Sea Princess Review

4.5 / 5.0
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A Sea Princess Adventure!

Review for Alaska Cruise on Sea Princess
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earthblue
First Time Cruiser • Age 50s

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Sail Date: Jul 2011
Traveled with children

Embarkation: I dropped everyone and luggage off curbside; easy, excellent drop-off on the right-hand side of the Embarcadero. Recommend avoiding the beginning of the drop-off zone; go around towards the end where fewer cars are. The Princess-recommended parking garage was professional, reasonably priced ($12/day) and only a two-block walk from the pier. We arrived about an hour after boarding began and there was no wait from curbside to onboard.

Ship: The Sea Princess, like all Princess ships I've been on so far, was beautiful and elegant; well-suited for an Alaska cruise with plenty of outdoor rail space to enjoy super-natural sights. I noticed constant maintenance going on around the ship; painting, polishing, laying new carpet, etc. It wasn't in perfect condition; however, it was clear the crew was working hard to keep it in good shape. The maintenance staff was always friendly as we'd walk by.

Cuisine: Having read several bad reviews regarding the Horizon Court buffet over the last few months, I had cautious expectations. I was pleased to find the Horizon Court cuisine in good order. There was no problem finding adequate amounts of fresh, well-spiced choices. I believe the ship was at or near its capacity for passengers, which meant the busy buffet line often had us feeling like salmon vying for space upstream. For the freshest servings, I recommend avoiding the buffet for the first half-hour and last hour of each service. The varying curries were especially delicious. Dining room (Rigoletto, freestyle) selections were reliably delicious, and, the choice and gravitas of the dishes increased as the cruise progressed. If you're going to pass up the dining room, it's better to do it in the first days rather than the last. The traditional lobster tail entree on the second formal night was the highlight (as it usually is for me!). The biggest disappointment was the Sterling Steakhouse carved out of a third of the Horizon Court seating area each evening. The setting, service, steak and menu were of little added value. Having visited several "pay extra" restaurants on cruises before, this experience was the least memorable and should be overhauled. The "Cafe' Corniche" was a big hit and a great place to enjoy a light pizza (yes, there is such a thing!). The Cafe' was often packed, so, a technique is to order a pizza (or more) via room service if you'd rather not wait for a table and slower service. Note that there's a $3 service charge for room service pizza delivery, and, while not clearly stated in the room service menu you can custom order the toppings.

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