Review Coral Princess Southbound 8/7 - 8/14: You may not like what you hear...

[tristero]

whoops double post

[Chat Noir]

Nice pictures... I have some of the ice and birds very similiar to yours.

 

You have as much right to your opinion as anyone, and I understand being quite bothered by the inappropriate comments made to you by a Princess staff member. However, I too agree... it should've been dealt with immediately, and not left to a comment card. The rest of your trip might have been much less stressful.

 

I've sailed Alaska twice, and have seen few whales from the ship either trip, Believe me, we watched for them at every opportunity. Best whale viewing for us has always been onboard a smaller vessel, although none have yet been with Orca Enterprises.

 

I do take a bit of offense with someone mentioning the idea that heavier people might not shower while onboard while directing attention towards some large people.:confused: I'm no skinny minnie, and I can say, I had no problem showering in our oceanview cabin shower on the Sapphire Princess this year. Sometimes twice a day, even!:)

 

Skagway is probably one of my favorite ports. The scenery is just beautiful! One of the most unique scenic drives I've taken in Alaska is accessed through Skagway. But I don't stay around town prowling stores... even at that, the town itself is quite pretty.

 

We weren't so wild about Denali National Park as I thought we would be, especially after all the great comments made by posters here. We kind of think, well, been there, done that... but others love it. I value their view, and now, I have my own.

 

My opinion differing from yours isn't a slam against you and your opinion... only that each person is unique in their likes and dislikes.

[ShyGuy215]

I also wondered if these foriegn workers were being exploited by working for low wages. What is the story with that? It was great having a diverse staff, just looking for background information about the motivation for this.

Tristero: I have all the sympathy in the world for someone who has felt sexually harassed and will not slam you for anything you wrote about that incident. I also think people have been too hard on you for criticizing you for not reporting it immediately and hiding in your cabin at night. If you felt that was what you needed to do for your own safety, you did the right thing!!!

 

I was shocked to read the above comment which I clipped from one of your postings. What difference does it make if most of the employees wages come from tips? There are millions of waiters and waitresses in the US who make $2.13 (I think that is the current wage) per hour who made a good living off of the tips they receive. I am happy to help these hard working, personable individuals from Romania, Russia, or Croatia have a chance to work and make a good living so that when they return to their country, they are well off. Someone else pointed out that these jobs are in high demand and if one of them was not there, the position would be easily filled by someone who wanted it. I recently cruised on the Carnival Miracle to Western Carribean and absolutely loved the international staff. Everyone I spoke to about working on the cruise ship said they make more than enough to return home and be well off. I cheer the cruise lines for finding such people to work. I believe the cruise ships are one of the few places where you get to meet so many different people and it would be a shame not to get to know some of them to find out what life is like in their homelands.

 

I don't intend for this to sound nasty, but the diversity of people all around the world is so beautiful that we should not pass up opportunities to discover other places and people that are unlike our own. Isn't that the reason that we travel?

[tristero]

Hi Shyguy,

 

I think you misunderstood my question. I wasn't passing a judgement, I was wondering if there was a story behind why the cruiselines hire mostly foreign workers. Like I said in my post, I found it great to be around international staff.

[Toyz711]

even if this crewman's idea was a innocent flirt, he should be report. it's never too late. a simple comment card will not be taken seriously. i would still call the company. if for no other reason then his actions should be watched.

[cruising dfl]

Tristero,

 

I appreciate honest reviews and enjoyed reading yours. And thank you for sharing your pictures. I'm very sorry you were harrassed on your cruise -- as a young woman who's experienced this herself many times, I know how unsettling it is.

 

From your description, this cruise employee behaved inappropriately right outside your stateroom. Whether intended or not, I'm sure that robbed you of some sense of safety in the hallways and entryway. Maybe he's a nice guy who couldn't help himself, or maybe he's a repeat offender with bad intentions. I had a roommate in college who was raped in a hotel she stayed at during spring break one year. A security guard took advantage of his position in the hotel and caught her off guard as she was opening the door to her room. I'm very glad to read that your cruise ended happily, and maybe that employee didn't mean any harm, but maybe he did -- or will in the future.

 

I urge you to call Princess directly and report what happened. I'm not sure that they look at the comment cards very closely.

[mumom95]

Hi Shyguy,

 

I think you misunderstood my question. I wasn't passing a judgement, I was wondering if there was a story behind why the cruiselines hire mostly foreign workers. Like I said in my post, I found it great to be around international staff.

 

My husand and I were talking about this also one night during dinner on the Coral. We also meant absolutely no disrespect, just wondering why there weren't many American workers, given it was an American company on a cruise in America (Alaska). I thought this might be a great job for college kids during the summer, but maybe they are looking for people that can give a greater commitment than a few months.

[wrp96]

Hi Shyguy,

 

I think you misunderstood my question. I wasn't passing a judgement, I was wondering if there was a story behind why the cruiselines hire mostly foreign workers. Like I said in my post, I found it great to be around international staff.

 

Most cruiseships are foreign flagged to avoid US labor requirements (among other things like US tax laws, etc). With that said, the workers on cruiseships tend to work at least 12 hours a day, 7 days a week with no days off and for little pay by American standards. Most Americans aren't interested in working under those conditions.

 

My husand and I were talking about this also one night during dinner on the Coral. We also meant absolutely no disrespect, just wondering why there weren't many American workers, given it was an American company on a cruise in America (Alaska). I thought this might be a great job for college kids during the summer, but maybe they are looking for people that can give a greater commitment than a few months.

 

On the mass market lines, the cruise contract lasts for 6 to 8 months depending on the line and the position, and this is after training, which would not work for most college students.

 

Also, while most of the cruiselines themselves are US based, the ships are not, except for the NCLA ships which sail Hawaii. On the NCLA ships, the staff must be US and they have a hard time keeping staff, although it is starting to get better.

[Budget Queen]

My husand and I were talking about this also one night during dinner on the Coral. We also meant absolutely no disrespect, just wondering why there weren't many American workers, given it was an American company on a cruise in America (Alaska). I thought this might be a great job for college kids during the summer, but maybe they are looking for people that can give a greater commitment than a few months.

 

Because the ship is FOREIGN registered, and they violate every US labor law. :) Ship working contacts are usually for at least 6 months and usually longer. My son has been going back and forth if he wants the committment. He has gotten several offers. There unfortunately is quite a "class" system in place on a cruise ship. And many times you see the British/ Canadians/ and US workers in less time involved jobs, with more time off. My son's contract would have been for 10 hours/day 4/days per week, All wait staff and housekeeping was for 10 hours/day/ 6 days/week.

[mumom95]

Thanks for the information on the hiring, now I understand better. We kind of figured it had to do with the level of pay/work, but wasn't sure since Princess is a US company and the Alaska cruise was in the US. But I do know the Coral princess was registered in the Bahamas somewhere, so I guess that explains it.

[beachnative]

My nephew, after graduating from college, signed on with Clipper Cruise Lines (which has since been bought out by Cruise West). He spent time in several locations, including Alaska. I never once heard him say anything negative about the hours or wages. Yes, the hours were long, but when confinded to a ship, long hours of work makes the time pass faster. He came from a home of means and was used to the finer things of life but he also enjoyed working in the service industry. One of the things we, his family, liked about Clipper Lines was that they flew him home every few months. I'm not discounting the situation that other employees have on cruise ships, I just want to inject a positive statement about a positive experience with a particular line in the cruise industry.

 

As far at the original post: both my wife and I have, both as individuals and as couples, been hit on over the years (even as recently as on a vacation last week) and have found it to be displeasing . However, we have not let any of these experiences deter us from enjoying our vacations. When I stated earlier that I found the original post "interesting" I was not trying to be snarky (whatever that is)...I was just stating that the post was interesting...not disturbing, not disgusting, and certainly not shocking, but interesting. I guarantee that if my wife or I had an extremely negative or scary experience on a cruise ship I would not have cowered in my room but would have taken every measure to ensure that the individual who caused it was bought to the attention of those in charge...by name. Maybe that approach is a reflection on age and experience.

 

Again, I thank the OP for the thread because it might alert other young women who travel that there are unsavory characters out there.

[jeff Schaber]

Thanks for the review. I know there are always people out there that can ruin your day and it's a shame that yours had to come from a cruise ship employee. Hopefully, Princess will repsond accordingly.

 

It is important to realize that people forget this was your first cruise. I can remember mine and all of the mistakes I made because of not knowing the ins and outs of cruising. You did a good job of posting your concerns. As for the sewage smell, I do know that sea foam generated by the ships wake and propwash can sometimes make that smell. Most of these ships have very extensive water purification plants and they say you can actually drink the recycled toilet water (not me!). If you're in an area where there is fish processing and the boat is churning up the water, there is a good chance that the smell you are talking about is from the ocean.

 

I also was fortunate enough to see a ton of wildlife off my balcony. We were on the fantail and saw a pod of Orcas, porpoise, and at least 30 whales throughout the trip. Or whale watching tour in Juneau was through Harv and Marv's and we initially didn't see anything. Our tour started at 08:00am and after not having luck in the spot we were in we moved to another location. We were the only boat there for a while and wound up in a great spot to see whales (we saw at least 8 to 10 within 20 to 30 feet but I consider that lucky because you never know where the whales will surface). Or guide wasn't happy that we weren't seeing anything (although he didn't seem worried) and suggested we look in a different location. I think experience and personal service are key to any operator you choose and it's unfortunate you were unlucky with your whales, Did you move to a different location looking for them?

 

Below is a picture I was lucky enough to snap off the balcony as we were heading back to Vancouver:

 

[GMoney]

These pics are phenomenal! Thanks to all of you who have posted them.

[Taters]

Wonderful WONDERFUL pictures! I can't wait for my Coral Princess cruise in 3.5 weeks!

 

Taters

[CalifCruiser1]

Well I Get A Real Kick Out Of Your Post. I Was On Your Same Cruise And We Had A Wonderful Time Our 15th Cruise And Our First With Princess. Yes The Showers Are Smaller Than Other Cruise Lines By Maybe 2-4 Inches You Want A Larger Shower Here's A Hint Go To The Spa Normal Size Showers, We Do This 2-3 Times Per The Week After A Whirlpool Soak Or Sauna. We Also Booked With Capitan Larry We Took The 7am Whale Watch Its Nature Your Lucky To See Anything But We Were Impressed With What We Saw- With Everything We Did Tour Wise Captian Larry Was Cheap We Only Had 11 People On Our Boat. Yes We Did See Whales Along Side The Ship It Was Highly Unusual And Agian It Was Great But Very Few People See Them From The Ship. I Hope You Reliaze Everywhere We Went The Locals Kept Saying I Can't Believe The Great Weather We Having This Is Unusual.or How About The Calving The Huge 4 We Saw Highly Unusual.or All The Animals We Saw. Everything I Read On Cc Said Get Out Of Town Walk Around Your Not On This Awesome Cruise To Alaska For Shopping Its All About The Scenery. Every Cruise You Go On You Will Learn Something New-this Cruise You Learned To Complain Right Away About The Worker. Try Another Cruise Try A Fun In The Sun But Give It Another Chance. As Far As The Food We Enjoyed All Of It Except The Last Nite - It Was A Little Boring. We Consider This Our Favorite Cruise By Far. And Yes I Rebooked Western Carribean For April Fun In The Sun Karon:)

[CalifCruiser1]

Well I Get A Real Kick Out Of Your Post. I Was On Your Same Cruise And We Had A Wonderful Time Our 15th Cruise And Our First With Princess. Yes The Showers Are Smaller Than Other Cruise Lines By Maybe 2-4 Inches You Want A Larger Shower Here's A Hint Go To The Spa Normal Size Showers, We Do This 2-3 Times Per The Week After A Whirlpool Soak Or Sauna. We Also Booked With Capitan Larry We Took The 7am Whale Watch Its Nature Your Lucky To See Anything But We Were Impressed With What We Saw- With Everything We Did Tour Wise Captian Larry Was Cheap We Only Had 11 People On Our Boat. Yes We Did See Whales Along Side The Ship It Was Highly Unusual And Agian It Was Great But Very Few People See Them From The Ship. I Hope You Reliaze Everywhere We Went The Locals Kept Saying I Can't Believe The Great Weather We Having This Is Unusual.or How About The Calving The Huge 4 We Saw Highly Unusual.or All The Animals We Saw. Everything I Read On Cc Said Get Out Of Town Walk Around Your Not On This Awesome Cruise To Alaska For Shopping Its All About The Scenery. Every Cruise You Go On You Will Learn Something New-this Cruise You Learned To Complain Right Away About The Worker. Try Another Cruise Try A Fun In The Sun But Give It Another Chance. As Far As The Food We Enjoyed All Of It Except The Last Nite - It Was A Little Boring. We Consider This Our Favorite Cruise By Far. And Yes I Rebooked Western Carribean For April Fun In The Sun Karon:)

[Missmiz]

I wanted to echo a point tristero said in her original post about a large ship cruise to Alaska. We were on the Infinity in late July and overall had a pretty good time, but our experience seemed similar to hers. (Except, thankfully, no harrassment!) .I was completely unprepared for the constant barrage of sales pressure on the ship--we had exactly what you did, port talks and materials that were really all sales pitches for jewelry stores etc in the towns. We tuned out the hype and took all the pitches as our instruction on where NOT to go in a port, but it was annoying none the less.

[sellwingri]

We were on the Coral through the Panama Canal in April and I agree that the food was less than wonderful although I thought the ship was wonderful. We're going to Alaska in June '07 and are just starting to look at possibly excursions so these comments have been helpful.

 

I'll also add that we're going on RCCL - much prefer everything about RCCL over Princess, especially the food.

[CALMOM]

Wow, I will be cruising to Alaska for the first time next September and I will be sailing on the Princess Coral. I have read many threads on Alaska and the Coral and fortunately, 80% as been good.

 

I think the people who have not cruised before expect more than a cruiseline can offer. The cabins are small, the shower is small, but my husband who is 6'2" and weighs 280 lbs. had no problem with showering.

 

Now as far as food, there are so many choices on a cruise ship and I have sailed 18 times and though I thought some crusielines had a better selection, I have always been satisfied with the overall appearance & taste. Rememeber, it is mass production for these meals and they are not cooking for each individual person. Considering the average person will gain 5 - 7 lbs. on a 7 day cruise, that speaks for itself.

 

Excursions are always a hit or miss, I have been pleasantly surprised on some and disappointed with others. You should be very gratful that you were able to see all the wildlife that you did. I will be planning on taking Capt. Larry's excursion as I am sure I will not be disappointed and will consider myself very lucky to even see one whale.

 

When you were first approached by the crew member who made the statement that you were beautiful, you could of repsonded "thank you but I do not feel your comment is appropriate" and he probably would of stopped immediately. The better choice would of been to of went to the Purser and reported this crew member immediately, not at the end of the cruise. Remember, these are average males not saints.

 

I believe that cruising is probably not for you since your expectations are probably higher than a cruiseline could offer you. However, a cruise is still the best value for a vacation. Sorry, you had to spend so much money and receive so much disappointment.

[StillLooking4Adventure]

By far our best investment during our trip was our trip to Mendenhall Glacier. We had a few hours to kill after the whale watching debacle and decided to take the bus up there. Our driver was a local Tlingit man who was absolutely fascinating and also incredibly sweet. He related the history of Juneau and gave us a short tour as well. Then, once we reached the glacier, he told us exactly where to go to see bears. And boy was he right! We saw a 3 year old Black Bear walking about! We followed him from a distance, but at one point he turned around and slowly grazed grasses until he was within 5 feet of us. We had to back up as to not come any closer.

 

No one has mentioned this so I just thought I should. NEVER LET YOURSELF COME WITHIN 5' OF A BEAR CUB, MOM MIGHT BE HIDING IN THE BUSH!!!.

 

This is no joke. Bears and Moose should be viewed from no less than 50 feet away. If you happen upon one closer, back away slowly and watch from a good distance. A mother that thinks you are endangering her "cute" cub may very well attack you. We have regular occurences of this in Alaska. This even happens to experienced Alaskans who accidently come upon a bear or a recent kill on a hike or bike.

[klauer]

I really liked Skagway, and have been there three times. I recommend going to the NPS Visitor's Center (right on Broadway, the main street) and picking up the Klondike Gold Rush and walking tour brochures. The history of the area is very interesting, and there are a lot of original buildings to see. The Trail of '98 museum only costs a couple of dollars, and is worth a look too.

 

I agree that there isn't great shopping, although there is a really good outdoor clothing and accessories store off of Broadway (on 5th?). And it is fun to have a meal or a drink at the Red Onion Saloon!