We wanted to get away for the holidays, so we chose this cruise based on the eastern Caribbean itinerary.

The ship is much larger than the type of ship we usually prefer, but although full, there was still plenty of room so that we never felt crowded except for the pool deck area on 16 in the afternoon. So we avoided that area during that time. The Royal Princess is fairly new, so the decor is updated and very nice. Plenty of room in the buffet area; we never had any trouble finding a table and the stewards worked very hard to ensure that you had what you needed. The Library is tiny, but there are many spots all over the ship that provide a quiet place to read (I loved the aft deck 7 right at the back of the ship; comfy deck chairs and a lovely view). The Fitness Center had plenty of well maintained equipment and a great view from the treadmills. If this ship had a true promenade deck, it would be perfect.

The ship was decorated beautifully for Christmas, and we very much enjoyed the Christmas Eve Crew Choir performance in the atrium. Well done, crew! Read more