Live from Sky Princess 28 May

[Pink-belle]

They don’t tend to go to the shows.  On the first night I know they went to the Casino bar, as service was quick, but it was a bit smoky, but not as bad as it was earlier in the year.  They aren’t having problems with the app.

 

now, I know from personal experience there is no rhyme or reason with the medallion.  Last cruise mine was useless, my husband had no issues, despite us being together and using same operating systems 

[tk2fast]

12 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I would be very interested in hearing when the right place and the right time are? When and where are your friends eating, what show time are they going to?

When the management acknowledge freely that there is an issue, there is an issue.

 

I would like to know this too as your review has been very clear on what is happening on the sky and does not lean on personal bias. Keep up the info please.

[seamwoman]

Asking for a friend who is boarding July 9:  do you have to take Princess tours or can you tour on your own?

[insidecabin]

Very interested in the changes hope things improve.

 

We were on the 28 March trip and that was busy but manageable, only no go was the theatre as that was rammed.

 

They did not have much slack to increase numbers then.

 

Higher capacity with no extra crew is going to be crazy,

 

We found the trick in March was to catch the dead times.

 

eg. They alternated DJ with event in the Vista, people would leave when the DJ came on so you could grab a seat with some social distance, the high bar in front of the main bar was our target spot good view social distance and passing bar staff to get an order in

.

It may be that exodus does not happen now as there is no where for people to go.

 

We adjusted dinning to the less busy periods, but had to stop people trying to share tables at times in the buffet.

 

When full this will be a big issue as many will be couples not wanting to share and most are 4 tops, a 6 can take 4 with the middle empty.

 

By changing dinning time got quieter bars as more were at dinner/theatre   

 

Take 5 had Jazz  was never busy when we went.

 

Our Emerald trip soon is also looking close to sold out(past the window to shift it) the fear is under staffed as well.

 

One reason the 3 Princess ships UK cruises are high capacity is the giveaway prices in the UK they started at £50pppd  and when Enchanted shifted from the Baltic to Southampton  Balcony with Princess Plus were £100pppd

 

Just checked Emerald 14th 12n cruise (P+ still at the old rate, new rate will be +£120)

UK £599,   P+ £960

US $1,300(£1032),  P+ $1950(£1523)

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

10 hours ago, Pink-belle said:

This was the message I got tonight

 

Ceilo dining tonight. Went at 7 no reservation straight in. Pork tenderloin excellent, prime rib had to be sent back but 2nd try was much much better. 1.45 start to finish 4 courses.

We walked straight in tonight as well as half the ship were off on evening excursions to the Tivoli gardens or boat trips. It made a very pleasant change but I suspect we will be back to queues again tonight when the ship is at sea and everyone onboard.
 

Funnily enough went sent back the prime rib as well. This is the first thing that was not so great, I have to say that the food has been generally really good and served hot.

[Eglesbrech]

10 hours ago, seamwoman said:

Asking for a friend who is boarding July 9:  do you have to take Princess tours or can you tour on your own?

For this cruise it is easy to do every port on your own and see the highlights.

 

Transport is required in Copenhagen to get into the city but there is a choice of the ships shuttle, HOHO, or public transport (a bit of a walk to get to it). Taxis were few and far between and I understand very expensive.

 

The other berths are within easy walking distance to the towns. 
 

I know from past experience that some of points of interest in Oslo are further out eg the Viking museum or Sculpture park but there are HOHO buses at the port that go round them all. The actual city centre attractions like the Novel Centre are within a short walk of the port.

[Eglesbrech]

12 hours ago, Traderboy said:

Do you think this cruise is busy because it is half term in the UK?

 

Do there seem to be a lot of children?

 

is it just a 7 day cruise?

 

I am sorry to hear that the crew are not able to service the high number of passengers that aboard this cruise. 
Princess should not have booked more passengers than the crew numbers are able to service. That is my view anyway.

 

Please can you continue to update news from Sky zlrincess.

Truly hope things improve for you all.

 

 

I don’t know it was an English half term when we booked and that could indeed be part of the issue. That said there are not smarts of children onboard that I have seen so far. Those that are onboard are part of multi generational groups and on the whole well behaved.

 

Yes it is just a 7 day cruise.

 

I think the crew agree with your view far less the passengers 😀. Let’s hope that Princess gets the message from all the complaints this week and steps up. 

 

 

[Pink-belle]

I think my concern is, Sky is sailing at “almost” full capacity for pax and crew, according to their declared figures when leaving Southampton.

The ratio used to work so well, but isn’t now, which is having an impact on onboard experience for everyone. 
What has gone so wrong?  Crew in isolation so not as many to work?  Or the wrong balance of crew members, and lacking in passenger facing roles? 
 

 

[insidecabin]

Copenhagen :

We did a cruise from there just last week

 

if docking at Oceankaj.

Just outside terminal 1 (google maps with bus stop)

 

There was a free shuttle to the nearest subway(Orientkaj M4 line)

There is also a bus 164(not used it)

 

There is the cruise bus 25 bus from that runs on cruise days(every 15 mins) and goes to Osterport, Trains to the main station buses  and near the Kastellet to start a tourist walking trail

 

Ticket machine is there at the port(next to the cafe) and takes cards

 

24kr ticket is 80Dkk(£9) 48hr if overnight 150DKK 

 

Singles are cheaper if the plan is to walk about once in the city and just use the transport to get there and back

 

https://dinoffentligetransport.dk/en/prices-and-zones/prices/

2 zone 24Dkk(<£3)  last for 1hr so can change multiple times

(most tourist stuff is in Zone 1 but they don't do a ticket for that)

 

Best place to plan routes as it includes stop/platform information for changes.

(google also works)

Route planner

 

main station is next to Tivoli  (København H)

 

The cheapest beer(35dkk/55Dkk) we found in the centre was as Charlie Scotts Bar  nice pot of tea

(35 Carlsberg offer/55 real beer)

 

 

[SwissDave]

Currently onboard. Not had any issues with bar service, have used medallion app a couple of times to order when sat near crown grill bar. Drinks came in a very acceptable amount of time. Internet working a lot better than it did 6 weeks ago. Food good. Not a ‘sit in the sun’ person but not had any problems finding somewhere. 400 under 18s onboard, vast majority of passengers are new Princess cruisers, very low number of platinum and elite, same next week. 
weather is hit and miss, and if it is cool/raining then most people go indoors making it feel crowded, but that is no different to any other cruise I have been on. 
there is definitely more staff than my last Sky cruise. 
 

[Eglesbrech]

3 hours ago, Pink-belle said:

I think my concern is, Sky is sailing at “almost” full capacity for pax and crew, according to their declared figures when leaving Southampton.

The ratio used to work so well, but isn’t now, which is having an impact on onboard experience for everyone. 
What has gone so wrong?  Crew in isolation so not as many to work?  Or the wrong balance of crew members, and lacking in passenger facing roles? 
 

 

Perhaps the one to one service demands via the app (for those it actually works for) is taking staff resource away from the main service areas? Just a guess.

 

If for example someone requests tacos from the Salty Dog and they are in the piazza that’s a lot of time and staff resource to deliver them. That person could be serving several passengers at the actual food outlet. Same goes for the bars.

[Eglesbrech]

2 hours ago, SwissDave said:

Currently onboard. Not had any issues with bar service, have used medallion app a couple of times to order when sat near crown grill bar. Drinks came in a very acceptable amount of time. Internet working a lot better than it did 6 weeks ago. Food good. Not a ‘sit in the sun’ person but not had any problems finding somewhere. 400 under 18s onboard, vast majority of passengers are new Princess cruisers, very low number of platinum and elite, same next week. 
weather is hit and miss, and if it is cool/raining then most people go indoors making it feel crowded, but that is no different to any other cruise I have been on. 
there is definitely more staff than my last Sky cruise. 
 

Which bars and what time of the day please. Genuine question as they are always full at the times we choose to go (except yesterday when folks were off on evening tours). 

 

I have to say that is is busier than I remember ever having experienced on any ship I have been on. I’m probably also more conscious of the crowds after 2 years of social distance and now on this ship there is none what so ever.

[Pink-belle]

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Perhaps the one to one service demands via the app (for those it actually works for) is taking staff resource away from the main service areas? Just a guess.

 

If for example someone requests tacos from the Salty Dog and they are in the piazza that’s a lot of time and staff resource to deliver them. That person could be serving several passengers at the actual food outlet. Same goes for the bars.

Umm, that’s actually a bit of a bug bear of mine, a feature I really don’t like.  Was sat in Vines and table next to us ordered plates of fries etc, really ruined the ambience in my humble opinion.  
I can see it being a great feature if you are on the sun deck, but wish it wasn’t available for lounges. 

 

They would be interesting questions to be answered. 

[Eglesbrech]

45 minutes ago, Pink-belle said:

Umm, that’s actually a bit of a bug bear of mine, a feature I really don’t like.  Was sat in Vines and table next to us ordered plates of fries etc, really ruined the ambience in my humble opinion.  
I can see it being a great feature if you are on the sun deck, but wish it wasn’t available for lounges. 

 

They would be interesting questions to be answered. 

We have not got into vines as yet in this trip, a favourite haunt usually. Yesterday afternoon there were several of the red taco baskets piled up on a table which is why I chose that example.

 

It does rather spoil the mood.

[Eglesbrech]

Day 5 Skagen

 

What a beautiful little port. Not one I have been to before but one I would be happy to go back to.

 

The  town is a short walk from the port and if Disney did Denmark this would be it.

 

Clean, pretty and with lots of quaint shops to wander around. Also a good variety of cafes and restaurants. I found lots of lovely things to buy.

 

One of my party found out that there was a micro brewery in town with a large beer garden. We sat there in the sun and tried the excellent beers and had an amazing seafood platter for lunch.

 

Along from the brewery is a beautiful little church which is open for private prayer. For non believers it is still worth a visit for the architecture.

 

To top it all off we had a brilliant sunny day and a marching band to see us off from the pier.

[Pink-belle]

7 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Day 5 Skagen

 

What a beautiful little port. Not one I have been to before but one I would be happy to go back to.

 

The  town is a short walk from the port and if Disney did Denmark this would be it.

 

Clean, pretty and with lots of quaint shops to wander around. Also a good variety of cafes and restaurants. I found lots of lovely things to buy.

 

One of my party found out that there was a micro brewery in town with a large beer garden. We sat there in the sun and tried the excellent beers and had an amazing seafood platter for lunch.

 

Along from the brewery is a beautiful little church which is open for private prayer. For non believers it is still worth a visit for the architecture.

 

To top it all off we had a brilliant sunny day and a marching band to see us off from the pier.

Thank you will make a note of this for August sailing.

 

Apparently quite a lot of capacity in the bars at 6pm today, from my friends, 

6pm walked past crown grill bar- lots of free tables, same outside of live lounge, good spirits had free tables, vines 30% tables occupied, bellinis almost empty.

Hopefully will be similar next week, our dining reservation is 6:40 so will suit us for an early drink before dinner. 

[Eglesbrech]

5 minutes ago, Pink-belle said:

Thank you will make a note of this for August sailing.

 

Apparently quite a lot of capacity in the bars at 6pm today, from my friends, 

6pm walked past crown grill bar- lots of free tables, same outside of live lounge, good spirits had free tables, vines 30% tables occupied, bellinis almost empty.

Hopefully will be similar next week, our dining reservation is 6:40 so will suit us for an early drink before dinner. 

Sounds great  if you eat early. We don’t.

 

I wonder what it will be like when I go down in an hour or indeed after the show.

 

Off for my shower.

Edited June 1, 2022 by Eglesbrech

[Pink-belle]

54 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Sounds great  if you eat early. We don’t.

 

I wonder what it will be like when I go down in an hour or indeed after the show.

 

Off for my shower.

You’d have time for a couple more drinks then 😉 but at least you’d have a table. 

[Airwavey]

Hi

Loving your insights. We cruise on Sky for 14 days from June 11 - Noweigen fjords. 

 

Small deta questions if I may... 

How many clothes hangers do they provide in the wardrobe? 

Thanks in anticipation 

[welshgirl58]

Don’t be concerned about clothes hangers. You can ask for more from your cabin steward.

[Eglesbrech]

10 hours ago, Airwavey said:

Hi

Loving your insights. We cruise on Sky for 14 days from June 11 - Noweigen fjords. 

 

Small deta questions if I may... 

How many clothes hangers do they provide in the wardrobe? 

Thanks in anticipation 

Just counted them and there are 30, various types.

[caribill]

On 5/31/2022 at 3:19 PM, Pink-belle said:

 

now, I know from personal experience there is no rhyme or reason with the medallion.  Last cruise mine was useless, my husband had no issues, despite us being together and using same operating systems 

 

Do both phones have the same amount of memory?

[caribill]

On 6/1/2022 at 1:56 AM, Eglesbrech said:

I know from past experience that some of points of interest in Oslo are further out eg the Viking museum or Sculpture park but there are HOHO buses at the port that go round them all. The actual city centre attractions like the Novel Centre are within a short walk of the port.

 

We have used the public transportation (bus, trolley) to easily get to these places.

[Airwavey]

52 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Just counted them and there are 30, various types.

Thank you for that 

[Pink-belle]

3 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Do both phones have the same amount of memory?

Just checked this and they do.  I am going to clear out some old photos and apps before sailing next week, just to see if that helps.