Just off Caribbean Princess - My booze package experience

[weneedavacationasap]

I just returned from a 5 day sailing on Caribbean Princess and had the booze package. This was a Spring break cruise and shorter itinerary than we've previously done with Princess. Bar service was horrible. There were multiple times I waited 30+ mins for a drink. The majority of the bartenders were not personable whatsoever and wait staff by the pool non-existent. I did find a few spots with exceptional service but not in bars I would normally frequent. I heard multiple complaints regarding attitude of bartenders and length of wait for service. Even in the buffet I had several lunches that drinks didn't come to me until I had finished eating!

 

There were multiple other issues onboard as well.... Buffets not good, main dining not great, awful embarkation waiting, long waits for elevators.

 

I am not giving up on Princess yet and will just hope this is a one time deal with them, but I must say I was quite embarrassed for recommending this to our traveling companions. They said, and sadly I agree, carnival was better (gasp!)

[weneedavacationasap]

It seemed lots of people were sharing the package. I heard this several times. I have a feeling the days of only one person per room getting it will soon be over

[joeyancho]

WOW! If carnival is better, it must have been Incredibly bad.

[Kenswing]

You didn't tell us anything about the drink package experience, only how bad you found the service, buffet and dining room and that the embarkation and elevator waits were not to your liking..

 

So how was that booze package?

[Willman]

Just off a Golden 3 nighter. The drink waiters were everywhere looking for business and the bar tenders looked bored.

 

If I would have had a drink package I am sure I would have been "over-served". :cool:

[JimmyVWine]

You didn't tell us anything about the drink package experience, only how bad you found the service, buffet and dining room and that the embarkation and elevator waits were not to your liking..

 

So how was that booze package?

But they did. The point of all of this is...Once Princess captures your money in the form of the drink package, service drops off to the point of being nonexistent. And if you can't get a drink, then paying for the package is a bad bet. This is an unfortunate but not uncommon side effect of pre-paid packages. The bartenders figure that they aren't going to get any revenue from the folks sitting at the bar (especially once they recognized who already has a package), so they go into hibernation mode.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

I probably think the crowded bars were the fact that it's spring break which could account for the big wait on drinks. I got to meet many of the bar tenders on the CB during a much less crowded time & found them all to be efficient & friendly.

Sharing of the drink plan on our cruise was also evident but it didn't seem to slow down the process of service although I always went to the bar most times to get mine.

[FawnRiver]

But they did. The point of all of this is...Once Princess captures your money in the form of the drink package, service drops off to the point of being nonexistent. And if you can't get a drink, then paying for the package is a bad bet. This is an unfortunate but not uncommon side effect of pre-paid packages. The bartenders figure that they aren't going to get any revenue from the folks sitting at the bar (especially once they recognized who already has a package), so they go into hibernation mode.

 

 

DH had the booze package on our last two cruises and had no trouble getting service, regardless of where he was on either ship.

[NewJerseycruzgirl]

and we had great service and the food was AMAZING> sorry you had a bad experience

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

We had great service both on the Grand and Golden. At the sail away party there were some delays but that is normal but most tims 5 to 10 min max. If you hit up the night club at night you would wait longer but that is like any night club. Still think it is a good bang for the buck.

[Pam in CA]

Don't forget that the 3-5 day cruises are quite different from the normal Princess cruise. It's very stressful for the crew to have turnaround every few days. These are not typical Princess cruises nor will you have a typical Princess experience.

[sawtooth]

Pam, if the 3 and 5 day cruises are trying to draw in new customers and the service is not good and not typical of Princess then they are failing their ultimate goal. If you had a less than satisfactory experience, why cruise again.

[travelplus]

This is exactly why I avoid to sail during spring break and on shorter cruises. Sorry to say I can't stand the loud obnoxious teens who think they can take over the ship, to the loud Hip Hop music.

 

A Trans Atlantic Cruise with Adults(hopefully Mature ones) or on the Med during off season now that's my cup of tea.

 

I would not discount taking another Princess Cruise just because this one wasn't good. You went on a 5 day short getaway during spring break.

 

Trust me this is not the Princess you have come to read about. I would suggest booking if you can an off season cruise in April or October 2 weeks if possible and come back here and tell us how much you have enjoyed it.

 

I'm leaving this Saturday for the 15 night Panama Canal Full Transit form Fort Lauderdale-Los Angles and already the Roll Call is quite active.

[VibeGuy]

Pam, if the 3 and 5 day cruises are trying to draw in new customers and the service is not good and not typical of Princess then they are failing their ultimate goal. If you had a less than satisfactory experience, why cruise again.

 

Bingo. Princess needs to very carefully watch the survey data (first-time cruiser/first on Princess data especially) on these and make sure that they're driving "would recommend to friends and family".

 

The one-nights to/from Seattle for PVSA purposes are always going to be chaotic and suck. That's a given. I've stopped bringing new people on them (especially from Vancouver due to the glacial security screening process). Fair enough. Sell enough of the cabins to large groups and people trying to level up their loyalty and admit defeat on satisfaction.

 

Customers coming off three-day cruises, though, should be saying "WOW, I cannot WAIT to do that again! And longer!" - I'm not sure they're doing so. Carnival literally built a business on three and four night Bahamas cruises at a popular price point - they staffed and programmed the ships to do that REALLY well. I am sensing that Princess is doing more and more Getaway-length stuff in North America without having it dialed in just yet. Whether it's bringing in shoreside contractors to help do some tasks on turnaround day so the crew isn't worn out, or incentivizing crew engagement or rebalancing some roles to ensure that the hospitality is on-point despite the chaos, something has to happen to make sure that the 3NT product is as good as the 7NT product.

 

I have a suggestion there: please send around a beverage server every 20 minutes to the Lotus Spa Pool, continuously from boarding until after Sailaway. It is so awkward explaining to friends why we can't get a drink delivered to where we're starting our cruise.

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

I just returned from a 5 day sailing on Caribbean Princess and had the booze package. This was a Spring break cruise and shorter itinerary than we've previously done with Princess. Bar service was horrible. There were multiple times I waited 30+ mins for a drink. The majority of the bartenders were not personable whatsoever and wait staff by the pool non-existent. I did find a few spots with exceptional service but not in bars I would normally frequent. I heard multiple complaints regarding attitude of bartenders and length of wait for service. Even in the buffet I had several lunches that drinks didn't come to me until I had finished eating!

 

There were multiple other issues onboard as well.... Buffets not good, main dining not great, awful embarkation waiting, long waits for elevators.

 

I am not giving up on Princess yet and will just hope this is a one time deal with them, but I must say I was quite embarrassed for recommending this to our traveling companions. They said, and sadly I agree, carnival was better (gasp!)

 

We were on the same cruise and ahd some of the same issues. if you went to the bars, for the most part, the service was okay. If you were waiting on the servers, especially in Explorer's, it took forever. My wife got the package and never had a real issue. I was perfectly happy with water and coffee and the free drink slips from the Captain's Circle meeting on Tuesday.

 

The great thing about a lot of people getting the package was that I was the recipient of a lot of free drink coupons, which I used for a few Seawitch beers.

[golfb4cruzing]

Down to 12 days. But we sail for 7 days and expect everything to be spot on. I don't drink enough (diabetic) to warrant the drink package but expect a smooth voyage. Elevators are sporadic at best. I use the stairs when ever possible. SO I don't have much more to offer, just needed to say 12 days.

[FawnRiver]

It seemed lots of people were sharing the package. I heard this several times. I have a feeling the days of only one person per room getting it will soon be over

 

The first time DH had the package, occasionally we would both order drinks and produce both cards. I didn't have the package (don't drink more than one a day, if that much) and expected to be charged for my drink. Not once did they charge me. On the next cruise, I would go out of my way to order my drink separately.

If they make it compulsory for the entire cabin to get the package, we'd never get the package again because it would be a waste of money for me to have it. We like knowing how much DH's alcohol is going to cost us ahead of time.

[weneedavacationasap]

I will definitely not give up on Princess.... Still my favorite but it let me down this time. I am sure it would be different on a longer cruise and not at spring break. Sorry if I offended anyone for straying from the original topic. OMG CC police... Just thought I'd give my opinion

[coo359a2]

We were on the same cruise - Caribbean Princess 3/30 and had doubts on how a 5 day spring break cruise would be.

 

Daughter, Granddaughter and I weren't outside by the pool areas so don't know how the kids/teens/bar services were but we had no complaints about kids/teens within the ship. We were lucky too that the elevators we used were not multi-punched for every floor and hardly had any wait time.

 

DD and DGD had the Coke and Ultimate Kids Drink cards and said they never had but a 3-5 minute wait at times which wasn't bad considering the numbers of people with some type of drink. Bartenders were nice and friendly to them and there were plenty of servers in Club Fusion. Didn't see as many servers in the Explorers Lounge.

 

Do agree that the Caribbean Princess cannot in anyway compare to the Regal or Royal but IMO the ship is way better than the Carnival ships.

[KYWEST1]

We were on the same cruise and there was always a wait at the pool bars. The bartenders weren't unfriendly, but indifferent. My experience has been mostly Carnival and we were comparing the 2 quite a bit. On Carnival there was never a wait for a drink and we LOVED the bartenders on Lido deck...tipped xtra cause they were so great. We couldn't figure out why it took so long on this cruise to get served. They were constantly making drinks. Each drink seemed to take long to make (maybe more beer drinkers on Carnival..idk). It wasn't that big of a deal tho. We never waited longer than 15 minutes. Missed the 24 hr pizza too. But we really liked the fellow passengers (sorry Carnival, but you're slipping there). Loved the spring break cruise..2 of the teenagers were ours and they loved it. All well-behaved I might add. Dining room food was really bad and we're not picky at all. Service was great tho, and so quick! I liked the no dancing waiters...kids missed it. One thing I heard was fellow longtime Princess cruisers were not happy with this cruise. We really loved it and thought the ship was great. Next spring we want to try a newer Princess ship or maybe RCCL to compare. (forgot to mention we got the drink package..I think everyone did! We love it. Great for trying a little of everything. Key lime martini..superb!!)

[BeachinBeauty]

I just returned from a 5 day sailing on Caribbean Princess and had the booze package. This was a Spring break cruise and shorter itinerary than we've previously done with Princess. Bar service was horrible. There were multiple times I waited 30+ mins for a drink. The majority of the bartenders were not personable whatsoever and wait staff by the pool non-existent. I did find a few spots with exceptional service but not in bars I would normally frequent. I heard multiple complaints regarding attitude of bartenders and length of wait for service. Even in the buffet I had several lunches that drinks didn't come to me until I had finished eating!

 

There were multiple other issues onboard as well.... Buffets not good, main dining not great, awful embarkation waiting, long waits for elevators.

 

I am not giving up on Princess yet and will just hope this is a one time deal with them, but I must say I was quite embarrassed for recommending this to our traveling companions. They said, and sadly I agree, carnival was better (gasp!)

 

Bar service was hit or miss. I learned immediately upon embarkation that attempting to get a drink at a pool bar was just asking for an undesirable experience. We stood there ten minutes before being addressed. All the while, the bartenders were chatting and cutting up with other staff members! I NEVER saw that on Carnival! I don't mind them socializing but the bartender was outright rude. It didn't affect my trip though because from then on we only drank at Club Fusion or Princess Theater.

 

To be honest, I noticed many of the staff members had an unaccomodating attitude that I think needs to be adjusted with proper training. Once again, has never been an issue (for ME) on Carnival. There was a lady manning the buffet just off the pool and she desperately needs to be moved to a non-interactive role because she is simply not equipped to paint a positive image of the CB. I was often confused, when encountering her, whether or not I was the paying guest or she was.

 

I was pleased with MDR food and service only after we switched to set dining. First night, ATD was a nightmare we chose not to repeat.

 

Elevator availability is just gonna be an issue on sold out sailings, unfortunately. We took a Thanksgiving cruise and it was much the same, so we weren't anticipating anything other than needing to walk where possible. My mother in law walks with a cane but she still enjoyed herself, nonetheless.

 

At the end of the trip, mother in law prefers Princess. I would go either way (Carnival or Princess).

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

[Colo Cruiser]

Bar service was hit or miss. I learned immediately upon embarkation that attempting to get a drink at a pool bar was just asking for an undesirable experience. We stood there ten minutes before being addressed. All the while, the bartenders were chatting and cutting up with other staff members! I NEVER saw that on Carnival! I don't mind them socializing but the bartender was outright rude. It didn't affect my trip though because from then on we only drank at Club Fusion or Princess Theater.

To be honest, I noticed many of the staff members had an unaccomodating attitude that I think needs to be adjusted with proper training. Once again, has never been an issue (for ME) on Carnival. There was a lady manning the buffet just off the pool and she desperately needs to be moved to a non-interactive role because she is simply not equipped to paint a positive image of the CB. I was often confused, when encountering her, whether or not I was the paying guest or she was.

 

I was pleased with MDR food and service only after we switched to set dining. First night, ATD was a nightmare we chose not to repeat.

 

Elevator availability is just gonna be an issue on sold out sailings, unfortunately. We took a Thanksgiving cruise and it was much the same, so we weren't anticipating anything other than needing to walk where possible. My mother in law walks with a cane but she still enjoyed herself, nonetheless.

 

At the end of the trip, mother in law prefers Princess. I would go either way (Carnival or Princess).

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

 

 

Did you make your displeasure known to anyone onboard?

[Colo Cruiser]

I will definitely not give up on Princess.... Still my favorite but it let me down this time. I am sure it would be different on a longer cruise and not at spring break. Sorry if I offended anyone for straying from the original topic. OMG CC police... Just thought I'd give my opinion

 

 

Its the internet there is always someone that is offended.

Thats what happens when you post online.

I don't think anyone was overly critical here.

[samchatmon]

It seemed lots of people were sharing the package. I heard this several times. I have a feeling the days of only one person per room getting it will soon be over

 

I agree. . I would hate to see it happen.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[PescadoAmarillo]

I'm on my iPhone and can't quote and then remove a large portion of the quote so I'll do it this way...

 

BeachinBeauty said:

To be honest, I noticed many of the staff members had an unaccomodating attitude that I think needs to be adjusted with proper training.

 

We felt the exact same way and your words said it better than I ever could. Some of our fellow passengers were calling the crew 'surly'. I wouldn't go quite that far but they definitely were not as friendly and welcoming and hospitable as they have been on most (not all) of our former Princess cruises. I always hesitate to mention this sort of thing on CC, because it's always vehemently denied by others on the same cruise and those denials are accompanied by a lecture on 'the crew is wonderful if they are just treated with respect'. Uh, no. That is not always the case and it was not the case on the Caribbean Princess in February-early March. While we had good service from our dinner wait staff and our cabin steward, and certainly a handful of other waiters and bar waiters were stand outs, there were too many unaccommodating attitudes on the part of many on the crew.