It was an enjoyable, relaxing cruise that stopped at ports we’ve visited before so we just took it day by day. The ambience on board was way more casual than any of the many pre-pandemic Princess cruises we have taken in the past and I realized that I packed too many “nice’ clothes. The medallion technology was amazing and made everything easy, from boarding to ordering drinks and anything else.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
The medallion app allows you to take care of most business at home prior to boarding. Check in takes a minute.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The three main dining rooms (which look exactly the same and serve the same food) were excellent. No waiting to be seated whether you had a reservation or not. Plenty of tables for two if you don’t care for sharing. We skipped the specialty restaurants because we thought they were overpriced and because the main restaurants had excellent service and food, including prime rib, beef tenderloin, and lobster tails. If you make reservations before boarding, keep in mind that the first stage show starts at 7:30. The repeat performance started at 8:30 or 9:00.
The buffets were fine for breakfast and lunch.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Lots of trivia and other games. We like enrichment lectures/activities and perhaps there could have been more of that. The TV in the room offered anything you could want, including the NFL playoffs. The games were also shown in one or two bars and on the big screen by the pool.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The entertainment was varied and very professional. The house band stood out as outstanding. If you plan to attend the 7:30 show in the theater, get there by 7:00 to get decent seats.
Children's Programs
We were a couple without kids. On ten day cruises in winter you can expect very few children on board.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
They knock themselves out to please.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was fine, but the air conditioning was marginally comfortable. The thermostat was set as low as possible when we boarded and the dial never moved. I suspect this was the case with all the cabins. You need to ask your steward for complimentary bathrobes, ice, or water. In past years these items were provided without asking, but not any more.
Ship tip
Be prepared for very casual attire. On formal nights most men wore sport shirts. No ties. The few who dressed up did so mostly to look nice for the professional photography service. Anything goes in the dining rooms, including shorts and tee shirts.
You need to take an organized excursion to one or more of the several amazing locations in Jamaica. If you plan to just walk around on your own, you will see nothing of interest. In fact, you may be turned off by what you see. We have cruised to Jamaica many times and we know.
The historic area is beautiful and interesting! A must-see in my opinion. But if you choose to stay on board, at least go to the Port Oasis within the port gates. It’s a short walk from the ship or you can take a shuttle. There’s a cool little zoo and good shopping plus a cafe/bar with WiFi. Definitely worth a visit.
You can take an excursion or just stay on board to experience the locks. Over the years we have taken all of the excellent shore excursions and to us the best experience is just staying on board. The Canal is the #1 man made wonder of the world and it’s a thrill to experience it.
There’s nothing here or in Colon. It is just a location where the ship picks up the tour groups. Don't expect much more. On our cruise, 1,500 passengers went on tours. They left the ship by tender after we traversed the locks into the lake. Then they returned to Cristobal or Colon by bus while those of us who remained on board turned around and went back through the locks. It may be unfair of me to rate this port as one star, but we met first-time passengers who expected much more and were disappointed.
Costa Rica has many interesting things to see if you sign up for a shore excursion. But if you do it on your own, you will see nothing except some handcrafts in a tent on the dock.
You need to tender onto the island. The town of George Town is picturesque with shops, bars and restaurants if you care to walk around on your own. Or you can take excursions to sightsee or go to the beaches. This time we just walked around and spent money.
Thanks for a enlightening review. We went from Galvaston to San Francisco last April 2023and as you say the ships Band was amazing! I should have written a review. I found this ship to be excellent in every way too.
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