We cruised the Western Caribbean on Crown Princess over Thanksgiving, 2009. This was our fourth cruise after three previous cruises on Royal Caribbean. The ship is newer than others in their and other cruise lines' fleets - and very comfortable, both in and out of the staterooms. Almost every crewmember could not do enough for us - a friendly and helpful bunch, although the staff in the retail shops could have used some training in customer service. The main dining room is tastefully decorated, furnished, and very comfortable - I can say that the food and the service on this ship was top notch! They had a fantastic kids program, which our boys (ages 9 and 6) loved, and they wanted us to take them there everyday - which gave us a nice break to lounge by the pool or grab a meal for some adult time.
My experience on Princess leads me to believe that their target demographic is a slightly older crowd; and although the kids program was great, it was an afterthought to keep up with the demand for families. Additionally, the deck staff did not monitor the kids by the pools like Royal Caribbean did for both safety and the enjoyment of the pool area by others. I was a bit disappointed in the on-board entertainment options as the shows and daytime activities were targeted to older adults. I am 42 years old and am not a fan of Cole Porter, nor do I have an interest in attending seminars on arthritis, acupuncture, or personal computers for the beginner.
This was my parent's first cruise and they loved it! I can't wait to go on another cruise with them and the kids- it was a great family vacation.
We had an interior cabin, which was a good size for the four of us. A huge plus was the open area by the bathroom for storing and changing clothes - much better than the closets in our balcony cabin on RCCL Independence of the Seas. We usually book mid to aft ship, which keeps us close to the restaurants, kids programs, and other activities.