Perry is leaving

[chamima]

Or maybe when Celebrity said they were changing Cellarmasters to GastroBar he started looking elsewhere and had already finalized with Princess by the time the decision was changed. They had already moved him out of Michael's Club.

Just how many shuffling arounds would YOU put up with before looking for a new job?

 

Originally Celebrity was going to re-fit the Eclipse like they did the Equinox when it went into drydock in April.

The decision was changed this last February.

Edited April 26, 2015 by chamima

[rkacruiser]

With the many guest-unfriendly design flaws (this is my opinion of what I have learned) on Royal Princess and Regal Princess, I have rejected any consideration of spending my money on a cruise aboard those vessels. But, with Perry moving to Royal Princess, I may have to re-think this position.

[chamima]

With the many guest-unfriendly design flaws (this is my opinion of what I have learned) on Royal Princess and Regal Princess, I have rejected any consideration of spending my money on a cruise aboard those vessels. But, with Perry moving to Royal Princess, I may have to re-think this position.

 

We thought the same thing and only sailed on her (the Royal) because we got an offer we couldn't refuse.

SURPRISE !!!! We LOVED the ship - and we're a fan of huge balconies!

Give it a chance- you might be surprised.

(But I'll give you a hint - book a slightly forward or aft cabin so you're not frustrated by the lack of center stairs if you like to use the stairs.)

[keithm]

Another perspective is that perhaps Perry wanted more $$$(it's always about $), Celebrity wouldn't pay, so he took his piano & went to the competition.

I think it's more about him being moved around. Michaels Club was the perfect venue. Cellar masters really doesn't fit his type of venue too well. I think he started searching for another place during his time off last winter. We loved him the first time we saw him in 2014. We were sorry to miss him in Jan.2015 while he was on vacation. I doubt we'd stop going on the Eclipse as it seems to really meet & exceed our desires. Still we might give Princess a try.

[louhun88]

Glad I'm going on eclipse in may, after everything I've read about Perry I'll have to go and see and form my own opinion!

[WestLakeGirl]

Seriously? Yes seriously. The islands do nothing for us, we like to laugh and hear our music and he delivers

[barbels]

We booked Eclipse in Feb for a ridiculously high price because of Perry. I am seriously considering cancelling and switching to Princess. I will talk to my travel agent tomorrow.

[buchananglasgow]

up until now I had been looking forward to my cruise on the Royal in Novemebr, but now I'm going to be heading as far from the noise as possible. Will find a quiet spot on an evening to have a nice quiet drink and chat to fellow cruisers or it will be the casino when he is on or sitting on our tiny balcony with a nightcap.

[rkacruiser]

We thought the same thing and only sailed on her (the Royal) because we got an offer we couldn't refuse.

SURPRISE !!!! We LOVED the ship - and we're a fan of huge balconies!

Give it a chance- you might be surprised.

(But I'll give you a hint - book a slightly forward or aft cabin so you're not frustrated by the lack of center stairs if you like to use the stairs.)

 

I appreciate your input. Thanks! While the stairs are an issue, the slow, seemingly overworked elevators as well as the tiny standard verandas are part of my negative views about the new Princess ships. I sailed on the original Royal Princess, twice: a San Juan-Acapulco voyage as well as a Fort Lauderdale-Manaus-Civittevechia repositioning voyage. I would like to sail on the new Royal Princess. But, her design shortcomings are an issue. As I have said, with Perry being aboard, I may change my mind.

[Host Anne]

We sailed the Ruby Nov 2012, the on ship product is more like RCCL, without a rock wall and flow rider, but you do get the mini golf course, and a smokers pool on the aft. Hope a 1 hour show ea night is truly worth a step down in what is delivered the other 23 hours. It was not for us.

EW

 

There is no smokers pool aft on Royal Princess. I took photos yesterday. It's just an area with tables and chairs and quite honestly, much better separated from the rest of the ship than Celebrity's smoking areas.

 

I definitely don't think this is a step down. They way Celebrity is heading, this is a much better venue long term for Perry. You'd better like the thump, thump, thump of techno music constantly if you are planning to continue to sail Celebrity...at least until they realize that isn't working either.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Host Anne

[dmwnc1959]

With the many guest-unfriendly design flaws (this is my opinion of what I have learned) on Royal Princess and Regal Princess, I have rejected any consideration of spending my money on a cruise aboard those vessels. But, with Perry moving to Royal Princess, I may have to re-think this position.

 

 

Just in case you would like a few visuals, here's a fairly extensive Live thread I did while on Royal Princess for two weeks in December 2013. For the most part not much will have changed. There are also links posted below to my Flickr pages with over 1000 pictures of Royal Princess.

 

 

Bon Voyage Dave!!! (Live thread)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1950107

 

 

 

Royal Princess Part 1 (482 pictures)

 

 

Royal Princess Part 2 (695 pictures)

 

 

Stairs and art (49 pictures)

 

 

Bridge Tour (55 pictures)

 

 

Patters and various menus (7-day Eastern, 65 pictures)

 

:D

[dmwnc1959]

There is no smokers pool aft on Royal Princess. I took photos yesterday. It's just an area with tables and chairs and quite honestly, much better separated from the rest of the ship than Celebrity's smoking areas.

 

I definitely don't think this is a step down. They way Celebrity is heading, this is a much better venue long term for Perry. You'd better like the thump, thump, thump of techno music constantly if you are planning to continue to sail Celebrity...at least until they realize that isn't working either.

 

 

The aft pool is ONLY on the Regal Princess. The smoking area is in the same place on Royal Princess, just that there's no little pool there.

 

:D

Edited April 27, 2015 by dmwnc1959

[Andy]

Just how many shuffling arounds would YOU put up with before looking for a new job?

 

Hi Karen,

 

While I cannot confirm this, I believe your above comment may have factored in the decision. Frankly, I do not think it's about money, but more about not being appreciated as much as one would hope for.... and, for being constantly shuffled around the ship. Last I heard, Perry was being moved yet again, to Celebrity Central, and I'm wondering if this latest move was part of the equation.

 

At any rate, Perry has created so many wonderful memories for us at Celebrity, so it's sad to see Perry leave.... but as long as he's happy ? He will have many fans (myself included) supporting his decision.

 

Our family wishes Perry all the best of success at Princess.

[ellbon]

I left princess for celebrity adn then azamara. I have no need to go back to what I left. .now i would sail celebrity again for the suite but not for any singer etc.

[Iamcruzin]

I appears that Perry Grant has the same cult following as Bert Stratton on Princess cruises. Is his act similar to Bert's?

[c-legs]

Just a little different perspective....

 

Perry is an entertainer...he has his schtick and it works...he's polished it over the years, and he has his followers. Don Rickles attacks his audiences, Many comedians poke fun at their physical handicap (Josh Blue) or ethnicity (many). Much Rap music stereotypes parts of society. Jackie Mason, Howard Stern also come to mind.

 

You or I may not like Perry (or the others), but he draws a repeat audience who enjoy what he does....and that's what show business is all about. I was on one cruise where Perry performed....I appreciated his act, his showmanship, his professionalism as an artist. That's pretty much the way I feel about RAP music and some other genres...I can appreciate that folks are good at what they are doing....even if personally, I don't enjoy it.

 

I wish Perry well....and if I'm on a ship where he's performing, I'm sure I'll stop by and see his show and enjoy his showmanship.

 

Very well said. Your ''common sense'' fair and square views are something we all need a lot more of.

Thank you

[kevinyork]

I know Perry didnt really want to switch to the Sky Lounge when Cellar Masters was planned to be refitted so it does make sense that he went looking for an alternative employer.

 

We will miss Perry. When we first saw him he was in Michaels' and Cellar Masters was dead, litterally just a couple of people in there but when Perry moved in there it was jam packed each night despite it being an awkward layout for his performance. He isnt to everyone's taste but we think he is very entertaining and its nice to know you are going to smile when you experience his performance. Luckily we just recently booked a June trip on Eclipse so will get to see him one last time.

 

We wont be trying Royal Princess as we recently experienced P&O Britannia which is based on that ship design and the lifts became a deal breaker for us, especially with two Mums in wheelchairs. We must have lost hours over the 2 weeks waiting for lifts or being in lifts that stopped on every floor and we cannot face that again. The Solstace class ships are way better in our opinion.

[chamima]

I appreciate your input. Thanks! While the stairs are an issue, the slow, seemingly overworked elevators as well as the tiny standard verandas are part of my negative views about the new Princess ships. I sailed on the original Royal Princess, twice: a San Juan-Acapulco voyage as well as a Fort Lauderdale-Manaus-Civittevechia repositioning voyage. I would like to sail on the new Royal Princess. But, her design shortcomings are an issue. As I have said, with Perry being aboard, I may change my mind.

 

 

I hesitate to post my "secret" on here but here goes - if you book a slightly forward or aft cabin you not only have stairs near your cabin but those elevators are not "slow or overworked". Everyone seems to want to use the center ones and the other two sets come quickly and are usually empty.

Sh-h- h - it's our secret.

 

And those tiny balconies aren't as bad as I expected, either.

We could still eat breakfast out there and sit and read in the sun.

 

On the positive side - the showers are bigger than other Princess ships and have a nice little ledge where you can put shampoo, conditioner, etc. or, for ladies, shave your legs.

The storage in the cabin is WAY better than Celebrity.

And the alternate dining venues are WAY less expensive and really good, as are all the drinks, including wine.

Edited April 27, 2015 by chamima

[Trainer]

Now it is safe to go back on Eclipse!

[Mackenzie1]

Here is a picture of the balconies on the Royal:

 

[ghstudio]

Here is a picture of the balconies on the Royal:

 

 

Looks like a "french balcony" to me....

[chamima]

Here's a fairly extensive Live thread I did while on Royal Princess for two weeks in December 2013. For the most part not much will have changed. There are also links posted below to my Flickr pages with over 1000 pictures of Royal Princess.

 

 

Bon Voyage Dave!!! (Live thread)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1950107

 

 

 

Royal Princess Part 1 (482 pictures)

 

 

Royal Princess Part 2 (695 pictures)

 

 

Stairs and art (49 pictures)

 

 

Bridge Tour (55 pictures)

 

 

Patters and various menus (7-day Eastern, 65 pictures)

 

:D

 

Looks like a "french balcony" to me....

 

 

 

Forewarned is forearmed.

As I said, it wasn't as bad as we expected - and not quite as small as that picture makes it appear.

Also, there are some larger balconies. Look at Dave's pictures above.

[BosoxI]

Here is a picture of the balconies on the Royal:

 

 

Wow. That is really sad. How does someone get a degree in naval architecture or whatever, and then come up with a design like that? Karen's post gives me a bit of hope in that other things might be great, but we'll be on the Royal in September, so we'll see for ourselves. I'm 6'5" so the balcony will be an experience. The changes on several of the other Princess ships have not been to my liking, either, so it may be that Bosox and Princess will be parting company after 25 cruises and 29 years. Hope not.

[BosoxI]

Looks like a "french balcony" to me....

 

Better a French kiss than a French balcony

[miched]

I think Perry will be happier on the Princess line as they have a true piano bar.

 

Could never understand why Celebrity never had a piano and basically presents all of the entertainment groups as if they were never planned for. They are almost like street performers that have no venue made for them. They are just placed somewhere in a corner, along a wall, or blocking aisles as passengers are exiting the theater such as they did with the Acapella groups.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🌞