Why did you pick Princess?

[jeremyosborne81]

They had a cruise at the right price in the right place at the right time.

Nothing to do with brand loyalty or anything else. Those are my prime requirements.

[NWA395]

Price, Reputation and Itinerary.  

 

That's it

[gottagoacruzn]

Well, wanted to go on Royal on a 10 day cruise to Alaska, but there wasn't one, so will be goin on the Crown.

[BamaVol]

Embarkation port and timing. I finished a massive project 2/28 and needed to get out of Dodge quickly thereafter. Ft Lauderdale is a 250 mile drive and the Caribbean was sailing on 3/2. 

[JGmf]

Never sailed Princess before.  We're NCL regulars.  For us, we picked Princess for our June trip b/c we'd be on the west coast and the date, embarkation port, and itinerary appealed to us.  If it goes well, we'd be eager to sail with them again as I understand they are sailing out NYC now.

 

(Sidebar note: I'm very eager to compare and contrast the differences between Princess and NCL - definitely have mixed feelings about formal night, but looking forward to a more 'traditional' cruising experience in a ship without water slides and other theme park features).

[ontheweb]

Our first Princess cruise was on our 30th anniversary. Picked it as the itinerary was exactly what we wanted including Oslo which we did not see on any other Baltic cruise except ones much longer.

 

Our second Princess cruise was in Alaska. We found 3 cruises on our TA's website that met our criteria for time and ports. On the website, it was the most expensive, but after we called and spoke to the TA it was the least expensive.

 

Our third Princess cruise was a British Isles cruise. We liked the itinerary and were very comfortable with Princess.

 

Future Princess cruises? NO--the Medallion totally turns me off!

[GranJean]

Princess sails from a port close to home so we don’t have to fly, the price for the product seems fair, and crew members are not constantly trying to sell us stuff. 

[Honolulu Blue]

The first Princess cruise I chose for the itinerary. I wanted to sail along the California coast and no one had a better choice than Princess.

 

The second Princess cruise I chose for the theme. Yes, it was the 80s.

 

The third one (sailing this month, I hope 🙏) I chose for the same theme.

 

I think you see the pattern here. Unless it's an itinerary they do particularly well, or it's one of those 80s themed things, it's likely I'll chose someone other than Princess. Nothing wrong with them, but I think they're just OK, and there are other cruise lines that can give me better experiences in the things I value at the time.

[jaycruising]

Honestly we picked Princess at the time because from what I read it had the least amount of children on board. Nothing against children, love them, just not always on my vacation.  Also the price was right. So we have stuck with Princess since as we have enjoyed our experiences. I would like to try celebrity, but their price point is just a bit too high right now. 

[BamaVol]

26 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

 

Future Princess cruises? NO--the Medallion totally turns me off!

I’m puzzled. The medallion works like a key card. But has a little additional functionality. What about it bothers you?

[c-boy]

1250 reasons.  Of the ccl brands offered, the Princess line suits our needs .  Suites with perks (that are getting better) easy to navigate deck plans, ships decor, art auction, casino, theater with livley productions, pools with varying  layouts, open, friendly staff, with a can do attitude, inovative and exciting new roll outs such as 360, itinernaries with intrest, places like crooners .... The list goes on.  

[nini]

On 3/3/2023 at 5:23 PM, ChemistBabe said:

I'm hoping I made the right choice!!

 

We are a family of 4, who loved both our Disney cruises.  My kids have (mostly) outgrown the characters.  Their favorite activities in the past were hanging out in the pool watching movies.  We love the Disney magic on the ship, the shows, the family activities...

 

We chose Princess for Alaska because we don't like the Disney prices (Princess is literally have the price of Disney for a similar balcony mini-suite) and for Glacier Bay. 

 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the kids (10 and 15) have enough shipboard activities to keep them happy

 

Princess has excellent Children's Programs. And Princess offers commentators when cruising glaciers and fjords, as well as nature experts which we have really enjoyed. I do not think they will be missing out on much. Have a great cruise!

[nini]

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

Never sailed Princess before.  We're NCL regulars.  For us, we picked Princess for our June trip b/c we'd be on the west coast and the date, embarkation port, and itinerary appealed to us.  If it goes well, we'd be eager to sail with them again as I understand they are sailing out NYC now.

 

(Sidebar note: I'm very eager to compare and contrast the differences between Princess and NCL - definitely have mixed feelings about formal night, but looking forward to a more 'traditional' cruising experience in a ship without water slides and other theme park features).

 

Princess sails out of NYC. We have cruised twice from there; the first time was 2003 and the next time was 2018.

[nini]

40 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Our first Princess cruise was on our 30th anniversary. Picked it as the itinerary was exactly what we wanted including Oslo which we did not see on any other Baltic cruise except ones much longer.

 

Our second Princess cruise was in Alaska. We found 3 cruises on our TA's website that met our criteria for time and ports. On the website, it was the most expensive, but after we called and spoke to the TA it was the least expensive.

 

Our third Princess cruise was a British Isles cruise. We liked the itinerary and were very comfortable with Princess.

 

Future Princess cruises? NO--the Medallion totally turns me off!

 

The medallion is just one small factor. You can choose to use it or not. You may also ask for a cruise card as was used in the past.

[atobols]

We cruise Princess because they use San Francisco as a home port.   We tried RC, Carnival, and Costa and none of those were for us.  Princess isn't a perfect fit but it's convenient and we know what to expect.  We recently tried Celebrity and we would definitely jump over to that cruise line if they made SF a homeport.  

 

[nini]

Our first Princess cruise was in 2003, on the Golden (MISS THAT SHIP!). This was our second cruise and only had the Celebrity Galaxy to compare it with. We felt much more "at home" on the Golden.

We tried HAL (not a good fit) and Celebrity once more. After the Celebrity Reflection....... NOPE! We are not returning to Celebrity..... I could go on and on about that! Snooty, mediocre food, poor service ALL around (except cabin steward), flies on food in buffet (all of the time)...............................................................

 

So, that is why we have been on Princess. I admit it has been a rough re-start since covid, we loved our British Isles itinerary last May, and met great people! However, the covid cloud on the Emerald, changed the atmosphere and energy. I am happy to say that when we were on the Grand last September, it felt like to "old" Princess was back. We have wanted to try Viking Ocean, but with the price and payment factor (must be paid up a year in advance of the cruise), it has not happened.

 

HAPPY SAILING EVERYONE!!!

Edited March 5, 2023 by nini
additional words

[moodyb1]

1. They always give Military Benefits unlike other cruise lines.
2. They have great Pizza.
3. Generous with the OBC, especially if you are Elite.
4. Good itineraries. 
5. Plenty of activities during sea days.

 

Arlene

 

[voljeep]

2007 - We really didn't pick Princess - It was picked for us, with our consent, by a TA with a Company that specializes in automobile road assistance, but also had a travel division.

 

we didn't know 'jack' about cruising, nada, just went to this person on a reference and told him we wanted to go to 'Alaska' on a cruise. An Oceanview cabin on DIAMOND P - last cruise for it in Alaska for the season was booked, 7 day, including Glacier Bay, flights (another story), and a night stay at Captain Cook in Anchorage (where one bag was delivered after it didn't make flight - another story)

 

Hooked on Princess and cruising - anytime dining was huge for me - even though we ended up with the same table, waiters, each night - our choice...

 

didn't cruise again until 2010 - life, family - but still with Princess ... 16 cruises later ...

[Yowman]

Haven't cruised in a decade.  Last cruise was a Disney cruise with the kids.  

 

A friend of mine sails also exclusively with Princess several times a year and recommended the cruise line so I went with his recommendation. 

[MissP22]

4 hours ago, moodyb1 said:

1. They always give Military Benefits unlike other cruise lines.
2. They have great Pizza.
3. Generous with the OBC, especially if you are Elite.
4. Good itineraries. 
5. Plenty of activities during sea days.

 

Arlene

 

3. Elite OBC isn't any different from other levels,  unless I've been missing something. 

4. Itenieries seem to be the same as other cruise lines. 

 

[moodyb1]

12 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

3. Elite OBC isn't any different from other levels,  unless I've been missing something. 

4. Itenieries seem to be the same as other cruise lines. 

 

I think their Antarctica itinerary is better, as well as their Japan ones.

Ok, I take back the OBC for Elite. 

 

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, BamaVol said:

I’m puzzled. The medallion works like a key card. But has a little additional functionality. What about it bothers you?

I am a Luddite. I believe Kurt Vonnegut got it right when he wrote that all inventions should have ceased after the electric guitar.

 

If the medallion is only a glorified key card, why does every brochure sent to us by Princess make it sound like the greatest invention since the discovery of fire? Why does almost everyone seem to have trouble with it?

 

I don't want anything to do with it, and I am entitled to my opinion.

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, moodyb1 said:

 

Ok, I take back the OBC for Elite. 

 

Shoot, I was hoping you were right about that OBC.

[BamaVol]

14 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I am a Luddite. I believe Kurt Vonnegut got it right when he wrote that all inventions should have ceased after the electric guitar.

 

If the medallion is only a glorified key card, why does every brochure sent to us by Princess make it sound like the greatest invention since the discovery of fire? Why does almost everyone seem to have trouble with it?

 

I don't want anything to do with it, and I am entitled to my opinion.

People complain about the Medallion app, not the medallion device. The device works fine. They are two separate things. You can avoid using the app. You can also ask for a keycard instead of the medallion, or so I’m told. 
 

But I’m surprised you haven’t asked for a brass key for your cabin door. 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, BamaVol said:

People complain about the Medallion app, not the medallion device. The device works fine. They are two separate things. You can avoid using the app. You can also ask for a keycard instead of the medallion, or so I’m told. 
 

But I’m surprised you haven’t asked for a brass key for your cabin door. 

I don't want the medallion. I hope I have made myself clear. And I never had a problem opening the cabin door or had a brass key on a cruise. They are marketting themselves as the only medallion cruises. Well that works the opposite for me.

 

And they originally took the personalizer out of play, I guess because it worked and the wonderful medallion did not. I guess they had to backtrack on that.

 

And the latest nickel an diming I now read about in these boards is charging people to be sent the medallion. They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

And why do I now read of passengers having trouble with anytime dining in the new age of the medallion? That was never a problem pre-medallion.

Edited March 6, 2023 by ontheweb
added last paragraph