New balcony furniture on Caribe deck on Grand

[PLW0520]

With the recategorization there is no different price for Caribe over Aloha or Baja for the same fore-aft location. My guess is that is why all the furniture is now the same two chairs and a cocktail table. Minisuites furniture seems to be untouched.

 

I have a BA cabin booked on the Caribe deck for next Apr and I just checked the prices on the Princess website. The same cabin on the Baja deck is much less than the one I have booked.

[as19111]

Anyone know? What kind of furniture is on the minisuites now? (I am thinkinking of Emerald).

 

On the January 17 sailing of the Coral Princess, we had a mid-ship mini-suite. The deck furniture was changed to two chairs as pictured at the top of the thread) and 2 footstools and 1 table that is the same size as the previous table but solid surface (not cutout like the former). I like the furniture and the footstools but I also think two more chairs should be provided.

 

I posted a similar comment a few pages ago.

[cherylandtk]

I have a BA cabin booked on the Caribe deck for next Apr and I just checked the prices on the Princess website. The same cabin on the Baja deck is much less than the one I have booked.

That is because you are booked on the Emerald on April 6, 2013 and the recategorization on the Emerald goes into effect on April 25, 2013. Until then BA's are only found on Caribe and Lido and not on Baja or Aloha. After April 25, 2013 Caribe deck will contain B4, BA, BB, BD and BE cabins. As will Baja and Aloha. Cabins of the same grade are the same price.

[twocats]

First email sent to customer service, the expected response for a wait of 24 hrs. Another just sent to abuckelew@princesscruises.com . Let's send a many as possible! Hopefully he will listen to our comments and agree.

[kendon]

Usually companies want to improve their product but Princess lately is going the other way. What are they thinking? I will send a email out about this. Please keep posting here so this post stays on the top of the lit' date=' maybe the Princesss people that read CC will take notice we do not like the new furniture.

 

We always book the caribe deck for the larger balcony and 4 chairs and a table to eat breakfast on.

 

Come on Princess get real and give your customers what they want![/quote']

 

I tend to agree that Princess is not keeping up in terms of quality. Lately, in the "best of" lists, Princess never makes the cut....

[DShock]

Removing the plastic blue mat is a big mistake. Sorry to hear they did that!

[novice99]

Just sent an e-mail to Mr. Buckelew.

We are booked on the Emerald in a Caribe deck balcony. I am curious if anyone has received a reply yet.

[seafish]

Removing the plastic blue mat is a big mistake. Sorry to hear they did that!

 

Absolutely agree - on recent Grand cruise our balcony was a dirty mess. At least the Blue Deck Pads covered some of the dirt & water-wash-down from above decks and was cooler on the feet. Really cut down on our valued balcony use. We were told that the mats were removed due to a weight issue - what? Guess removing Skywalkers was not enough. Love Princess ship-side but IMO -a huge Princess mistake corporate-side.

[calbabe]

Absolutely agree - on recent Grand cruise our balcony was a dirty mess. At least the Blue Deck Pads covered some of the dirt & water-wash-down from above decks and was cooler on the feet. Really cut down on our valued balcony use.

Bottom line...I'm really bummed! We sail to Hawaii on the Star in less than a month. We have a Caribe balcony next to family and will open the door between the two. Normally, we would spend a great deal of time on the balcony because it was so inviting....From the picture I've seen with the forlorn passenger sitting up straight in a pseudo lounge chair gazing sadly out to sea, with only a waste basket size table on which to place a room service meal ??? No beautiful mat.... I've really lost my enthusiasm for this trip! :(

(Guess I'll have to spend more time in the bar...) :D

[twocats]

Please write to Alex, let's get this changed!

[jeeper2]

Just emailed Mr. Buckelew. This is much more disturbing to me than no lunch served in the dining room on port days!

[Megalon]

All very disappointing. Returned in January from a wonderful cruise on Ruby in a Caribe balcony. Just sent the following email to abuckalew.

 

 

As you may already know, a thread about the balcony furniture transition for Caribe deck balconies has become a hotbed on Cruise Critic. There have been pictures and descriptions of the new furniture, cutting back from two reclining chairs, two chairs, and a reasonable table to two uncomfortable recliners, no other chairs or footstools, and a table of comical size. Also described is the removal of the mat leaving a dark painted floor that gets too hot, wet, and dirty.

 

There have been no positive reviews of the change.

 

My cruising preference has skewed towards Princess. We have cruised Princess three times in the last two years. We first had a mini-suite, then a late-booked L interior on the Caribbean, and recently a Caribe balcony on Ruby. The Caribe balcony sold us. We bought four future cruise credits on that cruise and were currently planning our next Princess cruise.

 

Again, our cabin of choice may no longer be what we experienced. I could not, would not book such a pleasant balcony gutted by the change in furniture. And I'm really not interested in another category.

 

Also, the posts are rife with suspicion which I share. It seems that every attempt is being made to make the balcony less of a place to spend time, without even a space for two cups or drinks and a small snack. This is especially disheartening since the pleasant change in smoking policy makes balconies finally a place to enjoy.

 

Sincerely, if it is a change contemplated for any ship I am considering, I will not book. If fleet wide, unless there is a remote chance of my booking an interior cabin (now smoke-free on all lines), I will be looking to Celebrity for my cruise needs.

 

Please do not take this as a "I'll take my ball and go home" spoiled brat response/seeming threat. It is just the reality I feel about such a change. It's like New Coke that pushed customers towards drinking Pepsi.

 

Regular Princess cruisers are not pleased; I am not pleased.

[JimmyVWine]

This was asked way back on page one, but was never answered. Are they adding a third or fourth chair for cabins booked and occupied as triples or quads? If a third passenger is paying to be in the room, shouldn't it be expected that all three will want to enjoy the balcony?

[twocats]

Perhaps you can find a "live" thread and contact someone currently on a ship to ask the quesion. Love to know the answer as well.

[Gettingwarmer]

All very disappointing. Returned in January from a wonderful cruise on Ruby in a Caribe balcony. Just sent the following email to abuckalew.

 

 

As you may already know, a thread about the balcony furniture transition for Caribe deck balconies has become a hotbed on Cruise Critic. There have been pictures and descriptions of the new furniture, cutting back from two reclining chairs, two chairs, and a reasonable table to two uncomfortable recliners, no other chairs or footstools, and a table of comical size. Also described is the removal of the mat leaving a dark painted floor that gets too hot, wet, and dirty.

 

There have been no positive reviews of the change.

 

My cruising preference has skewed towards Princess. We have cruised Princess three times in the last two years. We first had a mini-suite, then a late-booked L interior on the Caribbean, and recently a Caribe balcony on Ruby. The Caribe balcony sold us. We bought four future cruise credits on that cruise and were currently planning our next Princess cruise.

 

Again, our cabin of choice may no longer be what we experienced. I could not, would not book such a pleasant balcony gutted by the change in furniture. And I'm really not interested in another category.

 

Also, the posts are rife with suspicion which I share. It seems that every attempt is being made to make the balcony less of a place to spend time, without even a space for two cups or drinks and a small snack. This is especially disheartening since the pleasant change in smoking policy makes balconies finally a place to enjoy.

 

Sincerely, if it is a change contemplated for any ship I am considering, I will not book. If fleet wide, unless there is a remote chance of my booking an interior cabin (now smoke-free on all lines), I will be looking to Celebrity for my cruise needs.

 

Please do not take this as a "I'll take my ball and go home" spoiled brat response/seeming threat. It is just the reality I feel about such a change. It's like New Coke that pushed customers towards drinking Pepsi.

 

Regular Princess cruisers are not pleased; I am not pleased.

 

I started this thread and this is exactly how I feel. I have FCCs to use but Princess does not appeal to me at all at the moment.

I have cruised on other lines with couches in their cabins and liked the comfort but missed the Caribe balcony. Now this is furnished with such poor uncomfortable furniture I feel I may not use my FCCS and move to other lines. There are cabins with couches on the new Royal but at a premium, the other cabins furnished as usual. Now you have flatscreen TVs on the wall they could have made better use of space.

 

I want to relax in my cabin and on my balcony when I cruise, not go in busy lounges and noisy pool areas.

[psklak]

email sent!:mad::mad:

[cruiserus]

My DH (a travel agent) was on the phone today to book a future cruise on Caribe deck for us. I told him to ask about the furniture change. The person he spoke with said the brochure showed 4 chairs and big table and he didn't know of any changes. My DH then told him I had heard about the change here on CC and that there is a thread with photos and a ton of complaints. He also told them he was gloing to stop referring customers to cabins on that deck if the furniture change continued. I am drafting my e-mail to the president of Princess now.

[bigblue2]

With the recategorization there is no different price for Caribe over Aloha or Baja for the same fore-aft location. My guess is that is why all the furniture is now the same two chairs and a cocktail table. Minisuites furniture seems to be untouched.

Mini-suites furniture has also been replaced with the same uncomfortable chairs (2) and (2) footstools and a large table on the Grand. I'm not liking this change either. I hope someone will post a photo of this also

[mafig]

I was over at the Celebrity boards and they're complaining (with good reason) that the reclining loungers on their aft balconies have been removed "for safety reasons."

[cormike1]

We are booked on the Island in November and have a Caribe deck booked. This is our 4th Princess cruise and I have always paid the extra for the Caribe deck and thought it was worth it. I read about the 1/2 covered, 1/2 uncovered right here on CC and once experienced it, love it. But I also love it because my DH and I order room service breakfast every morning and eat it out on our balcony in the covered part, nice and private for wearing just your pj's. The table was the right height for the steward to put the tray on. We also loved coming back and relaxing with our feet up on the extra 2 chairs and our lounge backs on our chairs, down a bit. What a great way to watch the ocean sail by. I was looking at the picture of the new furniture and painted floor and I am so disappointed. Why bother paying the extra if we aren't going to be able to enjoy breakfast out there. I have been known to move around furniture sometimes so I guess the table and tub chair in the room are going out on the deck, along with the blue striped towels as I love to go barefoot in the sumer weather. That is if I decide to stay with the Caribe deck. I just might go for a covered balcony elsewhere that costs way less. My e-mail is being sent as soon as I get off here!!!! Are you listening Princess?????

[Gettingwarmer]

We are booked on the Island in November and have a Caribe deck booked. This is our 4th Princess cruise and I have always paid the extra for the Caribe deck and thought it was worth it. I read about the 1/2 covered, 1/2 uncovered right here on CC and once experienced it, love it. But I also love it because my DH and I order room service breakfast every morning and eat it out on our balcony in the covered part, nice and private for wearing just your pj's. The table was the right height for the steward to put the tray on. We also loved coming back and relaxing with our feet up on the extra 2 chairs and our lounge backs on our chairs, down a bit. What a great way to watch the ocean sail by. I was looking at the picture of the new furniture and painted floor and I am so disappointed. Why bother paying the extra if we aren't going to be able to enjoy breakfast out there. I have been known to move around furniture sometimes so I guess the table and tub chair in the room are going out on the deck, along with the blue striped towels as I love to go barefoot in the sumer weather. That is if I decide to stay with the Caribe deck. I just might go for a covered balcony elsewhere that costs way less. My e-mail is being sent as soon as I get off here!!!! Are you listening Princess?????

 

They should listen. We are angry!

[DSavard]

The new table reminds me of the piece that's placed in a pizza box to keep the cheese from sticking to the box top!!

 

I hope Princess doesn't decide to furnish Mini suites the same a standard rooms and have a huge unused space there also...kidding

[RebelSoul]

Mini-suites furniture has also been replaced with the same uncomfortable chairs (2) and (2) footstools and a large table on the Grand. I'm not liking this change either. I hope someone will post a photo of this also

 

Ditto! We just booked a 10 day sailing in a mini-suite and would like to see the balcony furniture as soon as possible so I can make some informed decisions if we are keeping this sailing or not. We spend a ton of time on our balconies and comfort and proper balcony furniture are a must. Looks like I'll be emailing Princess tomorrow to complain. We have a Caribe balcony on the CB next month. :mad:

[suzyed]

I started this thread and this is exactly how I feel. I have FCCs to use but Princess does not appeal to me at all at the moment.

I have cruised on other lines with couches in their cabins and liked the comfort but missed the Caribe balcony. Now this is furnished with such poor uncomfortable furniture I feel I may not use my FCCS and move to other lines. There are cabins with couches on the new Royal but at a premium, the other cabins furnished as usual. Now you have flatscreen TVs on the wall they could have made better use of space.

 

I want to relax in my cabin and on my balcony when I cruise, not go in busy lounges and noisy pool areas.

 

After all, we are paying a premium for these cabins, with the expectation that we will be using the balconies frequently....why else book a balcony? It makes not sense, that they are now less user friendly! :(

[Gettingwarmer]

After all, we are paying a premium for these cabins, with the expectation that we will be using the balconies frequently....why else book a balcony? It makes not sense, that they are now less user friendly! :(

 

This is exactly how I feel. I book a balcony for privacy and comfort and the Caribe were the best, Not so now!