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Diamond Princess Cruise Review to Mexico
Contributor Level:
Deck Hand
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 15
7 Night Baja Peninsula & Sea Of Cortez (San Diego Roundtrip)
Sail date: November 20, 2022
Ship: Diamond Princess
Cabin type: Inside
Cabin number: A241
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 1 year ago
Review summary
Booked this cruise last minute. It was a more affordable cruise than some I have been on so I adjusted my expectations based on that, but was pleasantly surprised by the overall experience! This is a beautiful ship with outstanding crew and staff!Embarkation
There was a little confusion as there was another ship boarding at the same time but once we figured out where we were supposed to be, the process was fairly quick and easy. It was quicker than I expected.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The food was great! All of the staples I expected were in the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner and they were delicious. They had many international dishes and I tried lots of new things and found some new favorites. The Main Dining rooms were beautiful, though service was usually slow but I wasn't in a hurry. On lobster night, I ordered 5 main entrees and the waiter didn't blink, he just kept bringing them with a smile and even tried to give me one more for dessert! LOL! Didn't try any of the specialty restaurants but I did wind up eating more pizza than I planned. The pizza was fabulous!
Onboard Activities
It was Thanksgiving and the weather wasn't as warm as I hoped so didn't get to enjoy the pools to much. The jacuzzies were nice, but they were never turned on, that was disappointing and as there were lots of families on board, they were usually packed with kids until late night. Enjoyed some of the free samples offered in the spa although they got a little pushy trying to upsell you something. Went to some stretching classes and yoga, the instructors were attentive and helpful. The only other thing I found on board was a very sad, little putting course. There were many activities I did enjoy such as Karaoke, trivia, parties, dance lessons, Spanish lessons and more. I kept very busy on our days at seas though not many people attended or participated in these activities. Again, I think because it was a holiday and everyone was family oriented so it wasn't the party atmosphere I have enjoyed on other cruises.
Entertainment
Nice variety of shows and entertainment, enjoyed all of them and there was really something for everyone during the 7 days. My favorite memories from this cruise were the Game Shows put on by the Entertainment Staff!! I laughed so hard! Also, won an Elite upgrade on my first night during a game and I really enjoyed that! I got to go watch the sunset every night from the private Captain Circle's party in the nightclub at the top of the ship. The appetizers served there were fabulous along with premium drinks and some really good live musicians! That was the best! (Plus, I got free laundry, bonus!)
Service and Staff
This was the first cruise for this ship since the pandemic and I think there were a lot of new staff. There were some issues with language and cultural barriers but all the staff were dedicated to making sure everyone was happy and contented (although I kept getting my drinks with alcohol in one glass and the mixer in another? Weird). My room steward was fantastic and greeted me by name every time I saw him in the halls. He was like my own little elf, sneaking in and straightening my room up and leaving me things I would need next before I knew I even needed them every time I left the room. Melody was my favorite bartender and I visited her many times a day (Yay, drink packages!), she was always smiling and glad to see me even at the end of a 13 hour shift!! There were many, many other staff that went above and beyond, they really made the cruise memorable!
Ship Quality
The ship is beautiful and the crew took pride in keeping it sparkling! Enjoyed walking through the art gallery regularly, seeing something new each time. There were some plumbing issues and the restrooms were often out of service, but when they were working, "heated toilet seats"!! I need to get one of those, really nice! LOL!
Cabin / Stateroom
I don't spend much time in the room so I get the most affordable room available but it was super comfortable! Ample storage room, plug-ins in all the right places, mini-fridge, soft bed (love the bedding). The room served it's purpose well. Was not crazy about the Medallion Net program used to make reservations, request service, etc. It was spotty at best and seemed to have a lot of bugs. My orders and reservations seemed to disappear at will so I was constantly double checking to make sure my requests went through. I would have liked to be able to turn on announcements in my room.
Ship tip
Enjoy!
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