Just Off 3/25/06 to 4/1/06 Sapphire Princess to Mexico

[nitterm]

What can I say but another great cruise on Princess. The Sapphire was full with almost 2700 people of which 700 were kids on spring break. All in all no major problems with the kids, the youth security staff had things well in check. The weather was chilly the first and last day at sea and warm while in the Mexican port areas. Food was good, both embarkation and disembarkation went very smooth. Entertainment was good especially the two comedians. Had a balcony room, Aloha 254 should have listened to inner self and gotten a mini-suite. Spent time in casino mostly on slots cant really say I won, got a chance to meet and talk with captain and first officer. First time on what I will call mega ship, used to Coral Princess and found that Sapphire tends to be "cut up" compared with Coral. Example is Horizon Court buffet. This is our 7th cruise with Princess, 8th is scheduled for October on Sea Princess to New England/Canada and will be scheduling 9th and 10th for 2007. Puerto Vallerta was good, Matzalan we could do without and Cabo was good too. About the only bad thing on the trip was wasting $25 tipping the cabin steward when we first boarded and the portion of the $10 per day tip for her work. She needs to take a refresher course on how to make up a room and how best to keep vacationers happy. No details just mentioning. All in all one grand vacation and cruise!

[cruisencouple]

Thanks for the brief info I will be on that ship in 3 weeks and we can't wait. We are also on the Aloha deck rm 247 did you think the balcony was small? How was the weather in the ports? This is my first time in Mexico so just wondering what to expect.

 

Thanks

Desiree

[Tiderunner]

We were on the Feb 25th cruise out of San Pedro to Mexico on the Saphire...the staff was wonderful...food was wonderful...Baja deck was wonderful...I would go again in a heartbeat, but I have to pay my income and property taxes..sigh..I am sure the ship was at full capacity, but it was so huge that it it never seemed crowded..it was my first cruise and hopefully not my last.

[nvrealtor]

So you are a jerk? Stay off my ship!

[dutrie]

We (myself plus wife and wife's parents) are also just off of the Sapphire. This is our eighth cruise and the experience on Sapphire was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed the production shows and the band Hip Pocket that played in Explorers.

 

We liked each of the three ports, especially Mazatlan, where we took a tour with Mazatlan Frank.

 

Although there were a lot of kids onboard, we saw no problems.

The only disappointment for us was the cool weather the first and last days.

 

David

[negc]

About the only bad thing on the trip was wasting $25 tipping the cabin steward when we first boarded and the portion of the $10 per day tip for her work. She needs to take a refresher course on how to make up a room and how best to keep vacationers happy.

 

I think you just proved my point that tipping up front probably has no effect on the quality of the service you receive. If you had received excellent service, you would probably be convinced that it was because of the advance tip. You basically get the kind of service that the crew members are willing or able to provide and you get it regardless of whether you tip at the beginning or the end of your cruise.

Glad that, otherwise, you enjoyed your cruise as we will be on Sapphire Princess in a matter of weeks.

Can you explain how it was that you felt the ship was cut up? Were the traffic patterns difficult so that getting from one point on the ship to another could be a complicated maneuver? Thanks.

[Tinknock50]

I think you just proved my point that tipping up front probably has no effect on the quality of the service you receive. If you had received excellent service, you would probably be convinced that it was because of the advance tip. You basically get the kind of service that the crew members are willing or able to provide and you get it regardless of whether you tip at the beginning or the end of your cruise.

Glad that, otherwise, you enjoyed your cruise as we will be on Sapphire Princess in a matter of weeks...................

 

I agree. That being said, on my upcoming cruise with mom, I will be tipping beforehand for the 1st time. I know we will be needing a lot of extra service for her because of her Parkinsons and I want to compensate for the heavier work load.

[Coral]

I also don't believe in pre-tipping. Though I would give a tip if at the beginning of a cruise if I asked for several things up front (like having a party in a suite and wanted extra glasses, etc..) and it was taken care of.

 

I agree with you 100% about the Coral Princess layout - the Coral class and Sun class seem to have a superior layout compared to Grand class ships.

 

Thanks for the review. I have friends on the ship right now and I will be on the ship in 6 weeks.

[Beryl]

Tinknock50...I am really looking forward to meeting you on our May cruise!

 

I don't really believe that you will need to pre-tip to receive excellent service. I have sometimes had better stewards than others (I had the best steward ever on our Sun Princess cruise) but I have always had very good to excellent service. Explain to your steward when you board that you might have to ask for extra service and when you get it go ahead and tip over and above the auto tip at the end of the cruise. A tip is for service you have received. It is not a bribe to get good service. If you find the service you are getting inadequate report it immediately to the head of housekeeping!! If the service does not improve continue to report it up the chain until you get the service you expect! That is the only way to see that stewards who are slack are brought up to par!

[Tinknock50]

Tinknock50...I am really looking forward to meeting you on our May cruise!

 

I don't really believe that you will need to pre-tip to receive excellent service. I have sometimes had better stewards than others (I had the best steward ever on our Sun Princess cruise) but I have always had very good to excellent service. Explain to your steward when you board that you might have to ask for extra service and when you get it go ahead and tip over and above the auto tip at the end of the cruise. A tip is for service you have received. It is not a bribe to get good service. If you find the service you are getting inadequate report it immediately to the head of housekeeping!! If the service does not improve continue to report it up the chain until you get the service you expect! That is the only way to see that stewards who are slack are brought up to par!

 

Beryl.....I am looking forward to meeting also.

 

lol...I always called it a "bribe" too and never considered doing it before.

 

Its just that this time there is certainly going to be more than the normal amount of work for the steward. I am not bribing him...just want to show my appreciation for how hard he works and that I will need the extra help.

[dutrie]

I didn't feel that the Sapphire was cut up. It is different than the Sun which I sailed last year, but similar enough that it only took a day or so to get accustomed to the layout. We thought it quite easy to get around the Sapphire.

 

David