Sunday, May 12, 2013

Emerald Princess update - - Photos, Menus, Dining Guide and Captain interview




This week the focus shifts to Princess Cruises with an expanded and updated profile of Emerald Princess.

I had enjoyed myself on Emerald Princess the last time I was onboard and I was pleased to find that she still presents a quite enjoyable cruise experience. Apparently, quite a few other people agree as the ship attracts a high proportion of passengers who are in the upper tiers of Princess' loyalty program. These are experienced cruisers who do not spend their time on ships that do not deliver a superior cruise experience.

When I spoke with Captain Tony Draper and Hotel General Manager Peter Hollinson, I asked them what it is about Emerald Princess that attracts experienced cruisers. They pointed to the fact that she does longer cruises and that her itinerary includes a nice set of ports. In addition, they pointed to the strength of the Princess product in general.

I think they are valid points but that there is more to it than that. There is what they used to call a can-do atmosphere on Emerald Princess. It manifests itself in crew members who go beyond what is required of them. This reflects well on the ship's management too, of course.

In any event, my conversation with Captain Draper and Mr. Hollinson is reported at http://www.beyondships2.com/emerald-princess-interview.html

We also have a new photo essay showing Emerald Princess in some of the ports that she visits in the Caribbean. (She spends her winters in the Caribbean and her summers in the Baltic). It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/emerald-princess-in-the-caribbean.html

A lot goes on on Emerald Princess. To give you an idea of some of the entertainment and activities that occur during a cruise, we present a Scenes from a Cruise Slideshow focusing on the Emerald Princess' entertainment offerings. http://www.beyondships2.com/emerald-princess-in-the-caribbean.html

Princess styles itself the consummate host and Maitre d' Hotel Generoso Mazzone personifies that slogan. He has been with Princess since 1983 and really believes in the Princess product. Accordingly, he runs the ship's dining rooms with friendliness and style. His goal is a level of customer satisfaction that will turn each guest into an advocate for Princess.

To help me in creating a dining guide for Emerald Princess, I asked Mr. Mazzone to discuss both the overall Princess approach to dining and each of the dining venues on Emerald Princess. He generously gave of his time and insights. The dining guide begins at http://www.beyondships2.com/emerald-princess-dining-guide.html

As a companion to the dining guide, we have also added a new Emerald Princess menus page. It has all of the main dining room dinner menus from a 10 day cruise. Plus, it has the menus from Sabatini's, the Crown Grill and from the Chef's Table. It appears at http://www.beyondships2.com/emerald-princess-menus.html

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