Grand Princess Review
Rating by category
Additional details
My family have most recently cruised with Royal Caribbean, and NCL which we enjoyed. I had heard good things about Princess Cruises and we enjoyed this cruise overall but there were aspects that could be improved to make it a better experience.
Parking at the port was very easy. Although we waited a short while for a space, it was painless. This was our first ex UK cruise and if you are willing to sacrifice the instant sun that you often enjoy in Barcelona or Rome for example, it is a worthy alternative.
Embarkation was slow. It took us an hour to get from check-in to getting on board. The staff were friendly, but the system wasn't working for the agent checking us in, so it slowed things down a lot. I don't really understand why the agent didn't stop checking people in until the system was fixed.
Cabin Review
Balcony
A418 very close to the midship elevators but noise didn't intrude. Beware that the Lido deck with pool and buffet is directly above, so you will hear noise from movement there. Also, the balcony is completely covered over, so you won't get a lot of sunshine unless it is morning or evening when the sun is not directly above the ship.