 |
 |
|
Note -this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Bruce Pinkham
Email: bruce@mailplex.com
Age: 59
Occupation: general manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: June 27, 1998
Itinerary: Alaska (Southbound)
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Sep 1998
Time: 13:34:28
Remote Name: 208.214.76.129
Remote User:
Comments
Traveling to and from Alaska makes for a very long day. Our travel agent arranged for our
air (from Houston) and she did a remarkable job. The
layover was kept short but from the time we awoke (5:30 a.m.) to the time we boarded the
ship, almost a whole day had passed. When we landed
in Anchorage it was 2:45 p.m. (and there is a 3 hour time difference from Houston
therefore it was 5:30 p.m. central time) and we had a 3 plus
hour motor coach ride ahead of us to Seward. Once on the ship, and for the next 6 days,
there was nothing but complete relaxation for one to
enjoy. Embarkation was wonderful and was kept down to 10 minutes. Our cabin was spotless
and ready for us. We opted for an outside cabin with
a picture window and found it to be very rewarding. When waking up in the mornings, there
was no rush to get up on deck to see the glaciers,
whales or any of the many other sights that one might miss because of the time it takes to
get dressed and up on deck. Our window was spotless
therefore we could take many of the pictures from our cabin. I highly recommend a
panaromic camera for all of the glaciers. Also 400 speed film is
excellent. We went to dinner and as we were dining, the ship started to move away from the
pier. The variety of food the first night (and every
night thereafter) in the Venetian dining room was wonderful. When our food was served, it
was hot and beautifully presented. The wait staff was
always there when needed but not 'in your face'. After dinner we went back to our cabin
and found that our luggage was delivered. Put all the
clothes away and out to explore the ship after our life boat drill.
The Glaciers, whales, wild animals, Fjords, and nature were all wonderful. I only regret
that I had to spend some time sleeping. The ship can keep
one busy for 24 hours a day if sleep was not required.
At Skagway we opted to take the Salmon B B Q at Liarsville and enjoyed it but I did not
think it was worth the money spent. We walked around the
town (of about 700 people and when 3 ships dock at one time and drop about 6,000 people,
this small town really is over populated) and found
that to be more interesting than the trip to Liarsville.
Juneau is a nice city with a lot of souviner shops that welcome the ships passengers. We
did not take any side trips in this city but did enjoy the
sights of the city.
Ketchikan and the jet boat ride was nice but again, not really worth the dollars spent.
The Dawn Princess is truly a beautiful ship with a crew that is attentive and caring. If
there is a question or a problem, it will be attended to
immediately. We asked our steward if another arm chair (there was only one in our cabin)
could be obtained for us to have in our cabin and it was
delivered within a couple of hours.
Disenbarkation was handled very professionally and everything went very smoothly. These
people know what they are doing.
We did have a little problem at the Vancouver airport and everything seemed to go very
slowly. The Princess people left us and there was no one
to answer our questions. We had to stand in line for over 2 hours to claim our luggage.
Finally found out that there was a transportation problem
but again, if the Princess representatives were there (as they were there to greet us in
Anchorage) our questions and problems would not have
been as great as they magnified to be. Many of the people on line were concerned about
missing their flight because of this delay. We made our
flight with no time to spare.
Overall, the cruise, ship, crew, accommodations, food and the adventure was magnificent.
Name: Stanley Neese & B. J. Neese
Email: SNeese4875@AOL.com
Age: 49 & 44
Occupation: Sls Mgr. & Decorator
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: 10/6/98
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 99
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 995
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 99
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Oct 1998
Time: 18:55:46
Remote Name: 205.188.192.29
Remote User:
Comments
The first comment we would like to make is that if you have never taken a two week
cruise...Take one! It is the most relaxing thing we have ever done. The first two days we
were at
sea. This gave you time to unwind from your pre-vacation business & get ready to have
a
glorious vacation. We had two additional days throughout the 12 days we were away. This
particular cruise didn't arrive in some of the ports extremely early, so the planned shore
excursions did provide a late start, which gave you time to have a leisurely breakfast
without
rushing to a 7am tour. Some of the shore trips were only in the afternoon which gave you
plenty
of time to sleep in.
There would be one word of caution that we learned the hard way. Always, always keep your
valuables in your carry-on. We have never had any trouble in all the cruises and/or
vacations
that we have taken. This is the first time we've packed for over a week & with
restrictions of the
airlines to only two suitcases each, it made it impossible to pack everything. However my
jewelry
bag was packed & locked as usual. With a three hour lay-over in Mexico City my
suitcase lock
was broken & the suitcase rifled & jewelry was picked through. One good thing
about costume
jewelry now is that some thieves can't tell the difference. However, four good pieces were
also
taken. This did put a damper on the beginning of the trip. All the necessary claims have
been filed
with airlines, ship & insurance.
Our first port was in Costa Rica. This was a nice tropical country with lots of
opportunity to visit
rain forests, etc. We had made those kinds of trips before & opted for a local tour.
There was not
much to see. The shopping was a disappointment as well. There were very few small items
that
could be purchased to take home & a few stops at local churches were the only
interest, except
the sights from the bus of thousands of coffee plantations. If you're interested in large
hand-crafted items that will be shipped later many items were available. Even in October
the
climate is extremely hot, be prepared to take lots of water. The bus ride to the rain
forest is 3
1/2 hours one way for an all day trip. Not for us - spending 7 hours on a bus looking at
coffee
fields.
Our trip through the canal was the most interesting of all the things we did. The passage
lasted
all day. So basically you were at sea for another day. The climate is extremely hot. With
the boat
hardly moving at all there was not much breeze to keep you cool. The person and/or guide
that
boarded the ship was excellent in showing points of interest & telling you about the
canal
construction & improvements. This was truly an amazing thing to see. We loved it!
Our next port was Columbia, SA. This is a waste of time. The people are constantly
harassing you
for money & to purchase the hand-made wares that they are selling. They constantly
follow you
& will not take no for an answer. Our guide was not persuasive enough to even keep
them away
from our bus. Here also we only saw a couple of churches and a fort. The history of
Columbus
being in this area was interesting. We stopped for too long at a local flea market &
when we
finally arrived at the recommended shops by the ship we were given twenty minutes. The
emeralds & other items that should have been a discount were even higher than in the
U.S.
We had our third day at sea after the canal passage. Then our trip took us to Aruba which
was
very nice. We arrived there in time to have a wonderful 12 hours visiting, touring &
doing all the
water sports that you can possibly imagine. They also have casinos if that is what you'd
rather
do. The shopping was good, from flea markets to fine department stores. It is really an
exclusive
area. There is also every opportunity to eat fast-food & gourmet restaurants of your
choice near
the ship. The Caribbean water is so beautiful. We were there until midnight & the ship
had a
grand sail-away party (much better than what was offered in Acapulco.
Our next port after another day at sea (our fourth) was to St. Martin in the Virgin
Islands. This
island is one island under two nations. The tour of the island was nice with a stop at
several local
flea markets. We understand that the sea & sightseeing trip was the better of the
choices. It
gave you time to shop, tour the island & swim at one of the many beaches. We also had
the
opportunity to see the Grand Princess which was also in port. They had been announcing all
week
that we would be allowed to board her, but they would not let us once we were docked
nearby.
The people in this country were very friendly. Purchases were easy & bargains were
found at all
the nearby jewelry shops, etc.
Our last port was in St. Thomas. Of course this is shopper's paradise if you've never been
to the
V.I. We opted to take a day trip of scuba & snorkeling. This is one of the best places
in the
islands. If you are shopping at Charlotte Amalie, be sure & make notes & compare
prices carefully.
There are bargains to be had if you can remember where, & how much.
We sailed very slowly the last night into San Juan. If your schedule permits a late flight
it is
worth taking a tour of Puerto Rico. With the latest hurricane to hit the islands Georges
did a lot
of damage & the ships are not allowed to port at the docks during recovery. We also
found that
the airport suffered a lot of damage & reconstruction is under way all over the
island. We hope
that they will be able to get back on their feet real soon. With the US aid it shouldn't
take too
very long.
The cruise director on our trip was a young man named Graham. This was his first time
being
director. He will really appeal to the younger set next Summer. He is quite humorous, but
could
get quite boring at times. Our entertainment was fantastic. The ship's crew were great
dancers &
singers along with the soloists who were extremely talented. There was a guest comedienne,
singers, banjo picker, magicians & all types of comedy & dance routines. We
thought they all did
a great job.
The casino was paying better than it ever has before with Princess. Many people were
winning
quite large sums of money. The food was excellent & we had two of the best waiters
we've ever
had. Ask for Donato & Svolt. What a great experience dining with them. We never had to
ask
again for anything, every meal was perfection. We ate lunch & dinner in the main
dining room,
breakfast on Lido or in our room on the balcony. Room service was always early & food
was
delicious & hot. No complaints. The pool always had plenty of deck chairs & towels
were kept
restocked by our room steward, who had our room cleaned almost as soon as we vacated it
every day.
Princess is an excellent cruise ship to travel with & they do everything they can to
make you a
return customer. We were on this same ship last year & felt quite at home even though
we didn't
have the same room, same steward nor same food servers. Plan a two week cruise if your
time &
money affords it you won't go wrong.
Name: C. Keith McConnell
Email: ckmcc@hctc.com
Age: 67
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: September 26, 1998
Itinerary: Vancouver, B.C. to San Juan P.R.
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 93
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 93
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 96
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 93
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 92
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 93
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 93
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 94
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Nov 1998
Time: 23:56:49
Remote Name: 208.25.168.30
Remote User:
Comments
Having recently spent 21 days aboard the Dawn Princess, we give this terrific ship high
marks.
Highlight of the trip was the transit of the Panama Canal, however, our itinerary included
five
stops along the Mexican Rivera, as well as stops in Costa Rica, Columbia, Aruba, St.
Maartin, St.
Thomas, and San Juan. Tours available along the route were excellent.
The Princess people were all efficient and very accommodating, particularly our cabin
steward,
our waiter, and our assistant waiter. All the onboard facilities were superb. The two
great dining
rooms, the entertainment and exercise options, the cabin amenities, the service and
overall ship
cleanliness, all were notable and first ticket.
We found it hard to believe that there was nearly 3000 persons (passengers and crew)
aboard,
as seemingly there was always plenty of elbow room. The large ships are wonderful, and our
veranda spoiled us rotten. My wife and I have agreed that a veranda is a must for our
future
cruises.
We now look forward to a summer 1999 cruise aboard the Grand Princess.
Name: Joel C. Dmochowski
Email: jdsquare@msn.com
Age: 44
Occupation: IT-Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: 10-31-98
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 89
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 89
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 91
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Nov 1998
Time: 10:27:00
Remote Name: 153.36.190.28
Remote User:
Comments
I am writing this the day after getting back home so everything its fresh in my mind. I
hope it
provides future cruisers a good insight.
We believe that the Dawn Princess is well worth the money spent and a great time should be
had
by everyone.
I was not completely happy with my flight arrangements which were handled by the land and
sea
package. We got scheduled to arrive later than we requested and also departed later which
meant we did not get out of Puerto Rico until nine hours after getting of the ship. I do
not know
what governs what flights you get but it doesn’t seem to comply to requests. Our
luggage did not
arrive until four and a half hours after we were on the ship, therefore, I recommend
packing
cloths in your carry-on to change into to be more comfortable once you get on the ship.
The stateroom was extremely small. We were in a category BB and expected it to be a little
bigger than it was. The bathroom was tiny and you had trouble drying off in it with the
door
closed. It was not a good value for the money spent and I think you can get same room for
less
money in lower categories. Also, there did seem to be a strange smell odor coming from the
toilet
at all times - something like sewage. It was not overwhelming but it was there.
The pool area was the best we ever had on any of our six cruises. The water in the
whirlpools
was too hot which meant we did not use them as much as we usually would have.
The dinning room service was great and the food met all expectations. It was the first
time I
tipped the head waiter and Matour D’ because they did things and got involved
throughout the
cruise, not just on tip day.
The tours were OK but too much time on buses that were not air conditioned. We had to
tendered in three ports which is always difficult. The tender service was good but you
still had to
be tendered which means that you are less flexible on what you want to do.
The bar service was OK. We like to drink dirty bananas and only one bartender on the whole
ship
knew who to make them. Generally the bartenders did not seem to enjoy their jobs. They
acted
like they were doing you favor waiting on you if they did at all without asking. The
champagne
selected was terrible. A very limited selection of good champagne which could only be
purchased
by the bottle and not by the glass which we would have expected.
In conclusion, we would do another Princess cruise again without hesitation. We had a
great time
and did not have any troubles. The ship was nice but it was not the most glamorous we have
been on. Most of the staff was friendly and helpful. The ship was kept clean at all times.
I would
recommend this ship to anyone who worries about sea sickness because without a doubt it
was
the smoothest sailing ship we have ever been on. I hope this gives you insight to this
ship and
Bon Voyage.
Name: Carole Hutchins
Email: gene@accnorwalk.com
Age: 62
Occupation: retired nurse
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: Nov. 21, 1998
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 79
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 79
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 79
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 69
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 1998
Time: 22:35:46
Remote Name: 209.45.243.237
Remote User:
Comments
The comments I've read from other cruisers, left no surprises for me on the Dawn Princess.
The rooms were indeed small, but the
bathrooms were extremely small. When one sat on the throne, your knees were practically
touching the door. It was difficult
towel drying after a shower without bumping your arms on the walls and your legs on the
toilet. In other words there wasn't room
to turn around. Somebody else wrote that E deck was noisey, but the only noises we
encountered were the people walking and
running on the promenade deck above us. The dining room was very nicely broken up into
small sections, so one didn't feel like
you were in a huge room. We enjoyed the tours that we chose. Each place we stopped had
it's own unique characteristics. On
Aruba, we took the Town and Country tour which shows you the main highlights of the
Island. In Venezula, we took the Caracas
Colonial Museum and Glass Factory tour. Both the museum and the glass factory were very
interesting. We enjoyed the ride
through the mountains, and viewing how people live in another country. There is a lot of
poverty from what we could see, but we
also saw the fancy homes that cost in the millions to buy. I guess you are either very
rich or very poor in that country. Anyhow it
was interesting. On Grenada, we took the Mountain Rain Forest, Annandale Falls and Fort
Frederick tour. It was 3 hours of
driving through the mountains and rain forests on what looked like single lane roads.
However it was two way traffic. I don't know
how they passed without sideswiping the other vehicle. After I had a beer, it didn't
bother me as much. I sat in the front seat of
the 10 passenger van and engaged the driver in conversation. He had the habit of talking
with his hands. I wanted to tell him to
keep his hands on the wheel, but restrained my- self. This was my first time on Dominica,
so we chose the 7 hour Grand Tour.
Again, it was the narrow roads and sharp hairpin turns through the mountains and rain
forests. It was really a beautiful and
tropical island. They grow alot of bananas there. The Carib Indian territory was
interesting and they made some really beautiful
baskets. We had lunch, which was included in the tour, at an open air restaurant with a
very scenic view of a stream rushing over
the rocks coming down the mountain. It was a nice tour, but got a little too long. A
couple of hours less would have been better.
On St. Thomas, we took the Views of St. Thomas tour. This included a tramway ride to
Pleasant Point, which offers a great view.
We also went to Mountain Top, which also has a great view. There were 50 different tours
to choose from in these 5 stops. The
way I feel is that if one travels to all these wonderful new places, one should see as
much as possible. That's why I always
choose sightseeing tours. The only major problem we had was with the airline flying to
Puerto Rico. Our arrangements were
made by Princess, flying us down there on Northwest Airlines. The bottom line was we
arrived 6 and 1/2 hours later than
scheduled, and thereby were cheated out of that time on the ship. We arrived just an hour
before the ship sailed. Going home we
were booked on Delta and all went very well. We took in all the shows on the ship. The
singers and dancers were talented and
put on really nice shows. There was a comedian, Mike Cheselka, who had us all laughing so
hard we had tears in our eyes. A
couple of other entertainers were only so-so. I won't mention their names. We all had to
remark on the Horizon Court buffet.
There was never any wait or line, like we encountered on another cruise ship. I have to
commend Princess, as I think they do a
good job planning and implementing just about every facet of the cruise.
Want to book your cruise at a great rate?
Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2001 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: March 23, 2000.