Maybe my expectations were too high?

Item: Caribbean Princess
Rating: 3.5
Author: briswizzle

Caribbean Princess Cruise Review to Caribbean

briswizzle

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 52

Overall rating:

3.5 out of 5

14 Night East/West Caribbean Adventurer (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 13, 2019

Ship: Caribbean Princess

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: R522

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

If you are a first-time cruiser, I don't think you'll be quite as disappointed as I was...so, if you're booked already, go have fun! :) My last few cruises were with Celebrity, so it was a completely different experience. While some say Princess is geared towards an older crowd, I felt there was a wide mix of ages including many kids (some in our party)...but not overtaken by running, screaming children. :) Truly, what was really missing for me on this cruise was the top-notch service I've come to expect from past cruises and a wider array of onboard activities. What ultimately caused Princess to fail the grade was their response to my mother's injury at Princess Cays (owned by them)...keep in mind, it was due to their faulty chair. A family vacation for 12 that was years in the making and took a miracle to pull off suddenly became a nightmare...and while my mother was stuck in bed unable to move for 2 days, their only response was to send her a get well card and chocolate covered strawberries, and then slide a bill under her door for medical expenses charged to her onboard account a few days before the end of the cruise. We were dumbfounded! While we did speak to the one helpful person at guest services who gave us instruction on how to get those charges removed, no one from management would speak to us, no one would return calls, no one called to check on her, no one offered any sort of assistance, etc... To see my mother in pain and in tears was heartbreaking. Thank goodness for the wonderful medical staff who actually cared about my mother's well being and showed some empathy. Please note that while this horrible experience affected and cast a shadow over the entire cruise for all of us, I tried to be as objective as possible with the rest of my review. Thank you!

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Quick and easy. Ocean Ready app and medallion really sped up the process!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Food was just "okay", and often found limited options on the main dining room menu. Several people were complaining about food quality on this cruise...thought maybe it was an off week as a few of them had done the same cruise a few months earlier and said the food was great at that time.

Onboard Activities

2 out of 5

Normally on a cruise, I find myself having a hard time deciding what to do because there are so many options at all times of the day. On this cruise, there were many times where it seemed there was only 1 option or nothing of interest.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Performers were all talented, but not a fan of the canned pre-recorded background singers during the production shows. Took away from the vocals on stage.

Service and Staff

2 out of 5

While room steward, MDR waiter, and a couple of the cocktail servers were FANTASTIC, I was disappointed by the lack of service (or smiles) from others in food areas (buffet, International Cafe, Salty Dog, Slice)...lots of blank expressions and rarely acknowledged verbally.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Cabin size and layout was great! Never felt cramped, and the closet area was a nice size, as well. Balcony was great. Unfortunately, being under the lido deck, things got a little noisy in the mornings with chairs being dragged across the floor. I was aware in advance that this might happen, so it didn't bother me too much...and earplugs came in handy. :)

Ports of call

Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island)

2 out of 5

I probably wouldn't get off the ship at this port again if I knew I'd be visiting the beautiful beaches of St Thomas and St Maarten later. Beware of the tall wooden-slat bar chairs. My mother was sitting in one that broke and tumbled over, leaving her injured quite badly.

Thumbs Up 2

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

5 out of 5

If it's a late port day, take the tram up the hill for a drink and a spectacular sunset view!

Thumbs Up 7

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

5 out of 5

Maho Beach is BEAUTIFUL!

Thumbs Up 0