Because it is a longer cruise, it was a VERY quiet cruise due to age of cruisers. Our group age was 64 to 56 and we felt like children.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We were sent a communication that they were boarding based upon floors so we waited at our hotel until the shuttle driver said No One follows that rule. We went an hour earlier than the suggested time and had no problem. No one said anything and our cabin was ready.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
We chose Anytime Dining and had a party of 4. We were often asked if we wanted to share and chose not to. We usually went around 6 and had to wait to be seated only once. I drink Moscato but they were usually out. We sampled all venues but found the Buffet to be repetitive and seating was hard to find. We have been on many cruises and since we have been watching FB posts, didn't expect the food to be spectacular. Usually the MDR menus offer a couple of staples such as steak or prime rib to fallback on but this cruise offered a gourmet type of burger. The Crown Grill, Planks, & Steamers were great. Planks & Steamers provided TOO much food....we couldn't eat all. Crown Grill was wonderful and we walked in without a reservation.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The ship had 4 pools and we chose to sit poolside every sea day. We were told the spa pool & the pool off the back of the boat we quite. That left the pool that showed movies all day or the the other pool. We chose the other because we foolishly expected it to have more activity. Live music was provided 1 day and taped music 2 days. There was one poolside activity - an ice carving exhibition. Pool was a snoozer!!! I think due to the age of the majority of the cruisers, most games and activities were inside.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Because so many social media posts are talking of ships cutting back, we didnt expect much. There was one professional show each night and they were ok to great. We easily found seats most nights as long as we didn't go at the last minute. Most events were in the theater or a large lounge and were both on the same level so was easy to migrate from one to the other.
Loved the cruise director Steve and we watched most of his nightly activities/games.
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The staff worked hard to make us feel appreciated and valued. We found the service by the pool to be lacking and usually went to the closest bar to order our own drinks...again might be due to the average age of the passengers. This ship was testing the new Medallion system so we were never provided a ticket to sign which is convenient. However, if you wanted to tip extra, you either skipped or had to provide cash. We usually find a favorite server and like to tip extra for the extra service. By not adding to a paper ticket to add a tip & charge to your account, I think some will just skip.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Beautiful ship and conveniently arranged. Again, the ship was testing the new Medallion system and had switched out signs for interactive screens. We walked stairs as much as we could and had a hard time seeing which floor we were on and which side of the boat we needed to be on. Some cruise lines make the carpet different on port vs starboard side and this ship did not.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Since this was a bucket list type of trip, we booked very early so that we could have AFT balconies off the back of the ship. Was a great way to view the panama canal! Was an average room but short on outlets. Only two in room by desk but again, not a surprise. Didn't like the texture of the matte on the balcony...was hard on bare feet. Our steward Robert Sakey was awesome.
We took the Hop On/Hop Off tour of the old walled city and they took good care of us. We were warned of the annoying vendors walking the streets and new how to handle. Would have been nice to stop at a souvenir shop at end of the tour instead of just a jewelry and coffee shop.
Because of protesting in San Jose, each excursion bus was escorted by cops/security with guns on motorcycles. Was a bit alarming but they wanted to protect the tourists. We did not take an excursion but chose to walk around the town and was treated respectfully and enjoyed stretching our legs.
We booked the Dolphin & Turtle encounter from the ship and enjoyed the excursion. Grand Cayman is one port that it is no problem to book outside of the ship but we chose the ship for convenience. The picture racket at the facility was a bit of a shock... $38 for one or $50 for each person in group.
Some Princess ships have different carpet on port and starboard in the berthing areas, but not all. But if you remember odd staterooms starboard, even on portside, then it is almost as good as color keyed carpets. 9 more days until boarding.
Srn when you cruise Princess again I suggest that when you find that special server..cash is the best way to be sure they are the recipient of your tip. The 15% gratuity which is added to every ticket goes to a pool which is shared by all servers. The extra which use to be on the paper ticket I believe went to the pool as well; to be honest though I can't be sure of that.
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