What makes Princess a premium line?

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

I think why some consider Princess a Premium lines is because the feeling you get on-board. It doesnt neccessarily mean that it is premium, but you get a different feeling on board Princess ships. Carnival is very glitzy, RCCL has a bunch of crazy stuff going on(rock walls, in rinks etc...) Princess has a nice, classy ambiance which sets it apart from other mass market lines.

 

I would call Princess the borderline between Mass Market and Premium as parts of both are evidant.

[CrusinAgain]

I have been on 2 Princess cruises and 2 Celebrity cruises. I would not agree with this statement above about Celebrity. Just my opinion.

 

Everyone brags about Celebrity is so much better in service and food than the rest but I do not have personal experience like I do with Princess. What was your experience to consider Celebrity lower than a Premium line?

[ISABELLA]

I have been on 15 Princess cruises since 1989. I would put Princess in the Premium line 8-15 years ago, but not now. And who judge the cruise line by having free or 24 hours ice cream? If that is so important, you should stay home and you have it 24/7. Cruise experience is so much more.

But I will rank from my experience:

Celebrity, RCCL and Princess are a tie, then NCL.

[cruisinbuddy]

The only real difference I've seen is, they're more expensive and the guests are older.

[crusinpeg]

Princess is definitely in the same league as Celebrity and Holland America as a Premium Line. Our service on Princess has been equal if not better than our previous cruises on X and HAL. As said earlier, most cruise lines have changed drastically in the 2000's.

 

I love Princess, but I still feel the service was a bit more upscale on Celebrity. On Celebrity the waitstaff would take your tray as you exited the buffet line and escort you to a table. One day the staff even brought my tray all the way out to the top deck of the pool...it's little things like that , that are extra special service. I also felt the dining room attendants were more on top of things.

[roothy123]

Far be it from me to argue with "the experts", but the Princess of today is certainly not what is was 10 or 15 years ago.

 

I do think that Princess was a premium line, but like so many others, they have "dumbed" down their product to appeal to a broader cross-section of the buying public.

 

Semantics perhaps, but I'll continue to call Princess, HAL, and Celebrity "mainstream".

 

Now Oceania I would label Premium, along with Crystal. Some would label these two Luxury.

 

I agree with you on Oceania. Definitely Premium, possibly even Luxury - but then all I've ever cruised is Oceania. (Going on Princess Wed., but expecting it to be a bit disappointing after Oceania!)

[DeRon]

Everyone brags about Celebrity is so much better in service and food than the rest but I do not have personal experience like I do with Princess. What was your experience to consider Celebrity lower than a Premium line?

On our Celebrity cruises, we just thought the food was okay, the service was okay, and some things have been way over talked about (like ice cream, free champagne when you get on the ship, cold towels and sorbet when you are around the pool, etc.). All that stuff was less than impressive. Princess is every bit as "Premium" as Celebrity in our opinion.