CB Princess Review Aug 22-Aug 29 2009

[Colo Cruiser]

The kinds of attitudes from Princess cruisers is why we cancelled our Princess cruise to Alaska and rebooked HAL. We are not brand loyalists, we cruise with whatever line has the itinerary we want at the time. Initially I was very excited about our first Princess cruise until I started to read this board. Called my agent and cancelled immediately. All Toronto 25 wanted to to was post their experience with Princess. Not yours or anyone elses - just theirs. Then the accusations start to fly.

 

Its on every cruiseline board even HAL. :rolleyes:

[kendon]

I know a lot of people say don't sweat the small stuff and how bad could it be - you're on vacation. But to me, the truth of the matter is - I paid good money and I can't overlook some of the things that go on. Now if I get a really good price drop and the cruise is a wonderful value then I can overlook some not so good food but to tell you the truth I can't usually overlook it. I paid good money and if I have to eat off ship then we have to start doing it ala carte? A cruise is something people equate with luxury and an 'it's about me' attitude and you pay for it - I think you should get it.

 

Very true. Substandard service is never acceptable...anywhere. Period.

[Cruise Junky]

Sorry, but I have to add something (again)...

 

You are incorrect, or rather incomplete with the above statement. The OP has never whined or bitched about any other cruise line other than Princess (I believe his statement was "we are not looking forward to our cruise on CB" or some such thing). Further the OP has never whined or bitched about any of the 5 STAR hotels he has told us about over and over and over again.

 

Laughable?? I think not!!! Sad?? Most definitely. This is exaserbated by the fact that some people are really looking for an objective review and read this thread and think OMG what am I getting into with the cruise I have booked on CB? Well, you are going to have the time of your life on a great ship with a fantastic crew... GO and HAVE FUN, CB is well prepared to show you a great time.

 

JMHO of course.

 

I'm not incorrect at all. From this poster on the Princess board it's been nothing but complaints from the start. Complaining about other cruiselines and 5 star resorts has absolutely nothing to do with this conversation and isn't what I said.

[4cats4me]

Why would post count have anything to do with this, it seems that this bothers you quite abit?

Is this the only thing you have to attack is peoples "positions"?

What in the world does that mean?

 

We can all disagree, but at the end of the day we are

still all God's children.

 

As I said, have a blessed day:)

[Colo Cruiser]

As I said, have a blessed day:)

 

 

Thats what I thought. :cool:

[kendon]

Troubled ship??? Now that is way overboard! Hope she don't sink, maybe we should rename her *Titantic*:rolleyes:

 

Very unfair of you to judge. Nope. Not way overboard. Our experience, maybe not yours. Also, doubt the ship will sink. Titanic not a good name.

[kendon]

I know a lot of people say don't sweat the small stuff and how bad could it be - you're on vacation. But to me, the truth of the matter is - I paid good money and I can't overlook some of the things that go on. Now if I get a really good price drop and the cruise is a wonderful value then I can overlook some not so good food but to tell you the truth I can't usually overlook it. I paid good money and if I have to eat off ship then we have to start doing it ala carte? A cruise is something people equate with luxury and an 'it's about me' attitude and you pay for it - I think you should get it.[/quote]

 

Once again, thanks.

 

Overall the food in Princess MDR has been the worse I had on a cruise (10 total) or land resorts (many in Caribbean and Mexico). It was the first time I was served a meal on a pretty plate and decided it was not worth eating after the first bite. It was so bland that I decided it was not worth getting dressed up and be waited on, so I switched to anytime but end up eating in the buffet a few nights. I did not pay top dollar for this cruise but expected better in this area. Thanks to the mediocre food, I discovered the buffet and casual dining. Unlike on the first cruise where I waited for the food to magically get better. I moved away from the MDR and embraced something different. If I had paid top dollar for this cruise and was forced to the buffet my attitude would have been different.

 

For the doubters I ordered seafood neuburg and got 5 shrimps in sauce. The other dish was pork something (I asked for light sauce). The dish was not eatable.

 

 

Interesting that the menu is left up to the interpretation of each chef. I've had this menu on the Crown and Ruby and enjoyed every meal. The meals on the CB were okay, but much better on the other ships.

[wilfros]

I'm not incorrect at all. From this poster on the Princess board it's been nothing but complaints from the start. Complaining about other cruiselines and 5 star resorts has absolutely nothing to do with this conversation and isn't what I said.

Sorry, I thought I was agreeing with you!!?? Sarcastic remarks (such as mine above) sometimes lose their meaning on a blog!

 

Funny how Toronto25 brings out the best in all of us!!!

[cantstopcruising]

Some of the people attacking our points have no cruises other the Princess listed.

 

Hey just because we don't list our past cruises dosn't mean we don't have them. DW and I have cruised over 25 times on all cruise lines we just choose not to list them but I can if you like:)

I agree with you on your review it's your review and it's whats you exprienced on this cruise and I am sorry to hear that. We too keep an open mind and do not commit ourselves to just one cruise line, in the 25 plus cruises this will be our first on princess and hope we don't have the issues you had but like you we will and are going to try it again because all ships and staff are different and if we don't like this ship or the Golden then we will take our $$$ elsewhere. Good luck next time:)

[Cruise Junky]

Sorry, I thought I was agreeing with you!!?? Sarcastic remarks (such as mine above) sometimes lose their meaning on a blog!

 

Funny how Toronto25 brings out the best in all of us!!!

 

My deepest apologies, you're right...I completely mis-read it.:o

[cruzendude]

Apparently you did not participate in or read the OP's posts pre cruise either. Maybe you should do a little homewoerk before berating honest opinions. :cool:

 

WOW!! When did homework become required prior to posting? Some if us have a life and don't do "cruise critic" homework! :rolleyes:

[Colo Cruiser]

WOW!! When did homework become required prior to posting? Some if us have a life and don't do "cruise critic" homework! :rolleyes:

 

 

Shame on you then.

Now go back to your RCCL board. :(

[cruzendude]

Shame on you then.

Now go back to your RCCL board. :(

 

naw..they have been boring me lately..I think I wil stay here and annoy you Princess Cheerleaders for a bit! :D

[Cruise Junky]

naw..they have been boring me lately..I think I wil stay here and annoy you Princess Cheerleaders for a bit! :D

 

Just do us a favour, please don't book a cruise, we couldn't take months of that again.

[caribill]

BYW- I wonder what the 25 minute veggie burger issue really was...do you they use a seperate grill for it...that needs to be heated up?? or do they have to stop cooking regular burgers on it....clean it, reheat the grill and THEN make a veggie burger. Seems there has to be some reason for a wait like that...wonder....

 

 

 

They pretty much have hambergers on the grill all the time knowing that they will soon be ordered.

 

However, demand for the veggie burger is not high, so they only make it to order. I have always been told (and it turned out to be true) that it would be ready within ten minutes. Can't imagine why the poster was told 25 minutes.

 

And, no, they do not use a separate grill or thoroughly clean the grill before cooking a veggie burger. Not sure they clean it at all first.

[nurserosie]

:o

Thank you for all your comments....

 

All I can say is ....What I wrote is what happened for us. Yes we had no top sheet! I have never in all my years during travel including Europe never had a Top sheet, so I am sorry if this seems odd to some people. As for the rest of the cruise to be honest.....The service was way below what we hv had on any cruise in recent years.....thats our exp you cna't take that away from us.

 

I can say I am glad Princess has cheerleaders because it means there is better Princess ships out there and Princess Management. We met many people on the ship who enjoy Princess and explained to us that this was there worst princess exp in service. So that being said we will try the Line again. What I do not agree with on here is the tone from some of you judging our review! I am sorry but to be honest some of you have cruised less and not on as many lines as we have and others more. Our CB Cruise had many great moments but overall really, really it was just depressing to see the staff so miserable! We have been on other cruises including X and RCCL and NCL that some things went wrong but we were not on CC then and did not write. But no ship other then the NCL New years to Hawaii came close to the low level of service we saw on the CB

 

As for the costing I never find Princess much cheaper then any of the lines we have sailed recently, and for what we paid for this cruise it was not cheap either.

 

I would like to note some members on here are over the top, and to accuse me of making claims up is crazy! Little things to us are big things to others and vice versa , I have not trashed Princess I have only said that the CB was not the best cruise for us.

 

I also forgot to say that We found the ship very hot in places ( most Places) and it felt like the AC was not working correctly.

 

 

:p:pI believe the purpose of a duvet is to NOT have a top sheet...I use them on all my beds...never a top sheet..no one has ever complained

 

I love the feel of a duvet..top sheets get all mussed up..

 

plus...much less sheet washing to do

 

we have been in many hotels..if duvets..usually no top sheets

 

your steward could have easily gotten you one..and then each nite thereafter you would have one

 

turning down the covers??? a bit much to complain about...

 

depends upon what time you left your cabin....ours were always turned down..we had first dinner..

 

the buffet..was well a buffet..

 

and the pizza was great..we skipped dinner one nite and just had pizza

[Solstice23]

:o

 

 

:p:pI believe the purpose of a duvet is to NOT have a top sheet...I use them on all my beds...never a top sheet..no one has ever complained

 

I love the feel of a duvet..top sheets get all mussed up..

 

plus...much less sheet washing to do

 

we have been in many hotels..if duvets..usually no top sheets

 

your steward could have easily gotten you one..and then each nite thereafter you would have one

 

turning down the covers??? a bit much to complain about...

 

depends upon what time you left your cabin....ours were always turned down..we had first dinner..

 

the buffet..was well a buffet..

 

and the pizza was great..we skipped dinner one nite and just had pizza

 

 

not sure what hotels you stayed at to be honest,

 

we have stayed at

 

w

westin

four seasons

ritz

hilton

 

all duvets had top sheets!

[Live4Vacay]

not sure what hotels you stayed at to be honest,

 

we have stayed at

 

w

westin

four seasons

ritz

hilton

 

all duvets had top sheets!

 

Not that I am going to miss the top sheet next week, but you are right. I can add in some 3 and 4 star hotels that even provide the top sheet and I personally have never heard of not providing one.

 

Marriott

Hilton

Secrets

 

...to name a few.

[kendon]

Even the Holiday Inn Express did last week.

[jennifers490]

not sure what hotels you stayed at to be honest,

 

we have stayed at

 

w

westin

four seasons

ritz

hilton

 

all duvets had top sheets!

 

Not to start more arguing but are you sure you didn't mistake a soft comforter for a duvet? I've stayed at all of the above (mostly for businesss, not bragging-and many of them aren't 5 stars either ;) ) in both the US and Europe and haven't seen a duvet used. Many other hotels in Europe that do use the duvet don't use a top sheet-which is the purpose of the duvet in the first place.

 

The duvet argument isn't really the point though-I think it's very strange and unrealistic to keep comparing a mainstream cruise with a 5 star hotel--totally different--if you are going to go that route, why not complain there is no marble in the bathrooms either? And that they don't charge 9 Euro for a morning coffee? ;) Please don't tell me the price of a princess cruise compares even slightly to a week in a "5" or even "4" star property.

 

I respect that the OP is entitled to his critique--the best thing for those of us that did read his prior posts and the princess bashing and negativity before he even got on would have been not to say anything at all. I can't for the life of me imagine why he would book another princess cruise when he obviously prefers other products to princess.

 

ps--i found the celebrity pizza more like cardboard and "ragu" from a jar so princess pizza must have been horrific to be worse than that!

[BratDet]

My husband and I were biking at Sandy Hook last night and there was a cruise ship...cruising away...brought back so many happy memories of the CB then I had a dream last night a friend was asking me if I was going to book next summers cruise...cause they just did....

then I wake up this morning and a CC friend from our sailing sent me some awesome pics from our cruise...

 

Guess negative reviews don't stop me wanting to have the pleasure of a missing top sheet!!! or crappy pizza (not).

 

When I think of how much we pay JUST for a hotel room these days and deduct from our daily cruise rate...it is amazing what one does get for the $$.

 

I guess I just have lower expectations of what a boat servicing 3500 passengers is capable of providing on a personal level. Bernadette

[wilfros]

 

I respect that the OP is entitled to his critique--the best thing for those of us that did read his prior posts and the princess bashing and negativity before he even got on would have been not to say anything at all. I can't for the life of me imagine why he would book another princess cruise when he obviously prefers other products to princess.

 

I agree totally with your concept, HOWEVER, if you read the replys you will see many that refer to their upcoming cruises with trepidation due to the OPs review.

 

I have no problem with any and all negative reviews, I really appreciated them when I am considering my next vacation. I read them with a view to the fact that each individual is different, wants and expects something different and they will be staying in a different situation than I.

 

HOWEVER.... what I find difficult to accept is a predetermined review, where any one of us could have written the review for the OP months before he even layed eyes on the ship. I have been banned from these boards in the past for my objections to this particular OP. I am willing to risk further punitive actions in an attempt to let others, who may be influenced by his review, understand that his is not an objective view of Princess and they should visit other reviews for the help they are looking for.

 

I feel this is the purpose of this board. Yes he can have his opinion, however, we are equally able to expose any non objective reviews for what they are. All for the purpose of assisting others who are searching for true and honest feedback.

 

It will not be found on this thread, and others should be made aware of that.

[kooljamming]

Even the Holiday Inn Express did last week.

 

Embassy Suites:

Holy smoke (oops, as a Jamaican should never say that:D) but this place was awesome. The lobby opened up into a courtyard with palm trees and the sound of waterfall. Well back to bashing (for some) or giving honest feedback on Princess. Carnival, a lesser line to the FUN-damentally challenge, has comfortable beds plus something on it to set your luggage. The small stuff does make a different, like a something between my dirty luggage and duvet, which Princess has only for the suite passengers.

[kendon]

Embassy Suites:

Holy smoke (oops, as a Jamaican should never say that:D) but this place was awesome. The lobby opened up into a courtyard with palm trees and the sound of waterfall. Well back to bashing (for some) or giving honest feedback on Princess. Carnival, a lesser line to the FUN-damentally challenge, has comfortable beds plus something on it to set your luggage. The small stuff does make a different, like a something between my dirty luggage and duvet, which Princess has only for the suite passengers.

 

Once again, kooljamming, sensible and polite as usual. I respect your attitude behind your posts. You are right, the small stuff makes a difference.