This is cruise 18 with Oceania on all ships but Serena. I am not sure if i have been unlucky but the service level was less than “normal”. For example at the Sunday brunch my wife and i finished before any staff member asked us if we wanted water, juice or anything else except cocktails. At dinner in the dining room the opposite, cant find a drink waiter and have to ask. It seems there is a staff shortage. The other annoying thing is the berths, there was a German ship “AIDA’ shadowing us and in every common port it had the in town berth when one was available and we got the container terminal. This happened even when the advertised Oceania berth was in town. Is all this Norwegian cost cutting a little at a time? I also note that the level benefits are being downgraded next year. In a way that is good news for me because the loyalty program did have me captive to an extent so I now feel less trapped. About to try Viking for the first time and maybe not the last. Have already tried Ponant and although it is a very different product being “expedition” yachts of 200 pax it has overcome finding new places to cruise given i have exhausted the Oceania network. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the amount of sea days! Floating on the blue pacific is heavenly! The entertainment was great and the food was too! But the ocean wins the prize for the best of all! The ship was the smallest I have ever ridden on. I liked it because I could get around easy. It was fun getting to know people because there were not so many. I have some knee trouble so needed to take the elevators and on this ship the elevators were usually empty!! I took advantage of the spa and had many treatments to help my knee. i felt like the spa personnel were friendly and very helpful. We enjoyed the gym too. I do not eat in the main dining room much as most guests do. We like to dine at different times so the buffet is more convenient for us most of the time. Read Less

We have voyaged on the Pacific Princess for almost two months. Our first on this vessel was in November and December 2016. I posted an excellent review back then and this ship still remains one of our favorites. However, since then on this ship, there has been a little improvement here and there and some degradation. Which has resulted in my dropping the previous rating. Let me begin with the positives: Terrific---- --We really like the ship and the crew, from the Captain on down. The main dining room (MDR) folks are exceptional. The high point for us is that the main dining room service and cuisine has restored our faith in the MDRs, at least on this vessel. Maitre d'hotel, Oscar Perego, has to be one of the best if not the best in the business. We originally intended to do a few dinners in the two speciality restaurants but the staff and service was so great in the MDR the only speciality we bothered to use was a Ultimate Balcony Dinner, which was exquisite. --Our cabin was super just like the other deck eight mini-suite we had one year ago. We really like the size along with the balcony which represents a large picture window facing the sea when you pull the drapes all the way back. The bathroom was typical, not very large and the closets are not walk ins but the closet space was much larger than one realizes at first glance. The bathroom medicine and toiletry cabinets have doors like they used to have in the old days so stuff doesn't spell out in rough seas. The temperature in the cabin can be regulated perfectly, cold outdoors and comfy inside or 95 F outside and cool inside. --This was the third time we have been on a cruise that coincided with the Super Bowl. This was the best bowl coverage yet, excellent, and outstanding too was because it was offered in the Cabaret Lounge, where three huge screens were used to display the action with the crew outdoing themselves by having a huge tasty buffet line of goodies and eats available throughout the entire game. Good--- --We certainly appreciate the loyalty perk(s) for free internet and laundry. The internet speed for me is satisfactory and reliable and wife loves the care, reliability and quality of the laundry and cleaning service. --The two main hot tubes on the pool deck were great and I used them some times twice a day. The pool deck on this ship doesn't have chair hogs and I never ran into a time when there wasn't ample fresh towels awaiting at three different locations. The only complaint I had was they got the hot tubs way too hot at times, one time they were at 107 F for two days. --The vessel is very well maintained and the crew is constantly scrapping, painting and keeping the ship in tip-top condition. --Love the balcony railings as well as the railings around the vessel where three horizontal bars are below a teak top railing allowing for clear views of the ocean instead of solid steel or Plexiglas which is almost always fogged up. --Often I'm not certain what the pre and post cruise hotels cost as we like to use the cruise line transfers and hotel package(s) which are lumped together price wise. Normally I believe the entire package is reasonable----this arrangement has really come in handy in the past when things got confused the day before embarkation due lost airline luggage or other problems. Nothing more comforting than to have an agent at a strange airport with a sign and your name. --The ship's library is the best and largest we have seen. Truly a library designed for exploration cruises. --The buffet is very good, food wise, service wise and table wise. They even change things around in part of it in the late afternoon making a more formal section with table cloths, flowers and wine glasses. This buffet has ample seating which gets constrained only when inclement weather forces everybody off the outdoor seating areas, which has even a larger number of tables than inside. During the entire cruise we never ran out of cantaloupe, not once, first time I recall that ever happening. --Cabin T.V.s work great and programming good. Certainly appreciate my favorite news channel MSNBC being available with a good signal all the time. I recall the days when we had no other choice for news but-----LOL. Sure wish they could figure a way to place larger TVs in the mini-suites though, --No complaints over embarkations and disembarkations. All handled well and luggage arrived in the cabins timely. --Although our segment involved mostly sea days, the shore excursions we did take were good, typically we never go the independent route on shore excursions but use those provided by the cruise line. One in particular illustrates how Princess stands out here----"We were confused about meet times one morning, so when we showed up for our muster time they told us our excursion had already left. Anyway, bummer, but then, the shore rep said you can get on "this one" if you want instead, which was leaving just then. We took it. We were supposed to be on a rain forest type hike and glow worm cave visit, which we were regretting due to all the rain. As it turned out, the alternative was much better and dryer, plus the one we were to be on they didn't even get into the caves as they flooded and during the rain forest hike portion everybody got soaked. Mistakes sometimes turn out for the better. --The cruise director on this voyage was a gal from Juneau, Sammi Baker, she managed the Red Dog saloon in Juneau back in the 1980s and had her own band there "Moondance". She got a job with the Italian cruise line "Sitmar" who merged with Princess in the late 1980s. We never ran across her before in our travels with Princess, she is retiring after this voyage. Too bad, she is well liked. Needs improvement--- --We never personally experienced much of a problem here, however, something is amiss. We did witness the considerable confusion which apparently exists within the cruise line fleet at large, this is over room service liquor order policy and even water bottle orders, as pre-orders prior to initial embarkation get tangled with room service liquor order requests due contradictions emanating from staff and company both orally and written. It might well be that the line is determined to eventually eliminate service to cabins where spirits or wine can be ordered for consumption within. If not, I suggest Princess better start attempting to squelch rumors and altercations that suggest otherwise, bring forth a consistent written policy/procedure, since a practice like that if it materializes, will be a real downer for cruisers like ourselves. --I do miss the enrichment lecturers that Princess used to provide, like naturalists, biologists, area historians and geography experts, I thought they would bring someone on board at Honolulu but didn't. However, at Pago Pago they brought on two New Zealanders who were pretty good, too bad for us though, as this occurred two thirds of the way through the cruise. --I'm not big on the production shows anymore where you got a bunch of young folk jumping around singing, dancing and doing hand stands. But on this voyage I guess they should be given credit since I attended most performances and thought they were okay, most guests appeared to really like them. I also don't care much for ventriloquists, comedians or jugglers, what I like is the individual singers, violinists, etc but only if they stay away from attempting to articulate political jokes, most of which are tired and ancient and usually irritate more than amuse. In fact, on the larger vessels I quit going to the overcrowded theatres with too few isles all-together, it wasn't until on this ship, a year ago, I became interested again due the comfort and convenience of the Cabaret Lounge. Here is my opinion of the entertainment list --- Good---(1) The Lions Den (2) Dave Klinberg (violinist and enrichment lecture--ancient cultures) (3)The Stevie B. Show, (5) Monty Cotton-- "Johnny Cash" (4) Production Shows, Jennifer Andres and Charlie Vose with the Belinda King Dancers. (5) Diane Cousins, singing and jokes. (6) Russell Harrison So-So--- louie Shelton, Bad----(1) Bayne Bacon, mediocre piano man and right wing sick joke critic of the Clinton family----(3) Domenick Allen, disorganized music performances---(2) Ventriloquist, Mark Merchant, good ventriloquist but that is where his talent ends; he also should stay away from right wing leaning ignorant jokes. Not so good---- --The gym is in an excellent location but too small for the number of guests wanting to use it. Only two ellipticals and five treadmills, that doesn't cut it in the morning. The gym doors open at 7:00 PM and often if you aren't in line at least 20 to 30 minutes before you better plan on waiting at least an hour. I have to admit though, we were on the Prinsendam for almost three months, a larger exploration type vessel than the Pacific Princess carrying 200 more guests, but their gym was almost half the size of that on this ship. Watch out for the "Man Killer"---Normally I would go out onto the circular track on deck 10 and walk or jog if the gym equipment was busy on this ship, however, this is a dangerous track early in the morning, as water collects on the track and it is very slick even after they mop it. I almost fell completely down four times and witnessed others crashing down, it is a wonder there hasn't been serious injuries. Apparently they tried to remedy this recently by painting the primary center running and walking area with a red substance which was actually slicker than the old surface which most runners or joggers tried to favor due better traction. Terrible--- --Platinum & Elite Lounge, Princess has changed their format here from what they used to provide. Now they offer a selection of eight different alcohol drinks which they apparently came up with as substitutes for the more traditional drinks they used to offer for $5.00 per. They now charge $6.50 for these new concoctions. We gave them a chance. Went three times and tried three different drinks each, most of the time we didn't finish the drinks due to not liking them. Their hors d'oeuvre offerings were still pretty good but the only way we would want to take time to attend is by purchasing their old traditional drinks for the full price. Thus, we say goodbye to this once great loyalty perk. ---This cruise involved one sement of a world cruise, 47 ports, five segments, 111 days. We originally purchased the second and third segments, 49 days. The third ended in Dubai. I had arranged and paid for air transport back home from Dubai when I first booked, about 11 months before embarkation. Our flight left at 9:30 AM in the morning of our second day in port at Dubai. That turned out to be a bad assumption and mistake. Unfortunately, Princess said we couldn't get off the ship that day that early since our flight left before 11:30 AM. After much discussion, Princess allowed us a "cruise deviation" under which we could get off early. They provided us no help or advice as to how to get off but did offer a lot of worrisome suggestions, like: "You are on your own" and "It is up to you to arrange with immigrations at that country when you get off our ship". Thanks but no thanks, we decided to cancel the entire voyage, both segments. At the last minute we decided to stay with the first segment only. It seems to me that for $34,000 to $37,000, which the second segment alone was going to cost us or in the neighborhood of $57,000 for the entire two segments, they could have given us just a little encouragement and assistance for our disembarkation. Recommendation------ Since we were on part of a world cruise it gave me an opportunity to evaluate the merits of these since this got me to focusing on the merits and dismerits of booking the entire package if we had chosen to do so. We have never booked a "world cruise". Our longest cruise was one just shy of three months, which was 95% Africa ports. Most likely the reason we haven't booked longer voyages is that by now we have visited just about every port offered on those, many, multiple times. My advice to those just beginning cruising careers, if they can make it work, take a world cruise as soon as you can, that way most ports on the itinerary will involve first visits making the voyage that much more enjoyable. I did note on this voyage over 80% of the guests were taking the entire 111 day world voyage and out of those there were a lot who love to do this time and time again regardless of the number of visits they may have had at the same ports. We met couples that have been on more than five and often they were friends with others that had been on the same voyages. Camaraderie was a big inducement factor. Obviously, cruising is not the same for all, there are many types and variations. However, we see now the world cruise probably isn't for us. We do love sea days and you do get a lot of those on world cruises, which is a plus for us. But It seems to me that the industry is rather coy in describing "world cruises" or "world voyages" as these are somewhat misnomers. The one we were just involved in was indeed a cruise that went all the way around the globe, beginning and ending in Florida. However, to call this a "world cruise" is rather disingenuous. 20 of the 47 ports are all in the Mediterranean, there is no Africa, no South America, no---Indonesia, Asia, Malaysia, Baltic, British Isles, Holy Land, Antarctica or Arctic or much more, most all of it is confined to traditional tourist haunts within the Northern Hemisphere, with the exception of a jaunt down the Pacific to Australia and then back north. One fellow, on his 5th world cruise, told me he was "bored". My preference now would be to get more bang for my buck by booking separate cruises of four or five week durations each, maybe lumping two together as a back to back (B2B). Read Less

Our latest cruise on the Pacific was supposed to be for a World Cruise. Unfortunately, due to health concerns, we had to cut it short. That in no way had anything to do with the excellence of the staff and ship. The Pacific is our favorite of the Princess line. We love her classy look, the highly trained staff (look at their pins to see how many years with Princess). The entertainment is totally different than the rest of the line because of the smallness of the ship. One feels a part of the entertainment in that the stage is a circle with the passengers right on the same floor. There is ONE main dining room so you know your wait staff so well; almost as well as they know you. The ports for this particular cruise were outstanding (23 countries), however, the ports have been just as good on past cruises on her. The cabins have more than ample room. Children: I don't believe there is a children's program on this particular ship but I have seen children sail. Truly amazing how much can be done on a small ship. If you read the patter each evening to plan your next day you will not be bored. The only con I would have is the cost of some of the excursions. Not sure if they are set by Princess or the companies in the ports but we thought they were on the high side. Read Less

This was one of many wonderful cruises on Silversea but by far the longest at 73 days. This was part of this years World Cruise. I have high praise and a 10 for everything. Getting on and off the ship was very smooth. The ship needs new carpets and some improvements here and there but nothing major. Dining was easy. Reservations were easy to get and we were always acomodated. The poolside luncheon menu is good but for such a long stay could use some new items , perhaps a weekly special sandwich - minor point. Entertainment and activities could fill up your entire day if that is what you wanted. On board bridge teachers as well as "arts and crafts" and language classes abound. The pool deck was superb with service like no other for those that enjoy the outside on sea days. Jogging deck was always ready even after some heavy downpours. The gym is small but it is built in and I don't know how that could be improved. On board personal trainer was one of the best I have experienced in over 500 days on SS. Ports were extensive ranging from the relative tranquility of Hawaii and the Society Islands to the kaleidoscopic experiences in Indonesia and Malaysia. The beauty of the Philippine Islands took me by surprise. There was a wonderful tour there which took me snorkeling and swimming. A treat for the senses. I would do this again in a heart beat. Read Less

We traveled with Viking before and liked the way they did things The food was great the staff and crew weee wonderful attentive Although overworked! The crew and staff did their best to ensure everyone’s safety Some of the passengers were obnoxious demanding and very rude to the crew and staff More disciplinary actions should have been taken towards those obnoxious passengers though The ports of call were fantastic and there was so much to see We felt safe at all times Some of the passengers came on board sick and their coughs and colds spread like wild fire The medical staff was excellent and caring ensuring the health and stability of the passengers I wish though that some of the staff would not have been so negatively chatty with the passengers One in particular was the female singer who talked about the passengers in a very negative way She was the opera singer and thought she was the “star” of the Viking Sun She was very negative Unfortunately she is on the new around the world cruise this year 2019 that left early January Read Less

This cruise was for 121 days and was Absolutely fantastic. Viking pulled out all the stops for this round the world. They added many extras like 24 hour room service, free laundry, and premium drink package. Everything was top notch. There was over 50 stops and each one was unique and interesting. The excursions were well planned and exceeded my expectations. Customer service was incredible. Every detail was thought about and taken care of. Although we visited many different countries all the customs procecedures were well taken of, eliminating any custom issues. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and professional and the tour buses very modern with airconditioning. The crew was superb and the Captain, cruise director, and general manager were spectactular. Even though we had over 900 passengers, the managers personally knew me and my background. The crew worked very well as a team with showed that management was very effective. The food, entertainment, and cultural presentations were first class. I cannot say enough on how good this cruise was! I would highly recommend Viking to all my friends. Read Less

Ship & crew were far & above expectations. Food was excellent @ beginning of cruise but average by the end, was to bland for my taste. Excursions were excellent, some countries guides were below average. The ports were good, some could have been skipped & more time spent @ other ports. No sports excursions such as golf, sporting events ( would have loved to go to cricket or rugby matches. No deep sea fishing. Viking could have gotten well over 30 people for these activities. The medical staff was excellent. Our room was great. Housekeeping was excellent WiFi was always an issue. Entertainment was good, lecturers were hit and miss, seemed to be overrun by UK lectures. If I’m in the Far East would liked to have had Far East lecturers not British etc. Also UK entertainment was to much, especially comedians., with most of the passengers US Or Canadian don’t get British humor But everything put together was well above my expectations. Especially being Vikings first round the world cruise & going to many ports they have never been too Read Less

Viking offered their first world cruise that for us started in Los Angeles January 5, 2018 and ended in England on May 5, 2018. 4 months, 25 countries and 52 ports. I can't say enough how much the crew on Viking exceeded every expectation and provided customer service that was 5 star ++! You can not imaginine how efficient being on board ship allows you to make the most of your time, not only while at sea but also when at a port of call. Viking offers included tours at every port of call, along with many optional tours at each port. You can also go ashore in most countries and tour on your own. Most, not all ports, are very closet to if not right at city centers or you can take a taxi or "Tuk Tuk" to your desired destination. While on board Viking ships, 6 now in use and I believe another 8 or more under construction, there is so much offered that you can either choose to participate or not. We enjoyed the "Trivia" sessions where when at port for 1 hour you team up and play Trivia answering 15 questions and then a final team playoff. You not only learn a lot but get to meet so many new friends. The nightly entertainment was exceptional and changed as new top notch tallent came on board every few days. Most important is Viking's service. I expect a high level of service and my expection was exceeded time after time. Their staff from the Captain, first mate, Cruise Director, Hotel Manager, Chef and down to each employee treated you like family with smiles and chit-chat. We have already booked another cruise with Viking and are looking forward to seeing many old friends and can't wait for our next adventure on Viking. Don't wait or procrastinate, your own "Trip of a Life Time" is waiting for you...you won't regret it as you will have so many adventures and meet so many new friends to share your experience with on board Viking. Go see, experience new countries and share with your friends. Have lots of fun! Read Less

It was a smaller ship sailing at the right time. Enjoyed getting to know people well enough to make good friends. The numerous days at sea were most enjoyable as we are old time sailors and found the time, the weather and the quiet appealing. The staff were friendly, all of them and we joined dance classes for the first time making for challenging moments across a rolling dance floor. I joined the chior and had a very talented director who really made joyful noise from a very diverse group of passengers leading up to a full performance on deck as the ship sailed under the Sydney bridge at 5:30 AM! The food was very good and though it was a set seating we got to know people on our adjoining of six who rotated seats so we sat next to everyone many ones and they became good friends. We especially enjoyed breakfast on the open aft deck most mornings and the lounge on a top deacon for afternoon cocktails. Read Less

Great cruise around the world. Chose this particular cruise because of the itenarary, size of the ship and the fact that I could leave from Ft Lauderdale and disembark in Ft Lauderdale since I live in Florida. First the good things on this cruise-the friendly helpful staff onboard the ship. Really made the cruise special from room stewards, staff at front desk, excursions area, bartenders, staff in dining rooms, buffet, casino, shops and cruise directors staff, one of the best managed ships that I have been on. The entertainment that I attended was well done and enjoyable. Enrichment lectures were good through out the cruise especially the ones on segment 2 and 3 of the cruise(LA to Sydney and Sydney to Hong Kong). Additionally the destination expert Deb was fantastic. Really knew her destinations and provided good insight into what there was to see and do at each destination. Also Sammi, cruise director from Dubai to Fort Lauderdale brought energy and fun to her area. Especially enjoyed the sessions she held with the captain, the singers/dancers and the hotel management staff where you got to hear from each of them about themselves, their jobs onboard, etc. great insight into the behind the scenes of a cruise ship! Finally the destinations visited were great and the shore excursions that I did at each port were well managed and provided a great experience at a reasonable price. Also embarkation and disembarkation was the best I have experienced on 30 plus cruises. The not so good-ship staterooms are in need of a good cleaning/sprucing up. My stateroom the drapes were badly stained, linens were dingy and stained, cloth on bedboard was peeling and ripped. The room just felt tired and kind of ratty. Bed was hard as a rock, but in fairness the ship is heading to dry dock shortly so I'm sure a lot of these items will be taken care of. Lotus Spa issue-I spent over $5,000 over the course of the cruise in services and products. I have cruised a lot over the last 20 years and have always used the spa services onboard and this is the first time that I had a bad experience with Steiner/Lotus Spa. I have contacted them separately in regards to this issue of over $700 of services charged to my account that were never rendered. Was unable to get any assistance from the spa manager on this issue as she was not the manager at the time when these charges were billed. Comment was made by one of the front desk staff, I guess she must of just overcharged you...The person who billed the charges and the manager at the time had both left the ship by the time the over charges were discovered and the new manager just refused to check into the issue after being asked on two separate occasions to see what was going on. Poorest customer service I have ever experienced onboard a cruise ship. That being said I will never utilize their services or products again onboard any of the ships that they are on. In closing it really was a trip of a lifetime and I would recommend a cruise around the world to anyone who loves to travel! Read Less

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We are seasoned cruisers and Princess is our cruise line of choice. We have been on 5 other lines but this one always comes out on top. We decided to do the world cruise which was actually 111 days and we would do it in a heartbeat again. What can I say about the staff other than exceptional. THE CAPTAIN: If you ever have a chance to be on a cruise with Captain JP. Bryant you are in for a treat. How many captains have you sailed with that came around to every table the night before disembarkment to thank everyone for sailing with Princess and to wish us a safe journey home. Even the morning of disembarkment his announcement on the TV was very cute. He said "the good news is that we are cleared to go, the bad news is that I know you don't want to leave but you have to". THE MAÎTRE de : OSCAR, there has never been or there will never be anyone like him. He is extrodinere, bends over backwards for everyone, and he also hosts the Knitter's and Knatters group. This group was so large that we able to use large tables at the back of the main dining room. The rest of the staff, and there are way too many to mention were just the same, nothing was too much for them to handle. THE ENTERTAINMENT: Over the top CRAFTS: very wide variety of things to make. 2 different couples hosted this activity THEMED SUNDAY BRUNCHES: absolutely over the top I could go on and on but you might like to look at the blog I have done about this amazing trip of a lifetime. Check out duncancruise2016blog.wordpress.com. You can experience the staff, the ship and the 33 ports in 26 countries with me. Read Less

The norovirus that arrived with the ship should have been a clue that things weren't exactly the Garden of Eden. We were delayed in boarding while the ship was decontaminated in San Pedro. We were told to be at the cruise terminal at 2 pm to board. We dutifully reported a bit prior to 2, only to find that they wanted the LAST passenger boarding group to arrive first, so that they could send you to the far reaches of the terminal to sit for 2-1/2 hours while the later arrivals boarded first. Not that walking San Pedro would have been any better - it's pretty much a slummy hole. Once on board, we found that our cabin wasn't ready, so we went to the lounge for two glasses of bubbly. That'll be $42 on your account, please. Or you can opt for the $490 upcharge for unlimited drinks, as long as each drink is under $10. So the $21 glasses of Champagne would have been on top of the upcharge fee in any event. As long as you don't mind drinking sodas, or the garbage Korbel pawns off as "Champagne" (even though it is made thousands of miles from Champagne), you can have all of it you want. No thanks. Once in the cabin, we realized the HVAC didn't work. So we called maintenance a few times, and finally got someone up to fix it. It turns out it was shut off at the vent, which is conveniently located over the bed, so that when the maintenance guy opened the soffit to get at it, clouds of dust and dirt spilled down onto the bed and floor. One problem solved, another created. While waiting for someone to come and clean up the mess (and replace the bedspread, which was now covered in dirt), we decided to shower. No hot water. Another several calls to maintenance resulted in changing out the mixing valve in the shower. So we tried the shower again, only to find it was scalding hot. No cold water. We had to call down and visit the reception desk a few more times to get the maintenance guy back to turn the cold water back on. Apparently having BOTH hot and cold running water is an upcharge. Finally, by midnight, we had the room cleaned, the bedspread replaced, and the water and HVAC working. End of day 1. Day 2 - up by 6 am on the prowl for coffee. Ah, here's a coffee station on deck 6. $2 per cup, please. Say what? Off the the lido deck buffet, where the entrance wants everyone to use the hand sanitizer. No thanks - we WASH our hands. The idea of putting rat poison on our hands and then eating with said hands is pretty repulsive. Now wer'e on to the food line, where we can't pick up a utensil - remember norovirus - so we have to have everything handled by the crew (as if they don't get norovirus, too). Some of the worst food ever, sort of like C-Rations that survived D-Day. Dinner later that day at the Bayou Café/Steakhouse was the highlight of the shipboard experience - excellent food and a professional staff. The rest of the voyage was spent trying to avoid getting continually annoyed by the embarkation/disembarkation procedures (which involved hours of standing around in queue waiting), and the constant nagging to use the hand sanitizer. How about a hand washing station instead? We watched numerous passengers who left the restrooms without washing, using the hand sanitizer as a substitute. Yecch! It turns out the favorite word on Princess seems to be "No." As in no, you can't take a cup of coffee back to your stateroom, no you can't take uneaten food back to put in your refrigerator, no you can't do this, no, you can't do that. Couple that with the near-constant missives from the captain and crew that litter your door mailbox daily, telling you what you must do or else. Way too hung up on authority for us. The funniest part of the cruise was the art auction. It was a caricature of a real auction, with a very annoying auctioneer. (The gavel is normally rapped once to announce the close of bidding, not to repeatedly pound on the table to accentuate a huckster's sales pitch.) All in all, it was evident why Princess is at the low end of the cost spectrum. You get what you pay for - sometimes. In this case, we didn't even get that. Read Less

We travelled with 2 other older couples, and thoroughly enjoyed Cunard's formula for enjoyable cruising. Compared with previous cruises, we were pleased that here were few children on board - must be showing our age! We have few complaints, although some minor suggestions for improvements. We had 5 formal nights, but being on the late dinner sitting we missed the celebrations for Ascot, etc. in the Queens Room because these commenced too early. We were appalled at the wait of up to 2 hours to be processed by US Customs ' Immigration when going ashore at Fort Lauderdale. Maybe beyond Cunard's control, but surely they want the tourist dollars ashore? Our only Cunard shore trip was to the Kennedy Space Centre, which was wonderful and a long-time ambition fulfilled. Of course, having Buzz Aldrin on board for his talks beforehand was a very special bonus which I will never forget! The formality on board initially was a little irksome, but with the passage of a few days we came to appreciate the standards Cunard insisted on. Meals in the Britannia Restaurant were excellent - in 3 successive dinners I had partridge, Pheasant, and lobster! Excellent staff there, and a sommelier who made recommendations without pushing the more expensive wines. As we had booked with "pre-paid gratuities" we were at a loss to know how much to tip our wonderful stewards and waiters - perhaps more guidance could be provided by Cunard? For New Zealanders who generally do not believe or experience tipping, this is no small problem! Read Less

We had just retired and decided a world cruise was a great way to transition from our work lifestyle to finally having the fun we always dreamed of in retirement. What a great decision! We boarded in Los Angeles for the LA/Sydney/LA leg of the QV's world cruise with many ports in the South Pacific...Hawaii, Fiji, French Polynesia, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Milford Sound/Picton and Wellington, NZ, Bora Bora and many more. Our balcony cabin was very clean, convenient, comfortable and had lots of storage. Service aboard from our cabin steward to all the various restaurant/dining room staff was absolutely excellent in every way possible. The quality of the food was very good. I have critical diet restrictions which were unhesitatingly accommodated, always with a smile and kind words. Having the option of room service if we weren't feeling up to going to the dining room was much appreciated. We particularly enjoyed the paddle tennis and exercise facilities as well as the many interesting guest speakers and most of the entertainment. Wrangling laundry was challenging until we discovered when the machines were most likely to be available (first thing in the morning, around dinner time, in ports). The only disappointment was the mediocre salon (why do they not do gel nails??!!) but operation of the salon is sub-contracted out and not a Cunard service. We met many wonderful people and have new friends from all over the world we are still in touch with and look forward to cruising with again......QM2 world cruise 2017 anyone?! Read Less

We took the 94 day Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale segment of the 2015 Around the world Pacific Princess Cruise. The cruise far exceeded my expectations. The Pacific Princess is one of the smallest and oldest of the Princess fleet. I was initially concerned that the boat would show its age and would not have the smooth ride of the bigger boats, but the price of the cruise was attractive and the 32 port itinerary sold my wife. Also the fact that we could embark and leave the ship in US ports meant reasonably short domestic, affordable, flights to and from our home. Upon boarding, I was amazed at the almost new appearance of the ship. It has been kept in outstanding condition. Over the three months on the ship, I could pick out a bit of rust in an obscure corner or a dangling thread on the bottom of a chair, but only the most persnickety could complain. Our cabin was tight but very livable once we got everything organized and our schedules worked out (I found working out in the fitness center when my wife need the bathroom in the morning was a marriage saver). Also everything worked: the lights, the water, and the heating and cooling. I am finding that balconies are no longer luxuries, but necessities. The service was also unbelievable. Almost without exception we were served with a smile and well, and the very few times that the weight of the day did not produce a smile, we were still served well. Somehow Princess keeps its crews happy. The food was diverse, plentiful and very attractively presented. A fitness center and using the stairs instead of the elevators, kept us from gaining weight. My wife had a hard time each day trying to do all of the activities that she wanted to do: lectures, crafts, games, improvement classes, competitions, and entertainment (she joined the choir). I had a great time not doing most of what was available. We did play duplicate bridge almost every sea day. The rumor was that Princess was not going to support organized bridge anymore, but they had a great bridge lecturer and director and his wife on the cruise, and we really enjoyed the classes and games. Seating for dinner was traditional. And after awhile formal nights became tiring. Quite a few passengers either ignored the formal dress code or ate in the buffet. I do not think anyone would have complained if the number of formal nights was cut in half. We dodged 2 typhoons and 2 cyclones in the Pacific Ocean and had 12 straight weeks of beautiful weather until a hurricane force depression threatened us in the North Atlantic. Captain Tim keep us informed, and diverted the ship's course to the south to minimize the effects of the storm. He even gave a lecture on weather, so the passengers could understand what was happening. Nevertheless, we had a few days of large swells and rain, but the ship handled it well - although it was pretty bouncy. All in all, a great trip on a very good ship. Read Less

We had never been on a lengthy cruise before and were somewhat apprehensive about a four month journey. However, the moment we stepped aboard the Silver Whisper for our World Cruise our fears melted away and we were thrilled, excited and grateful to have the opportunity for such an incredible experience. We are a retired couple who have been on many cruises and cruise lines and Silversea far exceeds any other line on which we have sailed. The embarkation process was so quick and easy, particularly since the luggage valet service ships your bags from home directly to your cabin. The cabins are spacious, comfortable, and kept immaculate by the amazing housekeeping staff. The food in the dining room and specialty restaurants was absolutely delicious. We were always able to ask for a special item for dinner on any night and they would have it prepared for us the following evening. No matter which activity we found ourselves involved, we were greeted by a warm and sincere smile by the crew. The excursions were informative, interesting, creative, and FUN! Even in extremely remote places we always felt safe. Silversea always sends a crew representative with each group, just in case something doesn't go as planned. They are prepared for any contingency. Also, they usually only fill the buses about half full, which makes it very comfortable for travel. Disembarkation went very smoothly, and we were made very comfortable until we exited the ship. We are extremely excited to be signed up for the 2019 World Cruise on Silversea. The itinerary is incredible, with lots of time in the beautiful South Pacific Islands and Africa. We are so excited about our upcoming cruise and would love to hear from anyone who is booked or considering taking this incredible journey with us. Read Less