Areana B.
Yelp
We attended the New Year's Eve celebration aboard the California Princess with Flagship Cruises, and while the night had some bright spots, the overall experience fell short of what we expected for the price.
To start on a positive note, the staff was truly wonderful. From the captain welcoming guests onboard to the servers checking in throughout the evening, everyone was friendly, professional, and clearly doing their best to make the night enjoyable. The service itself was not the issue.
That said, there were several logistical and experience-related concerns that were hard to overlook especially given the roughly $400 total cost.
First, there simply were not enough tables and chairs for everyone onboard. We witnessed staff attempting to seat an elderly couple in a dark corner without a table. They eventually joined us since our table had extra chairs, but someone ultimately had to take that spot, which ended up being a pregnant woman and her husband. This felt uncomfortable to watch and avoidable with better planning.
Second, while I understand this was an appetizer-style event and not a full dinner (which may have been my misunderstanding), the appetizers themselves were disappointing. Many items were served cold, lacked appeal, and our table was skipped multiple times by servers, leaving us with very little to eat throughout the night. Additionally, no small plates were provided, only napkins, which made eating messier items awkward and inconvenient.
Third, I paid extra for the premium bar option, which was one of the main things I was looking forward to. Unfortunately, the drinks were extremely watered down and poorly made. There are clearly advertised differences between the well bar and premium bar on the website, but the premium option did not feel elevated at all. After three drinks, I didn't feel anything and the quality simply wasn't there.
Lastly, the DJ and music selection didn't quite fit a New Year's Eve celebration, particularly for younger guests. While I understand the crowd may skew older, the energy felt dated and didn't build excitement as the night went on. This is, of course, subjective but it noticeably impacted the atmosphere.
Overall, while the staff deserves a lot of credit, the event itself felt underwhelming for the cost. With better seating arrangements, improved food service, higher-quality drinks, and a more energetic music selection, this could be a fantastic experience. Unfortunately, this particular event didn't feel like the best Flagship Cruises has to offer.