My purpose in writing this review of the Royal Princess is to give future guests some insight on the 10-day Southern Caribbean cruise and to provide helpful tips that could save you time or money on your future cruise. My wife and I have been on other ocean cruises, but on smaller ships with other cruise lines. This was our first “big ship” and Princess cruise (up to 3600 passengers and about 1200 crew). Overall, the bigness had more advantages than disadvantages.

We booked this early April 2016 cruise at the end of January, and got a good deal. For about $350 a night (including shipboard gratuity), my wife and I got a balcony cabin, food, entertainment, pools and hot tubs, and visits to various ports for 10 days in the beautiful Caribbean. Of course, you would pay extra for specialty dining, wine, bottled water, some coffees, official photographs, gambling, shore excursions, etc. But you could economize to suit your budget.

What we liked the most: the large movie screen on the Sun Deck, the special Chef’s Table Lumiere dinner, the Culinary Cooking Demonstration (by the Executive Chef and the Maître d’Hotel), the Normal Love Chocolate Cooking Demonstration, eating breakfast on the Horizon Terrace at the back of the ship on Lido Deck 16, the “Ritas for Two” drink (a 32-ounce royal margarita) at the Outrigger Bar at the back of the ship on Lido Deck 16, Princess@Sea communications, and the friendly passengers we met. Read more