This cruise was selected by group consensus primarily based on port locations and cost. As I never had been on a Princess Cruise, we did not know what to really expect. I have been on other cruises with Carnival (Tropicale, Liberty), Celebrity (Eclipse), and Royal Caribbean, (Independence of the Seas) we found many things about Princess (Caribbean Princess), which was very good and some things not so good. I will say that this particular's ship's staff was very friendly and professional and based great emphasis on customer service and satisfaction. The ship itself was clean and well maintained. The Horizon Buffet's food was very good as compared to other cruises for both breakfast and lunch. Our evening dining at 5:45 in the Palm Dining room featured excellent service and varied food choices. As I discovered, the appetizers, salads, soups, together with the fish and pasta main courses and desserts were excellent, but the meat dishes, specifically the Beef Wellington and Sirloin Steak, were tough with little taste. The head maître'd Giovanni was excellent and attentive. He made the overall dining experience very special. I recommend breakfast and 3pm Tea in the Coral Dining room. The International cafe's food, drink selections, and atmosphere was quite enjoyable.

Entertainment/Activities:

Overall there was too much emphasis on raffles, promotions, and so-called special sales which started as soon as we got to buffet on the first day. The continuous attention to up-selling specific products such as liquors, clothing, sunglasses, jewelry, etc was annoying. They had a (2) hour show in the theater to discuss the ports and excursions, but in reality, it was a sales pitch on jewelry, clothing, and other products with little or no information on the islands we were visiting or excursions. Read more