1st Princess after 6 Cunards

[billyvegas]

So I have booked a Caribbean cruise for December in a Mini Suite on Grand Princess, I have only ever sailed with Cunard before, QE2 twice QM2 once QV thrice. What are the main differences I will notice with Princess and what will be similar to the Cunard Cruises?

 

Thanks

 

Billy

[Talisker92]

I have only sailed on Cunard once on the QE2. I have sailed on a number of Princess ships, however.

First, these are one class ships- no Prince's or Queen's Grills. The food is miles better than that on the QE2.

You will find the ship is much less formal than Cunard-only one or 2 formal nights, the rest of the time "smart casual"

There are a few specialty restaurants on board, but nothing like Todd's where people were fighting to get in. I found these restaurants were never crowded.

Relax and enjoy yourself!

[Griller]

I am also a Cunard/Princess afficionado over quite a few years, things I have noticed -

 

Princess choice of menu in main dining rooms is better than that of Cunard in Britannia class.

 

No draught Guinness on Princess

 

Crew and passengers not snobbish on Princess

 

More fun on Princess generally, inc better shows

 

No Gentlemen Dance Hosts on Princess

 

More Brits on Cunard

 

Scones much better on Cunard for teatime

 

Princess is usually less expensive

 

Photos grossly overpriced on Cunard

 

Other than that not much different. I'd rather be on Princess really, except for the scones......................lol

[Toto2Kansas]

I looked up accomodations on the Cunard website and the Princess Grill Suites of Cunard seem to offer a lay out very similar to the mini suites on the larger ships of Princess. Only Princess are just a tad smaller in square footage (Princess approximately 325 sq ft including balcony). Although the extras that come with Cunards Princess Grill suites are not offered with Princess in mini suites. Mini suites on Princess include a glass of champagne delivered by your room steward after boarding, but other than that, nothing to write home about. Enjoy!

[Tralynn]

Princess will be less formal than Cunard. It has a really good atmosphere and lots of entertainment choices. I hope you enjoy Princess as much as we do.

[Crzn-Life]

So I have booked a Caribbean cruise for December in a Mini Suite on Grand Princess, I have only ever sailed with Cunard before, QE2 twice QM2 once QV thrice. What are the main differences I will notice with Princess and what will be similar to the Cunard Cruises?

 

Thanks

 

Billy

 

We're Diamond level Cunarders and have about 50 cruises on Princess with 3 of those on the Grand. All of our Cunard cruises have been on the QE2 and the QM2 with the majority of them on the latter. Having never been on the QV we can't address that. What we can say is that we enjoyed the cruises on the Grand and we loved the cruises on the QM2.

 

Since the QM2 is our favorite ship and Grand class Princess ships are our 3rd favorite (the Coral/Island are our favorite Princess ships) we can address a few differences. However, even 2 cruises on the same ship can be different so cruises on different lines and ships can be even more distinctly different.

 

For us the differences are:

1. Service on the Princess ships tends to be better and much faster in the dining rooms than in the Britannia. If you were grill level, there is no comparison.
   
2. Food and menu selections (in Britannia) tend to be better on the QM2
   
3. State rooms are bigger and more comfortable on the QM2. The mini-suites are more comparable to the deluxe balcony staterooms than the grill levels. The mini-suites are a little larger.
   
4. The beds are infinitely more comfortable. The Grand is going into drydock soon so there will be improvements so she won't be showing her age as much.
   
5. The buffets on the QM2 are much better than the buffet on the Grand
   
6. Todd English is better than Sterling Steakhouse but not as good as Sabatini's but all three are very different in atmosphere and type of food served.
   
7. You have more dining choices on the Grand
   
8. The casino on the QM2 is infinitely better than that on the Grand because it is non-smoking.
   
9. Individualized service from your headwaiter for special meals and service is excellent on both ships.
   
10. We don't use the spas so can't really address that.
    
11. The decor on the Cunard ships is richer & less plastic looking but the Grand is still a nice looking ship.
    

The Grand is a nice ship so you should have a good time. Hope this helps. But it really is hard to compare the two since what you are looking for on a cruise could be very different from what we are. However they both provide a wonderful experience and as long as you are in a mini-suite you should be fine.

[icyfrost]

if u enjoy the formal evenings on Cunard u may be disappointed on Princess. Their formal nights are nothing like the good ole days and nothing like Cunard both for men and women.

[billyvegas]

I am also a Cunard/Princess afficionado over quite a few years, things I have noticed -

 

Princess choice of menu in main dining rooms is better than that of Cunard in Britannia class.

 

No draught Guinness on Princess

 

Crew and passengers not snobbish on Princess

 

More fun on Princess generally, inc better shows

 

No Gentlemen Dance Hosts on Princess

 

More Brits on Cunard

 

Scones much better on Cunard for teatime

 

Princess is usually less expensive

 

Photos grossly overpriced on Cunard

 

Other than that not much different. I'd rather be on Princess really, except for the scones......................lol

 

I love my food:D

 

I hate Guinness;)

 

I am not a snob:D

 

I didn't enjoy the Cunard shows:D

 

N/A although I find them fellas a bit creepy

 

I am a Brit

 

I love scones:(

 

I love saving money:)

 

$24.95!!!!!

 

Sounds good to me, really looking forward to it!

 

Toto, Glass of Champagne sounds good!

 

Tralynn, I am sure I will

 

Thanks for your replies.

[Crzn-Life]

If you like wine, we think the wine list on Cunard is better than on Princess. Also Cunard has wine stewards; Princess does not. However Princess has been rolling out their sommelier program and by the time you sail on the Grand she may have a sommelier. We also think that the Cunard wine list is better than Princess...but that's a matter of taste. Cunard has Muddy Water (NZ chardonnay), Princess doesn't.

 

The wine tasting on Princess is much, much better than on Cunard. The wine tasting that Cunard has for it's Diamond pax is insulting. The ones on Princess are fun.

 

The Princess shows are pretty bad. If you didn't enjoy those on Cunard you won't find anything on Princess that is better. The speakers on Cunard are better than on Princess mainly because Princess typically doesn't have speakers!

 

QM2 has the jazz every night. Nothing comparable on Princess. After dinner we head straight to the Chart Room to listen to the jazz group.