships, but for various reasons we are on a Princess stretch just now.  We have been on 1 Celebrity (Equinox) and 2 Princess (Sky, Caribbean) cruises since August, 2021.  We have 2 more Princess cruises scheduled.

 

Both lines have pros and cons that may change ship to ship and trip to trip.  Making an all encompassing decision based on a single review or experience is a bit silly.  For example, on Sky in November the MDR was absolutely awful but on Caribbean in March it was fine.  Though in both cases not having the same tables nightly was not good.  On Celebrity we have never had a bad experience in the MDR.  But as bad as Sky was we are willing to give her another shot on the chance that they will improve.  Both lines have not so formal nights.  Casual Chic for Celebrity and Dress to Impress for Princess.  There really isn't much difference in our experience.  You don't see much true formal wear.  Neither do you see much on the other end of the stick.  On both lines we have seen people refused entry due to shorts, t-shirts or ratty jeans.

 

To each his own.  We're just glad to be able to sail again.

[*Miss G*]

Thank you, all.  I have to say that this first Princess cruise left a great impression on us for both Gala and Smart Casual nights.  A great majority of people were in tuxes and gowns on Gala nights (3) and looked absolutely lovely.  Most were also dressed very nicely for Smart Casual nights as well.  It was those who wore Evening-at-McDonald’s clothes who stood out.