Cruise Talk: Grand Princess privacy mini suites

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Topic: Grand Princess privacy mini suites

Paul Therault
Just Boarded
Member # 367

posted 11-29-1998 02:51 AM

For those of you who have written about privacy on the Grand Princess. I am a tavel agent and have sailed on most ships. Look on Emerald Deck #8. Category "AD." Rear of ship. These staterooms are not only the most reasonable of the mini-suites, they are also larger than the other "AD's." By larger I mean they are a tad wider (this ship is so wide, the designers had to build "skinny rooms" to achieve passenger capacity). The balconies are also wider. The balconies can not be seen from above or from the sides unless your neighbor hangs over the rail. Only drawback, it is a l-o-n-g walk from one end of the ship to the other. The ship is absolutely extraordinary. You can spend a month on this ship and continue to find new areas to explore. I never found the mini-golf. The spotty service, which is normal for all new ships, should be ironed out by now. The first few months are training periods. We call them "training ships." Another drawback, bring extra money. Princess charges for ice cream on deck and it is expensive. Also there is a tipping charge of $3.50 each to eat in the alternative restaurants. PRIINCESS ARE YOU LISTENING!! Any other questions, feel free to write me. Paul

Posts: 1 | From: Bethlehem, CT 06751 | Registered: Nov 98

CruiseAholic
First Class Passenger
Member # 93

posted 12-01-1998 07:17 PM

And just what is wrong with a tipping charge? The wait staff in the alternative restaurant do not have the regular clientele as the regular restaurant/dining rooms do. Many people simply don't tip these people and they depend on their tips as much as the others. I will be sailing on the Grand in January and plan to eat in the alternatives and have no problem with the charge.

Posts: 32 | From: Hagerstown, MD USA | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

CruiseAholic
First Class Passenger
Member # 93

posted 12-01-1998 07:19 PM

Also, you make it sound as though Princess charges for all ice cream. It is only the Hagen Daas served in the ice cream bar, etc. There was still ice cream in the afternoon that did not cost. If enough people don't buy it, then maybe they will get the hint. Not as bad as Celebrity charging you to be past passenger (Captains Club) and get the supposed benefits, however paultry they are. I for one refuse to pay for that, but then again, I get priority embarkation, etc with the suites anyway.

Posts: 32 | From: Hagerstown, MD USA | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

JoeO
First Class Passenger
Member # 224

posted 12-06-1998 01:55 PM

We're sailing on the Grand 2/21 and greatly looking forward to it. Saw it on the high seas last week and it looks fabulous. Read four reviews of the ship. All but one thought very highly of the ship. Very large but so much separation (3 dining rooms, seven pools, etc.) that you don't feel the size unless for some reason you want to walk from fore to aft.
The Norway's Bistro alternative dining room charges $5.00 pp and I didn't mind that at all. They deserve it and it's my choice!
We've sailed Princess 3X, Celebrity 1X, RCI 1X and NCL (Norway) 1X and rate the lines in that order.
Celebrity's food is superior but Princess's total "system" ie: 24 hour food availability, larger rooms and storeage, better shows, only 500 people at a time in the dining rooms on all but Pacific and Island. By the way, Princess's policy of allowing open Dining Room seating for breakfast and Lunch ANYWHERE IN THE ENTIRE DINING ROOM(S) instead of packing everybody in to their choice of tables is far, far better. The latter reminds me of highschool cafeterias

Posts: 93 | From: St Aaugustine, Fl., U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 98

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 12-08-1998 12:11 PM

Tips: I am British, and we are not a great nation of tippers! (Mean you might say?) I think we tend to feel that people should get properly paid for their jobs and not have to rely on tips.

There are lots of professions that provide good service without the incentive of getting tips. On a recent Cruise that I took, I noticed that on the final day (after the staff had collected their tips) they generally stopped being nice to the guests - including the ones that had tipped well!

Because the Brits are not good tippers, our tips are often included in the Cruise price, and we give vouchures to the staff at the end of the Cruise. However, I'm not really sure that we pay anymore for the Cruises!

Malcolm

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago!

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