This was a great cruise and a lot of fun. We have been to many of the islands in this itinerary before, however it is still a lot of fun to visit them again. We love going to the Caribbean to escape the Canadian snow. We are just so thankful to be able to get away and enjoy some sunshine, great food, great entertainment and be treated well by the ship staff. We can't wait to go on another cruise!
We met a lot of nice down to earth people which made this even more enjoyable for us. There were a few guests on board who seemed to have forgotten their manners, however we don't let them bother us. We are there to have relax and enjoy ourselves, if others want to cut in line ahead of us or be obnoxious so be it.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was fast and easy. It looked like a fairly long line when we first arrived, however it moved quickly. There were a few people who were more important than the rest of us and cut the line. What can you do though?
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We mostly ate in the main dining rooms and buffet. We thought the food was excellent and menu varied. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. In general the service was timely and we didn't have to wait an unusually long period of time.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Pools and hot tubs were great. Usually fairly busy, however we were still able to make good use of them. Fitness center is excellent, great selection of equipment which was in good condition and not overly busy. I used the jogging track quite a bit in the mornings, it would be nice if every one went the same direction. There were a couple of ladies who decided to walk the opposite direction of everyone else, so you had to special attention.
We went to karaoke most times when it was on. There were some great singers and it was enjoyable to hear them. My wife likes to sing karaoke and stated there was a wide variety of songs to choose from.
We went to some of the trivia contests, the cruise staff made these a lot of fun - despite the fact that we are terrible at trivia.
They had an ice sculptor presentation - he was incredibly talented.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Production shows were fantastic. Really enjoyed Rock Opera and Five Skies. Ashley Rose Smith who performed a tribute to Abba was incredible. I really enjoyed her show. Neil and Ashley Croswell are a pair of illusionists, they put on an excellent performance, I really like magic. Solomon Jaye put on a great performance. I can't remember his name, however there was a person who played Elton John songs (Utmost Elton), he was fantastic. Tommy Proulx did a saxophone show - he was incredible. Shellyann put on a great performance. My wife ran into her later on the ship and had quite a pleasant conversation with her and I was able to get a picture of the two of them. We really enjoyed the entertainment of the ship. It was top notch as far as I am concerned.
Many of the shows in the Princess Theatre fill up early, so you need to get there early to get a good seat.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Room steward, Karen was excellent. She kept our room clean and was very accommodating with our schedule. Baristas at the International Cafe were great and met our coffee needs and were very friendly. They would often engage in conversation if they were not too busy. The cruise director and staff were great. They were very enthusiastic and up beat. The server at the Gelato place was great, however she was very busy. She was very efficient and kept up with the demand.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We have been on this style of ship many times and had no issues navigating our way around it. Generally it wasn't overly congested and traffic seemed to flow well. The ship seemed to be very clean, there were always staff around cleaning and tidying things up.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Typical cabin that we are used to and it met our needs. We had a balcony which I like to sit out on early in the morning with coffee and before bed at night with tea. Lots of storage space and a couple of USB charge ports. We were on the 12th floor near the forward elevators. It wasn't noisy at all and didn't really feel much motion from the ship.
Ship tip
If you want to see the shows in the Princess Theatre get there early!
We always enjoy Princess Cays. I did the Princess bike ride excursion, which wasn't as strenuous as the description led you to believe. It was fun and a different way to see a small portion of the island.
We took the skylift up to the top of the hill and enjoyed some great views and looked in the shops. We did some shopping down in the shopping area near the ship.
We visited Jacko Falls which is quite picturesque. We walked down to the bottom of the falls and put our feet in the water - I regret not bringing my bathing suit as that would have been fun. We then went to the botanical gardens and the Morne Bruce Lookout
We did Castries by trolley train and saw a number of interesting sites. It stopped at a beach for rum punch and swimming. The water was warm and very wavy. It was sandy and you could walk far out into the water. It was a great excursion.
We visited on a Sunday so much of the downtown area was closed. There is a lot of shopping and vendors right off the ship which was good. There is a beach within walking distance of the ship. The beach is sandy and the water is very warm. Did some swimming and snorkeling. Didn't see much other than a bit of garbage when snorkeling.
We did a walking tour of the city. The guide was very informative and took us to a number of interesting sites e.g. a fish market, produce marker, and a number of historic sites. Following the walking tour we did some shopping at the downtown market. Some of the vendors can be a little pushy, but regardless it was a lot of fun.
We did some shopping in the cruise port area and then walked over to the beach at Philipsburg. Its a fairly easy walk and the beach area is great. We had a lot of fun that day!
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