P&O v Princess

[Presto2]

On another thread someone suggested that we look at a Princess cruise. Have been having a look and have been surprised by the prices (in a good way).

Just wondering how Princess compares to P&O at the minute. I know that it is US dollars etc but am wondering how the service compares and over all cruise experience

E,g, Have they kept some of the traditions that P&O seems to have put to one side?

Thanks everyone

[david63]

A lot will depend on where the cruise is starting from and the itinerary.

 

Basically there is not a lot of difference for Princess/P&O when sailing out of Southampton but depending on the itinerary there could be a lot of Americans on the ship.

 

If anything I would say that service and food are marginally better on Princess than P&O.

 

Having done many cruises on P&O over the years and recently been on Princess the differences are a question of "swings and roundabouts".

 

At the end of the day it comes down to itinerary and price and for me if both were comparable I would go with Princess.

[cruising.mark.uk]

My personal opinion, despite clear UK / US and cultural differences, Princess and P&O are quite similar, and we love sailing on both.  And the other bonus (although I'm not sure if this remains the case) is that P&O cruising history used to count towards the Princess loyalty programme, so it was very easy to get to Platinum / Elite levels on Princess via cruises on P&O because the nights required to reach those levels on Princess are a lot less than on P&O.  And the perks are better at the higher levels: mini bar setup, free laundry, 10% off in the shops and on excursions and restaurants etc etc.

 

Another bonus with Princess is the packages, especially Plus: £50pp per night for a drinks package which provides a good selection of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks / specialist coffees etc, and wifi and service charges (which I think are about 16 or 20$ pppn on their own).  At the moment, there is a special offer in the UK and you can get Plus for £25pp per night for 2024 cruises, a level at which it will be a no brainer for most.

 

The demographic at Princess used to be quite old, akin to P&O, but I think Princess is on a very similar journey to that of P&O with its newer ships, trying to attract a younger clientele and become more family orientated.  But, it still has older, more traditional ships.    Very similar debates on the Princess forum as on here about the value / use of the App and, in particular, about dining arrangements.  See, for example, the one below.  As a brief synopsis of the 80-odd pages, many of the  more 'traditional' cruisers are pretty upset about the perceived difficulties they have securing the equivalent of select dining throughout their cruise.  The arguments will sound very familiar to those recently on this board.

 

Service is very good, but a bit more in your face than P&O, as you'd probably expect from a US-oriented line.  And debates about staffing levels, evening turndown being removed etc are very similar to those on here.

 

In brief, I think it's fair to say that Princess is, broadly speaking, a US version of P&O, or vice versa.  We very much enjoy them both.

 

 

[Presto2]

Thank you to both of you. I am surprised to read that both seem similar to P&O. I am wondering if we just stick to Celebrity moving forward as we have a lot of loyalty points with them ....

[Gettingwarmer]

14 minutes ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

And the other bonus (although I'm not sure if this remains the case) is that P&O cruising history used to count towards the Princess loyalty programme,

Sorry no longer the case

14 minutes ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

 

Another bonus with Princess is the packages, especially Plus: £50pp per night for a drinks package which provides a good selection of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks / specialist coffees etc, and wifi and service charges (which I think are about 16 or 20$ pppn on their own).  At the moment, there is a special offer in the UK and you can get Plus for £25pp per night for 2024 cruises, a level at which it will be a no brainer for most.

Very good value

At the moment I prefer to travel with Princess. Food and drink much better. However we still have cruises booked wit P&O

I think it is much better than P&O

Edited June 17, 2023 by Gettingwarmer

[scouse mouse]

We’ve sailed on two Princess ships - the beds are the comfiest we’ve ever slept on.

[Tomcruise92]

I have only travelled on Princess and so far so good. My first P&O (next week on Azura) and first Celebrity coming up, so I will report back! I will say P&O could do with an app as finding all the different sites you need to go to a bit confusing. 

[Cathygh]

I like the Princess app, you can do lots through it before you sail eg choose your embarkation time. You can order any drink anywhere on the ship and they will bring it to you. (But they can struggle to find you on the open decks.) MDR food is on a par and sometimes better than P&O and there is more choice. We were able to get a curry for my husband one night when it wasn't on the MDR menu. They try to help, rather than fob you off. 

If you plan to sail when our US cousins are on board just be prepared T shirts, shorts and caps in the MDR.

[Gettingwarmer]

9 minutes ago, Tomcruise92 said:

I have only travelled on Princess and so far so good. My first P&O (next week on Azura) and first Celebrity coming up, so I will report back! I will say P&O could do with an app as finding all the different sites you need to go to a bit confusing. 

Yes the Princess app is a proper app unlike P&O

[mrsgoggins]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Thank you to both of you. I am surprised to read that both seem similar to P&O. I am wondering if we just stick to Celebrity moving forward as we have a lot of loyalty points with them ....

 

I've sailed with Celebrity, Princess and P&O with each of them within the last 18 months and they are my three 'go to' lines, but in that order.  Celebrity's loyalty scheme works well for me, particularly as I don't care for alcohol and speciality beverages are included once you reach Elite+ along with internet minutes and laundry. DH does make use of the Elite's drinks between 5-7.  

 

My only reservation about Celebrity is that from next year it is Apex to be in Southampton for the summer season and I am not keen, preferring the S class.

 

I could find pluses for each of them but destinations and prices would also come into the equation, as well as my personal preferences for the older ships - probably won't sail again on Celebrity Apex or P&O's Iona (or Arvia, but I haven't sailed on her).  I am more likely to sail with P&O before the American ships arrive. However, we have never had a bad cruise on any of them and have bookings with each in the future.

[Gettingwarmer]

9 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

Celebrity's loyalty scheme works well for me, particularly as I don't care for alcohol and speciality beverages are included once you reach Elite+ along with internet minutes and laundry. DH does make use of the Elite's drinks between 5-7.  

Surely your Elite remarks apply to Princess not Celebrity 

[mrsgoggins]

17 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Surely your Elite remarks apply to Princess not Celebrity 

 

Definitely Celebrity. I'm pretty sure that Princess is Captain's Circle, where we are platinum I believe, but no longer offers anything I value; although it used to before the changes.

[Gettingwarmer]

Just now, mrsgoggins said:

 

Definitely Celebrity. I'm pretty sure that Princess is Captain's Circle, where we are platinum I believe, but no longer offers anything I value; although it used to before the changes.

The tier above Platinum is Elite on Princess that’s why you got me confused. 

[mrsgoggins]

1 minute ago, Gettingwarmer said:

The tier above Platinum is Elite on Princess that’s why you got me confused. 

 

😁 Yes, I just looked it up and realised how the confusion happened. Doubt I'll be making Elite on Princess but you never know 😉

 

[david63]

5 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Sorry no longer the case

Theoretically yes but in practice maybe not. My wife who has never sailed with Princess went straight to Elite level on her first cruise because of an IT "glitch" that brought all of her P&O loyalty over to Princess.

[Presto2]

39 minutes ago, david63 said:

Theoretically yes but in practice maybe not. My wife who has never sailed with Princess went straight to Elite level on her first cruise because of an IT "glitch" that brought all of her P&O loyalty over to Princess.

Oh I wish we cld get a glitch 😀

[doog442]

We did the Enchanted Princess last year and my wife has just done the Regal Princess.

 

If you like a drink or two you are almost compelled to get the Princess drinks package adding considerable expense to your holiday whereas drink prices on P&0 are very reasonable. That said the reduction to £25 pppn looks good but still depends on the overall cruise cost. Having looked at 2024 cruises they've built that into many cruise prices I'm afraid, as Celebrity do. It's tiresome really.  

 

We've found little difference in quality to be fair, Princess probably edging it .Itinerary is now more important to us. In relation to the Caribbean its P&O and their packages / flights tip it their way, further afield is a different story. Some of the Princess offerings in that respect look quite decent but don't include flights. Skyscanner for flights is making my eyes bleed and not good news.  

Edited June 17, 2023 by doog442

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

Theoretically yes but in practice maybe not. My wife who has never sailed with Princess went straight to Elite level on her first cruise because of an IT "glitch" that brought all of her P&O loyalty over to Princess.

I think that probably your earlier P&O cruises do still count if you have never sailed with them before.  But not any cruises done after the cut off point.

[Son of Anarchy]

16 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I think that probably your earlier P&O cruises do still count if you have never sailed with them before.  But not any cruises done after the cut off point.

I created an account with Princess on their website.  Never cruised with them, but they recognised our P & O cruises, as you say up to the cut off point (don't the date).  Straight in at Elite.  Will probably book with them for the Far East in due course.

[sistersontheseasuk]

For us, Princess isn't enough of a better product to account for the big difference in prices once you've accounted for gratuities.

 

We've cruised with Princess a couple of times and do like them, but had a terrible experience on Enchanted Princess last summer which has made us a bit apprehensive about booking with them in the future. 

[david63]

10 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I think that probably your earlier P&O cruises do still count if you have never sailed with them before.  But not any cruises done after the cut off point.

Nope. All my wife's cruises up to 2019 (cut off was 2017 I think?) were brought over but none of mine. I had a discussion with the Captain's Circle people and was told that it is an IT glitch that happens from time to time

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

Nope. All my wife's cruises up to 2019 (cut off was 2017 I think?) were brought over but none of mine. I had a discussion with the Captain's Circle people and was told that it is an IT glitch that happens from time to time

But which way is the glitch? 

[david63]

49 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But which way is the glitch? 

My wife should not have had her P&O loyalty brought over. This was confirmed by Princess - but it happened and it is there now. The only benefit that makes any difference is the 10% off excursions and we don't do many of those anyway

[bobstheboy]

My P&O loyalty going back to Ocean Village is on Princess but not on P&O ! Anyone had Ocean Village cruises credited on P& O ?

[Cathygh]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

Nope. All my wife's cruises up to 2019 (cut off was 2017 I think?) were brought over but none of mine. I had a discussion with the Captain's Circle people and was told that it is an IT glitch that happens from time to time

That happened to my DH,he got Platinum  and not to me but Princess did let me have Platinum too. Theyagreed straightway but tokk months to alter my account,