This was our first experience with Princess and it won’t be our last. I knew the average age was on a higher side but was very surprised to see very few families on board despite spring break season (which was just fine for us). Guests tended to dress up fancier even on non-formal night. I liked a bit more calmer/chill general atmosphere (lots of fun but definitely not “party” cruise).
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was so easy. We ordered the medallion and completed the check in advance so we were able to use the Green Line but the Blue Line seemed to be equally quick. Once you went through the security check, you were able to go to one of the agents inside to complete the check in which only took a couple of minutes. We did not have a priority check in so were a little worried but that did not make any difference at all.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We were happy with the quality of food overall. We enjoyed our meals at the MDR. Food at the casual and speciality restaurant was also pretty good although the price seemed to be on a higher side compared to other cruise ships. We usually ate breakfast at the buffet which offered different varieties of food (with quality of what you’d expect from buffet). We had a plus package which included 2 casual speciality restaurant. Sushi was very good. My husband and daughter had burger at O’Malleys which was questionable. If you plan on not spending extra, you’ll be still satisfied with the food included in the cruise fare.
Our only complaint was the amount of time it takes to get your drinks. This was the same throughout the shop and also regardless of how you order (in person v. Through app). Princess can definitely improve the system (i think an app actually made it more complicated for servers/bartenders). Pro tip - always order double if you plan on drinking more than one. It’ll save you time tremendously.
The Salty Dog Grill
4 out of 5
I didn’t eat here but my husband said burgers which were cooked to order were very good.
Ocean Terrace (Seafood Bar)
4 out of 5
Quality of Sushi was very good for cruise ships. Needs better Sake selections (I know I’m being picky).
Crown Grill
4 out of 5
Steaks were perfectly cooked and appetizers were very good. Decent wine selections though somewhat limited compared to other ships’ steak houses.
Gigi's Pizzeria by Alfredo
5 out of 5
Serves stone oven baked fresh pizzas. Pizzas were so fresh and delicious.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We had 2 sea days and enjoyed pools, hot tubs, movie under the stars, playing ping pong. My favorite pool was the infinity pool in the aft (though a bit windy). We had 9 year old daughter with us so not having other types of kids oriented activities that you see in other lines worried us a bit but that was not an issue at all. She enjoyed it very much. The ships generally had more relaxed/chill atmosphere even on sea days which I really liked (I know we have a kid but I still much prefer calmer cruise and not seeing bunch of unsupervised kids running around!?
Entertainment
3 out of 5
I was really looking forward to the production shows. They were decent but not spectacular. We enjoyed comedy shows and saw 3 different comedians but all of them had very similar materials!!! We enjoyed live music but again I think we had very high expectations for Princess entertainment.
Our main complaint was the size of the main theater. We were surprised that, given Princess’s typical clientele, a main theater was not bigger (it was a lot smaller than any other ships we’ve been on). Unless you sit in the middle section, you also could get limited/obstructed views).
Movies Under the Stars
5 out of 5
We enjoyed the movies day as well as at night. We appreciated they added extra cushion and blanket for evening movies. One of the nice extra touches Princess offered throughout the trip.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Our room attendant was fantastic. I really appreciated the attention to detail and cleanliness of the room every single day (and twice a day).
Other than that, I think Princess, sadly, is no exception to losing the quality of services in general. Gone are the days of happy/friendly staff throughout the ship who knew your name and made us feel welcomed/special. Most of the staff was polite but they all seemed very overwhelmed and stressed out. Bars were the worst (more dismissive attitude). I think this is especially a common issue for hospitality/service industries post pandemic.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship was beautiful. I loved the clean design/decor. Common areas, no matter where you were, were always clean (never encounter dirty bathrooms even though ship was full). Pool areas were also always kept clean even on sea days. I also loved the Piazza area of the ship. Lots of fun entertainment going on there.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
A cabin was better than expected. Very clean, a bed was extremely comfortable and well maintained. I did miss not having a coffee maker in the room and it could’ve used a couple extra outlets (by the bed). I was worried about not having enough storage space but it was fine (lots of small drawers as well as very nice size wall in closet area). A bathroom was clean. A shower curtain that everyone hates didn’t bother me as much because it was very clean.
Ship tip
App doesn’t always work. When in doubt, call a guest service old fashion way as it’s much faster.
One of the smoothest disembarkation processes. No crowd, no line, no waiting for the luggage, no line for the cabs and very easy immigration security check. We were off the boat and into the cab in less than 10 minutes.
Awesome review! I think Princess is good too. Lots that can be improved of course. Princess raised their specialty restaurant prices recently but still lower than others I believe. Yes low expectations is the secret to great cruise.
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