Princess not for everyone

We have never seen this kind of loyalty to a cruise line. We are 71 and 69 and brouight down the average age on the ship (Royal Princess).  The overwhelming majority of passengers only sail on Princess and have gone on many, many cruises.  The ship is beautiful and ther smoothest sailing ship we have ever been on, even in rough seas.  Previously we have sailed on the Allure and Oasis, as well as Norwegian Breakaway.

We are not used to the way that Princess does business.  You cannot book meals or shows prior to boarding.  We usually have everything booked before we board.  However, things worked out fine.  There are only 2 specialty restaurants, but both are great.  Crown Grille and Sabatini's are wonderful and reservations are easy to make.  Except for formal nite, reservations were not even necessary.  Princess does does have shows, as we know them.  They have a series of song and dance revues, with absolutely amazing talent.  You just go to the theater about 30 minutes before the show and find a good seat.  There are NO glass holders on the seats, so if you get a drink, you have to hold it for the entire show.    Most shows last about 35 minutes.  There was an illusionist onje nite and a comedian on another.

Dining -  We went to the dining room (almost impossible to find) on the first night. It was terrible.  We never went back.  We ate at Sabitini's 4 times and Crown Grille twice.  We booked the Chef's Table and had one of the best culinary experiences of our lives.  Also, we attended 4 wine tastings, all great.  Of course, you must spend extra money to dine the way we did, but we found it worthwhile.  For a "foodie" who is also into wine, this is a great cruise.  Wine prices are surprsingly low and the selection includes many wines that were new to us.  The upcharge for the speialty restaurants is very reasonable and the staff quickly gets to know you, which makes for a delightful dining experience.  The free "pizzaria" Alfredo's was a high point.  Not a pizza joint - great Italian foods from salads to sandwiches to entrees.  We went there several times for lunch.  The b uffet was very nice, although we didn't eat meals there.  We went for a nosh and the pastries are incredible.

We went on several off-ship tours, and were very satisfied.  The leaving and re-boarding the ship are done very well.  Most of the passengers remain on the ship.

Lots of scrabble games and cards games going on.  This is not a cruise for families; there is nothing for kids to do.

There are 2 formal nits and most people really take it seriously.  Lots of music venues all over the ship.  The pool area is comfortable and usually there is no problem getting deck chairs.  One warning, though.  The deck gets extremely hot and you need to wear shoes when walking around rthe pool area.  Hot dogs, burgers, pizza and ice cream are served during the day around the pool.

To summarize, The Royal Princess is a great place to chill out and eat some good food.