Would you sail on an older Princess ship?

[Guest ldtr]

46 minutes ago, travelin.sisters said:

for me yes, I would...I like both the newer & older ships for different reasons

 

it depends on what about your previous experience was distressful to you...

• older ships will have more maintenance issues & less 'flash' but we have never experienced issues that destroyed a cruise for us...we have had AC problems, balcony leaks, strange smells in the halls on various ships 
• newer ships will have more fancy stuff, different venues, more technology but some people feel they lack the coziness & atmosphere of the older ships

 

I think you might get more info if there was a specific ship you were thinking about, but you will find people who absolutely love & others who will never sail again on any ship in the fleet

of course you can also run into the same problems with AC problems, balcony leaks, toilet issues, etc on the new ships as well (especially the toilet issues which are often caused by clogs in the vacuum system due to items being flushed.

[waltd]

Yes.  In a heartbeat. 😍

[getting older slowly]

3 hours ago, trinitygirl said:

Back in 2019 I sailed for two weeks on the Golden Princess, and I LOVED her  - I think she is classified as an older ship.  Less people, a wonderful promenade  deck etc.  I would happily sail on her again.

Agreed... had done almost 100 nights on her until she transferred to P&O...

 

On the Grand in 3 weeks... will miss Skywalkers...

 

Looking forward to It

 

Cheers Don

[latebloomer56]

We like holders ships as well, but have to say it depends where a ship is cruising to for us. We are on Sapphire now (love skywalkers) and yes a few issues but they have been addressed and as always the crew is wonderful. We have sailed on Ruby many times but also enjoyed the Regal.

[2 cruises a year]

2 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

Agreed... had done almost 100 nights on her until she transferred to P&O...

 

On the Grand in 3 weeks... will miss Skywalkers...

 

Looking forward to It

 

Cheers Don

Yes, Skywalkers is awesome, but the One5 Lounge is a pretty nice substitute, just lacking the view.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

If Princess was still in possession of the Pacific we would sail her in a heartbeat! 

 

She only carried 675 pax so that should give you an idea as to her age.

 

First cruise for Princess was on April 27, 2003.

 

I do not know when it started service for the original owner.

[Tyskie]

Our favorite is the Coral

I think next would be the CB

We finally got used to the Regal

 

If we had an opportunity to sail on the Grand or Golden again - that would be great!

We're booked on the Emerald for next year and I'm very happy about that!

[SomewhereGirl]

Itinerary first, ship second.  Like for a recent British Isles cruise, that was about the itinerary and price, not the ship (Emerald Princess).  There aren't a ton of options for that region.  But for Alaska, Mexico, Carribean where there are sooo many options, I'd gravitate towards a newer ship.  I've considered the short Carnival cruises out of California and I just can't do it on an old ship that doesn't even have balconies.

[5:00_Somewhere]

As others have said, the Grand Class ships are also my favorites, and I would sail on any of them again in a heartbeat. In fact, we had purposely booked cruises on Grand Class ships ... in 2020 and 2021 but, of course, those were all cancelled. And Princess is not Carnival, despite being under the same corporate "umbrella". 😉 

[firefighter4u]

Going on the Caribbean over Thanksgiving - can't wait.  Curious as to your experience with the "older" Carnival ship.  I've sailed on a few older Carnival ships and my only issue was with the uncivilized passengers.

[Sigyn]

12 hours ago, LidoLiz said:

The old ladies have their graces. 

As does this old lady. 🙂

[Sigyn]

11 hours ago, sloopsailor said:

 

What "scarred" you? Cruise ships are built to last 40 years. Older ships owned by reputable companies like Princess are kept in very good condition, and even go in for multi-million dollar upgrades every 10 years or so. I wouldn't hesitate to cruise on a ship because she is 10 or so years old. I wouldn't even hesitate to cruise on a ship that is 20 years old. In their own way, they are just as nice and safe as the newer ships. 

 

With Carnival, it was that the ships weren't well maintained - I've been on two of their older ones - and the experience as a whole felt rundown. The third Carnival cruise was on a brand new ship, the Vista, and a Mediterranean cruise, and it was very nice. Perhaps it was because the people on board were a different group of people than what usually sail Carnival being that it was in Europe, I dunno. The cruise I remember most was the one in 2013 and that was the one that was really kind of ick. 

 

11 hours ago, NownZen said:

I think there is an inverse correlation with the desirability of the ships and the age. My favorite ships are the small ships (as in the old Royal, Ocean and Pacific Princess ships). The newer ships are much more inward oriented and they lose much of the feel of being at sea. We also sail with Oceania  (which has the old Pacific Princess as the Sirena). We like the promenade decks and sitting and watching the ocean both at the front of the ship and the wake. We were on a cruise a couple of months ago on the Island and were very happy. Our favorites are the Grand class ships. They are big but do not seem overwhelming. I cannot imagine being on a ship with 6000 passengers and the crowding that comes with that. But we cruise either for the destinations (more often Oceania there) or for relaxation (like the Hawaii runs). We are not into the shows or casino or restaurant choices so YMMV.

This is good information, thank you. I don't want a ship with 6,000 people, either, so I'm avoiding those mega ships. Our next cruise is a new NCL ship but it only holds about 3,000 people. 

 

11 hours ago, JeffT237 said:

We sailed on our first Princess cruise on the Crown Princess this past May and after that experience we would be very hesitant to cruise on an older Princess ship.  We were surprised as were many other passengers we spoke with (both first timers and experienced Princess cruisers) on the overall condition of the Crown. The propulsion, plumbing and generator issues were discussed at length on CC, but there were several other maintenance issues. I know it made it through the Alaska season and it is now in dry dock so hopefully all of the issues are addressed.  Since this was our first Princess cruise we have nothing to compare it to, on the other lines we have cruised we typically sail the newer ships. My comments are meant to be objective based on our experience, not to unfairly criticize Princess.  We set sail soon on the Discovery and expect a great cruise.

 

I am considering a cruise to Alaska on the Crown, but I saw negative reviews.

 

9 hours ago, Mike-Cruisin said:

We sailed 10 days on the Crown Princess last November and saw no issues. I know there were a lot of complaints about engine vibrations on the prior cruises last year but we did not experience any significant issue.  We are planning to be on the Majestic next May and it will be interesting to compare a much newer ship to our experience on the Crown. I would certainly be willing to try other older Princess ships if the opportunity came up. 

The Crown is one I'm considering. I saw negative reviews so I wasn't sure if it was okay.

 

9 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

The Pacific Princess was our favorite also. We’ve spent over a couple hundred days on that ship. Sure, she had an occasional toilet issue, but we never encountered on lasting more than 3 hours or so. And we used to get chocolates every time we had an issue. We called them toilet chocolates and we kind of looked forward to them. 
 

But it was the interactions with the crew on a ship that size that set her apart. DH is currently on the Ruby, and he is sending back pics of waiters we knew from the Pacific that are currently on the Ruby. You don’t ever forget those people. 
 

So, like some others here, the older ships are our favorites.  The covered pools are a definite plus. 

Thank you!

 

 

[mtnesterz]

Deleted

Edited October 13, 2022 by mtnesterz

[Sigyn]

For more information, it's a July 2023 Alaskan cruise I'm considering, and the ships that work for us with timing are the Crown Princess and the Royal Princess. And then the brand new Discovery Princess. We could possibly do the Ruby Princess, but that skips Seattle or Vancouver and my husband would really like to visit that area before or after the cruise. But if the Ruby is the best of the ships, then that might be a good tradeoff. 

 

I read reviews on the ships, and the Crown has a lot of negative reviews. The Royal Princess has better reviews. Of course the Discovery is new, but some people don't like it, either. I don't like the itinerary as well, either.

 

So, thoughts on the Crown and the Royal are of most interest to me. The Royal isn't really what I consider older, having come out in 2012. But the Crown is from 2005. So I'm curious if it's still viable. 

Edited October 13, 2022 by njsmom

[Sigyn]

9 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

I'd be more interested in hearing what YOU considered a scarring experience on your Carnival cruise. 

By this I mean, we've been on a cruise with a fire at sea, not related to the ship's age. We don't consider that a scarring experience, just part of cruising. So, please, do tell!

I posted just above on what I considered bad about the ship. It was rundown, you could see where maintenance was needed, the deck furniture was old. The ship looked ugly from the outside, not fresh and attractive. Those were the biggest things. I like just sitting on the deck and enjoying the view. I don't go to much evening entertainment, even when it's there. I like a nice bar in the evenings. or taking a drink to the deck and talking with my friends or husband. I'm pretty low key. I like a nice group of passengers to get to know, good seating areas, comfy furniture, pleasant surroundings. I want to feel like I'm at a 4-star hotel, not a 2-star motel. 

 

It was scarring in that it made me just want to avoid cruising and book land vacations, which I did for the next three years, until Carnival had a med cruise that looked appealing on a brand new ship. Which we really enjoyed. Now I'm switching to NCL for a cruise in December on a new ship, the Prima, so that will be interesting. But I'm leery of older ships and need to try to convince myself to try them again, since smaller ships, of which many older ships are, seem to be the best for Alaskan cruises if you want to get close. I don't want to get on a huge RCL ship to see Alaska.  That sounds icky, too.

Edited October 13, 2022 by njsmom

[mtnesterz]

1 minute ago, njsmom said:

I posted just above on what I considered bad about the ship. It was rundown, you could see where maintenance was needed, the deck furniture was old. The ship looked ugly from the outside, not fresh and attractive. Those were the biggest things. I like just sitting on the deck and enjoying the view. I don't go to much evening entertainment, even when it's there. I like a nice bar in the evenings. or taking a drink to the deck and talking with my friends or husband. I'm pretty low key. I like a nice group of passengers to get to know, good seating areas, comfy furniture, pleasant surroundings. I want to feel like I'm at a 4-star hotel, not a 2-star motel. 

When I clicked submit, your post showed up. I tried to edit, but I guess you still got the email.

Maintenance on Carnival has been mentioned by others, but it is just that. Not related to age.

What you mention, finding something low key and the passengers is more down to marketing. I think everyone is shocked by the violence on ships lately, Carnival has been mentioned there more than once. It's a quieter crowd on Princess for sure.

You mention the Crown's problems. This month, the Crown went for major dry dock. Possibly engine replacement. That should take care of the issues. The Royal is too big for the inside route to Alaska. If going to Alaska, smaller is better. Which these days, usually means older. 

Based on what you write, just my two cents, look at Oceania to Alaska.

[JeffT237]

9 minutes ago, njsmom said:

For more information, it's a July 2023 Alaskan cruise I'm considering, and the ships that work for us with timing are the Crown Princess and the Royal Princess. And then the brand new Discovery Princess

 

I think you need to look at Alaska itineraries first and ask yourself what's most important.  Our next Alaska cruise will more than likely be out of Vancouver and specifically on a ship that sails east of Vancouver Island through the true inside passage.  We will not do a Seattle roundtrip again, too much time at sea with minimal scenery.  We missed or had very little time in Alaska on the Crown due to its issues so scenery will be most important to us.  So with that it leaves us with an older smaller ship, we are also looking at competitors lines and reading a lot of reviews to see if we can find a ship that we're comfortable with.  Like you we prefer newer ships but for Alaska on the itinerary we want it looks like an older vessel.  

 

Keep in mind the Crown is currently in dry dock to repair what I'd assume are the generator, propulsion and plumbing issues.  On our cruise we did feel that she looked tired, old furnishings, cabin needed updating, carpet issues, gym equipment out of service etc.  Will all of those issues be addressed?  Who knows.

 

I'm guessing these are the reviews you've read:  We experienced one of these Crown cruises but also many of these reviews people were venting so take that into consideration.  It was an overall disappointing experience, but the consistent thing was the crew and staff were great.  Many of these reviews do talk about the overall condition of the Crown.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/princess-crown-princess-alaska-cruises_cl28-sh347-de115/mra/

 

 

[Nebr.cruiser]

We like the older ships, such as the Ruby, mostly because they have a true promenade deck.  I hate that almost all new ships no longer have that; not just Princess, but most lines.  Also, some of the older ships seem to be easier to navigate.

 

I also like a Princess ship that has the International Cafe.  

[Wishing on a star]

I will be honest, and chime in here.

We would choose to sail on newer ships.

I prefer toilets that flush, newer cabins, less rust.

Like the larger public areas and amenities.

Just me.

 

That being said,  Princess has totally ruined their newer ships with things like small balconies, no Crooners, closing in the adult Retreat Pool area to fit in a few more cabins to sell (good god, no!).

 

Everything is relative...  Pros and Cons.

[Sea Hag]

My two cents on this thread is that both the older ships and the new ones have a lot to offer. I've always been a big fan of the full promenade deck on the Grand Class, but on a recent cruise on the Discovery I found that they'd improved the walking/jogging track on Sky deck to the point that I didn't miss the Promenade. Our favorite cabin category is on the new ships, so that's a pro for them. My hubby likes Gelato, so any ship with that gets a point. I really like the forward-facing, obstructed ocean view cabins on Lido on some of the Grand class ships. For me, it's a toss-up.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Sea Hag
clarification

[Tedferg]

13 hours ago, G&T Cruisers said:

Yes Yes Yes I prefer the older ships our favourite ship is the Island followed by the Caribbean 

We sailed Caribbean recently and loved it. Curious why you would say 'Island' over Coral.

[2 cruises a year]

2 hours ago, njsmom said:

For more information, it's a July 2023 Alaskan cruise I'm considering, and the ships that work for us with timing are the Crown Princess and the Royal Princess. And then the brand new Discovery Princess. We could possibly do the Ruby Princess, but that skips Seattle or Vancouver and my husband would really like to visit that area before or after the cruise. But if the Ruby is the best of the ships, then that might be a good tradeoff. 

 

I read reviews on the ships, and the Crown has a lot of negative reviews. The Royal Princess has better reviews. Of course the Discovery is new, but some people don't like it, either. I don't like the itinerary as well, either.

 

So, thoughts on the Crown and the Royal are of most interest to me. The Royal isn't really what I consider older, having come out in 2012. But the Crown is from 2005. So I'm curious if it's still viable. 

My thoughts for an Alaska cruise is the smaller the better.  The smaller the ship, the further into the fiord and more up close and personal to the glaciers.  Royal class ships can't even do the Inland Passage.  I love the sea time as much as the next person, but not on and Alaska cruise.  I want the Inland Passage and glaciers.  It is a moot point, but an Alaska cruise with Princess hasn't been the same since the demise of the "R" class ships.

Edited October 13, 2022 by 2 cruises a year

[PescadoAmarillo]

51 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said:

…closing in the adult Retreat Pool area to fit in a few more cabins to sell (good god, no!)..

I don’t wish to ever sail on one of those ships. Talk about inward focused…. it’s sacrelige. It’s exactly akin to placing cabins around the windows in the buffet. After all, you’re just eating in there, right?  No need to see the sea. 

[PEB]

I actually prefer older ships. The newer ones are nice but the older the better for me. I want to feel like I am on a  ship not a floating hotel.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Definitely! Our last cruise pre-pandemic was on their oldest ship, the Pacific, and everything was great except for abysmal internet. We’ve also sailed on the other old ship, the Grand, and had a blast, except for my in-laws had a leak in their suite, and the sofas and chairs in the Explorers Lounge were bottomed out. 
 

The Grand class ships are gems!