Never again, CROWN PRINCESS

[marden1970]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

That is a drawback.  When did they remove the Adagio?  On our 2016/2017 LA to Rio cruise it was our favorite place for pre-dinner cocktails but we haven't been on it since then.

 

Added: I just looked at the deck plans and the Adagio is still there on the Crown (although sometimes those are slow to update).

We're on the Crown now

Adagio is on deck 16, next to Sabatinis.  It's usually a quiet place in the morning

 

 

[memoak]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

That is a drawback.  When did they remove the Adagio?  On our 2016/2017 LA to Rio cruise it was our favorite place for pre-dinner cocktails but we haven't been on it since then.

 

Added: I just looked at the deck plans and the Adagio is still there on the Crown (although sometimes those are slow to update).

Adagio is alive and well on the Crown. I was on it in October and going back this month. I don’t believe it has disappeared. The issue of rough seas is always possible especially when crossing the Pacific. If you want easy peasy seas stay out of both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans

[memoak]

11 hours ago, Thrak said:

The only thing I don't like about Crown Princess is that they have the added Rivera Deck but don't have Adagio to make up for it. Ships with the extra passenger deck don't really bother me but, when they include Adagio, it really makes it better.

I think you may have the wrong ship. We were on the Crown in October and Adagio is still there are you maybe referring to the Island ?

[startedwithamouse]

We're just off from 2 weeks B2B Christmas and New Year's on the Discovery, and we had lots of rocking and rolling and very rough seas - last week, starting right out of the LA Harbor.

 

3 nights (not consecutive) of creaking and banging and groaning - the seas were crazy rough. The captain said, "i'm leaving the seatbelt sign on - be careful when walking around!'

 

Discovery was launched in 2022 - not the age of the ship, it's the angry seas!

[Ombud]

12 hours ago, Triger said:

No more separate priority boarding, no more WiFi, no more subbing mini bar for coffee card (in a non drinker).  They no longer have coffee cards or soda cards, you have to buy the whole package or a la carte.  We still like Princess but more like RC, after your $$$.

That's so disappointing! Must be a new 2024 change as I had priority boarding in November as well as priority disembarkation lounge in December.  Will definitely miss that perk in April. (All greens checked in together but then to different lounges based on status until ship ready for embarkation  .... so fast)

 

OTOH I prefer the new modified laundry perk: they still do mine BUT I can also do it myself on their free tokens. Only takes an hour total while I enjoy breakfast on my balcony (cold wash, cooler dry, no damage from rollers moving it along)

 

Edited January 7 by Ombud

[TRLD]

52 minutes ago, Ombud said:

That's so disappointing! Must be a new 2024 change as I had priority boarding in November as well as priority disembarkation lounge in December.  Will definitely miss that perk in April. (All greens checked in together but then to different lounges based on status until ship ready for embarkation  .... so fast)

 

OTOH I prefer the new modified laundry perk: they still do mine BUT I can also do it myself on their free tokens. Only takes an hour total while I enjoy breakfast on my balcony (cold wash, cooler dry, no damage from rollers moving it along)

 

There is still priority boarding for those of us that arrive early. The only change is the check in line now more a matter if you get your Medallion in advance (green line) or choose to get it at the port (blue line). Once you check in there is still early boarding for Elite/Platinum if you arrive before boarding starts. If boarding has started you get to go straight on even if they are calling boarding groups.

[nini]

When we boarded the Sky last June, we had Priority boarding as we are Platinum. It was the quickest and smoothest boarding we have ever experienced (Southampton).

[Ombud]

16 minutes ago, TRLD said:

There is still priority boarding for those of us that arrive early. The only change is the check in line now more a matter if you get your Medallion in advance (green line) or choose to get it at the port (blue line). Once you check in there is still early boarding for Elite/Platinum if you arrive before boarding starts. If boarding has started you get to go straight on even if they are calling boarding groups.

So still priority boarding.  Thought maybe @Triger had discovered a change enacted this month ... (haven't cruised since Nov / Dec 2023 and things change all the time)

[Thrak]

4 hours ago, capriccio said:

That is a drawback.  When did they remove the Adagio?  On our 2016/2017 LA to Rio cruise it was our favorite place for pre-dinner cocktails but we haven't been on it since then.

 

Added: I just looked at the deck plans and the Adagio is still there on the Crown (although sometimes those are slow to update).

 

My apologies. This was a major error on my part. Adagio is indeed still in place. Sigh... Sometimes the old brain burps.  Love Emerald and Crown and wouldn't hesitate to book either of them.

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

My apologies. This was a major error on my part. Adagio is indeed still in place. Sigh... Sometimes the old brain burps.  Love Emerald and Crown and wouldn't hesitate to book either of them.

We will be on the Crown in 2 weeks and will stop by for a drink in your honor 

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

I think you may have the wrong ship. We were on the Crown in October and Adagio is still there are you maybe referring to the Island ?

 

The Island is a "special case" for me. We only sailed on Island once and the cruise just before that one we were on Coral. Nope, nope, nope. Island Princess was a massive disappointment for us. We kept "running out of ship" when heading aft. The removal of the Universe Lounge and it's replacement with cabins really turned us off. If possible, I will never sail Island Princess again. Sadly, whenever my wife starts making noises about Iceland it seems that Island is usually the ship that pops up with itineraries that work for us. Bah!

[Rick&Jeannie]

11 minutes ago, Thrak said:

We kept "running out of ship" when heading aft.

😄

[mrell345]

I can confirm the heavy seas, we just sailed from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles on the Emerald and we had 3 to 4 meter swells coming up the Pacific coast.  You could feel the ship going up and down and balcony cabin was forward on Aloha deck.  More than a few people had patches behind the ear.

[nanwel1]

for some reason this post is sending me blank messages every 5 minutess...not sure how to sstop it buy trying...

[DHP1]

2 hours ago, nini said:

When we boarded the Sky last June, we had Priority boarding as we are Platinum. It was the quickest and smoothest boarding we have ever experienced (Southampton).

Did you have your Medallion with you ahead of time?

[nini]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

The Island is a "special case" for me. We only sailed on Island once and the cruise just before that one we were on Coral. Nope, nope, nope. Island Princess was a massive disappointment for us. We kept "running out of ship" when heading aft. The removal of the Universe Lounge and it's replacement with cabins really turned us off. If possible, I will never sail Island Princess again. Sadly, whenever my wife starts making noises about Iceland it seems that Island is usually the ship that pops up with itineraries that work for us. Bah!

 

The Sky is doing Iceland and Norway again this year. We did that itinerary on the Sky last June and loved it.

[nini]

5 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

Did you have your Medallion with you ahead of time?

 

We did. However, even if we didn't, it would have been easy boarding because we still had to wait a bit and everything was so organized.

[DHP1]

6 minutes ago, nini said:

 

We did. However, even if we didn't, it would have been easy boarding because we still had to wait a bit and everything was so organized.

I’m hoping the “blue lane” will have a separate blue lane for Platinum/Elite members. 

[Cruisintimer]

6 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

I’m hoping the “blue lane” will have a separate blue lane for Platinum/Elite members. 

Not sure what port you are sailing out of but ports in CA have green/blue...one lane each.  There have been lounge areas for platinum/elite and we have been able to board first.  

Edited January 7 by Cruisintimer

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

The Island is a "special case" for me. We only sailed on Island once and the cruise just before that one we were on Coral. Nope, nope, nope. Island Princess was a massive disappointment for us. We kept "running out of ship" when heading aft. The removal of the Universe Lounge and it's replacement with cabins really turned us off. If possible, I will never sail Island Princess again. Sadly, whenever my wife starts making noises about Iceland it seems that Island is usually the ship that pops up with itineraries that work for us. Bah!

We feel the same way. We booked the Island only because of the itinerary. Otherwise we avoid that ship. The extra cabins, the reduction in public space, the lack of an international Cafe,  the location of the gym are all big negatives compared to its sister ship or for that matter the rest of the fleet.

[nini]

2 minutes ago, TRLD said:

We feel the same way. We booked the Island only because of the itinerary. Otherwise we avoid that ship. The extra cabins, the reduction in public space, the lack of an international Cafe,  the location of the gym are all big negatives compared to its sister ship or for that matter the rest of the fleet.

 

Only because of Cruise Critic do we avoid the Island Princess. I am grateful for all of you!

 

BTW- We loved the Crown when we were on her for an Alaska itinerary. Skywalker's was our 6 people hangout.

Edited January 7 by nini

[TRLD]

6 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

I’m hoping the “blue lane” will have a separate blue lane for Platinum/Elite members. 

Nope. 

 

After all the benefit reads priority boarding, not priority check in.

 

Even if they did there are so many platinum and elite these days not sure it would help much. 

[EDVM96]

18 minutes ago, TRLD said:

After all the benefit reads priority boarding, not priority check in.

 

Just not true.

 

  

27 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

I’m hoping the “blue lane” will have a separate blue lane for Platinum/Elite members. 

Yes it will. On my last 3 cruises there was a lane.

 

Edited January 7 by EDVM96

[Triger]

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

So still priority boarding.  Thought maybe @Triger had discovered a change enacted this month ... (haven't cruised since Nov / Dec 2023 and things change all the time)

No change this month.  On our last 2 cruises we had to wait with everyone else to get our medallion.  FYI!  At this time only USA residents can receive their medallion in advance.  The issue is, as stated above - only 2 lines, no line for Elite to collect their medallion ....... In addition if you arrive for your assigned time once processed you get on. 

[jwattle]

After all the benefit reads priority boarding, not priority check in.

 

Just not true.

 

Very much the way it reads on the Princess site...