I Cruised Princess Cruises Despite Saying Never Again!
Key Moments
Editorial Summary
Gary Benbridge returns to Princess Cruises on the Sky Princess to evaluate if the line has improved following several underwhelming experiences three years prior. He finds significant improvements in the culinary offerings, noting that the involvement of chef Rudy Sodom has elevated the main dining room and buffet quality. The creator also highlights a more energetic entertainment program with a high volume of daily activities and improved resources for passengers who prefer to self-explore ports. However, he notes that service levels remain average and transactional, failing to leverage medallion technology for true personalization. Benbridge expresses dissatisfaction with what he describes as increased nickel and diming, citing new upcharges for certain menu items and changes to the Princess Plus and Premier packages. He concludes that while Princess is a viable option for travelers seeking lively atmospheres and diverse itineraries, he still prefers other premium competitors for his personal needs.
Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.
How This Review Compares
This review is more critical than the all-time creator consensus.
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
I felt Princess had lost its way and they had slipped behind the competition in the premium category.
I was delighted to find they made a huge improvement by bringing onboard Rudy Sodom, a wellrespected restaurant tier and chef, to help oversees the improvement.
I felt the entertainment has definitely been ramped up. It's higher energy and there is much more a feeling of buzz and activity.
All of these probably fall under the term of nickel and dimeming as it's called.
Creator's Tips & Advice
Questions This Creator Answers
Topics Covered
Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
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