CARIBBEAN PRINCESS Reviews

We got married on the Caribbean Princess on July 27, 2006, so coming back for our 20th anniversary was really special.

Princess brought back staggered arrivals, and it worked well for us. Our 10:00 am.–10:30 am. window was pretty quiet, with lanes split into half-hour slots. We got there around 9:45, waited for our 10:00 slot, and checked in quickly with our Medallions. Security was easy, and then we headed to the very nice Elite/Premier Lounge.

We ate in the Reserve section of the Coral Dining Room, which had some great perks: no reservations, little to no waiting, and quick seating. We often had the same table and servers. Big thanks to Angeline, Joko, Aniol, and Kieron for taking such good care of us. Reserve was open on embarkation and disembarkation days, plus breakfast and dinner daily and lunch on sea days. We also ate at the Crown Grill, which is always consistant. Great service, great ribeye. Great Steak house at sea. Also did the Chef’s Table. Have done this on five or six other ships, about $100, splurge a little it is always a great experience.

The entertainment lineup has changed. Comedians now perform in the Laugh Lounge instead of starting in the Princess Theater. The magician and “Full Out Formula” acrobatic show were not really our favorites and felt repetitive. But “Born to Be Wild” and “Broadway Ballroom” were excellent. We skipped “Bravo” since we have seen it many times. Enough already with the Opera.

From the moment we boarded, the crew was great. The maître d’, Reserve waiters, cabin steward, other staff, and the two women in the Future Cruise office all left a great impression.

The ship was commissioned in 2003, so it is starting to show its age, especially with rust on the balconies. Still, the inside is clean and attractive, and the Piazza is beautiful. Some design choices feel dated, like having only one outlet in the cabin and a theater layout that could be better. The theater seats about 1,100 people, but ADA access on Deck 6 is not great. The small ramp on Deck 7 helps, but the setup still misses the mark.

I spent less time in the casino than usual and only went three nights. The dealers were fine, and I ended up ahead, but I really wish they would bring back $5 tables. Betting up to $50 a hand for Ultimate Hold ’Em is a lot. A few $5 tables along with the $10 ones would be perfect. The casino was not too smoky, but going completely smoke-free would be even better.

Overall, this was a fabulous cruise. We only got off at one port and spent most of the trip relaxing on board, enjoying great service, entertainment, and some of the best food we have had at sea.