Just back from the most boring cruise DP

[mbardsley]

DO have to say that the cabin layout, with storage was great compared to others. PV was nice to finally see, we rented a jeep, and travels the good and bad parts of the city, since we like to explore.

 

Then the RED BULL AIR RACE, upon return, that was a bonus!!

 

Debarkation went very smothly comapred to others.

[woodofpine]

I hope you back me up on this. Anytime you take an animal and use it to make money, that is exploitation. Same with zoos, circuses, and rodeos.

 

JMHO.

 

I absolutely back you up (gulp!) and if you make money or profit from a human in operating a business its 'exploitation' (Marx) and if a farmer sells chickens or eggs its exploitation, ditto ranchers and cattle, fisherman and seafood...

 

And a farmer that grows vegetables rather than having the land go fallow and become wildlife habitat exploits the land (vegans aren't dodging this either), and miners producing iron and oil for cruise ships exploit the earth and those of us that patronize all this occassionally write complaint letters on paper we buy from those that exploit the forests... Are you wearing leather shoes?

 

So... you've decided this burro was exploited... Was it 'abused' or merely 'used'?

[coiran]

I hope you back me up on this. Anytime you take an animal and use it to make money, that is exploitation. Same with zoos, circuses, and rodeos.

 

JMHO.

 

I take it then that you are a vegetarian. Thjey kill cows and pigs for food for the masses - isn't that animal exploitation as you interpret it?

 

Ron

[willysgrandma]

Thought Mazatlan was a poor choice for a port stop.

 

I was extremely disappointed that Princess would partake in the exploitation of animals with the picture taking with the burro in Puerto Vallarta.

 

I agree, not much going on during sea days, but partly because was cold and windy on the two days back so we did not go to the pool. We are not the type to do planned cruise activities anyway, but we did see a movie one afternoon and I attended the cooking demonstration, which was entertaining.

 

We knew going into this cruise that it would have a much older crowd and there were not be much on activities. But we met some very nice people and the crew were very attentive and we got to know some of them.

 

Now of all the ports, we liked Mazatlan the best. We got off the ship and found a tour bus for $20 per person that took us to Old Mazatlan which we really enjoyed. Went to a lovely church, did sime sightseeing - it was the most enjoyable port for us, even though we did enjoy zip lining in PV.

 

Thay burro thing bothered us too! That poor thing looked like it was drugged. I also was disappointed that Princess allowed that.

 

And it was also too cold for the pool for the two sea days on the way back, which is just why we felt there should have been more activities going on inside.

 

As I said before, it just reiterated for us that we should stick to big ships, as we like to be going going going all the time.

 

We have found giving every cruise line at least two tries is the way to go. Our very first cruise was Celebrity on the Century and then we did the Horizion a few years later and didn't like the ship.

 

Our fist RCCL cruise was the Sovereign of the Seas, which was also didn't like. Had I never tried them again, I would have missd out - our next was the Freedom of the Seas, which we loved. Then did the Explorer, which we felt was just okay.

 

The common denominator in the ships we liked and didn't - we love all the large ships and didn't care for the small ones. But we still enjoyed each cruise, just in a different way.

 

Try a larger Princess ship - it is a very different experience.

[Colo Cruiser]

"I was also warned by others not to even post a negative, be ready to be bashed by people loyal to princess, so for them, just a note, that this is our impression."

 

That's kind of a "duh" statement, isn't it? I mean, if you posted a bad review of a RCCL ship on that board, don't you think their loyal followers would do the same thing? Or on the Carnival, Celebrity, or any other cruiseline board?? I'm not a "loyal" cruiser to any line, but I think that there will always be some people who want to defend their favorite line/ship. I doubt if that's an exclusive trait of Princess cruisers. ;)

 

 

 

Great Point!!

 

This seems to escape most when bringing up the word "Cheerleader". :eek:

[cruzin girl]

Just got back last month from the Dawn and although we had a great time, the Dawn was our least favorite- we have been on the Diamond, Sapphire and Caribbean Princess and for us there was no comparison. JMHO.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I've been on several cruises in the past, most recently the last Dawn Mex Rivera cruise. IMHO you get as much out of a cruise as you put into it.

 

I couldn't agree more. Did the OP go to the trivia games? The pool games? Did he play board games? Did he work out? Did he enjoy the pools? Did he participate in the culinary shows or Scholarship@Sea?

IME, you can have a boring time if you don't make the effort to PARTICIPATE.

[junglejane]

Just got back last month from the Dawn and although we had a great time, the Dawn was our least favorite- we have been on the Diamond, Sapphire and Caribbean Princess and for us there was no comparison. JMHO.

 

That's how we feel. We just got back from the 2 day cruise (5/4-5/6) and would rank this as our least favorite. We've been on the Caribbean, Diamond and Golden. While we liked the La Scala concept, in just about every other area we prefer the Grand class ships.

 

I'm sure that the fact that this was a short repositioning cruise means we didn't get the full Dawn Princess experience. But it seemed that a lot of activities were cut back on our cruise, the weather was gloomy (obviously not the fault of Princess), and the food quality and dining room service were a disappointment compared to our other Princess cruises. We did enjoy the production shows and Kevin Jordan.

 

--Junglejane

[blindrid]

I couldn't agree more. Did the OP go to the trivia games? The pool games? Did he play board games? Did he work out? Did he enjoy the pools? Did he participate in the culinary shows or Scholarship@Sea?

IME, you can have a boring time if you don't make the effort to PARTICIPATE.

 

I disagree with this position and maybe my opinion is off base. Boring may be a little strong but I think a little too sedate may be a better term in my experience.

 

As for as the "duh" statement, I think that is a bit inappropriate as I do not understand why anyone with any loyalties would feel the need to defend a postition short of some of the blatant, ignorant posts seen from time to time. I think the OP's position was well stated, thus no reason to flame regardless of your feelings. One can disagree with word selection but I think the OP's intention is clear.

 

Blaming the line for port selection and whether one liked or not is a moot point. Sure there are various ports that I have not liked but sure didn't blame the line.

 

As to animal rights people on board, you are travelling on lines flagged in different countries, travelling to different countries. Customs differ as one can pick on bullfighting, for example, that many people would disagree with. But I'm really not sure I'd get fired up about a burro and pictures. I think it would be a fair bet that any monies received were not going to charitable organizations. Welcome to the world of scams and deceptions that prey on tourists. I don't think that's anything new......

[tequilasunrise]

I've been on several cruises in the past, most recently the last Dawn Mex Rivera cruise. IMHO you get as much out of a cruise as you put into it. I brought aboard 4 other couples (10 people total) on this cruise and we all had a great time. I won't go into details but we toured the bridge, attended the Chef's Table, had a large birthday celebration and were treated very well, indeed.

 

There were not a lot of deck activities but that was fine with us. Maybe I'm too old to get worked up about drinking a yard of beer and seeing wet t-shirt contests at the pool. While that type of action is available on other cruises, that's not why I cruise. Besides, those activities were available on shore. We spent a fun day at the beach in Cabo getting blasted and participating in a drinking contest which did actually feature a young lady removing her top. We also took a terrific zip line tour in PV.

 

I'm truly sorry that you experience was so different, but sometimes you need to work at making your own good time.

 

Getting off my soapbox now. :)

 

Having taken this cruise and several others on Sun class ships, I have to say I like the layout of these ships very much. I found the crew on the Dawn to be pleasant and helpful and was never bored. But I too, am not particularly interested in chug-a-lug contests and such. And I'm not difficult to keep entertained. Folks who want that stuff probably need a more active line/itinerary with fewer sea days/bigger ship.

 

Sorry to the OP for not having a good time, but having noticed you posted not one, but TWO threads to bash Princess after your return, I really have to wonder if your real problem is not getting a cheap onboard nicotine fix. I have to be honest with you, I hope you do go back to Carnival or RCI because losing a couple of active smokers really wouldn't break my heart. I would enjoy my cruise more if I don't have to choke on your fumes. JMO.

[Roadpossum]

That's how we feel. We just got back from the 2 day cruise (5/4-5/6) and would rank this as our least favorite. We've been on the Caribbean, Diamond and Golden. While we liked the La Scala concept, in just about every other area we prefer the Grand class ships.

 

I'm sure that the fact that this was a short repositioning cruise means we didn't get the full Dawn Princess experience. But it seemed that a lot of activities were cut back on our cruise, the weather was gloomy (obviously not the fault of Princess), and the food quality and dining room service were a disappointment compared to our other Princess cruises. We did enjoy the production shows and Kevin Jordan.

 

--Junglejane

 

Hi Jane,

We just got off the same 2-day cruise on the Dawn, and, like you, we lowered our expectations as far as activities since our only full day was spent in port. Overall, I was very impressed with the condition of the ship. All of the furniture in our stateroom appeared to be brand new, and the public areas and carpeting throughout the ship were generally in excellent condition.

 

That being said, I didn't care for the layout of the ship. We were on deck 11 midships (cabin A601) and whenever we wanted to go up to the Lido deck or down to the Promenade, we had to use either the fore or aft elevators and walk back to the middle of the ship, since the mid-ship elevators only service the lower decks. It seemed like we were walking the hallways the entire time. Perhaps I'm spoiled from cruising on the Grand class ships.

 

I'm not sure if it was just because this was a short cruise or what, but the dining room staff seemed to be inattentive (almost bordering on rude)and we had extremely poor service. Having cruised with Princess in the past, I know this isn't typical. If I received this type of service in a land based restaurant I would have adjusted my tip accordingly. But I think the waiters felt they would get the same pooled tip one way or the other, they just didn't care (or so it seemed). After all, how much tip will they get from us on a 2-day cruise anyway?

 

While I'm a huge Princess fan, I don't think I'll be sailing the Dawn (or any Sun class ship) again any time soon. Just my $.02 worth.

[mbardsley]

Having taken this cruise and several others on Sun class ships, I have to say I like the layout of these ships very much. I found the crew on the Dawn to be pleasant and helpful and was never bored. But I too, am not particularly interested in chug-a-lug contests and such. And I'm not difficult to keep entertained. Folks who want that stuff probably need a more active line/itinerary with fewer sea days/bigger ship.

 

Sorry to the OP for not having a good time, but having noticed you posted not one, but TWO threads to bash Princess after your return, I really have to wonder if your real problem is not getting a cheap onboard nicotine fix. I have to be honest with you, I hope you do go back to Carnival or RCI because losing a couple of active smokers really wouldn't break my heart. I would enjoy my cruise more if I don't have to choke on your fumes. JMO.

 

Only one thread to comment about my cruise, the other was completly informational with a question as why, to HELP other smokers, so they dont find out the hard way. Our days are numbered in more ways than one, lol.

 

Never smoke around someone that does not, nor in any places that would cause people to be uncomfortable, so would be hard placed for you to choke on my fumes. To bad the Carnival paridise was not like it used to be, perfect place for someone with your feelings. I will check with you before I book a grand class ship to make sure I wont choke you out.

 

I do not go on a vacation to sit during the day and listen to a lecture on global warming, but do enjoy some diversion for the long sea days on the deck. If I wanted the others would have chosen HAL or Celebrity.

[mbardsley]

Hi Mike,

 

it was great meeting you and Sandy on board. I appreciate all points of view and afterall, this is cruise critic, but I have witnessed bashing when it is not all positive. I hope this thread will not turn into that.

 

For Steve and I this was our first Princess cruise and we loved it. One of the things we loved about it was there were alot of activities offered(in our opinion). However, we are use to HAL, and a bit older than you both. I would consider us low activity people, lol. Also, we love sea days and only got off in PV. We have cruised RCI, HAL, Carnival and Celebrity. Reading your impression and that of willysgrandma makes me even more excited for our next Princess cruise, as the Dawn is considered not having much to do.

 

I agree, the layout and design of the ship is horrible. I did however, love the option of two showrooms. We went to the disco a few times but it never got going. I think with a different dj, it may have, as there were people in there.

 

What did you get sick from on the last day?

 

I'm really sorry the cruise was a disappointment for you. I think the issues you had(atm, cigarettes, etc.) didn't help, and I probably would have felt the same way.

 

Marie

Thanks, use too. Not sure what we got sick from, could have just had some bad mayo, or something to rich, you never know. I wish they had some Private messaging system. I do have my email listed in profile, drop us a line.

[FlorenceItaly]

Hi Mike,

 

I am not seeing that information in your profile. See my signature, and drop me a line at that addy and I will give you my main one :). Tornado sirens are going off....tis the season.

 

 

 

 

Marie

cruzcrzy@yahoo.com

[jtcoolk]

We went on this cruise in February with another couple. We are all in our mid-thirties and like to have a little fun. There was a lot to do if you wanted to. I have been on the Caribbean and the Grand and I still enjoyed the Dawn. We had a blast! There were pool games, trivia, dance lessons, bingo, scholarships at sea, etc. Maybe it's because we were so relaxed not having our kids with us - but it was wonderful. Windjammers was a little lame though.......I think we were dancing in there with 10 other people any given time!

[Redwood Empire Cruiser]

...what's a vacation without the hairy chest, belly flop and tarzan yell competitions?

 

Please somebody, wake me up!

[bdjam]

First, I have a difficult time understanding how the layout of the original Sun Class sisters is bad. What’s bad about it? It is so simple – everything is on Promenade deck – I can’t understand how the layout isn’t satisfactory…

But it all illustrates a good point – as much as people like to point out that all mass market cruise lines are the same, in fact they are not. A ship that is quiet and without a lot of daytime activity is perfect for me…I like to have quiet time on deck with a good book. Princess also has excellent entertainment, so I’m not sure why the original poster couldn’t find Broadway-style shows to watch.

Sorry to hear that the food made people sick – hopefully this was reported to the proper personnel on board…

To each his own…I’ll be very happy to board Dawn Princess for a final sail before she’s sent off to Australia later this year.

Yes, the Dawn Princess is an older ship and from some comments on here, too old for the American cruise market, so it is coming to Australia soon to join up with the other 'old Princess ships, Sun Princess and Regal Princess - now P&O Pacific Dawn.

There's really nothing wrong with these ships - it's just what is done to them when they get to Australia that's the problem.

First cruise we enjoyed pretty much, had a balcony cabin, balconies are smaller and many folks were complaining.

They were complaining because the balconies were smaller? Sounds like they are spoiled to me - people don't realize how good they have it.