Choose the Pacific Princess as we enjoy the small ship atmosphere. Arrived 2 days earlier and stayed at the new Holiday Inn, Terminal 4. Took Princess shuttle to Dover cruise port. Small ship plus is that you really get to know your fellow passengers, disadvantage would be that you do not have the movies under the stars. Balcony rooms are larger then the stand balcony. Highlight of the cruise was the 2 days in St. Petersburg. We did an excursion with ALLA TOURS and would highly recommend them to anyone. Did the St Petersburg 2 Day Grand Tour. Had early admission to most points of interest, 2 lunches, ours was a group of 10, and they take care of your tourist visa requirement. Another plus was the Kiel Canal - another plus for being on the small ship. Captain and staff were all very friendly. Disembarkation was very organized and just took the shuttle to the airport and we had early flight. Read Less

This was the second of back to back cruises on this ship. The first was around the British Isles and this one was to Scandinavia. Both cruises started and ended in Dover. Transit arrangements were seamless, there were no custom clearance requirements at Dover. We could stay on the ship or walk on and off anytime we pleased. As I reported on my British Isles cruise review, the ship is great. The small ship means everything is close, the crew seem less stressed than on the larger ships, and the food is also just that little bit better than on the larger ships. The highlight of the cruise was St Petersburg. We were right near the end of the tourist season, which meant less crowds at the popular attractions. The weather was cold, but there was no rain. We did a private tour through Viator, which used local company SPB tours. We had a small group of 14 which made it easy to get around to all the attractions Other places, which surprised us were Riga and Tallinn. The old town areas in these ports were well preserved and very interesting to visit. Copenhagen and Stockholm were other interesting ports. Helsinki did not have much going for it, but that could have been that it was the first port after spectacular St Petersburg. Disembarkation was a straight forward process. A lot of people were staying on the ship for the next cruise, which meant it took less than 15 minutes to clear the ship, pick up luggage and head out of the terminal. Read Less

We loved the Princess small ships and the Pacific Princess is the last of them. We boarded her in Dover for a trip around the British Isles. Boarding was a simple process, no long queues and very efficient through security. The whole process took less than 30 minutes. The condition of the ship was excellent. The furnishings looked near new and the décor was bright and cheery. The ship never appeared overcrowded and the level of service was excellent. We went club class, which meant we could do anytime dining as opposed to the fixed dining times for other passengers. The dining staff were very attentive and nothing was too much trouble. The service was so good in fact that we never used the buffet. There was never a queue for the main dining room breakfast regardless of what type of cabin you booked. The quality of the food was excellent. Steaks etc were cooked to perfection. If you ask for medium rare you got medium rare. The Maitra D’s were always visible and checking if everything was ok. This is in contrast to other cruises we have been on where you rarely saw them. Our stateroom was in excellent condition. The fittings and furniture appeared near new and the bed was very comfortable. Our room steward, Kennedy, kept the suite very clean and was happy to meet all our little extra requests. The guest entertainers were great. At the start of the cruise we had Mat Cairns, who played and sang a mix of Irish Scottish and rock and roll songs. It sounds like an odd combination but it worked very well. Towards the end of the cruise we had Nik Page, who was the best entertainer we have experienced on any cruise. He was outstanding with a rich voice and a little bit of comedy on drums thrown in. If you get the opportunity to see this guy, please do so. In summary a great ship, excellent staff and great itinerary Read Less

With the help of a travel agent we discovered the Princess British isles cruise for Sept,2019 on the Pacific Princess. The 650 guest ship was perfect. Big enough to offer great resources, small enough to be easily accessible. We were fortunate to have terrific weather and smooth seas even over the Orkneys atop Scotland Princess gave a reasonable a la Carte rate, even tho there were continual extra costs. Many such as over priced tours, drinks on board and internet to name three were avoidable. The staff were terrific exhibiting a sincere and customer focused attitude. The entertainment was way above what we expected from other reviews. We ( and other reviewers ) can often be critical, so this is a true compliment. Irish and scotch shows were great. Nick Page of London’s Le Mis fame was an incredible final show. The ship band and dancers were also terrific as was the comedian, magician and other solo artists. We had 13 stops in 15 days all of which were negotiated by a safety conscious crew. One downside was occasional inconvenient access to city centers for those not on a Princess tours especially Edinburg. However there were easily accessible local tours, hop on off busses,(Dublin) local trains (Holyhead) and interesting walks (Edinburg) among others. We took three Princess tours to Lands end in Cornwall, to the standing stones in the Orkney’s and the bus thru London which were well guided tho overpriced. Food was plentiful, well prepared and efficiently and sweetly served in the buffet and regular dining room. We tried one dinner in one of the two special cover charged Dining rooms which while ok was not worth the extra cost. The exercise room was comparable to a Planet fitness gym. We avoided the costly spa and other similar services My T-Mobile phone gave me free and good internet access near and ashore vs the costly Princess plans. We ignored the small casino, and jewelry store as did most it seemed. we travelled with our adult son and spouse which was fun. A sept cruise avoided lots of annoying kids! In summary it was a terrific first cruise, great itinerary, super staff and smartly negotiated by us to be reasonably priced. The great weather made it a total success We chose a lower level cabin which was comfortable, nicely furnished and very stable. I’d do that again vs the overpriced higher levels. We used it largely to sleep in the very comfortable bed and consume some liquors purchased in cities. We purchased our own air travel at a discount and avoided the over priced Princess pre tour hotels. Read Less

We chose this cruise (September 9-23, 2019; roundtrip Dover, England) both for the itinerary and to experience the “small ship” atmosphere of the Pacific Princess. We were not disappointed by either. Indeed, we would sail both this itinerary and this ship again. Embarkation: We booked a few nights in a London hotel (The JW Marriott Grovesnor House) through Princess, which included transfers from London Heathrow to the hotel and then from the hotel to the ship. All of these arrangements were seamless, expeditious, and professional. We essentially walked from the hotel to the bus to the ship, with the slightest of pauses to check in and collect our ship card. Ship: In my opinion, the ship was a perfect size. Nothing was too far away and no venue was ever over-crowded. While the ship is older, it has a gracious feel to it, with a proper (and absolutely lovely) library, nicely appointed common areas, cozy bars, a small casino, and ample outdoor spaces. There are no water slides, go-carts, concert venues, or other features of the new mega-ships. (Frankly, they were not missed). Passengers: The clientele reflects the ship itself. Almost all passengers were 50+ and very well-travelled. Indeed, the Princess “elite” level passengers made up at least half the ship’s guests. Most guests were Americans, Canadians, and British, with a handful of Australians and New Zealanders. This is not a ship for children or teenagers; they would be bored. Service: The service on the ship was uniformly very good and we had no complaints at all about our room stewards, waiters, or bar staff. Food: The food was typical “hotel banquet quality,” with nothing being either truly outstanding or terrible. I am often critical of the buffets offered by Princess, but this buffet, while small, was generally a cut above the usual offerings, with two omelet stations in the morning, a small pizza window, and a burger grill just outside by the pool. My main complaint is that meat dishes were often overcooked and suffered from too much time in steam trays. The specialty restaurants – the Sterling Steakhouse and Sabatini’s – alternate nights. The service in both was exceptional but the food was not exponentially better than that in the main dining room. The Steakhouse did a nice pub lunch on our mid-cruise sea day. Itinerary: The itinerary was very intense: 11 ports in 14 days. That left only two sea days: one after seven ports and the other the last day on the ship before Dover. This left little time to relax on the ship. However, all the ports were great, as were the excursions we took through the ship. While entertainment venues were limited in size, the ship provided some special entertainments brought in from various ports, such as Irish folk lore group and a Scottish bagpipe band. Ports visited: St. Helier in Jersey, Portland, England; Falmouth, Cornwall; Waterford, Ireland; Holyhead, Wales; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Norther Ireland; Perotree, Isle of Skye; Kirkwall, Orkney; Edinburgh, Scotland; Newcastle, England. Shore Excursions: All the shore excursions we booked through the ship were very good and professionally run. Our main complaint is that they were often too short. This is particularly true of the many castle excursions we took (Kilkenny Castle, Alnwick Castle, Dublin Castle) which did not allow enough time to visit the gardens. Adding just one hour to each excursion would be nice. Read Less

Our British Isles Cruise was wonderful! The ship, the excursions and believe it or not the weather were all great! The Pacific Princess is a wonderful small ship. I wanted a balcony, but had to go with a porthole. I didn't think I could enjoy being on the lowest deck with only a porthole, but the room was lovely. It was quiet with very little motion. The only bad side was that you could only use the Aft elevators and stairs, otherwise you were in the crew's quarters. I did accidentally visit the crew a few times before I got the floor plan straight! The food was great. I only had a couple of items that were only good. We made friends with our table mates and many others on the ship since it was small. Our main interest was to see the beautiful countryside and culture. Jersey - great tour to Mont Orgueil Castle and Gorey. Our bus guide was great and our castle guide was amazing.The castle was great, a little scary on the stairs. I was worried about the steep walk but it wasn’t bad with a hiking stick. We enjoyed time on our own after the tour. Be careful if paying for something, you might get change in Jersey money. My husband enjoyed a Liberation beer at a local pub. One of my favorite days! Portland - we went on a private tour with Daren Gapper @ Dorset Day Tours. He was great! The weather was a bit windy and wet in the beginning, but cleared. Check out Daren, you won't be disappointed.We covered so much territory Wonderful day! Cornwall - Ship Excursion Land's End and Scenic Drive, I was a little disappointed in this excursion although our guide was full of information. I tried to find a private excursion but they were all very long and expensive. Waterford - Ship excursion Rural Ireland and Jerpoint Abbey. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed this excursion. I thought with it being short, we would have some time for exploring the town. I wasn't interested in the glass factory so really didn't enjoy wandering the town. I should have done more research before we left. Also, the shuttle to town was $20 round trip. Waterford - Rural Ireland and Jerpoint Abbey: the abbey was very interesting with an excellent guide. The excursion was over at 12:30. You can’t walk to anything from the port but they had a shuttle for $10 one way. Unless you want to visit the Waterford Glass, there wasn’t very interesting shopping. Llanfair. Holyhead, Wales - Ship excursion, Conwy Castle & Llanfair PG. We thoroughly enjoyed this excursion. The castle was interesting and the little town was colorful. We enjoyed some Welsh beer at the Blue Bell Pub. Dublin - Dublin & Glendalough ship excursion. So many choices, but I really wanted to see the countryside. Our guide was very informative and the countryside was beautiful. We had a lovely lunch at Avoca and were able to shop for woolens, very expensive. I have to say I was a bit disappointed because there was not time allowed to see the lakes! Although it was a good tour, I wish I could have booked a private tour for Dublin. Belfast - Giant's Causeway and Antrim Coast ship excursion. This was another favorite day. Our guide was full of history and a bit of blarney, making it a fun day. The countryside was gorgeous.. Portree (Isle of Skye) - Private excursion with GoSkye. Unfortunately, it was a bit foggy so the views weren't as great as they could have been. It was a good excursion, beautiful countryside, waterfalls, cliffs and heather, a distillery, and 3 rainbows! Portree is a tender port. We found a bank at the top of the stairs from the tender that had an ATM with a great rate for changing dollars to pounds. Orkney Islands - Private tour, Orkney Island Tour. Very nice even though the weather was cold, windy and wet! We saw lots of standing stones, Hairy cows, hairy pigs, Italian Chapel, Maeshowe, and more. We saw everything the ship tour did plus more and cheaper. The only change I would make other than the weather is the timing. We had purchased a tour to Maeshowe online ahead of time for 3 o'clock. We only had 15 minutes to spare getting back to the ship. Edinburgh - private tour with Duncan McNab. Absolutely wonderful. Duncan broke his leg so we had a different guide. It turned out that she was an Outlander fan so she included a few tidbits from the show (A quick look at Lallybroch and McKensie castle). We saw castles, beautiful countryside, a distillery and much more. Newcastle - Private tour to Hadrians Wall. Very interesting, but I would have preferred less wall and more local culture. We made 3 stops to see the wall. The first 2 were great, but by the 3rd, I was ready for something else. The only complaint I would have for the ship, is too little shopping. It only has 2 shops which is fine, but the merchandise didn't reflect the ports. They had Caribbean t-shirts and Russian dolls, I don't understand the philosophy. The drawings for jewelry were always at 7:30 which was our dinner time and you had to be present to win. Also, if you play Mahjong, they have the tiles but be sure to take a current card. Otherwise, I loved it. Read Less

We loved the itinerary of visiting all the different ports in a two week period. The service on board was fantastic and the overall experience exceeded our expectations!! The Pacific Princess is a smaller cruise ship so we were able to get into ports that other larger ones couldn't. The British Isles, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were incredible places to visit. So green and beautiful. We only had 2 days of light misty rain so, the decision to go in September was wise and beneficial. Each port was exciting and memorable. The passengers on board were very friendly and engaging. The staff and entertainment on board sealed the deal, they put an exclamation point on an incredible journey filled with friendship, laughter and many unforgettable experiences!! Princess Cruise, YOU DELIVERED!! Having worked for the Ritz Carlton for 13 years, I've had the opportunity and experience to see quality. Princess Cruises THANKS for the attention to detail, personalized service, and exceeding our expectations to make our 25th Wedding Anniversary truly special. JOB WELL DONE!!! Read Less

It is a bit concerning to take a small ship across the North Sea and North Atlantic. We have crushed the route on a big ship, but how would it be on a small ship. The answer is it was great. The small ship allowed us to quickly move around the ship. No long lines and no waiting for elevators. The Pacific Princess ha a very friendly and efficient staff. Our embarkment at Dover went flawlessly. Quick and efficient. We got settled in, explores the ship and were ready to sail before the muster drill. This itinerary was almost perfect. A day at sea to begin with. Stavanger and then another sea day to Iceland. 4 ports around Iceland and then 2 days back to Norway. 4 ports in Norway and then a sea day back to Dover.The sea days allowed us to rest after the great ports. The ship was pleasant, but somewhat outdated. The small size presented problems for the Production Shows. They were well presented, but the venue did not provide good views of the shows. Occasionally, I felt that there wasn't much to do, but that may be ok. I was pleased with the quality of the performers. There were only two singers in the shows, but they were both outstanding. Our cabin was smaller than we were used to and had little storage. The bathroom was about the same size as usual, but was not organized as well as the newer ships. The main dining room only had traditional dining, but that is my preference anyway. The staff was well trained and efficient. I enjoyed the dining experience, but some of my companions felt the menu was too limited. The staff was more than willing to accommodate when requested. The disembarkment at Dover was quick and easy. A most pleasant experience. Read Less

Absolutely great cruise. The crew and staff on the Pacific Princess was outstanding. The accommodations were great and the itinerary was everything we hope it would be. Every port was beyond our expectations. The tours had excellent guides and transportation. The information shared about each location visited was well done. Many ports gave us the opportunity to walk the towns and cities before or after our organized tours. This was an added bonus. Particularly enjoyed the fjord tours in Norway. They were spectacular. The dining on board the Pacific Princess was ideal. Also the ship has recently been refurbished to the decor was beautiful and comfortable. We would highly recommend a cruise on this ship. We added a third week to our cruise and also did the British Isles. This was a great decision. We love to do this cruise again. We can't say enough about the staff on board ship. All were gracious and made our trip very special and personal. Take a cruise on the Pacific Princess. You won't be disappointed. Read Less

Pacific Princess is the smallest of the Princess fleet, with a capacity of only 670 passengers. When I booked, all the suites were sold out, so I booked a mini-suite, which was later upgraded to Club Class. Right after I paid the fare, we were upsold a forward suite (#7005, Marquesas Suite). I'm always aft, but I love those suite perks, so I jumped on it. This was the largest suite I've ever seen and had a bath and a half, with a wall of closet space, along with all the usual suite perks like that sumptuous Sabatini breakfast. Interestingly enough even though she is very tiny, Pacific Princess never felt crowded, but because she is so small, it was easier for my elderly mother to get around. The food and staff on this ship are amazing, and the maitre d' came by our table at every meal to make sure everything was going well. Chef Giuseppe was the brains behind the original Chefs Table Experience years ago, and we were thrilled to experience Chef's Table with him. This was a great cruise with a great itinerary that we would absolutely do again, no questions asked! Read Less

Chose cruise for itinerary (Scotland stops and Military Tattoo). Ocean view room only option as booked late. Room OK but a bit dark. Had fantastic wait staff, very good entertainment, even if the soprano singer did not sing but screeched. Ship had good public spaces, lounges, library. Only took one excursion, the trip to Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. They were excellent in explaining how to get to venue and well marked how to return to the bus. Did not book other excursions because they would be force marches and my mother uses a walker. The two guest entertainers were very good, especially the singer Matt Cairns. Embarkation and Disembarkation as smooth as possible. The buffet dining selections were basically the same every day especially at breakfast. Was a good and bad thing. Have taken more than 10+ cruises and I would book again with Princess. Did not travel with children. Read Less

First time on a ship this small. I quite liked the ability to walk anywhere on the ship within 1.5 minutes. However, the smaller scale does significantly limit the entertainment options. The stuff the do on board was bingo, knitting, wine tasting or soduko...; Evening entertainment had a mediocre skill level vs the bigger ships. There were no kid activities offered. The staff remember you and you quickly remember the other passengers. We had a club class mini suite, room 8035. It was quite spacious, and offered a queen bed and queen (I think) sofa bed. I wish there was an upper bunk... The deck was good size too, easily fitting a couple loungers or a table and a couple chairs twice... It was convenient only being 1 floor below the buffet and a few floors above the dining room, so we never used room service. I liked that they were willing to exchange our cc wine bottles for a few cans of Coke. Dining was fairly standard Princess food. A couple of the days the menus did not offer much to get excited about, but all other days did. For cc instead of getting in the normal queue, you move to the left, skirting by the bar outside the dining room, and then simply walk straight in the cc dining section, no waiting in line. Each night had 2 menu item not on the menu, one prepared table side and one from the chef. Kind of a nice touch. Wish they offered those awesome chocolate desserts more than a couple nights. Also wish they added cherries jubilee back on the menu. We did thoroughly enjoy the cold fruit soups and frequent souffles. We missed Wales on the itinerary due to weather, but I did not mind missing a port given how intense the daily porting schedule was. We did a full day excursion everywhere else other than in Edinburgh. We did the military tattoo in Edinburgh and wished they offered a tour connected to that excursion given the price was 5X the tattoo ticket value or more. Regarding the tattoo, it was pretty cool if you like bagpipes and drummers and there isn't a bad seat in the house.I think the seats near the front add value only to get you out in a timely fashion, when you are in the nose bleed section you have to wait for everyone in front of you to exit first which takes forever. Also be prepared for long line for the restrooms. The shopping on board sucked, nothing local to buy. In fact they had more Australia/New Zealand goods than anything. Most of our excursions consumed the entire time at port, so we had little time to shop for souvenirs, which made me wish for on board shopping (for the first time ever). The app was great and we liked being able to text each other for free, but wished the app notified you when you got a new message so you didn't have to check it all the time. We didn't need to pay for wifi given we were at or near land almost everyday, simply used the Verizon TravelPass. I plan to look for other small ships when planning port intensive cruises. They would not be good for many sea days unless you simply like to nap and are not taking kids like we tend to do. Overall, this was a great cruise, seeing many areas of the world not typically traveled. Read Less

I chose this cruise because it went to Iceland and Greenland, plus Ireland and Scotland. My travel companion booked this cruise first and I decided to join her. I was very happy with the itinerary and booked a shore excursion in each port. The shore excursions were very helpful in learning about the ports of call. I especially enjoyed the substitute stop in the Faroe Islands. The highlights of my shore excursions were Blarney Castle, Edinborough Castle and the Tattoo. Princess did a great job of getting us to and from the Tattoo. I was very happy to achieve Platinum level and enjoyed my 250 minutes of free internet service, a great way to stay in touch. I enjoyed my cabin with an ocean view window. My cabin steward Theresa was terrific, she did a great job of always attending to my cabin when I was out for meals. My meals in the dining room were excellent. I also enjoyed the buffet on level 9. I enjoyed the talks on the ports of call, found them very helpful. My embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly. I would definitely cruise with Princess again! Read Less

We chose this cruise for several reasons, which are as follows: 1. Time of the year 2. I was raised in Edinburgh & wanted to see the Tattoo one more time. It was as good as I remember and then some! 3. Spent time in London area with cousin & finally got to see Highclere and Hampton Court both of which were on our bucket list. 4. We have never visited the ports on this cruise, and loved all of them. especially Greenland & Torshavn, Faeroe Island. We were diverted there due to unfavorable weather conditions in the area of our original destination, and it was an unexpectedly pleasant experience. If I were you, I would seriously consider making that a permanent destination on this cruise. 5. We prefer the small ship experience, and had not cruised with Princess in several years. It was a most enjoyable experience. 6. We especially liked the entertainment on board, and would go as far as to say that it was one of the best that we have experienced. 7. The staff on board were all excellent, especially our cabin steward, Teddy, our dining room waiters Mario & Julio and the lady bartender in the bar outside the dining room. 8. The shore excursions were excellent, and the embarkation & disembarkation procedures were very well handled. All in all, a very enjoyable experience which I would highly reccommend to any of our friends wishing to see this part of Europe. Read Less

This cruise met my husband's desire for an eastbound trans-atlantic cruise and my desire to visit Iceland and Shetland. It was lovely! The seas were surprisingly (to me) calm. The Pacific Princess is a lovely "small" ship, very different from the bigger Princess ships like the Regal, but it was great. The ports were all interesting and could easily be explored on one's own if one chose not to take a tour. There was plenty of entertainment and often the entertainers visited the Casino (Crooners) bar for some impromptu singing---not something I've seen on the bigger ships where it's a lot more impersonal. We enjoyed the Pacific Lounge on the top deck for amazing views while sailing and while in port. The food and the service in the dining room and the bars was all quite fine. The Casino is small but seems to do the trick. I highly recommend this ship and this itinerary. Read Less

We had always wanted to try a Trans-Atlantic. Even the 5 Sea Days in a row weren't bad, as there was a lot of choices to keep you busy. We loved the intimacy all-around on the Pacific Princess. The "Old World" theme of decorating made the entire ship very elegant. Our cruise director Lynn, was the most personable and energetic we have ever been around! The captain came by dinner several times just to stop an visit. The excursions were all Princess - and they were just what they promised! We could not have asked for better food! I have special dietary restrictions and they took excellent care of me - in the dining room, up top on the grill, or in the buffet. All Ii had to do was mention my problems, and they catered to every need. The waiters were so friendly. One, Alfred, gave you a hug and smile - no matter where you ran into him - even on shore! We loved every minute of this cruise and the scenery was just breathtaking as well! Read Less

Picked this cruise because I wanted to transit the Panama Canal to celebrate my 70th birthday. Everything was just perfect with one glaring exception. I booked one of the 6 Owner's Suites which are all located at the very stern of the boat. I purchased Princess' Premium Unlimited Internet Package for an additional $199. The signal strength in our cabin at the stern of the boat was so poor as to be nonexistent. If I took my Ipad to a public area a midship on the boat the internet worked OK (not particularly high speed). If I tried to log on in my cabin either I got no connection or if it connected the signal would be dropped after a few minutes. If you need to stay in touch with the outside world DO NOT book a suite at the rear of the Pacific Princess. Food was better than I expected, especially in the specialty restaurants ($29 P/P upcharge). The public rooms are quite nice and remind you of the luxury liners of the past. The staff on board were all very friendly and knowledgeable. They really strive to make you feel special and they go the "extra mile" to make sure you are enjoying your experience. The boat is quite small (650 passengers) so you get to know almost everyone. Read Less

Princess was doing the Panama canal ... we had been on the sister ship Ocean Princess, so were happy to go on the Pacific Princess. Loved the cruise....weather just o.k. service, food, entertainment great......except for the dining room. We were told that princess had changed there dining hours to 5p.m. early and 7:15p.m. for late. Since we like early dining and felt 5 was too early, we chose 7:15..... SURPRISE......each ship can decide on their hours.......5:30 and 7:45. We tried late dining......still at the table at 9:30. We requested early seating, a large table and was given table 34. The next night there were 6 people at a table for 8 including us...and were told that no one was at the other 2seat the previous night. We requested that friends be put at our table and again was told no....the table was full....... we spend 10 nights alone at a table for 8. The Matre De Albert Noversa would walk by each night and ask the diners how everything was. He could see we were alone.....did he not think.....I should try to put them at another table. Or just to lazy or could care less... certainly Not doing his job. I put a note in the suggestion box on board. I HOPE SOMEONE READS IT and that it does not happen to another couple. Makes me question going on another Princess cruise. Read Less

My husband has always wanted to do the Panama Canal adventure so upon his retirement, we chose the Panama Canal Cruise. We were told by friends, Princess Cruise Line does this cruise. So, we visited our travel club and booked the 15 day cruise aboard the Pacific Princess. Little did we know what lay ahead!! Everyday was a neat adventure; never a dull moment even on sea days. So much entertainment it’s hard to choose which one to attend. Our favorite port stop was Huatulco! Mexico! Such a quaint secret on the coast line. This town is what it’s all about. Just big enough to taste the real flavor of Mexican life. The people were so nice even when you didn’t purchase their wares. The food was excellent and the setting at the restaurant we ate at was just breathtaking!! We truly think we will revisit Huatulco!! The cruise even had a choir that practiced on sea days and we performed the last day aboard. Such a fun experience. The food choices were excellent and “ If you couldn’t find enough there, something is wrong with you.” Anything you wanted. All our on shore tours were first class. We are already talking and planning our next cruise!! So until next time; “Happy Sailing”. Read Less

A very interesting, rejuvenating and memorable 24-day last segment of 2019 World Cruise Pacific Princess Cruise Review by romyfernandez My wife and I did not take the complete 111 days 2019 World Cruise with Pacific Princess (PP), Jan 3-Apr 27, Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Lauderdale for two reasons. 1) We had been to almost 93% of the first 87 days, from Ft. Lauderdale to Cape Town in our earlier cruises. 2) We needed time to prepare our 2018 income tax returns in Canada due April 30. While we had been to Barbados, Guadeloupe and St. Martin several times in the past, we’ve not been to Cape Town, S.A., Luderitz, Namibia, Walvis Bay, Namibia, St. Helena (U.K. Territory, Natal, Brazil, Fortaleza, Brazil, and Devil’s Island, French Guiana, interesting and historical ports in this voyage. This had been in our bucket list for quite some time. Luck was in our side when due to a cancellation, Oceanview stateroom 4056 was available for our taking on January 28, 2019. Having cruised with this ship three times in the past, involving a total of 60 cruise days, we knew what to expect on this boat. Pacific Princess continues to live up with Cruise Critic’s assessment as the Best Small Cruise Ship. An intimate ambience with the amenities of a larger ship, this old but elegant beauty sails the world. With only 670 guest capacity, the 423 guests completing the 111 day world cruise, many had become intimate. We were a couple of 141 guests who joined the last segment of the cruise at Cape Town on April 3rd, disembarking at Ft. Lauderdale on April 27. What we didn’t expect was Oceanview cabin 4056 would become our home away from home for 24 days. It is one of only two staterooms with wheel chair access. As such, it has more floor space than our balcony staterooms we stayed in mega ships in the past – approximately 280 sq ft of total room space. The washroom and bathroom area was about 56 sq ft, of which the shower area was about 20 sq ft, the largest shower area we’ve had in our many years of cruising. There was a grab bar near the sink. There were two grab bars and an emergency call button near the toilet bowl. And there were four grab bars in the curtained shower area and a collapsible seat for physically-challenged guests. Immediately next right to our cabin was the Passenger Service Desk, the Shore Excursion Desk, the Destination Expert Desk, the Purser’s Foyer area with beautiful furniture and furnishings, which we considered as our living room where Arts & Crafts Classes, Carpet Bowls Challenge and other indoor sporting events were held. The impressive ala Titanic stair case joins Deck 4 and Deck 5 Atrium where big events were held, including Champagne Waterfall Night, and Easter Eggs Exhibits. A short walk on our hallway to the left was a small but reliable Medical Center. Pacific has only two lifts—FWD and AFT. Being on midship location, from our cabin just required a short walk to either lifts to reach public areas on Decks 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11. Being a small ship, we could easily walk from AFT to FWD or vice-versa with ease, and use the lifts or walk up the stairs from our deck to Deck 9, where the Panorama Buffet Restaurant, Pizzeria, BBQ Grill, ice cream parlor, the Bandstand, pool bar, the pool (only one and small), whirlpool, Internet Cafe, Card Room, Lotus Spa and Fitness Center are located. Gangway for going off and boarding the ship was often located on Deck 4 FWD, a short walk from our cabin. Gangway for tender was located one deck below, Deck 3 FWD. Having also cruised with other cruise lines, we always enjoy the food served in the buffet and main dining restaurants on Princess Cruises, especially on this voyage. Good and friendly service is the norm that can be expected from every cruise lines these days. But having our stateroom steward, our waiter at the main dining room, and many dining staff in the buffet restaurant coming from our native country was a bonus, who treated us royally and pampered us with their friendly and outstanding housekeeping and dining services, making our cruise pleasant, relaxing and memorable. The guest performers at showtime at Cabaret Lounge were all great and entertaining artists. Being a small ship, PP did not have a production show of its own as being shown in Princess bigger ships. As the norm with smaller ships with other cruise lines, PP has farmed out its production shows to Belinda King Creative Productions (based in Southampton) whose professional singers and dancers (former ballroom dancing winners with ballet and gymnastic training) always dazzled the audience with their every performance. On this voyage, we enjoyed the informative destination talks and slides shown about the ports we were about to visit and the various interesting and informative enrichment lectures, both held at Cabaret Lounge and replayed the following day on cabin TV. At this lounge, they also showed new movies with free popcorn every time the ship was at sea (the same movies replayed in Cabin’s TV the following day). The synopsis of all movies shown was available at the Library or at Passenger Services Desk. One of the unique services provided by Princess only on world cruises was the availability of five abridged newspapers available at Passenger Services daily to keep up with current events while away from home—USA Times, The Canadian, Britain Today, Australia Today ,and European News. At the end of the cruise, Princess also provides each stateroom informative “Log of the Cruise,” summarizing the ports covered, distance (Nautical Miles) sailed from embarkation to disembarkation and speed (Knots) between ports for every cruise that other cruise lines do not provide. On a cruise, one can be active or lazy. Many of the 423 guests completing the 111-day are ‘senior seniors’ who retired to their cabin after the first showtime at 8:00pm. Given our ‘junior senior’ age (79 and 73), we attended events that still gave us enjoyment, and did our own things to have the relaxation we needed after the last harsh and extremely cold winter we had in Canada. To enrich further our travel experience, we booked for shore excursions on places we’ve not visited yet, organized by Princess (which the ship will wait for any unexpected delay returning to the boat). It was worth every penny we paid for them. Cape Town, S.A.: We were disappointed our prepaid excursion to the summit of Table Mountain was cancelled on April 4 as it was raining hard that day. Instead it was replaced with a visit to South African Museum and driving tour of the seacoast which we did not see much because of the bad weather. Because the replacement tour was short by 1.5 hours of what we paid, as a good will Gesture, Princess offered us 75% discount! Our tour of the museum for one hour was not wasted. Apart from the floor having dinosaur exhibits we failed to cover (we’ve seen lots of them in Canada and USA), we covered three floors showing stuffed mammals and birds of South Africa, vicariously enjoying the experience of having taken African Safari excursion. Part of the museum was about Nelson Mandela, Tata Mandiba to the South Africans. Again, we saved time and money going to Johannesburg to visit Mandela’s Museum. Luderitz, Namibia, an isolated town built on a rocky promontory. Visited Felsenkirche (the Church on the Rocks): and Goerke Haus, a grand estate dating to the early 1900s that has been restored to its former glory and authentic period furniture and furnishings, a historical old mansion also sitting on a rock. Walvis Bay, Namibia (another German colony): Many in our group climbed Dune 7, the highest of the famous massive sand dunes that line the coast, an experience of a lifetime. Even attempting to climb part of the dune is a lifetime experience. Visited Mondesa Township, a village just a few kilometers from the resort of Swakopmund (where Angelina Jolie delivered one of her daughters), but a world away, less developed and less familiar to Westerners. Explored the real Africa-immersing ourselves in its people and authentic experiences. St. Helena, (UK Territory in the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and Brazil where Napoleon Bonaparte was last exiled [he escaped on his first two exiles], died and buried, although his body was returned to France in 1840): Apart from climbing Jacob’s Ladder, built in 1829, with 699 steep steps connecting the lower Jamestown(Capital) to Ladder Hill Fort above, we also had the Napoleon Experience visiting Longwood House, his final residence during his 6 year exile on the island from 1815-1821. The house is now a museum (no photos allowed) maintained by France showing the bed he died, medals, handwritten manuscripts, and other memorabilia. Visited his well preserved tomb (1821) located on a beautiful, serene rain forest. Also visited The Plantation House, a handsome, Georgian-style house built in 1792, as the country residence for the Governor of the Honourable East India Company, now home to the Governor of St. Helana. The Plantation Grounds are home to Jonathan, a Sychelles Giant Tortoise, approximately 187 years old, considered to be the world’s eldest living reptile. Natal, Brazil, the 400-year old “City of the Sun”: Visited the largest cashew tree, close to the beautiful Pirangi Beach. Measuring 1,640 feet around, it’s earned a place in the “Guinness Book of Records.” It can be a misnomer though. It’s not a one-trunk tree, like the giant Sequoia trees. The main trunk is more than 125 years old, its roots underground, however, spreads and sprouts as new trunks covering the 1,640 feet enclosed mini-park for this phenomenal tree. Fortaleza, Brazil, Brazil’s 5th largest city, formerly a Dutch fortress built in 1654: Lovingly nicknamed the “city of light” for its sun-filled days, drove through its many, long stretch of beaches, where the locals and tourists flock all-year round. Drove through its historical buildings downtown. And a stop for almost 50 minutes in Central Market, a 4-storey building, where souvenir items abound for purchase at a discount after bargaining! It was the last stop where the women in our bus, including my wife, said they needed more time! Note: Local craft markets in Namibia and Brazil didn’t accept U.S. currency. To exchange US $ into local currency with Passenger Services on the ship, there was a commission of US$4.50 per transaction. As well, local craft vendors in these two countries we visited, hardly spoke English. Pacific Princess will still make the 2020 World Cruise for Princess Cruises. However, Island Princess with more guests (2,200) and balconies (700+) will make its debut making the 2021 World Cruise, covering 111 days, cross the equator 2 times, 50 destinations, 14 late night calls, 32 countries, 34,000 nautical miles and 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For business reasons, Island Princess is replacing Pacific Princess in sailing around the world. With more cabin rooms, the guests will also benefit in that compared with Pacific Princess with lesser guest capacity being a small ship, the cruise fare will be lesser sailing with Island Princess. To entice guests on this voyage, Princess had special but limited time offers – 2021 World Cruise Early Booking Benefits for guests still on board the PP and before disembarking at their final destination, Ft. Lauderdale or L.A.: Free Onboard Credit (by stateroom category), Free Gratuities (by stateroom category, Free Wi-Fi, Free Air (by stateroom category), Free Stateroom Location Upgrade, Free Specialty Dining (up to 4 dining), Free Wine: Up to four bottles worth $32 per bottle, and Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle Launch Savings up to $1,000 per person discount applicable to all stateroom categories for guests completing the 111-day voyage (FLL/FLL OR LAX/LAX), or 97-day voyage (LAX-FLL). Because of the above tempting early booking benefits, when we disembarked Pacific Princess at Ft. Lauderdale on April 27, 2019, the 2021 World Cruise with Island Princess was almost or practically sold out! As of April 27, 2019, contrary to circulating rumors, Princess Cruises does not have any plan of selling Pacific Princess after she completes its 2020 World Cruise. Whatever the fate of Pacific Princess after that voyage, my wife and I could cherish we’ve been part of her cruising legacy. Read Less

We booked this trip to try something different. We have sailed on 53 cruises, have sailed with Princess 4 times before this sailing. We have sailed on many cruise lines and have our favorites but wanted to try the Regal Princess. The ship is very pretty inside and our stateroom was very nice at at the back of the ship on the Baja Deck. It was very quiet there and we enjoyed the views. The one thing that we did not like was the elevators. We found that when you wanted to go to a deck you sometimes had to get off of one elevator and walk to get to another one to get to where you wanted to go. Never have seen that on other lines. We were not happy with breakfast on this ship. There was only one restaurant open for breakfast and the hours were from 7:30am to 9:00am. So if you wanted to seep in you had to go to the buffet on Deck 16. We do not like buffets at all and it was very crowded most of the time. Dinner in all of the restaurant were very good and also a lot of choices. The staff in all of the restaurants work very hard and always had a smile on their faces and made sure the passengers were taken good care of.. The shows were outstanding and we went both weeks every night. Had no problems getting off the ship and they did an excellent job getting people to where they needed to go. Read Less

Background information My husband and I are in our 80s, and I use a small mobility scooter to help me get around. This was his first cruise on Princess and 16th cruise on commercial cruise ships (he was in the Navy for 20 years so he has been on other cruises) and my third Princess cruise and my 29th cruise overall. I booked this cruise primarily to visit four ports that we had not been to before. Since there were nine ports in a row with no sea days, this was a very strenuous cruise Because we have both had melanomas, we do not visit the beaches. What we generally do in port is our hobby of cemetery documentation (taking photos of gravestones and adding them to a database). Embarkation - We drove down from Maryland to the Florida and stayed with our daughter in Miami before and after the cruise. Embarkation was very quick and we could get to our cabin right away. Our suitcases arrived before the drill (which was held in the dining room.) Ship: The ship was a lovely small ship. We did not miss the climbing wall/water slides or the International cafe or the large casino, or any of the extras that larger ships have and we also did not miss the crowds or waiting for the elevator. There was a lovely quiet library. The internet was quite good for a ship. The bow camera was excellent. The captain gave a briefing each noon and each night but his accent was such that Bob couldn't understand (or even hear) him at all. There were some minor deficiencies - the Princess Patter was not proofread well so it was not always accurate. In particular the first day, there was a list of formal nights, and they left one out. The thresholds, both inside the ship and to the deck were raised enough that it made a wheelchair or scooter ride over them uncomfortable. I would have liked to be able to go completely around the promenade deck, but it was only a short section on each side and much of it was blocked off when we were at a tender port. Neither of the ATMs worked. There is a laundry but it needs tokens and the token machine will take your money and not give you the tokens so you have to come down to the desk to get tokens. Activities: We did trivia and had a good time with that. It was nice that the people running the trivia were also performers at night. They do a scrumptious afternoon tea in the main dining room. New Years Day they had a big brunch buffet in the main dining room. I got to swim in the pool once before they drained it. They announced the draining in the Patter, but not that they had refilled it. The port lecturer was an old man with a heavy accent. He was not only hard to understand but he was confused - he mixed up the port excursions and had them at the wrong ports. We went to the first lecture and never went again. Service was very good everywhere. Our cabin steward did a good job and was able to find me a smaller pillow. The man in the internet cafe was very helpful. There were four tender ports and the personnel helping us were quite experienced and did a very good job. But no one ever offered to help me get my food in the Panorama Buffet. My husband had to help me get something to eat (I can't easily run the scooter and hold a plate) Dining: The Panorama buffet was too small for there to be a good selection of food. We ate there when we were in port, but if you lingered too long, the ice cream section was packed up and disappeared. Sometimes the labels on the food were wrong. My husband went up once at dinner and said the selections were lame, and there wasn't a lot at breakfast either. In the main dining room, we had a nice table at dinner but we were always the last to leave because the service was a bit slow. The food was good as a rule. There were some dishes that I actively disliked (the way Princess does Brunswick stew for instance). But there were some that I really liked - I had the Chicken and leek pot pie a la Curtis Stone twice. We had two huge lobster tails at the second formal night but the next night the lobster tails were tiny. Bob had what was called chilled pea soup, and it was not chilled, it was hot (which he preferred). The clear soups tended to be a bit too salty for me. The cream soups were served in a glass, but now they no longer give you straws to drink them with. The eggs at breakfast were variable - sometimes a poached egg would be almost hard boiled and sometimes they were almost not cooked. Port & shore excursions: I did not take any Princess excursions because they were either too strenuous or they were canceled (in St Barts) or they were full (Virgin Gorda) St Barts: We had been to St Barts before and rented a car, but the roads are so narrow and twisty that we had a hard time actually getting to the places we wanted to see. The excursions in St Barts were all cancelled because it was Christmas day. I thought (correctly) that I might have trouble getting a taxi. So I booked a taxi driver through the internet and we had a very nice tour for 150 euros. Antigua: We had been to Antigua twice and had done the usual tours, so we just went down to the dispatcher and asked to hire a cab for a couple of hours - this cost $200.00 Terre-de-Haut: This was tender port which we had not visited before. Terre de Haut is a very tiny island. It is less than two and a half square miles. It has most of the population of the archipelago, but this population is less than 2000 souls. We took the tender in and spent some time watching the activity here. The place is a magnet for French tourists who want to spend time at the beach. Martinique: None of the excursions would take my scooter, so I booked an excursion for the two of us through Expedia. Very expensive, but very satisfactory. Tobago: We went on a tour of the island booked through another Cruise Critics member. This was a six or seven tour of the island in a small bus, lunch and ice cream for $80 each. It was a nice tour and we got a lot of good information about the island and saw quite a few things, but I booked it without realizing how long it was - we really do not have the energy to do more than about a five hour tour. Bob was in the back of the bus and there were so many hairpin turns that he said he was about to get car sick. Barbados: We spent a week in Barbados in 1996 and also been there four times on a cruise ship. The one thing I really wanted to see there was St. Nicholas Abbey which we visited in 1996 but has been closed on subsequent visits. I wanted to go back there because they showed old home movies taken in the 1930s and I wanted to see them again. The film is listed by the Barbados Tourism Authority as one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados". St. Nicholas Abbey is not a religious institution. It has always been a sugarcane plantation house. The great house, built in 1658, is one of just three Jacobean style mansions remaining in the Western Hemisphere. (The others are Bacon's Castle in Virginia and Drax Hall Great House in Barbados.) So I went out to the dispatcher and asked her if I could go there and to a church for $100. We got a taxi and not only saw St. Nicholas Abbey and went to St Philip-the-Less Church, but we also got to see the Morgan Mill and some chattel houses. Bequia: This was another new port for us. Bequia is the largest island of the Grenadines (part of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) at 7 square miles. Another tender port. After the first fiasco, I had stopped listing to the port talks. But I did go to the official Bequia website and I had seen the maps. So I knew that things were compact in Port Elizabeth and I just scootered down the main street to St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church where we got to listen to a man singing and look at the church and cemetery. Then we took the tender back to the ship. Dominica: We have been here twice before so all I had in mind to do was to visit the Catholic cemetery and take some photos. It was close enough to the ship that Bob could walk and I could go by scooter. Virgin Gorda: In 1997, we visited the Bath's in Virgin Gorda, and I would have liked to go again but even in 1997 I had trouble with the steps and could not do the Devil's Bay trail. I really would have liked to go back to the Baths and get some better photos. But since the excursion was full, that was not a possibility. So we took a tender in and got a taxi. The scooter had a problem yesterday and Bob wanted to get some stuff to fix it so we visited three hardware stores and a couple of cemeteries and had a nice morning for $70.00 Disembarkation: The information on disembarkation was a little misleading (the information given us said that it might take four hours. It took 10 minutes. Summary: A strenuous trip on a nice small ship. Read Less

I chose this particular cruise because of the ports and because I chose to spend the holidays differently this year. That being said, I was looking forward to some good meals, relaxing in the spa and a beautifully decorated ship. What I experienced was the total opposite. The decor looked like it was 30 plus years old, maybe even the original. The spa lacked any amenities (except a sauna) and the manager was unpleasant. I usually shower in the spa after my services and one day there wasn’t even hot water. No hair dryer, toiletries, etc. As a vegetarian, I struggled with all the dining options. I was hungry one night and tried to order a grilled cheese sandwich from room service and they had no idea what I was talking about! The veggie burger was the worst I’ve ever tried and there was never a veggie pasta option in the buffet. All sauces were pre made with meat/seafood. And no one was making any exceptions. I would rate the food overall a 4/10 stars. And I’m basing that on the few average meals I had. The ship is dated with obvious wear and tear. I didn’t feel like our cabin was my standard of clean and sanatized it myself upon arrival. The room also smelled terrible every night after turn down service—not sure why. Very disappointed with my first Princess experience. Read Less

We did not choose this cruise for ourselves. Our cruise-loving family chose it for us, then they cancelled at the last minute. We are so glad to have gone anyway! We were probably the youngest people on the boat who weren't there with their parents or grandparents, and given that DH is a happy introvert, it was for the best. I was able to be my social butterfly self with all the other passengers and he was perfectly happy to sit off on his own. At the same time he got a chance to actually engage with our tablemates and other passengers in a meaningful way if he chose. LOVE this ship! We were on a port-intensive, 14-day Cruise through the Southern Caribbean. Four of our ports were accessed by tender, and one of them was just too choppy for me to head out on. My knee failed me on the third island, and the response was absolutely fantastic. I've never had to use ships medical before, but the team on our ship was attentive, and thorough. Thanks to the ease of navigating around the ship, and the next few ports, I was able to do everything I originally planned on doing while on crutches. It was amazing!!!! The entertainment staff on this ship does dual duty as both the Cruise Director's staff and the singers and dancers, and they are fun! They put on a good show and then turn around and do some mean trivia. If you're into all of the wild bells and whistles found on so many other ships, this one doesn't have them. They have uncrowded spaces, elevators without lines, lots and lots of lounge chairs on the deck, the love boat vibe, and plenty of down time to relax. There were two children on our cruise. They were sweet, and one was too young to notice that there was no entertainment for her. The other was well-entertained by his parents. We said it many times on our cruise, and we'll say it here too: We're deathly afraid we've spoiled ourselves for the future cruises because we really enjoyed the small ship so much. Read Less

A couple of things to know about myself and spouse. We are very much Princess cruisers. We've enjoyed all the cruises we've taken. I'm not going to review the food, because to me, if I can eat what's served I'm happy. I haven't experienced a cruise (this one included) where I pushed away the food I've ordered. We have also usually cruised the bigger ships, so I was worried about the small ship, but it turned out I had nothing to worry about! We chose this cruise because of the itinerary. We have also never been on a small ship. The small ship experience was terrific. No lines for embarkation. No lines in the buffet. There is also a great space at the back of the ship off the buffet where you could enjoy your selections from the buffet and look out the back of the ship on your surroundings. We got to see people we met on excursions around the ship more often. We do like to gamble while on cruises. One of the great benefits of this ship was that the casino was non smoking. One of the disadvantages was there were only 4 tables, one 3 card poker, 2 black jack tables (started with 3, but they changed one to a texas hold'em table where you play against the dealer). So it may be they don't have your game. Another disadvantage, again because of the size of the ship was the music in the casino bar could be a distraction at times. Bingo was also fun. However, because of the small crowd on this cruise the pots were smaller. Some people would find this as a benefit. There are no art actions on this ship. Some other differences between big ship and small ship. Sterling steakhouse (which we got to enjoy twice) and Sabitini's switch off. This made it a little difficult to get times for the steakhouse. On the smaller ship, there is no international café, there isn't the pizza restaurant, no gelato shop, there is no anytime dining. You only have the selection of early or late seating. This wasn't an issue for my spouse and I. But it may be an issue for other cruisers. In my opinion there weren't as many activities on the ship during port days, and even on sea days. There are the usual trivia times, and as I mentioned bingo [during sea days], a movie is shown daily in the cabaret lounge, and I noticed bean bag toss, there were also discussions on ports, and other items (I didn't attend those so I can't speak to that). So that may be a consideration. Speaking of stuff to do on the ship, the ship's library is fantastic! It's beautiful and there are many books in the library. If you have the chance go check it out. We didn't check out all the entertainment, but we did enjoy the production shows. Some of the entertainment didn't interest us. There was a magician, a couple of vocalists, a pianist, a violinist, a juggling and acrobatic troupe, and a comedian. Over all, I would gladly take this ship again. We enjoyed everything about this cruise! We would gladly do this trip again, and we would gladly sail this ship again. It was very relaxing! If you think you might enjoy a different experience, I encourage you to take this ship wherever it travels. Hope this was helpful. Read Less