 |
 |
|
Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: L.H. Bennett
Email: lhbennett@earthlink.com
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Pacific
SailingDate: 6/23/98
Itinerary: Western Europe
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 70
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Aug 1998
Time: 18:31:30
Remote Name: 207.217.240.63
Remote User:
Comments
We went on the Western Europe cruise from Dover to Dover sailing 6/23/98. Our overall
feeling that the cruise fell below the standards we have come to
expect from Princess and was very poor compared with other lines.
Much of the impact of a cruise is determined by the Cruise Director, and we had the
weakest one we had ever come across -- he lacked charm, manners,
and that air of genial authority which we had come to expect from CDs. His staff were not
much better being offhand and disinterested, when they turned
up for an activities -- we went to three where no cruise staff member showed up. Waiters
in the lounges provided only sporadic service, which was good
for our pocket books because had they been around more, we would have bought more drinks!!
The second area of immediate impression is the Purser's desk, and here we were treated to
indifference and rudeness raised to new heights. They
managed to mislay my passport (something of critical importance) , did they care? No --
and did they apologize when they found it an hour and half
later? Absolutely not. We also were distressed when we went to get some stamps in Oslo, we
were told that they did not have any, but if we left $1.20 for
each card and they would be posted for us. We declined, and stopped at the main post
office in Oslo and bought the stamps for 7 N.Kr each card or 82
cents -- a 50% mark-up is untenable, plus we did give the purser's representative money
for postcards in another city, and none of them arrived???? I
did not take enough dollars for tips, and the surly young man in the Purser's office said
he would only cash a check drawn on a U.S. Bank in dollars,
fortunately I always keep a spare check or two on me, otherwise we would have been hunting
for an ATM and giving our tips in German Marks. The same
man was heard to tell an Englishman 'No, I can't change your Belgian Francs into English
Pounds, only into US dollars' 'But I live in England' 'Then you
had better keep the francs, hadn't you?' and he turned to the next person in line. The
general approach to passengers by the Purser's staff was rude
and offhand.
The third area which needs addressing on this ship is the miserable communication -- the
advices from the bridge are not piped to the cabins, so unless
one is on the upper decks, one simply does hear anything -- no commentaries going into
interesting places such as the transit of the Kiel Canal or
through the Scottish Isles.
Finally we got the distinct impression that Princess have decided to put as little money
as possible into the ship as she goes out of service in March, 2000.
The hallway carpets are stained, the chairs in the lounges are worm with the filling
showing through, and so on.
On the plus side, the Captain and the navigation team were excellent, and informative if
one managed to chat to them. The ship was on time at her
destinations, and apart from coaches were late, she left promptly on time. The lead vocal
entertainers were very good, and the Social Hostess Joy was a
real doll!! The dining room staff with the exception of the unctuous Maitre d' were
uniformly very good, the Maitre D' was only interested in his tip, and left
us alone when we made it clear he probably was not on our tip list. The table captain on
the other hand was a tower of strength and it was he, rather
than the Maitre D' that held the place together. Food was good and the variety adequate,
clearly the same menu is served on the same days out on
each cruise. Our waiter and Assistant Waiters were very good.
The cabins are small, separate bunk beds at right angles to one another, minute shower
etc. There was no refrigerator in the room but there was a small
TV which had CNN so we were not quite cut off from civilization. The cabin stewardess was
most willing and helpful, and did a lot to make us feel better.
One thing I like to know before sailing is where the ship will tie up in each port so that
we can make a reasoned decision on whether to buy the shore
excursion -- Princess is very reticent to supply this information and what they did come
up with was vague and at times inaccurate. In Edinburgh we were
told the ship ties up at "Rosyth/Leith Docks" -- as they are probably 20 miles
apart and on different sides of the Firth of Forth. The shore excursions we
took in Le Havre, Edinburgh, Oslo and Antwerp were very good and well worth the money, the
tour guides, with the exception of Antwerp/Bruges were
excellent.
I did write to Princess Cruises somewhat along these lines, plus suggested that they
should follow Crystal Cruises and others example, and allow one to
charge tips to one's shipboard account following my experience with the Purser's Office.
Did Princess Cruises reply? Well, its only been three weeks ......
Name: Larry O'Brien
Email: ossi@intouch.bc.ca
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 14
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Pacific
SailingDate: 29 April 1999
Itinerary: Athens to Istanbul.
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 93
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon: 80
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Jun 1999
Time: 21:33:52
Remote Name: ras3com09.reelwest.bc.ca
Remote User:
Comments
Thirteen cruises since 1985 and we are always comparing them to our first on the
“Royal Viking Star”, that
was as close to perfection as we can imagine. We have sailed on ten cruise lines and have
enjoyed each
one even though none have came up to the standard that “The Royal Viking Line”
maintained. This was
our second Princess cruise and both have been better than we expected. Princess goes out
of their way
to make you happy. If you expect excellent cuisine you will have to go on some other line
and I think the
safety drills could be taken more seriously. In every other aspect Princess sets a very
high standard.
We selected this cruise for the itinerary. Princess had the best itinerary that we could
find for a Black Sea
cruise. Our second choice for this Aegean/Black Sea cruise would have been on the Maasdam
which we
boarded three days later and sailed to London. It is impossible to imagine a more exciting
and educational
itinerary. We had at first been booked on the Island Princess for the same itinerary
scheduled to sail two
days earlier. That sailing was cancelled and Princess offered more than adequate
compensation for us to
make the switch. The original Love Boat does not show her age and is in excellent
condition. Our previous
experience with Princess was an Orient cruise aboard the wonderful Sky Princess which also
was in
excellent condition. Our two sailing’s with Princess would tend to convince us that
they set the standard in
overall maintenance.
Athens, Santorini, Ephesus, Odessa, and Istanbul are all marvellous experiences, Rhodes,
Vrana and
Yalta are well worth the time and Volos is interesting but not really exciting.
We hope Princess will keep this wonderful and small ship sailing for many years yet.
A great trip with a very good cruise line
Want to book your cruise at a great rate?
Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2001 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: March 23, 2000.