We were having a family vacation to celebrate my wife and I being married 25 yrs., my son turning 21, and my daughters graduation from high school and continuing onto college. This is out 2nd cruise together, the last being the Crown princess in Sept. 2006. I understand these are 2 totally different ships, but that shouldnt effect the terrible food quality, the cutting back of quality meals. An example was in 2006, a steak night, a lobster tail dinner, and a king crab dinner. Now in 2010, a steak night, using australian beef, not american, a Lobster tail dinner, with absolutely no seconds, and only 1 lobster tail, with prawns. Finally no king crab dinner at all, just an appetizer with the scrawniest king crabs I have ever seen. The buffet was high school food, with no theme nights. The best was the fresh fruit. My wife and kids starting eating hot dogs from the grill with fries for lunch,6 out of 10 days. We had two wonderful servers at dinner Jose and Julio, that tried there darndest to make the meals palatable. Our room steward was below average, the staff seemed very, very unhappy. No smiles, like they wanted to be anywhere else. Everyday I had to ask for bottle water, soda, toilet paper. This was with me giving an extra $20 every 2 days, for the first 4 days, I then gave up throwing my money away. Leaving San Francisco went smoothly, a little rough for the first 3 days, but it got better. Ketchican was great as well as Juno.

The problem I had with the cruise was the continuous attack on all fronts to take the passengers money. I dont mind spending on the drinks or wine, but the sales of jewelry, art and photographs never stopped. People wake up, these sales of 50% off are a joke, when we leave it all starts again with another group, there are no bargains, just ways to make you spend.

The entertainment was ok, it was better on the Crown Princess, but I understand that there are more people to pay for it. Read more