HAL fan just back from the Caribbean Princess

[martini cruiser]

Just wanted to post that I ran into James Deering on the Caribbean Princess last week, he was onboard with his wife. He was very attentive to our CC group even though we were small in numbers.

Thought some of his Fans from HAL would like to know.

Also it was interesting to compare the 2 cruise lines. Even though I've sailed more often on Princess, of late I've become more attached to HAL. Here's a short comparison:

Embarkation- Princess slightly better

Rooms- Hal wins, no aft balconies that connect like on the Vista ships

Entertainment- Princess, seemed to have more choices and more people out later. Also the sailaways, and Island Night by the pool more enthusiastic. Loved the Movies ( MUTS) by the pool a great plus.

Food- HAL wins with the alternative Pinnacle Grill, otherwise very close.

Service- Very close with a slight edge to HAL, very slight.

Disembarkation- HAL, Princess's new system has a few kinks.

Loyalty program- Princess, the suite level perks for Elite passengers great.

This was my first large ship Princess Cruise in about 4 years( my last Princess cruise was on the Regal in May 07),and they seemed to have improved. which says alot because there were over 3100 on board.

Overall, I'll cruise both lines again.

Martini Cruiser

[cage keeper]

Thank You for this review. We are considering the Island princess for next March and were worried because we fell in love with HAL.

[dakrewser]

Any ship with Mr. Deering as HM will be as good as it can possibly get...

[localady]

Any ship with Mr. Deering as HM will be as good as it can possibly get...

That was my thought too Dave!! :D :D

[sail7seas]

Thanks for your comparison. Happy you enjoyed.
Welcome back.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Welcome Back martini cruiser:) I like reading your comparisons. Just yesterday I booked a Princess cruise but it will not be till May of 2009 but good to hear they are very close.

Of course I too have have to agree about James and any ship he is on is going to make for a great cruise.

[Atomica]

Glad you enjoyed your time on the Caribbean Princess! We too have found we like Princess as much as HAL. You were also lucky to have Mr. Deering - certainly a tremendous guy, and a real asset to Princess. We'll pretty well cruise on any ship he happens to be on :)

And Lisa, congrats on booking a cruise on the Sapphire Princess!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Glad you enjoyed your time on the Caribbean Princess! We too have found we like Princess as much as HAL. You were also lucky to have Mr. Deering - certainly a tremendous guy, and a real asset to Princess. We'll pretty well cruise on any ship he happens to be on :)

And Lisa, congrats on booking a cruise on the Sapphire Princess!
Thanks Aaron, maybe you and Kim should think about joining us:)

[KLLund]

I love Princess and HAL .. I just don't happen to like the CB .. every cruise is subjective .. where ya going Lisa anywhere on the Sapphire is great cruise .. that and the Oosterdam tie as favorite ships of all time

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome home.

And thanks for taking the time to compare the 2 lines.

[martini cruiser]

Thanks for the kind words.

I really did not think I would like the Carribean Princess, because I prefer a smaller ship and it was Spring Break in our area. I thought that there would be too many kids. The week of 3/16 I heard there were over 800, 3/23 over 1000, by 3/30 my week it was down to 385. Princess did a good job with supervision. There were youth security at the pools almost constantly, and no kids were allowed in the adults only pool. I even saw them ask a mother to take her diaper wearing child out of the pool.

I think the smooth operation was in a large part due to James Deering and the fact that the ship's captain is Commodore Romano, the highest ranking Princess Officer.

I wish HAL would add the MUTS, the Movies under the Stars. The name is a little misleading as they start the movies around 8:00 and end qround midnight. They had everything from concerts by Elton John, Live from The MET Opera, NCAA basketball games, kids animated movies like Cars, light romances, action films etc.


Martini Cruiser

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I love Princess and HAL .. I just don't happen to like the CB .. every cruise is subjective .. where ya going Lisa anywhere on the Sapphire is great cruise .. that and the Oosterdam tie as favorite ships of all time
Kathy, we will be going May 9th 2009 on a 7 day Pacific Coastal. It starts in L.A. and ends in Vancouver going to some ports I have never been to. It is amazing almost every Mini Suite is sold out:eek:

[Atomica]

Thanks Aaron, maybe you and Kim should think about joining us:)

I think we just might have to :) That's a really great itinerary too.

Martini Cruiser - I felt the same way about MUTS when we were on the Crown. I wasn't sure I was actually going to like it, but it really added to the cruise! I really missed it on the Golden Princess; I understand though it's so prohibitively expensive to retro-fit the older ships with it that it will only be offered on the newbuilds.

[Williebill]

Just wanted to post that I ran into James Deering on the Caribbean Princess last week, he was onboard with his wife. He was very attentive to our CC group even though we were small in numbers.

Thought some of his Fans from HAL would like to know.

Also it was interesting to compare the 2 cruise lines. Even though I've sailed more often on Princess, of late I've become more attached to HAL. Here's a short comparison:

Embarkation- Princess slightly better

Rooms- Hal wins, no aft balconies that connect like on the Vista ships

Entertainment- Princess, seemed to have more choices and more people out later. Also the sailaways, and Island Night by the pool more enthusiastic. Loved the Movies ( MUTS) by the pool a great plus.

Food- HAL wins with the alternative Pinnacle Grill, otherwise very close.

Service- Very close with a slight edge to HAL, very slight.

Disembarkation- HAL, Princess's new system has a few kinks.

Loyalty program- Princess, the suite level perks for Elite passengers great.

This was my first large ship Princess Cruise in about 4 years( my last Princess cruise was on the Regal in May 07),and they seemed to have improved. which says alot because there were over 3100 on board.

Overall, I'll cruise both lines again.

Martini Cruiser

I may have to try Princess; I've never sailed with them.

Bill

[coloradospringscruiser]

Just wanted to post that I ran into James Deering on the Caribbean Princess last week, he was onboard with his wife. He was very attentive to our CC group even though we were small in numbers.

Thought some of his Fans from HAL would like to know.

Also it was interesting to compare the 2 cruise lines. Even though I've sailed more often on Princess, of late I've become more attached to HAL. Here's a short comparison:

Embarkation- Princess slightly better

Rooms- Hal wins, no aft balconies that connect like on the Vista ships

Entertainment- Princess, seemed to have more choices and more people out later. Also the sailaways, and Island Night by the pool more enthusiastic. Loved the Movies ( MUTS) by the pool a great plus.

Food- HAL wins with the alternative Pinnacle Grill, otherwise very close.

Service- Very close with a slight edge to HAL, very slight.

Disembarkation- HAL, Princess's new system has a few kinks.

Loyalty program- Princess, the suite level perks for Elite passengers great.

This was my first large ship Princess Cruise in about 4 years( my last Princess cruise was on the Regal in May 07),and they seemed to have improved. which says alot because there were over 3100 on board.

Overall, I'll cruise both lines again.

Martini Cruiser

Can you tell me more about the suite perks? We do SA Suites on HAL but are considering a Princess cruise next. Thanks!

[momofmeg]

Thanks for the kind words.

I really did not think I would like the Carribean Princess, because I prefer a smaller ship and it was Spring Break in our area. I thought that there would be too many kids. The week of 3/16 I heard there were over 800, 3/23 over 1000, by 3/30 my week it was down to 385. Princess did a good job with supervision. There were youth security at the pools almost constantly, and no kids were allowed in the adults only pool. I even saw them ask a mother to take her diaper wearing child out of the pool.

I think the smooth operation was in a large part due to James Deering and the fact that the ship's captain is Commodore Romano, the highest ranking Princess Officer.

I wish HAL would add the MUTS, the Movies under the Stars. The name is a little misleading as they start the movies around 8:00 and end qround midnight. They had everything from concerts by Elton John, Live from The MET Opera, NCAA basketball games, kids animated movies like Cars, light romances, action films etc.


Martini Cruiser

On my cruise the MUTS ran to 3 am but the ones shown after midnight were "R" rated. I watched several though as you said in the daytime/fairly early in the morning-and I did not intend to-I came to get in the pool and then got interested.

[hammybee]

I wish HAL would add the MUTS, the Movies under the Stars. The name is a little misleading as they start the movies around 8:00 and end qround midnight. They had everything from concerts by Elton John, Live from The MET Opera, NCAA basketball games, kids animated movies like Cars, light romances, action films etc. Martini Cruiser

Oh my stars. This deserves it's own thread. I'll start it and the rest will be history..............

[santaharry]

Hal wins hands down.
The carribean Princess is the largest ship we have been on and the roughest riding.

We had a nice balcony but it did not comapare with some of the smaller ships we have been on and the technology available in room is about 5 years behind the rest of the industry. This is a new ship and was not built to the standards of the other cruise lines.
After having dinner in some of the large dining room i.e. 3 story with large windows (S-Class) the 3 single dining rooms were drab.
The crows nest for viewing on at sea days is better than starwalkers,

On big plus for princess is MUTS.

Be good this year!

[NorthPhoenixGuy]

As you can see from my signature, I've only been on two cruises. I had mini suites on both ships and I would have to say the mini on HAL is far superior to Princess. Princess bathroom is much smaller and no separate shower and only one sink. No flat screen tv nor dvd player on Princess. The balcony is completely uncovered and viewable from the three decks above so there is no privacy at all on the veranda. The veranda on HAL is larger. I did find out that on Princess Grand Class ships, there are 12 mini suites on the Emerald Deck that are aft and all have covered balconies. So I booked one of those, E729 with a huge balcony for my next cruise. The room service menu is far superior on HAL. Basically the room service menu on Princess is continental breakfast, salads and sandwiches. If you want appetizers with your pre dinner cocktails, you have to pay for them. You can't even get a hot breakfast in your room on Princess. The Promenade deck is much nicer on HAL. Princess only has a few wooden benches, no wooden deck chairs. Let me say I was on the Golden Princess so I can't speak for other Princess ships. I thought the food was better on HAL and the Lido buffet is designed better on HAL than the Horizon Court buffet on Princess. The ship was basically well maintained but does need a dry dock to spruce her up. My next cruise on Star will be better, I'm sure, She is a sister ship to the Golden and will be in dry dock in San Francisco for three weeks of upgrading and face lifting. I do want to come back to HAL again soon, but the future cruise credits are a great selling point on Princess, I must admit. I am i love with the Oosterdam and want to sail on her again.

[arzz]

Can the sound from the MUTS be heard on any of the balconies? I cannot imagine what it would be like having a movie sound track interfere with the stars, wind and splash of the oceans on public decks or private verandahs.

No one has mentioned this issue, so question: is it an issue?

[CruiseBumm]

Martini cruiser, thanks for the comparison. My DW and I will be on the Caribbean Princess in October. It’s our first Princess cruise since 1980. I hope it lives up to your review.
I still miss the Massdam and hope to be back on HAL next year.:o

[martini cruiser]

It's really stange with the sound you can't even hear it at the pool right next door 95% of the time. The only time I heard any sound other than around the MUTS area was during the MET concert when one of the arias was barley audible.

I did not have a balcony this cruise so I don't know about that.

Martini Cruiser

[martini cruiser]

Can you tell me more about the suite perks? We do SA Suites on HAL but are considering a Princess cruise next. Thanks

Here are the Captain Circle benefits( loyalty program)

https://book.princess.com/images/cc/cc_mp_gold_mem_mendoza.gif

Preferential Pricing Offers
Throughout the year, we specially select itineraries we know you love and will keep you informed of special offers and deals. You can tell us whether you would prefer to hear about these by mail, phone or email in your Member Profile .

Members only onboard Events
As a member, you will be invited to exclusive events during your cruise with us. These are a great way to meet fellow members!!

Princess Passport
Our special Princess Passports are another member exclusive, giving you a unique way to record your memories of treasured adventures.

Collectible Destination Stamps
Every time you sail with us, we will give you a stamp depicting the destination you have traveled. The stamps are signed by the Captain and can be displayed in your Princess Passport.

Circle Host
We are committed to making your vacation experience with us a special one,- that is why, onboard every vessel, there is a Circle Host, - a representative of the Princess Captain’s Circle, ready to make sure that you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled.

Member Benefits Card
You have been issued a membership card which indicates your member status. This card should be kept handy at all times and your member number quoted when making a reservation. Providing this number guarantees that you will receive all the benefits to which you are entitled.

Princess Captain’s Circle Quarterly Magazine
Every three months, you will receive our Magazine, published exclusively for members of the Princess Captain’s Circle. As well as advance notification of promotions and new itineraries, you will be the first to hear about our new ships. We are also pleased to share behind the scenes information with you and feature your favorite Princess crew members,- taking a peak at what they like to do when they are back at home!

Princess Captain’s Circle Center Online
Once you register for the Circle Center, you will have access to extra benefits, including our Stand By Program. We will also feature regularly updated articles on the latest developments at Princess,-like new ships, itineraries and shows. Your Member Profile is also accessible through the Center and can be kept up to date to ensure that we are able to anticipate your every need. Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, and how you would like us to keep in touch with you!
Back to the top >> (https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/jsp/memberShipBenefitsForProspect.jsp#)


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Complimentary Cruise Atlas
Every year you will automatically receive a copy of our Princess Cruise Atlas. With details on all itineraries and sailings for the year, you will be able to plan ahead easily!

Free upgrade to TravelCare Gold
As a Platinum member, when you purchase our Standard Travel Care travel protection plan, we will automatically give you a free upgrade to the Gold package,- that’s double the cover - on us!

Preferred Check-In
When you arrive at the port, don’t wait in line. If you are a Platinum member, you and your family or guests will be invited to use the Preferred Check-In desk to help expedite your embarkation.

Platinum Members Lounge
In recognition of your loyalty, and to make your last morning with us more enjoyable, we invite Platinum members to use the Platinum Members Lounge, offering light refreshments and peace while you await disembarkation.

Complimentary Internet Packages
Each Platinum Member will receive a credit towards the purchase of a package in our Internet Cafés.


$75 for voyages of 7 days or less (equivalent to 150 minute package)
$100 for voyages of 8-20 days (equivalent to 250 minute package)
$200 for voyages of 21 or more days (equivalent to two 250 minute packages)
You can use your credit towards a larger package if necessary, or enjoy all those minutes - compliments of the Princess Captain's Circle!
(Does not include wireless internet access; effective on voyages beginning on or after April 1, 2007)
Back to the top >> (https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/jsp/memberShipBenefitsForProspect.jsp#)


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PREFERRED SERVICES PACKAGE
Priority Tender Embarkation
As a well-traveled guest with Princess, you have the opportunity to travel ashore quickly and without waiting in line. Simply present your Priority Tender Ticket directly at the gangway instead of waiting with other passengers in the lounge area. You will then join any remaining passengers and board the tender as soon as it is clear to embark.

Priority Disembarkation
You'll be contacted towards the end of your cruise by the Circle Host to determine approximately what time would be most convenient for your disembarkation. If you'd like to linger onboard longer, we'll be more than happy to give you a later disembarkation group. If you'd like to be one of the first groups to disembark, we'll gladly accommodate - the choice is yours!

Shoe Polishing Service
Your shoes will be polished upon request - this service is complimentary.

Complimentary Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services
Upon request, your cabin steward will organize your laundry to be cleaned - compliments of Princess Captain’s Circle!


ELITE CABIN AMENITIES PACKAGE
Complimentary Mini Bar Set Up
Your stateroom will receive one mini bar set up according to your personal preferences. If no preferences have been indicated in your Member Profile, the standard selection will be given. Drinks will be refilled upon request and you will only be charged for the additionally requested drinks consumed.

Deluxe Canapes Selection
You may receive, upon request, a complimentary selection of deluxe canapés specially created by the Chef, delivered to your stateroom on formal night. This benefit can be ordered through room service and should be requested at least 6 hours prior to the desired delivery time.

Afternoon Tea
Complimentary afternoon tea may be served in your stateroom, should you wish. You may request this via room service at least 6 hours prior to the desired delivery time.

Upgraded Bathroom Amenities
Your stateroom bathroom will be stocked with the upgraded amenities reserved for Suite guests.


PREFERRED DISCOUNT PACKAGE
10% Boutique Discount
Our Boutiques are second to none for choice and gift selection. Now, as an Elite Member, take advantage of a 10% discount storewide to buy those extra gifts for all your family back home! Your Cruise Card is your key to this wonderful benefit,- simply show it when you make any purchase, and our Boutique Staff will automatically deduct 10% from your purchase price.

Complimentary Wine Tasting
Our Wine Tasting Events are popular and many of our members attend, so we have made arrangements to pick up the cover charge for you! Space is limited at these events so, should you wish to attend, you must confirm with the Circle Host who will contact you at the beginning of your cruise.

Here are the Suite Perks:

Priority embarkation/tender/disembarkatio
Fresh flowers,welcome Champaigne,lux mattress, pillows, massage shower head,deluxe canapes,free laundry/dry cleaning,web access, Lotus Spa thermal suite, one complimentary mini bar set up, better bathroom amenities

Martini Cruiser