I discovered cruising in my fifties and loved it from the start, with 7 delightful journeys prior to this one: Holland American (1), Disney (1), NCL (2), Celebrity (3). I frequently travel solo, as I did on this trip. Hands down this was the best overall experience of all and a big part of that was the fabulous Ocean Princess, which has I fear has spoiled me forever. This small-ish ship (c. 600 passengers) feels more like a ship than a hotel (as the bigger ships do); it is elegant, intimate, friendly, easy to get around, uncrowded,and personal with every amenity that interests me and more dining choices than on any of the other lines I've been on, except for NCL.
Embarkation and travel there:
I had Princess arrange my air travel and was extremely pleased with the excellent price they got and the acceptable airline choices. I arrived in Honolulu 2 days before boarding and stayed in the Outrigger Reef Hotel on Waikiki Beach--an excellent, great value hotel, right on the beach with a small hotel feel. Boarding was amazingly easy...no waiting in line, just walking up an old-style gangway onto the ship. As best I could tell, we were the only cruise ship in the harbor. What a treat compared to the chaos of the big US ports (e.g., San Diego, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami). On-Board Activities and Amenities:
Outstanding cabin; very spacious (#8049)
This mini-suite looks exactly like the pictures online (at least as of January 2012), with a lovely blue and white decor. I was surprised at how very roomy it is--almost like 2 "normal" balcony cabins put together. There is plenty of storage space (though I couldn't fit my suitcase under the bed)and a wonderful full sized tub. It is very light and sunny (with the curtains open) because the glass door to the balcony is nearly twice the "normal" length.