Very disappointing for a family with young children

Item: Star Princess
Rating: 3.4
Author: cardenshawn81

Star Princess Cruise Review to Hawaii

cardenshawn81

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 40

Overall rating:

3.4 out of 5

Verified Review

15 Night Hawaiian Islands (Los Angeles Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 19, 2019

Ship: Star Princess

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: A404

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 4 years ago

Review summary

This ship / cruise / itinerary and the associated activities are clearly geared toward the older crowd. Other than the kid's club which had very limited hours of operating, there was nothing for the children to do and all entertainment and amenities are geared toward the older crowd. The Hawaiian ports of call were fantastic, but Ensenada was dirty, polluted, and a huge disappointment. I wouldn't bother to get off the ship in Ensenada. The cabin had a deep, musty, moldy smell and we all developed a cough and sinus issues by about the 3rd/4th day which persisted for the remainder of the cruise. The whole staff was exceptionally polite and helpful so I feel bad for them about leaving a bad review, but this cruise, and I suspect Princess cruises in general, is geared toward senior couples and not young families. The pool was very deep, small, and no life guard was ever on duty so young children can't really use it. All of the shows and activities were also geared for the older crowds and the kids really had nothing to do for the duration of the cruise. The 4 Hawaiian port days were great, but the 10+ sea days were painfully boring. The food was just okay, but it was so limited. Net message, if you have a young family, choose just about any other cruise line or itinerary. We won't be sailing on Princess again until we are in adult diapers.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5

The cruise is clearly skewed toward senior citizens. The only pool that was open was 5.5' deep, very small and NOT designed for children. There was also NEVER a lifeguard on duty. The evening and daytime shows were also for older couples and not suitable for children.

Entertainment

1 out of 5

Children's Programs

2 out of 5

The children really enjoyed the kids club, however the club was only open for very limited hours and when the kid's club was not in session, there was nothing for children to do except sit in the stateroom and stare at each other. The pool was not designed for kids or families.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

2 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Cabin design and size /space was great, but it was very musty and had an odor of must and mold. Everyone had trouble breathing and the carpet was very dirty and dusty.

Ship tip

If you have small children or a family, DON'T choose Princess. It is clearly geared for older crowds and is dead after about 9:00 p.m.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

San Pedro (Los Angeles), California

4 out of 5

Hawaiian ports of call were great, but Ensenada was a huge disappointment.

Thumbs Up 1

5 out of 5

5 out of 5

5 out of 5

1 out of 5

Wouldn't bother to get off the ship at this port.

Thumbs Up 0

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

11 Comments

DeGrootFamily 4 years ago

Princess ships do not have a lifeguard. You need to be watching your children not just letting them use the pool unsupervised. We've sailed the Star three times with our young son and never once had any issues finding him things to do. I would suggest a different cruise line like Royal Caribbean, NCL or Carnival if you're looking for more of an amusement park atmosphere.

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dansu 4 years ago

Derekmire.....Independence of the Seas has life guards

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justme063 4 years ago

Research, research, research. Google is your friend.

Thumbs Up 1

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Patty4paws 4 years ago

Sorry, you were disappointed. We loved the Star Princess. I guess my husband & I are "old" :-/

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shananbobanan 4 years ago

I’m surprised you were so disappointed. Did you find the children’s pool area on deck 16? There’s even a hot tub. We never saw anyone using it.

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cruisereckoning 4 years ago

Sorry you were disappointed, I hope you can find a cruise that you enjoy.

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msstephie 4 years ago

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your cruise. How old are your children? I have never sailed on the Star, but I have sailed on smaller ships (Island and Coral) with Princess, and every ship has had a ping pong table, basketball court and a library and/or game room with games and puzzles. Did you check the Patter for craft activities or ask the cruise director staff about activities for families? Princess is geered towards a quieter crowd, not necessarily for those in "adult diapers".

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2TallKim 4 years ago

We are not in diapers and we love Princess! I have this same cruises booked for 2021 and can’t wait. I’m looking forward to relaxing by the pool or on my aft PH balcony. You really need to research the best cruises for your family. Try Royal Caribbean, their Oasis class ships sound like a perfect fit. Lots to do for the younger cruisers, and the do have lifeguards by the pool. I would start with a 7 day until you find the right fit. Hope you find a good fit. We love cruising.

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15mustang 4 years ago

Sounds like it's not for children, but that doesn't mean its for only seniors. We love traveling without kids, ours are grown now.

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DerekMire 4 years ago

No ship has lifeguards and don't yr homework next time not the ships fault maybe try Disney

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bobduck1993 4 years ago

So sorry that you were disappointed on your family cruise.

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