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Note -this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: VALINDA GILLIS
Email: SMGillis@inreach.com
Age: 51
Occupation: program analyst
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: May 12, 1999
Itinerary: Acapulco to San Francisco
Cabin: p331
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 10
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 50
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Aug 1999
Time: 15:58:28
Remote Name: 209-209-18-138.oak.inreach.net
Remote User:
Comments
The Dawn Princess is beautiful and very spacious. Even after a week onboard, there were
places I didn't get to visit.
I had read many comments regarding the uncrowded feeling of the ship. This sailing from
Acapulco to San Francisco
was sold out, yet the ship was just not crowded. The room accommodations were very nice. I
had peviously sailed on
the Sky Princess to Alaska and even though the Sky Princess cabin was larger, the Dawn
Princess cabin was much
more upscale. There were three of us sharing an Outside Cabin on the Plaza Deck. I had
read many comments that
the rooms were smaller than the older ships in the Princess line and was a little anxious
about deciding to share the
room with two others. However, the cabin was so well organized that space was not a
problem. Having an outside
cabin on the Plaza Deck was wonderful. Our Dining Room was on Deck 5 and most of the shore
excursions departed
from Deck 5. In addition, the two Cocktail Parties for Captains Circle members and
Captains Night were held on Deck
5 and 6 in the Atrium. Every time I left my cabin I got to experience the beauty of the
Atrium.
The food on the Dawn Princess is very good. Our waiters were a bit quiet the first few
days and then warmed up to
our traveling group of 8 (7 women and 1 man). The Horizon Court was very convenient,
although the food was not
nearly as good as that served in the Dining Room. Maria, our cabin steward was excellent.
Marty Allen (of Allen and
Rossi) came onboard in Cabo to provide entertainment during the days at sea along with an
Australian singer....both
of whom were very good. We all liked the way the Dawn Princess used two theaters for the
nightly entertainment.
Although I didn't see any of the large production numbers, I did enjoy the other
entertainment offered.
Our ports of call were very nice. Acapulco was unbearably hot and humid (San Francisco Bay
Area is the weather we
enjoy.) Ixtapa was just a short visit so we opted to stay on the ship. We stopped at all
of the other ports (Puerto
Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan) with the weather improving as we headed northward. All
in all you get to see a
lot of Mexico during this repositioning cruise (5 ports of call).
I had only two negative experiences. The days at sea between Cabo San Lucas and San
Francisco brought very
choppy seas. Based on my prior experience in Alaskan waters on the Sky Princess, the Dawn
does not handle rough
waters as well. I had read in one of the reviews that ginger pills warded off motion
sickness. You need to start taking
3 a day 2-3 days prior to departure. I forgot to continue taking the ginger pills once I
got on board ship. The rest of
my traveling companions took them every day and did not suffer at all from motion
sickness. I spent a day and a half
in bed in my cabin. If you're prone to motion sickness, I would highly recommend taking
the ginger pills which do not
have the side effects that drammimine does. The other negative experience was
disembarcation. I believe our
experience was probably an exception. It just happened that the Sky Princess was docked in
San Francisco to board
passengers at the same time the Dawn Princess was disembarking. As San Francisco is not a
major cruise port, the
process quickly backed up and we spent several hours waiting past our expected departure
time. We had a limo
waiting to take us home and became quite anxious as the hours went by. Fortunately the
driver waited. It just cost us
a little more.
There is much to do on the Dawn Princess. The ship is gorgeous and the crew friendly.
Dining Experiences are first
rate. We all enjoyed our cruise and will sail Princess again.
Name: Don & Carrie Pace
Email: cpace@onr.com
Age: 55 & 52
Occupation: Govt. Accountant & Realtor
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: Sept. 4, 1999
Itinerary: 7-night Voyage of Glaciers, Seward to Vancouver
Cabin: E314/Category K
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 96
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 94
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 79
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 94
ShopsOnBoard: 84
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Sep 1999
Time: 12:37:08
Remote Name: pmnet2-108.onr.com
Remote User:
Comments
Being our first cruise, we were nervous - would we get sick? would we feel trapped &
claustrophic? what was
appropriate dress? Not getting our cruise docs until Fri. afternoon before a Sat.
departure didn't help that, but we had
nothing to worry about. We wore scopolomine patches for the 1st couple of days, but didn't
really need them; used
Bonine one night when there was a little rock & roll (again, probably could have done
without). Dress was more casual
than we expected - wish we had brought more jeans & fewer dress clothes! We were met
at Anchorage airport by
friendly, helpful young lady from Princess & boarded buses for trip to Seward. Our
driver, Jesse, was friendly, chatty, &
knowledgeable, so it was an integral part of the trip, rather than just a long boring bus
ride. Embarkation looked
reminiscent of college registration, but proved to be quick & easy; photo taken &
on board & shown to our cabin,
where we were met by our delightful steward, Stanley. He was always available & always
smiling. A couple of times he
had to get a supervisor to reset our in-room safe (it couldn't seem to remember our code
for more than a day or 2),
but it was always taken care of within minutes. He quickly learned we wanted cold bottled
water, & we never ran out.
What we liked best: (1) Nature's spectacle! The 1st two days we saw a spectacular sunrise
over College Fjord, a large
pod of humpback whales feeding & playing at Icy Strait, & a huge glacier calving
at Glacier Bay. As the park ranger
said, 'Wow!' (2) The on-board naturalist, Brent Nixon, a marine mammal researcher who was
as funny & entertaining
as he was knowledgeable & educational. His imitations of whales, bears, seals &
sea lions were one of the major
highlights of the cruise for us - much funnier than some of the shows, & really
informative, to boot. (3) Shore
excursions - in Skagway, we took the bus tour of White Pass & Yukon. Again, we had a
wonderful, funny, & informative
guide in Josh Wilton. Where does Princess find all of these people? (They must treat their
employees & contractors
right, because they're all so cheerful & pleasant.) We saw wildlife, a variety of
interesting scenery, & even a coyote
who wanted to escort the bus, & learned a great deal about the gold rush. Barbecue
lunch was ok, but consider that
we're from Austin, TX & spoiled to the best BBQ anywhere! In Juneau, we took tour of
Gastineau Fish Hatchery (the
salmon were running), Chapel by the Lake (gorgeous), & Mendenhall Glacier, which the
bald eagles seemed to be
enjoying as much as we were. We then rode the tram up Mt. Roberts & had lunch at the
top of the mountain - didn't
hike much due to rain, but got some great photos from the tram & restaurant. We still
had time for a little shopping in
town upon our return, as well as catching some of the bridge tour. Finally, in Skagway, we
did the town & heritage tour
with yet another pleasant, knowledgeable guide (didn't catch her name). The totems were
very interesting, & she told
us enough in town to entice us back to Creek Street on our own before getting back on the
ship. I wish we had known
earlier that the best (quality) shopping would be available at top of Mt. Roberts & in
Ketchikan, before we bought
souvenirs earlier in trip. (4) Food & service in Florentine Dining Room - kudos to
Ruben & Luis, who were extremely
attentive & made every dinner fun. We ate breakfast & lunch at the Horizon Court,
which was good, but nothing really
special (except the bread sculptures, & carved fruits & veggies). (5) Variety of
activities available - we only had time to
partake of about half of what we would have liked to do - guess we'll have to go again!
(6) Cleanliness & stability of the
ship - everything sparkled; it was easy to find (tasteful) deck maps to find where you
were & wanted to be; and our
cabin, although low & inside, was quiet & had very little motion or ship noise.
What we would like to see changed (very little): (1) Dining Room Seating - we had asked
for a table for 8 so that we
could meet new people. We were seated at a table for 8, but there were only 4 of us the
first 2 nights; the other couple
got moved to 1st sitting (with their family) the 3rd night & there was a different
couple (still only 4 of us); night 4 we
were alone; night 5 they were alone (we chose to skip French night); night 6 the 4 of us
were together; & then night 7,
for the final evening & party, we were alone again. Next to us were two tables for 4
that never had more than 2 people
there. Why not have open seating within a waiter's area? That way, groups traveling
together could sit together &
others could meet new people or be alone, as they chose. (2) Elevators - even the
comedians were joking about it
being impossible to catch an elevator by yourself - it takes someone at each end to figure
out which elevator is there &
catch it; when you give up & take the stairs, the elevator finally comes. Actually,
with 2000 passengers & a crew of 900,
they do an amazing job of moving people around without feeling crowded! Besides, the
stairs offer a way to work off all
those calories from the dining room. (3) More 'behind the scenes' tours. I heard several
other people say what I was
thinking - I'd love to see crew quarters, or know how this or that works, etc. The bridge
visits were only while in port
(when most of us were on shore excursions) & the galley tour was during a fascinating
naturalist's talk, so many people
missed it (although a waiter in the dining room gave us a brief personal tour right after
the official one ended since we
missed it). It would probably be a logistical problem, but tours of various parts of the
ship would be a fascinating
addition.
What we would do differently next time: (1) Get a window or, better yet, a balcony! While
all cabins are similar &
everyone is treated equally, there's just too much gorgeous scenery going by on this
cruise to miss any of it while
showering & getting dressed to get out on deck. (2) Bring a better variety of camera
lenses & get photos developed on
board. We were somewhat disappointed with our photos when we got home; if we had gotten
them developed on
board (It costs very little more) we could have bought professional photos or postcards of
what we missed. (3) Bring
along friends & family. We booked with very short notice (about 1 month) & no one
could get away to go with us. We
had a great time, but would have loved to have shared the experience with some friends or
family members. (4) Add a
land tour if time & money permit. We would love to see Denali & Fairbanks &
also Vancouver.
We can't really say much, good or bad, about the nightlife. We did catch the main lounge
shows, which were ok to
good, and saw one movie. We had quiet drinks in a few of the bars, but didn't really get
involved in the nightclub
scene, since we were up by 6:00 - 6:30 every day to see whales & glaciers & go on
shore trips. We did play bingo one
night (fun) & heard that the horse racing was really fun (never quite caught the drift
- should have checked it out). The
casino was ok (is there such a thing as a good casino?), but that was the only place we
encountered less-than-friendly
staff, and about the only place we noticed a smoky smell. The ship does a fantastic job of
air filtration so that we
non-smokers almost never encountered a smoky smell - exceptions we noted were the
Wheelhouse Bar & the casino,
but even those weren't too bad & we're pretty picky about that.
As for seasickness - not likely to be a problem, unless you're particularly susceptible
(or maybe run into a storm). We
would recommend bringing something along just in case, esp. if it's your 1st cruise. The
patches worked well, but gave
us very dry mouth & throat & kind of a goofy feel, so we discarded them the 2nd
day. One night we hit some high winds
that made the ship roll a bit (capt. said 3-4 degrees was all) & where we were (Deck
6, fore), we could sense some
pitching. Don slept through it; I stuck on a patch, which I removed the next morning.
Neither of us were ever queasy; a
few passengers were, so I heard.
Would we go again - when do we leave? While we have no basis for comparison, we can't
imagine any ship better than
the Dawn Princess.
Name: Stewart Cohen
Email: unkey@webtv.net
Age: 42
Occupation: legal assistant
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: 11/28/99
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean (Southern Explorer)
Cabin: Plaza 316/FF
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Dec 1999
Time: 07:44:47
Remote Name: proxy-525.public.rwc.webtv.net
Remote User:
Comments
Having done Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean twice each, I thought it was time to
explore further south in the
Caribbean. I chose Princess Cruises because I had an extradordinary cruise last January on
the Grand Princess (see my
review) and I was eager to try them again. Also, for a single, they offered me the best
price for a single guaranty
(compared to Celebrity and Royal Caribbean). I booked my air separately but airport
transfer were included with my cruise
package (but it turned out I could only use the post cruise transfer). I booked my flight
for a day ahead for 2 reasons.
Firstly, I had never been to San Juan and I wanted to spend some time there. Secondly, I
also don't like to travel on the
day of the cruise to avoid missing the cruise in case of flight delays. I also find if you
don't get on the ship suffering from
jet lag you'll have a better time from the get go.
My 2 days in San Juan were wonderful. Since I arrived a day ahead it turned out my
transfer from the airport was only
good on the day of the cruise, so I took a taxi to the hotel. You get a receipt from the
taxi dispatcher, so I saved it to
present to the purser once on board the ship. I received a $12. credit to my on board
account, the price of the transfer,
not the taxi, but that was understandable. Staying at the Wyndham Old San Juan turned out
to be advantageous because
Princess has a representative at the hotel. Although I did not book the hotel thru
Princess, the representative was very
helpful for arranging my luggage transfer to the cruise ship while I toured the El Yunque
rain forest in the morning (a must
see). The tour guide/driver then dropped me off at the ship after the tour. I arrived at
the Frontier Pier (it's a little further
west than the Old San Juan piers, pracically opposite the Caribe Hilton). I never boarded
a ship so quickly. Upon entering
the terminal building you are asked to show your documents to make sure that your forms
are filled out correctly. If not
there are tables to sit down and fill out the forms. I faxed my forms in ahead of time and
showed my fax confirmation form
and then proceeded directly to a check in counter which had no line at all! In less than 5
minutes my on board account
was established and I was on my way. The only hitch was that I was asked for information
already furnished to Princess via
fax. However, I presented the fax confirmation copy of my form and that smoothed things
along. But I cannot stress
enough how great their boarding process is. I understand that other lines have you take a
number and wait before you
can even check-in.
The gang way onto the ship is more like a steep stair case which is very inconvenient. I'm
glad to have had all my bags
tranferred, so all that I was carrying was my camera case. I noticed that there is a
lowever level access for the disabled,
but that staircase just didn't make sense. When I disembarked after the cruise at the same
point, the lower level gangway
(more like a ramp) was used, although you had a walk down a flight of stairs on the ship!
Well, enough about the preboarding as you probably really want to know how the cruise
was...it was wonderful! The ship
is big, beautiful and immaculate. In fact I have always seen maintenance workers on ships
but never as much as on the
Dawn, revarnishing the lovely woodwork, painting, washing, etc. Although the ship is 2
years old now I felt like I was on her
maiden voyage.
Having sailed on the Grand Princess, it was easy to find my way around immediately. The
ships have similar layouts as far
as the placement of dining rooms, lounges, etc. Color schemes are also on the same order.
My stateroom was on Plaza
Deck (#5) forward, although they designate it as midship. It was an outside cabin. At
first it seemed small, but layed out so
well, and with plenty of storage space and features, that after a while it didn't seem so
small. The bathroom is definately
small and the shower could use a hand held type instead of a fixed one. But there was
enough room not to bang any
limbs. The hair dryer, a very good one, is placed on the dressing table, outside the
bathroom, so 2 people can get ready
at the same time. Although I did not use them, the 2 extra bunks in the cabin store flush
into the ceiling. My cabin steward
gave me a demonstration one day and I was truly amazed by the ingenuity. Closet space was
more than ample. There was
a single closet with two bars. A double closet with one bar. And a single cupboard which
had fixed shelves and 2 wire bins
which swing out. I used these for my used clothing. The dressing table had small drawers
and the one double sized night
table also had drawers. The ship is marketed as a 2 week cruise in the UK as it does 2
separate itineraries, and there is
definately enough space for the 2 weeks. My cabin steward, Ronald, was a gem. All special
requests were seen to and the
cabin was never short on towels, soaps, shampoos, etc. He was very friendly and at the end
of the cruise, when I thanked
him he said that he was just doing his job. Since I feel the 2 people who can make or
break the cruise are your waiter and
steward, I never take them for granted and always appreciate the quality of service I
receive.
My waiter and assistant waiter, Willy and Slavek, both from Poland, were also outstanding.
Since the menu was the same
as the Grand Princess' last January, it was like returning to a favorite restaurant, and
although Princess does give you a
lot of choices, I head straight to my favorites. I also had a number of special requests
and they were all granted. One of
my favorite lunches on Grand Princess was the osso buco with risotto (yes I said LUNCH). I
missed it on the Dawn
because the trip to Caracas didn't return until 2 pm that day and I had to take lunch in
the Horzon Court Buffet. I asked
about having the osso buco another time and my head waiter, Gino, another gem, arranged it
so that on the last a huge
platter of it was brought to the table for anyone who wished to try it. Some of my table
mates were stunned at times when
they saw what was brought to me since it was obviously not on the menu. When asked,
"How did you get that?", I simply
replied, "I asked for it". As I said the waiter and assistant waiter were
excellent. Besides my requests there were always
recommendations and samples of each dessert were brought to the table for inspection. I
could not have asked for better
dining room service.
The Horizon Court Buffet was not as wonderful and I felt at times the standard of the food
there had dropped a bit from
when I sailed the Grand Princess. At times the food was very good, at other times I was
disppointed in the selection. I also
found it an inconvenince to have to treck back from my table if I had forgotten anything,
as opposed to having your waiter
bring you whatever you need. The room itself was quite lovely. Situated at the bow of the
ship with floor to ceiling windows,
the views were always spectacular. There is even a bandstand and ample dance floor. In the
evening the Buffet becomes
the alternative dining spot. There are 2 buffet sides but many times one is shut down and
lines formed, something I neve
saw on Grand Princess.
Since I was doing a lot of working out with my jaws, I knew that the only way to avoid
requiring a new wardrobe in a larger
size, I had to take advantage of the Cruisercize program. Most cruise lines have a similar
program whereby you earn
points for each event you attend and then can exchange them for t-shirts, tank tops, water
bottles, caps, socks, etc. with
the logo. The program on the Dawn is excellent. The equipment in the gym section is
impressive and there ia a nice size
workout room, as well. Besides the aerobics classes, there were also yoga classes and a
marvelous stretch and relaxation
class. This one came in handy for all of the miles I walked on the Promendade Deck, as
well as the steep steps on the trail
to the Trafalgar Falls in Dominica. And speaking of the Promendade Deck, the one on Dawn
Princess is like a good old
fashioned luxurary liner's, complete with deck chairs, shuffle board. It wraps around the
ship (the sections in the bow and
the stern are partly enclosed). This became my favorite place on the ship, and as I could
get my exercise and relaxation in
one place.
Another spectacular place on the ship include the 4 story atrium, which becomes the focus
for the Captain's Cocktail
reception and pre-dinner get togethers. On formal nights it really gets to looked quite
grand, as people mingle and
promenade in their finery. And I must say that this was the best dressed group of
passengers I have seen.
The entertainment varied from the excellent and excitingly choreographed "Rhythms of
the City" show to a really lousey
comedian (I'll be discrete and not mention any names). I missed pianist Garin Bader's
evening show, but he performed a
classical concert one afternoon. He is a first prize winner of the Internationa Chopin
Competition and it truly was a
pleasure to be treated to an afternoon of Chopin, Rachmananoff and Schumann. And on the
subject of classical music,
the string quartet in the atrium was lovely touch, worth sitting down and listening to as
opposed to just providing
background music for your pre-dinner chitchats.
On the most part I found the rest of the staff to be very personable and accomodating.
There were a few hiccups in
service that were usually corrected and an apology given even when I found that to be
unnecessary. I received a 50%
credit on a tour which I was not happy with, due to the driver/guide's lack of
responsibility. And when I found that too many
guest staff were using the free laundry rooms, I was even offered to have my wash done by
the laundry service at no
charge.
The only major complaint I had with service was that passengers were requested to have
their luggage outside their
staterooms BEFORE dinner on the final night. I found this to be very unreasonable. All
previous cruises requested that
luggage be outside the cabin by midnight. I was not about to have a stroke trying to rush
myself and completed my
packing AFTER dinner. There was no problem having my luggage picked up as the porter was
constantly making checks
all evening. But the unnecessary stress did lead to one problem...as I put my luggage out
the cabin door shut behind me
(there is a door stop in the cabin, so anyone reading this should take note). I called for
assistance on the hall phone and it
took 15 minutes to get back into my cabin. Each time I called the purser's desk I was
assured that someone was on the
way. I finally went to the purser's desk, none too pleased. They were on the case, so I
couldn't fault them for the delay,
except that when I said I would have a seat in the atrium next to the purser's desk I was
instructed to return to my cabin to
wait. I refused due to the rocking of the ship and my feet were starting to hurt.
Sometimes staff on ships get a little too
officious and I find that if you are firm, but not rude, they will bend.
Disembarking was very slow, but as I didn't need to be at the airport until 12:30 pm, I
wasn't in any hurry. As my friend put
it, "There won't be as much luggage to have to sort thru to find yours." Once
outside the terminal, I was directed to the
United Airlines tent (many major airlines have check-in right at the terminal). The
boarding pass and baggage tags were
preprinted, so all the attendant had to do was find them in the stack for my flight...very
efficient! Busses were wating for
the airport transfer, and all went as smooth as silk.
I would rate this cruise excellent. All of the people who really make the difference did a
superb job and always with a
pleasant smile. In fact, those smiles were to be seen on the passenger's as well. The
final proof!
Name: Jon & Angie Radabaugh
Email: radabaaj@bp.com
Age: 25
Occupation: engineers
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: November 7, 1999
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: B333
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 88
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 83
DiningRoomService: 88
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 83
CabinSteward: 84
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 89
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 88
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 82
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 82
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 93
EmbarkDisembark: 82
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Dec 1999
Time: 16:41:43
Remote Name: chigate.amoco.com
Remote User:
Comments
I am writing this review & hoping it will be as helpful as all the reviews I read
before my cruise. My husband
& I have sailed once before on Royal Caribbean back in 1997 for our honeymoon. This
time, we chose to
go with Princess. On our previous cruise we did Western Caribbean, and this time we did
Southern
Caribbean. We enjoyed Royal Caribbean, but we decided to try Princess because our travel
agent assured
us we would love it, and it really was not much more expensive.
Our ship was leaving on a Sunday departure, so we decided to spend Saturday night in San
Juan. I think
this was a good idea since we had time to enjoy the city, and did not feel so rushed on
Sunday. We stayed
at the Wyndam Old San Juan. This hotel was the cheapest option provided by the cruise
line, but it was a
very nice hotel. The room was slightly above average, but not really a $200 per night
room. It was clean,
and the hotel had a nice pool & modest exercise room. We had a nice dinner on Saturday
at Patio
Mexicano. This was a lovely authentic Mexican restaurant. Watch out for those extra
charges! A side order
of sour cream was $2, a Diet Pepsi was $2.25 with no free refills, salsa was $1.25 per
person, and an
automatic 15% tip was included in the bill. The meal was very good, but I hate those extra
charges. It’s not
that we cannot afford it, but it just seems like they were being sneaky about it.
We did some shopping in Old San Juan on Sunday, but for the most part it was
disappointing. Most of the
stores had junky items that were not even made in Puerto Rico, but in China! There was a
Tommy Hillfiger
and a Polo store, but the prices really were not that good. I was somewhat scared about
walking around
the city at night, since I had heard some frightening stories. However, it wasn’t too
bad. I would recommend
you don’t go out alone & stay on the well-lit streets. Some of the streets were
pitch black, with lots of alley
ways & hiding places.
We were to meet in the lobby on Sunday at 12 noon. We waited for about 20 minutes before
we got on the
bus to go to the boat. I guess that wasn’t too bad considering all the people who
were trying to check out at
the same time. The shipped was docked about a mile or so down the road, so we weren’t
on the bus very
long. Once we arrived to check in, we didn’t have to wait long, because they had a
special check- in booth
for people with suites or mini suites. Even the people who had regular rooms only seemed
to wait a few
minutes at most. One very disturbing aspect of the check in process was the fact that
security seemed very
lax. The man checking us in never asked to see our driver’s license or our birth
certificates. All he wanted
was our tickets & credit card. He did ask if we had our birth certificates, but when I
went to get them out, he
said 'That’s OK, I don’t need to see them.' I asked him how he knew we were who
we said we were, and he
just stared at me. Then, when we went through the metal detector to get on the boat, the
lady was too busy
talking to notice anything strange on the x-ray screen. Later we got off the boat &
went into the city to buy
some pop. When we returned to the terminal, I had the pop in a bag. I started to put it on
the x-ray
machine’s conveyor belt, but the guard said to not worry about it. How did he know I
didn’t have a gun or
something in the bag?
Once on board, we were escorted to our room. This was another bonus of having a mini-
suite. We loved
our room. We had a bed room, a balcony, living room, and a bathroom with a shower &
tub. I think this
room was worth the extra money. We were never cramped, and were able to relax & enjoy
the atmosphere.
Since there were two TVs, we could watch in the living room or the bedroom. Some people
see their room
as just a place to sleep for a few days, so they think there’s no point spending the
money for a big room. I
think it’s worth money, because it’s where I live for a week, not just where I
sleep. Even if you don’t get a
suite, try to get a balcony. They are so wonderful. My husband loved sitting out there
while he read. I
enjoyed sitting there & relaxing while listening to the ocean.
We were somewhat apprehensive about the cruise as the first day progressed, because we
hardly saw any
one our age. I think this is because Princess is a little classier than the other lines,
and they are a more
expensive than Carnival. But, keep in mind we are only 25 & 27 so there aren’t
too many our age who can
afford to cruise. I think the average age was probably 45-50, but we still had lots of
fun. There plenty of
opportunities to party if you wanted, but it was not in your face as I have heard it is on
other cruise lines.
We had lots of fun on this cruise, but also enjoyed the fact that we could relax & not
have to listen to a
bunch of screaming, drunk college kids. Not to say we don’t enjoy a good party, but I
do not like to be
surrounded by loud drunks when I am in the mood to relax. I think Princess did a nice job
of providing
ample opportunities to be wild if you were interested, but they kept these activities
somewhat separate from
the rest of the passengers.
Our first night at dinner was very enjoyable. Our table mates were all very nice. It was
funny, because they
all were old enough to be our parents or grandparents! In spite of the age difference, we
still had very nice
conversations & enjoyed talking with each other. In fact, we would not have traded
even to sit with other
couples our own age. Dinner was always delicious with lots of choices. There are always
four or five entree
choices each night. If you don’t like them, then you can always choose steak or a
chicken breast. The
pastas were the best- always ask to try a small serving of pasta with your dinner. I also
loved the desserts!
I could have eaten 3 or 4 each night. The buffets were good on this cruise, but not as
good as the dining
room. I think that is to be expected though. The pizzeria was very good too. The grill was
OK, but the
burgers were too greasy. I thought that the food was about the same as what Royal
Caribbean had, but my
husband thought Princess was better. I think Princess did have better buffets than Royal
Caribbean.
Our first stop was Barbados. I loved this island & want to visit again. We did the
Land Rover expedition
tour. We drove all over the island & even went off- roading. This was the best
excursion! I highly
recommend it, but be aware that the ride is very bumpy & bouncy. Some of the best
pictures of the trip
were taken on Barbados. Lots of people just get off the boat & go into Bridgetown. If
you only do this, you
will not be impressed. Bridgetown is OK, but not a tropical paradise. I recommend getting
out & seeing the
island. Shopping for jewelry was good in Bridgetown though. I got a good deal on a
tanzanite ring.
Our next island was St. Lucia. This was also a gorgeous island. We did the land & sea
tour to Mt.
Coubariel. The island tour was very nice. We drove all over the island, and took some
great pictures. We
got to tour an old plantation & have lunch. The last half of the day was the catamaran
ride. This was great!
It was so beautiful. There is not much shopping here, but you can buy necklaces &
bracelets that the locals
make. They were actually pretty nice, and I even bought one for myself. If you purchase
any thing from the
vendors, make sure you get an idea of a fair price from your tour guide first.
St. Kitts was our third stop. This island was very poor & not as pretty as the others.
For the most part there
was not too much shopping. We did the rain forest walk on this tour. It was very neat to
hike through the
rain forest & learn about the plants. If you like nature or are into biology stuff,
you would like this tour. After
it was over we had juice, banana bread, and coconut bread. The coconut bread was
wonderful! Our table
mates at dinner did the sail away excursion to Nevis, and they loved it. They said the
snorkeling was great.
St. Martin was our fourth island. We docked on the Dutch side, where there is lots of
shopping. This is
where we bought all of our souvenirs for people back home. Go to 'Everything Cool' and get
a mixed drink.
They have every combination of daiquiri you can think of. We took a tour of both sides of
the island. The
tour was informative, but not that exciting. If I went there again, I would probably just
go shopping or go to
the beach.
The final stop was St. Thomas. We did the New Waves expedition snorkeling tour. We loved
this tour. Even
though it was a cloudy day, we saw lots of fish, a stingray, two turtles, an eel, and
pelicans. We went to a
couple of different spots to snorkel. One place was off St. John’s, and it was just
beautiful. The guys on the
boat treated us very well, and gave us great snacks. We had fruit, shrimp, chips, and
cookies. We didn’t
shop much in St. Thomas because of our tour times. We slept in, then had our tour in the
afternoon. If you
go into town, I think there is tons of shopping, but right by the boat there are only
strip malls. They only
seemed to have cheap, over priced, ‘Made in China’ souvenirs. There were some
jewelry stores in these
strip malls which may have been OK, but I can’t say for sure.
Overall, we were very happy with our shore excursions, and thought they were worth the
money. Also, the
tour guides were not pushy about tips. On the last cruise, the tour guides point blank
told you that they
wanted and expected a tip. This time, only one tour guide suggested that a tip would be
appropriate. I am
happy to give a tip for good service, but I hate to have a tip demanded of me. Also,
choose wisely when
picking your shore excursion, because it can really alter your opinion of the island. For
example, we
thought St. Kitts was OK, but probably would have traded it for another day at sea.
However, our table
mates did the Nevis sail away, and had a great time. As it turned out they said St. Kitts
was their favorite
stop.
As for the entertainment on the ship, it was very good. Almost everyone seemed to be
pleased with the
choices. There was only one night I did not like the show. The cruise director or one of
his direct reports
was at every show. I think they were trying to gauge the audience’s enthusiasm. It is
my understanding that
if the audience doesn’t respond well to an entertainer, he will not be asked back.
I think I should make a few comments about dinner seating. One our first cruise we did the
late seating.
This meant we didn’t eat until about 8 or 9 at night. However, when we got back on
the boat after a day on
an island, we had plenty of time to shower & nap. This meant we were refreshed &
ready to stay up late for
dancing. This time we did the first seating, and ate at about 6pm. This meant we had to
get on the boat &
get ready for dinner right away- no time for a nap. This wasn’t too bad, except we
were in bed by midnight
every night. There were a couple of nights we were in bed by 10pm. I am not saying this is
bad. In fact, we
felt really rested after this cruise. But, we did miss some of the night life. I am not
sure what I would choose
for my next cruise, as I think there are advantages to both sittings.
As for the amenities on the ship, we were impressed. They have a laundry mat you can use
for free if you
need to. They will wash your clothes for you, but it costs a fortune. Even to get
something pressed is
expensive. The ship’s photographers did a good job. The 5x7 photos are only $6.25,
but the 8x10’s were
$20! I think $20 was a little high. As for the casino & the salon, we didn’t use
either. The salon always
seemed to be trying to get your business, but I thought the prices were outrageous- almost
3 times as
much as home. The exercise facilities were also very nice. The shops were fine, but over
priced. However,
they did have different stuff on sale every night. I got some good deals off the sale
tables.
We had a great time and hardly have any complaints. Most of them, except the security
concerns, are
almost too petty to list, but here goes: I didn’t like that I paid all this money for
an all inclusive cruise, but I
couldn’t have a complimentary Diet Coke at dinner. It just struck me as stingy. We
paid a lot of money for
this trip, and thought it very tacky to charge $1.50 for a pop. How much pop can one
person really drink?
Why can’t that be included in the price of the trip? I also thought there should have
been better scheduling
for the aerobics classes. It seemed that they were either first thing in the morning while
I was on shore
excursions, or later in the evening when I was getting ready for dinner. I was also
surprised our room
steward didn’t make us animals out of the bathrobe & my night gown. On RC, I had
a different animal on
the bed each night. On that cruise I was always excited to return to the cabin to see what
had been made. I
think Princess caters to a little classier crowd, and maybe robe animals are seen as
tacky. I also wished we
didn’t have to get off the boat so early. We had to check in with a Delta rep at 7
am. By 9:30 we were off
the boat & sitting in the airport for three hours until our flight left. Our friends
from dinner were stuck at the
San Juan airport for 5 hours! It would just be nice to be able to stay on the boat longer.
Overall this was an
excellent cruise & we will do Princess again. I am still willing to do another Royal
Caribbean cruise, but my
husband is completely sold on Princess. My few negative comments are far outnumbered by my
positive
thoughts about this cruise. I cannot wait to go again. We are already thinking about doing
an Alaska cruise
with Princess in 2001.
Name: Scott Perritt
Email: sperritt@perrittlab.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Management
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: January 9, 2000
Itinerary: Southern Explorer
Cabin: B514
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService:
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety:
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 70
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Jan 2000
Time: 15:11:18
Remote Name: perrittlab.com
Remote User:
Comments
Dawn Princess Southern Explorer (Aruba, Isla Margarita, Grenada, Dominica, St. Thomas) January 9,
2000 to January 16, 2000
My wife and I planned to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in style. So, for many years we
stashed away our income tax returns and used the money to pay for a cruise (our first ever). We chose
the Dawn Princess and the Southern Explorer itinerary for a number of reasons. One, we wanted to
spend three nights after the cruise in Puerto Rico at the El Conquistador Hotel, so this narrowed our
choices down to which ships sailed from Puerto Rico. Two, we have three small children at home and
needed to time our trip with our babysitters winter break from college. Three, Princess has many rooms
with verandas, and this sounded very appealing to us. Four, our travel agent recommended the Dawn
Princess as being a ship which carried passengers closer to our age (mid 30’s) and not being too much
of a party ship, nor too much of a sleepy ship either.
Our trip began on a Sunday morning at 6:30am when one of our babysitters arrived at our house (two
sisters – one a junior in college, and one a freshman in college). Our ride to the airport arrived
moments later, so after a few kisses good bye to our seven year old and five year old (the one year old
was still sleeping!), we set of to the airport. We made our own travel arrangements, rather than using
Princess, since our flights were just $238 each as opposed to the $500+ that Princess was asking for.
We were a bit apprehensive about flights being delayed and missing the ship, but we took out travel
insurance, and figured that since the plane would arrive at 2:00pm and the ship was not scheduled to
leave until 11:00pm, we would have plenty of time. We arrived in the airport a little before 2:00pm and
found the Princess representative outside our gate. We did purchase transfers to the ship, and after
waiting for about five minutes at the airport while other passengers arrived, we were escorted to a bus
where we waited about 10 additional minutes. We then set of for the ship. Fifteen minutes later we
arrived at the port (kind of shabby, but not too bad), and were surprised to find nearly no one waiting to
check in. So much for the horror stories of two hour waits. Within five minutes my wife and I were
climbing up the gangplank and onto the Dawn Princess for the first time. What a wonderful sight. It’s
hard to believe it’s a ship. We stopped for a few moments to get our bearings, and found the elevators
which took us up to the 10th floor (Baha deck) and to our veranda room.
The room was fine. It was small as expected, but the space was well utilized. Our two large suitcases
and golf clubs fit easily under our bed, and the balcony had two chairs and a small table that we found
most enjoyable throughout our cruise. We then met out cabin steward, Alfredo. He comes from Mexico,
and he sat with us and explained where and when things were happening, and when he would be
cleaning. He was wonderful throughout our trip.
Since we had a lot of time before the ship sailed, we took the complimentary shuttle bus into Old
SanJuan and picked up a six pack of beer, some candy, postcards, and made a phone call to our
children. Back to the ship by five, and we unpacked our clothes, tried on the rented tux, and just
wandered around the ship to learn where everything was.
Our first dinner was at 8:30pm in the Venetian Dining room. We sat at a large table with three other
couples (all from the UK). They were all very nice, and we had such a lovely time with some of them that
we exchanged addresses and e-mails in the hope of keeping in touch afterwards. Our head waiter,
Willy, was from Poland. He was OK as a waiter, but he needed to loosen up a bit. Our assistant waiter,
Slovak was also from Poland. We was very good. After the first night he always addressed us by name
and knew our preferences for drinks. Needless to say, his tip at the end of the cruise was higher than
the recommended rate given by Princess.
The ship left port at 12:45am. We had to wait for a few passengers arriving late. My wife and I then
when back to our room and could now 'feel' the boat moving for the first time. Anyone who ever tells
you, 'you can hardly feel the boat move,' is wrong! It was an eerie feeling lying in bed and the boat
swayed back in forth. It wasn’t much, but we just did not expect it. The next morning we woke up and I
felt like I had a hangover (even though I drank nothing the previous night) without the headache.
Strange. I took a dramamine pill, and within an hour I felt better, and never had problem again. To keep
the rest of this review somewhat shorter, I’ll summarize the rest of the trip.
Our day at sea (day one) was nice and relaxing. My one word of advice would be to get up early and
stake out a lounge chair by the pool. We moseyed out at 10:00am and found all the chairs had been
taken, so we wandered around and eventually found a spot in the front of the ship which was nice, but
far from the pool. This is the only day that the chairs were full. I guess it has something to due with all of
us northerner’s trying to soak in some of the warm winter sun in the Caribbean.
Day two was Aruba. My wife and I played golf. It was very nice. We got back to the ship at 3:00pm, and
we were due to sail at 4:00, so we only had a half hour (must be on board one half hour before sailing)
to quickly check out some of the local shops and to make a quick phone call to the children.
Day three was at Isla Margarita. Originally we were supposed to visit Caracas, but with the terrible
flooding and tragedy recently inflicted, we were diverted to this small Venezuelan island just 14 miles off
the coast. We took a 4-wheel drive adventure, and it was nice, but it felt strange having such fun while
you looked around at the poverty on the island. It was quite arid, so no crops were grown, and you
wondered how these people were able to get by at all.
Day four was at Grenada. We arrived earlier than originally scheduled due to the diversion to
Margarita, so we got the chance to see some of the island before our 12:00 noon tour. Yes, the taxis
drivers are VERY aggressive. No 'soft sell' here. We managed to get through the pack, and after a few
stops at some of the shops, we asked a taxis for the price of a tour, and we got a good deal to take us
around different parts of the island. Very pretty here. Less poverty than in Margarita. Lush land. The
harbor view is exceptional. This is the only port where we had to tender. No big deal though. Our 12:00
noon tour was a discovery scuba tour. We were introduced to scuba diving in a pool, and then they
took us out for a quick dive. I had trouble with my ears, and my wife felt a bit nauseous afterwards, so
we were both glad we gave it a try, but I think that will be the last time we scuba dive.
Day five was at Dominica. We had no tour scheduled here, so we again hired a cab and took in the
sights. Again, there is an aggressive scene to get you to choose a driver. As long as you don’t let it get
to you, you’ll be fine. Another pretty island with about the same poverty level as Grenada.
Day six was at St. Thomas. BEAUTIFUL place. It is definitely a place where we would like to return.
Shopping had some great deals, but we still didn’t get anything. We spent the morning on a sailboat
and snorkel tour. The water was exceptionally clear, and it was a lot of fun. We then had a quick lunch
on the boat and took a cab ($4.00 each) to Meghan’s Bay. It is a gorgeous spot that should not be
missed.
Day seven was back to San Juan. We were sad to leave the ship. It was an exceptional vacation where
we were very relaxed. There’s a lot to be said of not having to drive some where or make dinner
reservations or look at a map. Everything is there for you. The disembarkation process proceeded
smoothly, and we got off the boat, picked out our luggage, and the porter took us to a taxi coordinator,
and she asked us where we were going, and wrote down the price on a form which we gave to the
driver. There was no haggling on price - - what a pleasure. We were afraid we were going to have to
pay $100+ to get to our hotel (that’s the price the taxis drivers quoted us the prior week just before we
got on the ship), but is ended up being $67.00.
In summary, we very much enjoyed our vacation, and we will definitely cruise again. It may or may not
be on Princess, but at this point, I would tend to lean heavily towards Princess due to the modern ships,
many veranda rooms, and the pleasant experience we had on this trip.
A couple points to make your trip even better ( or at least to be aware of): ? Soda’s cost $1.50 + tax
and gratuity on board. We thought it would have been included in the price of the cruise. Bring some
with you if you desire. ? Alcohol costs extra (as expected). Signs in the transfer bus to the ship stated
that alcohol bought in San Juan would be taken and stored for you and not returned until the last day of
the cruise. We bought some beer and Amaretto and had no problem anyway. ? Hagen Daas ice cream
cost $3.75 on the pool deck. ? Buy some bottled water and bring it with you.
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