This was our 9th Princess cruise and we chose it for the same reason many of our fellow passengers did - St Petersburg. Over the years we have watched the changes in the way Princess operates and I fee that they have gone one step too far on these new ships.

Cabin - we had M509 and it was a good sized balcony just back of mid ships. It was perfectly adaquate for our needs and the cabin steward was excellent although I did miss the enjoyment of not knowing which animal towel we would get each day.

Food - the food was generally of good standard but in the main dining rooms the only way to get a hot meal seemed to be by having a table for 2. Ana Maria from Russia who seated us in the Symphony was amazing. I called her a swan as she was always calm and serene on top but her legs paddled like mad to get people to their tables as quickly as possible. Sabotinis was really good food at $25 per head extra charge as was the crown grill $25. Normally you have to book days in advance but they never seemed full. The Piazza area was usually crowded as they put a lot of entertainment and dance classes on here so people took up seats even if they weren't eating from the cafe. Alfredos pizzas were good and they were accommodating with the variations to the standard menu. Horizon bar, the food was good and varied but trying to get a seat was a joke at times. Read more