Potential evidence Princess has made too many cutbacks?

[kendon]

Add us to the list...we've also have given up on Princess.  We are looking at more land vacations and exploring the luxury cruise ships' deals where you get more for your money.  The Caribbean Princess was the final straw for us...wow!  What did they do to the buffet and dining room menu??

 

[geocruiser]

4 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

And the daily cost is still about the same as when I sailed about 20 years ago. For the same cabin.

It may be the same amount of dollars, but a dollar of yesterday is different in value than a dollar of  today because of the adjustment for inflation.  

Adjusted for inflation, $1.00 in 1977 is equal to $4.32 in 2019.

https://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/inflation.php?amount=1&year=1977

 

Edited June 10, 2019 by geocruiser

[moonglum]

Have sailed with Princess on numerous occasions but after being on the Sapphire in the far east in March I think it will be a long time before I book Princess again.

 

I paid for the drinks package only to find that you cannot get a can of soda with this - only fountain drinks. I like to have a beer with a spirit and the beer does me several drinks. This caused great problems, I know that you should only get one drink at a time, but if I was paying for drinks there would be no issue.

 

We were any time dining and the standard of the food was poor to say the least. When you get served a breast of chicken that is the size of a small chicken wing then there is an issue, especially when the wiater asks what is wrong as three of us sat shaking our heads in disvbelief at what had been served.

 

Also is it now Princess policy that if you want a steak every night it is $20 a time?  That is what they were charing on that cruise. The dining room menus were very poor and the service at times was less that expected.

 

I had been looking forward to sailing with Princess again but this experience has put me off them and I have now booked 4 cruises with different lines. Ultimately the cuts will cause issues with all cruise lines.

Edited June 10, 2019 by moonglum

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

In my case, it is the exact same time of year. Exact same ship. Exact same itinerary. Almost triple the price for the exact same cabin. I've been cruising long enough to know how vacations and seasons work....

Yeah, right!

[richsea]

Someone mentioned earlier that Princess stopped serving real butter? Is this true? It certainly wasn’t true on our last cruise in January.

[happy cruzer]

Yes, there are changes/cuts to Princess as well as all the mass market lines.  When business is good, they get greedy across the board.  Pay more and you will get more, maybe...

 

You will find a "cutback/slash I am leaving this cruise line forever" thread on most of the cruise critic boards even the luxury lines.

 

It is helpful to know about the changes to know what to expect.  Doesn't really make me angry, just lets you know what you are buying TODAY.

[mreasier]

17 hours ago, geoherb said:

 

I've looked at prices on Viking and don't see anything come close to being as affordable as the prices on our Princess cruises. But perhaps that's because we are just as happy in an inside cabin booked at the last minute rather than a suite. Even on our 15-day crossing, our bar bill was around $350. The bulk of that was a 10-bottle wine package.

I agree Viking is more expensive but not as much more as many think.  And it does indeed depend on your cruising lifestyle.

 

A while ago I looked at 10 day Caribbean cruises in December 2019 on the Crown Princess and the Viking Sea.  The price for the Viking Sea was $3,199 pp or $320 per day.  The price for the Crown Princess is $1,712 pp.  Add to that taxes and port fees (included in the Viking price) and it comes to $1,859 pp or $186 per day.  These were both mid priced balcony cabins (all Viking cabins are balcony or suites).  To that I looked at what we would normally spend.  Your mileage may vary.

 

Drinks - We are primarily beer and wine drinkers.  Unlimited beer and wine at lunch and dinner is included at no extra cost on Viking.  We usually have a couple of beers or wine during lunch and about 3 glasses of wine during dinner.  I added 5 drinks at around $8 for a total of about $40 per day.

Tours - We normally do ports on our own or book private tours.  The included Viking tours are usually half day overview tours.  We would find these useful and still give us time to explore on our own. These tours on Princess run from $60 to $90.  Assuming only going on them in half the days, I added $35 per day for tours.

Specialty Restaurants - No extra cost on Viking.  On a 10 day cruise we would probably go twice.  That comes to about $60 pp so I added $6 per day.

Water and soft drinks - Free on Viking.  I added $5 per day.

In cabin coffee maker - I added $4 a day for in cabin brewed coffee.  The convenience can not be priced.

 

All these charges (some call them nickel and diming) come to around $90 per day.  Add that to the $186 per day Crown Princess cost brings its cost to $276 per day.  The net result is that the Viking Sea is about $44 pp a day more expensive based on our cruising lifestyle. 

 

This is very conservative since I did not add in any cost for internet since we are Princess elite and did not add in any cost for the unlimited free use of the spa (can't wait to try the snow grotto).  Overall, I believe the $44 a day is well worth it.

 

Edited June 10, 2019 by mreasier

[kendon]

20 hours ago, mreasier said:

While none of the cutbacks individually are major, to us it is death from a thousand cuts. We are Elite on Princess with well over 300 days but have cancelled our next Princess cruise in favor of Viking. As someone posted earlier, when everything that is included is considered, it is not that much more expensive than Princess.

Same here...as Elite we see the the changes.  With the changes, is a change in demographics.  We will be on Oceania next month and the poster is correct..."when everything that is included is considered, it is not that much more expensive than Princess".  We are also more interested in land trips now.  Princess has gone WAY down in a hurry.

[#love2cruise]

3 hours ago, richsea said:

Someone mentioned earlier that Princess stopped serving real butter? Is this true? It certainly wasn’t true on our last cruise in January.

Not so on Caribbean Princess this past May 4-25. Real unsalted butter...so we just put a little salt on it.  Worked ok.  Was, also, very disappointed with the buffet.  All staff was great.  Probably won't go on the Caribbean in the near future.  Booked on the Sky P. January 11th.  Really love the Royal class.

[happy cruzer]

26 minutes ago, mreasier said:

I agree Viking is more expensive but not as much more as many think.  And it does indeed depend on your cruising lifestyle.

 

A while ago I looked at 10 day Caribbean cruises in December 2019 on the Crown Princess and the Viking Sea.  The price for the Viking Sea was $3,199 pp or $320 per day.  The price for the Crown Princess is $1,712 pp.  Add to that taxes and port fees (included in the Viking price) and it comes to $1,859 pp or $186 per day.  These were both mid priced balcony cabins (all Viking cabins are balcony or suites).  To that I looked at what we would normally spend.  Your mileage may vary.

 

Drinks - We are primarily beer and wine drinkers.  Unlimited beer and wine at lunch and dinner is included at no extra cost on Viking.  We usually have a couple of beers or wine during lunch and about 3 glasses of wine during dinner.  I added 5 drinks at around $8 for a total of about $40 per day.

Tours - We normally do ports on our own or book private tours.  The included Viking tours are usually half day overview tours.  We would find these useful and still give us time to explore on our own. These tours on Princess run from $60 to $90.  Assuming only going on them in half the days, I added $35 per day for tours.

Specialty Restaurants - No extra cost on Viking.  On a 10 day cruise we would probably go twice.  That comes to about $60 pp so I added $6 per day.

Water and soft drinks - Free on Viking.  I added $5 per day.

In cabin coffee maker - I added $4 a day for in cabin brewed coffee.  The convenience can not be priced.

 

All these charges (some call them nickel and diming) come to around $90 per day.  Add that to the $186 per day Crown Princess cost brings its cost to $276 per day.  The net result is that the Viking Sea is about $44 pp a day more expensive based on our cruising lifestyle. 

 

This is very conservative since I did not add in any cost for internet since we are Princess elite and did not add in any cost for the unlimited free use of the spa (can't wait to try the snow grotto).  Overall, I believe the $44 a day is well worth it.

 

good comparo.

 

However two points:

On Princess you probably could have booked with enough perks to pay for the drinks and extra.  Would price wine by the bottle not the glass, might cut that number in half.  Also should price the coffe card??  Just minor nit picks.

 

On Viking they have you pay in full a very long time out.  this means you might spend more on insurance expecially if you tend to change your mind.

 

Anyway your point is well taken for many a luxury line can be similar cost wise.  But often the luxury line is not perfect.  Have seen complaints about the hours of meals, the wines included, entertainment, etc.  Knowledge is helps set expectations.

 

Oceania is also mentioned as an option.  Their included airfare has air deviation fees.  Their bev packages are very pricey and per price drinks very pricey.  Also many of their old timers are not happy with dining.  It is sourced by HAL now?? so you will read about cuts there too.

Edited June 10, 2019 by happy cruzer

[Coral]

19 minutes ago, kendon said:

Same here...as Elite we see the the changes.  With the changes, is a change in demographics.  We will be on Oceania next month and the poster is correct..."when everything that is included is considered, it is not that much more expensive than Princess".  We are also more interested in land trips now.  Princess has gone WAY down in a hurry.

While Elite - I see the changes more due to the years cruising. I think someone can become Elite in a year or two and not notice the changes.

 

I have a friend going on her first Princess Alaska trip this week. Sort of scared on what she will think because she knew I liked Princess "back in the day".

Edited June 10, 2019 by Coral

[mreasier]

22 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

On Viking they have you pay in full a very long time out.  this means you might spend more on insurance expecially if you tend to change your mind.

Valid point.  Viking recently pushed their full payment date back to a full year before sailing for both ocean and river cruises.  My TA tried to get us a later date but to no avail.  Looks like they are helping the financing of all their new builds.  It did make us hesitate but we charged ahead anyway.  You can still cancel 120 days out but, as you said, you might lose insurance,

[karatemom2]

Cruising has remained consistently affordable and we haven't noticed any significant price increases on our Princess cruise fares - in fact they appear to be lower in many instances. The financial reality that I think escapes most is that profits are not necessarily made on cruise fares - they are made in other areas - casino, photos, shore excursions, dining/beverage up charges and packages, etc. I would gladly take what some see as nickel and diming or reduced perks to keep fare prices lower - that is what matters most to us. 

 

Keep in mind that as much as Princess does value it's returning cruisers and we all feel a bit entitled as Elite passengers, we are not where Princess is making its money. After years of cruising, most of us don't buy the photo packages, often book independent excursions or just do our own thing in ports, don't spend as much money in the shops or on other things onboard that contribute to the bottom line. New cruisers are their life blood and enticing them with low fares is the best way to get new Princess customers. These new cruisers don't miss what they have never known and Princess is using other things to entice them to return. Trust me, they are not losing sleep over losing a few disgruntled Elite passengers because they took away a chair and cruise log. The reality is that they aren't making that much money on us!

 

I am quite happy still with the value I get for my cruise dollar with Princess, but for those who aren't it's great that there are so many other choices out there. 

[mreasier]

17 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

Cruising has remained consistently affordable and we haven't noticed any significant price increases on our Princess cruise fares - in fact they appear to be lower in many instances. The financial reality that I think escapes most is that profits are not necessarily made on cruise fares - they are made in other areas - casino, photos, shore excursions, dining/beverage up charges and packages, etc. I would gladly take what some see as nickel and diming or reduced perks to keep fare prices lower - that is what matters most to us. 

 

Keep in mind that as much as Princess does value it's returning cruisers and we all feel a bit entitled as Elite passengers, we are not where Princess is making its money. After years of cruising, most of us don't buy the photo packages, often book independent excursions or just do our own thing in ports, don't spend as much money in the shops or on other things onboard that contribute to the bottom line. New cruisers are their life blood and enticing them with low fares is the best way to get new Princess customers. These new cruisers don't miss what they have never known and Princess is using other things to entice them to return. Trust me, they are not losing sleep over losing a few disgruntled Elite passengers because they took away a chair and cruise log. The reality is that they aren't making that much money on us!

 

I am quite happy still with the value I get for my cruise dollar with Princess, but for those who aren't it's great that there are so many other choices out there. 

Agree with what you said.  However, their business model of relatively cheap fares and heavy on-board spending has adversely affected the design of the new ships.  Our one cruise on a Royal class ship in 2014 was our last.  It is obvious that the design is inward facing, enticing passenger inside where they will spend more money.  It is sad that there is no covered place to get an up close view of the sea (Promenade Deck) and not a single spot to get a forward view, either inside or outside, except the extra cost Sanctuary.  The interiors are gorgeous and enticing and offer many ways to spend your money.  The exteriors, not so much.  As they continue to retire their Grand Class ships, we will no longer have a Princess ship we enjoy except the Pacific which frequently ends up being as expensive as a premium cruise.

Edited June 10, 2019 by mreasier

[dchip]

22 hours ago, dcrow72 said:

!  A chair??? Really.  I could care less about a chair.

 

Lucky you! Try 49 days, $20,000 for a cabin, and no where for the second person to sit except for the bed. No thanks. We have booked our next three cruises elsewhere. By the way, there were several other issues on the cruise that just didn't sit right with us. We have 31 cruises with Princess. Everyone has a different breaking point. The chair was it for us. 

 

Denise

 

PS The cruise log is the only thing we have kept from every cruise. It’s a cool memory. 

 

Edited June 10, 2019 by dchip

[greenie082756]

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 11:27 AM, pms4104 said:

Less furniture = less weight = less fuel consumed = less $$$ spent to sail the ship around

Sorry, could not help myself after reading this. What if they put a weight limit on customers?? <grin>

 

[c-boy]

9 minutes ago, greenie082756 said:

Sorry, could not help myself after reading this. What if they put a weight limit on customers?? <grin>

 

🤣  wow that  could be catastrophic

[Solocruiser1967]

Im not a fan of the Royal Class Shipsm, as i think that the Princess Live studio is a poor replacement for the Explorer's Lounge.  However I just returned from a 2 week Panama Canal sailing on May 27th on the Pacific Princess and there was a Cruise Log.

[richsea]

2 hours ago, #love2cruise said:

Not so on Caribbean Princess this past May 4-25. Real unsalted butter...so we just put a little salt on it.  Worked ok.  Was, also, very disappointed with the buffet.  All staff was great.  Probably won't go on the Caribbean in the near future.  Booked on the Sky P. January 11th.  Really love the Royal class.

So they only had unsalted butter? We were on Caribbean Princess in January and had real salted butter. I agree that their buffet is the pits. Caribbean Princess is our least favorite ship.

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, #love2cruise said:

Not so on Caribbean Princess this past May 4-25. Real unsalted butter...so we just put a little salt on it.  Worked ok.  Was, also, very disappointed with the buffet.  All staff was great.  Probably won't go on the Caribbean in the near future.  Booked on the Sky P. January 11th.  Really love the Royal class.

I prefer unsalted butter as they use way WAY to much salt for me. (On Caribbean 7/26-8/9/19)

Edited June 10, 2019 by Ombud

[neverbeenhere]

In theory, salted butter lasts longer, so unsalted butter is supposed to be a sign of freshness. Sure, Fresh...

[FloaterBoat]

I've been sailing with Princess since '08.  Elite as well.  We haven't really noticed any real cutbacks or loses that have altered our experience. Albeit we aren't heavy drinkers, so we do not purchase the drinking package, nor go to the sanctuary. We book the suites, and typically just hang out on our balcony.  We aren't super brand loyalists either.  We simply love the cruise line.  We always have a blast. We have 2 on the docket set up, a 14-day on the Caribbean Princess in the fall. And the a 17-day Mediterranean on the Enchanted's Inaugural sailing next July.  We CANNOT wait.

[FloaterBoat]

On 6/9/2019 at 1:56 PM, crystalspin said:

I don't even see how removing chairs that were already there saves money? Anyone? They can't all have gone shabby on all the ships at once.

 

We're on the Emerald in an oceanview that had two chairs when I booked it. And doesn't now. For 28 days... as our first Princess cruise.

 

 

So, in the picture, there were 2 chairs on your balcony?  How many are there now?  That would definitely be frustrating.  But, maybe just a mistake.  Maybe you can call and request another? The Emerald is one of the older ships, so larger balcony, correct? I bet you can get another chair. 

[FloaterBoat]

19 hours ago, Sea Day Cruiser said:

I’ve been Elite for years and cruised mainly on Princess. After 2 weeks on the Caribbean Princess in February I came home and cancelled 3 future bookings on Princess.  There have been too many cuts and it’s been going on for too long.  I’ve mentioned it repeatedly in the end of cruise surveys. I don’t know about those who come here and say their prices haven’t increased. Mine have. Every time I look at a new cruise the prices are higher. Princess isn’t worth it anymore. I still have one cruise booked on the Enchanted but it’s a year and a half away and I’m hoping Princess will stop the cuts and return quality by then. If not, I will cancel that cruise too. 

 

 

If I may ask, what kind of cutbacks did you experience? What did you notice was different, that was unfavorable for you?

[FloaterBoat]

7 hours ago, moonglum said:

Have sailed with Princess on numerous occasions but after being on the Sapphire in the far east in March I think it will be a long time before I book Princess again.

 

I paid for the drinks package only to find that you cannot get a can of soda with this - only fountain drinks. I like to have a beer with a spirit and the beer does me several drinks. This caused great problems, I know that you should only get one drink at a time, but if I was paying for drinks there would be no issue.

 

We were any time dining and the standard of the food was poor to say the least. When you get served a breast of chicken that is the size of a small chicken wing then there is an issue, especially when the wiater asks what is wrong as three of us sat shaking our heads in disvbelief at what had been served.

 

Also is it now Princess policy that if you want a steak every night it is $20 a time?  That is what they were charging on that cruise. The dining room menus were very poor and the service at times was less that expected.

 

I had been looking forward to sailing with Princess again but this experience has put me off them and I have now booked 4 cruises with different lines. Ultimately the cuts will cause issues with all cruise lines.

 

 

Can you elaborate on this part?  A regular steak in the MDR?  Or specialty steak on the addendum of the menu?  Not sure I remember this from my Euro cruise last fall.