New review for Jan 29 TRIP

[bob in calgary]

Please see my review of our trip and I will be happy to answer any questions.

[dennbr9]

Bob

Will go to the CC site and check it out. I think you have to use the underling tool above and just type in the www---- in order for it to work.

 

Will get back to you, we are 13 days away from the TA ourselves.

[dennbr9]

Read your review, sorry some things about the ship did not go well for you.

 

Won't let it effect my outlook though. Most of the reviews and post have been very favorable. Again, sorry it was not the best for you.

[cruzin girl]

Sorry for your bad experience. I do have a question about your helmet dive- was that through Princess and also did they offer it for both days in Bora Bora or just on the second day? Thanks.

[bob in calgary]

It is offered both days and only through princess. I understand you can book this on your own when the ship is not in port.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wow, that's an eye-opener! After all the raves I've read, I'm wondering...are they keeping up the ship properly?

[Spikesgirl]

Bob - read your review and am sorry that you didn't find the food better. We did the TP in '04 (and are doing it again in 27 weeks) and it was the food that kept us with the line (had a bad experience with the Regal's dining just prior and were ready to jump ship).

 

However, I don't think you can really compare Princess food to anything other than other Princess food. You are certainly going to find a difference between a general cruise line, such as Princess, and a more exclusive line like Oceania. It would be like comparing Ruth Chris's to MacDonalds.

 

Princess hasn't had sommeliers in the dining room for years, nor has then been someone who's mere purpose was to fill water glasses. Economy drives these ships and they need to be barebones to be able to offer cruises at prices that the average family can afford. For the more exclusive service, again, you need to go to the higher priced lines. However, two hours for a meal is well within our range of time spent with a meal - it's how long a high priced restaurant would take to serve a four or five course meal.

 

Sorry you didn't have a great time, but you might want to think about the PG if you decide to return to the islands. I think you'll be more content with the food and service.

 

Charlie

 

P.S. dennbr9 - 13 days away?? Want to trade?? We're only seven months out....just thought I'd ask.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Gee Charlie, you've reminded me--I'm just over 8 months out until the Paul Gauguin!

[2ndsailing]

Please see my review of our trip and I will be happy to answer any questions.

 

 

Hi Bob in Calgary:

 

Sorry to hear your owner's suite wasn't as good as you had hoped for. We're in an owner's suite at the end of April. We're also doing 3 days pre-cruise at the Sheraton on Moorea in an over-water bungalow. We have rented a car for the 3 days so hopefully that will help us see a lot of the island.

 

How were your flights? We have a 5 hour wait from the time our Air Canada flight arrives and when we depart on Air Tahiti Nui. Coming home we have 2 hours 45 minutes...hopefully that will be enough.

[Are we there yet?]

Bob - read your review and am sorry that you didn't find the food better. We did the TP in '04 (and are doing it again in 27 weeks) and it was the food that kept us with the line (had a bad experience with the Regal's dining just prior and were ready to jump ship).

 

However, I don't think you can really compare Princess food to anything other than other Princess food. You are certainly going to find a difference between a general cruise line, such as Princess, and a more exclusive line like Oceania. It would be like comparing Ruth Chris's to MacDonalds.

 

Princess hasn't had sommeliers in the dining room for years, nor has then been someone who's mere purpose was to fill water glasses. Economy drives these ships and they need to be barebones to be able to offer cruises at prices that the average family can afford. For the more exclusive service, again, you need to go to the higher priced lines. However, two hours for a meal is well within our range of time spent with a meal - it's how long a high priced restaurant would take to serve a four or five course meal.

 

Sorry you didn't have a great time, but you might want to think about the PG if you decide to return to the islands. I think you'll be more content with the food and service.

 

Charlie

 

P.S. dennbr9 - 13 days away?? Want to trade?? We're only seven months out....just thought I'd ask.

 

Hi Charlie:)

 

I think you may have read Peter Brighton's" review instead of "Bob in calgary". It was Peter's that mentioned the water.;) :D

[Spikesgirl]

Hi Charlie:)

 

I think you may have read Peter Brighton's" review instead of "Bob in calgary". It was Peter's that mentioned the water.;) :D

 

OMG -you're right. I am so sorry! Bob! I'm off to read the right one now.

 

Mea Culpa!

 

Charlie

[Spikesgirl]

Okay, this time I read the RIGHT review!

 

Bob - you did indeed have a bad go of it and you did deserve better than a broken bed, certainly. I think there are some ships that seem destined to be burdened with that 'smell' - I've noticed it upon the Pacific Princess as well.

 

The food comment, coming from a Princess cruiser, was more disturbing than when it was coming from an Oceania cruise, because you are more familiar with the product that Princess offers. As I said before, we had great food the last time we were on the TP and it was destressing to hear that it had slipped.

 

However, don't give up on Princess entirely - it was the TP that save its reputation for us. There may be another Princess ship that can do that for you!

 

Charlie

[wristband]

I would like to second Bob's comments. We did B2Bs in February, the week after Bob's cruise, and I can assure you the food was mediocre.

 

Been on many cruises, including Princess and when TP was a REN. Our B2B cruises last month had the "worst" food of any cruise we have been on. I agree with Bob's suggestion to try the hot dog grill and pizza in Panorama.

Sabatini's tossed a lot of carbs on the plate with, yup, mediocre results. Its a nice place to escape the hub bub of the dining room.

 

We made an effort to seek out better meals in several ports (thank you CCers!) and found nice options for dinner and lunch. As a plus, TP meals limited our caloric intake and eliminated the possibility of desert.

 

I chime in here so future cruisers have the benefit of our experience(s). It may or may not reflect your past or future experience. My opinion is meals are not a key reason to book a cruise nor a reason to avoid this ship. We adjusted our expectations lower and focused on enjoying other aspects of the cruise. Mediocre meals on TP are what they are - can't change the chef.

 

BTW, TP coffee was as awful as other CCers have claimed.

[laurieb]

hi, Bob, I am sorry to hear about your room! I agree with the food not being acceptable in the DR. It was mediocre at best. I noticed this time that the menu in the DR for lunch was the same as what was served in the buffet, I've never seen that before. We liked the specialty restaurants, the quality was much better. I thought the coffee was okay, certainly not the worst we have had( and I do admit to being a bit of a coffee snob). We won't be going back, but only because we have been there 3 times and there is a great big world still to be explored. I think this time was our favorite, even with the decrease in food quality, I loved our tours, they were the best we have been on as a whole( too bad you didn't join us for Patrick on BB).

[ljtinney]

And....second time on the TP. We just got back a few weeks ago.

 

As we all know....everyone has different tastes and expectations.

 

I was quite pleased with the food on the TP. With the exception of the first day, we had dinner in the dining room every night. The buffet always had something that I liked and I must say that the burgers were delicious.

We also attended the luncheon for the most sailed passengers and it was amazing.

Being our second time back to the FP it was just as good if not better. AND.....it rained alot which did not by any means at all put a "damper" on our time there.

The beds on the TP are a bit "tired" and ours had an egg crate on it. I still found it very comfortable and slept like a baby.

 

I agree on the coffee....I am also very fussy when it comes to coffee. I actually don't drink it on the ships any longer and have tea delivered to my cabin every morning.

 

As far as the "smell". Did not notice it at all. Our cabin was on the 8th deck. We also had friends on deck 7 and also in 6088.

I was very pleased with the ship (last time was in 2005). I thought she was in better shape than the Golden (Oct/07).

 

I'd also like to add that captain Stefano Ravera was the best I have met. He was very personable, approachable and I could not believe how many times he complimented his crew. He invited my DH and I to the bridge which was a highlight.

 

OH.....and one more thing. We knew a few of the crew on the ship from previous cruises and I spent a bit of time with one of them. He told me that Princess has been having alot of problems with getting their shipments of supplies. They have not been arriving on time and not complete. The cruise before us ran out of wine after a few days as the shipment was late. Thank goodness it was there in time for mine:D

[laurieb]

that doesn't surprise me, seem FP has been having lots of issues lately. we were one cruise that ran out of some types of wine, but they seemed to have plenty of vodka for the great martinis :). and, the food is not the reason to go or not go on a cruise, it is all about location and fellow passengers, in particular the CC friends we have had the pleasure of spending time with, IMO.

[wristband]

I would like to echo the poster's applause for Capt. Stephano Rivera. He was extremely personable in person and on the public address system. I was very impressed with his daily compliments about the crew throughout the cruise. Crew members I spoke with were appreciative and it set a nice tone.

 

Rivera announced he will captain TP for the next two years. I hope he keeps his enthusiasm and friendly patter up. Its infectious!

[gizmodog]

I will be on the TP in October and am quite concerned about the bad reviews it has been getting on the food. Now another concern is a bad bed.

 

I hope because they are pulling out in December they are not concerning themselves with the quality of the cruise. It is a concern for me. I am not going to cancel as this is my second trip to Tahiti (first on Renaissance) and I am looking forward to that aspect of the trip, but cruising and food to me go hand in hand and what a disappointment to think that it may well be a disappointing experience.

[laurieb]

our bed was great! food is one of those things, it was edible, just nothing to write home about. it may be absolutley fantastic when you are on, I certainly didn't let it ruin my cruise.

[cruzin girl]

As long as the food is edible I will be okay as I am really more excited about the Ports it has to offer. As far as the coffee goes, I will carry my own with my french press as I do with all of them I just can't do the syrup coffee-Yuck!

[dennbr9]

Don't take the negative review too much to heart. Many times an early problem tilts their whole experience. Too many good reviews on this Cruise to let a couple negative ones worry you.

 

Relax, and make your own opinions!

[cruzin girl]

I agree 100 Percent!!!!!!!!!!

[wristband]

You can order (and pay for) perfectly made cappucino and expresso at any meal. I ordered many a cappucino during breakfast and after lunch without a hitch and was happy with the results.

 

I did not mind paying b/c the "regular" coffee was so dreadful.

[bob in calgary]

Don't take the negative review too much to heart. Many times an early problem tilts their whole experience. Too many good reviews on this Cruise to let a couple negative ones worry you.

 

Relax, and make your own opinions!

 

I don't suppose losing the morning use of your toilet facilities would tilt you.

BTW not all were early problems.

[rdptaylor]

Hey Bob in Calgary

I was on the same cruise as you as well as Marcs in Huahine,after reading your experiences on TP I almost fell out of my chair laughing (sorry)...I remember exactly who you are now!

You are right about the food but it sure did'nt keep me and my daughter from non stop feasting!your bed and toilet ordeal would have made me cranky too and I probably would have placed the matress against the wall in the hallway,but I have to say I would go back there again if my only option was to sleep on a lounge chair up on deck!!