Having a suite and all it entails was really nice. The food, drinks, and other onboard experiences were a major letdown though and felt like a budget vacation, not a luxury one at a luxury price.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
Once we got to the dock, it was so smooth. But in the 24 hours leading up to embarkation, I've never been so stressed. You couldn't pick your assigned boarding group until completing all the steps, which included some COVID questionnaires you couldn't finalize until the last minute, so I kept having to check back on that step. I also double-checked everything the night before the cruise, and the app told me the ship had already left and it couldn't find our reservation anywhere!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
The food is the same quality from the buffet to club class dining to specialty, and it was all cafeteria level food. I ordered what the crew recommended, even Alaskan specialty items, and some were slightly better, but still tasted like something out of a can with some extra garnishes on top. Some guests seemed to have no problem with it, others commented on the same thing. The desserts were good in the restaurants and with room service, but at the buffet they had zero taste, and I am not picky when it comes to desserts. The frozen drinks were so sugary and with so little alcohol. Crew seemed to be re-learning how to make things - for cocktails and coffees, they were having to ask a peer or read directions for items on their menus. We finally found a cocktail we liked and ordered it at least 10 times on the trip, and it came out at least 3 different ways with different mixers and everything, even though it was right off the drinks menu. I would rather dine at Applebee's for a week, which makes me really sad, especially after how much we paid and what great things we've heard about cruise ship food and drinks.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Very mixed bag. We loved our club class dining servers and our room steward. Our servers in the specialty dining were standoffish and distant. The staff in the Lotus Spa was downright rude when I asked for a list of the various massage options, saying with a tone, "I can try and find a pricing list if that's what you're asking for..." Around the ship, some staff always smiled and made eye contact in case we needed anything. Others seemed to be prioritizing the older passengers who might be perceived to have more money for tips or other purchases that would benefit the staff. Some staff were clearly bored and missing their families.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Very impressed at the upkeep for how old this ship is. There was a leak in the ceiling in one of the cafeterias, but otherwise everything seemed to be in great shape and beautiful.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Wow, being in a suite was awesome. It was big, clean, and best of all, a private sanctuary when we got tired of being around other people. Our sink was leaking on the first day and our toilet stopped working mid-trip; it would've been nice if guest services offered us anything for the trouble of vacating our room for a bit during our honeymoon, even a small credit, but they fixed the issues same-day at least. The jacuzzi bathtub was awesome for the Alaskan cruise, but the jets were really dirty the first time, so definitely flush those out. Princess doesn't advertise all the suite benefits once you're onboard, but I tried to consult a pdf I saved on that and am so glad; the in-room tea service was so nice and I wish we would've done that every day!
Ship tip
Check out the food at the International Cafe - you can go anytime, and it's the best tasting food on the ship!
Definitely had the most to do, but I wish Princess hadn't scheduled three of their own ships to stop on the same day. Between those and two other cruise ships, Juneau was overrun. Loved the bald eagles everywhere when we caught a bus out of the downtown area.
There are some really rundown areas in Ketchikan only a few streets away from the ports - broken windows, homeless outside, lots of police. Not what I expected.
We had booked an option to disembark with a scenic bus tour and airport transfer. What a cluster. Princess grouped everyone in one of the smallest restaurants for almost an hour. No water, not even enough seating for everyone. They then released us in small groups, where it was a race to get to your luggage and then the bus without losing the rest of your group. No time to go to the bathroom, either.
You had some issues and they were corrected quickly. The Grand Princess is the oldest ship in the fleet, so you should expect something to break, which could happen on a brand new ship as well. All amenities if you look on the Princess web site shows what is offered in the suites, so not doing your research isn't anyone's fault but your own. I haven't been on Grand Princess for quite awhile, but on the past 5 Princess cruises I have been on this year, I found the food to be above par, but I guess its all perspective for some people to not be happy, especially when they pay that much money for a suite, and then can't be happy.......what a way to ruin a cruise, by looking for all the bad, instead of enjoying it.
My understanding is the issue in Skagway is the possibility of rock slides and rather than put passengers at risk they canceled the port. Some people think the cruise line can control Mother Nature.
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