jbinbi

7 hours ago, mrmarklin said:

At the Crown Grill I ordered the Ribeye steak a few years ago on the Pacific Princess. The next night it was on the menu in MDR. Same exact cut. Haven’t been to the Crown Grill since. And won’t. 

Thanks. This is exactly what I was asking about. I am not saying the experience isn't different, dining with 100 vs 1000 has to be, the atmosphere, etc., but was wondering if the food was really noticeably different.

We are on a 14 day cruise, maybe we will try one night to see for ourselves.

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

If a kitchen is a kitchen , then is McDonald's the same as the Arizona Inn?  Of course not.  The ingredients (and their quality) are more costly and the preparation requires more preparation.  Sort of like comparing a hamburger to an aged filet. 

Don't know of the Arizona inn, but what I was asking was not really if the chefs use the same kitchen, but do they use different food, and is it prepared individually for you versus part of dinner for 700? When the MDR serves steak, is this different from what the Steak rest serves? Is it cooked in a large batch, or is it cooked specifically for you? Many restaurants these days par cook (lots of sous vide) and then finish it for you. Maybe the specialty rest do the same? Just trying to see if it is worth it to book in the specialty as I have found the food in MDR to be pretty good.

Doing a Baltic Cruise in a month, and getting hit up to book specialty dining. However, I was just speaking with friends who came back from a cruise on a different line and did the 'kitchen tour'. They learned that the same kitchen produces all the food. So they didn't book a restaurant thinking , 'is this food really any different from what we are getting in the dining room"?. 

I am wondering a few things. Maybe this is different on Princess? Or maybe the chefs for the specialty restaurant cook specifically for those guests, rather than getting the pre cooked food that serves 700 people per serving? Or maybe the specialty restaurant gets different food, e.g. the steaks are different from the steaks that are serving the masses?

Hoping someone on the forums has real answers. TIA

thanks for these detailed replies! Berlin not all sold out. We originally booked this cruise pre pandemic when the highlight of the cruise was the stop in St. Petersburg. Not on the tour anymore of course 😞

6 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

Have you looked at Viator, TripAdvisor, Shore Excursions Group, or Tours by Locals yet?  If you can't find excursions that fit your needs on those sites, I don't know what to tell you...

Yes. That is what I am trying to avoid. There are 100s of tours to choose from. I am sure that some of the companies that give the tours when it is not contracted with the cruise line are the same ones on there. I was hoping that Princess wouldn't run out of excursions with 140 days to go to sailing. If so, they would get more excursions from a person who does this for a living. 

28 minutes ago, Sarnia 432 said:

Which ports are you visiting?

skagen, copenhagen, helsinki, tallin, berlin, stockholm, kristiansand.

Am on the Princess Nordic cruise beginning of June. Didn't realize that with 4 months to go all the popular excursions would be sold out! Basically on the cruise to do the excursions. 

So now looking for finding excursions on shore not with ship. I know there are usually many tour companies on land, and might be less expensive than through princess, but I am looking for suggestions on companies that I don't have to hopefully vet in each port. Is there a good company throughout Scandanavia that I can book tours with in most of the major ports? TIA.

4 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

In addition to my original post, I'll try to address some of your specific questions on the things that matter to you:

 

1. Sailing on a small ship definitely has its advantages - there are hardly any queues anywhere except for absolute peak times, and even then it moves very fast. Getting on and off the ship is very easy compared to 3000+ passenger ships, and the smaller ships often dock much closer to the city center. Advantage = Viking.

 

2. The no kids policy was great - if that matters to you, then you'll appreciate it. Advantage = Viking.

 

3. We didn't attend the enrichment lectures, but from what I heard, they were excellent. Advantage = Viking.

 

4. Included excursions were just so-so, and one of ours was terrible. Advantage = tie.

 

5. Evening activities (and activities in general) are limited on Viking. After the theatre show, you have Torshavn with a live band until about midnight then it shuts down. Advantage = Princess.

 

My advice: if it's not a financial stretch for you, try Viking. I've done Princess in the Baltics twice, and I think this would be one itinerary where the cost of Viking would be worth it.

 

Happy cruising!

Thanks for this. My initial thought was, ' if doing the baltic, who would do it better than viking ;-)' It's their namesake!

Thanks. I think it called viking homelands, 15 days, stockholm to bergen. Only thing I am not happy with is 5 days in Norway. Wish it was a bit shorter or more places in other countries. Also, starts and ends in 2 different places, can't get to either directly. Princess starts ends in london.

Didn't see your cruise so not sure what the itinerary was.

OP, thanks for starting this thread, as I had not seen it and put up a thread in the viking section regarding this topic. (I am wondering if people there are more viking centric vs people in the princess thread being more princess centric...)

I know that cruising really isn't the best way to 'see' the countries, but it is the most convenient. So I am most interested in the places and excursions. I have been on princess, but not viking. What appealed to me on viking was the smallness, I figured it was just easier when you have less people to get on and off. Also, having no kids. (The princess baltic cruise is june 30, so while there probably won't be many children, it is still vacation time). Plus I thought having everything included would make things easy. However, when I looked, not sure the included excursions would be the ones I want to do, so this might make things more equal. 

I like that viking has a historian on board, I want to learn about the places. OTH, after reading the thread, we also like the evening entertainment on princess and hearing viking is lacking might be an issue? 

Really appreciate the comments here. While I think viking is about 25-33% more, I am happy to pay for it IF IT IS WORTH IT. But I am looking for the best experience, and would be unhappy to find out that I am paying a premium but I would be just as happy or happier on princess!

Also, should note that viking starts and ends in stockholm and bergen, 2 non direct flights, while princess starts ends in london, easy to get to directly.

ah. thank you! great thread.

I am asking the same question in the viking section (didn't find a place to ask general question on lines) but they are very pro viking of course, so wanted to post this here as well..........

We are trying to decide between Viking and Princess for a 2 week Baltic (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany) cruise. Have been on princess a few times, but never Viking. But know a bunch of people who have done Viking. I am less interested in the meals/room than the places we stop and the things we can see. Viking is about 33% more for the same cabin type when including drinks, excursions, etc. for Princess.

What potentially appeals to me is that the ship is smaller, possibly making it easier to get on and off (1k vs. 3k people means 3x less bus loads to fill and empty etc.). Less people to bump into on the boat. Historian on the ship. Excursions included. But maybe this is really all hype (e.g. the excursions included are the basic ones that cost only 50 pp), and it doesn't mean that much in reality, it just sounds good? For those who have gone on a Viking ocean cruise as well as used other lines, can you give me your impression if Viking is really worth it?

Not sure this is the right place to post this, and maybe I should put this same post in the Princess section....

We are trying to decide between Viking and Princess for a 2 week Baltic (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany) cruise. Have been on princess a few times, but never Viking. But know a bunch of people who have done Viking. I am less interested in the meals/room than the places we stop and the things we can see. Viking is about 25% more for the same cabin type when including drinks, excursions, etc. for Princess.

What potentially appeals to me is that the ship is smaller, possibly making it easier to get on and off (1k vs. 3k people means 3x less bus loads to fill and empty etc.). Less people to bump into on the boat. Historian on the ship. Excursions included. But maybe this is really all hype, and it doesn't mean that much in reality, it just sounds good? For those who have gone on a Viking ocean cruise as well as used other lines, can you give me your impression if Viking is really worth it?

thank you all. i can't drink 15 drinks a day. even if it water!

it looks like it is worth it to spend $300 more to get the BSE to have drinks and internet. It is 10 days, I would probably have 2 drinks a day, and internet, so that breaks evenish. Without internet I would just use phone in port and buy internet on sea days.

Ah. OK. Many thanks.

Also, if only one has the drink package, how does that work. I can order all the wine I want for dinner, but can't give the glass to my wife?

got it. went online, see that BSE price with drinks/internet/grat is 3k pp , I paid 2700. I only put down a refundable deposit, I guess I should cancel and get it all changed? Or should I call a TA to do this

OK, logged in, checked on packages, not Best Sale Ever promo I see.

on sky, in june, doing baltic.

On 1/20/2020 at 5:09 PM, Cruise Raider said:

 

You can purchase a wine bottle package and buy a few buckets of beer for a much better price if hat is all you are going to drink.  The wine bottle packages are sold on sailings of 10 days and more (inconsistently, though) and with gratuities added for a 12 bottle case, it comes to $400.  T

 

As far as internet, I would only buy it if your ship is equipped with the Medallion Net WiFi.  It can be purchased ahead of time or on the first day for less than $10 a day for one device and $15 a day for a 4 device unlimited package.  As above, if it's included in the add on promo ... that's the best deal going if these perks are of interest to you.  

 

 

I am interested in the wine package. We are travelling with another couple. How do I go about purchasing it, and can we all share from it at dinner? They did not offer this when they called me, only the total drink package, the coffee package, or the soda package. thanks

 

 

Thanks to everyone who replied so far. More details:

Booked the Baltic cruise on Sky Princess. We have only put down the deposit, need to pay in full in 2 more months. We have a balcony stateroom.

Have gotten 2 calls in the last few days, btw, they come up as potential spam, but they left a message. I then got this email after the 2nd voicemail they left, so I called back to speak with my Princess cruise specialist. She explained the various drink packages I could purchase, either the total package for around 750 for the cruise, the coffee package for about $23 a day (of no real interest to me, I have just 1 cup with breakfast purely for the caffeine), or just the soda package for about 14 a day. They did not mention a wine only package, what you explained would be of interest to me.

I asked about the internet packages, Internet is 75 for one device for the cruise, or 14 a day for 4 devices. Brand new boat, so I guess it is medallion.

I guess when I reserved online, the deal they had was an onboard credit we could use of $150 PP.

I am assuming they were calling to : 1)get me to pay in full, 2)sell me excursions (but we are already using outside tour companies), 3)upsell the drink and internet package.

When I called back, I got right to her. She did not offer a combo package, if I could get internet and wine/beer for 800 a couple, that would be awesome, don't know how to find that, when i login, i don't see that.

email I got from the specialist after 2nd voicemail she left is below

---------------------------------------------

As your cruise is quickly approaching make the most of your time in port with Princess. By reserving your shore excursions directly with me, we can offer you Best Price Guarantee, Guaranteed Return to Ship, and fun in the sun for everyone.

As your Cruise specialist working directly for Princess, I have access to the best shore excursions voted by Cruise Critic with the best supporting detailed information. Whether traveling independently or with a small group I can help assist in planning and reserving your shore excursions.

Call me directly to secure your booking as time is running out!

Am on the sky princess for a june cruise and got a call from Princess today to upsell me on the packages.

750 pp for drink package (10 or 11 days). I don't drink much, and for half the days we will be doing excursions. I sometimes have wine or beer with dinner, or maybe a drink at night. What is the cost per drink if not on the package?

Same as Internet, I am considering that if I have intl package on my phone, I can just use it on the every other day I am on land?

Also I have a shipboard credit which must be used on the boat and she said long lines to use this as everyone rushes to do so? 

Can you negotiate these prices?

Now I am considering that maybe I should have gone with Viking, where this is all inclusive.

Great thread, thanks to the OP.

maybe I missed it, but has anyone done a tour from the cruise line? Just wondering how it compares to what seems like lots of TJ or Alla happy people.

Has anyone been to the national museum? I am very interested in seeing viking history.

On 5/14/2019 at 8:47 PM, CruiserBruce said:

 

Every port is covered in detail here, with ways to tour on your own, and with recommended private tour vendors. 

Thanks for this, I have found this thread with some generalities

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1292

but maybe there is something more you are referring to. This thread is not that detailed in my mind.

Again, thanks for this info. 

I just did a spreadsheet with 10-12 day cruises. One thing Viking has is that they don't start/end at the same place, which saves some travel. Holland/Celeb/Princess all are RT start/end place. They just vary that place, e.g. Princess you can start in Berlin/St. Pete/Copenhagen. Was actually thinking of doing the start end in St. Pete, and then I can spend as much time pre or post there.

Viking has less ports, but more than 1 day in each one, so I guess the question is , do I want to hit more places or get into more depth in a single place. Viking multiple days in Stockholm, Copenhagen and St. Pete, but doesn't hit Oslo or Berlin.

I have not looked at Oceania as I believe it would be out of my price range, but I will look before I formally conclude that. I will also look up NCL.

Thanks. I was doing research last evening, and it seems Viking is the only line that has 3 days in St. Pete. I did not look at Crystal/etc. as they are out of my price range.

The real question is, is viking worth the extra 2k over Holland/Celebrity/Princess. They are about 5-5.5k for the cruise vs. the others being about 3.5k (for veranda style room). They do include 1 tour a day, but it seems from the above posts, that might not be worth it as I can select my own tours or self guide for many of them?

Is 3 days in St. Pete really worth it vs. 2 days in St. Pete?