During our 12-day cruise in the Mediterranean from Rome to Venice, we sailed aboard the Pacific Princess, which is a great ship for anyone who prefers a more intimate and classy cruising experience. At 30,277 tons, it's less than one-third the size of most mega-ships. And with a capacity of just 670 passengers (double occupancy), there's rarely a line-up for anything including lunch, the show lounge or going ashore.
This more intimate atmosphere aboard the Pacific Princess is no accident. The ship is one of 8 upscale vessels originally built for Renaissance Cruises in the late 1990s and early 2000s. When Renaissance went bankrupt, Princess bought 3 of the ships and renamed them the Pacific Princess (replacing the original Love Boat), the Tahitian Princess and the Royal Princess. Some of the other former Renaissance ships have ended up with luxury lines such as Azamara and Oceania.
As you would expect from a more upscale vessel, the dEcor aboard the Pacific Princess is refined and elegant, with the public areas decorated in Victorian style with wood paneling, brass railings, classical paintings and lots of marble and rich carpeting. The staterooms have dark wood trim, blue carpets, cream-coloured walls, and blue and gold bedspreads. This is a classy looking ship.