Overall, with three exceptions, my wife and I had an enjoyable experience aboard the Crown Princess.

(1) There was a clear lack of capacity for most popular shore excursions, many of which were sold out weeks before the cruise began. One would have thought Princess could anticipate the number of passenger during the peak Summer period and plan accordingly. For those who plan a cruise around the assumption that they will be able to visit certain sites, the lack of capacity for shore excursions for which no alternative exists (for example, to Normandy and Paris from La Havre), raises questions about Princess' ethical and legal obligations to deliver what passengers pay for and expect.

(2) I understand that Internet access via satellite may be intermittent at times based on the position of the ship. But to continuously receive the message of too many subscribers logged in suggests a different problem that represents a shortcoming within the ship's and Princess' power to control and correct. The lack of reasonable (if not continuous) Internet access created unanticipated work-related difficulties for me and caused unneeded problems during what was supposed to be primarily a vacation. If not fixed, this should give pause to anyone who requires onboard semi-regular Internet access. Read more