This was my surprise gift for my husbands 50th birthday so I wanted to do something extra special for him. I even went as far as getting his vacation approved with his boss without my husband knowing. I wanted this to be a birthday he would never forget. He definitely won't forget this one. We have been on 5 different cruises but never with Princess, so I thought I would try something different. Wrong answer!! I read reviews before booking on this ship and should have listened. YES!! the beds truly are as hard as the floor. We've been off the ship for three days and still have hip and back pain from the bed. The cabin was ok. Ricardo was our steward and fantastic. He always greeted us with a smile and even took the time to remember our names. Ship activities is always low on our list but it would have been nice to get a schedule of activities just in case we wanted to join.

We prefer anytime dining but checked them all out. Dining staff on Princess Caribbean was rude and unfriendly. I never saw anyone smile. Particular woman in the Island Dining room was quite something. I thanked her for taking my plate and she stuck her nose up in the air, snatched my plate and walked away. In the buffet dining area my husband thanked a young man three times for clearing our table. Not once did the young man say your welcome, or smile, or even acknowledge that my husband spoke. I wanted to take my husband to specialty dining for his birthday dinner (where you pay extra) but I refused to pay extra for people being rude to us. The food was ok. Definitely arranged to be pretty but not much flavor. Public area bathrooms were under continuous maintenance and smelled like sewage. The bathroom in our room also smelled of constant urine.

Ports and shore excursions is the only thing that saved this trip. Gambalimba Preservation Nature Park in Honduras is a must see. We also visited Xunantunich Mayan Ruins in Belize and Jeannie's helmet diving in Cozumel. ALL shore excursion staff/tour guides off the ship were FANTASTIC. They were enthusiastic, friendly, and welcoming to guests. These are qualities Princess Caribbean failed to provide from the beginning of the trip to the end. Embarkation was a cluster mess!! I am 44 and husband 50 years. Never again will we travel with Princess.