We embarked in NY on June 9th and sailed for Sydney. Embarkation was very smooth. Arrived at terminal at about 11:30 and signed in. There was a line to the left for Princess Circle members but we never saw the sign so we went through the regular line. Short wait (10 minutes or so) in line then a quick check in. Then we were directed to the waiting area with a boarding group number and told that boarding would commence shortly. At 12:15 they began boarding platinum members and special needs. They would call out 5 numbers at once and then only call out one number or two numbers so folks began to stand - thinking they would be called in the next go round which led to some crowding and confusion. Would be smoother if they just called one number at a time so folks would know what to expect. Anyway, once our number was called we embarked smoothly (took our own luggage aboard and were glad we did so when we saw luggage still be delivered after sail away that night). After stowing the luggage, we set out to find some lunch and explore the ship. The ship is huge and very confusing to navigate. Don't fall for the ruse of the $1000 give away with getting your card stamped as you explore the ship. Turns out it is a combined $1000 worth of ship's paraphernalia such as art work. But participating does give you an opportunity to explore so if you are into the ship art offerings, why not? The spa tour entailed hearing about the various services and a hard sell for the VIP steam and sauna area. It is worth noting that you can steam and sauna for free in the changing rooms with no purchase necessary. We made reservations for Sabatini's that evening which was very pleasant. As we saw the lines forming at 5 PM for the anytime dining room, we were very glad to have done so. Please be aware the lines formed around 5 pm every evening and plan accordingly. We found the dining room to be understaffed and harried for the lunches and breakfasts we had there so we avoided it in the evenings, using Sabatini's or the buffet or pizzeria. Did not care for the steak house. Loved the salt baked branzino at Sabatini's. CABIN - A730. Small but perfectly adequate. Asked for extra pillows and then for even more as they are really thin pillows. The balcony is nice but the blue matting on the floor there is stained as are the chairs. We really enjoy the fresh air so it was definitely worth having. Weather was fairly bad for most of the cruise so we used the balcony less than we normally would have done. The bathroom is a real negative. It looks like it should be in a cheap motel - tiny and very unattractive although it was clean. Weird smells in there sometimes - like the water was treated with something. It is located in the back port side of the ship so it is not really convenient to the elevators. We booked late and had little choice but if you do, I would opt for mid-ship or closer to the front as those elevators provide much better access to decks 5 and 6 public areas. In the rear, you must go to deck seven and then walk forward to reach the piazza. We were very pleased with our coffee card purchase and the cappuccinos and lattes were very good. If you have a card, you can also get fresh brewed coffee there without having it punched as long as you have one unpunched segment on the card. We were able to use our last two punches on the morning of disembarkation while waiting in the atrium. We used the ship's transfer to JFK from the ship. All went smoothly. It took about 50 minutes to get to the airport once we left the dock area but we waited about 10 minutes for the next disembarkation group to be sent out in order to fill the bus. They wait until the bus is nearly full to depart so plan on extra time while you wait for others to get on the bus.Weather for the Canadian portion of the cruise was cold and dreary even though the weather in NYC was brutally hot. Layers are the answer to wise packing for this itinerary. PROS: the cruise is a good value for the money. The inverse of that is you get what you pay for and it was evident that they staff was urged to push you to make purchases of spa time, upgrades, sanctuary, etc. The food is adequate but the selection is limited. The atrium area is very pleasant. The casino is fairly large with a good selection of slots. Embarkation and disembarkation were handled very well. Enjoyed Vines for wine and tapas.CONS: The cabin bathroom, the quality of towels and pillows, maintenance of ship, layout of the ship and the lack of signage identifying public areas made maneuvering difficult. Service was strained, the staff was pleasant enough as a rule but seemed very overworked - not terrible but not what you get on other cruise lines. Wine list is not great and varies from bar to restaurant. By the glass choices are not good. Putting the kids club right over the adults only pool is just crazy. Lack of pool towels (you can only get one mid-ship if you can find the deck steward who will then unlock a storage area and get you one). BOTTOM LINE: Overall I would give this cruise and ship a "C plus" but not more. With a little more effort on the part of Princess, this could have been a much better experience.