Crown Princess Review
Crown Princess needs to be dry docked for upgrade and repairs!
Rating by category
Additional details
Let me start by saying, my husband and I are not frequent ocean cruisers. We did a lot of ocean cruising when we were younger. In the last few years, we travelled with Norwegian and Celebrity and were very pleased with those voyages. We took a 31 day cruise of South America, December 4, 2016 to January 4, 2017. We booked a mini suite, mid ship D 701. Unfortunately, the Crown Princess has serious technical problems and the decor is worn and dated. I will outline the Pros and Cons to make it easier for you to understand why our cruise was not a stellar experience for first time cruisers with Princess.
Pros:
-The most outstanding thing about this ship is their staff. In a word: Outstanding!
Cabin Review
Mini-Suite with Balcony
Our cabin was mid ship, Dolphin Deck. It was a mini suite. Mid ship is not a good place to be with the vibration of the engines on this ship which drove me crazy and interrupted my sleep. The carpets and decor were old and worn. Our cabin steward did a marvelous job of trying to keep it clean even after the flooding. Thank you, Dax!
Port Reviews
Manzanillo
Walked into town and explored this small city. Interesting experience. Bought a beautiful brightly coloured Mexican table cloth.
Santiago (Valparaiso)
Hired our own taxi driver guide. His name was Pedro. He lived in Toronto for 15 years so his English and historical knowledge of the area are amazing. One of our best tours on the ship because he took us everywhere and we could stop whenever we liked.
Punta Arenas
We did a self guided tour and enjoyed the freedom it allowed.
Stanley
Got off the ship and booked a private touring company at the dock who took us to Gypsy Cove for half the money. Saw all the penguins you could want to see up close and personal. Great day but wear your winter coat, gloves and hat. Very cold at the cove but it was sunny and warm in town.
Buenos Aires
Walked off the ship into town. The port talk made us aware of this option so don't miss those on board port talks.
Montevideo
Walked off the ship again and ventured into town. At the docks, unknown to us, but a leather factory outlet representative offered us a free ride into the main centre to their store and you could see the rest of the historical part of the city. We opted for a walk locally. I enjoyed our walk around the community because the architecture was amazing to see. Neoclassical examples made up the whole area. Beautiful to behold! Very safe experience.