Royal Princess Pre Maiden Cruise

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Booking process was a mess yesterday

 

first it was hard to get through,

 

next computers were not taking payments,

 

system was sending out loads of repeat e mails confirming booking

 

you could not log in later to Princess web site to check booking

 

many who had booked with a TA for maiden

 

tried to book pre maiden with Princess and got told to go to their TA instead,

 

the only good thing was we got a price reduction when we were able to book

 

over all not a good day for Princess

 

 

now if the posh cabins on the 14th are locked out, do we assume loads of

 

VIPs Princess big guns, ship yard boss etc god mother ?

 

if the port dates are right it looks like before pre maiden there are other trips, to no where are these for media and TAs.

 

 

She is sailing almost full from ship yard, so expect crew will have plenty of time to practice, getting things right, plus she has her sea trials to go through

 

was told that kitchens will be up and running well before ship sails, so workers will be used to practice food on etc.

 

expect the inside cabins will be well used by the time maiden cruise comes around.

 

yours Shogun

[dmwnc1959]

...because we definitely were not expecting to pay $1153 for a 2 day preview cruise in a category BE.

 

It's pretty much exactly what Cunard is asking around that same time frame for a 2-nt cruise across the English Channel in a balcony on Queen Mary 2.

 

Royal Princess is the new flagship for Princess Cruises and a brand new ship (QM2 is now nine years past her maiden voyage yet roughly the same size), and Royal Princess isn't going to be the 10th ship of the Grand-class design, so maybe they are looking at it as sort of a privilege? No one has actually seen the finished product yet, can't say how stunning or mediocre it's going to be, and have no idea of what level of service Princess Cruises is going to go 'above and beyond' for these first paying guests.

 

Traditionally new hotel and restaurant staff begin arriving a couple of weeks before the ship makes its final departure from the shipyard. From what I understand only the 'best of the best' in Princess staff are selected for a new flagship. Many of the dining venues and eateries are going to be very familiar to the staff onboard Royal Princess since some of it is simply expanded, combined, or grander. Even brand new venues aren't so 'out of this world' different that they're going to freak out and cause service issues.

 

And since the ship will have roughly a week after leaving the shipyard and before it gets to Southampton to embark those first guests, I'm sure they'll be testing out all of the passenger service functions on each other (and the huge multitudes of corporate and shipyard members tagging along) since the crew will already be aboard.

[dmwnc1959]

Hi All

 

She is sailing almost full from ship yard, so expect crew will have plenty of time to practice, getting things right, plus she has her sea trials to go through

 

was told that kitchens will be up and running well before ship sails, so workers will be used to practice food on etc.

 

yours Shogun

 

 

You and I were thinking alike in these aspects! :D

[IECalCruiser]

Our steward from our recent Island Princess cruise will be joining the Royal on May 22. How does that date compare to when she leaves the shipyard?

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

 

Royal due Southampton on 9th, so expect three day to get there.

 

Depends on what sea trials they want to do

 

yours Shogun

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

I see on the roll call,

 

todays sales sold out in 10 minutes.

 

looks like a lot of folks want to be on the pre maiden cruises

 

yours Shogun

[IECalCruiser]

Hi There

 

 

Royal due Southampton on 9th, so expect three day to get there.

 

Depends on what sea trials they want to do

 

yours Shogun

Any idea when she is scheduled to depart the Fincantieri shipyard?

[pablo222]

They go out for 2 days, then they come back for 3 days off in which they critique everything that went wrong over the first trial.

 

And yet, there are people -- many here -- who want to know the

exact hour these go on sale, so they can purchase.

 

Another reason to offer these -- if there is a shipyard delay,

the preview cruises can easily be scrapped.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Understand the pre maiden cruises are almost sold out,

 

yours Shogun