Now I'm Spoiled!!

I just returned from my first Princess cruise on the Grand Princess. It was the best cruise I have taken. The boat did not have the WOW factor that RCCL Voyager class ships have, but the staff was the best. Talk about service with a smile. The crew and staff were the best. The room servicce was so fast I barely had time to prepare for them. My fellow cruisers were great and I shared many laughs with them.

I thought I would like to try different cruise lines but I think from now on it will be Princess for me. Is the staff that wonderful on all Princess cruises? Im afraid to choose another ship as the Grand will be hard to beat.

Princess-WHERE I BELONG

Mary Beth

In our experience with Princess, YES. We took 2 Princess cruises and then tried Royal Caribbean. We came back to Princess because we noticed the difference too. Glad you liked Princess.

Hi Mary Beth. Welcome to Pricess. Glad you enjoyed your cruise. We hope you will hang around with us in between your cruises. We are really a kool bunch.

Sue

7 days on Star Princess

October 24, 2004

Mary Beth- I'm glad to see you say those things; we did our first Princess cruise last month and our experience was much like yours in every way.

The Golden is one other ship I can vouch for!

And Sue's right, this is a nice bunch on this board!

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/04

Star Princess 10/04

Carnival Spirit 12/04

Welcome Mary Beth.

I also have found the staff friendlier on Princess then RCCL. The one thing I can say from my experience is that Princess consistently puts out a great product - I have always had friendly staff and great food on all of my cruises.

Mary Beth,

Every aspect of a great vacation is found on a Princess ship. I'm so glad I found it on my first cruise. The only way to look forward to your next cruise is to book one as soon as you can.

Sky Princess - 1997 West Coastal

Sea Princess - 2001 Western Caribbean

Sea Princess - 2002 Alaska

Reposition Cruise - Transcanal

Coral Princess April 27, 2005

PRINCESS FOREVER - I'm glad to see the many posts extoling the positive virtues of Princess instead of all the negative naysayers post on how bad the food was, how bad the crew treated them, how lousy the shows were, etc., etc.

Let's keep it positive - perhaps we have converted the naysayers or they have exiled themselves to the cruise line of their choice!

NCL PRIDE OF AMERICA Oct. 2004

SUN PRINCESS 2004 Caribbean

REGAL PRINCESS 2003 Europe

GOLDEN PRINCESS 2002 Canada New England

SUN PRINCESS 2002 Panama Canal

SUN PRINCESS 2002 Mexico

DAWN PRINCESS 2001 Caribbean

DAWN PRINCESS 2001 Caribbean

SEA PRINCESS 2001 Alaska

REGAL PRINCESS 2000 Mexico

REGAL PRINCESS 1999 Panama Canal

PACIFIC PRINCESS 1999 Europe

SUN PRINCESS 1998 Caribbean

ROYAL PRINCESS 1996 Panama Canal

Mary Beth-

Thanks for sharing your impressions of your first Princess cruise. We've sailed both Carnival and RCI and have our first Princess cruise booked for December (on the Grand also). The more I read of Princess, especially the opinions of those who have sailed other lines and then sailed Princess, I'm anticipating that Princess will become our first preference as well.

I hope you'll have time to post a full review of the Grand. I just can't get enough of her!

soccermommie

Welcome to Princess Soccermommie. I, too, am a Rc transfer. The service, the smiles from the crew, The cleanliness of the ship, and the food will knock your socks off. Not to mention the entertainment and food. Have a great cruise.

Sue

7 days on Star Princess

October 24, 2004

Welcome to Princess. While I like to try other lines and ships occasionally, and always have a great time on them, I LOVE Princess! For me they do everything right.

WE LOVE PRINCESS. We leave in just 3 weeks on our 7th Princess cruise. We might have been able to cruise more often if we would just allow ourselves to take shorter vacations If 7 days is good, 10 is better, 17 better still and 20 is just too cool At the end of this next cruise we will have 97 days at sea. Not bad but certainly not like those lucky passengers with 'years' at sea.

Princess is truly where we belong. We probably will never switch to another cruise line. Princess ships are great and the staff can't be beat. Not to mention the wonderful people we've met onboard who are now life long friends.

Welcome aboard!

Maggie & Bryan

Sockermommie, I envy the fact that you have your first Princess cruise booked. You are in for a treat. My first cruise was on The Voyager of the Seas. The crew was nice but nothing like I found on the Grand. I also cruised on the Navigator and was very disappointed in the staff. Thats when I decided to try Princess. Like I mentioned before the Grand is not all glass and glitter like RCCL and probably Carnival. She is more Sedate and refined like the old time ships. I find her very relaxing. There is a great band at the pool daily and there is always something going on. I just can't stress enough about the crew. I wondered if Princess had classes for them on how to make people feel so special.

You will love the Horizen Ct. Its open 24 hours. Nothing like a plate full of desserts at Midnight.

Wish I was going with you!!

Guess I will have to talk hubby into another cruise so I can get rid of these post cruise blues. When I do you can be sure it will be with Princess

Mary Beth

If you have any questions you can E-Mail me

Mary Beth: We have been on the Grand twice and loved it. So when we booked a cruise on the Island I was concerned that we wouldn't like the ship as much as the Grand--smaller, no true "disco" etc. We found it to be just the opposite--we loved the Island even more. We noticed a lot more detail in the design and decor of the ship. The staff was great and we got to know more of them. We now look forward to trying out even more ships after this recent surprise.

This is a great topic

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/04

Star Princess 10/04

Carnival Spirit 12/04

After sailing on the Island I'm having a hard time beliving any other ship could be better. We are going on the Grand in two weeks and I can't wait to she how she compares.

Scott

We are really hooked on Princess, having tried most lines, and to be fair they all have something to offer.. we settled on Princess, specifically the new Diamond, we have two cruises scheduled for the next 6 weeks and will book at least two more while aboard, going for a flush. 5 Diamonds.

<FONT color=red>Alaska</FONT>

Diamond Princess 05/04

Mercury 06/02

Rhapsody o.t. Seas 05/98

Legend o.t. Seas 09/95

<FONT color=red>Mexican Riviera</FONT>

Diamond Princess 04/04

Sea Princess 01/02

Vision o.t. Seas 04/02

Star Princess 12/02<FONT color=red>

West Coast-Baja Mexico</FONT>

Ecstacy 09/01

Vision o.t. Seas 10/02

<FONT color=red>Eastern Carribean</FONT>

Century 12/97

<FONT color=red>Western Carribean</FONT>

Century 9/96

Srphnx,

Does a Royal flush beat a Diamond flush?

Scott

SCOTT,

YES

JIM

Nothing beats a DIAMOND royal flush.. get with the program fella or sail the new RCI Spade of the seas, Carnival Club or NLC Heart.

<FONT color=red>Alaska</FONT>

Diamond Princess 05/04

Mercury 06/02

Rhapsody o.t. Seas 05/98

Legend o.t. Seas 09/95

<FONT color=red>Mexican Riviera</FONT>

Diamond Princess 04/04

Sea Princess 01/02

Vision o.t. Seas 04/02

Star Princess 12/02<FONT color=red>

West Coast-Baja Mexico</FONT>

Ecstacy 09/01

Vision o.t. Seas 10/02

<FONT color=red>Eastern Carribean</FONT>

Century 12/97

<FONT color=red>Western Carribean</FONT>

Century 9/96

We had one of our first cruises (first Princess) on the Grand I believe when it was pretty new. It was wonderful and we were a bit concerned when we then booked the Royal, possibly the oldest Princess ship, and much smaller and for 12 days. Our room was very small, and that's the only negative thing I can think of. The staff and crew were wonderful, the service immpecable, and the food was fabulous! We're already booked to do it again!

Kate

Big Red Boat

Carnival

Grand Princess 9/2001 almost

Grand Princess 7/2002 W. Carb

Royal Princess 9/2003 Europe

Star Princess 9/2004 Rome-Venice

Sounds like you all love Princess. We are taking a family cruise 11/27/04 and can't wait. This is our 3rd. cruise but first with Princess. We have cruised NCL..great, elegant...Carnival...YUCK! So we are looking forward to this one for our 15th anniversary and my son's 10th birthday. So any helpful hints would be great. E-mail if you have some info. Thanks, Kim

I found your post and had to write and ask several questions:

1. Did you bring wine/alcohol onboard and was that a problem?

2. Could you carry on hanging bags, small luggage or does it all have to be checked

3. Did you or anyone else get seasick or feel excessive ship movement

4 Did you take an excursion at Costa Maya or is the area right off the ship good enough to lay on the beach?

5. Do you have any info about the kids program? We are bringing a 6 and 9 year old with us

6. Are the refrigerators large enough...like a dorm/hotel fridge?

7 Are the shows etc. PG and if not are you warned they are for adults only?

8. could you get a hot breakfast for room service in the morning?

See I told you I had a lot of questions.....:D

Sounds like you all love Princess. We are taking a family cruise 11/27/04 and can't wait. This is our 3rd. cruise but first with Princess. We have cruised NCL..great, elegant...Carnival...YUCK! So we are looking forward to this one for our 15th anniversary and my son's 10th birthday. So any helpful hints would be great. E-mail if you have some info. Thanks, Kim

 

I found your post and had to write and ask several questions:

1. Did you bring wine/alcohol onboard and was that a problem?

2. Could you carry on hanging bags, small luggage or does it all have to be checked

3. Did you or anyone else get seasick or feel excessive ship movement

4 Did you take an excursion at Costa Maya or is the area right off the ship good enough to lay on the beach?

5. Do you have any info about the kids program? We are bringing a 6 and 9 year old with us

6. Are the refrigerators large enough...like a dorm/hotel fridge?

7 Are the shows etc. PG and if not are you warned they are for adults only?

8. could you get a hot breakfast for room service in the morning?

 

See I told you I had a lot of questions.....:D

To try to answer your questions,

1]We have always brought wine/champagne/liquor onboard and never a problem. We put it in a rolling carryon or dive bag.

2]We have always carried on bags--usually 2 each, and left the large bag with the porters.

3]I have not felt seasick on any of the newer cruise ships. They are well stabilized. YOu are still aware of the motion, however. Use ginger tablets/capsules for minor discomfort.

4]At Costa Maya, I took an excursion to Chichen Itza. Didn't look at anything else.

5]Don't know---don't have kids.

6]Small refridgerators large enough to hold 3 bottles of wine and a few soda cans.

7]I think they warn you about show content---ask at the Purser desk or cruise director staff if any question.

8]You can get whatever is on the dining room menu for room service. Just call.

Have a fantastic cruise!!

Lynn

Have only ever Sailed with Princess and I wouldnot change.

As others have stated in the past ' Why fix if not broken'

Welcome to our group Mary Beth...we are all nice like Princess.

Kim,

I don't have answers to your questions. But here is the thread for our cruise roll call. Hope to see you there!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=44327&highlight=11/27/04

Jeff

11/27/04 Grand Princess

Soccermommie, when in December are you cruising on the Grand? Are you going the 11th with us??