Cruise Line: Princess
Sailing Date: February 9th, 2003

My wife and I just returned from the February 9th, 2003 sailing. Overall it was a very relaxing, enjoyable vacation for both of us. The weather was perfect for the entire week, sunny and mid-80s.

Overall Rating: I would give the cruise an overall A-. I would suggest this itinerary for those that are more interested in relaxing rather than exploring the port of calls. Cruises that I have taken to the Mediterranean and Alaska were for exploring. This cruise was for relaxing.

I choose this ship because I have sailed with Princess before and I like the quality and service that Princess delivers. Also, I like the dining rooms with the divided sections. I feel like I’m dining in a restaurant rather than one huge dining room.

Getting There: We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and took the transfer package offered by the cruise line. It was convenient, but next time I would probably opt to take a taxi. We had to wait in the hot sun for the bus to arrive. Plus, it takes awhile for the bus driver to load the luggage. For the same price take a taxi.

Embarkation/Debarkation: This was the easiest and quickest embarkation that I have experienced. I booked the cruise with less than 40 days from the sailing date. Therefore, we didn’t qualify for their express check-in. However, we were in our room within twenty minutes of port arrival. I guess if there had been long lines, the express check-in would have made a difference.

Room: We stayed in Baja 510. We had a balcony. I have had a balcony only once before and didn’t use it much, probably because we had the kids with us. This time, however, I was spoiled. We had breakfast every morning and cocktails every evening on the balcony. During the daytime we would escape to our room to relax. I never did this before with an outside or inside cabin. I definitely would pay the extra again.

Food/Beverages: If you’re reading this review, you have probably read others that go into detail on the food. I’ll leave that to the others. The breads, lobster, and king crab legs (order extra, they’re small) were excellent. I spent the extra $15 pp for Sabatini’s restaurant. I thought it was worth it and I would do it again. We selected personal choice dining. We liked the flexibility, but never felt we received the personal service received on fixed dining. I guess it’s a trade-off.

The cruise lines have decided to stop losing revenue to passengers fixing drinks in their cabin. You can bring wine on board. However, the ship detains (confiscates) until the last day of the cruise any hard liquor brought on board or purchased from the on board duty free shop. I guess that’s why more and more people are bringing their own bottled water on board (Hint).

This is the first time I remember alcoholic drinks (pina coladas, bloody marys, margaritas, etc.) being offered in small, medium, and large sizes. The prices were $3.95, $5.75, and $7.25 respectively. If you don’t specify a size, you will be served a medium. In the warm air the ice in a medium or large drink melts before you’re finished. I guess it depends on how thirsty you are.

Shore Excursions: Other reviews cover the ports of call in great detail, so please refer to them. We loved Princess Cays. We took the advice from others and immediately went to the right side of the island. We found shade, sun, music (near the bar), and a great view. In Grand Cayman we took the stingray city tour. I think swimming with the stingrays should be on everybody’s must list. In Costa Maya and Cozumel we shopped. Again, we came on this cruise to relax, not for the ports. I checked on some ocean front real estate in Costa Maya (it hasn’t been developed yet) thinking it might be a bargain. Ha!

Ship: I had read a couple of negative reviews on the condition of the ship and was a little leery. However, the ship was in immaculate condition. I didn’t see any wear and tear or carpet stains that had been mentioned. The crew was constantly cleaning everything.

A big plus for us was the fresh water pools. Unlike other cruise ships that bring in sea water (salt water) for the pools, the Grand Princess has fresh water. This allows them to keep all the pools and Jacuzzi’s open when in port. What a plus for people coming back from shore excursions early.

If you are traveling with older children or no children, the pool on the back (aft) of the ship is the place to be. There are two Jacuzzis, shuffleboard, deck chess, and two bars. Three decks form a semi-circle around the pool. There were always deck chairs available and a cool breeze to be found. The back of the ship is open from the 14th deck to below the 17th deck (Skywalkers Nightclub). It forms a picture frame of the sea and sky. This was the only art on board that I needed.

Summary: I would definitely recommend the Grand Princess. The Western Caribbean itinerary depends on an individual’s wants. In addition, I have several thoughts on the cruise industry to share.

The cruise industry looks like it’s following the deflationary curve that has brought bankruptcy to so many airlines. I paid less for this cruise than many others in the past. This is a positive for the vacationer, if you are only interested in the cruise itself. However, it has forced the cruise lines to look for additional revenue elsewhere, hence, confiscating hard liquor brought on board. Daily reminders include the art action with prices 85% below land prices, photos from the Photo Gallery at $9.95, tee shirts, jewelry, daily bingo, spa promotions, shore excursions, Virtual Reality Golf, and the arcade games, just to mention a few.

I didn’t try to use cash on the ship other than tips for room service, but I did observe one man who wanted to buy a shirt with cash. He was told that it would have to be charged against his ship account (credit card). The cruise ship might do this to prevent theft from employees. However, I wonder if it isn’t also a way to keep you from keeping tabs on how much money your spending until the last day of the cruise. It’s just a thought.

The positive side is if you don’t want it, it doesn’t cost you anything extra. The negative is the daily reminder to spend more money. This has taken away the ambiance and fun of cruises from the past.

Down the road it may return to cruising of the past. The cruise lines are merging or taking over one another. I predict that in several years the cruise lines will be able to demand higher cabin prices without the fear of a competitor offering bargain basement prices. Maybe I’ll have to pay more, but I won’t be reminded daily to buy more art.