Wanted to see New Zealand. Cruise tours were limited. No real wine tours if that is what you are interested in. Loved the Fjords. Cities were interesting . Missed a port due to fog-Port Chalmers. NZ is a beautiful if hilly country. Weather was exceptionally good except for one day of fog. Tasmania was a pleasant surprise with a visit to a animal rescue sanctuary. Able to get up close and personal with many kangaroos. For a new ship the cabin looked a little worn and the food quality has definitely declined. It used to be so good now the quality is suffering. The beef options were in the main tough unless you ordered from the Steakhouse menu. Vegetables were wet or mushy. We used anytime dining and did go to the Noodle bar, the cafe, and the pizza restaurant which were all good. I always enjoy the music in the atrium. Good selection of artists and easy to get drinks and food nearby. Did not go to any shows but enjoyed the art auctions and did purchase some art Read Less

MAJESTIC PRINCESS We did this trip for our 25th anniversary. Thanks to the Princess staff for the lovely banner and balloons. EMBARKATION was poor due to us receiving the wrong wharf information. We had Prince’s wharf in our itinerary but the day before we received an email telling us it was now Queen’s wharf. After being dropped at Queens Wharf, we had to trawl our suitcases through the busy ferry terminal to get to where the ship actually was on Prince’s wharf. Not sure what that was all about. Once at the right place everything went very smoothly. DISEMBARKATION was good. We booked the Princess airport transfer as it was only a few dollars more than public transport would have cost us and meant we were basically ship to airport (without getting too wet). Cabin L228 Cabin was comfortable and our steward Gomez was excellent. Bed was comfortable to sleep in but pillows were poor. One feather, one foam. I dislike feather but foam was not firm enough for me. Bathroom was extremely tight and neither of us are large people. Plenty of hanging space but not many drawers. Small fridge in cabin. Two USB ports but neither worked. Windows in need dire of cleaning, very annoying when going through the fiordlands. Also deck balcony glass impossible to see through and as you sit at a low level very annoying. The buffet marketplace is well set out so people have areas to go for what they want. Food choices ever changing and difficult to get to try everything or you would explode. Food is enjoyable, plenty of choices for all tastes. Just lacking seasoning but that is understandable due to the numbers aboard. Dining rooms are well decorated and spacious. Found food to be bland and either under cooked or over cooked. I have dietary requirements and tried to speak to the maître de as requested on the first and second nights in dining room. This did not happen and I was given food I am allergic too. After this everything was sorted out for me in the dining room. Harmony restaurant was enjoyable and worth the money. People we met liked the Le Mer food. Lots of small food places to get burgers, hotdogs, ice cream, noodles. Bakery cakes looked superb but were sometimes not quite as tasty as they looked. Loved Alfredo’s on deck 6. Great pizza and veal tortellini. Drinks packages are available but you need to work out for yourself if they are worth it. We didn’t buy one. Plenty of places to sit and read, have a drink, or play games. Laundry facilities on are all decks 7-15 at rear of boat. Some are larger than others. Very easy to use as you swipe your ships card to buy tokens for washers and dryers and powder, bleach and dryer sheets. Could do with more dryers though as wash takes 30-35mins and dryers 40-45mins. Causing a backlog waiting for dryers. The ship itself is clean and quite pretty. Crooners lounge was always good for a quiet pre dinner drink. Crown Grill was more pub like and livelier. Did an English pub lunch on two occasions which we never tried. Hollywood adults area on deck 17 at front was relaxing. The pool and hot tubs were lovely. Lounge area lacking enough of the comfortable loungers. Smoking area is outside on 17 starboard and if you forgot and went out the wrong doors you got a face full of smoke. Main pool area is spacious but busy on a sunny day. Liked the skywalk. Overall the ship was well appointed and enjoyable and we would sail on her again. Crew were overall polite but not overly friendly like other cruises we have been on. Downside. Usual problems with finding a seat at certain entertainments. Atrium activities and Princess Theatre shows especially. Something needs to be done as some people were saying they had seen the early show and went again for the later show. This left people standing in the aisles which blocked those sitting at the back. Surely a ticketing system using your cruise card could be designed so you could only get in once unless there was space. Spoke to a staff member but felt I was being humoured. Another staff member did come and move those standing in our view. Would travel on this ship again. TAURANGA Ship actually docks at Mt Manganui so you need to get shuttle or taxi into Tauranga itself. Just walked off ship. Nice seaside area with good coffee shops. We walked to the top of Moturiki Island then had a coffee. This is main port for Hobbiton which we had done prior to cruise. WELLINGTON Went on free shuttle into town. Rode cable car to top of hill then walked down through Botanical gardens. Stopped for a cup of tea in the rose garden then had a stroll to Old St Pauls church then we caught shuttle bus back to ship after a short ride around Wellington. AKAROA You tender in at this port so allow time if you book a private tour. We had organised to ride a V8Trike with Marty. We did the 1hr ride which was great. We then had lunch in town, lovely fish and chips and green lip mussels. Very easy to walk around this small quaint town. DUNEDIN Unfortunately we did not make this port due to a fog bank which caused us to miss the tide to get into dock. FIORDLANDS Cruising through the three sounds on a beautiful sunny day was wonderful. The ship cruises one way through DUSKY and DOUBTFUL sounds then has to turn around in MILFORD sound. Meaning you see everything twice or everything from your balcony. HOBART We booked a ship shore excursion to Mt Wellington and the Botanic gardens. We had to clear customs here which held the tours up by a small amount of time. Whilst enjoyable and I thought good value for money, I felt hurried in the gardens and we lacked time on Mt Wellington. The tour was booked as Mt Wellington then Botanic Gardens and we planned to spend extra time at the gardens then make our own way back to the ship. This obviously didn’t happen as we did the gardens first. DAYS AT SEA are relaxing days or there was plenty going on if that is your choice. Read Less

This a cruise you can do regularly and never get bored. The Princess ships make it one of the most comfortable and easy cruises to do. They provide the smoothest embarkation and disembarkation, the finest food on the sea, served by a dedicated and friendly crew. The staterooms are spacious well appointed and kept that way by a caring steward, always at hand to tend your every need. Entertainment is the best of any cruise ship, with highly talented musicians, singers, dancers and production staff to deliver world class productions. Shore excursions are carefully chosen to offer you the best days in port, offering local and extended tours to capture the essence of the area visited. Overall service and assistance during the cruise is a Princess tradition and the variety of activities provided, ensures a most enjoyable experience. Specialty restaurants are a feature and cover the tastes of all nations, with the finest ingredients, prepared by top chefs. there is something for everyone who boards a Princess ship. Read Less

Such a fantastic ship and the step up in quality from our previous provider was HUGE. I didn't think it would be that different from our previous cruises but it really was. The rooms were so much tidier and newer. The bed was very comfortable and the air con worked well. On previous cruises the air con didn't work which was horrid. Food was fabulous, outstanding in fact and we all put on weight lol. I think above all the dining staff were superb - they went above and beyond their duty each night and we really were grateful. We ate in the Symphony restaurant and recommend it highly. We had a meal in one of the specialty restaurants but we still preferred the Symphony. We thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment which was also a big step up from the previous provider we've used in the past. We would definitely recommend this ship over other providers of similar value. We were so impressed that we have booked two more cruises with this company. Read Less

We loved the itinerary, but were so disappointed to find that our excursion had been cancelled last minute by Princess with no offer to help replace it. So we were on our own in Wellington. Then the ship had a delay with fog in Dunedin and could not dock an hour later because the tides were too low for this immense ship. The one Princess excursion to Waitupo and Rainbow Springs that was not cancelled was excellent! We also loved the Milford Sound fiords day. The entertainment on the ship was also very good, with Magic, Encore, and musical productions. It’s important to get there at least 30 minutes ahead if you want a seat though. Restaurant service in Anytime Dining was good with Ferdie as our favorite waiter. We were also extremely frustrated with erroneous bar charges that took multiple trips to the desk over several days, along with phone calls. Each time we were assured that it was corrected only to find that was not true. ( We had ordered just two glasses of wine one night but were charged for six!). These were finally corrected just an hour before we debarked. All of this left a very bad taste with Princess! We have never experienced problems like this on other cruises including Norwegian, Holland America, Gate One, or Azamara. We have already scheduled future cruises with Azamara and Celebrity, and will probably not sail on a large Princess ship again. Read Less

There is a bit to like on the Majestic. Being fairly new it is quite tidy and presents reasonably well on board. There are quite a few good spaces on board, a bit of flair here and there, but overall with 3,500 to 4,000 passengers on board its all a bit of a mess. And from the exterior “the ship” is as ugly as sin. An ugly floating appartment block. The root of the evil is the Princess business model. The market researchers have told them that the average passenger is not too bright ... so Princess presents an infantile and condescending package assuming the passengers to be morons so the staff dont need to be too sharp either ... they all seem to come from the cheaper parts of Asia and Eastern Europe. The activities program throughout is dumb, the lowlight of the day is a hard sell and then one has to suffer the bars and restaurants. Actually a couple of the cabaret shows were quite good! Pretty sad that wait staff are enthusiastic with their recommendations, but are unable to even pronounce the fish that they have been told to dispense (buramooondi). And someliers who operate on bin numbers which they recomend but have no idea what a nero d’avola is. But the poor wait staff are not the problem (they are also victims in the Princess business model) they are the result of the Princess training program which is rubbish. Thankfully, we had a suite on board and could escape most of the crass Princess infantile exploitation dogma. The suite was little better than most, but a poor excuse for the use of good space. Thankfully, we escaped without too much trauma and certainly we will not have occasion to go to sea with Princess ever again. Read Less

This is our 3rd longer princess cruise and now qualify for “ruby “ (30 sea days or more) these ranks would be fine if they gave discounts for drinks, WiFi, laundry,etc. I think you get free laundry and WiFi if you go up to platinum! Our Australia cruise started with 3 days at the Amora Hotel in Sydney... a very nice, quiet room in the convenient part of a large town. Even in our 60’s we opted for the bridge climb.. which was scary and fun! (Do the short one). We were told to embark on the majestic at a specific time based on your room floor.....ours was 4:pm. I have to admit... that is the fastest we ever got on a ship! The first sea day went quickly with the many new events to explore. We signed up for the you yang sanctuary in Melbourne our next port. Warning, this turned to be not what the description said... very difficult to see any kangaroos or koala! This tour would have been better if it was described as a sightseeing tour with a possibility of animal sightings! Our guide was good describing the area as we drove by. Another sea day... the Tasmania.... and Bonorong.... wow happy days!!! A tour with kangaroos, koalas and even dare devils!!!two more sea days... the the Fiordland and incredible scenery .....Dunedin,the next port was hilly and interesting. We toured and went to the batanical gardens.. also olverton house.. great if your into history and antiques in New Zealand! Akaroa, the next port.. was a hop in hop off... with a great driver who knew the area. We took the bike ride tour in Rotorua.. a super place inside a semi active volcanic area... with steaming geysers! Our trip ended in the Auckland hotel also a Amora... very nice hotel! We took another hop on hop off tour. Disembarking was long and painful from the ship and you wait for up to two hours to be called for port clearance! Eating on the ship for dining.... don’t get a set table number... if you want to meet people and have fun, ask for open dining or any time dining when you first book your cruise! Our room Stuart was so so ... he did his job, but not friendly like they usually are! The cabin was fine.... nice closet space... small balcony.. but mostly quiet and convenient. Read Less

This was our first Princess cruise. Princess offered a land tour of Australia that had the cities we were interested in along with cruising to New Zealand. The tour guide was awesome and we really enjoyed the land tour. The descriptions of the excursions weren't exactly accurate. Or maybe we read too much into the descriptions. The transition from plane to hotel when we arrived was very smooth. The planes and hotels on the land tour were adequate. Make sure you pack a hand scale for your luggage because Qantas is very strict on the weights! Especially for the carry ons! The Sydney tour included the Opera House - but it was ONLY a drive by which was disappointing. We did have time after dropping off our luggage at the ship and then walked to the Opera House! This was really convenient to be able to drop the luggage off and then be able to do some exploring of the wharf at Sydney. The cruise ship itself is so beautiful! The Piazza is the hub of activity for the cruise. They constantly have something going on so you can always participate or just watch. I did feel sorry for the diners - the specialty restaurants - they are right there and it is VERY noisy. The shops are all very, very, very expensive, top end shops and you hardly saw anyone in there. Very little that average people could afford. This ship was built for the Oriental market - and did not transition well for the Australian market! The food was bland - and most options were seafood - which is great if you are a seafood lover, but not so much if you are a beef lover. And there is NO true cream for coffee. I observed that if you got "white" coffee, it was with skim milk. If you asked for cream - it was whole milk. If you insisted on cream - you got this clotted cream that would not dissolve in coffee. Also, by using the milk in your coffee, they kept it cold so your coffee was lukewarm, at best. Very little ice in iced drinks, you have to ask for ice. Most drinks were cool or room temp. The pizzeria on board was very formal. It was good, but very formal - linen table clothes, waiters dressed formally - not what you were expecting. The dining rooms were also very formal - and our waiter was as personable as mud. Our room steward was awesome! The buffet was divided into 2 sections - one was a "bistro" that had more sandwiches, lighter fare. But the food was mainly the same day after day after day after day. And bland, bland, bland. The only time I detected seasoning was the garlic which they used a lot of! The entertainment was produced very well, but not really our liking, but it was put on with a lot of costumes, music and lights! The excursions were awesome, but usually left right after we docked and got back with only 30-60 minutes before we had to be on board. Most of the port cities did NOT have shops by the docks, so we got very little shopping done. And no of the port cities opened up for the ship - like other ports we have been in. They would open late and close early - which made it impossible for those that did excursions. Princess did do an awesome job of getting the people to their excursions - always meeting in the Theater and taken out by group to their buses or trains. Wine was VERY expensive - the cheapest bottle was $42 and only a few at that price. IF they had a daily drink special, it was not advertised - and did NOT have anyone coming by with the shot specials at dinner. Was disappointed also in the deserts - they were presented beautifully, but not much taste. Our tour group discussed this a lot - most agreed that the deserts almost tasted the same. I only saw cheesecake offered once???? It seemed that presentation was their goal! The everyday menu offered a sirloin steak that was tough and chewy. The roasted chicken was huge, but no seasoning. The fettuccine was good, but not offered with chicken or shrimp. The bread rolls were all crusty, and always the same selection - every night. I would ask for ice tea and they would give me a straw to stir in my sugar????? Finally, got them to give me a small desert spoon. I enjoyed the cruise, but a little too high end for me - I don't mind dressing up for formal nights, but didn't want every night to be on the formal setting - not with dress but with the formal, attitude of the wait staff. Are other Princess cruises like this? Read Less

My family needed a cruise suitable for our range of ages and tastes and this family friendly, low stress cruise absolutely matched our needs. Very clean ship inside and out with friendly staff and fun entertainers. We travelled from Sydney, Australia to Melbourne and Hobart and then went to New Zealand getting stops at Port Chalmers, Akaroa, Tauranga and Auckland. There was a large variety of activities that suited the seniors in our group as well as the younger cousins, too. From Zumba to Bingo to jaw-dropping production shows, we were thoroughly entertained onboard. Food was easy to acquire and change to our tastes as necessary for those with food allergies. I am pleased to note that there were accessible shore excursions and the entire ship was accessible for people with mobility issues. The outside and inside of the ship were truly majestic, with details everywhere to enhance the experience for guests of any culture. Read Less

Wanted to go to Australia and this was the best value for the money, We hadn't gone on Princess before but had been told by a former travel agent that they were a good line. It was a great experience so we signed up for another cruise next February. The service was exceptional. Everyone was more than happy to help and everyone greeted us with a smile. Embarkation and disembarkation were so organzied with few delays if any. The food was great and always prepared they way it was requested. The Captain gave us an update every day which was appreciated. We were in heavy rough seas but the ship was so stable that it wasn't a problem. Our excursions went like clockwork for the most part and were just as advertised. We saw wonderful scenery and learned alot about Australia and New Zealand. I would recommend Princess Cruise lines to everyone. Read Less