We prefer Princess and realize that each cruise is an adventure. Some are better than others, but overall we love cruising and make the most of each one.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We walked right through the process with no waiting. Made a good start. By the time we got to our room, our bags were already there! this has never happened before. Maybe there is something special about a mini-suite.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
This was our 19th cruise with Princess and the menu is getting a bit old for us. There does not seem much variation from ship to itinerary to season with the selections in the dining room. The Horizon Court offering was one of the poorest that we have experienced, with overdone food and the same sides day after day. Even our favorite deck food, burgers and pizza, was disappointing with precooked burgers and lackluster pizza variety (where's the meat?) We skipped specialty dining because the
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Again, boring and the same with little unique to the cruise. We did enjoy the totem carving exhibition. But the naturalist talks were lackluster.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
One production show in ten days is not what we have come to expect with Princess. The comedians/ventriloquist/magicians were OK but everyone needs to step up their wardrobe including the Cruise Director. They all looked like their luggage was lost and they needed a shower and shave.
Children's Programs
did not attend - no children with us
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
We had an outstanding Room Steward (E724) who was perfect to our needs and invisible in execution. Our Room Service person Hazel was always cheerful in the morning, no matter how early. Our Dining Room wait staff, Sharon & Jon, made our evening most enjoyable with great service and information/guidance for the evening's selections. Other ship personnel made us feel very welcomed and happy to be on board.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The ship is older and in need of furniture and replacement. In the dining room, I noticed no less than 10 different styles of chairs and fabrics. in the common areas, I noticed the upholstered furniture quite worn and way past it's need to be replaced. Yet the ship is overall clean and and not too uncomfortable. Someone needs to reassess the deck lounges; these are much to stiff and uncomfortable.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
We previously noted that this was an older ship. We expect that the cabins reflect this also. I was impressed by the size & cleanliness of the cabin, although it does show it's age. I was impressed to note that the few missing tiles on the bathroom floor were replaced without comment during the first day at sea. I did not expect the room would or should be uncomfortable. The bed was delightful with an great linens & an extra mattress topper that made it quite comfortable, but the sofa was horrible. The cushions were too small and did not cover the very uncomfortable steel edge. This was a major disappointment since I love to sit on the sofa with the door open to the balcony and read in the afternoon. I asked the RS if there was anything that could be done, and there was not as I noted the other mini-suites had similar situations. We also noted the first night that the engine noise and reverberation is quite noticeable as is the noise from the Vista Lounge starting about 6pm.
Ship tip
Be sure to check for pictures of your cabin if at all possible before booking, especially on older ships. Select Balcony, Mini-Suite or Suites on Decks 9 or higher to avoid noise from the public rooms below Deck 8.
We love this port! It gives an opportunity to drive here from our house and enjoy the city before or after a cruise. Thank you for creating this gateway!
We suggest leaving the ship as early as possible to avoid the press of people coming in for the next cruise. We left ship at 10a and just began to feel the press of the people arriving to drop their bags as we were waiting for our car.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
