TA doesn't want to book princess cruise

[beamqueen]

Hello-So I have posted a few times on cruise critic about our upcoming Alaskan cruise in 2014. We have gone back and forth about which cruise line/itinerary to pick. In my head I had narrowed it down to a few cruises with Princess or Celebrity being strong possibilities.Today I met with our TA for the first time and when I mentioned a Princess cruise she told me that she would book it if we REALLY wanted it but said we would probably really dislike it. I inquired as to why and she told me that the clientele is all older and there are few activities on board. She told me that we were much more suited for Norwegian or Royal Caribbean because of our age.My question is-- are there many younger couples who have enjoyed Princess cruises? We are going to be 24 and 25 at the time of our cruise. Based on my research I had thought Princess would be a wonderful choice...but she had me wondering a bit.Any input would be wonderful!

[whw]

I think you need a new TA. I just finished a Princess Cruise and the nice thing is that there are people of all ages. If you want only young people, then you might be better on Carnival. I am 51 and I like the fact that there are people of many age groups.

[pablo222]

We are going to be 24 and 25 at the time of our cruise. Based on my research I had thought Princess would be a wonderful choice...but she had me wondering a bit.Any input would be wonderful!

 

I think that most 25 year olds would enjoy more night life

-- like Royal Carribbean or Carnival.

 

By asking on the princess board, you will get princess replies.

You might want to also ask on the royal caribbean board.

[southpawsdakota]

I am going with 8 family members ranging in age from me being old and two in their 20's and 4 in their 30's. none of them were interested in cruise lines with water slides or possibility of lots of kids. This will be their first cruise and my 20th and 13th for DH. Our 3rd Alaskan cruise all on Princess. Check the roll call for the cruise date you are thinking of taking. Good Luck, you will love Alaska.

[Gunner22aa]

.. you need a new TA. I KNOW you do! Your TA is there to provide advice based upon their best knowledge of the product and you. They are not however the bottom line. It's your time, your trip and unless the TA is offering to pay it's your hard earned coin as well. My TA once told me she didn't think we would like our Princess experience as much as another line we had cruised on but once we told her we wanted to give it a go she was all in and did everything in her power to get us what we wanted. We now cruise Princess exclusivly, still use the same TA and she knows exactly what we want when we book so all I need tell her is the itinerary we want. If she can't get what we want she comes back with viable Princess options.

[runnerodb83]

Hello-So I have posted a few times on cruise critic about our upcoming Alaskan cruise in 2014. We have gone back and forth about which cruise line/itinerary to pick. In my head I had narrowed it down to a few cruises with Princess or Celebrity being strong possibilities.Today I met with our TA for the first time and when I mentioned a Princess cruise she told me that she would book it if we REALLY wanted it but said we would probably really dislike it. I inquired as to why and she told me that the clientele is all older and there are few activities on board. She told me that we were much more suited for Norwegian or Royal Caribbean because of our age.My question is-- are there many younger couples who have enjoyed Princess cruises? We are going to be 24 and 25 at the time of our cruise. Based on my research I had thought Princess would be a wonderful choice...but she had me wondering a bit.Any input would be wonderful!

 

My wife and i are in our late 20s and we enjoy princess quite a bit. I think Princess and Celebrity are very similar. I'm wondering if your agent gets a better commission from Celebrity? Anyways, NCL, RCCL, and Carnival have more of a party atmosphere which we have enjoyed, but lately we like princess the best, we find it a nice compromise. I like it for the food which I generally find very good and not food that I could easily get around home or I would make. I enjoy the several heated pools on many of their ships, the large gyms, and the big movie screen over the pool. I'm pretty independant however and sometimes just like to listen to music and read while watching the ocean go by. My wife on the other hand needs to be entertained and she enjoys the kareoke group, the pop idol shows, the comedians, and the production shows. We both love the international cafe and the fact the buffet is open all day and till midnight (the IC is open 24hrs). On HAL, we were disspointed when we saw that the buffet closed between meals.

 

WHen we went to south america, we were probably the youngest or second youngest of the english speakers, but it was a lot of fun still.

 

For alaska, you will find many families, and in general, alaska isnt a party destination, but its a great place to explore. The nice thing about being younger, is you can "rough" alaska a bit more perhaps. I love hiking so I would go each day and hike my own trail after doing a tour with the ship and my wife.

 

There are plusses and minuses to every line, we find that princess meets our expectations of what a cruise should be better than most other lines, so we stick with them.

[MauiLvrs]

My question is-- are there many younger couples who have enjoyed Princess cruises? We are going to be 24 and 25 at the time of our cruise. Based on my research I had thought Princess would be a wonderful choice...but she had me wondering a bit.Any input would be wonderful!

It depends a lot on what is important to you... Given a choice. We'd rather be with older folks that lots of kids :eek:

Alaska tends to have a younger demographic across most lines than they generally would.

 

Over our years cruising here is where we are at....

• We like the entertainment best on RCL
  
• NCL Freestyle isn't for us.
  
• We like the food best on HAL
  
• We like shore packages through Princess
  
• When we were younger ... we didn't mind hanging out with older folks
  
• Now that we're becoming the older folks .. we don't mind hanging out with the younger folks
  
• Overall cruise experience ... we still are happy with Princess. :D
  

 

For Alaska I would guess that as you said you did your homework and thought that it would be a good fit for you I would guess that you would enjoy Alaska on Princess.

 

I think you need a new TA. ....

That was my first thought too... But not necessarily a bad suggestion if rock walls and such are important to you.

 

There are plusses and minuses to every line, we find that princess meets our expectations of what a cruise should be better than most other lines, so we stick with them.

We would sum it up much the same way.

[beamqueen]

Thanks for some quick replies! We are not opposed at all to different age groups and many different people! She just made it sound like there was nothing to do on the ship and we would be completely bored. I have browsed many different threads and didn't get that feeling at all, but she seemed so insistent that we might not have the best time on a Princess cruise.

[wander]

I agree with most of the comments. I simply wanted to make one correction to a bit of mis-information. On HAL, the whole buffet does NOT close between lunch and dinner. The Salad Bar, Sandwich Bar, outdoor grill and pizza bar do not close when the hot dishes part of the buffet closes after lunch. Yes, choices are cut way back, but still a lot to choose from. (Current as of May 2013).

[zacc]

Alaska is about the experience!! Truth be told the average age on an Alaskan cruise will always lean toward an older demographic. Princess wins awards annually for their Alaskan cruises. This is because of their experience and permits which allow them to go where some lines can not. An Alaskan cruise simply doesn't have the same "party atmosphere" that a Caribbean cruise has....the natural beauty and awesome views make it a much more inspiring cruise. Your TA may have thought they were giving you sound advice, however, in this case I believe they have given you incorrect information. Step up from the neons and waterslides....your Alaskan cruise on Princess will be unforgettable!!

[hubofhockey]

TA was providing good general advice. Princess and Celebrity are more geared to middle aged customers. I would advise 25 year olds to look at Royal Caribbean first, unless itineraries and pricing are more favorable elsewhere.

[Dayenu]

Hello-So I have posted a few times on cruise critic about our upcoming Alaskan cruise in 2014. We have gone back and forth about which cruise line/itinerary to pick. In my head I had narrowed it down to a few cruises with Princess or Celebrity being strong possibilities.Today I met with our TA for the first time and when I mentioned a Princess cruise she told me that she would book it if we REALLY wanted it but said we would probably really dislike it. I inquired as to why and she told me that the clientele is all older and there are few activities on board. She told me that we were much more suited for Norwegian or Royal Caribbean because of our age.My question is-- are there many younger couples who have enjoyed Princess cruises? We are going to be 24 and 25 at the time of our cruise. Based on my research I had thought Princess would be a wonderful choice...but she had me wondering a bit.Any input would be wonderful!

 

There must be another reason for her not to book you with Princess, like agreement with RCI is more favorable for that TA. There are always young people going to Alaska alongside of older ones. Get a new TA or do your own booking.

[Pam in CA]

I agree with the others that you need a new TA. She should know that Princess and HAL have the best infrastructure in Alaska as they've cruised there the longest and have the permits to sail into Glacier Bay, which Celebrity and RCCL don't. Glacier Bay is one of the "must do's." In other words, if you want to see Alaska, book on a cruise line that goes to Glacier Bay and has the best Alaskan experience.

 

If you do book Princess with your TA, make sure she gives you a nice discount in addition to OBC and other perks. You can save 10-20% with a TA that books a high volume of Princess cruises, and get OBC. If your TA won't give you a discount and OBC, you absolutely, positively need a new TA.

[JustinPlusLauren]

I've been sailing on Princess since I was 22 and I'm taking my 5th cruise next year (I'll be 31). I've always enjoyed Princess and it would take a lot for me to consider another cruise line I enjoy it so much! Friends of mine who are the same age as me have also enjoyed cruising with Princess!

[cruisequeen4ever]

My hubby and I have been cruising together since our early 20s (in our early 30s now), and we have always cruised Princess with the exception of 1 Carnival cruise with friends and 1 Cunard cruise. We choose Princess for the consistent quality, peaceful, elegant atmosphere, beautiful ships, nice fellow passengers, safety onboard, and delicious cuisine. We are not into wild partying and do not like seeing drunk people stumbling down the hall, so Princess suits us well. There's plenty for us to do to be entertained, and we can still hear cool music in the disco; we just don't dance because the dance floor's usually empty! Lol SO, if you want to try Princess, DO IT! :D You might just be hooked!

[CruisinChris]

I agree with many posters here. If you have been doing your homework and Princess is what speaks to you, then that's what you should do. I can tell you that Princess is absolutely the best choice for Alaska. They have the best itineraries and the best infrastructure of any line.

 

I started cruising Princess in my early 30s, when not many folks my age (or younger) were cruising. That's not the case any more and Alaska defintely attracts a very diverse passenger load.

 

Regarding TAs - please do not feel constrained to use some one in your hometown. You will likely do much better in pricing and service by shopping around with some of the "cruise only" agencies. Check out the "find a cruise" section on this website to get an idea of who to call - or check the ads in Porthole Magazine or Cruise Travel Magazine. Many of these agencies are full-service - you can still call in, consult with an agent, etc. Most of them are high volume agencies and will offer significant savings over what you see on the Princess website. It's ok to shop around - you might try cruise compete - you tell them what you are interested in and different agencies will provide you with pricing. They are not a travel agency - just a place to do comparison shopping.

 

I wish you luck and know you will have a fantastic trip with Princess to Alaska. Let us know if you need more help. There are tons of helpful and very experienced travelers here. :)

[cibaygirls]

I had used my travel agent for land based vacations for myself for many years for fun trips with all of my friends. When I started using her to book trips for me and my boyfriend (now my DH) we booked some trips and then one year inquired about a cruise to Alaska. She immediately said that Princess was the way to go!! We were in our mid 20s at the time and had a fabulous trip. We have taken several cruises with Princess afterwards and still love it

 

No, it was not the party trip like I have done on Carnival, but as others have mentioned, Alaska is about the experience. We were the youngest of couples on board but that did not affect the trip at all.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Considering that Princess and HAL are considered the best cruise lines for Alaskan cruises (aside from the specialty/premium small lines), it seems that TA isn't giving you good advice by telling you not to try Princess. I'm guessing she must have other reasons (such as financial for her), unless you said you wanted a ship with the rock climbing walls/ice skating rinks, etc.

 

As for activities, on sea days, there will be a ton of activities. Again, you won't be climbing walls, but there's volleyball/basketball courts up high if that's your thing. Also a covered pool on many of the ships that go to Alaska. There's the usual bingo, trivia, games, seminars, night time shows, day time entertainment in the Piazza...

 

And there is a range of ages on board. If you go between mid-June and late August, a number of school aged kids (but on sea days, most will be doing arts and crafts, playing games, etc. in the kids' program) will be on the cruise. So the median age may not be "dead."

 

I will follow the others posting here and find a different TA. You may end up wanting to drop the current one a note next year and tell her she was completely wrong.

[JimmyVWine]

I agree with the others that you need a new TA. She should know that Princess and HAL have the best infrastructure in Alaska as they've cruised there the longest and have the permits to sail into Glacier Bay, which Celebrity and RCCL don't. Glacier Bay is one of the "must do's." In other words, if you want to see Alaska, book on a cruise line that goes to Glacier Bay and has the best Alaskan experience.

 

This! Your TA may be giving you generic (and stereotypical, but not necessarily untrue) advice, but when it comes to Alaska, throw all the stereotypes and preconceived notions off the stern and stick with Princess (or HAL). You have done your homework and you should get an "A". I'm sorry if I sound like a cheerleader, but nobody in the large ship, mid-range price category beats Princess when it comes to the overall Alaska experience. Best itineraries. Best ports. Best glacier days. If the TA thinks that people need to climb rock walls on the ship and careen down the ship's zip lines and water slides while on an Alaskan cruise, I would think that they need to re-think their client's vacation plans. It is true that other cruise lines have more "activities" like this than Princess, and yes, these activities appeal more to the younger set. But is that what you are going for? Sounds like you have figured this all out, so don't let your TA persuade you otherwise.

 

If you read the "Ports of Call" boards here on CC, (which are not Princess-biased but instead contain input from passengers of all cruise lines), it becomes clear that most of what people find to be the "best" of Alaska can be found by taking a cruise with Princess.

[sherryf]

You should base you choice of an Alaskan cruise on itinerary. The demographics on Alaskan cruises tend to be very similar, regardless of cruise line. I've been on both Carnival and Princess to Alaska and they were very much the same. Lots of families and lots of older people. Also, Alaska tends to be port intensive, so people go to bed early and get up early. Not a whole lot of night life.

 

Your TA doesn't seem to know much about Alaskan cruises. I agree that you probably need a TA that knows more about Alaska.

[finnkle]

My wife and I are both 25 so hopefully I can give you some good advice. Princess does tend to cater to a more mature audience but it really depends on what type of cruise you plan to have. If you want to stay out late, drink, and meet lots of other younger people, then I would say look at Carnival or Royal Caribbean. But if that type of younger crowd that drinks and stay up to all hours isn't the cruise you are looking for, than Princess may be for you.

 

My wife and I really love Princess because there are very few young childen (under 10) but with that being said, we would like to try Royal Caribbean just to get a feel for how that line is in comparison.

[OCruisers]

:eek: As others have said, you need a new TA!

 

Princess wins awards for their cruises to Alaska. There'll be enough to do in the evenings to keep you from being bored. Go with Princess and have a great time! :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[MauiLvrs]

I will follow the others posting here and find a different TA. ...

Or ... of you like doing your own research ... just book it with Princess. It does have the advantage that you have direct access to your booking and don't have to call the TA to call Princess who then will tell the TA what to call and tell you... so you can decide and have the TA call Princess and tell them what you decided. Geeeezzz :eek: No wonder why we like having access to our own booking. After writing that ... I'd have to say book it with Princess ;)

 

You should base you choice of an Alaskan cruise on itinerary. ...

Which is how we wound up on HAL. It was the only cruise that Left from Canada Place AND went to Glacier Bay AND went to Tracy Arm

[trikeman]

The first time I cruised Princess the TA tried to talk me out of it. She kept telling me I would be happier on a different cruise line. I asked her if she cruised on the other cruise line and she said "Yes, all the time". Have you ever cruised on Princess "No, but I've heard a lot of things". Maybe the TA's judgement on which line to use is based on what they have cruised on and they have never been on Princess.

[COMBOY]

Hello-So I have posted a few times on cruise critic about our upcoming Alaskan cruise in 2014. We have gone back and forth about which cruise line/itinerary to pick. In my head I had narrowed it down to a few cruises with Princess or Celebrity being strong possibilities.Today I met with our TA for the first time and when I mentioned a Princess cruise she told me that she would book it if we REALLY wanted it but said we would probably really dislike it. I inquired as to why and she told me that the clientele is all older and there are few activities on board. She told me that we were much more suited for Norwegian or Royal Caribbean because of our age.My question is-- are there many younger couples who have enjoyed Princess cruises? We are going to be 24 and 25 at the time of our cruise. Based on my research I had thought Princess would be a wonderful choice...but she had me wondering a bit.Any input would be wonderful!

 

Well, here's my take. Look, if you want to go on Princess and you've done your homework then fine...book Princess. It's a great cruise line. Just find a different TA or call Princess and book it directly. I've cruised Alaska. It's a beautiful place, but isn't a sun and party destination. Most people in their 20's want pools, beaches and late night life cruising to destination like the Caribbean or Mexico. Alaska caters to a more mature clientele that like cool sunny weather. In general Alaskan cruisers are early to rise; early to bed crowd as it's very port intensive and people go there mostly for the scenery and on shore tours. A majority of passengers (no matter what line you go on) will be 50+, but families, kids, solos and some younger folks will be on boards too. Night life past 10PM is quiet. Don't expect a hoping packed disco like a Caribbean cruise. I know because I went on a Celebrity cruise in August which is similar to Princess and it was pretty sedate. I think the age demographic on RCI and NCL might be tad more diverse and that's why your TA is trying to push you towards those lines. I don't blame her. She doesn't want you to come back and complain to her that it was just all old people and nothing to do. If you do Alaska I'd stick with Jun, Jul or Aug sailings as this is when most kids on out of school and you will find more families and kids. As long as you know you will be in the minority age wise then you should be fine. But who knows you may hit it luck and go on a sailing that's very diverse in ages.