Wishing on a star

To the post just above that quoted me. Ummmmm..... all-righty then. No further comment.

And, if we are talking about enticing families onboard, let's look at the very limited kid's menu. I hear that they do not even offer the spaghetti and meatballs any more?

I will also tell you how this is backfiring and keeping adult couples OFF of Princess. In an effort to appeal to families, they are actually NOT allowing guests traveling as a party of two to choose a cabin when booking Deluxe Balcony cabins, an ENTIRE category onboard. A category which includes cabins that are desirable because they are mid-ship, Aft/wakeview facing, etc. Now THAT is a problem. That is something I would take issue with.

ALL cruise lines are well aware that underaged passengers do not spend money in the bars and in the Casino or Spa. Many still cater to, and market to, families. This doesn't need to become an argument, or to start personal attacks. ALL cruise lines do not allow anyone underage to sail without an adult. Many kids sail in the same cabin with their parents. That is a win/win, as long as the parents are onboard. Lines are thrilled with any increase in number of passengers, of any persuasion. Any passenger is a passenger. (Unless you are a line like Virgin) It is a very simple numbers game. The more guests onboard the better. If parents/grandparents feel more comfortable bringing kids onboard to sail on Princess, maybe the parents will also end up paying for alcoholic beverages, visiting the spa, or the casino. This brings us to a big issue with Princess. With staffing and supply chain issues, by most all accounts, if any ship is sailing near capacity, there are real problems and service issues. If Princess wants to keep their ships full by getting parents to bring the kids along, then they should be prepared to service a FULL SHIP and all of the kids onboard. I, personally, based on what I am hearing, do not believe that this is true, at all. And, Princess doesn't seem to want to acknowledge this issue.

Ohhh, okay! I do know that there are some threads with this kind of contact info. Also, if you were to find Kim online, maybe she could give you a recommendation? Good Luck.

MichiganF made some insightful comments. I think that the sentence mentioned here is a basic generality, not a TOTAL assumption. No need to mis-read. Many families will, and do, choose Carnival and RCI over Princess in the Caribbean. So, I would think that those comments were a fair statement. I have sailed the Caribbean on Princess, and the number of kids onboard seems very very low. Single digits maybe. Yes, there are more now, during Summer. But, guess what. Princess isn't big on sailing the Caribbean during the summer. I don't think Spring Breakers are lining up to book Princess. I just don't see that. And, yes, many families have kids who are easier pleased, laid back, and maybe overwhelmed. There are cruise lines for everyone.

Is this on a current booking? If so, did you make the booking recently? Based on the total lack of Customer Service with Princess right now... I might suggest that you do a quick search for this persons name (which should not actually be mentioned here on CC, so if possible you might want to click the three little dots on the upper right which will show you if editing your post is possible) In a search, type in that name followed by travel agent, and see if you might find the TA that you have liked working with. Nothing beats a good TA, whether they happen to be with Princess or not.

Jane, yes, I can see what you are saying about the so called 'bad connotations' of cruising. But, you know what, I do not, ever, make my decisions based on 'ideology'. If I wanted to fly to Europe and see one specific area, then that is what I would do. If I wanted to see more places and sights in Europe and enjoy being at sea and everything that cruising has to offer, then that is what I would do. If people are going to fly to Europe on an airplane, stay at hotels or home/villa rentals, use transportation to get to sights and places that are not walkable, eat at restaurants, etc... Then..... well.... Each generation is going to have their own incentives and desires. Right now, TONS and TONS and TONS of people are choosing to cruise. Could that change, for the reasons you mentioned. Maybe. But, right now, the demand for cruising does not reflect that. More ships, ports, sailings, every year.

Princessfan, Interesting point about the revenues! But. the same thing could be said for other cruise lines that actively appeal to, and book, a LOT of families. Princess wants people onboard. And, if they think they can put out some PR and appeal to the RCI demographic, they will try. I don't see this as being a huge success. And, personally, I don't like to book travel during the timeframes that most families with kids are traveling. It makes an incredible difference in crowds, vibe, experience. I also do not see Vegas as a family destination, at all.

Are they still doing the so-called Mongolian Barbeque custom stir-fry? I have yet to be able to try that. Always heard it was good. Last time, we were going to forego that for Beef Wellington. Guess what, by the time we got our other cold items and sides, and went back for the Wellington, it had disappearaed!!! They had taken it and set it aside for some special something. And it was so-so roast beef. Ugggghhhh!!!!!

Could be.... No personal offense, but count me in with those who would prefer to avoid this sailing! To go back to your question, I would just make a guess that most passengers prefer the two dining rooms that are off the Piazza. I would think that these would be the most fully reserved. It would seem that if Princess did want to open up group space in one of the dining rooms for a large group, the first thought would be to take that group and put them in the on lower Aft dining room. As one other person mentioned.

I agree that a change in PR does not make any changes to the reality of Princess' ships! There are some families today that might actually choose Princess, for what it is. But, most families today want a far more 'theme park' vacation. It is a different world, for sure. P22, we haven't seen everything there is to see about the new SUN. But, some things suggest at least some kind of water-slide, coaster, type of thing. I don't believe we will see a waterpark area with flowriders and climbing walls, but I think they might offer more than the current ships. I also believe that they are changing up some of the dining options, to be more like Carnival and other lines. With intersting options other than the MDRs and the 'adult' speciality restaurants. If Princess comes thru with the 'Miami - South beach' vibe in the new Dome at night, then that would really be something!!! And, how many families have cruised together because Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa) are planning this and helping to pay the expenses so they can be together with the grandkids. Sometimes the older generation chooses. So this would def. appeal to them.

I imagine that it might be a bit different this time, as there are no longer any set traditional dining times. If your TA is not one of the travel agents working with this group, then of course, they would have no inside information. If you have not, I would see if I could contact the person from this group who is in charge of making arrangements. It could be possible that they are not going to be ready to give out any scheduling until it comes time to travel, or even embarkation. It would be good, at the very least, if this group could put the info out there that there will be entertainment/events at particular times. I wouldn't try to second guess. Is this group specifically suggesting that there will be planned dining in the evening? Another factor is Princess and how they are handling this kind of thing. I believe the current policy is that those booked on a cruise are able to choose their dining based on loyalty status, with everyone being able to book upon final payment. Princess might be waiting until some date, after final payment, to look at the situation with dining and decide if they can do anything at that point to accommodate such a large group. I have heard of people being 'bumped'. But, I can tell you that there would be a lot of unhappy passengers if all of the sudden they didn't have the dining times they planned on and had reserved weeks and months ago.

I am big on carrying plastic bags and containers! The thing is, after all of that food, I don't know if there would be anything I would be able to eat later!!! Maybe the dessert.

And, not focusing on being more upscale, and catering more to adults. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGAs8Se0bHs

I have never heard of Princess closing, reserving, a dining room at supper for a private group. Maybe they have. But I don't think so. Many other venues have been used. And sometimes closed off to other paying passengers. Princess absolutely could, if they had the staff, and if the group were to pay private catering rates, reserve a dining room for an event early in the day, before preparations for for the dinner service. Most people, even those with groups, prefer to be able to explore other options, have some free time on their own. I really don't know why any group would want to pre-plan and have everyone feel obligated to show up for supper together every night. Especially such a large group. I am not sure that the poster who started this thread is clear on how the group cruise might work.

Therese, It depends on the ship's itineraries and port times. I know that Hubbard Glacier is usually visited on Southbound itineraries from Anchorage/Whittier. It is further North. Not sure, from San Francisco, what itinerary or different back-to-back legs you might be booking. But, there are several different ships and itineraries in Alaska now. I have done the 27 Glacier tour from Whittier, on our own, not thru Princess, before boarding an Alaska cruise at Whittier. There are also opportunities to do these smaller boat glacier tours in the fjords when visiting Tracy Arm Fjord or Endicott Arm. There are a few itineraries that have an all-day port time at Juneau, and the tour of the Fjord can be done on your own from Juneau. NOTE: I just looked at the San F. itineraries. If my search was right, it shows two round-trip from San Francisco. And it looks like the only small boat glacier excursion possible might be on the itinerary that visits the Fjord, it lists Endicott Arm.

Yes, that appears to be true. There is no mention of this Irish theme on the cruise on the Princess web-site. So, yes this appears to be a private group. I would imagine that these group events would be set up in the Vista Lounge, in the Theater, at Princess Live. That kind of thing. With people showing that that are with this group to get in. If they wanted a whole catered meal, Maybe Irish foods, maybe like the Pub Lunch, for this group, with hosts and maybe entertainmant, I could see this happening as a luncheon in one of the Dining rooms that is not open for lunch. I believe that usually one of the mid-ship main dining rooms off the Piazza is open for lunch service, for all passengers, on embarkation day and on sea days.

No, not Polka... Seems to be Irish musicians and entertainers. Check out the link somebody posted earlier. I am not sure whether this cruise is billed as an Irish Entertainment cruise for all onboard, or if most of the actual performances will be for those booked with the group only. Those with the group should be receiving some kind of schedule of events, from entertainment shows, meet and greets, etc. I certainly would not think that this will involve taking over an entire dining room for a group dinner. If this were the case, those who are booked would have the info about when and where.

That number could be an error. That should be a standard balcony cabin with the standard size balcony.

We buy very nice ground sirloin at maybe 7.99 when on sale. Wouldn't touch cheap 'hamburger'. So, while steak is incredibly expensive, at our regional chain that has butchers in all stores, this is a birght spot. I use this to make some country fried sirloin and southern gravy, and also make a nice salisbury steak and gravy. It is delicious!

Because, even though Princess doesn't usually even consider to try to seat a group of 700 people, groups like this cause very significant disruptions with the events and the venues that they do take over. Venues are often 'closed' to accomodate that group. And, any group of that size that tries to navigate around as a whole, let's say, hitting the pool deck after the mornings planned event, causes very real problems. There is a very real thing as 'group think', and 'pack mentality'. Some of us have seen this before. Believe me, if you have ever seen this, you know it. We have been to adults only, couples oriented, resorts that actually refuse to do anything to handle groups of more than eight. One night, we were dining, having a very nice meal, and a group of about 16 all trouped by, like a heard of hyenas, talking and carrying on at the top of their voices to talk over one another. The staff politely refused to be able to sit them, and then, again, as a 'group', they paraded right back past our table. Many people know to try to avoid cruises or resorts that are hosting such a huge group.

I think the Princess ice cream is history, given their new alliance with a 'celebrity' to sell their expensive ice cream. I am glad to hear of good food on the Sapphire! I believe this is one ship where somebody in charge of dining with Princess was onboard, working on improving the food. Hopefully, somebody there will master meringue. This could be a staffing thing. New person, or the experienced person is no longer onboard or (HOPE NOT!!!) quarantined.

The AFT, wakeview facing cabins have larger balconies. Aft balconies are larger, deeper, on some decks than others. The interior cabin size is the same standard cabin as others on the ship.

Sometimes I am seeing this, and sometimes I am seeing the standard bread basket. I am not sure if those rolls are warm. What have you recent cruisers seen in Crown Grill on the different ships?