The International Cafe is great for an anytime meal and a wonderful spot to watch the Plaza entertainment——The in room television has ample entertainment ——Be sure to double check that you’ve got your necessaries…there are 3 decks of stores…that sell Princess logo and high price luxury items…and one small store that
Embarkation
5 out of 5
This had to be our easiest embarkation…from the second we left our vehicle until the second we sat down at Alfredo’s it was 25 minutes…that included the time clearing security…how slowly I moved…and at one point losing track of my party…by the time we finished eating our room was ready…there were 3600 passengers and the only time I felt the presence of the 3600 was the elevator jam on disembarkation day…my two previous embarkations out of San Francisco were nightmares of standing with no shelter and no assistance so this embarkation was a treat …
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
I’ve taken three cruises since the return of cruising…main dining room meals had initially dropped off in the quality of the food when compared with pre COVID meals…the meals on the second cruise were better than the first…and the meals on this cruise were noticeably better than the meals on the second…if a few meals weren’t over seasoned l’d say that we were consistently at pre COVID level… but we’re getting there ——With SOOO many people going unmasked (I would guess close to 98%)…and everywhere someone in the public areas having a very wet cough…and shockingly a few people not even trying to cover their mouths when they have their wet coughs …I would suggest skipping the buffet——Now the Crown Grill was it’s usual excellent experience …the only point I would take away woul be the bar attached is a public Barr so at times you lose the intimacy of the bar…minor point
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Standard Cruise offerings…if you are looking for a resort experience The Princess line is not for you…if you need a resort experience you should skip a cruise and go to a resort
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Standard cruise fare…I did like the Kano and string players…I did enjoy the live music…nice for relaxing and forgetting the world for a moment
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
For the most part they are helpful and attentive…some were clearly overwhelmed and had difficulty hiding their frustrations…but enough were friendly, welcoming that they left you feeling cared for
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The ship was clean and well maintained…my biggest complaint was that the ship was large with stores and eateries not logically laid out…the maps indicate 3 decks of Shops of Princess but I had to ask staff where I needed to go to find shops…service desk and excursion desk are forward…future cruises are aft…never did find captain circle…Princess ships tend to have a fairly standard layout…and I normally have a good sense of direction…I normally walk 3 miles a day…trying to get around I put in 4-5 miles…a longer cruise I might have figured the ship out…I just learned to keep myself in a limited area of the ship…or bring along Sherpa guides
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin was an excellent size for an inside cabin…enough room for two fluffy people to be comfortable…though if one of us had tiger to one side of the room while the other was at the dresser dome one (usually me) had to climb over the bed…a small annoyance …the television was large with clear pictures…the refrigerator kept things cold…the closet was large …had an issue with the safe …the previous occupant had set the lock with the door opened…so it could not be closed…inquired about it twice but nothing was done about it and for a five day cruise I figured it would be fixed in time for the next occupant…so I let it go…the bathroom was a good size…I’ve only had larger showers when I’ve had mini suites…the toilet paper holder was placed in a very awkward place…under the sink…the only disappointing part of the room was the bed…it was lumpy … not bad enough to request a change…just enough to notice…if it was a seven day cruise I would consider consider requesting a change…if the cruise was ten days I would strongly suggest correcting the problem
Ship tip
Make your Reservations for the Crown Grill early or you might be disappointed ——ask for a print out of the ship layout the medallion app is still having issues and the ship is so large that you might add a few extra steps trying to find your locations—— for Elite customers Princess no longer allows you to swap out your bar setup for a coffee card…you must buy your coffee drinks individually or pay for a package ranging from $40pp/day- $75pp/day——also double check that you have all you need…there are ample shops selling Princess Logo items and Luxury items…but only one small shop that mainly sells cigarettes and alcohol with a very small portion selling some items you might need with a shockingly high markup…so double check or plan a vacation excursion to Walmart
I live near here …The Embarcadero is never a convenient commute there are some ways to ease your commute…but I would only trust a Great GPS system…bring patience and realize that in a few hours you will be resting on the ship
I am glad you had a decent time & had some fun! I agree with you about the masks & that people who are coughing should be wearing a mask for safety. I find that I am able to make my own fun aboard. I never have a dull moment on the princess ships! As for the coffee cards - you will find there are other options than the ones listed here so be sure to check it out with your cruise agent. Alfredo's is a MUST as is the International cafe! The food is delicious! Thank you & Happy Sailing!
Thanks for the review! I’ll be sure to book my Sherpa for next month!
I’m happy to hear embarkation went well…because the last one was a disaster! Sounds like the cruise went well, regardless of a few extra steps. 👍🏼
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