This was our 3rd Princess Cruise, but 18th cruise in total, fairly evenly divided amongst Cunard, Disney, Holland America and one each on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. We went on previous cruises as a family but travelled without the kids this time.

We stayed in New Jersey and drove to the Brooklyn port. Parking cost was $23 for first day and $20 per day thereafter, for a total of $143 for the week. Tolls were $8 at Holland Tunnel and then $5.50 on Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. On the way home, there was only the $5.50 Brooklyn Battery Tunnel toll.

We had originally booked Celebrity Summit with four ports instead of the five with Princess. The Caribbean Princess is six years old and although it shows its age in certain areas and decor, they have made some improvements with the new Piazza lobby and flat screen TVs (in our cabin anyway). Minor issues like lots of small holes in our bed linen and towels which were no longer white, soft nor thick but no big deal. We read some negative reviews about the Summit which is almost nine years old and is due to be "Stolsticized" in 2011, their version of renovation and refurbishment, so we thought we would wait if we take another Millenium class ship unless it had already been renovated. Read more