picked this cruise because of start and finish in Vancouver rather than flying one way. 99% of passengers were retired, staff were very attentive, dining menus were varied. went to Rudy's Sel De Mer one evening , the meal was excellent as was the waitress, only fault was that we felt rushed when the entree came minutes after the appitisers. After asking the waitress to slow down dessert came when we wanted it. cabin 6085 was a signature suite with tub and shower stall, the hot water control and the shower diverter in the tub was not working when we boarded but was fixed shortly after telling stateroom attendant. embarking and disembarking was a breeze. Our luggage was at our cabin within an hour of boarding. overall the cruise was great, weather to and from Hawaii was not good. i would recommend Holland America. in fact we are doing a transpacific cruise on the Noordam. Read Less

We sailed from Vancouver on April 12. It was cold for the first 3 days and the last 3 days. Even the Canadians were wearing their coats outside. Many people hung out on the aft pool deck because there is no smoking on the ship except for a designated area on the aft pool deck. There is no cigar lounge. Many people were seasick the first day due to rough seas. The mid-ship pool is in a large atrium that can be opened, a great feature for a ship especially one sailing through varying weather. It was warm in there when cold outside. In warm weather, they did open it. We had fixed dinner reservations for 5:45. A 7:45 seating and walk-in dining were also available. The dinners were all very good. Portions were right-sized but they would be happy to bring you seconds if you wanted. We ate at each of the specialty restaurants once. There were certainly good too but we thought the value proposition is questionable given the quality of the main dining room. At the Lido buffet, the food is put on plates by servers, as opposed to the self-serve we were used too. Their lunch time taco bar and hamburger stand was very good. It was hard to find a seat during breakfast and lunch, they could definitely use more tables in the public areas. Drinks were about $7 for a beer and about $8 - $9 for a cocktail. But, they have two happy hours, one from 4 - 5 pm and one from 10 - 11 pm. During happy hour, you can get a second drink for $2 more. Happy hour is only valid at two of the bars. They are named on the daily itinerary sheet that is placed in your cabin. Fountain sodas are $2:30 each. The entertainment was good. The main stage was typical cruise ship entertainment, mostly singers and one magician that was very funny. We especially enjoyed the BB King Blues Club. They have a laundry service that can be unlimited, by the item, or by the bag. The by the bag option was $20 per bag and we could stuff about 3- 5 days of clothes in a bag. Highlights of the trip included the Capilano suspension bridge in Vancouver, the Old Lahaina Luau on Maui, the Arizona Memorial, and hiking Diamond Head. Try to get your tickets to the Arizona memorial in advance or you may not get in. Hiking Diamond Head requires the ability to walk 2 miles and climb many stairs. On days the ship tenders, be sure to pick up your tender tickets early or you may be waiting a long time to get off the ship. It seemed to take forever to get anywhere on the public bus in Honolulu. We finally gave up and used Uber. The gym was large and in good shape. It had several treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and weight some weight equipment. They offered several classes for additional fee including spin, stretching, yoga, etc. Computer classes were offered daily, but they filled up quickly. You had to be there well in advance to get a seat. All are listed on the ship's daily itinerary. Classes from America's Test Kitchen were offered daily in the BB King Blues Lounge. They were informative and entertaining. You don't get to eat the food though. Read Less

For perspective, we have cruised over 50 times starting in 1981 and are now in our mid 60’s. We are 4 star mariners with HAL and Elite with Princess. We have also cruised with celebrity, crystal, Oceania, Royal Caribbean and a bunch of lines that have been incorporated into other lines. The great and good. We were impressed with the consistency of the quality of the meals in MDR. We were on select dining rather than fixed. At 7:15 we did not have any wait for a table for 4. We sat in a number of different areas and the service, both wine and dinner were consistent. No wrong steps if I asked the server what was recommended that evening. Wine service showed great improvement since last year. Stewards were knowledgeable and able to recommend comparable and complimentary choices. Very good job. Lunch in Pinnacle Grill is well worth $10 pp. excellent service and selection. The Dive in burgers and fries always good as is the use of pagers. We appreciate that there is no self serve in the Lido - food consistent again - enjoyed creating fresh turkey sandwiches when the carvery had turkey. Freshly prepared eggs, omelets in morning, fresh pasta bar at lunch. We did nit visit for dinner. The entertainment was good, not fantastic but good enough to sit through. The singers didn’t seem to have synergy which affected the performance notwithstanding good voices. I guess they didn’t seem to be enjoying their jobs. The classical quartet at Lincoln centre was excellent. The piano dual were extremely popular as usual. B.B. kings was same as always. Worth a visit. Our cabin service was excellent - the hair dryer “died” on formal night of course and we had a replacement in under 10 minutes. Darn good when he was rushing to get his turn down service completed for early diners. The ship was in good shape with the promenade deck chairs seeming quite new. Everything seemed to be in very good repair. Not so great and good. Having sailed on holland just 12 months previous, the increase in prices for drinks, happy hours, wine packages, wine tastings, sip and savour were surprising, not that there were increases but how large the increases were. Normally, price increases kind of sneak up on you, these increases slapped you in the face. Very limited daily programs - many days at sea and we expected to have morning and afternoon guest lecturers. Basically there was just not enough enrichment offered. It was a problem because we had very poor weather and a nasty Pacific Ocean — so with no library, no morning movies, no matinees at a convenient time yo7 were either forced to stay in your cabin to watch tv. I looked forward to trivia at 1:30 - hadn’t played before so that says something. Minimal inventory in the shops and no fun sales. Duty free was anything but with the prices exceeding what we would pay in a government liquor store. We bought vodka at Walmart in Honolulu and had it checked until we got home. Servicein pinnacle grill for dinner was not up to standard. We were seated at a table just outside the galley door at the service station for a large area. The back of the banquet we were seated a5 held the water jugs for the area. The wine server gave us a bit of snark for firstly not ordering wine off the pinnacle list (we had wine package) and our friends asked to have their bottle brought from diningroom. It arrived but then the steward divided the more than half bottle into their two glasses. It was the lady’s wine. And that was the last we saw of him. We still enjoy the formal night aspect of cruising and we don’t expect everyone else will but I don’t understand why some guests make no effort what so ever. I have never seen such a motley group of travellers. I guess I don’t understand the issue of a gentleman wearing a pair of slacks and a shirt and a lady wearing a sundress or pants and a nice blouse. Something you might wear to a church wedding or special dinner out. Undershirt style t shirts , perhaps not. It’s a part of the tradition. Lastly, and in my opinion only, cruise lines in general need to reassess their policies on tendering. The mobility challenged create an unreasonable risk to themselves, the crew, and other passengers. Our tenders were full of wheelchairs and walkers presenting a hazard should we needed to evacuate the tender., the crew basically are lifting a lot of people on and off. It is not fair to them particularly if there is an accident. And one guest died after falling while trying to get onto a tender. The tender ports are well advertised and it should be acceptable that walkers/wheelchairs and those requiring the same be denied tender service. Everyone knows upfront and may gear 5heir cruises to itineraries with no tendering required. It is just plain scary. An average experience . Read Less

First time on Princess. This was our 7th cruise. Embarkation was good, very organized. As we board the ship we noticed the exterior shows age; rust. Our cabin was a mini suite we upgraded since the balcony room only comes with one chair... so to have a sofa we had to upgrade, We noticed some smells in the corridor and in our room and advised the guest service, also our sink did not drain well. They took care of the sink and the odor went away as we sailed but we did notice on occasion an odor in some places as we walked through the ship. Maybe they need to change some pipes... Overall the ship shows some age, Our sofa had stains, wallpaper in corridors peeling from the edges, balcony showed rust on the edge. The ship needs some makeover. Overall the interior is well kept and pleasant. We did not find too many interesting lectures and the entertainment was poor (to our liking) 5 days at sea were long. Some of the music venues were good but the shows were dissappointing. You really have to purchase a coffee card as the coffee in the Horizon court is not very good. The international cafe is very nice and is open 24 hours. We like the Crooners'bar. Our waiters outstanding. Great team.We dined in the Amalfi dining room, the service was excellent One of us had dietary restriction they were very attentive.We found the food excellent.The staff made our cruise enjoyable and for us it was outstanding service something to say about Princess. Read Less

I chose this cruise because my Mom and I wanted to go to Hawaii. Mom has travelled a lot and doesn't want to fly anymore, so we choose cruises that leave and return to Vancouver B.C. The embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. The Star Princess is very well appointed. We had an inside cabin. The beds were very very comfortable with the new Princess Luxury mattresses and pillows. I would like to have had more than one chair in the room though. We chose the 5:15 dining in the Portofino restaurant. The food was fabulous. I'm vegetarian and was pleased with the tasty offerings each night. The desserts were out of this world! The servers were very friendly and efficient. The entertainment was outstanding in the Princess Theater and the lounges. We were frustrated at the difficulty finding seats though. My Mom uses a walker. We had to go to the theater an hour before the early show started in order for her to get a seat. The first show was at 7:45 and the second show was at 9:45. The latter is too late for my mom. There were many people left standing or turned away from the first shows. The events in the Piazza were fun and entertaining if you were lucky enough to find a seat or were willing to stand.I participated in the Ukulele lessons each sea day and in the concert at the end of the cruise. That was a lot of fun. Tiki Dave and Leialoha were a wonderful addition to the cruise with their Hawaiian music and ukulele and hula lessons. We did a wonderful shore excursion through Princess to the Polynesian Cultural Centre on Oahu. On the other 3 islands we rented a car and went snorkeling and to the Volcanoes National Park. In all it was a wonderful cruise and a good sampling of Hawaii. I would love to go again. Read Less

Sailed Princess 9 times including our honeymoon and one year anniversary on Star Princess. Never once we're we disappointed with staff or entertainment. We made so many new Princess extended family members with passengers and staff. Clouds could not dim our last 15 Hawaiian cruise. We just missed hurricane that hit the island. Capri dinning and chef's table was amazing,thrilled with all the seafood selections. Wine tasting and wine selection was wonderful. We loved the culinary comedy show featuring the chef and kitchen staff. Singers from different wait staff were talented and entertaining. Also the brought on board children's Hawaiian dancers to perform for passangers with was spectacular and a favourite feature on this cruise for us. We started our art auction experience on board thrilled at their arts staff and their professionalism and out going personalities. We booked our next cruise for October on board and look forward to many more with Princess. Read Less

Everything was awesome and ate way too much food. The captain took us away from a storm. Just one glitch with communication and appreciation of different faith backgrounds. The embarkation and disemarkation went very smooth. The cabin steward was very attentive to our needs and the MaitreD was awesome in looking after my friend who had allergies. The food was always hot and you never ran out of water. most of the time we never had to ask for a wedge of lemon or cup of tea after dinner. The Zumba class was awesome and the hula dancing was lots of fun. It was nice to have a walk for the cure. Very poorly attended but well worth it. The evening entertainment was high class and the comedian was awesome and kept his jokes clean. The information about the various ports was very informative and the hula dancing and Lei making was lots of fun Iwoould definately go again with princess. Read Less

Every staff member was exemplary, there were enough staff members to provide service in every area, and service was consistent everywhere. The ship was well-maintained and very clean. We loved, loved, loved Movies Under the Stars where each night we would watch a first-run movie with popcorn and blankets on deck loungers. There was entertainment to fit every taste and performers were all top-notch, as was the cruise director staff. The food was just excellent, and there were wonderful food venue options like the buffet, pool deck pizzeria and burger place, ice cream parlour, and bars all over the ship with different ambiences to suit anyone and everyone. Princess excursions were excellent and the guides were excellent. We learned something every day, whether on board or on the excursions. I forgot my Kobo and made use of the onboard library, which was great. The shops were great and I found things to bring back for family and friends on the ship. Embarkation and disembarkation was unbelievably efficient. The whole cruise exceeded expectations. Read Less

We choose this cruise because it was leaving from our home city and because it was going to Hawaii. We were looking for a resting and relaxing voyage and we had just that! We throughly enjoyed our criuse. Ship was as expected. Cabin was functional, love the spacious wardrobe! —our place to sleep. Dining was exceptional! We dined at the Amalfi which was great thanks to the dynamic duo of Alvin and Gede. They were the best! Entertainment was great we throughly enjoyed all the shows, comediens and singers. The house band was just great!!! The singers/band at the Explores louge were great! Service was great. Front desk were professional, friendly and ready to help! Ports were functional and shore excursions were did well organized with no confusion or long waits. We are planning to do this cruise again! Loved the sea days. Only negatives were the foul odor in some of the corridors, and the sales pressure. There is a difference in providing the customer with the complete solution to making them feel like they are obligated. My husband and i did the couples massage to relax and and unwind. The massage was great however the pressured sales after the massage was not so much. I now know what to expect so when we cruise again i will be more prepared. My husband would definitely domthis cruise again. Read Less

My husband and I chose this cruise because we got a great deal from a travel agent and did not have to fly to the port in Vancouver BC. This was my first cruise on Princess. Although this cruise mostly met my expectations there were a couple of negatives that will probably keep me from sailing with Princess again. The biggest disappointment was the quality of the meals. We ate in the main dining room, Horizon Court buffet and the specialty Italian restaurant Sabatini's. Sabatini's was very good (comparable to a good Italian restaurant at home in Seattle). There were five courses and too much food which I felt bad wasting, but it was tasty and well presented. The food in the main dining room ranged from inedible to fairly good. Most entrees and appetizers were average. The presentation was pleasing, but the food was tasteless. Most of the meat which included chicken, beef,lamb and pork was a lower grade and tough and/or fatty. To be fair, my husband thought the fish was generally well prepared and appetizing.One night I ordered scallops which were inedible. I am not a particularly fussy eater, but i do enjoy flavorful, fresh food. I have cruised on 4 other cruise lines and this was definitely the worst food overall.Despite the food being average at best, this did not ruin my cruise. The crew on board were mostly friendly and generally competent. Attitude and customer service was adequate, not outstanding in my opinion. As an example, when I went to the customer service desk to ask about disembarkation in a tender port (Maui), the staff member started reading me a paragraph in the ship's newsletter that I had already received. He wasn't able to answer my specific question and did not offer to find the information for me. On the first day, our room steward complained that he may not get to our room until late because he had too much to do. He actually did a decent job and took care of our stateroom adequately and at a time that was convenient for us. We did have to ask him to remove empty water bottles and dirty dishes. Again, this did not ruin my cruise, but was notable compared to other cruises I have been on. On the positive side, I really liked the lay out of the ship.It never felt too crowded. I thought the decor and color scheme was pleasant. Some fabrics (e.g.couch in stateroom) need to be replaced but that is to be expected on an older ship. Our stateroom (mini- suite with balcony) was a good size with plenty of storage and space for our 15 day cruise. The bed was very comfortable. There were plenty of activities if one wanted to participate. The spa services I received (manicure and massage) were excellent. The entertainment was, in general, on par with other cruise lines but not exceptional. Some of the entertainment on other lines has been exceptional.Norwegian had Blue Man group, for example and the BB King lounge band on Holland America is excellent. Overall, this cruise met my expectations. I enjoyed myself and was able to relax on board and enjoy the port days (all activities on our own) but will probably choose another cruise line for future cruises. Read Less