Princess vs. Virgin Voyages Round 1: Pre-Cruise Experience

[Tedferg]

5 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

I have checked out the Virgin website and didn't feel it was for us but could always change my mind. The Points Guy review doesn't lead me to believe that I will but never say never. I like the kids-free aspect but the pricing was higher than we are used to. I also don't particularly like the idea of "raunchy" entertainment. Sorry, I guess maybe as a 60 year old I am not their target market 🙂  I'll be following with interest.

I agree, I like a good joke but 'raunchy' is just cheap humor to me. My interest dropped when TPG mentioned that.

[Guest ldtr]

21 hours ago, wowzz said:

Not a problem in the UK. It just seems that Princess want to alienate their European customers.

Do any of the other cruise lines allow bidding in the UK?  I can see some potential conflicts with execution between the bidding process the the PTR in the UK and similar laws in the UK.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, ldtr said:

Do any of the other cruise lines allow bidding in the UK?  I can see some potential conflicts with execution between the bidding process the the PTR in the UK and similar laws in the UK.

Good point.

AFAIK, no cruise lines offer bidding in the UK. From a legal point of view,  I  can see no legal reason why a bidding system could not be offered. 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Good point.

AFAIK, no cruise lines offer bidding in the UK. From a legal point of view,  I  can see no legal reason why a bidding system could not be offered. 

I suspect the issue is with managing the risks under the PTR.  

 

Under the PTR there are a number of protections.  Claims can be made for a number of circumstances.  As a result the cruise line would have to be very careful to document that the individual is in agreement with all changes made to their booking. Requirements that they do not have to do for US bookings.

 

Under PTR if someone has a confirmed reservation, the cruise line must notify them of changes and the traveler has the option of accepting them or not. I can see a number of ways where the bid system as run in the US could be problematic under PTR.

Edited October 17, 2022 by ldtr

[Ombud]

So the "PTR" not Princess limits it?? If so, nothing to see here. Off to Google PTR

[Tedferg]

36 minutes ago, Ombud said:

 Off to Google PTR

Me too, don't see how Pupil Teacher Ratio affects this, Hmmm how about Player To my Right? I think it must be due to Professional Tennis Registry!

[Ombud]

20 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Me too, don't see how Pupil Teacher Ratio affects this, Hmmm how about Player To my Right? I think it must be due to Professional Tennis Registry!

Sounds like it has to do with contracts in UK. Like maybe all upgrades / upsells / bid ups have to have a firm room and acceptance. Which this program isn't set up to do

 

Does UK law always stop cruisers from getting upgrades?? If so, at least you don't have to monitor to make sure that "no upgrade request" is honored

 

But I digress  ... thread is about Virgin cruises experience 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by Ombud

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

So the "PTR" not Princess limits it?? If so, nothing to see here. Off to Google PTR

Not necessarily.  I suspect that it is not a matter of it being prevented by law, as much as it would be more difficult for the company to manage under the various travel protections.  Just as they have different cruise contract terms and conditions for the UK than the  US.  It would be more a matter that the added complexities might make offering it to be unprofitable, and thus they chose not to offer it.

[Guest ldtr]

37 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Me too, don't see how Pupil Teacher Ratio affects this, Hmmm how about Player To my Right? I think it must be due to Professional Tennis Registry!

How about Package Travel Regulations 2018 and the EU equivalent. 

[cruising.mark.uk]

6 hours ago, ldtr said:

Do any of the other cruise lines allow bidding in the UK?  I can see some potential conflicts with execution between the bidding process the the PTR in the UK and similar laws in the UK.

Celebrity does.  Or at least they did for the Staycation cruise we did around the UK on Silhouette just after the re-start, where we bid (unsuccessfully) on a number of cabin grades above the one we booked.

[gardenbunny]

Being Princess Elite sailing with them on lots of cruises including 2 World Cruises, I started having a little change of heart toward Princess with the introduction of the Medallion when cruising began after Covid.  I tried 2 cruises (NYE and March) and was just not feeling the love as I have for the past 10 years.

As a result 2022 has been the year of a variety of cruise lines - just to try something different.  Oceania, Celebrity, HAL, RCI on Oasis of the Seas.  Other than the learning curve of ship layout and comfort zone of how this and that works onboard, etc - we have enjoyed them all.  And not a single Medallion to be found - just a cruise card! Boarding was easy.  All the Apps worked great, simple and user friendly both pre cruise and on board.  Service was just as good if not better in some cases.  Ships were clean and well maintained. And they still had early and late dining!!!!  Same table, same wait staff.  We did pay for some specialty dining reservations and they were nice. There were “formal nights” but much more like party attire vs gowns and tux.  Some people chose to dress up more than others, but nothing you might call bad taste.

In making plans for 2023 we are continuing the trend with 2 cruises with Azamara and we will be on Virgin in February out of Miami!

Excited to give them a try.  My TA was invited onboard to cruise first time in February 2022.  She was also hesitant wondering if she might be the oldest passenger with her age (early 60s) would fit in.  She was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed it!!   She said food was awesome.  So we are joining her for this Feb. along with other friends and family!

Still have an Enchanted Princess for 21 day Mediterranean RT Barcelona in May.  It had been originally booked for 2021 but due to Covid I moved all our oversea cruises to 2023.

So  basically I am saying it is OK to try something new and different.  Everybody has their own budgets and a list of must haves or doesn’t really matter items.  I have always said when I buy something, if it was what I was looking for and a price I wanted to pay, then it was a good deal!

Having traveled and/or cruised to 108 countries, I have learned that wherever you go people who cruise and travel are all flexible and easy going, having a good time enjoying and experiencing new places and meeting new people - sharing a common love of travel - and all the stories that go with the adventures!

Looking forward to your reports from Virgin - Bon Voyage and safe travels.

 

 

 

[wowzz]

6 hours ago, ldtr said:

Not necessarily.  I suspect that it is not a matter of it being prevented by law, as much as it would be more difficult for the company to manage under the various travel protections.  Just as they have different cruise contract terms and conditions for the UK than the  US.  It would be more a matter that the added complexities might make offering it to be unprofitable, and thus they chose not to offer it.

So, Celebrity offer bids in the UK, therefore nothing to do with UK legislation.

However, probably best to let the thread return to its' original purpose. 

[Guest ldtr]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

So, Celebrity offer bids in the UK, therefore nothing to do with UK legislation.

However, probably best to let the thread return to its' original purpose. 

Except what exactly are the characteristics of the Celebrity program compared to Princess or NCL? Have they made changes unique to the UK.

 

Also keep in mind that CCL is a UK company (dating back to the agreement when they purchased P&O), unlike RCL and as a result is subject to more issues when it comes to selling a travel product to a UK resident inside of the UK

Edited October 18, 2022 by ldtr

[Wildcatllamas]

I was on the Discovery last week and Virgin back in December. On the Discovery I was in a mini-suite and on Virgin a terrace (aka balcony). 

 

So first off the bathroom - in reality they are both the same size. I measured the area where the toilet and basin are and the tub/shower versus large shower with the rain shower head. But on Virgin it does seem smaller. Optical illusion. 

 

I am in my late 60s and loved Virgin. Now I only caught part of the "Never go to bed alone" show. Not my cup of tea so I left. Don't go if you don't like that kind of stuff.  But the Dual Reality show and the pop up performers were really different, edgy and with Dual Reality it was great. Plus Virgin has a huge selection of movies available to view in your cabin. Many were recent releases versus a couple of years or more on Princess.

 

Both Princess and Virgin stink on their beds. Way to firm for me and my joints that at times hate me. The layout of the bed and bed/couch is definitely doable. The steward will gladly strip the beds down so you can use it as a couch during the day and remake them into beds at night. We just had him leave them as beds.  

 

Attire - I was on a B2B on Virgin and everyone was very respectful of dressing nicely to eat in the restaurants. And on Scarlet night talk about dressing up - it was so much fun to see all the beautiful dresses and suits in red. Now a couple of the nights I did wear shorts to dinner but that was because I got back late from being ashore and was pushing my dinner reservation time.

 

Food - hands down Virgin all the way. Even in the Galley (aka buffet). Now here is the plus on the Galley - wander around and see what you like. Then go and sit down. One of the Galley attendants will come and take your order for your food and beverages and they will be brought over to you. Want something more - just let them know. No need to sit at a table in shifts while others grab food. The Wake steakhouse was way better then Crown Grill. Extra Virgin Italian makes Sabatines  look pathetic. Pink Agave is just an amazing take on Mexican. And don't miss out on the Test Kitchen. Gumbae is fun and good food. Razzle Dazzle has some wonderful dishes. Their breakfast pizza is a round slab of watermelon with a vegan whipped cream topping and lots of other fresh fruits. The pizza place on Virgin is comparable to Gigi's but Virgin Ice Cream (free) is way better then Gelatos. We would order a pizza and while waiting have a scoop of ice cream. Then we would take the pizza over to the one bar to watch the football game and eat pizza. There is the soda/candy shop. Free hot dogs, pretzels and all sorts of candy. The alcoholic floats are yummy and run about $9. The Dock is a tapas bar on the back of the ship. The food is all free and no one pressures you to order a drink. Although the Blackberry Sangria isn't bad.

 

Wifi - Virgin definitely. Even their slow free wifi was better then what I paid for on Princess. I was always able to log in and do anything I needed to do on my laptop on Virgin. It took me 6 times to log on while on Princess just to do my payroll for 7 employees. Lots of dead zones and marginal areas on Princess.  

 

With gratuities, wifi, all non-alcoholic beverages and no upcharge restaurants included it does make a difference.

 

And Richard Branson has a staff that follows many social media sites looking for complaints and they start working those issues out. Folks complained about not having a sports bar and they were in the process of changing out one of their bars to be a sports bar. Folks complained about more storage places and they have made changes. I don't see Princess doing that. NCL used to.

 

So to each his own on cruises. This Princess cruise wasn't as nice as my one in 2019 - but then Covid happened. If flights weren't so expensive to get from where I live to Miami it would be Virgin hands down.

[Ombud]

@Wildcatllamas what about music? Specifically wind / strings / classical?

[dog]

The bed in video I saw in Virgin Voyages forum- balcony cabin was a day bed- pull out couch.  I did not see a regular bed, like balcony cabins have on Discovery Princess.

 

My May 2022 bed on Discovery was perfect! As was the food in all areas.

 

 

[gardenbunny]

Thanks Wildcatsllamas for the detail info - especially the food venues.  Great review

[odyssyus]

8 hours ago, dog said:

The bed in video I saw in Virgin Voyages forum- balcony cabin was a day bed- pull out couch.  I did not see a regular bed, like balcony cabins have on Discovery Princess.

 

My May 2022 bed on Discovery was perfect! As was the food in all areas.

 

 

its neither a 'day bed' nor a 'pull out couch'.  No need to spin it to simply convey you don't prefer Virgin.

 

In my home, I have 2 twin xl's that make up a King.  If i were to move one of those twin xl's sideways, put a cover on the 'mattress' and toss some throw pillows on it, it would be comparable to a Virgin Voyages setup.

 

If you prefer the 'classic' style of box spring, mattress then you probably won't care for Virgin Voyages bed.

[dog]

1 hour ago, odyssyus said:

its neither a 'day bed' nor a 'pull out couch'.  No need to spin it to simply convey you don't prefer Virgin.

 

In my home, I have 2 twin xl's that make up a King.  If i were to move one of those twin xl's sideways, put a cover on the 'mattress' and toss some throw pillows on it, it would be comparable to a Virgin Voyages setup.

 

If you prefer the 'classic' style of box spring, mattress then you probably won't care for Virgin Voyages bed.

On Virgin Voyages forum on cruise critic- a video of a balcony cabin is posted by a couple who refer to the bed.

 

no spin from me- I got those words from those who have been on the Virgin ship.

 

your home bedding is irrelevant.

 

kwokpot- posted the video. Sorry I cannot paste it here.

 

many positive things have been said.

 

I was interested in this cruise line as well as OP.

 

 

Thanks for sharing- all posters deserve respect.

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by dog

[c-boy]

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Cinegraphic..... having too much fun?

[c-boy]

gawd ! I hope he didn't get on the wrong cruise ship .

[c-boy]

 

Must be having time, too busy to post. Senses overwhelmed, circuits are blown ..

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

Cinegraphic..... having too much fun?

maybe their internet connection is not working

[stoneharborlady]

On 10/17/2022 at 9:34 AM, RNRcruisers said:

I have checked out the Virgin website and didn't feel it was for us but could always change my mind. The Points Guy review doesn't lead me to believe that I will but never say never. I like the kids-free aspect but the pricing was higher than we are used to. I also don't particularly like the idea of "raunchy" entertainment. Sorry, I guess maybe as a 60 year old I am not their target market 🙂  I'll be following with interest.

I dont think it would be for me either.  But no matter, as I am not sailing any line these days.  I am enjoying beach vacations.