We chose this cruise because family members had taken it in August of 2017. They had a much more positive experience than we did.

There was a "special group" of 200+ passengers on our cruise and Princess was obviously specifically catering to them. You would have thought the other 2900 of us on board were bottom dwellers they way we were treated by Princess crew members. It quickly became the topic of conversation in elevators, on shore trips, in lines at the dining room (even at 6:30 a.m. on the day of departure) and elsewhere throughout the duration of our cruise. While it seems Princess took great strides to over-accommodate this special group,they offended a large portion of their other passengers.

One cafe was closed off to everyone but this group, however members of this group had free reign throughout the ship. They didn't have to wait in lines, they didn't have to search for seating, as all of this was reserved, and they had their own menu that was not available to other guests. However, the cafe that was available to those of us not in this group had a large section of food devoted to that special group, every day, every meal. This left a very meager and limited selection of food items for the rest of us. When I say that the food selection in the cafes was meager, I am not exaggerating. Salad bar items were typically iceberg lettuce, spring mix, and shredded carrots. Once I saw cherry tomatoes and a couple of times were was a slice or two of cucumber available. Fruit consisted of watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew, as well as canned fruits. There was an ample selection of breads and rolls, but the remaining selections were minimal and did not taste very good. For example, their bacon is inedible - it tastes like it has been soaked in liquid smoke. Also, they continuously serve corn on the cob which is nothing more than a mushy mess. Even the cobs were mushy - just gross! Princess should consider checking out their competition and/or hiring an American chef who understands the need for more variety in the food items offered at the cafes: cole slaw, chips, sloppy Joes, sushi, finger goods, nachos, are just a few suggestions. Read more