My father died during the cruise and I needed to amend my travel arrangements. The front desk staff were terrible and it took over 3 days to sort new departure arrangements. I received conflicting information from onboard Front desk staff and onshore Princess staff. Princess gave no credit for existing return flight and I had to pay for a new full fare that was exchanged from Aust$ to US$ to NZ$. The air carrier advised my family that Princess as travel agent had full discretion in making no or little penalty charges to travel. No discretion was applied. I would not recommend Princess on this basis. There was relentless onboard promotion for buying jewellery (Effy) and artworks which was tedious. Food was good and plentiful, entertainment was a bit ho hum - one comedian was absolutely dreadful and the second relied on old hack and tired women-as stupid content. There were two production shows which were excellent. Musicians played similar and in a lot of cases the same songs (how many times can you listen to Hey Jude?!) Onboard activities were limited with the same things recycled through the cruise - movies (same movies returned too frequently); bingo; quizzes (I'm a quiz fan but the same format and type of questions were used across three quiz events, and the events were bumped in face of venue conflict); demonstrations such as cocktail making was view only. Cards as an activity was good (bridge; 500) as there were a fair number of people interested therefore plenty of opportunity to play. However this was organised by participants. I feel entertainment staff often opted out of organising activities, so it dependent on participants to get things going. Venues appeared to be mismanaged in that the act and or audience size wasn't appropriate to the particular venue used. Enrichment activities were limited to forensic topics (potentially good however presenter was poor and used promotional material as evidence) and others were directly linked to the sale of jewellery and artworks. Did two excursions - whole day Moorea swimming and snorkeling which was excellent and the LA Venice Beach and Santa Monica visits. Definitely wouldn't recommend Venice Beach as a destination (old; tired; dirty; broken; grotty) but Santa Monica was nice to walk around (shops; pier; beach) Read Less

We chose this particular cruise as we both enjoy Sea days and the cruise experience. This particular cruise from Auckland to Vancouver had plenty of these with only six ports. Time seemed to fly by, with all the activities going on. The crew and staff were friendly and welcoming. Activities were varied and plentiful should we wish to take part. And the food .well that was great! We chose often to go more casual dining in the horizon or indeed catch a movie and have pizza. But we also went formal to anytime dining, in the dining rooms available to us, whereby the waiters would be friendly and helpful. We had a back to back cruise so continued on to Alaska, we found that the leg from LA to Vancouver changed the dynamics of the passengers as many left in LA and others came on for a short cruise to Vancouver, then new people joint the ship for Alaska, which changed again, so this was a new experience for us. However, this did not deter from a great trip Read Less

We really enjoy Princess, in particular the level of service experienced onboard is 1st class. Food was excellent, the Staff, as usual were excellent. The Cruise Director, Jody was innovative and met with Guests every sea day for a Coffee/Chat. This is the first time I had experienced something along that line. Her Team also were energetic and involved with the Guests. Our Captain, Tony Ruggero regularly walk around the ship meeting with and talking to any passengers who liked a chat. And he did so with a high degree of interest in what they had to say. The weather on sea days during this voyage was ordinary to say the least, however, the up side was that on each Port day the sun came out and weather was close to,perfect. I can do without Suva as a Port, there are many more inviting islands of Fiji that would be better for a day stopover. Pago Pago is an interesting Port with many worthwhile drives at very reasonable prices. Hawaii and Her Islands speak for themselves as does Tahiti. Swimming with the Sharks and Sting Rays is a must and there are plenty of options available on shore. Land Tours around the Tahitian Islands are interesting and the scenery is to die for. Some of the most beautiful scenes you could ever wish for. Then onto NZ, Auckland is a Capital City and as expected. The Hop on Hop Off Bus is worth the money with many very interesting places visited. Then onto Bay of Islands. Beautiful from the sea/land, even more so from a Helicopter flight. The locals put on a Market with many wonderful and interesting items for sale. (Much better than the normal Markets) found in other places. Now the Ship, Sea Princess is showing her age, however she is still in very clean and presentable shape. Food onboard was very good with a number of changes to previous menus. The Pub Lunch has an expanded menu with a larger variety other than Fish and Chips, which is still very tasty. I would recommend you attend the Cooking Demonstrations which not only highlight a number of dishes, it is also a light hearted comical and entertaining experience. We did Anytime Dining which worked very well with no problems in finding a table. The Buffett was always available with a good selection of various style meals with regular presentation of menus of specific style and taste from various countries. For outside eating, the Pool Grill presented hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage on a roll, salads, chips etc. we never went hungry. We had an Interior Cabin A204 at the front of the ship. A small cabin but it did have the essentials, cupboard/hanging space, plenty of drawers and a workable (if not large) bathroom. In rough weather you could feel the larger waves, not that it caused us any discomfort, we were just rocked to sleep at night. When you run into 7mtr. waves, one must expect a bit of movement, however that just added to our experiences. The onboard entertainment was not up to the usual Princess standard. Some good shows, some not so good. The Production shows were very good, just not as many as we have experienced in the past. All in all, our group of 7 adults enjoyed the cruise and I would do the same itinerary again. We have done this cruise twice in past years. Read Less

Always wanted to visit Hawaii and Tahiti. The ship should be commended on their staff. They are the greatest asset. The food was very good, with heaps of choice. Entertainment was poor and somewhat disorganised. The tours in Suva, Pago Pago and Moorea, were great value and very well organised and presented. One of our Hawaiian tours to the crater and ocean centre was very good and well worth the money, however the other 4 tours in Hawaii were very over priced and disappointing. Our tour at Bora Bora, helmet five was cancelled once we were on board. We enjoyed Bora Bora as we managed to do a tour with a local taxi driver, Dora. She was very knowledgeable and helpful. Moorea is beautiful as well and our tour to the tiki village was fantastic. The Dining experience was good and the service outstanding. The steak house not worth the money - as though good - the normal free dining was as good. Entertainment - such as voice of the sea was very poorly organised. Craft lessons were very poor. No presentations other than ones that tried to sell you something. In saying that - I would do this cruise again, but I’d do many things differently. I cruised with 5 other people who made my trip amazing. Read Less

This was the 2nd time we enjoyed this cruise, last was 2015. Great opportunity to see different things ashore. Pity that it was a bit rough this time but no one can control the weather! Have sailed on Sea Princess many times & wish they would upgrade the televisions to movies on demand. Also be fabulous if she had the 24 hour International Cafe. Legends for the Elite evenings just didn’t work for us , too crowded but lots enjoyed them. Lots of choices entertainment wise & plenty of activities to keep fit & healthy (without gaining weight!) Cruise director & staff ALL exceptional, kept me as busy as I wanted for 5 weeks Read Less

35 nights round trip from Sydney (no flights) on Sea Princess. Met great people, shared a table of eight in second sitting, now lifelong friends. Dining experience is second to none. Good menus, well cooked food and fantastic ambience. Great production shows, especially "Encore" - brilliant. Unfortunately blow in entertainers were second rate and only one female singer in 5 weeks. Movies were plentiful, some, even current. Wines on board very expensive as were the shore tours. Hawaii Islands were exciting, absolute highlights of the cruise. The Big Island (Hawaii) has two ports, Kona & Hilo. Kona is the dry side of the island so book your sightseeing there. Helicopter flights in particular. Ours was cancelled in Hilo due to poor visibility and heavy rain. The three ports in Tahiti are glorious, lush and green with turquoise waters and the people are beautiful. The Princess experience is great - the staff and crew are very well trained to cater for the fussiest passengers and they do it generously with a smile. Would we do it all over again ? ......................Oh yeah ! Read Less

For perspective this was our 4th cruise and 3rd consecutive cruise with Princess. Thought we'd try a short 8 night cruise to NZ on the Golden Princess which is re positioning with the view of booking the full opposite direction re position should all be ok. We are not biased towards Princess but have found their product to be excellent each time we've cruised so why change unless things are as bad as some are making out? Embarkation at Sydney was Princess efficient and first impressions of the ship was that she appeared in pretty good order with evidence of fresh paint and rail varnishing up to speed etc. Nothing particularly worn or shoddy. Carpet mismatches in passageways and staterooms bore evidence of recent replacement etc. Whether it was due to wear which is a good thing or water damage, which is a bad thing, we are unable to say. The ship is lovely and has a quirky non flowing design but once used to the lay out it never seemed crowded apart from the usual suspects of the cafe on Piazza deck due to rather inconsiderate guests who continue to eat up what little space there is by setting up camp with a book for the day. One of our pet hates but not isolated to this ship. Wonder if they get away with that at a cafe where they live?. The Princess theater as always was crowded quite early for the first show but generally better later show. Quality of the entertainment was good and the Cruise Director seemed to be pretty active and engaged in his work. There are plenty of quiet places to be should you wish. The food on this cruise was excellent. Good variety in all the venues we ate at including Sabitinis and service was always very good. The crew seemed in good morale in all areas from bars, restaurants to cabins. Our cabin steward was the usual efficient and very pleasant. The mid ship balcony cabin on Baja deck was clean and all fittings were in very good condition for the age of the ship. One peculiarity we did note however, as did friends in other cabins travelling with us, was the excessive creaking and groaning of panels in even moderate seas. Something we certainly didn't encounter on other ships even such as Sun Princess (which is older) and did detract from sleep quality on a couple of nights. Otherwise the ship looked pretty good. Only one small leak was seen, best described as an intermittent small drip probably, around an AC outlet in Bernini dining room but certainly nothing major requiring a bucket in any area that we saw and we made a point of wandering around extensively to familiarize ourselves. We could see where a couple of carpet patches were done in public areas but this ship is definitely not leaking like a sieve as some would have us believe and there were no sewerage odors in any public areas. The lifts were all working on this cruise. Port stops were very good as NZ is a beautiful country wherever one goes. Tendering, ports and disembarkation were equally efficient in NZ. Overall a good cruise with mostly pleasant weather. Certainly no complaints about Golden Princess from us and we liked the ship enough to proceed with our original booking plans. Good job Golden Princess. Read Less

Wanted to see the South Pacific by ship, and got a very nice deal (free sip and sail package). Ports of call were fine, learned a lot of local history. On board the staff from the dance girls to the orchestra to the wait staff and stewards...all were outstanding. Ship itself is old and not well maintained with leaks and inconsistent water to the cabins. Duct tape not really nice to see instead of worn out or shabby areas. Food was fine in restaurants and courts. Desserts everywhere were beautiful to the eye and delicious to the palate. I think everyone gained at least 5 pounds feasting. Entertainment was top notch, really amazing that the ship orchestra could adept to so many talents so quickly, and the ship singers and dancers were New York quality. Would certainly do Princess again, but on a newer ship. Check the date it first sailed, stay with something in last 5 years. Read Less

The ability to commence with only a short flight from Coolangatta to SYDNEY to commence and the ports of call. The ship albeit recently having a makeover is really showing her age and there was a Major smell of sewerage midship for most of the cruise. The entertainment was not up to the normal standard of princess. This ship is being passed over to P & O in oct 2020 and it just seems they had no interest in paying any more to keep her maintained. I would have to say that for the money charged this was overpriced cruise for what was offered . We bought duty free cigarettes that were supposed to be delivered to our room before departure... they never arrived and as the shops were closed in port we never got to see them. I would recommend you considering ships such as the Royal, Enchanter, Sky class if wishing to travel with princess. Read Less

Figured I might as well cross the Pacific, as I hadn't done that. Relaxing in that there were so many sea days with only 8 ports. I'd been to most of the ports but looked forward to seeing different things at each place. Had a deluxe balcony which was overkill on this sailing - New Zealand, especially south island, was cool-cold, rough seas & rain, then crossing the Equator it was too hot. Last week I could use the balcony, but could have saved the money! Pay attention to cruises over Easter - in the Caribbean it means LOTS of kids, but not on this one, A positive. However, we spent Easter Sunday and Monday on French Polynesia, Tahiti & Moorea, which observes both days as national holidays so 99% of the places are CLOSED! Only grocery stores, tour buses and snorkeling boats are open. Stores closed, restaurants closed, museums closed. You get it. Wish the cruise line could have managed to redo the itinerary so we could DO something there! The GOLDEN PRINCESS will be converted to P&O later this year and it shows. However, everyone knew that was the case so the edges of shabbiness was not unexpected. Still, the ship was maintained and clean. 95% crew was remarkable. Captain was visible throughout the cruise. PJ, the Cruise Director, and his assistants made the whole cruise a fun time. Entertainment quite good especially the Production shows. Other entertainers provided variety. Comedians, except for 1, were very funny. Enrichment lecturers wonderful. Idiotic games played were a great way to spend a cold or rainy day inside - dumb but loads of fun for everyone! BON APPETIT excursion in Hilo was a highlight - having a progressive brunch at 3 different people's houses was a great way to get a feel for the reality of living in Hawaii. Also enjoyed the Wine trail in Auckland (I'd been there before so wanted to get out of the City for a bit). When I said it was a relaxing cruise, I meant the cruise itself, because on one end or another, someone is going to have a LOOOOONG flight and that's not so relaxing. But you know that when you book a trans-Pacific! Am glad I did it. Read Less

This is a vessel that should have been retired a few years ago. Twenty year old vessels have lots of things patched together and some strange smells (urine and mold/musty) and sounds (creaking walls and elevators). Had some exceptional staff members but others not so much. Had a definite feel that they were out to get all the money out of you with nickel and dime stuff. Way over the top on pushing Effy jewelry and art sales and way to little on cultural & educational. This was a 30 day cruise and you can stand just so many trivia and bingo outings. Entertainment was again inconsistent with some good and some bad. One constant was the ships band which was outstanding. Food was also inconsistent. Deserts were good throughout but simple things like scrambled eggs at breakfast and steak choices and dinner were well below what I had expected. Booked shore excursions through ship. Had some good ones but the absolute worst one (in Auckland) I have had in 15 cruises. When we complained, they offered a 35% rebate (?). Again, it seemed like it was all about money for them. Was really put off with the ship's Maitre 'd who ask 3 times for ratings of 9 or 10 for his department. "Don't mark us down for something else that may have good not so good" What a team player. In 30 days we never saw the captain. Had two scheduled events where he was suppose to show (repeat customers and crossing the equator) and never made it. Certainly he could have done some random walk-abouts through common areas to say Hello from time to time - had 30 days to do this. You also might want to make the interior smoke free. Letting parts of the Casino smoke serves no purpose for those with breathing issues since we had to walk through it and "enjoy" it in the cabin via the ventilation system. More revenue at the expense of our health. Read Less

The embarkation experience in Sydney was probably our worst experience of embarkation on any cruise. There seemed to be no organisation, and the only guidance was by other passengers, as there seemed to be a great lack of staff around. When we chose this cruise we knew that there were a lot of sea days ahead of us, so we were prepared to entertain ourselves for long stretches of time. While they had many activities, there could have been more variety. We enjoyed the ports as we had not been to most of them. The shore excursions were way too expensive for us, so we were able to find local providers at almost all ports. Some ports were a little overrated, such as Los Angeles, where the ship docked at San Pedro and with a 3.00pm all aboard deadline, there was not sufficient time to get into LA and see anything and return in time. The dining was very good, accommodating my dietary requirements. There did seem to be less general variety in the buffet compared to other cruises we have been on. The wait staff were to be highly commended, as were all the staff onboard - friendly and helpful and dedicated to ensuring everyone had a great experience. The entertainment was mostly quite good, but not as spectacular as we had experienced on other cruises. The other passengers were respectful and well behaved, with no loud noise to interrupt a peaceful night's sleep. The bed was super comfy - it felt like a cosy nest. It was great to be part of the Cruise Critic Roll Call, so we were able to arrange some activities together to get to know others. All in all it was a great cruise where we met a lot of likeminded people. Read Less

Very nice ports and food in main rests were very good. The ship is in very poor condition though and they are not doing anything to fix it up There was water leaking all over the ship and a very bad smell of mould. The food in the buffet was always the same and not very good. The ports were very nice and the crew is very good. The cruise director was one of the best we have had on a cruise. All his staff were very good and easy to talk to. They should try to have more to do though on sea days as it was quite boring though some people love sea days I do not. We really loved New Zealand and Tahiti and that made the long sea days worth the wait. We really love Princess cruises and was disappointed on the very poor condition of the Golden princess. Read Less

Ports, food, entertainment,staff, beds, services, equipment, all were 5 stars. Consistency of delivery is the standout and above its peers. After 10+ cruises on many different lines spread over 40 years in all seas and types of ships, I believe Princess Cruises is by far and away the best value for money experience. They take the best of the rest and combine it with 30+ years of their own experience to deliver the most consistently high class delivery of service food and travel experiences. The ability to deliver, process and anticipate travellers' needs is exceptional and remarkable. Doesn't matter which ship or which sea journey you take it seems to me that the expectation is always met, without disappointment, often before you identify fully what you really need. Princess acknowledge and seek out repeat customers and will do all possible to achieve that repeat sale (sail?). Perhaps they could improve by thinking about a new loyalty customer level between Platinum and Elite levels - but apart from that - don't change anything. Read Less

we chose this cruise because of where we were going to go. The embarkation went very smoothly We were not familiar with the Golden Princess We had been on another Princess ship before, It was the Caribbean Princess and we had been very satisfied. The cabin was correct. However, we had to brush our teeth with warm water during the whole trip as the ship seemed unable to provide us with cold water even after we complained to our cabin steward. The food was so so in the Horizon Court. It seemed like the same items were on the menu quite often. Although the executive chef was of Indian descent, the Indian food was not very appetizing. I have been to India and the food I ate while in the country was fabulous compared to what was served on the ship. However, the food in the Donatello dinning venue was quite satisfying. We were looked after by two young Filipino men and we have nothing praise to say bout their efficiency, politeness and service it was a pleasure to be served by them night after night.. There was an area near the Vista lounge located aft on deck 7 that smelled quite badly. There was always an odor of excrement whenever we happened to walk by the area. On our last day, I had to use the toilet on deck 7 aft of the Sabatini dinning room and when I lifted the toilet seat it was overflowing with water, papers and excrement. There are no excuses for that state of affair. The shore excursion person for the Papeete visit was extremely rude to me and some of the other customers. The bus was late and we were standing in the sun. When I asked her when we could expect the bus to arrive, she replied that if we did not like to wait all we had to do was give her our tour tickets and leave. I can't comment on the entertainment part of the cruise as i did not attend any of the shows I was traveling with my wife. My wife and I have decided the we will never cruise again on this vessel. Read Less

We went on this cruise because of the ports visited. We were on the ship for 28 days. My husband and I have been on 50 cruises and have never been so disgusted with a cruise line. It is now on the bottom of my rating list. Ship leaked badly, very rude and arrogant crew. No customer service. Food bad. Dining room staff impossible. Cabin location(mini-suite) where 6 decks and bridge above could look on your balcony. Entertainment venue was always full 1 hour before entertainment began. If you were not there early you stood or sat on the floor in the aisle. Not perks for Captain's Circle members. Tv in cabin had no programming for account, movies, remote very limited. On the docks the crew members would rush off to get the ground transportation before paying passengers. No representative on the docks for Princess to answer questions. Please think carefully before going on the ship. Read Less

We sailed with another couple to celebrate our 50th. anniversary. The embarking was very fast and efficient. The ship has been left without minor maintenance in preparation to sell it off in the spring of 2020. The condensation from the air conditioning system was leaking throughout the ship including hall ways, public venues and interior cabins. Rust was evident where steel floor plates meet steel wall plates particularly on the promenade deck. The staff were very friendly. The food in the main dining room was good but not outstanding. Disembarking in Sydney, Australia was the best we have ever experienced. The service provided by the Head Waiter at our table on a nightly basis was unprecedented. My wife has some minor dietary concerns and the Head Waiter selected her evening meals and inspected them every night prior to permitting the Waiter to deliver them to us. The bar staff throughout the ship was attentive and friendly. Read Less

Chose this cruise as the itinerary was just what we wanted. Some of the South Pacific ports were disappointing, but loved all those in New Zealand and of course our final destination of Sydney. Ship is old, Horizon Buffet lacks variety and food tasteless, main theater much too small to accommodate the passengers, poor management such as running out of specific wines at the bar, plumbing and water system had problems, although dining room food was good the menu selections weren’t....ship needs to be retired. For a repositioning Cruise they did not offer afternoon entertainment or lectures as other cruise lines do. The Golden Princess biggest asset was their crew. They were professional, polite and very accommodating...with a few exceptions. Did not take any ships tours, so cannot comment. Our cabin with balcony was old, comfortable bedding, closet space plentiful but in dire need of renovation. Princess Cruise Line needs help.... Read Less

We choose this cruise solely based on it's itinerary. We had read previous poor reviews about this ship but Princess stated that all had been corrected. They lied. There are still garbage smells in public areas. Outside aft elevator lobby on 7th deck for one. There are still mild smells in corridors throughout the ship.Problems started with embarkation. There was only one person taking in baggage. He would fill a cart, disappear for awhile to unload the cart and then return to start the process over again. This took forever with only one person. Once aboard we then observed many unsatisfying problems. The bird poop on our balcony furniture was disgusting and made us avoid meals there. There are only 2 aft elevators reaching the 17th deck. One was inoperative for the first week of the cruise. The moving stairway from the 17th deck to Skywalker lounge operated one day of the 20 day cruise. The food selection in the main dining room was the worst selection that I have experience in many years of cruising. The buffet (where we wound up most nights) was not much better. The quality of the food was below average. The library had a selection of about 2 dozen books total. There were water leaks through out the ship with areas roped off and buckets underneath. the theater had water pouring in streams from the ceiling. This is the only ship I have experienced with real ice cream only at dinner. The ice cream bar only serves soft serve cones. The Princess Patter was often wrong and incomplete. It would certainly be nice to include a short description of the evening shows. The enrichment program was a joke The theme was considering retirement and what to expect and plan for. Great topic except about 80% of the passengers were already retired. I am sure that someone at Princess has heard about the adverse health effects of second hand smoke. To get to the main entrance of the theater, it is necessary to pass through the smoke filled casino. Doors usually opened 1 hour before theater performances. This is great for handicapped people. Unfortunately, too many times the doors opened 10 to 20 minutes early leaving the handicapped standing and waiting. It was necessary for handicapped to arrive early in order to get suitable seating. Many events were conducted in the Piazza with no seating. They could at least set up some folding chairs. There were too many overlaps of one time performances so you day to choose one or the other. The theater entertainment was just plain poor. Way too much rock and roll for a 70+ average audience. Many people walked out each night. The resident ship performing troop only did 2 shows in 20 days. Actually, one was good. Again, the other was not suitable for the audience. The only positives about this cruise were our cabin attendant and we got to New Zealand. Albeit, after a several hour stop at sea one day to check out new equipment on board. Why couldn't they do this at night when people are sleeping? I am sure that other problems existed, but there were too many to remember. Read Less

Great itinerary, great price, old ship and bad maintenance, menu stunk. Service varied from great to non-existent same for entertainment. This ship is 17+ years old and leaked from everywhere, told everyone it was for sale to P&O in 2020! When maintenance workers chip the old paint off they leave it on the deck, this must be sop as they did the same thing on the Crown. When things didn't work ie; hot tubs you got excuses ....someone else's responsibility. It took 4 ship's officers to fill pool not deck attendants...kind of reminds you of the light bulb joke! Cabin, inside, good as were the cabin stewards . Dining just used Horizon, buffet,2 hrs. too long to eat in main dining room, food and service varied compared to my last Princess cruise. Overall menu was terrible, lot of nites just went to pizza & hamburger restaurants on deck. Lobster nite only in main dining on formal nite so if you don't do formal or main dining room your out of luck so much for same menu in either restaurants. Port stops were good but did not stop in Bora Bora, 2nd transpacific, which really caters to independent travelers, lot of rentals right at pier and my favorite. Of all the ports no where would they rent me a kayak! Someone is leaving money on the table! Hotels said only for customers staying at hotel Read Less

these were the worst meals we haver ever had on a cruise ship. from chicken to pasta four days straight to lamb that was mutton and steak that was the cheapest cut you could find. We have a total of 875 days on cruise ships including 550 days on Holland America cruise lines and the food on this cruise was repetitive, poorly plated and unappetizingthe lido buffet had a poor selection often running out and not replenishing the product. milk was not kept on ice and kept out longer then the four hours. positive: the waiters were attentive and quick. I know princess was never known for fine dinning but they have lowered there standards to a degree that I would never sail princess again. My only other comment would be the lack of public areas on the ship, if you want to read or just sit they have very few seats. Read Less

We have been on 61 cruises, of which almost half have been on Princess. This was the worst of the Princess cruises we've been on. Severely cut back on crew, food service, little things and everything. Bare bones. Horrible food in dining room with slow service. Apparent morale problem with 90% of crew. Other cruise ships like their officers walking about and connecting with passengers; we seldom saw any, and those we did see did not make eye contact or acknowledge passengers. Most fellow passengers we spoke to agreed with us about all of the shortcomings of this cruise ship. In fact, we were unable to go to Osaka Japan because the fuel barge that was to resupply us in Yokohama did not show up when scheduled "due to weather". None of us believed them, thinking that this was one more slip up by someone who failed to schedule the barge. So we had to stay in Yokohama for two more days, thus missing Osaka. Read Less

This was an amazing 60 day cruise that went much faster than we thought. We loved the ports in Asia (all but one in Vietnam) - Enjoyed the activities on board. Liked the smaller ship as you got to know more people. As we were headed to Asia there were Typhoons in the area where we were headed and our Captain with the LA office took our safety into account and we did not get to one of our ports of call. This was a smart move as we did hit rough seas and had we gone to the port it would have been a disaster. As we embarked for our cruise it went smoothly. Princess does well in this area. And at the end of our journey disembarkation went even better. Our cabin was in the front of the ship and on the port side and during the weather we did have waves came over our balcony as we were on deck 8. We are pleased and happy with our 60 day cruise. SUGGESTION Do NOT plan excursions for Sunday's in Asia as this is their holiday and there were way too many people Read Less

I have been on many Princess Cruises and thought this would be an interesting one - 5 ports in Japan, S Korea and then across the Bering Sea to Whittier Alaska - truly a trip of a lifetime. I flew into Japan a week early and enjoyed touring around. I am a solo senior female and felt very safe at all times and found it fairly easy to get around. Boarding in Yokohama is very different. You have to get a number and wait until you are called to check in. That took some time and some people were very upset at the way this was done but as it would turn out "Japan has a unique way of doing things" Japanese ports all great. Only exception, Osaka, Port itself was absolutely fabulous but as we were going to S Korea next the ship had to bring the passenger count down to 0 before leaving the country. Unfortunately, 2 passengers didn't care about the 2500 other passengers waiting to get back on and it took Princess over an hour to locate this couple in their locked room and force them out and off the ship. Believe me, many wanted to know who they were as standing in a hot room for over an hour waiting to get back on the ship was awful. I think Princess could have found these people a lot sooner and gotten things moving faster but I waited an hour and many people waited longer. The backlog wasnt cleared for a long time. There were quite a few water leaks from ceilings all over the ship and many buckets were out catching drips. Some people had to be moved to other cabins. The worst incident was when we were in the middle of the Bering Sea and there was commotion after 1am. Captain came on speaker into room at 1:45am telling us there was an incident with the engine but that the ship was navigable and we would be continuing to Alaska. As this was a particulary rough night at sea it did not make for a comfortable sleep and many people were nervous after this. I am not sure what the actual issue was. It would have been better to know the truth from the Captain rather than worrying the rest of the trip. Food was typical Princess menus, very oversalted. Service in Dining room always excellent. Menu for lunch in dining room was better than dinner in my opinion Alaska Sue gave several great talks interspersed with personal photos and experiences. I did not enjoy the other speakers. Cruise director's staff did a great job but 7 sea days is hard to keep everyone entertained. Read Less

We cruised from Tokyo (Yokohama) to Vancouver and experienced most of the problems referred to by other reviewers - in particular the plumbing problems, which were consistently unpleasant in some areas, the drips from the ceiling and smells of sewerage in several areas. As to the immigration problems in Osaka, the ship provided instructions in writing BUT made no announcements before the appointed hour - ice-cream was still being served 10 minutes before we all had to be off the ship and people were in the pool - even staff at the front desk seemed completely unaware of the developing debacle. We stood for over 3 hours before we got back on the ship - heard of others who took 4 hours. The ship is showing its age and some lack of maintenance in some areas. Of all the sailings we have made with Princess this was the most disappointing. On the positive side, the staff were excellent if occasionally a little stressed - has Princess cut back on number of staff? The dancers were also excellent. Our cabin was clean and comfortable - great beds and we were well looked after by the cabin steward Neo. I support the three previous reviews which more clearly describe the problems of this ship. Read Less