We have cruised with many different cruise lines and itineraries, but this was our first time with Princess and with the Baltic. I must say that both are pretty darned impressive. As experienced cruisers, however, we found ourselves making some mental comparisons with previous experiences. Hopefully this review will help others get a sense of expectations.

THE GOOD: Somehow Princess has really figured out the embarkation and disembarkation process. This may be a function of some proprietary magic Princess has or with the Danish authorities in Copenhagen, but getting on the ship for the first time and off for the last was a breeze. We arrived at the port at noon, were directed to the waiting staff for processing, were issued room card keys and got on the ship. Period. The stateroom was ready for occupancy so there was none of that hanging around the lunch buffet with 3,000 other folks with all manner of carry-on luggage. We were ready to sail. Getting off was just as easy and from the time we left the stateroom and arrived at the Copenhagen airport was no more than 40 minutes. Of note is that we had pre-processed on-line and had purchased shuttle service from the port to the airport...this is highly recommended.

Other items such as service/ attentiveness of the wait staff and room attendants, cleanliness of facilities, quality/quantity of food,entertainment and overall cruise experience are on par with other premium cruise lines and we consider them the price of entry to the category. Really good...but not remarkable. Read more