We did our first cruise to celebrate our 25th anniversary and we chose this cruise to celebrate our 40th. This being a special vacation we tried to enjoy everything we could on this trip. We have always left from Ft. Lauderdale so we flew into Las Angeles two days early to check out the area. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach and the facilities and area were great. We were very close to the beach and harbor with may restaurants and shops within walking distance. The service in the bars at the hotel left something to be desired, as there was a conference going on there and they were very under staffed.

The embarkation process went flawlessly and we were on the deck enjoying a drink before one o'clock. We used the limousine service arranged by the concierge at the hotel for transportation from the airport and to the ship. I will do this from now on as the service was first rate and the cost was very reasonable. My wife and I have cruised with Princess several times and have always been happy with the service we have received. The crew on the Island princess were absolutely fabulous. From the wait staff both dinner and bar, to the Cruise director we were blown away by the attention to detail and genuine concern to make our trip the best possible experience. The managers in the upscale restaurants were always checking to make sure everything was not just ok but perfect.

We had an ultimate balcony dinner and that was an experience that was out of this world. The bar wait staff were friendly and engaging and seemed happy to be there. What ever the captain is doing on this ship they should try to duplicate it fleet wide as every crew member we encountered had the attitude that they wanted to make your vacation the best it could be. Read more