We just returned from our Golden Princess cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. We have also taken the Sea Princess Western Caribbean itinerary in October of 1999 (more about that in just a bit). Since we were familiar with cruising and the Princess way of doing things some items were easy to adjust to, others were a first time occurrence.

Arrival in Fort Lauderdale: We purchased our own airfare well in advance so we were able to get a better rate than the cruise/air package. Plus, we were able to get an earlier flight which meant we could get to embarkation earlier. Tip: When purchasing separate airfare, be sure to call Princess and verify that you have transfers and when you’ll be coming in. We weren’t on the transfer list but the representatives at the airport were happy to accommodate us, along as we had the transfer voucher that comes in your ticket packet.

Embarkation: The easiest it has ever been. We had express check-in (by going to the Princess website) and were ticketing in no time. Some delay at the security gates and the always present embarkation photos but then right on board.

Talk about the weather

Fort Lauderdale was in a cold snap, the coldest in two decades. So the usual rowdy sendoff was hampered by cold winds. Although no one seemed to care, really. I guess because all were on vacation on one of the best ships afloat.. It was funny to see all the embarkation photos with people in coats and sweaters and latter photos showed them in T-shirts and swimsuits. The reason I mention the weather is that when we took the Sea Princess in 1999, we encountered Hurricane Irene which forced us to sail around it and actually caused us to miss the Caymans. More on weather later.

On Board

We were celebrating our fifth anniversary and bought the deluxe renewal of vows package. I recommend the packages because of the nice things that come with it. We got the plush terry cloth robes to wear in the cabin all week and to take home (although they used to package new, clean ones for the trip home and don’t do it anymore). Champagne in the room, although the Commemorative glasses never arrived and we had to ask for them. Canapés each night, one night wasn’t that great, we enjoyed the rest. Champagne breakfast in bed one morning. And a 30 minute massage we did the first morning, which set the tone for the rest of the cruise. Nice and relaxing. We never get massages any other time at home, so it’s great. The renewal of vows ceremony in the Hearts and Minds wedding chapel complete with beautiful bouquet, boutonniere, and officiated by the Staff Captain. Also included was a framed portrait and certificate. Laura wore a white dress and I wore a tux, and everywhere we went that night people were congratulated us. It was really special. Also balloons and a sign on our door and a special cake in the dining room was added for good measure. Celebrations on board are great occasions.

Cruise Staff:

One of the first and probably most visible persons you’ll see is the Cruise Director. In this case, and to our great pleasure, it was Alastair Greener. We had him on the Sea Princess and is perhaps the best CD in the line. We hear he’ll be moving to the Star Princess which may well be our next vessel. His energy level as well as Teesh, Gavin and the rest made the trip extremely enjoyable. They go out of their way to get to know you and ensure a good time.

The Ship Overall:

Simply beautiful. Spacious and well appointed. The atrium seemed a bit smaller than the Sea Princess (someone may want to confirm or deny that observation). More on specific areas as we get to them.

The Rooms:

Had a double outside with private balcony – Caribe 701. Now, while the rooms were a bit bigger, and the balcony was much larger it was hardly private. We could be observed from above and below. I believe some of he upper and lower balconies are more secluded, however the majority on the Sea Princess gave a more private feel, although slightly smaller. This still didn’t damper the sensation of the open air over the ocean. Believe me, if you can afford it spend a few extra dollars and get a balcony or at least an outside stateroom. I traveled in an inside cabin on the old Crown Princess and always had the feeling of disorientation in regards to motion and time.

Dining:

Whereas there has been a general decline in the food quality and service over the years, I believe the advent of Personal Choice Dining makes up for it. We traditionally are late seating diners who enjoy the conversation of others. In fact, on past cruises, table mates made dining a more delightful experience. That said, we prepared to eat our first dining room dinner at the late seating. The dining rooms seemed a lot more confusing. A sort of keystone cops feel. They finally located our table, right under their noses and we were seated at table for six with two already seated. We never saw the other couple at the table. And the second night, formal night, the first couple had opted for Sabatinis (an Italian themed dinner that many have said is overrated but not having experienced it, I’ll leave it at that). So we had the table all to ourselves. The next two nights we ate at the Desert Rose (Tex-Mex) which had decent food, and the Horizon Court (the 24 hour dining). Another night, second formal night, we opted for first seating. We simply contacted the Maitre d’ and he seated us at a table for two. So the traditional table mate scenario never really played itself out, however we felt that we dined well. Final notes on dining and service. Even with PC dining, select a dining room. What we noticed is that those who opted for PC dining only found themselves without a dining room if they wanted it. They were sold out, so to speak. Take advantage of room service. Although limited, you can get a good sandwich or burger and eat it in the comfort of your room anytime you wish. Don’t expect the pampered service that used to come with cruise dining. It seemed rushed and without elegance. In fact our first night the waiter was actually rude, almost pushing the food choices. The second night he was much better, almost over the top to please. Maybe he heard my wife’s complaining. The art of presentation seems to have been lost, perhaps due to the shear volume of people. I did miss it, but not worth dwelling over.

Activities:

Maybe you were wondering why we didn’t eat in the dining room every night. Well, it’s because of the many activities that are on board and the fact that we wanted to do it all. Some people are content with relaxing on deck, in the spa, on the balcony. We like to engage ourselves in the doings on the ship. We read the Patter in its entirety every night and listened and watched Alastair describe the day’s events and the night’s entertainment.

The AFC/NFC championship games were shown and it was fun to see all the people with rooting interest.

We played bingo and actually won once ($25 and a six pack of beer).

We bet on the sea horse races as they were held poolside. We bought a horse and were owners for the last race and were treated with goody bags and champagne and got to move the horses. It was a chance to win about $1200 with 1 in 6 odds but we came up short. Good investment though. Will probably do it again.

We did the limbo and came in second, and I was drafted to be in the Mr. Golden Princess contest. This is always fun and not to be taken seriously.

We sang karaoke on two nights and participated in the Newlywed Not So Newlywed Game Show, the same night we renewed our vows so we really looked the part. The questions are a bit racy but a lot of fun. We didn’t do well but people had a good time at our expense.

I also sang in the Passenger Talent Show and had a good time there as well. It’s not a contest and again is not to be taken seriously. I would encourage anyone to get up there and have fun with it.

Other things we did or saw included poolside games. Nothing beats watching a belly flop competition while sipping a Rum Punch. The casino was fun although the machines are pretty tight. Th size of it gives you quite a few options. The dealers are semi-friendly and seemed to be on a roll, taking people’s money hand over fist. We did fine the first night but gave it right back the next.

The disco was always hopping with usually the same folks jamming away late into the night. One night they had a New Years Eve party with streamers and the cruise staff. The fact that the disco is high above the ship accessible by a moving walkway adds to the fun.

Pools:

Laying by the pool is a great activity. If this is your thing, get there early. Unfortunately, there just seems to be nothing you can do about the reserving of chairs. If you are a chair reserver, I know you wish to get a good seat, simply start your day earlier. There are plenty of sun options, of course most want to be where the action is and this would be the outdoor pool by the Grill and Pizzeria (fabulous pizza by the way). This is also where the band will be playing during the day. They were TNT Treasures and were quite good. Other pools included the one under the retractable roof, the sports pool and for great relaxation – the Terrace pool at the back for adults only (people with kids, please read the signs).

The 9-hole mini golf, while appealing and a great new feature to cruise ships is not well designed. It’s actually better to look at than play. And the space it takes is prime real estate at the top of the ship (more sun deck room?)

The champagne waterfall is a must see, although on the Golden Princess it seemed more crowded in the Atrium than on the Sea Princess. They also seem to be cutting back on the champagne these days. It’s still a great Kodak moment and shouldn’t be missed.

In addition to these, of course, are crafts, trivia, scavenger hunts, Art auctions, sports competitions and more.


A note about activities:

There really is something for everyone on board. Those that come back saying they were bored just didn’t or wouldn’t let themselves take advantage of the opportunities available. You’ll probably see a lot of the same people participating in activities. I admit, my wife and I were everywhere, but we really took the bull by the horns, and our involvement never excluded anyone else that wished to participate. Some cruises have more doers than others. This one didn’t so it gave us a good opportunity to do some things we saw on other ships but were unable to because of the amount of people that wanted to participate.

Entertainment:

This too is something you’ll check the Patter for. Again, there is a lot to see so dining arrangements may have to be reworked. The big shows like the welcome on board show, Shake rattle and roll and Lights, camera action had great costumes and sets and the dancing was good but the singing wasn’t the best. The other shows like Gaetano and the Pub night we’d seen before so we opted to do other things. The various combos and groups on board were pretty standard but good.

Now for the not to be missed portion of Entertainment – Bert Stratton. He is a piano player and songwriter. Generally plays the kind of material found in piano bars, except for the fact that he is extremely funny, witty, charismatic and loves what he’s doing. Early in the cruise he played the Promenade Bar and could easily be missed if you took a different way. I was passing through the third night on board and was stopped in my tracks. He has the ability to sing Andrew Lloyd Webber then turn around and sing Jerry Lee Lewis. I was hooked and caught a portion of his act every night. In fact, we stayed and watched his show til the end one night. As everyone else left we went up to him and shook his hand and introduced ourselves. He commented on how much he enjoyed having us in the audience (we laughed at his jokes and great facial expressions) and we told him we were renewing our vows that week. He sat us down and with a two-hour show already under his belt and no one else in the bar, he sang us a special song. That’s an entertainer. He cruises about 46 to 48 weeks a year and then goes to write and record. If he happens to be on the ship you take, make it a point to watch and sing along with Bert Stratton. He’s simply unbelievable.

Shore excursions.

St marten – We took the Shipwreck Cove Snorkeling trip and found it to be average. It was sort of cool seeing sunken ships but the general snorkel area was gray and the fish were only available when a food bag was on hand. They were good to look at though. Of course the rum punch and the information about St martin on the return trip was fine. The excursion didn’t leave much more time for shopping.

St Thomas – We booked the Wild Thing around St Thomas tour. It is truly a fun experience. It resembles a large speedboat, and takes you to a snorkel spot and beach. The snorkeling here was fabulous and the beach was relaxing. Hardly anyone on the beach and the rum punch was flowing here as well. The down side, although understandable, is the fact that the boat travels at such high speed you can’t get out of your seat. But the wind, music and occasional blast of sea spray make it a fun experience nonetheless. Again, not much more time to shop but I know that St. Thomas is a destination that I would like to revisit.

Princess Cays – Well I said I’d get back to the weather. Whereas Hurricane Irene caused us to miss The Caymans in 1999, a windy, cold front made it impossible to tender to Princess Cays on this trip. Oh well, we had been before but I felt for the folks that had never been. So the staff reworked and created more onboard activities. They even reprinted the patter so you’d know what was going on.

Service and Tipping:

The service varied. Some bars and beverage waiters were attentive others were not. The cabin steward and dining room waiter were not as eager to please as in the past. As others had said, this may be due in part to the automatic gratuity included in your bill. I haven’t decided how I feel about this new policy. While it was a hassle to get the little envelopes and have enough cash to fill them for all involved, PC dining has made it so you may vary rarely use the dining room and to tip less would involve a trip to the Pursers desk the last morning which could be a trying experience. Unless your cabin steward completely fouls up, it works well for his services. They say in their literature that tipping is a personal matter, although changing the tips up or down involves the purser, so is it truly personal anymore? As you know there is a gratuity placed on all bar tabs. So after 7 days of charging drinks, boutique items, bingo, horseracing, shore excursions, photos, tips, etc you are looking at a pretty hefty bill. Know this going in and your sticker shock will be minimal, you’ll still have it, just be ready.

Disembarkation

We were ready for the hurry up and wait of disembarkation. It is true that the Horizon Court is the focal point of the morning and gets quite crowded. Many people are grumpy as well (vacation almost over, perhaps or buyers remorse after seeing their bill) If you treat this part with patience it’s not that bad. We found two lounge chairs in the conservatory and napped until they called us to the gangway. It was smooth. In fact, we underestimated the time and was off the ship two hours earlier than expected. Customs was very relaxed and even let Laura take her bridal bouquet off the ship – as it still looked pretty. We then transferred to the airport and rented a car so we could stay another day. We were so early in fact, that we were unable to check into the hotel until later.

This was long but I wanted to be thorough. All in all, the Golden Princess, her staff, the itinerary lived up to our expectations. Now if we can only do something about the weather. Hope this helped. Perhaps, we’ll see some of you on the Mexican Riviera aboard another Princess ship.

After thought:

Upon writing this I learned of the probable merger of Princess and Carnival. While I’ve never taken a Carnival cruise I do have a prejudice based on others’ reports. I hope for all who enjoy the Princess experience that any changes made are for the better and that Carnival doesn’t try to fix something that isn’t broken.