Took a family cruise with my wife's side of the family, 7 of us total. Thank goodness for the Princess Plus package that included a night of specialty dining, prepaid gratuities, and unlimited beverages. That was one of the coolest ways to celebrate our anniversary.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
smooth, quick and painless. I hadn't cruised in 20 years, so I just kept my mouth shut and listened to the staff tell me where to go and what to do. The Medallion made it SO easy, and small crowds meant no lines.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
First the good news. The ship was less than half full, so we had plenty of space to move around and attention from the staff. Our part of 7 had the same table at the same time with the same waiters - Adrian and Edward - and we were never rushed. They encouraged us to try new foods that we wouldn't normally eat in the "real world," so I did. I took other cruisers' advice and left food on my plate, and after the first evening I didn't feel guilty about it.
The better news is that the specialty dining did not disappoint! My wife and I had a quiet dinner at Crown Grill that was pure heaven. Here again, it was not crowded so we had great service from the waiter and servers. The food was out of this world, and they focused on quality, not quantity. The rest of our party ate at Sabatini's Italian Ristaurante with the same experience.
All of the bars, without exception, were very accommodating and would make drinks to order that were not on the menu. The Vines Wine Bar knew us by name after the first day (is that a bad thing?), and offered many tastes of their favorite wines. Each of us now has a new favorite wine, thanks to them!
My only knocks were that the buffet, which had a wide variety of international selections, were warm, not hot. Also, the regular coffee had a lot of room for improvement. Or maybe I'm just a coffee snob from the West Coast.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Great times walking on the ship, watching outdoor movies and concerts on the big screen at all hours of the day (not just after dark). So many pools and hot tubs throughout the ship, there were always deck chairs available and space to jump in the water for a quick dip. I didn't get a chance to play pickleball but it looked like a lot of fun. The entire court was inside a mesh netting, so the ball could not be sent into the ocean. Nice!
I took the tour of the Lotus Spa on the first day, not realizing that it was a non-stop sales pitch for all of the areas. At least they were polite!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We knew at the start of the cruise that their entertainment staff was thin, so I didn't expect anything. The team worked hard to create solid entertainment the entire week and had at least one show every evening.
There were a variety of musicians that rotated through the ship throughout the week. There was a house band that also played on deck for this year's version of a pool party, a pianist/singer that took requests, a 3-piece quiet jazz ensemble, and a steel drum musician.
Children's Programs
no kids in our party
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
I mentioned earlier that the best part of the cruise was the ratio of cruisers to staff. I wonder if this was one of the key reasons that we had outstanding service from everyone. I hope that once the ships fill up the service will continue at this high of a level.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This ship is easy to understand and navigate. After the first day I didn't need to keep looking at the map to find the general area that I wanted to go to. And I noticed that there were staff constantly cleaning areas like the stair handrails, the elevator buttons, and any other high touch points.
Before being allowed to enter the buffet, everyone had to wash their hands in the sink with soap. Once we did that, we were allowed to enter.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The mini suite we shared with my mother-in-law was large enough that we didn't feel like we were too cramped. I didn't understand why we had 2 televisions; I felt that was a waste. The deck was large enough for 2 people at a time. The hand rail was high enough that I didn't worry about leaning against it and falling overboard (a serious concern when I was booking the cruise).
We had a full-sized tub in our bathroom but never used it. At least I had enough room to comfortably take a shower, a nice bonus
Ship tip
The best piece of advice I could give to anyone is this: don't be afraid to make friends with other cruisers. Everyone has a story, and some of the people you meet early in the week might turn into friends for life. On the flipside, if you don't like them you'll probably never see them again.
We took the Everglades tour excursion after the cruise. It could have been great, but the day we landed it rained nearly an inch in the first hour we were on the road, according to the weather app.
Awesome review. Thanks for the details, it really helps out others. So many people just write, "Loved this" or "Hated that". To be honest, no one comes here to find how some stranger liked or didn't like something. We read reviews to get info to try and make our decisions or experiences better. Details are key... Glad you didn't fall off the balcony.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
