Princess Cruises
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Princess Discovery 7 day Alaska Cruise
Returned from an Alaska cruise on the Discovery Princess 3 days ago. We have been on over 25 cruises prior to the pandemic and I am tech savvy. The crew on board did great by us. Their Medallion app is the reason we will never cruise with Princess again and the fact the ship was severely overcrowded. They brag about this app but everyone hates it, the staff and passengers. You have to make reservations for all your dinners on the app. Make them at least 2-3 weeks prior to departure as you won’t be able to do it on the ship for 3 days into the cruise. When you use it will bring back fond memories of dial up internet. You will never be able to view the dinner menus until 2-3 days into the trip. Book specialty restaurants weeks ahead even though you will not be able to use the credit you get with the drink packages. You get credit when you show up for your reservation. Almost all info has to be entered with this app prior to departure. What should have taken 10 minutes to do on a computer took 1.5 hours on the phone. As far as the ship it was designed to sail in the Caribbean not Alaska. Lots and lots of open deck space but when the wind is blowing 40 mph off a 45 degree ocean everyone is crammed into the buffet or the central atrium area without a vacant seat. Entertainment was good and unexpectedly bad. All the performers on the ship are exceptionally talented. The productions show “Spotlight bar” was one depressing song after another, most of which I had never heard prior. Who ever came up with songs for the singers needs to get counselling and prescription for antidepressants. The other show “Rock Opera” was OK; at least I had heard half of the songs but again depressing songs. All other performers in the Theater were outstanding but the production shows were for the first time ever not the stand outs for entertainment no matter how great the singer and dancers were. Theater on this ship is Stadium Theater seating 1500 people sitting elbow to elbow in enclosed space with only a handful of people wearing masks. Everyday about 95-97% of passengers did not wear masks ever. My wife and I wore N95 masks whenever we were inside the ship, dined by ourselves early in the evening and left when the dining room started to fill up wore masks to all the shows. And my wife woke up with Covid on the day we got off the ship. We are vaxed and double boosted the last 2.5 month prior to sailing. I practiced dentistry for 40 years and know masks, how to wear them, and how to stay health on a cruise as we have never gotten sick on a ship. Not even the Holland America we got caught on and extra 12 days at the start of the pandemic. Unfortunately unless the cruise lines decrease the number of people on the ship and allow people to spread out you are going to get sick if you cruise. The reason being is you have to get tested within 72 hours of sailing which gives you 2 dinners you could go out with friends and contract Covid then bring it on the ship which is what happen here. Just because they are tested doesn’t mean they are not going to be in 24-48 hours