Can life get better than this? (Princess Cruises)

Member Name: averagepunter

Product:	Princess Cruises
Date:	13/09/01 (242 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sheer Luxury, A New Port every day, 24hr Food

Disadvantages: 24hr Food - need to diet afterwards, Pricey (but worth every penny)

A true test of any product is repeat business. If customers keep coming back for more, then you have a winning formula, and boy, what a formula P&O Princess have come up with.

I have travelled twice with Princess - in 1997 on the Dawn Princess in the Southern Caribbean - in 1999 on the Grand Princess in the Mediterranean. On each occasion, we encountered seasoned 'cruisers' who loved to recount tales of their previous cruises. Of course, everybody had their opinion on the 'best ship' or 'best cruise line', but amongst all the conversations I rarely heard a bad word spoken about Princess Cruises.

You will have heard many organisations spouting the standard guff about customer service, customer is always right, nothing is too much trouble etc. Princess actually mean it. As an example of the calibre of personnel they employ, I recount the following tale:-

On our first night aboard the Dawn Princess, we went to the Wheelhouse Bar for a pre-theatre drink. ONE DRINK. On the second night we returned to the same bar. The barman greeted me by name, my wife by her name and he remembered our drinks. All from a sixty second encounter the night before. Now that is impressive!

This level of service is standard fare amongst the crew onboard. I believe the passenger to crew ratio is about 2:1, so there is always someone around to help, but at the same time they are discreet so you don't feel overwhelmed. The ships carry over 2000 passengers, yet never feel crowded and you can always find a quiet corner if thats what you want.

In the evenings, there are cabaret shows which can be tacky, but just go with the flow and you'll have fun. You can always retreat to the numerous bars, disco or casino.

The restaurants and food are an adventure in themselves. You can choose between the formal dining experience of the main dining rooms, the less formal 24hr Horizon Court with great views, or any of the severa
l other informal offerings on board - Mexican, Italian, Pizzeria..... Be prepared to gain a few pounds around the waistline cos extravagance is the name of the game here.

When booking, you will be asked to select a dining table size - from 2 to 8 people. If you want romantic then pick 2, otherwise go for 6 or 8. Avoid 4, because if you don't like the other couple it could get a little awkward.

For me, the real beauty of cruising is that you get a taste of a number of different places in the world without the need to pack and unpack every day. Some of the organised tours can be a bit pricey and they may not cover the things you want to see. So do your own research on the destinations you will be visiting, and make your own plans. This way you will get the most out of each port, and probably save some £££ into the bargain.

Talking of £££, Princess Cruises are not cheap, but they are good value. One thing to be careful of....they operate a cashless system on board. Basically, they give you a charge card which you use to order drinks, make purchases in the onboard shops, buy tours etc. Just don't forget you have to settle the bill before you disembark.

When selecting which room category to book, don't get over-obsessed with balconies etc. If you can afford it, they are a nice touch, but in reality, you will spend little time in the room and you can save hundreds of £££ by choosing a lower room grade. Also, if you plan your cruise to coincide with an Anniversary or Birthday you can get a free room upgrade.

Finally, lets dispel a popular myth - the notion that cruises are for 'old' people. On both my cruises I encountered a good cross-section of age range. Yes the balance may have been tipped towards the older generation, but that need not have any impact on your enjoyment of the excellent facilities on board. Heck, the bingo sessions were a good laugh anyway!!

If you are looking for a holiday of a
lifetime, don't settle for one of those second rate cruises with the popular tour operators, save up a bit longer and go with Princess. You won't be disappointed.

ADDED APRIL 2002: Recently returned from Ocean Princess - Eastern Caribbean. (For those that prefer to sail British - Ocean Princess will be transferring to P&O in November and will be renamed Oceana.) As usual the experience was superb. Princess have now introduced Personal Choice Dining. This differs from the fixed dining arrangements that existed previously. Now you can eat when you want, where you want. It really introduces extra flexibility into the holiday and means you never have to rush for dinner. Well Done Princess!!

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