New balcony furniture on Caribe deck on Grand

[Reader0108598]

It's interesting on Star. I can't see the Aloha balconies, but the Baja ones above us have the comfortable old furniture and the large table.

 

 

I agree that is odd! Wonder what gives?

Hope you are having a great cruise!

Reader

[Reader0108598]

How about a "Caribe Cabin Crawl & Cocktail Hour" on all cruises so everyone can see everyone else's furniture choices?

 

Hey I like that idea we can give out a prize for most creative! :D

[4cats4me]

All the changes in the past few months are very disconcerting: furniture changes on Caribe deck; FCC ; coffee card; staggered embankment; mats removed from balconies; no more lunches in the MDR during port days; 30 minute shows; and reduced customer service hours for customers and TA's plus more that I've momentary forgotten.

 

Sounds to me like they've hired some high priced schmuck who has all kinds of 'great' money saving ideas that are doing nothing put upsetting loyaled past passengers.

 

Today, for the first time in 10+ years I actually priced out a HAL cruise - maybe they care about their customers as I'm seriously starting to wonder if Princess wants my business!

 

And don't forget the exclusion of the 24/7 buffet which now has reduced hours

:rolleyes:

[bdjam]

So all of the conjecture aside, has anyone heard any reliable information as to why the furniture was switched out in the first place?

[Reader0108598]

So all of the conjecture aside, has anyone heard any reliable information as to why the furniture was switched out in the first place?

 

No!

[JimmyVWine]

So all of the conjecture aside, has anyone heard any reliable information as to why the furniture was switched out in the first place?

 

Despite all the conspiracy theories, I doubt that it was ever more complicated than the reasons why mattresses and carpets get switched out. Wear and tear. Corporate probably hosted a beauty pagent where vendors came in and showed off their new models, and some committee decided that these new chairs were the right combination of style and price. As for the new micro-tables, I'm guessing that price was the predominate factor with style nowhere to be found. I really don't think that anyone sat around twirling their mustache with a sinister grin thinking about how this useless table was going to force people to leave their cabins and spend more money.

[novice99]

Despite all the conspiracy theories, I doubt that it was ever more complicated than the reasons why mattresses and carpets get switched out. Wear and tear. Corporate probably hosted a beauty pagent where vendors came in and showed off their new models, and some committee decided that these new chairs were the right combination of style and price. As for the new micro-tables, I'm guessing that price was the predominate factor with style nowhere to be found. I really don't think that anyone sat around twirling their mustache with a sinister grin thinking about how this useless table was going to force people to leave their cabins and spend more money.

 

Yes, mattresses and carpets get changed but it’s a replacement of what existed. The mattresses and carpets don’t shrink in size and quantity. I don’t think people are upset because the furniture is being changed but because it has been reduced from four to two chairs and the table have shrunk to miniature.

I, and as I read on CC, many other passenger are paying a premium for a Caribe balcony for the benefit of having a bigger balcony with more furniture. We booked for January 2013 on the Emerald. It looks like as of now the Emerald has kept the furniture. I would like to know if this will be the case when we sail. We want the Caribe balcony with the old furniture but if this is no longer avaliable I would most likely change cabin to a different deck and save $300.

After April 25, 2013 the cabin I have booked changes from a BB to BE. At this point a change of furniture could explain the re-classification of these cabins.

 

Princess doesn’t really own anyone an explanation for their business decisions but would it be ask too much from Princess to keep us before hand informed of changes that may affect our decision making???

[PLW0520]

Yes, mattresses and carpets get changed but it’s a replacement of what existed. The mattresses and carpets don’t shrink in size and quantity. I don’t think people are upset because the furniture is being changed but because it has been reduced from four to two chairs and the table have shrunk to miniature.

I, and as I read on CC, many other passenger are paying a premium for a Caribe balcony for the benefit of having a bigger balcony with more furniture. We booked for January 2013 on the Emerald. It looks like as of now the Emerald has kept the furniture. I would like to know if this will be the case when we sail. We want the Caribe balcony with the old furniture but if this is no longer avaliable I would most likely change cabin to a different deck and save $300.

After April 25, 2013 the cabin I have booked changes from a BB to BE. At this point a change of furniture could explain the re-classification of these cabins.

 

Princess doesn’t really own anyone an explanation for their business decisions but would it be ask too much from Princess to keep us before hand informed of changes that may affect our decision making???

 

I agree. We are on the Emerald Apr 6 2013 and would like to know so we could change decks.

[bdjam]

I really don't think that anyone sat around twirling their mustache with a sinister grin thinking about how this useless table was going to force people to leave their cabins and spend more money.

I agree with you on that.

 

I, and as I read on CC, many other passenger are paying a premium for a Caribe balcony for the benefit of having a bigger balcony with more furniture. We booked for January 2013 on the Emerald. It looks like as of now the Emerald has kept the furniture. I would like to know if this will be the case when we sail. We want the Caribe balcony with the old furniture but if this is no longer avaliable I would most likely change cabin to a different deck and save $300.

After April 25, 2013 the cabin I have booked changes from a BB to BE. At this point a change of furniture could explain the re-classification of these cabins.

 

Princess doesn’t really own anyone an explanation for their business decisions but would it be ask too much from Princess to keep us before hand informed of changes that may affect our decision making???

I book Caribe cabins all the time and I've never even thought about the furniture. I like to use the balcony and frankly the chairs look OK to me. The table is very small especially for two people and I think what looks silliest of all is the big old balcony with little bits of furniture.

I seriously doubt that a switch out in furniture has resulted in a reclassification of cabins. They could have announced the changes, but I don't know anywhere that Princess has indicated what furniture is on the balcony - if it's out there, have they changed to description?

[scmexico]

I don't see why the balcony furniture would be a reason to change decks or cancel a cruise.

[paddingtonbear]

I don't see why the balcony furniture would be a reason to change decks or cancel a cruise.

 

Because you pay more for the cabins with the larger balcony and some people are willing to do this if it means they can entertain their friends out there. If there is only enough furniture for two then it is not worth paying the extra.

 

We are specifically going for a mini (and paying extra) so we can entertain friends in the cabin and on the balcony.

[Nancyquilts]

I agree that is odd! Wonder what gives?

Hope you are having a great cruise!

Reader

Thank you. Any cruise is a great cruise.:D

[Tiffany's mom]

I just got a phone call from Princess about my e-mail to Customer service about the furniture changes and other recent changes to the Princess product. Very nice agent. Our complaints are being listened too. It is going up the ladder. So maybe be our caribe balcony furniture will stay the same. I sure hope so.

[scmexico]

Thank you. Any cruise is a great cruise.:D

 

I totally agree!

[Astro Flyer]

I just got a phone call from Princess about my e-mail to Customer service about the furniture changes and other recent changes to the Princess product. Very nice agent. Our complaints are being listened too. It is going up the ladder. So maybe be our caribe balcony furniture will stay the same. I sure hope so.

Thanks for sharing...any cruise line wants to keep their passengers happy but I think that someone badly underestimated the unhappiness the new furniture setup would generate. :eek:

[never2late]

I also received a phone call from a Princess rep regarding the e-mail I wrote to Customer Relations after sailing on the Star Princess. We had a Caribe balcony and were quite upset with the change of furniture from our previous sailing on the Star in 2010. During that cruise, we had a large round table and 4 chairs. The rep told me that at no time was this ever the furniture that would be provided on the Caribe balcony.

 

I pointed out that during the recent cruise that the Aloha and Baja balconies all had large tables and 2 chairs with some having foot rests too. She said the balcony furniture is being replaced as needed, and so some balconies will have the old and some will have the new. I pointed out that I observed that only the Caribe balconies had the new set up.

 

I also mentioned that when I looked at the stateroom presentation on the website, it shows large tables and chairs, even someone having breakfast on their large table out on the balcony. The mini table does not match this image. When we tried to have our lunch out on the balcony, we ended up having to put our food on the floor -- there just wasn't enough room on the new mini-table they have provided. She said that the images seen on the website or only are a representation of what you might find on your balcony -- it is not a promise.

 

We ended the conversation -- she apologizing for my dissatisfaction, but offering no real solutions. I mentioned that she was probably having to make a lot of these phone calls (since I personally had to spoken to several people on the Star who were also upset about the furniture situation on the Caribe deck.) She said that actually this one was the first one she had made to a customer. No one else had complained. Really?

[Astro Flyer]

No one else had complained. Really?

I think it's more likely that they're not calling back everyone who has contacted them about the balcony furniture situation. I generally will receive a reply for the few times I've felt it necessary to contact them but no reply this time. I wonder if they're just tallying up the number of complaints about this change instead of calling back each person unhappy about this change? :rolleyes:

[Dena]

I also received a phone call from a Princess rep regarding the e-mail I wrote to Customer Relations after sailing on the Star Princess. We had a Caribe balcony and were quite upset with the change of furniture from our previous sailing on the Star in 2010. During that cruise, we had a large round table and 4 chairs. The rep told me that at no time was this ever the furniture that would be provided on the Caribe balcony.

 

I pointed out that during the recent cruise that the Aloha and Baja balconies all had large tables and 2 chairs with some having foot rests too. She said the balcony furniture is being replaced as needed, and so some balconies will have the old and some will have the new. I pointed out that I observed that only the Caribe balconies had the new set up.

 

I also mentioned that when I looked at the stateroom presentation on the website, it shows large tables and chairs, even someone having breakfast on their large table out on the balcony. The mini table does not match this image. When we tried to have our lunch out on the balcony, we ended up having to put our food on the floor -- there just wasn't enough room on the new mini-table they have provided. She said that the images seen on the website or only are a representation of what you might find on your balcony -- it is not a promise.

 

We ended the conversation -- she apologizing for my dissatisfaction, but offering no real solutions. I mentioned that she was probably having to make a lot of these phone calls (since I personally had to spoken to several people on the Star who were also upset about the furniture situation on the Caribe deck.) She said that actually this one was the first one she had made to a customer. No one else had complained. Really?

 

Wow. That does not sound promising. In fact, it sounds a bit rude. If Princess has instructed its employees to give such answers, I hold out little hope for the balcony furniture. Have you seen the balcony furniture on Celebrity?

[calbabe]

I also received a phone call from a Princess rep regarding the e-mail I wrote to Customer Relations after sailing on the Star Princess. We had a Caribe balcony and were quite upset with the change of furniture from our previous sailing on the Star in 2010. During that cruise, we had a large round table and 4 chairs. The rep told me that at no time was this ever the furniture that would be provided on the Caribe balcony.

 

I pointed out that during the recent cruise that the Aloha and Baja balconies all had large tables and 2 chairs with some having foot rests too. She said the balcony furniture is being replaced as needed, and so some balconies will have the old and some will have the new. I pointed out that I observed that only the Caribe balconies had the new set up.

 

I also mentioned that when I looked at the stateroom presentation on the website, it shows large tables and chairs, even someone having breakfast on their large table out on the balcony. The mini table does not match this image. When we tried to have our lunch out on the balcony, we ended up having to put our food on the floor -- there just wasn't enough room on the new mini-table they have provided. She said that the images seen on the website or only are a representation of what you might find on your balcony -- it is not a promise.

 

We ended the conversation -- she apologizing for my dissatisfaction, but offering no real solutions. I mentioned that she was probably having to make a lot of these phone calls (since I personally had to spoken to several people on the Star who were also upset about the furniture situation on the Caribe deck.) She said that actually this one was the first one she had made to a customer. No one else had complained. Really?

 

Really? So hard to believe that the Princess Rep could stick to her guns....If called, I think I would have been biting my tongue so hard it would drawn blood!

 

Three of our five cruises in the past two years were in Caribe balcony cabins and the furniture was the same for all..two large chairs, two lounge chairs and a dining-height table and we USED our balcony. I was shocked when I read on CC that our next two cruises, both on Cariibe, will have the new furniture. We love Princess, but this is very disappointing! :(

[JimmyVWine]

Yes, mattresses and carpets get changed but it’s a replacement of what existed. The mattresses and carpets don’t shrink in size and quantity. I don’t think people are upset because the furniture is being changed but because it has been reduced from four to two chairs and the table have shrunk to miniature....

 

Princess doesn’t really own anyone an explanation for their business decisions but would it be ask too much from Princess to keep us before hand informed of changes that may affect our decision making???

I understand your frustration, but I was answering a different question. The question posed was: Why was the furniture switched out in the first place? It was probably switched due to wear and tear. I have no idea why they shrunk it both in size and quantity. But that wasn't the question. What seems certain, however, is that Princess would not have tossed perfectly good furniture into the trash just to make folks upset. Even if that was part of the master plan, they would still have waited until the furniture was due for replacement.

[novice99]

I understand your frustration, but I was answering a different question. The question posed was: Why was the furniture switched out in the first place? It was probably switched due to wear and tear. I have no idea why they shrunk it both in size and quantity. But that wasn't the question. What seems certain, however, is that Princess would not have tossed perfectly good furniture into the trash just to make folks upset. Even if that was part of the master plan, they would still have waited until the furniture was due for replacement.

 

Yes, I am frustrated.

I totally agree that this or any other changes are never made for the purpose to upset customers.

[bdjam]

We ended the conversation -- she apologizing for my dissatisfaction, but offering no real solutions. I mentioned that she was probably having to make a lot of these phone calls (since I personally had to spoken to several people on the Star who were also upset about the furniture situation on the Caribe deck.) She said that actually this one was the first one she had made to a customer. No one else had complained. Really?

 

I would imagine that the number of people complaining about balcony furniture would be a small percentage of the overall customer traffic Princess deals with every day.

[Square]

I would imagine that the number of people complaining about balcony furniture would be a small percentage of the overall customer traffic Princess deals with every day.

Possible, but that would also be because several people do not know what has happened. Most cruisers aren't patrolling boards like this daily. If they had paid for a caribe balcony previously they are going to assume that the same deck furniture is going to be there. Many just haven't realized yet that they made a switch and will probably be frustrated when they find out. The cost of deck furniture really must be a minimal thing so I don't see why Princess would want to make a change that gets such negative reviews. The potential cost savings must be small and just a few less people paying for the Caribe balconies would eat into any potential cost savings.

[novice99]

Aren't all mini suites getting the 'new' furniture as well?

[never2late]

I asked the rep about mini-suite furniture since we have booked mini-suites for future cruises. She said that the same 2 chairs and mini-table will be provided.:(Only Suite balconies will receive the upgraded furniture.)

 

What kind of balcony furniture is provided on other lines?