Changes in Princess

[c-boy]

well that was easy

[MissP22]

On 4/20/2019 at 8:17 AM, flhusker said:

Hubby and I have been loyal Princess cruisers; however with the changes this year we are switching to another cruise line.  Dinner times at 5:15 and 7:30 are you kidding me!  Do they think they are running an Old People's Home.  Active seniors don't eat that early.  Show times in Princess Theater have also been changed, I suppose to accommodate for the earlier dining times.  Now I find out from a friend that the lariat for the new Medallion costs $7.00-$18.00.  Are you kidding me!  You treating me old and at the same time have your hand in my pocket.  Thanks but no thanks!  Goodbye Princess!

You're comment about a lariat had me thinking for a while but if it's a lanyard you can have as many of them as you want.

What's wrong with your pocket?

Good luck with better dining times on other cruise lines. There pretty much similar to Princess +/- 15 minutes. 

[Blondilu]

I read this thread yesterday and I'm still laughing at the "active seniors don't eat that early" line. 

 

I am 65 and simply have no idea how being "senior" or "active" has anything to do with when you eat. 

[AF-1]

6 minutes ago, Blondilu said:

I read this thread yesterday and I'm still laughing at the "active seniors don't eat that early" line. 

 

I am 65 and simply have no idea how being "senior" or "active" has anything to do with when you eat. 

Agree with you;  go figure.  We eat when we get hungry.  Don't really care what time it is

 

[satxdiver]

We were recently on the CB.  A lanyard was provided with our OM which I promptly removed and put the OM in my pocket where I once kept my sea card.  I threw the lanyard away as I have a lot of them.  We had the second seating TD which was actually 7:45.  The theater presentations were early for the second seating and worked out.  We frequently go down to the IC at 5:00 or earlier to watch the huge line that forms for ATD at 5:00.  It almost always has a senior citizen component so there are those that like to eat dinner early.  One thing the new TD times has caused is a lot of pax now opt for the later dining time where before the MDR was maybe half full.  Before ATD we chose the late TD and now that we are back using TD we again chose the late TD.  We like the same waitstaff, table, table mates and fixed dining time.  The waiters quickly learn our habits and adapt.  My ice tea is always waiting. 

[stoneharborlady]

23 hours ago, Mom33 said:

 

In the grand scheme of things, having good health so that you can freely cruise where and when you want  is more important than any complaint about dinner times.

Happy cruising wherever you go.

Amen!!!

[oskidunker]

I don’t want something hanging around my neck. I could see some women wearing pants without pockets wanting one. .otherwise, put it in your pocket. 

[homeinboca]

We haven't done fixed dining times in years. We like the flexibility of eating when and where we want. I remember when the second seating was at 8:30 and you weren't out of the dining room until after 10. That is way too late for us. If we are attending a show, we plan our dining around that. We just are happy being on a ship at sea. Food for us is secondary. We also are not eating at the dining room much anyways. So many other choices, and our next cruise on the Sky Princess is going to include La Mer. Excited to try that. 

[zalusky]

On 4/20/2019 at 6:59 AM, pms4104 said:

This is like deja vu all over again ... reminds me of recent 2 elites leaving Princess thread.

 

I fail to understand why moving on has become so hard and such a big deal ... if one is that displeased, one should just find a more pleasing experience.  Do we all need to know about it?

 

Courtesy of Douglas Adams:  "so long and thanks for all the fish."

 

 

Do you use Yelp?  Do you like heads up on what to look for?  This forum is pretty much the same thing for cruise lines.

[zalusky]

On 4/20/2019 at 6:59 AM, pms4104 said:

This is like deja vu all over again ... reminds me of recent 2 elites leaving Princess thread.

 

I fail to understand why moving on has become so hard and such a big deal ... if one is that displeased, one should just find a more pleasing experience.  Do we all need to know about it?

 

Courtesy of Douglas Adams:  "so long and thanks for all the fish."

 

 

Sorry duplicate

Edited April 21, 2019 by zalusky
duplicate

[Ombud]

Odiskidunker, We're at a disadvantage but it isn't Princess' fault. I HATE purses so a lanyard where the card (+ credit card) slips into a pocket like the conference ones fits. Wish all the my pants / skirts had pockets 

Edited April 21, 2019 by Ombud

[4cats4me]

The lariats are free. 

 

You can always choose anytime dining. 

 

The fixed dining times last week were 5:30 and 7:45, even  though the cruise personalizer indicated otherwise.  

[maggie777]

Wishing Princess would list actual dining times for each ship. The personalizer is not correct.

[oskidunker]

It would certainly take us out of the guessing game, but maybe that’s what they want. 

[Cruise-Crazzy]

When you find your cruising experience is no longer enjoyable, it is time to move on to other Cruise Lines or other adventures.

[pris993]

we have cruised 9 lines over the years, Princess, Celebrity, HAL, Cunard, Crystal, RCCL, NCL, Royal, and Sitmar that is now princess.    More recently Princess, Celebrity, HAL, Cunard, NCL....more on Princess than any of the lines 27 cruises.

 

Princess has changed.  We have too, we are older... smile.   Now when we go on Princess, we skip the MDR, opt for the Crown Grill or the buffet then we eat when we like.   Nothing stays the same, of all the lines we find Princess fill our bill more than the others.   

 

Just off the Grand, saw two very good shows while on board,  the shorter shows seem to work out well, my dh can't aleays sit though a longer show.    We are booked on the Grand again next year, on the Coral in November.  

 

So check out other lines, we always cruised on a number of lines based on the itinerary, price etc., you may find something you like better.  

[MissP22]

Most times I have pockets but the DH made holders that clip to my blouse & I can move it to different outfits as needed without using the stupid lanyard which I despise.

[kywildcatfanone]

On 4/20/2019 at 11:36 AM, Hlitner said:

My point is that you are creating your own problem by using Fixed dining. 

 

Yep.  There is always anytime dining if that doesn't work for someone.

[getting older slowly]

Can one ask ... what is it with Tradition Dining... eating with the same people at the same time every night..... 

Is it one of those traditions from the past that people must hang on to ?

,

As now a days... you have anytime dining, other restaurants and the buffet to eat at ? 

 

I know everybody is different... just as well  or we all want to eat at the same time....

 

Cheer Don

[oskidunker]

You bet. I would never do anytime and line up with a pager. Traditional every time  no wait. Same great waiters who know what we like every night. We have always been seated with interesting people 

 

[getting older slowly]

1 minute ago, oskidunker said:

You bet. I would never do anytime and line up with a pager. Traditional every time  no wait. Same great waiters who know what we like every night. We have always been seated with interesting people 

 

Thanks... so a bit of old school...   that is nice

 

one thing I agreed with is dressing for formal night  ( jacket and tie )

 

Cheers Don

[Jean2065]

MmWe are booked on Sky Princess in March and April 2020 and noticed the traditional dining time changed. For us it's fine and I hope they do not take traditional dining away in the future. Because it's our 50th Anniversary in June we booked a 4 day with ncl sky and I'm not happy with their freestyle dining. I think Princess has a good track record so far. As for the medallion, I think you can still get a regular room key card, I'm going to if possible. If I still had younger children I might think it was a good thing to locate them on the ship. 

Edited April 21, 2019 by Jean2065

[GUT2407]

Cant please everyone, hope you enjoy whoever you try next

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

You bet. I would never do anytime and line up with a pager.

 

It is easy to work around this issue. After subtracting out the nights we have eaten at Specialty Restaurants and Horizon Court, we are 35 for 35 in NEVER being handed a pager and being seated within 3 minutes. Reservations and dining at the Transitional Dining Room (the one that converts from TD to ATD) is the key. Granted, you must dine between 7:15 and 8:30 to pull this off. But using that strategy,  we have never waited. 

 

While growing up we sailed on Cunard (QE2) with fixed dining but we were a family of 6 so we always had our own table. (Who would want to join two parents with four boys? ☺️)  My wife and I tried DCL with fixed dining and found it awkward. When we started cruising on PCL with our daughter, we thought that it might be intimidating for our early-teen daughter to dine with strangers who, statistically would be as old as her grandparents. So we tried ATD and always asked for a table for three and have never had a problem. 

Edited April 22, 2019 by JimmyVWine

[joybook]

Wow! These are really 1st world problems aren't they? I wonder if there are any people from 3rd world countries watching and reading? Just enjoy the benefits of being fortunate enough to be cruising.