This was our third voyage on Caribbean Princess which was built in 2004. She is showing signs of age but is looking much better than the last time we sailed her in 2010. The ship is well-maintained and very clean. The bedding and linens have been replaced, the balcony furniture is new, and the hallway carpeting (at least on Lido deck) was being replaced during our cruise. I noticed more crew members in the process of cleaning, painting and varnishing than the last time as well.

We arrived at FLL about 10am, checked in with the Princess greeters and in about 1/2 hour we were on a bus to the port terminal. The embarkation process was a breeze but we have the advantage of the Elite lounge which embarks first as soon as the ship is cleared. We were on the ship by 11:45. We usually go right to the Horizon Court for lunch to beat the crowd but this time we decided to try the dining room instead. That was a much more relaxing and enjoyable experience than bumping elbows with people at the buffet.

Our stateroom was the typical balcony room. The bed was very comfortable and the a/c worked fine (except for some reason it felt like the air went off in the middle of the night). The balcony (about 45 sq.ft.) was plenty roomy for hanging out on (and we did plenty of that). The new chairs have a reclining back if you want to nap, but it could be tricky for two people at the same time. Our stateroom steward Gabriel did a good job (but we are not demanding people). Read more