First off there was nothing to do unless you are a trivia person and you need another useless bag or wine stopper that gives free advertising for the princess line. The Caribbean Princes was dirty my room had used bandages stuck to the balcony door handle. The computer system allowed my computer to get three viruses and even if you want to use your own server then leave your computer at home they block you so you cannot contact your family. Second if you are older or handicapped don't believe them that they will accommodate your needs both on the ship and on anyone of the excursions. They refused to loan or rent any of the 30 or 40 wheel chairs they have on board for an excursions but they will tell you that a rental will be available at the excursion sites. Don't believe them they are lying. This was the worst ship we have been on. The so-called entertainment staff had a Romanian woman who started yelling at everyone at a trivia game because she was missing one golf pencil and said we were not to take the pencils and papers until she gave them to us. This same woman refused to allow anyone to use the restroom when we were waiting to dis embark in the designated dining room. Also if you are diabetic don't go on any excursions because even though they tell you you will be able to get something to eat don't believe them and bring something. We went to Williamsburg and every thing was closed for the season. they even make you cross through an open field in the dark. I tripped over tree trunks and rocks because there was no light to see by and the tour guide was in such a hurry he would not slow down for those of us who were slower. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the ports. Unfortunately we had to skip Newport because of high winds, not any fault of Princess. Most ports we did on our own and the ones were we chose excursions were fine. There were 2 sea days were we had ¨not so bad weather¨(the rest of the cruise was pretty cold). We hoped that there would be a good movie on Lido deck but no it was only football games and concerts during the day and sadly there were very few people attending, I think a good movie would have been nice entertainment at this time. The evenings were very cold so not comfortable for movie under the stars. We only attended a few shows in the theatre. We had second seating in MDR so very hard for us to get seats for the most popular shows. We have no complaints on the food, it was not great but ok. We enjoyed the medallion class especially for embarkation, and going out at ports. Also very convenient as key to cabin. Overall it wasn't a bad cruise, but we've had better. Read Less

We wanted to do the East coast Fall colors cruise. This was the last cruise of the season, which led to a second cruise of the Caribbean. Stopped at most of the main east coast cities. Bar Harbor, Nova Scotia, Boston, NYC, etc.. Quebec was a wonderful place to start. We stayed there for 4 days before boarding the cruise and had great food and a great time. Quebec is a French speaking area, however my wife speaks french and many locals speak English. the Cabin was a typical small balcony. No couch only a single chair and small desk. I have been on many Princess cruises.On this cruise the food was very bland. Both the buffet and the main dinning room were both the same---Bland. We traveled with a second couple and all agreed about the bland food. However the service was excellent. Cabin steward and all waiters were outstanding. Fortunately the Pizza stand was excellent. The hamburger, chicken and taco stand was also excellent. The Caribbean portion of the cruise was a great itinerary. 7 islands in 10 days. My wife snorkeled on 5 islands and loved it. This included a face to face with a very large sea turtle. The ship was very clean and well presented. Read Less

We chose this cruise primarily for the itinerary. Secondarily, we had prior experience with the Princess brand and felt that we could expect a certain standard. In this aspect, we were thoroughly disappointed. Our embarkation was delayed half a day due to required extra sanitation because so many passengers on the prior cruise had suffered gastrointestinal illnesses. The Caribbean Princess was refurbished this year. Despite this, our stateroom had maintenance issues. The carpeting was stained. The wooden trim was broken and missing above the doorway. The TV worked only when it felt like it. The lighting above the desk and the only available electric outlets went on the fritz halfway into the cruise. The "Medallion" which is your room key and access to anything on board, failed FOUR times and needed replacing. The stop at Bar Harbor, Maine required use of tenders to transport passengers between the ship and the pier. Due to heavy swell and good-sized waves, there was a considerable delay of approximately two hours in getting passengers into tenders for the 20 minute trip to shore. However, for the passengers of Tender #19, it was a nightmarish crossing as the engine failed and the tender was rocked violently whilst taking on water from the chop. Several passengers were drenched. Buffet dining areas were understaffed and lacked adequate seating for passengers. The end result is that a passenger could go through the buffet line for food and then be entirely unable to find somewhere to sit and eat, resulting in a seven to ten minute search for a table. When a table was finally located, your food was stone cold. Adding insult to injury, it was virtually impossible to find a waiter willing to deliver beverages. In on disastrous incident, we got up from the table to hunt down a waiter and order a Coke, only to be delivered the wrong item some 20 minutes later. This level of apathy and disservice is a direct result of the Princess policy to automatically charge passengers $15.50 per person per day for tips. There is absolutely zero incentive for any employee to give anything other than mediocre service on this ship. Never again. We'll take our business elsewhere. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the ports and they were amazing. The Princess staff is mostly awesome. Sadly, we were disappointed in a lot of other aspects on this cruise. Does Princess ever have easy embarkation? We’ve always had issues and this cruise was no exception. We were not allowed to board until 7PM and really missed the whole evening because of that. We also had no place to wait with our luggage for an extra 7 hours. Apparently the ship needed to be “sanitized”, but the passengers were really left hanging around with no place to go. It was handled poorly. Princess needs a course in communication skills, I think. We liked the ship! There was an issue with norovirus and the staff were constantly sanitizing but I question how well. In Skywalkers the waiter was swabbing down the table tops but that is where it ended. The curved underside of the tables were sticky with past residue. Gross. We didn’t get sick. We washed our hands a lot. Our dining room waiters were fabulous and worked hard. Their great service and attentiveness made it a bit uncomfortable to complain about the quality of the food which was NOT good. We haven’t cruised withPrincess for 2 years and noticed a very big food quality shift. The beef was tough. The scallops were inedible. The lobster was shrivelled and dry. Rubbery prawns. The salad lettuce was tired, wilted and soggy. The desserts were good in the dining room, though. The buffet food was better. Sadly, the service was not good. There were long waits for tables and the staff couldn’t keep up with the clearing tasks or getting beverages in a timely manner. Chaos, especially at breakfast and lunch. Part of the fun of cruising is the variety and quality of the food. We were saddened and disappointed with how far Princess has slid in this regard. There were no talks or seminars on the ports. There was no naturalist or historian. There was nothing that I could find except the excursion desk. The day we went there the staff person was quite unhelpful. The “250 free minutes” of internet time was useless in my cabin. Logging out was next to impossible despite following all the instructions. Eventually, I gave up rather than be intimidated once again by the internet staff. The passengers were a fun bunch, though. We commiserated about the bad food, the long tender waits, the lack of communication. I guess it is what you make of it but I doubt I’ll cruise with Princess again. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the fall colors and primarily to see Quebec City and Boston for the first time. All of the ports of call were great. We took cruise ship tours in all but Syndey (which is too small to justify a tour) and Halifax. Embarkation was delayed about four hours due to deep cleaning from novovirus scare. They did a great job with that, though, and had us on the ship two hours before promised. None of our group of six got sick with gastrointestinal flu-like symptoms, so we are very happy about that. We had the best stateroom attendant we ever have had! All the staff we encountered were very hard working, eager to please and pleasant, particularly in Crooners, Vines, and the bar across from the World Marketplace 24 hour food kiosk! High kudos for all! We had a balcony stateroom. This is the most cramped we have ever been in any balcony stateroom on a ship! The shower is so tiny that the shower curtain sticks to your backside if you turn around. Bed, small desk with a chair and a too-much-space-taking closet. Get rid of the huge closet and at least add a second chair to eat or drink!! I sat/lay on my side of the bed for 90 percent of the time we were in the room. If my hubby and I tried to move about we had to constantly dance around each other. I felt claustrophobic. We used to cruise all the time, but we have opted for land tours for the last seven years, so it was quite the disappointment to discover how drastically it has changed, I am assuming industry-wide. I am on vacation, so I love to wake slowly and have breakfast and coffee in my room. The menu has dwindled to continental breakfast only with one little (but tasty) egg mcmuffin, basically. Speaking of room service, they rarely answer the phone. I was on hold one time for 55 minutes. I was told they were very busy. But I also was put on hold at 9:30 pm and after midnight, so....... No. They just don't answer much of the time. When they do, the service was prompt. Big deal for me on sea days as I tend to feel urpy and something to eat helps me get up and about. Can't use the Medallion to order room service much of the time because it, too, would go on the blink. It "crashed" constantly. Good idea, though. Need to work out the kinks. Also need to streamline the service. I had FOUR APPS downloaded by the time was on the ship! I was glad to delete them all afterwards. It IS nice though to enter your room without grabbing for your key. And when it DOES work, it's pretty cool how people call out your name as you walk around the ship. The televisions didn't work at all a few days, most notably for a full day at sea!! No movies, not TV, no music -- nothing!!!! The food in the main dining room was hit-and-miss. Certainly NOTHING like it used to be! The upcharge section irks me to no end. The menu was so lackluster that we only ate there three out of ten evenings. Others in our group only went twice. The salads are sad little things. What we did enjoy was seasoned well, though. So we did what I think Princess is trying to make you do, that is pay the added fees for the better food venues -- Sabatini's, Royal Crown and Steamers. They were all great. How the main dining room USED TO BE WITHOUT THE ADDED FEE!!! The brochure seems to suggest the ship has four restaurants -- Salty Dog, Pizzeria, Planks and Steamers -- that is very misleading. Steamers and Plank operate as a restaurant only during the evenings. During the day they are just additional space for the buffet -- which was awful, by the way, IF YOU COULD FIND A SEAT!! We did the buffet only once. Salty Dog and the pizza place are kiosks by the pool with very little seating and it is outdoors, so on this freezing cold cruise it was not usable unless you had your coat and scarf on. The average age of this cruise was 75, I would estimate. I'm no spring chicken myself at 53, but it was pretty boring, even my parents agreed, and they are in their late 70's. The music venues aimed at their audience, understandably, but it was SO FRUSTRATING for us, especially when the lead singer from Project 7 can sing as well as Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross!! The gym was open 8 am to 8 pm. NOT ACCEPTABLE!! And it was way too small. Felt like a petrie dish of germs. THERE IS NO JOGGING TRACK! It has been disrupted by the for-a-fee Sanctuary (25 dollars a day I think) that was too cold to even operate on this cruise. The worst part, though, is when my dad went to voice his concerns to the front desk and they absolutely did not seem to care in the least, indeed they were defensive and rather rude. When my dad asked if he was even going to make a note of it to pass along, he just said, "We are doing the best we can." At LEAST PRETEND to care!! Before this, when my father was asking about the mini-suite layout on a sister ship, the Star, he was given the run-around. "You need to go to future cruises." "No you need to go to guest services." He never was provided the info, but I was able to google it in less than five minutes. Geez! I don't think I will ever do a Princess cruise again. The bang for your buck is awful. The most expensive trip we have EVER taken, and that includes two 12-day Europe cruises WITH AIRFARE! This cruise was considerably MORE MONEY!! I will look into the more expensive cruise lines now. they always seemed to fussy to me before, but with all the nickel and diming going on, upcharge here, upcharge there, maybe it's not such a disparity. And maybe at least I can get some room service, a TV that actually works, and guest relations staff who know how to pretend to give a ****. Read Less

Price and a chance to see if our first impressions were correct. We took this cruise 10 days before sailing because we had done an earlier cruise on the Caribbean Princess. We also wanted to see the fall leaves, did so on the train ride from Montreal airport to cruise port. If you are going, it is the easiest way to get from the airport to the cruise port area, and so much cheaper. Beside it is a lovely train ride down the seaway, especially in the fall. The ship itself, was in the middle to its third code red. It had a deep cleaning in NYC and one in Quebec City, before we boarded. It was scheduled for a third deep cleaning in NYC upon our arrival. On our journey we had seven cases on Noro, staff and entertainers, no passengers. . We used the cruise, which had eight days of ports as transportation, and a place to sleep. Loved the ports, we did our on thing in each on, took a couple a tours, purchased at or near the ports, which was easy to do. Because we didn't care for the food, it had been an issue on our earlier cruise also, we ate off the ship most every day, very reasonable and good. At the local supermarket in Sydney for 3,00 CD freshly made for us, a great lobster roll. . Ate Lobster in Halifax and Bar Harbour---through the later was the most expensive of the lot. 30.00usd for a complete dinner which was so big we shared it. Boston, we ate at our favourite seafood place. In all it was a good cruise. The food on the ship was not very good, especially dinner in MDR. Read Less

Sailed with Princess to Canada and Northeastern US, 10/4 from Quebec City. As a Platinum member, despite a delay in boarding due to disinfecting the ship, I would say that the checking of luggage, checking-in, boarding ship, receiving luggage was the most efficient I have ever seen. However, once on board, the situation went downhill rapidly! I found the staff at Guest Services to be rude and very poor in resolving issues efficiently on at least 4 different episodes. I did not go on a vacation to get upset and get my blood pressure elevated. As far as a relaxing, recharging vacation, Princess failed miserably! Upon boarding the ship, there were no staff members or uniformed officers to greet passengers, steer them toward their staterooms, make us feel like valued consumers. This was the first time in years of sailing that I have felt so neglected. As a physician for over 35 years, I reviewed the Vessel Sanitation Program from the CDC, and I found Princess staff was inconsistent in the implementation of this program to the point of putting both passengers and staff at risk for Norovirus. Washing hands was a big deal, but servers wearing gloves in the buffets was hit/miss. On both sea days, going for breakfast at Steamers/ the Plank, there was no place to sit, but there were plenty of dirty tables. Along with several other guests I bused my own table just to have a place to eat breakfast. Servers with coffee, tea, juices were not to be found on these two days. If you are looking for a ship with a solarium or indoor pool, do not book the Caribbean Princess. Logic would dictate that a ship sailing a northern route in cold, damp weather in October, would have an indoor pool or solarium. This is my first of many cruises that did not have an indoor pool/solarium. Supposedly, this ship has recently been renovated, but she looks and feels like an "old lady". Meal service in the Palm Dining Room was the same tired menu, some good some not so good. The Pub Lunch is not to be missed if you enjoy pub food- really good. Otherwise, our best meals were ashore. These are the most egregious of the errors that paying guests should not have to tolerate, but the list is actually much longer. I have addressed these issues in a 4-5 page letter to the management team at Princess, and their brief telephone response at 6:00 PM on Friday night was most unsatisfactory and insulting. I was told they would not respond to my letter, addressing my concerns, in writing. Princess has lost a loyal customer! Read Less

Arrived in Quebec City 2 nights previous to departure specifically to not be stressed out prior to boarding. Booked a suite for myself, my 90 year old mom and my sister to share. Informed the night before that gastrointestinal issues would delay boarding times the next day. Because we had to vacate our hotel room early (leaf peeping season), we were out on the street with our mom in the cold. Priority boarding? Medallion class privilege? Platinum membership embarkation? Nope! We had to stand in line, in the cold, along with everyone else at the 4PM boarding time. Mom came down with a head cold the next day because of this, and missed out on all excursions (which were nicely cancelled by the excursion office). Next...we understood that the ship had just undergone refurbishment in April. The only thing we could identify as being new on the ship were the Medallion locks on the doors, and the monitors placed at convenient locations throughout the ship. The meals were just mediocre. Crown Grill was just OK. The Market Place buffet was horrible. Don't try the French Toast rolls. They must be left over from previous occasions, recycled with a quick dunk in an egg wash and baked to the consistency of a Canadian hockey puck and needed a pickaxe to cut. Totally disappointing food. Crowded breakfast seating. Had to walk to the coffee station ourselves due to harried wait staff trying to keep up clearing tables. No pouring your own cup of coffee. Princess theater required campout to get a seat for a performance. Coral dining room (club class) maître d' , hostess and servers were wonderful. Wifi great! Spa service was OK, but upselling a constant issue. Gratuities should not be automatically added on, and additional tipping should not be suggested by personnel. Water break in a cabin a few doors down one night, kept us up because of staff vacuuming up water and fans running all day and night. Will be choosing other all-inclusive cruise lines in the future. Read Less

I chose this cruise to see the fall foliage in Canada and New England. I was not disappointed - just beautiful in every port. I have always told people I haven't felt crowded on a cruise ship, but in the buffet I did on this one. The cruise prior to ours had a virus outbreak so I think they were trying to control the space where people ate, and there was no salt or pepper on the table to handle (the waiter had to s&p for you). Of course we were strongly encouraged to wash our hands before entering. The food in every area we went was a disappointment. Low quality food, so don't have high expectations if you go. Even the steak in the Crown Grill was average. Mushrooms were good though! I think all the wait staff had extra duties and I think managers should have pitched in to help. That would have created good will with cruisers and cruise staff, but they were no where to be seen. I have not seen so very many elders on a cruise as I did on this particular one. Seeing someone under the age of 60 was rare. We did three Princess excursions, all very good. Read Less

Cruise did not our meet expectations. Disappointed in dining Two meals were poorly cooked or over cooked and sent back to the kitchen No one asked why or if I wanted a replacement dinner. Never asked during dining if the meals were ok. On the formal night the meals plates were cleared from the table part way during dinner for photos but not returned to finish eating. During dinning we felt rushed and pressured to finish and move on We were offered a drink before dinner but nothing after. On previous cruises we sat and visited over coffee and drinks with are table mates. The medallion thing was a waste of time and did not work. Some times a drink would arrive in reasonably time but often it would not arrive or the system was not working. There was a lack of accurate communication on delays One hour wait turned into 4 hours Compared to our other cruises this one was a disappointment. Read Less

Great cruise. We loved the Caribbean Princess ship. Enjoyed all the ports of call. Prince Edward Island was our favorite. We had an inside cabin B244. It was small but we were not in the cabin that much except to sleep and change clothes. It met our needs very well. It was in the front of the ship and it was a long walk to the rear of the ship to dine. The Medallion worked opening the stateroom door and entering or exiting the ship. It had other uses but we did not use them. The entertainment was very good. The shore excursions were excellent and we enjoyed them as well. The ship stayed in port at Quebec City for two days and that allowed time to see the city without having to go in a day early and spend time in a hotel before the cruise. Be sure and see old town Quebec City at the port it was very nice. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the ports that were offered. The fjords of the Saguenay river are spectacular and offer the opportunity to see whales right from the ship where the Saguenay river meets the St. Lawrence. Unfortunately the ship travelled up the river at night so we missed most of the fjords and did not see any whales, but all ports provided us with opportunities to see some beautiful scenery. We had been looking forward to the fine dining onboard and were so disappointed by the food in the dining room. We heard complaints from other passengers all week. The buffet food was fine, but we expected much better in the dining room and often felt rushed. Also caution that the dining room now offers a menu for an additional cost. I heard someone order a lobster tail and decided to have the same, and was not told that it would cost me $19. And for that I received a shrivelled up piece of lobster that was so overcooked that it curled in the tail and was dry and tough. The lobster on lobster night was much better and there was no upcharge. The desserts were also disappointing. The cheesecake used to be a delicious option, but the one that was served was dry and bland. First time I didn't gain a few pounds on a cruise! The swimming pools are not heated and so the water was too cold to swim. Not sure why they bother with water at all if the pools are not useable. I would have swam each day, even in cooler weather, if the water had been warm. Read Less

Chose this because we were traveling with friends who didn't want to fly far. LOVE the new Medallion. It makes everything so easy-opens your stateroom door, makes purchases easy, easy off and on the ship. Makes embarkation and debarkation so much faster.The updating on the CP was well do-everything seems fresh. Our cabin was larger than we expected with lots of storage but small shower. The food was a little above average although not fantastic. The Buffett breakfasts and lunches were very good-huge assortment and kept hot and cold as needed. The Crown Grill is awesome-looks just like a New York steakhouse and the food is amazing. Well worth the $29 upcharge. Sabatini's italian is also very good. The entertainment on this ship was better than almost any we have ever seen on the 15 cruises we have taken. The production show sets were absolutely incredible and the singers and dancers were great. We also had a singer, a piano player and a comic, all of whom were wonderful. Now for the not so good. Most of the ports are boring! We enjoyed Quebec very much but Saguenay was much ado about nothing, Chalottetown just OK. Loved Peggy's Cove but you're only there for an hour. Sydney is a total waste of time. Enjoyed Halifax. Our best excursion was going out on a lobster boat in Bar Harbor. We have been to Boston many times so we didn't do much there but some might enjoy it. Overall, we found this cruise little dull. Read Less

We just returned for Canada and New England cruise on the Caribbean Princess yesterday. We sailed on this same ship 5 years ago and don’t recall any problems, but even this it was refurbished 4.2017 it’s just old and not kept up well. The good: We booked this cruise for the itinerary which we really enjoyed. We booked a Club Class Mini Suite due to booking so late and not many choices. The cabin size and location was fine and very nice sized tho it’s a bit weird having 2 really large screen TV’s nearly back to back but not an issue. Balcony was nice tho we didn’t use it too much, it had a table, 2 chairs and 2 footstools. The MedallionNet WiFi was excellent, never had an issue and very reasonably priced, loved it. We really enjoyed the club class dining room, yes it is on the side of the MDR but much less hectic and quieter, excellent crew from our fav Josmy at the door to servers who were outstanding, friendly and always smiling - thank you Oxsana, Tim, Ucecil and Rollin. The not so good: This ship is just old, outdated and tired. Yes, the carpet, sofa and some bedding in the cabins have been updated but even after such a short time it’s not taken care of. The furniture and ‘headboard’ is OLD, nicked and beat up. Large outdated canvas pic in cabin had tears in it and the walls looked like they had been washed but left splotchy wall paper. The only thing that could help it is to be replaced. All thru the ship we noticed lack of upkeep, and found it odd that we were told to please use the toilets in your cabins rather than the public ones??? Sorry but the Love Boat theme drove us nuts, maybe we just have no sense of humor. The Muster drill was ridiculous, many of us lined up in hallways and many paid no attention to the safety part of the drill, talking, laughing, disregarding the instructions and crew didn’t enforce it. Food: Seems like Princess is cheating out on the dining, no longer steaks on the Everyday Menu, now replaces with a hamburger....really? There’s a fairly extensive extra menu with meals at extra charge, yes, in the MDR. I get the speciality restaurants if you choose to pay but a daily extra cost menu? No surf and turf night(s) tho one night lobster was offered, very tiny lobster tails. Our final night was surf & turf, a small filet with 2 large prawns, one of the servers commented the prawns were larger than the lobster a few nights prior. Food in MDR was tasty enough but not one meal delicious. The Lido buffet, what a joke, crowded and many selections but not much flavor and not tasty, lots of cheap food which appeals to the masses. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t starve but the quality was horrible. Interesting note: prior to our last night I read on CC that the departure for the ship on 9.24 was going to be delayed and no one could check in before 3 pm due to extra sanitizing after gastrointestinal issues. Hmmmmm never heard about it before reading it here. All in all, we will not be doing another Princess cruise, especially on this ship. Read Less

I consider myself a seasoned traveler with 6 million air miles, hundreds of hotel says and 15 cruises on 5 cruise lines. I have never written a review before because things happen on any trip and you just have to deal with it. This year my wife and I celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary and our 70th birthdays. We were looking for something special - a trip that would provide us with a great memory of these events. A lot of choices- family, friends or something just for us. Another couple asked us to consider a Canadian-US cruise on the Caribbean Princess. I looked over the agenda and a few things caught my eye - an excursion on Prince Edwards Island with a known Canadian photographer and a stop in Boston. We had previously taken a photo trip to the Grand Canyon which was exceptional. Even though we had already taken a cruise that docked at 4 of the ports, the opportunity to have a limited group photo excursion with a known photographer coupled with a few spa treatments and a visit to Boston seemed like the experience we were looking for. The Booking On past cruises we have stayed in every accommodation from a Penthouse Suite to a porthole cabin. We contacted AmEx Travel who worked with Princess. We were advised Princess had a class of service called "Mini Suite" with suite benefits -smaller than a regular suite with all of the suite benefits (special dining, special seats at events, priority embark and debark, access to the exclusive lounge, etc.) When we attempted to book the Mini Suites were full so AmEx/Princess recommended that we book a full suite and wait for a Mini. We eventually booked the Mini, 2 spa treatments, and 4 excursions and the 10 day high speed internet. We preordered "Medallions" which are digital passkeys that identify and track your exact location on board the ship. The Preparation In order to prepare, we researched the photographer and contacted Princess regarding the excursion. We were advised to bring our camera equipment, including tripods, extra batteries, extra Sd cards, etc, along with adequate shoes for rough terrain. Three days before the cruise, we spent $500 on new camera equipment - light tripods, extra batteries, Sd cards, etc.). We also bought new hiking boots. In order to accommodate the camera equipment and airline luggage weight limits we had to remove a number of convenient items taken on past cruises. Arrival In spite of being provided a "special registration desk", unlike other cruise lines, Princess did not have any type of expedited security line so the concept of "priority boarding" was lost in the process. When we finally reached the priority registration desk we were given a new set of medallions and told the ones we had were unnecessary. At the registration desk I attempted to change the credit card on file but was advised that that would have to be done at Customer Relations. The CR computers were "occupied" with the passenger changeover but I was finally able to make that cc change two days later. The MiniSuite The Mini Suite (D414) is dated with the exception of two 42 inch TV's that dominate the small room. They actually touch each other - kind of like a sports bar. There is no chance to use them on separate channels because the sound overlaps. The Medallion Class ships have high speed access and boast about their live TV news and sports including CNN/Fox News/ESPN/ESPN2. On game day I found out that the Princess ESPN and ESPN2 was the Canadian/European version with no US college football. On live ESPN we could only watch womens international weightlifting and European soccer, a far cry from US Football.. While Princess boasts that its wi-fi can stream, it cannot stream to the TV's in the room, only to your computer or cell phone. Unless you want to spend your vacation watching the news which you are trying to get away from or you enjoy womens international weightlifting, the live TV has little merit. The rooms are dated. There is only one small electrical outlet in a mini-suite and it is impossible to use a multiple plug device because the light switch is part of the outlet and any oversize plug-in turns on the light. We were able to locate an open outlet behind the large TV's and with a little dexterity you can find an open plug. Otherwise, if you need more than 2 plug ins you are out of luck. Princess also represents that each room has a hair dryer - unfortunately they are wall mount - probably 15 years out of date with very low heat output. The "Club Class" Mini-suit is not really a suite for two passengers - it seems to be more for a three or four passengers accommodation-maybe a family with two kids who want no privacy. The furniture is old and sparse and the couch is a very uncomfortable sit. The TV's are imposing and awkward for the space. There is no divider between the sleeping area and the couch so using the TV's while your spouse is trying to rest does not work. The bathroom door opens into the closet so you have to speak out before you open the door lest you hit your partner in the back. Our stateroom attendant was excellent and kept the room very clean, but it still felt very dated, like an old hotel. The Wi-Fi The Caribbean Princess is equipped with a high capacity wi-fi system that should allow you to live stream content. To do so you have to download the app, connect to the ship internet and place your device on airplane mode and pay the $150 fee.. It seems simple but everyone in our party had issues for the first several days. There is a help station - unfortunately they advised that our problem involved Apple Messenger and told us to turn it off which resulted in a total absence of e-mails for 22-24 hours. We contacted Apple - reinstatement of Messenger on the Apple server normally takes a day after shutdown. Also, if you fail to immediately put you device on airplane mode when you reboard the ship, the phone can connect to the ships general network which results in a high cellular data bill. AT&T informed me of a $120 data overage a few hours after the ship left port. That mistake cost over $200 - a learning experience. High speed access was costly but if you figure it out you can stream to your cell phone. Watching a college football game on your I Phone doesn't compare to viewing it on one of the 42 inch TV's - which don't allow streaming. The many Disappointments Immediately after entering our Mini Suite, Narag Angelito Biloro, our Stateroom Steward appeared with ship information and our excursion tickets, etc., Narag turned out to be an exceptional asset during the cruise- we always felt good returning to our stateroom because it was well kept by him. He was a wealth of information. When I asked him about the Suite benefits and access to the Private Lounge - he informed us that the Mini-Suites do not have suite benefits but only Club benefits - contrary to what we had been told at the time of booking. He understood the confusion and got us in contact with the person to talk to. Several hours later with two attempted Princess calls to AmEx, Princess allowed us the access to the private lounge.(Which turned out to be nothing) We were specifically told that we were not allowed any other Suite benefits - only Club benefits which were a half bottle of wine, priority embark and debark, Club Class Dining and priority reservations at the specialty restaurants. Next I reviewed the excursion tickets. There was a letter included which stated that the photographic excursion "YYG260A Picture Perfect with Photographer Winston Maund has been cancelled due to operational reasons". I immediately called the front desk to better understand the situation. The front desk responded that the "operational issue" was an "overbooking" and that we had been cut from the excursion. That did not seem fair or reasonable - when we signed up for the excursion we were told we were the first two individuals to book. I went down to discuss the issue at the front desk. That took an hour. The front desk said they would check into it. On the next call I was told that there were "operational issues" that caused the cancellation of the trip and no one on the ship would be participating. I inquired about the date the operation decision was made and was told that the excursion was cancelled THE WEEK BEFORE we left for the cruise. On other cruise lines there have been changes or modification in excursions but we always received immediate notice of pre cruise changes by e-mail. When I inquired about why we were not notified the answer "It is easier for us to handle it on the ship". To me that was not customer focused - particularly considering the 12 pounds of camera equipment we carted to Canada. I asked again for clarification on the operations issue and was given no response. Princess offered to place us on another excursion at our cost. The day before we reached the port I went down to the excursion desk and was told that all excursions were closed. I was later told that Princess was trying to get together enough passengers from other cruise ships to overcome the " operational" issue. The final comment I received was the excursion was "new" and they were trying to work the kinks out. You think they would have worked the kinks out before taking our reservation and money. We also had a Boston excursion booked through Princess - in spite of the fact that there had been a major 10K scheduled in Boston for months, Princess notified us the day before the excursion the Boston itinerary would be substantially modified to include only an aircraft carrier visit because of the race so we cancelled and used an independent operator. Excursions With the exception of the LULU Lobster Boat ride in Bar Harbor, the remaining Princess excursions were unremarkable. The three independent excursions we booked were better and more informative than the Princess excursions, often at less cost. The Food As any cruiser knows, the food on cruise ships is always exceptional - except on Princess. Our group of 4 ate at both specialty restaurants - extremely disappointing experiences - one guest even sent his fish back as inedible. My specialty restaurant steak was perfectly cooked but was like chewing leather. We ate twice in the "Club Class Dining" (about the only benefit you get for paying hundreds more for a "Club Class" Mini-Suite) but the food in the Palm Dining Room was better. Treats like the Lobster Dinner were basically tasteless. Prime Rib night was also a disaster - my prime rib had more fat on it than meat. I would never have served that piece of meat to anyone. The veal marsala in the Palm was much better that the veal marsala in the specialty restaurant. I thought it might just be me- but there was uniform consensus within our group that the food was lower grade than on any other cruise. The steaks (both in the specialty restaurant and the Palm Dinning) were tough with a lot of waste. More like a cheap chain restaurant than a cruise delicacy. Room service breakfast was great. A very limited selection but the bacon, egg and cheese English muffin was fine. There were three things good about dining - Phillipo the Head Waiter, Rigoberto, the Waiter and their assistant waiter (unfortunately I misplaced his name). There were attentive and provided outstanding service- remembering preferences, supplying my spouse with gluten free bread, knowing the menu and making reasonable recommendations. The problem is that the food itself was just not that good. Everyone in our group agreed on one thing - don't waste your money on the specialty restaurants - they are not worth it. Since we pre-booked the specialty restaurants the "Club Class" priority seating benefit had no value The Private Suite Lounge There is no actual private lounge for suite guests, just a lounge that is closed to non-suite guests for two hours in the evening. Drinks are charged to you room and the appetizers are below average. Other cruise lines have a separate lounge for suite guests - after we got on the ship we were told that did not exist on the Caribbean Princess. The Spa In 49 years my wife has never turned down a spa treatment - and who would - they are rejuvenating and relaxing experiences. We prebooked 2 spa sessions for her. Although the spa treatment by Isabel was OK, the after spa upsell of products and additional services was obnoxious. In stead of returning refreshed, my wife retuned upset because Isabel just kept pressing her to buy products and add additional treatments. Upselling is a part of business but when a customer says they are not interested the conversation should end. My wife is no wall flower and it would take a lot of upsell to upset her. She attributed the incident to a language barrier but "not interested" should be understood in any language. Both women in our group cancelled their second spa treatment. I was so disturbed I contacted the spa and asked them to take off the $32.00 "Auto Gratuity" - they apologized and said that no gratuity would appear on the final statement. The morning of departure the gratuity was still on the bill and I was informed that I would have to go to the desk (where there was a 30 minute wait) to have it removed. By that time I was exhausted with Princess so we simply left. The workout area is well done with adequate equipment but use is limited to 8am-8pm. If you are an early riser that exercises before breakfast or plan to exercise at the end of the day - forget it. And the thought of exercising while watching sports is limited to ESPN Canada/Europe - back to womens international weigh lifting. The Shows and Entertainment The shows and entertainment were average to good for a cruise. The stage productions were OK but you need to get there at least 30 minutes early or you will be sitting in the front few rows. Although we were about 25 minutes early for the extravaganza that included 'pyrotechnics" we ended up in row one- if that happens leave! Although the cruise line alleges to have a keen focus on passenger safety- the smoke machine will overcome you in 20 minutes. The smoke is so bad that you can't see the show. When we left, our eyes burned from the substance that they use to create the smoke effect - it is almost like a fine mist/dust. We had to use eye drops when we got back to our cabin but it took two days before the eye irritation and redness dissipated. On the good side one male singer from Vegas, a piano player and the two comedians were exceptional. After being on larger ships the stage shows were average. Princess Medical/Response We have been on two cruises where there was an outbreak of flu or a norovirus. That happens when you put 3-6 thousand people in one place. In each case the Captain made an announcement about increased health risk and the need to take special precautions, advised the passengers that the crew would be taking additional actions to respond (wiping down common areas, etc.). Those cruise lines gave you a feeling that the cruise line cared. Half way thru our 10 day Princess cruise we noticed that the crew began taking precautions - wiping down the entire theater between performances, etc. I asked if there was a particular concern and was told that there was a "flu virus" affecting many passengers and the ship was on a "Phase 2" alert. (I have no idea if that information was accurate or if there is a Phase 2 alert). I was particularly concerned because at the end of the cruise we were going to visit elderly relatives and I did not want to carry a virus to them. The day before the cruise ended my wife became ill with what appeared to be a cold. I contacted the Princess sick bay and talked with the nurse. She said that there had been a number of sick passengers but she was more focused on telling me that my call would be considered an "emergency" and that there would be a $195 initial charge to see my wife plus any testing for "the virus" would be extra. She would not provide any additional information on my general health question (Is there a virus on the ship and if so what type?) without a visit to the infirmary and payment of the $195 emergency fee. The morning of departure I called again and received a reply call from the ship Doctor. I explained to him that we were going to visit elderly relatives and I inquired if we may have been exposed to a virus on the ship. He was vague and basically said that there are sick persons on every cruise. He refused to discuss particulars or provide any information but invited us to come down and pay the $195 emergency fee for a consult plus additional fees for a test to determine if my wife actually had a cold or a virus. The attitude was appalling. We departed the ship, believing that a land side American doctor might be a better choice. Within 18 hours of departure, one of the individuals in our 4 person group became violently ill and spent two days sick in a hotel in New York - the Doctors are in the process of diagnosing the virus.. Several years ago a family member was on a cruise and broke her foot on an excursion. The Cruise company was unbelievably helpful in providing medical assistance and accommodating her for the remainder of the trip. The standard of care was exceptional. The Princess response to my inquiry was startling, to say the least. I got the impression that Princess wanted to keep information regarding health concerns suppressed and that the medical center had not meet its financial goals on the cruise. Rather than simply giving me an answer (honest or not) the individuals were focused on getting the emergency fee and were not focused on responsible care of the passengers. Those that listened to the conversation were equally applaud. Disembarkation One of the Mini-Suite "Club" class benefits was "Priority Debark" which on every other cruise we have been on means priority getting off the ship early The night before we arrived at our final port we were provided with luggage tags that allowed us to depart 55 minutes after our traveling companions that had no "Priority Debark" status. I contacted the front desk and was advised that the "Priority" disembarkation for Club Class Mini-Suites consists of a preferred waiting area and was not related to the time for leaving the ship. After another trip to the front desk I was able to get the same disembarkation time as our non-priority friends. Summary The Caribbean Princess is an older ship and shows it. Every cruise line has a personality and it takes some time to get used to Princess if you have cruised on quality cruise lines. Princess did not meet any of our general expectations and failed miserably to respond to concerns that were raised. In our opinion, the added expenses of a "Club Class Mini-Suite" has little value - the priority boarding and disembarkation did not provide any real priority, and the "Club Class" dining was equivalent to any time dining on most cruise lines. With the exception of the Luu Lobster boat tour at Bar Harbor, the Princess excursions were unremarkable. The specialty restaurant food is not worth the additional price and some of the special night food (Lobster night - Prime Rib night) was genuinely disappointing. The lack of communication regarding cancelled excursions (both before and during the cruise) and the lack of communication regarding passenger health issues (or the conflicting individual reports from crew members on both subjects) does not give one a comfortable feeling. The Spa treatments are average but the upselling pressure when your trying to enjoy the cruise is not. The hours of the workout center are limited. The above not only reflects my feeling and the feeling of the four members of our group, but was reflected in several conversations with a number of passengers that have cruised on other cruise lines. I'm sure there are individuals who appreciate the Caribbean Princess personality, particularly those that have not cruised often, but in our case the Caribbean Princess failed miserably to meet expectations compared to other cruises. This was a very poor return on our expenditure (particularly the Club Class Mini Suite) and a complete failure for a celebration. If you want a quality experience, look elsewhere. Read Less

First, we chose this cruise for its itinerary. We really liked the ports and were excited to board. We haven't been on Princess in quite some time but thought it worth a shot. I'll make the rest as short as possible: On board (deck) activities were often advertised but never took place. The buffet area is very small for the size of the ship usually resulting in no available seating. The buffet food was cold, stale, and tasteless. Nothing was prepared fresh you have to take what has been sitting out for hours. Food in the dining room suffered the same. We had overcooked boiled steaks, cold soups, onion soup with no onion! We even tried the Grill where the lamb and the steak had the same seasoning and was uneatable. We gave up and ate pizza and burgers at the outdoor venues. The service was mediocre with most not seeming to care about the deficiencies. The best service was provided by three bartenders and a couple of servers at the Mix Bar on deck 15. When leaving the ship for excursions, etc. there always seemed to be a great deal of confusion. (organized chaos) When returning there was no greeting just a crew member saying this way. Overall i have to say that for the money we received little value. We have a vacation tentatively booked with Princess for next summer but are now exploring other options. Also, there was an outbreak of norovirus on our cruise and the one following. If cruise lines think it's due to a lack of washing one's hands maybe they need to review the way food is prepared and put out on the buffet. Read Less

Chose this to celebrate anniversary. Cruised with Princess in 1983 (original Love Boat) and interested to see how things have changed. Very nice ship - took a while to get the layout but like it. Cabin was good - what we expected. Food in dining room was good - lots to choose from - waiters were exceptional. Entertainment was good if you like the type of thing that what was presented. Shore excursions are very overpriced. Can get the same tours on shore for as much as 1/2 price and have the option to stop and go at your leisure - don't have to follow the crowd.. Shore excursion descriptions and cost are available but information on ports (maps and historical landmarks) are not available until 5pm the night before arriving and shore excursion desk closes at 6pm. Missed 2 ports due to high winds. Commend the captain for making this decision for the safety of all. Overall would recommend this cruise and Princess. Read Less

We chose this particular Nova Scotia cruise because of the itinerary and a particular excursion with a well known photographer which was ultimately cancelled and we were not told until the last minute. So on my 70th birthday we did not have an excursion. The ship knew a week ahead. The Spa had a hard upset after a mediocre massage. Specialty dinning was a joke on my birthday, the food quality was poor. We have cruised many times on other lines and have never felt like this. Our supposed club level mini sweet was nothing special and we had to pled for access to the special lounge that was supposed to be part of the package at this level. The stateroom did not have enough outlets to plug in devices, the internet was intermittent and the ship was debuting a new medallion service that was troublesome. Overall this was a bust cruise and I would not recommend this ship to anyone. Read Less

The itinerary and the dates of travel worked for our busy schedules. We especially liked the itinerary only having 2 sea days and we wanted to finish in NYC. Boarding in Quebec was efficient and we really enjoyed having the overnight in port. The stateroom was as we expected, very clean and comfortable. Our very pleasant and attentive cabin attendant introduced himself to us immediately and made us very welcome. Everything in regard to our stateroom and service was fabulous. We had traditional dinning, 2nd seating hoping that we would not feel rushed unfortunately we still felt that we had to order and eat quickly each time. Soups on the menu were lacking flavour and it was quite obvious that the cream of tomato soup one night was the same used for the minestrone another night with a few beans and bits of pasta added. There was a definite lack of finesse in plating, little or no garnish and the same potatoes on many of the plates but with a different name. We had one night at Sabatini’s with the up-charge of 25.00 per person here I would rate the food a 10 out of 10 but the ambience a 2. It was loud and cafeteria like having no tablecloths or carpeting, the waiter station directly behind my chair with the rattling of dishes and at numerous times very distracting not at all conducive to an romantic dinner to celebrate a special occasion. There were people walking past on the deck and at one point a crew member obviously doing some maintenance work hanging in front of the window with a paint brush. As in the main dinning room I felt rushed and hurried through my meal. Entertainment on board was very good from the orchestra to the company of singers and dancers and the guest performers. I guess my overall comment was that it was an “OK” cruise. Read Less

We sailed as a company group; which we do annually with Princess. Unfortunately, our mini-suite wreaked of cigarette smoke form the casino and cigar room for 7 of our 10 days aboard the ship. They had no empty cabins where we could be permanently moved so we had to endure the respiratory affects of the smoke each night. They were able to let us sleep for 2 nights in an inside cabin but were unable to move in as it was to be soon occupied. Our cabin steward was amazing and gracious. The ship was clean and the entertainment was good. We were on a Fall Color cruise from Quebec to New York and enjoyed ourselves while not in our room. We choose the 5:15 assigned seated dining. Our waiters were friendly and fun. WE have sailed many times with Princess and our problems were an exception to our normal experinces Read Less

We picked this cruise because of the timing and location - early August in an area that is not too hot at that time of year. We stayed at a hotel in Quebec City the night before the cruise began - that gave us a little more time to see this charming city. Embarkation was a breeze - we dropped off our luggage, had essentially no paper work because of the Ocean Medallions used by Princess on this cruise, then walked on the ship. After a quick bite and a look at our room, we went off the ship for a walking tour of the Old City in Quebec. Some positives: (1) the food in the buffet was better than I expected (and better than most other cruise lines); (2) the smaller restaurants provided a nice change of pace- they were either free or a nominal price; (3) the internet is excellent - much better than other cruise lines; (4) the room is tiny (as are most cabins on other lines), but there were many places to store things; (5) the room steward was excellent; (6) good variety of equipment in the fitness center. Some negatives: (1) the main theater is much too small - we missed several shows even though we arrived 30 minutes before the scheduled start; (2) the medallions are nice for embarkation, but why are they not used to pay for drinks at dinner? we were overcharged one night in the Main Dining Room - eventually it was resolved. (3) The material presented on each port in the daily sheets is helpful, but we would really like to see some live talks - on the history and special features of the next day's stop. For example, the day before we get to Boston, there could be a talk about the city. In general, there are not enough enrichment lectures. (4) I would like to see someone reminding people, as they enter a restaurant, to wash their hands (5) Disembarkation was not great - we were scheduled to leave the ship at 7:55 AM but we were not called until 8:40 - 45 minutes late. Not sure what the problem was. (6) The waiters in the Main Dining Room could use more help - many cruise lines have an assistant waiter. Read Less

Let me start by saying that the actual ship is very nice and we had a nice trip. PROS: The cruise directors, Andrew & Andy, were really fun. The entertainment was very good. We enjoyed the various trivia games, there was a great magician, awesome juggler, and very interesting high-tech lights\video\music act. The food was great in both formal dining room and buffet. They have great video screen at the pool that plays recent movies (that you can also view later in your cabin). There are fun "touch screens" on every floor where you can locate the people you are travelling with, see deck plans, the entertainment schedule, AND there is fun "explorer puzzle game" for the kids to play. There are 3 regular sized pools (one is private one for adults only near the spa), and one very small "kid's area pool", so there are different options. I think they make good use of the space and boat doesn't feel too large (or too small). Also, very "non pressure" from the staff. I've been on some cruises where they are always trying to sell you things, but this ship wasn't like that. Stops on our cruise were awesome. In particular I loved Quebec City, & Prince Edward Island. Halifax is nice, but a bit more of a bustling city. Sidney Nova Scotia is cute town but a "young port" so tour options (e.g. if want to go to the Alexander Graham Bell museum) are limited if you don't book ahead. You can't even really even find a taxi. - - - CONS: There are limited shore excursions and most of the good ones they sold out months before the cruise. (Not sure why they can't see the high demand and arrange for additional tours). It ended working out OK for us though because we found that for most ports you can find alternative tours outside of the port for cheaper than Princess charges. The EXCEPTION though is the port of Sydney, Nova Scotia. If you don't book something ahead won't be able to find trips on short. The "app" (where you can order drinks and see entertainment schedule seems to be a bit of a work in progress (didn't work very well for me). I could see upcoming events schedule but never could do anything else with it. There was mystery "high seas heist" ongoing game that we participated in, which was semi-fun but sloppily run and slightly confusing. There is "kids club" for area but for some reason it is closed from Noon-to-2PM so it didn't work out well for my wife and I when we wanted to do some of the things like the art auction on the boat, or trivia. Also, the staff in the area are not that friendly, and per my kids (so take with grain of salt) they had strictly regimented task for them to follow. (e.g. they couldn't just draw, read, play video games or Foosball when there was an activity like "t-shirt painting" going on. You have to do what group is doing while in kids club, at least if you are in the 7-to-11 year old section). Perhaps not the cruise line's fault but found the "exit port" in Brooklyn NY to be run horribly. A lot of confusion, and they routed people into different lines... allowed people to cut in the lines... and ultimately you could just walk out of the port if you wanted to (there was no security check or anything) so all the confusion wasn't really necessary if they were better organized. Lastly, bad ratings to our cabin (E514), mostly because it is located directly above the lounge where loud music is played most nights. Read Less

We wanted to try Princess, as it's supposed to be a little more upscale. We also liked the choice of ports. The first thing we noticed is that the passengers are a little older and more moneyed then other cruises we've been on. The average age was at least 60. Many, many of the passengers were repeat passengers in the elite category. Obviously, Princess has a loyal following. I'll break down my experiences by area. Rooms and guest services - We were very, very happy with the performance of our room steward. He was super attentive and friendly. The rooms were very clean and nicely sized. The beds are very comfortable. While the on-demand movie selection was extensive, the live tv choices were just ok. Our interactions with the front desk personnel were excellent. Entertainment - The shows were outstanding. Great job by the performers. The theater is undersized, coupled with the high quality of entertainment, meant getting to the theater very early to ensure a seat. Get there early; the shows are worth it! The other entertainers were also good (The comedian was good day 1, but so so his second show.) We also enjoyed their own inhouse entertainment - the impromptu dance contest, the Voice of the Ocean and the meet the officers shtick. All in all - kudos to the entertainment department - great job! Food - Mixed reviews. For the most part, the main dining room was very good. However, I noticed that when we ate late, while the main courses were very good, the appetizers were somewhat dried out and stale. Breakfast in the MDR's was also very good. I was very, very pleasantly surprised by the food on Lido. The selection was excellent and the quality was very good, especially considering this was a buffet. I was also very happy with the international cafe, their 24 hour food spot. It always had a nice choice of pastries and parfaits, sandwiches and croissants, and salads. The attendant was excellent. They also have a coffee bar where you can get a cappuccino or coffee; however, beware that these coffees are extra cost. We also had dinner at the steak house and Sabatini's. Both restaurants had great service and great food. However, disappointingly, the steak house apps were also dried out (again, we ate late). All in all, we were extremely happy with the cruise. Read Less

We chose this cruise since I have always wanted to go to Quebec City and we thoroughly enjoyed that French-speaking port. We had good weather--in fact in was hot in Quebec City. Our second favorite port was Portland, Maine, an attractive and charming town. We had been to Boston and Halifax before, but enjoyed both of them again. The trip was rather port-intensive and I would have liked more sea days, which are relaxing since you don't have to get up early for an excursion. We went on an excursion in almost every port. On the sea days I missed having any enrichment lectures on board. The ship itself is very attractive and we enjoyed the variety of food, especially in the buffet, where they had gluten-free and dairy-free choices and also left out cereal for a snack or to take to your room. The dancers and singers in the production company were excellent. The party band was also excellent. The sailaway activities seemed somewhat limited until halfway through the cruise. Read Less