Enough big and small disappointments that we probably will never travel on princess cruises again. The big issues resulted in us not receiving the cruise we signed up for…Changes to ports, canceled shore excursions. More time at sea than anticipated. Undisclosed obstructed views from our suite.
The small issues included Upgraded Wi-Fi package did not work. Did not receive specialty dining as advertised. Glacier Bay sanctuary upgrade did not meet expectations as described above. Billing system is horrible, spent close to 90 minutes discussing some of these issues. At some point it’s just easier to accept the additional cost than to exert all the negative energy involved in arguing the situation. Heavy sigh.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
With the exception of one meal everything was excellent. As it relates to using shipboard credits, we had a package that included one free specialty dining. We also received a notice that we were to be comped a specialty dining upon embarkation due to our status in a premium suite. Against the communication provided to us we only received one dining upgrade not two. We were told that our booking (first) specialty dining upgrade was used to pay for the premium suite dining upgrade.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Children's Programs
No kids with us.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff on the ship were excellent.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Just average.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
One of the primary reasons we picked a premium suite was to enjoy the views. We were conscious to ensure that the suite we picked didn’t have partially obscured views. That was not the case at all. The view forward off the ship was obstructed by the flying bridge. The view to the side was obstructed by a steel enclosure. While we could see, we’d have to be standing to do so. Additionally our balcony had 10+ pieces of furniture mainly stacked in the corner. It looked like it had been used for storage.
Ship tip
1. Do not purchase the additional Wi-Fi connections. They never did work, I complained, I got the runaround. Not enough money to pursue however it’s $70 I will never see again. Second piece of advice, their onboard billing system is very poorly designed. What is on the app doesn’t reflect what is actually in their system.
enclosure. While we could see, we’d have to be standing to do so. Additionally our balcony had 10+ pieces of furniture mainly stacked in the corner of our balcony. It looked like it had been used for storage.
Really enjoyed this entire experience, the play associated with the trolley tour was top notch. Highly trained/skilled actors. It’s far exceeded my expectation.
The views were simply awe-inspiring. We paid $120 extra for reserved seating up in The Sanctuary. The day was cold and somewhat rainy. The roofing design was not watertight and didn’t allow for us to sit in our assigned seats. The temperature was such that it made you want to walk around so we spent most of the day elsewhere. I’d suggest waiting until the day of to sign up as it probably would’ve been a very different experience on a much nicer day.
The only nice thing about this was an opportunity to stretch your legs after a long day at sea. This was not on our initial itinerary, a replacement for Ketchikan. Not what we had signed up for.
Butchart Gardens was amazing. However, our cruise ship with several hours late so we only got to view the gardens at night time. Don’t spend your money on the butterfly garden add on. It’s only a 15 minute stop on your way to the gardens. There were some very interesting insect displays but we only were able to see one type of butterfly, and they were sparse.
Thanks for the review. Princess has known this year had propulsion issues for months and continues to give people a poor experience. It would’ve been better to cancel your cruise or move it to another ship. Icy Strait is one of our favorite ports with excellent whale watching & Bear excursions, nice hiking trails, a restored cannery, a new aerial tram and amazing scenery.
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