cheezenip

25 minutes ago, LittleTinker said:

What annoyed me the most about the Eatery was food going cold. I maybe want lasagne and some chips   (example)   the lasagne is served in one spot and the chips are right round the other side and I might have to queue again.

Not to mention the plates are not warm to start with as they don't use plate warmers.

Cold dinner by the time I get back to my table

 

The plates are nice but are rough stone and make a terrible noise when scrapped  lol

Great points. Be sure to make these observations known to management. If people don't express areas of improvement, management will think everything is fine. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

4 hours ago, Esprit said:

I can never understand the attraction of buffets, but then I'm not a big eater and can't stand lukewarm food.

I think you just answered your own question.

11 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

Not a fan of the eatery at all, food was very repetitive

The Sun Princess Eatery (aka buffet) intentionally does not change their selections (except for the meat carvings and desserts); thus what you see at lunch will be the same ALL week and the same goes for dinner. Corporate management is watching to see how many people notice and actually complain. If you object to this “new concept” (quote from the managers manning the Eatery), speak up in your post survey and tell the managers on the ship to pass your complaint up the chain of command. If not enough people complain, this will be permanent!!

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

NCL has found a different way of making sure all OBC refundable and non-refundable is spent on the ship. They do rightly use the non-refundable first, but then instead of mailing a check afterwards require the passenger with refundable OBC to come and get it refunded before leaving the ship.

Whoa...

Here is my own experience aboard the Discovery Princess in Jan of this year where this exact situation came up with problems.

Background: I was on a B2B in Jan/Feb 2024 on Discovery Princess with $200 onboard credit / week due to a promo (non refundable) and a $100 gift card (refundable) which I used on the 2nd leg of my cruise.

Actual Experience: On the 2nd leg of my cruise, I had guest services put the $100 gift card towards my account which I confirmed would be refundable if I didn't use the entire $300 ($200 promo on week 2 + $100 gift card). I did inquire how my $300 card would be subtracted from my onboard charges (gratuities, internet, etc.) and the service person nonchalantly said it was Princess' policy to first use the non refundable credit before targeting the refundable portion. I left thinking no more of it. However, I started to check my portfolio charges at the mid point of the 7 day cruise and noticed they were taking the refundable credit FIRST. I went to guest services to explain my situation asking them to fix the error and after 20 minutes of person #1 playing around with the computer system and speaking with the manager on duty (that person spent time on the computer also), they finally told me it was a "glitch" in the accounting software and that any left over credit would be issued to me as a check to my home address because that was Princess' policy. Although I did feel person#1 did try everything to solve my problem, I left with bad vibes. The next day I went back to speak to person #2 at guest services and that individual was equally fastidiously in trying to fix the problem and she also spoke with the manager on duty (diff person) and they ended up saying the EXACT same thing about the accounting software and that I would receive a check in the mail. I left again with bad vibes but was satisfied the 2nd duo (like the 1st) did try everything on their end. The final day I wanted to try my luck and talked to a 3rd person who also conferred with the manager on duty (again a different person) and after an extended period of trying to solve the situation gave me the EXACT same message. I left naively thinking if I'm getting the same identical message from 3 diff people (whom also talked w/ their managers) that this must be true. However, I make sure I got the names of the 3 diff guest services representatives I talked to (I should have gotten the names of the managers but didn't) PLUS I printed copies of the daily charges which I brought home for record keeping purposes (got 2 copies of the final statement form the ship's machine). I ended up spending the entire non-refundable credit but didn't use any of  the $100 refundable credit from the gift card.

Post-Cruise Experience: To my dismay while waiting for my flight at the airport, I was emailed the final invoice which DID NOT match the final statement I made copies of from the ship's machine. I knew my $100 credit was in jeopardy. I filled out the post-survey explaining my problem and REQUESTED someone contact me to resolve my problem). I reached out to my PVP quickly and she apologized for my problem but said I needed to fill out a post cruise service ticket on the Princess website explaining my situation. I did as instructed but never heard back. I called Princess customer service on 3 different occasions and got the dreaded Philippine phone reps each time and each one gave me a different non-helpful response (1 accused me of lying and the other 2 insisting the guest service reps on Discovery were WRONG and I was not entitled to the $100 check). I then sent a request for help to 3 different Princess e-mails that I obtained from different sources explaining my situation in detail (and including a scanned copy of the last account invoice I printed out on Discovery). I heard nothing back from anyone for 3 months. This was a matter of principle now as I was determined to fight. After posting on Instagram a plea for customer assistance (Facebook and X got me nowhere), a customer service rep left a message the NEXT day. To my surprise, she called me again on Sat. during  Easter weekend and we connected. After explaining the situation, she was skeptical at first unable to verify my story. However, I offered to e-mail a copy of the last invoice onboard Discovery which would back up everything I said. She actually found my e-mail with my invoice and was surprised how different the numbers were. After an additional 20 minutes of digging around, she acknowledged there was indeed a software problem / glitch and I was telling the truth. She said she could give me a $100 credit toward a future cruise but receiving a mailed check was a DIFFERENT department's responsibility. The lady was very kind and advised me that I might encounter the same type of problems talking with the other department as  I encountered on the phone with the 3 reps fr/ the Philippine center. She explained my situation was unusual and the person from the other department has to be "willing" to dig around Princess' internal computer system which took her 15 to 20 min of investigation to verify my story. I decided to take the future credit as I wasted so much time on this problem already. She was kind enough to add alittle more $$ for my troubles (not enough but I appreciated the gesture as I wasn't asking for any additional credit).

Lessons learned: I will let each reader come to his / her own conclusion but I for one will strongly advise my friends to NOT give me a Princess gift card to use no matter how well-intention the gesture is. If that doesn't work, I will force myself to spend ALL my onboard credit regardless of whether it is refundable or non-refundable. It's just not worth the hassle to fight the Princess bureaucracy!!

Sorry for the long post but I hope this written adventure helps others.

5 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

I do have them written down somewhere.  I will look for you and post it.  None of them sounded that interesting to me but your mileage may vary.  

No longer necessary as someone posted them on Discovery now in another venue. Thank you for willing to do this.

Do you recall the movies that were playing in the evenings on MUTS? The only one I know of is Barbie but my sister would like to know what other movies will be shown. We leave in 6 days!!

Hello,

I wish to make some dinner time reservation changes (as well as the # of people at a table) since the app is so fussy.

Are each of the 3 MDR open during embarkation upon arrival to talk to the Maitre-D / Host / Hostess in charge or is there only 1 MDR open to handle each all of the 3 dining rooms? I rather not wait til dinner time as it will be hectic.

4 hours ago, wallyj said:

Princess rotates where they assign the waiters, so do not be surprised if Haro is now not assigned to the section taking care of table 164. Better to ask if a table is available in Haro’s assigned section.

Thank you for the advice. 

9 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

Ricky was able to change our reservations so that we had the same table for the next night as well. Haro remembered us, our names & our preferences (even BIL's beverage order). I have already changed our dinner reservations for our next cruise to Juneau & plan to ask for the same team next cruise.

Do you recall the table number you were at in Juneau? I might go ahead and request Haro for the entire cruise.

On 12/19/2023 at 12:37 PM, CynCyn said:

It has been mostly wonderful so far. I tried to drop my bag in the stateroom and Stewart was NOT happy. He actually yelled at me. It was a bit uncomfortable but reported to guest services

Can you give us an idea what floor and cabins Stewart might be responsible for?

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

If it were up to him we'd be finished in 30 minutes flat.

At home at my favorite restaurants, that's the amount of time I prefer to finish my meals with guests.

On a cruise ship, I try to set the pace with the waiters / waitresses that I would like to be in and out in 45 minutes (our party always get there right at opening as we are realistic that our requests won't work during peak dining hours). After the 1st or 2nd day with the same waiting staff, the requests are usually accommodated (we don't mind them serving plate after plate before we are done as we are fast eaters). The key for those who want quicker service (IMHO) is to get to the dining venue as soon as they are open, let them know your preferred pace, and be flexible how they are able to accomplish them (sometimes it's the kitchen that hold things up).

1 hour ago, JimmyVWine said:

And the response that statement would engender would be: "I'm sorry to hear that.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise."  Same response one would get if one told a bartender that they will not order any more drinks unless they are given a plastic straw.  Decisions made in the C-Suite are not going to get overridden by a disgruntled passenger, especially when the shops are run by third-party franchises and not by Princess.  

No disagreement with anything you said here.

9 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

You wouldn’t do well in Canada.  No shopping bag, we’ll sell you one.  Don’t want to buy one?  Then put it in your pocket, carry it or don’t buy it.  Simple.  People learn to take their own bags very quickly.  Why would anyone need to make a fuss over bags on a cruiseship?  

I lived in Toronto for a few years and enjoyed my time there. I think many who are responding to my comment are missing my tongue and cheek intention.

6 minutes ago, memoak said:

Are you also going to refuse coffee from they IC while you are in Glacier Bay because you can get a disposable cup ?

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

Are you also going to refuse coffee from they IC while you are in Glacier Bay because you can get a disposable cup ?

Don't drink coffee but if I did I'd rather be out enjoying the GB scenery than inside ordering a drink. ☺️

5 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

This is not a binary choice.  It is not:

• Macy's provides me with a bag, or
• I lug all my purchases home without anything to carry them in.

The simple third option is that you bring your own bags with you to the store.  Been doing this for years.  And yes, we bring bags with us on cruises.  Mostly to accommodate us in port stops when we do purchasing there.  But they also come in handy when we shop on board.  A couple of light, mesh bags and one larger, but still easily packed canvas bag is all that is required for 90% of our purchases.  

The 4th choice is to openly state you will NOT buy ship items til they provide bags for to actual purchasers. 🫠

On 10/27/2023 at 5:38 AM, mtnesterz said:

Also to @IndyKid. Last couple of cruises, it's the crowds from the table hogs not eating or drinking, buy playing table games; cards and dominoes. That is throughout the day. The crew does nothing. If sitting next to a card playing table, I've thought about calling out cards in their hand, to get them to move, but didn't do it.

What a great idea for my next cruise!! People need to start doing this as there are other venues where you can play cards as tables can be scarce for eating during prime hours.

Disappointing news for West Coasters. Thought we were finally getting some respect when the Discovery came here as a new ship but now any replacement is going to be older. 

10 hours ago, bubbaed said:

While travel-related costs are skyrocketing across the board (booked flights or hotels recently?!?) I agree that this seems short-sighted and a blow to those who usually cannot plan vacations far in advance. One of the great things about Princess had been the excellent choice in available itineraries from various ports of departure allowing me to book in conjunction with a work trip or a last-minute gap in my calendar - particularly from home ports in California where I live.

 

However, when I am able to plan a cruise vacation far in advance, I'm now unlikely to choose Princess - mostly due to changes in the service levels and quality of the on-board product - not to mention the recent price increases that don't seem to be in line with what's actually being offered. Princess was always my go-to for a wonderful vacation on short notice, and they usually met my expectations. But when I have time to plan and do the research, I'm far more likely to book on lines like Oceania and Viking, which arguably offer a product that is more in-line with the prices they charge, or book a land-based vacation. Maybe someday Princess quality will be (again?) to the point where it's worth booking 18 months in advance.

 

Bottom line: Princess prices are up, quality of product is down, and last minute-deals are (apparently) no longer an available remedy to this conundrum.

 

Bummer.

 

 

Agree with this sentiment. All these changes by current CEO John Padgett continues to accelerate the decline of a once proud cruise line.

3 hours ago, deltahog said:

Day 3 dinner, Ketchikan MDR.

 

Seafood antipasto starter - again small shrimp, tiny tiny tiny scallops (they looked like scallop seeds) and the smallest calamari rings I have ever seen. Where does Princess find such tiny seafood? That must take quite some effort.

 

 

Cost cutting specialist and current CEO John Padgett will scour the planet to bring the smallest of ingredients to the Princess cruiser. Bon Appetit!!

4 hours ago, RedIguana said:

brand goodwill would suggest they would honor it as it is really not much different in price comparatively. I suspect if they try and say it was a misprice they would exercise their right to change your cabin to an IA.

Under current CEO, John Padgett, there's no such thing as brand goodwill..it's all about cost cutting.

On 9/24/2023 at 11:28 AM, Ombud said:

Thanks. But yeah ..... that makes them a NO-GO. 

Haven’t seen the new shows yet on Discovery but Princess has been using background tracks on some of their shows/ships for at least 10 years with their bands playing over top of it for a fuller sound on the cruises I’ve been on.

7 minutes ago, Oxo said:

 

28 minutes ago, cheezenip said:

How would you compare the food in both the MDR and buffet as well as the entertainment compared to the Royal class ships of Princess? Given the price difference, which would you travel again in the future and why?

Food is very subjective!

Out of these Cruise Lines,

E = Entertainment F = Food

P = Price

Celebrity E 2, F 1, P 5  Elite +

MSC        E 4, F 5, P 1  Diamond

NCL         E 5, F 3, P 4  Saphire

Princess E 3, F 2, P 3  Elite 55 cruise

RCI           E 1, F 4, P 2  Diamond +

 

We traveled in 2022 & 2023 on all of those lines 

2024 we have booked RCI & Celebrity as of now.

 

There is not much difference between them all. Personal choice. We consider ports, price, ship, perks, in that order.

 

Hope I answered your question.

Happy Cruising! 

 

 

Thank you for responding...quite helpful what you did!! 

Food is indeed subjective but the context with the other cruise line helps me gauge your tastes (pun intended) even further - much appreciated.

Going on Discovery in Jan and am tempted to try Apex next year but am balking at the price. Apex entertainment looks refreshingly diff but was curious about the food (my previous Celebrity food experience was lower in ranking compared to Princess but was fascinated you rated that low compared to competing lines..again I agree it's subjective).

On 9/21/2023 at 8:54 AM, Oxo said:

You are correct in your assessment of Celebrity. Just got off of Apex. Everything is much more expensive on Celebrity.

Happy Cruising!

How would you compare the food in both the MDR and buffet as well as the entertainment compared to the Royal class ships of Princess? Given the price difference, which would you travel again in the future and why?

9 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

These were the differences I noticed:

 

The cabins on Celebrity kick butt but I do love the open closet design on Princess.  The beds are also somewhat more comfortable on Princess.  

Agreedwith this observation

9 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

The buffet on the Royal Class ships are far superior to those on Celebrity .. on the Grand class ships, the complete opposite is true.  

I'm glad someone else is able to notice this. Though the layout is slightly better (IMHO) with Celebrity's buffet, they "cheat" and serve the same foods most of the time each day at lunch and dinner for the entire week.  Princess Royal Class buffets provide more variety since they change it up daily for the most part.

9 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

The biggest difference was the entertainment, activities and events.  We met several others that did the same side by side cruises and the consensus was, Celebrity was just kind of boring.  There was always something fun to participate in on Princess.  And if you felt like just relaxing with some quiet time, there was that, too!  

I am quite critical of the entertainment on Princess compared to RCL, NCL, and even CCL. However, I have to agree completely on your statement. Unless you are a drinker (I am not) and like to socialize at the bars, the activities are sparse compare tp Princess.

9 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

We didn’t have a bad time on Celebrity, far from it … it’s just that Princess suited us so much better.  Again, it’s not always been like that, as Celebrity really was our favorite in the past.  And there were things about Celebrity that we liked so much more.  This comes from a frequent standard balcony cruiser so, that may make a difference.  We are not demanding but do love decent to great wine.  We are not foodies but can tell if it is just not great food.  

 

 

As much as I am unhappy with the decline in the food quality with Princess (although I am hopeful that Rudi Sodamin can reverse this trend and bring some of food quality from HAL over to PCL but unsure what type of food budget he has to work with and being under the management of John Padgett I'm not that optimistic), I think Celebrity's food quality is over-rated in the MDR and buffet (I don't do specialty dining).

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!