princess-sea11

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Russell Frederico
Email: russ@fredericolandscaping.com
Age: 49
Occupation: self-employed
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sea
SailingDate: 02-17-01
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: B-333/mini-suite
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Mar 2001
Time: 22:59:32
Remote Name: slkc6400gw3poold50.slkc.uswest.net
Remote User:

Comments

The Sea Princess is a beautiful ship! Boarding the ship was the very easiest of all four cruises we have
been on. The overall experience was very good, however we felt that the Celebrity Cruise (Zenith) to
the western caribbean in 1995 was a bit better. We were in a mini-suite (B-333) on the Sea Princess
and it was the very best!! After being on two cruises in a row in a inside cabin, we were ready to
slurge! A slurge we did. The mini-suite is the only way to go. We have been spoiled for life. Separate
living room, sliding patio doors (2) to an outside balcony, bathtub (not even used), walk-in closet, two
t.v.'s, desk--- this was top drawer! If you go Princess-- hope you like the British people-- because they
and their humor are everywhere. I really got tired of their humor and their accents. In fact, the staff did
a little program on Thursday night that was a little 'off color' and even requested kids under 16 did not
come to it. I thought it was a bit out of line for the whole production. The food was good, but not as
good as Celebrity (6 years ago). The lack of variety of 'free' drinks really bugged me too. No fruit
juices, everything was 'extra'. Take advantage of the tours (most not advertised). The bridge tour
(advertised) was good and interesting-- but could hardly understand the english of the Italian that gave
it. The galley tour (kitchen) was really good- our waiter took us on it on the last day. The engine tour
was very good too. You have to send a written request for the engine tour. But, it was fairly easy to do
and the request was granted. My friend and I went New Waves Scuba diving in Grand Caymans.
Having never scuba dived before, this was a good way to try it. After a very fast instruction period we
were diving. It was great fun! In Jamaica, we climbed Dunn River Falls-- be careful!! The rocks are very
slippery. Stay with a group or travel in well-traveled paths!! My wife slipped and fell and cut under her
chin bad enough to have three stiches by the ship's doctor (British, again). She (the Dr.) was very nice
and did an excellent job, very fast. Hey, and it only cost $175.00 (ouch!) We rented a car (about $50,
plus gas) in Cozumel. That was good because you are able to get out of the tourist invested downtown
area and get to the other side of island and really see some beautiful beaches and vendors selling
better stuff than in the city. But, watch what you eat and ask how much it is because the Mexicans have
figured it out on how to 'hose the Americans' on the price of food. Three tacos, chips, gacamolie dip,
chicken nachos, 5 drinks= $38, plus tip.

Name: Debbie & Curt Walker
Email: cwalker2000@earthlink.net
Age: 40
Occupation: IT Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sea
SailingDate: February 24, 2001
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: B302/ BC
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Mar 2001
Time: 20:19:31
Remote Name: 1cust117.tnt2.annapolis.md.da.uu.net
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 3rd cruise, the first on Princess. We have previously cruised on NCL and RCCL. We have to say
that this is the best cruise experience we have had.

Embarkation – Absolutely fantastic! It was organized by deck and room. We arrived at Port Everglades
around 11:30 am, and started the boarding process at 11:45. We were in our cabin by noon.

Cabin – We booked a Cat BC, B302, outside stateroom with balcony. The room was average size, well laid
out, and definitely big enough for 2 people. The only thing we missed was a sitting area. We like to have
breakfast in the room on port days, and it was rather uncomfortable eating on the bed. The balcony was
rather small, 2 chairs and a small table. On port days we ate before we docked, and it was too windy to eat on
the balcony. But, the balcony was still nice to have. There was plenty of closet and drawer space. The
suitcases fit perfectly under the bed. The shower was bigger than on NCL and RCCL. The robes were great,
be sure to ask your cabin steward for them.

Ship – WOW!! The Sea Princess is beautiful. The ship was tastefully decorated and well laid out. Very easy
to get around, it did not take long to learn the layout. We loved the layout of the pool deck, especially the
fresh water swimming pools. Although to get a deck chair by the pool on sea days was difficult if you weren’t
there early, there were plenty of deck chairs everywhere else. We really enjoyed the high space ratio on this
ship. We never felt crowded even though there were 2300 people on the ship.

Dining – My husband wanted to try early seating on this cruise. The pro to this was that we had the whole
evening to do things, but the con is that I always felt rushed to get to dinner by 6:00pm. We normally never
eat this early, and it was not an ideal time. But since they are implementing Personal Choice dining this will no
longer be an issue. We had a good table, great waiter and assistant waiter.

Food – The menus were a little too fancy for our tastes. However, the food was well prepared, hot and taste
good. We ate at the Steakhouse the same number of times that we ate in the dining room. The Steakhouse
has an $8.00 surcharge per person, but we felt it was worth it. You can dress more casually; it was outside
dining overlooking the pool, and you ate at a more relaxed pace. We also enjoyed the pizzeria and the
outdoor grill. The Horizon Court buffets were actually pretty good. Quite a variety, food was hot, and tasted
better than the average buffet food. We agree that the layout of the food lines cause a slight traffic problem.
Hot food on one side, cold food on the other causes people to cross back and forth. And yes we did gain
weight on this cruise.

Entertainment – Peter the cruise director was very good. We loved the fact that we had the choice between 2
different types of entertainment each evening. We really don’t care for production numbers. So we only went
to see the comedian, magician, hypnotist, and the cruise staff show. We enjoyed all of them. We never made
it to the theatre, but they were showing pretty good movies. We aren’t big nightlife people, so we didn’t get to
the lounges either.

Princess Cays – We thought the island was nice. If you want more privacy, head across the bridge on the
right side. Most people head to the left side where the bars and buffet are located. We rented wave runners,
but the water was a little rough. Too rough for it to be fun. Didn’t stay for the buffet because the lines were so
long. Headed back to the ship for a nice relaxing lunch and lounged around the empty pool!

Ocho Rios – We did the Sea Kayak to Dunn’s River Falls excursion thru Princess. All of the guides were
extremely nice and even entertained us. I don’t think we would classify this excursion as fun, but it was
different. A little too much work to be fun, but we were glad we did it. We did get a break about halfway thru
and stopped at a small beach and waterfall. In the afternoon we walked to the Taj Mahal shopping market. Of
course you hear all of the horror stories about the Jamaicans, but we didn’t think it was that bad.

Grand Cayman – We booked a private snorkeling tour to Stingray City thru the internet. We choose Captain
Crosby Ebanks. As luck would have it, we were the only 2 people they took out that day. It was wonderful. Our
guide Ray cooked us lunch…a stew of fresh mahi mahi with vegetables. Some of the best food we ate.
Stingray city was not very crowded, lots of rays, fish were so-so. The water was incredibly clear. We highly
recommend booking a local if you choose to snorkel. It is much better than being packed on some of the
boats we saw. Time was short at Cayman, so we did not get to do much shopping or explore the town. Still, we
would love to go back to this beautiful friendly island.

Cozumel – We booked a dolphin swim thru the internet with Dolphin Discovery. We took a taxi to Chankanaab
State Park. Although you may find this activity to be somewhat pricey, it is worth every penny. The swim with
the dolphins will be something we remember for the rest of our lives. They are so cute and cuddly. We got to
pet, kiss, do tricks and swim with them. We had time to snorkel before the dolphins, and it was great. Nice
beach and the snorkeling area had plenty of fish, clear water, coral, and easy to swim around. We went
shopping in the afternoon, plenty of stores, everyone was nice, and this where we spent the most money.

Sea Days – Very relaxing!! There was plenty to keep you busy if you wanted, but we choose to relax. Loved
lying on deck at the front of the ship. Somewhat windy, but less crowded and less noisy. The weather was
absolutely perfect the entire cruise. Sunny and mid 80’s every day.

Disembarkation - We were in Group 5 which was about halfway in the offloading process. We were off the
ship by 8:30am. Princess has this down to a science. Luggage was separated by your tag color, could not
have been easier to find.

Summary – Princess is now our favorite cruise line. The staff and service was incredible and the general
atmosphere was very enjoyable. We will definitely be choosing Princess for our next cruise. If you have any
questions, or want further details please email us.

Name: Lee Schwartzberg
Email: leeschw@campmor.com
Age: 37
Occupation: catalog director
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sea
SailingDate: March 10, 2001
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: A540 cat. BA
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 60
CabinSteward: 93
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Mar 2001
Time: 10:23:21
Remote Name: whitefish.campmor.com
Remote User:

Comments

Review of Sea Princess Western Caribbean- March 10-17, 2001

Who we are:

Me (Lee): age 37. This is my 4th cruise. Previous Cruises: HAL Westerdam (March 2000), RCI Rhapsody of
the Seas (March 1998), NCL Leeward (March 1997).

DH (Darling Husband): age 51. His 3rd cruise (all of the above except Leeward)

DS (Darling Sister): age 42. Her 3rd cruise (all of the above except Westerdam)

DN (Darling Niece): age 14. Her 3rd cruise (all of the above except Westerdam)

DF (dearest girlfriend): age 37. Her second cruise. Thinks her first wa on the NCL Sunward (about 10 years
ago). Knows it was NCL, can’t remember name of ship.

DFH (dearest girlfriend’s husband): age 40ish. Same cruise history as DF, but was also a submariner in the
navy, so has some cruise experience there.

All in all, we had a great cruise. Despite any negatives I might mention here, we would not hesitate, for a
moment, to go with Princess again. I have a really difficult time saying that any particular cruise is the “best”
yet. All of the cruises i’ve taken have been the best in some respects, and the worst in some respects.
Overall, we really liked the whole Princess package.

Pre-cruise: We flew down to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday evening, rented a car and stayed at the Hampton
Inn & Suites on Stirling Road - very close to the airport and pier. i would recommend this hotel. (free airport
and port shuttles). Friday, we visited friends and family. Dinner at Padrinos Cuban restaurant in Plantation.
Then, we went back to the airport, dropped off the rental car, and went to the USAir terminal to pick up
everyone else. They were coming in on two different flights, so DS and DN arrived first - DH went back to the
hotel with them, via the shuttle. Then, DF and DFH arrived, and I went back with them to the hotel, also using
the shuttle. We all were very cozy in our suite that had two double beds and a fold-out sofa bed (for one night
- just for a place to crash, it wasn’t worth the $$ to get a second room). Quick showers and free breakfast in
the a.m. then picked up the 11:00am shuttle to the pier (you have to reserve your space - other passengers
were disappointed that they were unable to use shuttle).

Embarkation: Shuttle dropped us right where you check your bags. So, once bags were left, we wandered
into the terminal only to find a rather large (4-500 passengers) already milling about, but not actually getting
anywhere. This was the security checkpoint, with the metal detectors. While we were waiting for them to start
letting passengers through, a Princess rep handed out Bahamas immigration forms, which had to be filled
out, even though we had already sent them in, and filled them out on line. Oh well...it’s an easy form, and
kept us busy while we were waiting for the line to start moving. Once through the metal detectors, you head
toward the counters which are labeled by your deck name and cabin number. There were about 4 parties
ahead of us on line, but it went quickly enough. Soon, it was our turn, and we were handed our cruise cards
which act as a charge and room key (nice that you only have to keep track of one card). From there, were
went to a table to fill out our flight info, so that we could check our bags with Continental (us) and US Air
(everyone else) right on board, on the day of disembarkation. Then, it was up the gangway to a lobby area,
where we were directed to an elevator. For embarkation, elevators have crew members on board to direct
you. We told him we were from NY (state, not city) and he proceeded to gripe about NY all the way up to our
deck (deck 11 - Aloha). Gee, that was pleasant. Oh well. I think we made it to our cabin by 12:30.

Cabin: We were in A540, DF and DFH were in A544 9right next door) and DS & DN were in B527 - right below
us, inside). We had category BA balcony cabins - our first time with access to the outdoors. Even though the
balcony is quite tiny (about 4’x10’) we loved having it. We had our early morning coffee and tea with
croissants and fruit out there every day, and our cocktails and hors d’oeuvres every evening. A few nights,
we slept with the door open. What a treat. We asked that the door dividing our and DF/DFH's balcony be
opened, and Alan said he’d be able to do it on the next day, because strong winds were expected that first
night (and, it was opened the next day as promised). Closet space was good. Closet had three sections - one
with a single bar for hanging dresses and gowns (my section, a section with a double bar for hanging shirts
and suits (DH claimed this section) and a third section with shelving and wire baskets that swung out (I took
this section, too, and gave DH all of the drawers in the desk). Also on one of the shelves was the in-room
safe, which was very convenient to have, but kind of a pain that you had to reset the combo every time you
opened it. A few cookies from the captain, were waiting for us as was a bottle of Korbel champagne from our
travel agent. Later we got a large plate of cookies, as my first installation of nightly hors d’oeuvres/petit fours
from the anniversary package (more on this later).

We met our cabin steward (Alan) who was on the Sea Princess for the first time, coming off of the Grand
Princess (found this to be the case for many of the crew members). He apologized in advance for playing
catch up. Turns out, he was really fantastic, once the cruise settled in. We requested our robes (showed up
late on the 2nd day, along with our two robes to take home (anniversary package)). Also asked for the
TimesFax to be delivered, which he really had to struggle to get for us. Finally was able to get it for us by (I
think) tuesday and every day from then).

I had purchased the Deluxe Anniversary Package for DH and me, and one of the items included is a 1/2 hour
massage or facial for each of us. Also, for my DN’s birthday, DH and I were treating her to a few spa/salon
services. So, we beelined it to the spa to make our appointments 9we can explore the ship later). As it turns
out, it was a smart move, going right to the spa, because they were looking for volunteers to act as models
(guinea pigs) while they were running tours of the spa/salon all afternoon. So, DH, DS and DF were asked to
return at 2:00pm to set up for the tours. DH got a full seaweed wrap treatment ($160 value), DS got a facial
($100 value) and DF got a reflexology massage (not sure what they charge for that) all for free! They did
have a bunch of people walking by, while they were being worked on, but I think it was worth it, and they all
thought so too. So, there’s a tip for all of you future Sea Princess cruisers - go to the spa first, to see if they
need volunteers.

We grabbed a quick lunch at the Horizon buffet before going back to the spa for 2:00. DFH, DN and I went
our separate ways (I went up on deck to catch some rays).

After everyone was done in the spa, we all showered and got ready for muster and casual dinner. Compared
to all the others, Princess is pretty laid back about muster. We all gathered in the casino to hear the
announcement over the PA, then we learned how to put on our life jackets, and that was about it. No roll call
or anything.

Dumped our life jackets back in the room and went to dinner (Neapolitan dining room, main (early) seating).
Was disappointed to see that we were seated at a table for 6. We had requested a bigger (table for 10) table,
because we really enjoy meeting, and were hoping to meet new people at dinner. I went to speak with the
maitre’d, but nothing was done for us. All in all, it turned out okay, after the initial disappointment. We were a
little put off by our waiter on that first evening. He was very quiet, and actually didn’t even introduce himself.
By the second night, he began to become more relaxed around us, and by mid-week, he was completely
relaxed and (hopefully) had as much fun with us as we did with him. Emil is a great guy - consider yourself
very lucky if you get him as your waiter. When they took the picture of our table, we had to have Emil and
(assistant waiter) Randy in the picture with us. Also, Emil told us that his birthday was on tuesday, so we
spoke with the head waiter (Eugenio) about making a little party for him, and he obliged. We went down to the
kid’s center and used their arts and crafts supplies to make a card for Emil, Randy brought us a few balloons,
and Eugenio got us a small cake to present to Emil. We got Emil’s other tables involved, and we all sang to
him in the dining room.I think he really got a kick out of it, and probably gained some brownie points with the
head waiter and maitre’d that a table would go to the trouble of celebrating a waiter’s birthday. Whatever...we
had fun, and so did Emil.

Went to the show in the Princess Lounge on the first evening. It featured the Princess dancers/singers and a
few of the week’s guest stars (Dave Heenan - comedian and Gaetano - magician). Dancers were average but
Heenan and Gaetano piqued our interest enough to check them out later in the week. After the show, I went
to the casino to make my first contribution. I was able to play (blackjack) for quite a while on my $40 nightly
allowance, but left having lost it all. It was fun, however. My DS, on the other hand, made a killing on the
slots.Came away with over $75 profit.

Princess Cays: Had a relaxing champagne breakfast (Veuve Cliquot champagne) on our balcony (part of that
anniversary package I bought) then headed to the atrium lounge to await distribution of tender tickets for
Princess Cays. After a long wait, we were rewarded with tickets on the first tender. Tendered over and had
our pick of locations on the beach to settle in for the day. We walked pretty far down and found chairs with
some shade, some sun (DF and DFH don’t like sun). DS and I started in, in earnest, on our skin damage (I
did some pre-tanning at home, so actually avoided burning the whole cruise). DN and DF rented floats which
we all took turns using. Lunch was okay - nothing special, but adequate. DF, DN and DH took a banana boat
ride, which they enjoyed. Headed back to the ship at about 3:00 (last tender was at 3:30 I think), napped for a
short while, then dressed for formal night. After dinner we checked out the Rhythm of the City show in the
Princess Theater. The show, in my opinion, was pretty bad, but some folks seemed to really enjoy it. Then,
we went over to Rocky’s to watch some Karaoke, then to the casino for my nightly donation, and to bed after
that.

Sea Day #1: Up at 7:00am, and met my DS in the dining room for breakfast at 7:30. Out on deck by 8:15.
Already many chairs were ‘saved” but empty. We were able to find a block of chairs easily enough on the
outer upper ring around the pools. I did monopolize several chairs, but planned to remove my stuff, when(and
if) other available chairs on deck ran out - fortunately the rest of our group made it up on deck before (well
before) all chairs were gone. DF and DFH decided to find a shadier spot, and DN wanted to check out what
the other teens were up to, so only DH, DS and I used the chairs. There was a pair of chairs over by the adult
pool that had stuff on them when we made it out on deck by 8:15am, and the savers of these chairs didn’t
show up until 11:30 - well past the time when all other deck chairs were taken, and folks were looking for a
spot. incredibly rude, we thought, but no crew members were really paying much attention to that. We did
hear and see passengers coming up on deck at 11:00-12:00 complaining about the shortage of deck chairs,
but gee...if it’s that important, don’t you think maybe getting up a little earlier might have been a good idea?
You can finish your night’s sleep out on deck! Anyway, stayed on deck until 3:00, only leaving my chair for
pee breaks and a quick trip through the buffet line (brought my food back to my chair - gone maybe 10
minutes). Then, back to the cabin for a nap. Bottle of Moet, roses and chocolate dipped strawberries were
tonight’s anniversary package thing. Dining room for dinner (Emil is starting to relax) then show in the Vista
Lounge - comedian Dave Heenan. He was pretty bad, so we sneaked out in the middle, and headed for the
casino. Pizza at Lagos (very excellent) then back to cabin and sleep.

Ocho Rios, Jamaica: In port with the Carnival Imagination. Docked at 7:30. Breakfast in dining room then DH,
DF, DFH and I met with excursion at the end of the dock. The trip was described as a sea kayak to Dunn’s
River Falls. Instead, we drove directly to the falls and then did the kayaking. Guides said that doing the falls
first was better, to get it over with before all the really big crowds descend. It worked out fine. Got the kayaks
at the beach right there, then headed (I think) east following the coast to james Bond Beach (where Dr. No
was filmed) for juice and fruit snack. There were two young girls having a rough time of it, in the kayaks, so
the six of us rearranged who we paddled with for the next leg. DF and I were in one boat, DH and one of the
girls in another, and DFH and the other girl in the third boat. The girls (and their mom) were very relieved
9the youngest was in tears - she was so scared). Surf and wind made paddling rough, so we were happy to
help the kids out. Finished kayaking and went back to the ship for a quick shower and lunch in Horizon Court
before heading back to town for some shopping. Checked out the Taj Mahal mall - that was a waste, unless
you’re in the market for really bad t-shirts, snow globes, shot glasses, and other crappy souvenir type stuff.
Went farther into town to the craft market where the vendors were a little more pushy, but were selling more
interesting stuff. Stopped for a yummy Jamaican meat pattie. Headed back tot he ship. DH and I had facials
(anniversary package) at 4:30. DS and DN did the Chukka Cove horseback riding trip, and really enjoyed it.
Back to room for showers before dinner, and watched as the cart rolled by on the track outside my balcony,
as a fresh coat of paint was applied. italian dinner in the dining room tonight then to Vista Lounge for the best
show of the week - comedy, impressionist, musician Kier! This guy was really great! Then, we shopped on
board, checked out the caribbean deck party, then went to the casino and finally to bed.

George Town, Grand Cayman: DH, DS, DN and I met at 7:30 in the Vista Lounge for our New Waves Rays &
Reef tour. After tendering to shore, and a quick bus ride, we took a 35-45 minute boat ride to an amazing
reef. Coral was a beautiful as the fish. Spent a really nice amount of time (even more time then I really
needed) floating and watching. Then, back to the boat for a 2 minute ride (just a few hundred yards) to
Stingray City sandbar. This was so much fun. DS and DN were a little squeamish about touching the rays,
and escaped to the safety of the boat pretty quick. DH and I did everything we could to be more involved -
feeding, holding, petting, etc. These animals are so cool. After the excursion, we went back to the ship for
quick showers, lunch and back on a tender to town. We shopped a bit (bought Tortuga Rum cakes and
fudge). Took the 3:15 tender back to the ship and raced to the Vista Lounge for 3:30 Bingo - I won $250!!!!!
Dinner in dining room then Princess Theater for Gaetano, the magician. Not a great show. Gaetano would be
wise to keep his mouth shut. He tries to be a real smooth, mysterious type guy, and then he opens his mouth
and speaks with a very heavy “Hoboken” type accent and awful grammar. I think it would be best if he lets his
actions speak for him. Just my opinion, but he was the butt of many jokes for the rest of the week. Slept
through a lot of his show. Then, back to the casino and to bed.

Cozumel, Mexico: Our big day of adventure. My DS and DN had travelled to this part of Mexico two years
ago,a nd talked us into touring on our own, rather than taking a ship excursion. So, that’s what we did! We
took the first ferry that we could make off of Cozumel to Playa del Carmen on the mainland (10:00am - 45
minute ride). Rented two cars (National) right near the dock, for about $35 for the day. Hit the highway south.
DS and DN stopped in Akumal for the day 9the beautiful beach village where they had vacationed in the past)
and DF, DFH, DH and I continued south to Tulum. We paid about $2.50 to park, $3.00 for the admission to
the ruins, and $20 for a private guide. We spent a few hours wandering around, then had to race back to
Playa del Carmen for the 4:00 ferry. All in all, it went smoothly, but as fascinating as the ruins were, I really
didn’t think it was worth two hours of commute each way, to visit them. We’ve got plans to visit there again,
when we’ll be there for a week, and that would have been a better time to do the sightseeing, at a more
relaxed pace. This was the one day that early seating was an inconvenience for us. We had little time for
shopping in Cozumel 9and shopping is great there). Next time, I’ll beach it in the morning, on Cozumel, and
shop in the afternoon. That night, we went to see Kier in his second show, in the Vista Lounge, casino and
then bed.

At Sea: Final day of the cruise. DS and I again agreed to meet for breakfast. She was a no-show, so I ate
alone, then went to her cabin to find her. The phone alarm hadn’t worked, so she raced to get ready and we
went up on deck, and found chairs pretty much in the same spot as the previous sea day. DN and DFH didn’t
want chairs, and DF and DH joined us shortly after we made it up on deck. It was really hot up there, and the
heated pool really didn’t help much to refresh us. Left the deck at 2:00 and met Emil for a galley tour, and
then went on a 3:00 bridge tour. Both were great (and Emil said that the waiters eat right off the line -
anything they want fo what’s left). Then, DS and I played the final bingo - we lost. Jackpot was up to $2200.
Showered packed, set two of our three bags outside our door and went to dinner, then checked out the
Words and Music show in the Princess Theater. I slept though most of it. Casino and bed.

Disembarkation Day: Up at 6:00am, showered and went to meet with the Continental Airlines folks at the
Wheelhouse Bar. The USAir folks were meeting right outside the Princess Theater, but the line was so long, it
extended into the Wheelhouse Bar. The line for Continental...well, there was no line.We walked right up to the
desk and were given our boarding passes and luggage tags (sealed envelope to be opened only by the folks
that take our bags). Then, all six of us met in the dining room for breakfast (very nice that the dining room
was opened for breakfast on that final day - not just the buffet) and were seated at Emil’s station. Relaxing
breakfast then back to the rooms to pick up our carry-ons. Went up to the Atrium Lounge to wait for our color
to be called. Left ship, found our bags (very easily - just follow your color) and brought them over to the
Continental truck. Bags were tagged, and that’s the last we saw of them until baggage claim in Newark. What
a great system! Took an Alamo shuttle to the rental car place, got a car (DF and DFH got their own car and
were on their own from that point). We drove DS and DN to the airport, then we went to Miami Beach to visit
an elderly aunt. Then, we drove back to Ft. Lauderdale and spent the afternoon on Las Olas Blvd, browsing
the galleries and shopping. Had a great meal at Indigo. Then, headed back to Alamo at about 5:00. Flight left
promptly at 7:30, and we were in Newark at 10:15 or so. Home at 1:00am (Orange County, NY).

Final Thoughts: Have done both early and late seating on cruises and have preferred early more, because I
like the pattern of eating, then show, then late night snack, rather than show, dinner, snack. And, since most
ships leave ports well before early seating, I never felt rushed to get back to the ship for dinner (with a few
exceptions). But, on this cruise, with the exception of Caribbean night, there was little in the way of late night
munchies. You could have a full meal at the Bistro, or get a pizza (sit-down only), but there really wasn’t much
to grab on the run - no buffet for late night munchies. And, I really missed that, especially having eaten early -
I was hungry later on. Room service menu was awful, but delivery was fast. So, on future cruises where
there’s no late night buffet, I’ll probably opt for late seating next time.

All in all, food was excellent in the dining room, less so in the Horizon buffet (HAL buffets absolutely blow
Princess buffets out of the water, in my opinion).

Service was great. All crew greeted you when passing, helped whenever they could, etc. The bar staff
roaming the ship on sea days were a little too high profile, though. It gets annoying to be asked every three
minutes if you want a drink. Casino staff was not nearly as friendly as on HAL.

Ship was spotless and was continuously being buffed and polished. I’ve never noticed other ships being dirty,
but this one just stood out as being exceptionally clean. No worn carpets, chipped furniture. All in great
condition.

Artwork on board was mixed. Some that was part of the permanent collection was okay, but the stuff that was
up for auction was positively awful. I kept thinking “black velvet”.

I wish I had been motivated to use the gym more than once, but we tried to do active things on shore, so I
don’t feel to guilty. Gym facilities were really nice, and I did enjoy my one early morning workout.

All in all, it was a great cruise. We would not hesitate to go on another Princess cruise. It was DH’s favorite
cruise by far. I’m still not able to place that label on any of the cruises we’ve been on.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask.

Lee

Name: William Osborne
Email: mrbill24@vnet.net
Age: 48
Occupation: Contractor
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sea
SailingDate: March 10, 2001
Itinerary: Western Carb.
Cabin: A-508
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 91
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 92
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 97
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Apr 2001
Time: 17:27:16
Remote Name: gso28-229-200.triad.rr.com
Remote User:

Comments

The Sea Princess March 10-17,2001

This was our second cruise, the first being on the Carnival Fantasy. While there was nothing really wrong
with the Fantasy it is very clear that the Princess is several steps up on the class scale. This is not a put
down of Carnival but in a word Princess just did it better across the board. There is a style and elegance
about the princess while Fantasy is more like a walk in Las Vegas.

The Crew: The people that run this ship seem to enjoy what they do. Without exception the crew was
friendly, and everyone did their job in a profesinoal way. Their friendly attitude did not appear to be an
“order from management” but rather a sincere effort to make our trip fun and enjoyable. Our head waiter
(Noel) could not have been better. Our Cabin steward was great, never intrusive, always friendly, and did
a great job keeping the cabin clean and leaving bedtime mints. And to have kept my teenage sons room
clean must have been a challenge to the most patient of souls. The cruise director was fun, the casino
staff was nice. The deck staff was there to help and keep areas clean and the Horizon room staff did their
jobs well.

The Ship: The ship is beautiful.. When I compare it to Fantasy it is like the difference between a fine
department store and Wal Mart. Heated fresh water pools vs. cold salt water pools on Fantasy, ( In March
this makes a difference). The Princess has two theater areas that provide a constant choice of
entertainment in less crowded conditions. There was a wide variety of entertainment at night from the main
shows, to sing along to disco, to jazz, and so on. There was always something for everyone. My wife
always enjoyed the afternoon teas, and my sons never ran out of something to do. There was basket ball
(which they played with one of the rock performers) ping pong, hot tubs, swimming, ect.. My sons 15 and
17 never got bored. There were more than enough activities to keep them happy. There was so much to
do that I forgot to kick back and relax, but that was my mistake because you can do that too.

The Ports of call: 1- Princess Cays: Peter Pan never had it so good. All types of water sports, good cook
out for lunch, clean white sandy beach with enough chairs for all. Would have been happy to spend
several days there. I went sailing and it was great. 2- Ochio Rios: If there was ever a tale of two worlds this
is it. The country is beautiful. We did an excursion where we rode tubes down a river. It was a lot of fun
and the people who ran the tour did a good job. The scenes along the river were well worth the effort.
Transportation to and from the rivers was unique to say the least. After leaving the main road we drove on
narrow dirt roads in the mountains. My only comfort in this was the belief that the driver did not wish to die
any more than I did. At the end of the tubing we walked up the hill to this little hut (craft shop) that was in
the middle of nowhere. The smell of pot was more than evident. When we went to town my 15 year old was
given several offers to buy drugs, and my oldest son was offered beer. Make no mistake there is no
evidence that any sincere effort is made here to control sales of drugs, tobacco or alcohol to minors.
These offers came from shop keepers and not just people on the street.. I would suggest that in Ochio
Rios you stick to a ship sponsored tour and keep a close eye out for you children. Princess would do well
to re-think this port. It is really sad because this is a beautiful country with so much potential yet the
system there is just broken. To be fair about this when we were in town we did see several police officers
waling about. They were not on narcotics patrol but they did provide some sense of security 3- Grand
Cayman: We did the stingray tour that everyone else does and it was great. Well run operation.
4-Cozzemel. We did the ruins a Tulam. The ferry, bus and tour of the ruins took most of the day. It was
well worth the time but it would have been nice if the ship would stay in port until 10:00 p.m. to give extra
time in town. As it were we had about two hours. There seems to be a number of good tours at Cozzemel.
But not that I am on a drug kick but at one shop a shop keeper offered my son three post cards for his
watch, when my son said no the shop keeper offered him pot to sweeten the deal. In fairness the drugs
did not flow as openly in Cozzemel as they did in Ochio Rios. I am glad I have had the opportunity to visit
all three countries. Never felt I or my family was in danger and all three gave us an interesting prospective
on life outside the US.

Food: It is everywhere all the time and never stops. By the time I got off the ship I didn’t want to think about
food. Breakfast in the dinning room was good but there was much more choice in the Horizon Area..
Hamburgers Hot dogs, on the Lido deck were OK, dinning room was great, lots of choice. While I am not a
food critic everyone at our table spoke highly of everything. Pizza was nothing special at the pizza court
but there was nothing wrong with it either. Room service was quick and good.

Cabin: The cabin was not as big a Carnival but was more tasteful.. There was plenty of room and the
balcony was worth the price. There was adequate storage space. The shower was a little small but did the
job.

Overall: I have not sailed on one of the Grand class ships yet but I suspect that the Sea Princess class is
the right size ship. Enough to do without too many people doing it. While it is helpful to point out the
negatives of a cruise there were none. I have read reviews where you can tell that some people can never
be made happy. While there is no such thing as perfection, this ships comes very close, with the possible
exception of low pay out ratio on their slot machines. The one real negative that I can point to is the fact
that a week on the Sea Princess goes much faster than a week at my job. Enjoy every minute because
your trip will come to an end far to soon. Email me If I can be of help when you plan your cruise.

Back to Sea Princess