Princess is great for those looking for a nice relaxing vacation. The Sanctuary is the adults only area, no longer free it's $20 for 1/2 a day, and $40 for the full day. We did this for every day of our cruise, even after Ketchikan we enjoyed unwinding here. At Sea Day, they served Afternoon Tea here which was such a wonderful treat. I think we was the only ones here until the last day. Yes, there was plenty of free seating on the ship away from the crowds, but this was our go to place to relax. Princess could probably do a better job of advising of the "extra cost" before guest walk into that area, as many people would walk in and sit down only for staff to approach them and tell them it wasn't free. I see the value of the Princess Plus for the Free Wifi and Tips, but that is about it. We are not big drinkers maybe 1 mocktail a day and 1 soda a day, didn't utilize our desserts or casual dining credits.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Embarkation was a long tedious process, from what I gathered up until about 12n the process was fast, but then all cruise airport shuttles started to arrive and it quickly got congested and lost it's flow. We received our medallions in the mail prior to arrival and had the "Green Lane" on our app, but there was no "Green Lane" for us on this sailing from Vancouver. The whole process took over 2 hours.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food and Drink in buffet, main dining room, and delivery were all perfect, no complaints on any meal we had. Service was fast, plenty of areas for seating. We did not get to utilize our two specialty casual credits as it was not an option to book in advance on the App, we could have called the dining number and requested, but it wasn't a big deal to us. Afternoon Tea is always a must on Princess At Sea Days. This event fills up fast, and the line starts 15-20 minutes before the event time. Even though the app will say "Reached Maximum" guest are not "Reserved" they just "bookmark" the events on the Journey schedule. Also note, Tea Service will also be served in The Sanctuary if you are enjoying a relaxing afternoon there.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There was always plenty of activities going on, but Zumba in the Piazza center with a bunch of creepy men watching, even one down front and center recording, no thank you. Evening entertainment was Soul Train Sounds and other oldies, but the majority cruisers were older generations. We honestly just spent most of our time in The Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary
5 out of 5
My sister and I loved this area of the cruise ship. No problem making a reservation for our Alaska sailing, weather was perfect every day of the cruise. We get overwhelmed by crowds and noise levels, so this was perfect for us. Loved the attentive service, having the reserved chair every day. Afternoon Tea Service is served on the Sea Days. Well worth the extra cost to us!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We didn't attend the evening shows, but I'm sure they were great. Theatre was our favorite go to spot when we got too hot on the ship. Theatre lower level is cool temperatures.
Children's Programs
Wasn't traveling with children, but saw a few younger little ones on the ship.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Once you figure out the layout it was easy to navigate. Our room was located at the back of the ship, so anytime we needed to go forward, most times we would just walk down to 7 and navigate to the front area.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was The PERFECT cabin location! Did not feel movement of the ship, near the elevators but we didn't hear a word. We had a Northern Light Moose magnet on our door to easily locate when we stepped off the elevator. Temperature control was great so we kept room at around 65 degrees which was the lowest option. Bathroom shower was small compared to other ships I've been on, but wasn't in there much to care.
Ship tip
Make your Dinner reservations on your phone as early as possible, chose table for 2 as often as you can, and if you have Princess Plus book your Casual specialty restaurants the first day you board.
We booked the Photo Safari Tour through Princess, EXCELLENT! Would do again, and will highly recommend. I was worried that I didn't have a fancy camera, but thankfully everyone on the tour was using their smart phone even the guide. Was very leisure pace, no uphill walking.
We had a Red Eye flight at 11p, so book The Charter Hotel Seattle for about $350 for the day to have a place to keep our bags and freshen up before airport. We was able to check in at 8AM which was perfect, we then walked to The Space Needle and surrounding areas, down to the Harbor and Pier 66 area, up to Pike Street Market, then back to the hotel. Napped a little, had dinner at the hotel before going to airport. I would recommend and will do this again.
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