Star Princess Review
Too much air conditioning everywhere; library is a joke.
Rating by category
Additional details
FOOD:
This is an odd 'complaint' to have, but -- why didn't I gain weight? In fact, once I was back home after this 17 night cruise, I found that I'd lost a bit of weight. Okay, I look better thinner and am hoping to lose a few more pounds, but I recall many years ago taking a 7 nighter on Royal Caribbean and working out a lot daily, and younger with a faster metabolism, that I couldn't help but rapidly put on 8lb that time because the food on that liner was gourmet, several courses, and blew me away.
Not saying that the food on Princess was bad, except their scrambled eggs, just that I'd been spoilt for it long ago in comparison. One time on my Princess cruise, the Horizon buffet had some luscious raspberry mousse pastries that made my tastebuds sing to the heavens! I took seconds, but wish I'd demanded the recipe from the pastry chef, or at least hoarded several more of those delights and kept them in my cabin's fridge to eat daily for breakfast.
Cabin Review
Interior
I had an inner stateroom. The floor popped under me like a pounding bubble in some spots. I did complain to the maintenance supervisor and on a form in the suggestion box. Some sort of supporting construction pin may have been needed for that flimsy floor. I felt sorry for my downstairs neighbors. I'm under 90lbs and don't walk heavily, wore soft slippers inside, and it was only lil' ol' me in the cabin.
Also, one day, there was this horrible loud violent disturbing knocking going on above my cabin several times per minute, all day long! I'd also complained about that one to the right outlets. My cabin steward tried blaming it on particularly choppy waters, but I didn't buy that.
The carpet was stained even before my stay.
I had reserved for a twin bed, but it was 2 twins pushed together, plus a twin bunk on each side (I had to watch my head not to bump into them). So although it was just myself, the cabin acommodated 4 people.
Other than that, it wasn't as cramped and claustrophobic as I'd anticipated. A bonus to not having a porthole or balcony was that I USUALLY got to sleep and sleep and sleep with no light seeping in, save for the peephole on my door and the gap under it.
Port Reviews
Los Angeles
Looked and felt like a cattle-call experience embarking, but the staff tried to be courteous while strict. Since I don't drink, I didn't have to worry about bringing alcohol aboard. Luckily, my multiple controlled meds didn't get over-scrutinized, but I packed them sensibly just in case.
Cabo San Lucas
I got scammed by a doctor in Cabo who didn't stamp my prescription for a controlled med as the pharmacy required. As if I knew the law about that in the first place? I guess he knew I didn't.
Most pharmacies there were very poorly stocked and didn't even have what I was scripted.
Everyone spoke English, but I'm nearly fluent in Spanish anyway, so no biggie.
Puntarenas (Puerto Caldera)
It was hot, but I wanted to escape the cold back home and aboard the ship anyway. But there really wasn't much to do here, because it's small.
I suspect that a postwoman there scammed me out of $1 by not sending off the postcard and its postage that I bought there to its proper destination. I had the address right. The purser did not have stamps onboard as advertised and did not accept U.S. postage to send a postcard from the ship's location.
I had a bicycle cab or whatever guide me around, and he even admitted that there wasn't much to see or do.
I had my swimsuit on under my clothes, so after that, I went into the water, but it was so muddy that I couldn't wait to hurry back onto the ship to shower it off. So I didn't feel like spending much time there at all.
Lima
A so-called 'friend' talked me into taking this one. I wish I hadn't. Too much concrete jungle, crowds, rat-race, fast pace, etc. Y'know, the stuff I already have at home and needed to escape. I wish I could've afforded Macchu Pichu, I suppose, and if I could handle the altitude and have better balance to handle it.
I complained to the excursion dept our who seemed to be just "phoning it in".