Before you read too much into the title of my review, I am a native Californian and this was my 25th Princess Cruise. That means I am what Princess calls "Elite" one of their most frequent cruisers. If it's free, I get it. If it's not free, I demand it. And as a retired Fortune 10 Executive who frequently talked with Chairmen of the Board and Corporate Executives, I know how to communicate effectively, if not directly, with them.

This was our 50th Wedding Anniversary. And I booked this cruise far ahead of time. One thing that I REQUIRED was to be seated at the Chef's Special Lumiere dining (to celebrate our 50th). I tried, starting upwards of 90 days prior to the sailing, to set it up. I even went as far as to send Jan Swartz, ex-President of Princess Cruises now Group Executive responsible for Princess and Holland America etc, a personal request to make it happen. The response was that she could not do it. Excuse me. Even as a ex-Fortune 10 Exec if MY boss "asked" me to do something I would have jumped thru every hoop imagineable to make it happen.

I was finally told that I had to do it by calling the DINE line on the ship as soon as I boarded. To be direct, I flushed better s__t than that. Fyi, I did make it happen. Emphasis on ME making it happen. Read more