This was our first time on Princess and we had a nice time. From reading previous reviews, there were complaints about smells and the food, both of which I'll get into. Overall though, we had a nice time.
Embarkation - we didn't end up making it down to Galveston until almost 3pm because of heavy traffic in Houston. Once we got there though, the lines went by quickly and painlessly (except for those that don't understand removing metal prior to walking through metal detectors). Once on the ship, the rooms were ready of course, so we went directly there first as we walked on our luggage. All the restaurants were open for dinner, not just the buffet, so that was a nice surprise.
Cabin - we had a balcony cabin (BD category), I'm pretty sure we will be getting a balcony every time from now on. Having the ability to step out into the fresh air and have a view anytime you want, definitely worth it. Plus depending what deck you're on, it's pretty private ;) Luckily the only way you were seeing us on the balcony was if I was up against the rail or you were peeking around the wall from an adjacent balcony. Inside was a normal size from what I recall of other cabins. TV was nice enough, mini fridge worked out well, bed was comfy enough, bathroom...it's a regular cruise ship bathroom :) but it was functional. The closet was a decent size surprisingly, along with a cupboard with shelves to store more items.
Cabin - we had a balcony cabin (BD category), I'm pretty sure we will be getting a balcony every time from now on. Having the ability to step out into the fresh air and have a view anytime you want, definitely worth it. Plus depending what deck you're on, it's pretty private ;) Luckily the only way you were seeing us on the balcony was if I was up against the rail or you were peeking around the wall from an adjacent balcony. Inside was a normal size from what I recall of other cabins. TV was nice enough, mini fridge worked out well, bed was comfy enough, bathroom...it's a regular cruise ship bathroom :) but it was functional. The closet was a decent size surprisingly, along with a cupboard with shelves to store more items.