We took this cruise in May of 2018, but I am just now getting around to rating it. We hadn’t cruised in quite some time, over 10 years, so we had no recent comparisons to make. Since we have 2 cruises coming up, I have been reading the forums lately and thought I’d finally review our trip.

Overall, we were quite pleased with our experience. Embarkation went very smoothly and the cabin was ready by 1 pm. Our cabin was B504, a mini-suite, and it was spacious and clean. The bed was comfortable and the linens in great shape. The bathroom was a decent size and included a tub. As others have reported, the shower curtain does cling while the shower is in use, and it was somewhat annoying. We enjoyed the 2 flat screen TVs. The one across from the couch was convenient when we were on the balcony and were tuned into the channel that described the scenery. Mark Harris was our naturalist, and he was superb. There was plenty of storage space and room to hang all our clothes. Our cabin steward was Peter, and he did a marvelous job of keeping the room in top shape. We rarely saw him, but it was quite evident he stopped by several times a day because nothing was ever out of place.

We chose anytime dining, and because we had upgraded to Club Class, we ate in a smaller section of the MDR that seemed to have a dedicated wait staff. Rosario was our hostess, and we never had to wait for a table. Our servers were Andrianna, Richard, and Anthony. These servers were fabulous – they learned our names and beverage preferences before the end of day 2. Now for the food – not all that great. Although the meals were served in a timely manner and were always warm, the quality of the food was average at best. Every beef dish I tried was a bit tough. I tended to avoid beef after the first few disappointing meals and things then improved greatly. My husband usually eats fish, and he said it always tasted fresh and good. The “tableside preparation” was in an area as you first entered the Club Class section. It was usually tended to by the Head Waiter (I think that was his title, can’t remember his name). This additional perk was much appreciated when our ordered meals were less than delicious. Every dessert we tried was good, however. We did not dine in any of the specialty restaurants. We ordered room service coffee every morning. We used the MDR for every dinner and a few breakfasts. When we ate a heartier breakfast, we skipped lunch. If we skipped breakfast, we ordered burgers or pizza at those food stations. Those items were quite tasty and fresh. Despite the fact that Princess was most attentive to hand washing prior to entering the buffet area, we only breezed in there to check it out twice. The fact that it’s self-serve gave us reason to pause – all those passengers, all those tongs and hands……….. Read more