This was my 14th cruise with Princess. The last one was on the Royal, which is one of the newer ships. In contrast, the Star Princess is really beginning to show its age although the service was consistently outstanding. It is a disservice to the crew not to take this ship into dry dock for repairs. The Thermal Spa and spa pools, for example, are in extremely poor condition -- No way they are worth the $349/couple pass for a two week cruise.

All aspects of the people side of this cruise, however were tremendous -- from embarkation to cabin stewards to dining staff to entertainers and excursion staff. The food was also very good considering the price of the cruise. We take all our meals in the dining room (we aren't buffet people) and we were very favorably impressed.

The ship's captain sets a lovely tone for the crew. He takes a "daily walkabout" (his words, not mine) and is proactive in saying hello to as many passengers as possible. His speeches at both the welcome and closing evening events were positively delightful and he represented Princess brilliantly. Read more