Choosing this cruise was entirely based upon the itinerary offered. Offered only once a year, it did NOT include any ports outside of the U.K. You are a bit at the mercy of the North Sea weather as we were unable to port at Edinburgh, Scotland due to heavy fog. Almost entirely composed of senior adults, this is NOT a cruise for bringing the entire family.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Use of the Princess Medallion expedites the check-in and boarding experience even when it's delayed.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The quality of food remains high but the selections have definitely diminished. The old-fashioned formal nights have no place in this day & age and should be discontinued. Smart casual should be the only requirement for dress in the dining room. We actually skipped the dining room a few times because after an all-day tour getting ready with a change of dress etc. just wasn't appealing. Princess should restore the dining staff to three per table as it used to be. Dropping it to two reduces the casual enjoyment because the staff is just so hurried in their duties.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
The activities themselves were fine; however the scheduling of them was quite poor. Many were set on top of dinner hour so one had to choose between the two on may days. Move them away from that time to the afternoon.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The staff musicians and singers were fine; the showcased performers were also fine but we were unable to see any of the evening shows due to our dining room reservation time and our desire to participate in many of the other on-board entertainment options.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The persons who work aboard the ship are the best asset of the cruise line. Everyone we crossed paths with was polite, engaging and friendly. It didn't matter how much longer remained on their contract to work; they all performed very well. You can see again the ship is understaffed as compared to other cruises we have been on; with so many purchasing the Plus option bar staff personnel are simply overwhelmed. With all the extra income from upgrades Princess could easily afford to add additional staff.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
The ship is tired and the decor is dated. It's time for an overhaul of the public spaces and cabins. There is no need to have open the bars on deck 15 outside when the weather is cold & windy. When the ship is actually sailing the Caribbean then it makes sense to do that. But a British Isles cruise is not the time to keep those places open because no one goes there!
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The comfort and size of the cabin was good for two. The tub is not needed and should be replaced by a stand up shower. Although the bathroom was cleans and the beds were clean the cabin floor was not swept once during the 14 days we were aboard and we never saw or heard an electric floor vacuum anywhere on our deck or anywhere aboard the ship. Cleary cleanliness was an issue as the ship required a deep cleaning before and after our cruise.
Ship tip
There are touch pads in the clubs where you can program your own music while you are there. Easy to use and thousands of titles. Otherwise you end up listening to music that's not too desirable.
Thanks for your interesting comments/review. I’m guessing you were in your room and the hallways all day and didn’t see anyone vacuuming. They do vacuum and I’ve seen it being done. If you needed your room vacuumed, did you call Housekeeping and ask? Sorry you and your family were exposed to older people.
Very interesting as we will be on for 12 nights starting October 8th….im referring to the vacuuming, as we were recently on a 7 night on the Emerald, and I don’t recall seeing a vacuum then either. I also hear Covid is rampant. I came back in July with it from a Canada New England on the Emerald
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