Princess may not be perfect, but they really pay attention to the details. This was a cruise my wife and I had looked forward to for some time. Reading the ports of call was exotic in itself.
After what seemed an eternity, the big day came. I didn't want to fly in and try to board the ship the same day, so I booked a hotel in Civitavecchia. The hotel was a charming waterfront hotel a few feet from the southern end of the port itself. Civitavecchia itself is a pretty little town, perfect for strolling.
Our stop there accomplished everything we wanted, and we boarded refreshed an on the right time zone. (As a note, Princess docks at the northern end of the rather large port. A taxi is definitely needed to get there.)
Mini's are great value on longer cruises. The full tub in the bathroom is a real plus. The tub also has a removable clothes line for drying swimsuits, etc. The closet is HUGE. The mini-fridge is very useful. The extra seating area and seating in front of a large mirror made mornings and evenings much more pleasant. The sections each have their own lighting and air conditioning controls. The balcony, while exposed to upper decks, is the same size as every other balcony (except some suite balconies). The safe in the closet cabinet is very useful. The lighting is more than adequate and easily controlled. There are two televisions in the suite, but I honestly couldn't think of when that might be an advantage. The sofa is a great place to plan a day's activities.