2 nights 3 days to Sydney, we got to the terminal at the correct time to find every one else had the same time ,so 45 mins doing the bag line shuffle , we climbed on board as so many Brisbane folks also did , there where the normal bars, entertainment ,shops we choose a widow cabin as not worth a balcony for the short time trip , the first night was the band on deck ,as we left port ,then they had the bands playing after the evening meal ,in the bars , the entertainment was the comedy show , which was very funny , thes day at sea was a bit slower as the activitys where less then we thought but there where movies on the TV to which we watched , as the evening came we then watched the on deck movie ,we have 2000 people on board yet i counted 10 people watching this movie , for us more room , on arrival in Sydney we waited till the breaky line was slow around 8 am , by this time the line had less then 5 people simply walked in loaded plate and off to the seat , finally finished we simply headed to the gang way and left as our bags where carry on ,so easy , then off the gangway and into the heart of Sydney Read Less

My first Princess cruise and loved every minute. The inside cabin on deck 12 handy to the great outdoors, bar, buffets, and lifts down into the ship. The food in the Horizon Court was better than expexted savoring 21 differenr soups in 14 days,the clam chowder outstanding. The french onion soup in the Traviata dining room highly recommended. The New Zealand lamb in Sterling Steakhouse ,exquisite . I also learnt some new salad combination from the bowls on the buffet at lunch time. The pizzas were fantastic, went back a second night with new new found friends meet on board at the life jacket drill. All singing all dancing show were standing room only,plenty to laugh at at the comedian or wonder how the magic trick happened. Two white grand piano & one black got a work out in the atrium, great live bands performed ship wide. Ill be back on Princess cruises soon Read Less

We think the crew and the activities supplied for the cruise were fanastic. The choice of dining was outstanding and well presented. Overall good value and a great holiday. We would sail on her again. We think Princess cruises have a good understanding of our needs and catered to perfection, so that our holiday was an excellent experience. The cabin was well serviced each day and Steward thought of everything to make us feel welcome. Andy the entertainment director was very funny and talented to boot. The entertainment group presented world class shows especially Encore. The onboarding entertainment around the ship daily was really great as well and to a high standard. The Casino was fun and well set out with a variety of machines to play. There are plenty of bars and places around the ship to relax and enjoy the entertainment. The pool areas were well stocked with towels. We would travel again on princess cruises and recommend to our friends. Thanks for a great holiday. Read Less

Loved PAST Sea princess cruises. Great food, entertainment and great staff. Completely opposite in staff value. Very unethical and not up to scratch. Head waiter at table completely useless, i complained about a bottle of white wine that was left open and not refrigerated for TWO days.It was completely off! Nothing was done about it. It cost me another $50 for another bottle. Complained at Service desk on last day, still charged for two bottles, NOT GOOD ENOUGH!! 24th Feb filled out cruise survey, no response. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!! Partner and i have done about 15 cruises between us. No more Princess cruises for us... PENDING IF WE RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY REPLY OR NOT! At least they fixed our cabin woes. But for a bottle wine, no refund! Its the principal of it all! We call it customer service!! Should train their staff to be more understanding at complaint levels Read Less

Always wanted to see New Zealand and we thought that a cruise would provide the best opportunity to visit the various regions. We took the New Zealand 15 day cruise with Princess and were booked on the Sea Princess. While we enjoyed all of the Ports of Call and tours there were some negative aspects to our cruise. We had never sailed on the Sun Princess but were aware it was smaller than the Royal Class ships we were used to sailing on. It also was not equipped with the Princess "Medallion" system. Big negative was that the Sea Princess (22 years old) is not very well maintained with copious amounts of rust, aging facilities and decor along with average food. Cabin was small and again was showing its age. As experienced cruisers with Princess we anticipated top tier dining and unfortunately were disappointed with the overall quality of what was offered. The Sun Princess crew that we came in contact with were all very helpful and courteous in every respect. Without exception they all worked hard to make everyone feel comfortable during the time we were aboard. On the entertainment side, we enjoyed the evening shows which were professionally produced and interestingly enough had a large contingent of Americans all of whom were outstanding. New Zealand was fabulous even though we missed part of our itinerary due to weather and a couple of port calls were shortened. Great people, great and very scenic country with excellent port calls, some too short, and very good well organized shore excursions. We will have many fond memories of our Tasmania & New Zealand Cruises for many years to come. In summation the value for what we paid was below average primarily due to the ship's condition and food. Read Less

This is a cruise ship for the Older Generation, most of the passengers were 70 yrs and up, with a lot of wheelie walkers etc, I am not belittling anyone just stating how it was. The cruise itself was fantastic, the food was top notch, the staff from the Captain down were so friendly and helpful, the cabins are a bit on the small side (we had an inside cabin), the coffee was disgusting, could not get a decent coffee anywhere on board. The entertainment was great, the Bingo is really expensive and the prizes were a bit lousy, compared to other cruises I have been on. The ship itself is old but well maintained, and very clean. The beds are super comfortable, and the showers are really good. Overall the destination was really good ,we went to Tasmania, and had 3 stops (Burnie, Hobart and Port Arthur) plus cruised past the Freycinet Peninsula, just be aware Tasmania has funny weather patterns we had both hot and cold, so have to pack a bit of all weather gear. All in all an enjoyable cruise, but not really for families, as there is limited activities for the younger generation. Read Less

The itinerary on this cruise was excellent and better than i expected, I enjoyed all the ports. The crew on the ship were excellent too and overall I would say the best crew I have ever come across in over 30 cruises. Our cabin steward was really amazing too. So those points saved the cruise BUT the tired decor and the age of the ship brought it down. The peeling paint on the balcony made it a waste of money to even have a balcony as we couldn't use it. The embarkation process in Brisbane was a disaster and the worst I've ever seen in the world. The area wasn't big enough, not enough room at the counter and they didn't have a card for me to board the ship but the cruise was booked 12 months previously. The Destination Expert seemed to miss relevent information and the talks went on too long with superfluous information. I did visit his desk one day to ask questions but was more or less brushed off without getting any information. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the itinerary to Papua New Guinea from Brisbane We are big princess fans and took our children and granddaughter on this cruise for a great family vacation We were all staying in club class mini suites We have previously stayed in a suite with star princess and club class Mini suites on crown princess This smaller ship is wonderful Yes she is much older but everyday she is clean and sparkling for the new day But all cabins have been refurbished and the princess beds Devine The food is first class and the staff across the whole ship are fantastic We are just about to head off the the Caribbean on the new sky princess and hope she is as good as sea princess By the way we encountered some good swells while away and she is very stable and most of the time you forget you are on a ship Read Less

Having cruised twice before and frequented the nightlife this cruise was to experience the offerings of the ship Sea Princess and we were not disappointed! Professional, disciplined management led to an amazing experience of locations and its people in Papua New Guinea and the Conflict Islands.Highlights were endless, but particularly enjoyed visiting a school and hospital in Alotau, war memorials in Rabaul, a turtle hatchery and snorkelling from a pontoon on Panasesa Island, staying till the last tender, late night shows, dancing in the Legends Bar and on the outdoor deck disco, sauna swim, afternoon cocktails at sunset and early morning laps in the deck pool! Food was amazing as was the Steakhouse experience! Staff hospitality was second to none and individual service was outstanding! Unique to this cruise was the delivery of lectures on Australia's war history in the Pacific and the dynamics of modern piracy! Lectures were always at full capacity! An emotional conclusion from Mr Peter Sweeney a former Lt Col. with the Australian Reservists acknowledging the overwhelming interest of the passengers, was insightful to the sacrifices of all service people, globally! Time was limited (11 days) but would have enjoyed talks from the maritime staff and the audience...there were many stories! Aboveall, a memorable experience of the fascinating indigenous people of the Pacific to our north made possible only by the seamless hospitality of the majestic Sea Princess and its staff! Read Less

We were left feeling disappointed after several cruise on this ship the standard seems to be on the decline. In the past Princess have been out-standing in just about every department. This trip, the price of every thing seems to have gone through the roof, wine that can be purchased for $11.00 here in Australia is sold in the dining room for $42.00. Now I have no issue with people making a profit but four time the price and duty free, really. Another example was I wanted to buy a Tissot Sea Star watch the price was considerably lower from Amazon and they were charging tax & freight. The comment must have been heard several times at the photo display " if they were cheaper I'd have it" (They didn't) Princess miss out again. I'm not going to pass any comment on what is described as "Art Sales" most of the pictures looked as if they'd been knocked out in the Guangzhou school of art for the colour blind. This cruise wasn't a patch on previous ones we've had where the service, food, entertainment and overall feeling was lets book another. I'm sure Princess can and will up there game, but don't eave it to long Princess. Read Less

I rated the cruise as Very Good, but it was between Average and Very Good. As with most cruises, there were good and bad experiences, and some that were OK, but could do with a re-think. We booked late in the year, and got an inside cabin at a very good price. We had Anytime Dining and could generally get a table (around 7.45 pm). We liked our waiters on the second night so we asked to be seated in their area each night. The waiters were friendly, efficient, very aware and they really made the cruise as they greeted us warmly each night, with a smile and a joke. They greeted us by name if they saw us during the day, and if time allowed, would stay for a chat. The food was very good, with a couple of highlights, including rack of lamb and some nice fish (telopea?). The wine list was comprehensive and prices were equivalent to those in a good restaurant in Australia. The food in the buffet was generally good, and the staff were always willing to bring you a juice or a cup of tea/coffee. I would prefer there be individual buffet stations, but it would mean a complete revamp. The coffee varied, but was generally OK. You could always get a barista coffee if you had a package or paid for it. The Sterling Steakhouse was a disappointment. They just block off one half of the buffet area. The food quality was varied as my wife enjoyed her dishes, but my bisque was lukewarm, and my steak was cooked as I requested but the meat was chewy and almost inedible. For $35 each extra, it was not worth it. However, I did hear others say they enjoyed it. Summary: it was our first time on a Princess ship, but would not go on Sea Princess again. Willing to try another Princess ship. Good value for money. Staff were the highlight and I rewarded them appropriately. A couple of times I ordered Room Service for lunch, and the Chef's Salad was terrific. I did not care much for the entertainment, except the soprano from Melbourne who received a standing ovation. The main theatre is small, and it was often difficult to get a seat unless you went 45 minutes prior to the show. One fun event we participated in was Musical Bingo (no charge). The demographics of the cruise: many very elderly and frail people, so heaps of walking sticks, roller walkers, wheelchairs. There were a few children, but hardly saw them. I did meet the 2 loveliest young girls, who were so courteous. Whenever they saw us later on, they greeted us by name. We met some very nice people, usually in the bar before dinner, or at breakfast. The weather was not great, so there were always pool lounges available. We missed 2 ports and received a refund for government/port charges. The scenery highlight for me was going through the Sounds. The Captain kept us well-informed as to what was happening, and the Cadet gave a midday briefing with some nautical trivia. The Casino had limited table games, and there were plenty of pokies. Casino staff were very friendly and at least smiled ruefully when they took your money! Internet was very expensive (around $30 a day). Read Less

This is one of the best ways to see NZ. Better than a camper van, you don't have to steer the boat, don't even have to row, unless you want to. Two days of sea-relaxing before-hand then immersing into the land thing via the vertical landscape of the fjords. And then it's on. Dunedin, for it's cold,Akaroa for it's unfortunate neighbour, Wellington for its breezes, Napier for it's olde-worlde charm, then where else ... Auckland for it's big-city ness ( parking right next to the CBD, and Tauranga, the jump off point to see Rotorua, seemingly the mini-bus capital of the world. If you ain't in one of them, you've missed out. Not in chronological order, or geographic order, I know, cos sometimes them boats go "d'other way round" NZ IS GOOD, They speak the language, drive on the left, eat the same food, you can breathe the air, drink the water,and trust the natives, And they genuinely love tourists, for the general income we bring the country, I believe, not for the personal gain they can make. But enough of the natives .... Cruising is all about FOOD. Yes, you know it is. Of course the food everywhere onboard was well cooked, tasty, well-served, And that first bite, the one you do with your eyes, was fan-tastic. Cruise with these people. They're worth it. Read Less

One of my sisters had not been to New Zealand so we chose to join the Sea Princess. The three of us are elderly aged from 69 - 81 years young. The cabin was clean and well looked after by the steward. Our only complaint :- It would of been better if we were all able to have three single beds rather than two singles and a bunk which was difficult for people of our age to climb into, younger people probably would manage it better. The dining was excellent and there was plenty to choose from the menu. The entertainment was also excellent and most entertaining. We only did one shore excursion that was to Hobbitown Movie Set. It was well worth the expense. Because of rough weather we were unable to call into a couple of ports, Akaroa and Napier which was a shame as they are both lovely places, but the Captain made the decision that it was too dangerous and that the passengers safety was more important which I agreed with his decision. Had no problem with embarkation or disembarkation it all went smoothly. Read Less

Went on this cruise to enjoy a Christmas away. Turned out it was nothing special as we expected a special Christmas lunch which didn't happen. The staff need to enforce the dress regulations in a more thorough manner as we saw people in shorts, T shirts and tattered jeans being admitted to formal evenings. Not a good situation for the guests that did observe the dress rules. Very lax indeed. There was also a noticeable absence of officers moving about the ship, in fact we never saw the captain at any point in time. Other cruise lines we have been on there was always officers present throughout the ship. I must say that checking in and embarkation went smoothly, however this appeared to be handled by private staff. Dis-embarkation was also handled smoothly. At least there was a high side to our trip as the dining room staff were first class as was the cabin steward. Unfortunately, we have already booked and paid a deposit for another cruise with Princess before taking this cruise so I guess we will have to put up with this all over again. Read Less

Chose this cruise for family of 8. Three children under 18, parents in 40’s and grandparents over 60. We grandparents have spent much time on Sea Princess, each sailing we notice the cut downs everywhere - staff, indifferent service by some, lousy movies on deck and on cabin TV’s. Very little for under 18’s unless in kids club. Also for the under 50’s. Still the same ‘games’ etc. very little deck parties, games and not much nightlife for them. Overall, tis my opinion that a lot of things were just ‘tired’. Same old, same old and didn’t notice anything new. Perhaps I am being somewhat ‘picky’. So many small things that were ‘wrong’ led to an overall ‘feeling’ of disappointment. Sea Princess attention to detail was sadly lacking in many areas. Food slopped in and out of bowl in Traviata was a ‘surprise’. At the start, all of our cruise cards were incorrectly labelled as set dining, cruise personalizer was anytime dining for all. We had to go from one place to another to have this ‘fixed’ - with a paper sticker over that part of card. Food in Horizon Court still not hot enough. Some new ‘rules/regulations’ were rubbish stuff. Read Less

We have done this cruise a number of times and we love it however, in January 2019 we noticed a sharp decline in the food on the ship in comparison to prior years, we cruised on the same ship again in December 2019 and unfortunately the food was pretty woeful again. It would be better to raise the price by a couple of hundred bucks and keep the food as amazing as it used to be instead of just cropping the quality of the food and keeping the prices the same. The drinks package is 15 drinks per day which sounds like a lot but when you are at sea there is nothing else to do, you can run out pretty easily, a couple more in the package would be better. We also noticed the entertainment seems to be a bit lack luster now as opposed to the past cruises. On the plus side, the staff on board have always been and continue to be amazing, extremely helpful and just genuinely happy people, it really does make your vacation so much nicer when the people around you appear to be happy. Our room was a Balcony room and it was our first time with this room having always gone an interior cabin. The difference is incredible and we will always go for a Balcony from now on, it's worth every extra cent you pay. Make sure you tip your cabin steward as soon as you get on board and again at the end, these guys work really hard away from their families and the tips really help. Read Less

After living in Papua New Guinea in the 1970s, my husband and I decided do a cruise there to visit other areas we had not seen. This cruise left from Brisbane to Papua New Guinea and back to Brisbane. The cruise terminal at Brisbane is archaic and extremely hot in summer, especially when you are lining up for ages, which we did. The smaller ship experience on the Sea Princess was great. We had a balcony cabin and the bed was fantastically comfortable - best I have slept in on a cruise ship - well done Princess. The bathroom was very small, and the door opened onto the wardrobe door when opened, a few bumps there between me and my husband. Clothes storage was more than adequate for us for the length of the voyage and I have never seen so many coat hangers in one place. Our suitcases stored neatly under the bed. TV was large with good reception - but I wish they had movies on demand. We did 5pm dining with a table of ten. We enjoyed ourselves immensely with the other diners. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. We also had breakfast in the other dining room for the majority of the cruise and lunch there as often as possible. Always sharing a table for lunch, where we met interesting people. We dined once at the Sterling Steakhouse and I have to say the steak was tender and cooked to my exact requirements - worth the cost of $35 each. The only meals we were unimpressed with was one breakfast in the dining room and the English Pub lunch. We went up to the Horizon Court for a couple of lunches when at ports and found the variety of food to be poor on those days. The waiters at all dining venues were attentive and helpful, including at The Horizon Court, but we found it frustrating finding a table there. Staff were spot on with ensuring you washed your hands and/or used the hand sanitiser. Huge improvement on our cruise two years ago. Enjoyed the nightly entertainment at the Princess Theatre. We sat and listening to music played in The Atrium and other areas of the ship. We joined in for Trivia and other activities which were fun. Whenever you go ashore, take bottled water with you as it is hot and humid. Princess had water available in cups on the islands near where you disembarked/embarked. This was a very welcome service. For Alotau, Kitava, Rabaul, Kiriwina Island you are best to take currency in Kina. If you can obtain lower dominations of Kina, it makes it easier to buy smaller items from the markets, stalls etc. The Conflict Islands accept Australian Dollars and you change your money for tokens - I was under the impression there were no refunds for tokens. It may pay you to scout around first to see what you want to pay for and then do your transaction. It's easy to find the building where you exchange money for tokens. Our ports of call were good fun. Out of the five ports, three were available by tender only. And we were blessed with good weather for tendering and were lucky to visit all three picturesque islands. We only did one Princess excursion for the entire voyage and that was at Alotau (first port of call) where we attended The Alotau Cultural Festival for an hour or two, and it was enjoyable watching the traditional dancing. The people of Papua New Guinea were delightful and welcoming. There were stalls where you could buy wooden items, cloth, clothing, shells and other bits and pieces, a cafe and little museum. You were able to photograph there, but I always asked if it was okay to do so. The next stop was Kitiva, my favourite destination. There were no excursions here, you just walked around while mingling with the local population. You could snorkel, swim and take boat and canoe rides etc. There were a few spots where you paid a small fee to visit - we did so to support the Islanders. Plus, there were also traditional dancers, including many children. We were befriended by a lovely local man who told us all about the Island and its people. Again, you could buy carvings, shells, baskets etc. We saw a demonstration of how they smoked their fish. They were pretty well self-sufficient. A most memorable visit. Gliding into Rabaul's scenic harbour was a highlight too. We docked there. Princess had a lot of excursions going but we found a local tour company that sold us a short tour of old Rabaul and its airstrip that were destroyed by ash from two volcanic cones (Vulcan and Tavurvur) erupting in 1994. Our minivan was rather old, with windows for air conditioning and a guide and driver. The roads were filled with potholes, some could nearly swallow a small car! But it was a pleasurable excursion and we also visited Tavurvur, the active stratovolcano and the hot springs there. You could see steam flowing from it. We asked to be dropped off at the local marketplace at the end of our tour and then made our way by foot back to the ship, not a particularly long walk, perhaps a kilometre, but it was hot and humid. The tour guide would drop you back at the ship if you preferred. The locals lined the street leading to the ship selling their wares and it was fun walk. Kiriwina was next, one of the world's most intact island cultures. It is also the largest of the Trobriand Islands. A beautiful place to visit. Again, no excursions but you saw dancing, beautiful beaches, could swim and snorkel, travel in canoes etc. Just be aware that you may be asked for money when you photograph people and certain areas there - as experienced by myself. We walked around looking at items they had for sale and visited a small village where we were asked for a donation towards a generator. We were happy to oblige. Thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The Conflict Islands were breathtaking with their sensational sapphire blue waters. Princess had excursions here and you could scuba dive, do a private beach picnic, reef snorkel and also see the turtle conservation. We just meandered around soaking up the scenery. Again, an amazing destination. We had brilliant weather for the voyage back to Australia. It was an outstanding holiday where we could get off the ship to visit interesting places and also kickback and enjoy ourselves on the ship. Read Less

We chose Princess Cruises because we wanted to see New Zealand. This was our 9th Ocean Cruise with various cruise lines, and we have also been on 10 River Cruises, mostly with Viking. We chose Anytime Dining, not wanting the alternatives of either an early sitting (5:30pm) or a late sitting (7:45pm) and not wanting to use the buffet on Deck 14. We had to wait outside the dining room, sometimes for as long as 30 minutes, when we wanted a table on our own. Hardly anytime dining, so we mostly said we were willing to share a table with others, which has its drawbacks. I often had to wait more than 30 minutes for my one breakfast dish, while others at the table were having fruit, muesli, pastries, etc. We went to the buffet a few times, either just before or just after an excursion, but it was awful, standing around looking for a table which was just about to become available, and trying to grab it before someone else got there first. We only went to the Princess Theatre once, as it was far too loud, same as with the Movies Under the Stars. I said to my daughter that they should take into account the average age of the passengers when setting the volume. She said that they probably had done just that! I drink cider, so my choices were limited, either Strongbow, which is not to my liking, or Angry Orchard, which was fine. Except when the ship ran out of them after the first week. Fortunately, I found that the Wheelhouse Bar on Deck 7 had Bulmers Cider on draught, unfortunately it was only open in the evenings. Any more complaints? I thought the bar prices were a bit on the high side, Aus$ 8.75 for a 330ml bottle, and Aus$ 12 for a pint. Excursions were also a bit pricey; we pre-booked one with Shore Trips and Tours before we left home, and it was about half the price of the equivalent ship's excursion. What did we find acceptable? Embarkation and Disembarkation were well organised, cabin was kept clean, the food in the restaurant was excellent, the bar staff were always cheery, and Midnight Duo were our favourite entertainers. Read Less

This was a 13 day New Zealand cruise with Brisbane to Brisbane port. Of the 13 days, six were at sea so there wasn’t a lot of time allocated for shore excursions. Ship capacity was about 2,000 and it was pretty booked. I was disappointed in the overall look of the ship as it is in need of a renovation. Some common areas had rust and stains and dated furnishings. Our balcony stateroom was decent although a couple of extra square feet would have made a real difference in the comfort. Storage was good as was the lighting over the bed, an important consideration if you like to read at night. We were a group of six and had 7:45 pm dinner seating each evening in the Rigoletto dining room. Service was really excellent and food was pretty good. The buffet area was decent but nothing to rave about. Several times we had problems getting tables, but never waited more than 10 minutes. Staff were pretty efficient with clearing tables to keep them turning. I wasn’t impressed with the musical entertainment. Performers were good but I would have loved a real show with professional performers like they offered on Norwegian. There wasn’t enough time in ports and the guides were rushing people through the sites. For several excursions the bulk of the allotted time was getting there and back, with very little time at the sites. Overall, we had a good time but Princess has to kick it up a notch to be competitive with other carriers. Read Less

Since I had not been on a cruise before, a friend asked me would I like to go to see if I would like it. I absolutely enjoyed it very much and I would like to go again. Having a disability which requires me to use a walking stick and some limited movement, I was worried how I would manage, but I managed very well. From embarking to disembarking everything was Great, even the weather was perfect. All staff and crew were friendly and helpful. The stateroom was ideal for me., especially having grab rails in the shower and near the toilet. I enjoyed taking my time walking around the ships and I had no difficulty get on and off the tender when going ashore. I enjoyed the entertainment, movies and the wonderful food and I even got to see dolphins , the one thing I wanted to see. If you have a disability or mobility issues, I recommend checking out going on a cruise. Rough seas I think would be a challenge getting around, but I think I would stay in my stateroom, order room service and when the seas calm down, I would head out to enjoy everything the ship had to offer. Read Less

This was a 7 night cruise from Brisbane to Cairns & return We have been on many cruises over the years, so I can compare with some reference to other cruises & companies. Boarding at Portside terminal was reasonably fast without issue, even though the terminal is a bit tired, still the new terminal next year should improve things. We booked a stateroom with a balcony, midship forward on Aloha deck 11. A327. This cabin would be the smallest of any we have experienced to date with a small desk & 1 chair. Likewise the balcony, barely room for 2 chairs. The ship is quite old now even though it has undergone a recent interior refit, however the painted over & staining rust was quite visible on the metalwork on the balcony & gangways. This cruise was a full ship, and it became obvious that facilities, like the Theatre, & casual dining, are too small to cater for all passengers. This resulted in being unable to get a seat for some performances unless you arrive 30 minutes beforehand. It also meant the we had to search for seating at breakfast & evening dining in the Horizon Court Buffet. The age profile of the passengers is quite old with a disproportionate number using walking frames, buggies & wheelchairs. This made using the lifts very slow & moving around the ship a bit more difficult. ( I am 75). There were no tea & coffee facilities in the stateroom. Look very carefully at the 'future cruise on board deposit & $100pp' offer, Yes you can get $150pp if you book a balcony cruise for 17+ days, but its only $50pp balcony for 7-14 days ($25 interior). We purchased the premium drinks package, which is expensive compared to other cruise lines, because the cost of drinks on board are expensive. The staff running the ship are delightful as was our cabin Stewart. Read Less

Traveling to far off places is both exciting and enriching. I can’t think of a much further destination than Australia. While this is not our first visit to Australia, it was our longest. Thirty one days is what we spent in total. Because we fell in love with Sydney on our last visit, we again scheduled a few days stay in this beautiful city at the Westin Inn. We chose this cruise because it circumnavigated the whole continent of Australia. On our last visit, we were at the tail end of a cruise that began in Auckland, New Zealand, and sailed south around that beautiful country, and terminated in Sydney. This cruise allowed us to visit multiple ports as we sailed counterclockwise around Australia. This provided a fascinating overview of the many different geological and commercial venues that adorn this country. A surprise port was in Alotau, New Guinea! Princess Cruises provided numerous opportunities to enjoy excursions in each port of call. There were excursions that all passengers could enjoy. Of course, you have to expect that a particular excursion might be cancelled due to lack of guests signing up. Reimbursements are made in these rare cases. Don’t miss taking the spectacular Skyrail Gondola ride in Cairns, or the Ngilgi Cave trek in Margaret River(Busselton). Entertainment on board featured some of the best musicians that we have ever experienced! Two were especially spectacular, that performed in Crooners Bar Lounge area. They were Pierre Eugene and the Moonlight Duo. Pierre, a pianist from Haiti, sang songs in his mellow, romantic voice, that covered the eras from the 1930’s through the present day. The Moonlight Duo, beautiful young ladies, that played piano and violin, enthralled guests in Crooners as well as in other venues around the ship. I could go on and on, but I’m sure space is limited. Let me end by just stating that Princess made every aspect of this cruise effortless and gracious. Princess remains the number one choice of ocean going cruise lines for us, and we have sailed with quite a few other lines. If you have the time, this will be a cruise of a lifetime, that you will never forget! Read Less

My husband and I travel annually on Princess Cruises as part of a special interest (Classical Music) tour group that we lead, bringing our own professional musicians with us. We have always appreciated the assistance that Princess Cruises have given us regarding venues and technical assistance with our concerts (albeit with some extra cost). On the whole, I would recommend the Princess Cruise line most definitely. On this particular cruise, however, it was a smoking issue that affected us personally, that caused us grief and I take issue with Princess Cruises because of the distress that I, particularly, was caused. The smoking area on the Promenade deck was often populated with a significant number of passengers - along with staff in uniform (!) smoking. The flow-on effect that this created, was that cigarette smoke travelled very strongly into our cabin located 2 decks above this area. One would think that the air would dissipate the smoke -- not so! The stench coming into our cabin was SO strong - that the balcony doors had to remain closed. Fortunately, our group had a spare cabin due to a late cancellation, that we were able to move into. If this had not been the case, we would likely have had to endure the second-hand stench of cigarette smoke for the whole of our New Zealand cruise, as cabin changes are discouraged and rarely available. I have a respiratory condition that would have seen me very ill and I strongly object to the placement of this Promenade Deck smoking area below - which infiltrates cabins in the vicinity. My suggestion for future cruise travellers, is to look very carefully at the smoking areas on the ship (2 allocated areas) when booking staterooms and avoid balcony staterooms in those areas, if you object to breathing second-hand smoke. Those "Princess" staff responsible for setting smoking policy, need to understand how far cigarette smoke travels - particularly with wind variances on a ship. Princess ships used to allow smoking on balconies and I am very grateful that they no longer allow this. That was a great step in the right direction. Now they need to go further and act to protect those passengers paying for balconies from inhaling cigarette smoke from allocated smoking decks. It goes without saying that having an allocated smoking area on a Promenade deck, flies in the face of all of those folk walking around the deck for fresh air, who must run the gauntlet of the smoking area (and it's effects 20 metres beyond) on each turn around. This smoking area is just outside the doors and therefore, each time the doors open, the smoke pours into to the adjacent lift lobby, the Vista lounge and the photographic area. One cannot avoid breathing in the strong stench into these public areas. Taking a short-cut through the Internet Cafe in order to avoid the putrid air near the open doors, sometimes helped a little - but should not have been necessary. The placement of a much-used smoking area on the Promenade Deck is a curious and badly thought-out decision and one that Princess needs to definitely review. Princess ships are definitely ships of good quality regarding service. Cabin stewards, dining room waiters and other staff are well-trained and respectful of passengers needs. On the whole, staff were excellent. We would be happy to sail with Princess again, providing that this issue of second-hand cigarette smoke is addressed. I have certainly made a note of cabins that I would avoid next time. Regarding dining, the meals are generally good and a reasonable variety is included on the menu. Vegetarian meals are, however limited. One can request a look at the menu for the following night and discuss one's choice with the head waiter - so an attempt to meet dietary needs is offered. The buffet had plenty of choice - although the fresh fruit was mainly limited to melons. A more extensive range of fresh fruit would have been appreciated eg. berries. However, I can appreciate that storing such fruit may be problematic. As our special tour group brought our own musicians onboard, we were heavily involved with our own concerts and therefore cannot comment on the activities or entertainment personally. Read Less

Five couples agreed to a get together and N.Z. was our choice. No animal cruelty in our stateroom cabin / balcony as could not swing a cat and taken back to be greeted with two single beds so second honeymoon called off there and then !! Was this cruise specifically to cater for Senior Seniors as it appeared that way ? Not much life after 11.15pm each night and no participants for the Tap Gypsy Tap or the Boogie Woogie !! On the positive side you could not ask for better staff and their efficient happy service and humour was also appreciated. High praise for Edwin & Jun in the bar at level 5 and added to the ambience of this section of ship to become our meeting place when couples became lost. Very Beautiful . (VB) Do not let this deter you from Princess Cruises as they certainly have bigger, better, newer ships however in all honesty will not be recommending Sea Princess to my friends / contacts. Read Less

This was our first cruise. It was part of the Brisbane 4MBS classical music tour to New Zealand. From classical music concerts each day, to splendid evening dinners in Rigolettos and to our cabin comforts - it was an awesome cruise and something we're not going to forget in a hurry. There are some stand outs of our cruise. Mostly around the people who made it so enjoyable, from the people who served our tables and ensured our meals were to our dietary requirements, to the wonderful smile that we were greeted with each morning as we left our cabin and again when we returned. Our hearty thanks go to those special people - Darwin our cabin steward, and Rigolettos' head waiter Jun, table service Agnelo, Romel and Ranko. Wonderful people who made our journey memorable. The decor throughout was especially pleasing, the staircase in the atrium and the glass lifts all go to make it a very special cruise. The food of course was spectacular. The chef excelled himself with something different every night. I just loved the dairy free desserts that were made!! Thank you so much for taking the time out. The afternoon and early evening classical music in the atrium was wonderful to listen to and relax by. There is so much that was great about this trip. Thank you to the Captain and all the crew of the Sea Princess. I have only one slight downer - it would be great if it was a smoke free ship. Walking out into a wall of smoke was not the best, especially when the wind was blowing in and it wafted into the photography area and the vista lounge. Read Less