My husband wanted to travel north of the Arctic Circle and to see polar bears. We didn't see polar bears, but we were impressed 24 hour daylight. The temperature at Longyearbyen at 78 degrees north was in the mid-30s Fahrenheit, so a little chilly even for Pacific Northwesterners. We were rained on in Trondheim, so we reboarded the ship early. Most of the other ports were sunny if not especially warm. The Pacific Princess is small- around 700 passengers- so everything is more cozy. As for shore excursions, we did two zodiac tours, one in Longyearbyen and one in Geiranger. We also did a hike at Longyearbyen which was OK, but we wouldn't do that again. At Honnigsvag [71 degrees north] we took the trip out to the cliffs and north cape. It was sort of a long drive, but well worth it. On Spitsbergen Island you are not allowed to travel away from the port and town without a rifle, so tourists must tour with and armed guide. At Geiranger, a tender port, a huge rock got stuck in one of the anchors, so we had to maneuver back and forth to dislodge it. That was an unexpected delight. I would do it again, it was overall a good cruise.

We have been on this ship and her sister (the previous Royal Princess) and like the small ships. You get to know the other passengers better since you see them more often. The cabin is good sized and comfortable. There is only one dining room with two seatings. Our waiter was a kick. One of our tablemates requested rum raisin ice cream and the head waiter was able to find some for her. That's going the distance.

We did not participate in many onboard activities. As for the evening entertainment, we watched the FIFA world cup when satellite allowed. Read more