Caribbean Princess Review
Highly disappointing, and probably our last on Princess
Rating by category
Additional details
We booked this 2-week Southern Caribbean cruise to celebrate my husband's milestone birthday with his family and some friends. There were 9 of us total, and all of our cabins were in the same general area which made it easy to visit and exchange things as needed. One nice surprise was the Princess@Sea app. We were able to message each other about where we were meeting without using any data or minutes. The only problem is that there is no alert when a message comes in so you must constantly check. It worked on my Kindle as well as our phones.
At the embarkation port, we were dropped off early by friends we had visited. Part of our group was there waiting and we were among the first to board. Because we are Platinum status, those with us could board early as well. Unfortunately the rest were on their own. Embarkation was as fast as ever, with only short lines that moved relatively quickly. We were on board with our cards in hand by shortly after noon and were able to get some lunch in the Horizon court.
Everyone in our party had balcony staterooms in the mid-aft area of the ship. The rooms were comfortable although not roomy. They were clean and in working order, with side tables for lamps and some storage, a desk with drawers, a mirror and light. The outlets are by the desk, and because we had brought a multi-outlet strip, we were able to charge all of our electronics as needed. There is a hairdryer in the room, but I am certain it is the original one from, oh, 1960? Those always pull my hair, but since I do not want to bring my own, we make do.
Cabin Review
Balcony
The balcony staterooms on Deck 3 have larger balconies than the other decks, so we always try to get rooms on this deck. If the weather is nice, it is wonderful to sit and enjoy the ocean. It is also nice for larger gatherings for sail away or to watch the sunset.
The room is adequately roomy for 2 people, with a small sitting area adjacent to the bed. There is a desk with a chair, and a refrigerator under the TV area plus a second chair. The desk has drawers as do the 2 side tables by the bed. There is a large open closet and a smaller closet with a door closer to the bathroom. That includes the safe plus several open shelves. Hangers are available and the room steward will bring more on request.
The shower is tiny as is the whole bathroom. There are 3 small shelves on the bathroom wall and a longer shelf below the sink. A short length of vanity allows a place to store other items or to use as a work space for applying makeup, etc. The individual shampoos have been replaced with a combined shampoo-conditioner and a liquid soap on the shower wall. Small soaps are provided at the sink.
Or cabin steward brought ice each evening, but if requested he would bring it twice per day. We brought our own soft drinks and bottled water and kept them in the refrigerator. There are wine and cocktail glasses on the bar, as well as smaller water glasses in the bathroom. Additional glasses can be requested if needed. Bring your own wine opener and stoppers.
Port Reviews
Curacao
We took an island tour through an independent vendor. The small group tour took us by many of the colorful buildings and made stops along the ocean where we could take photos. At one stop, we walked a short distance to watch the waves crash along the shore. Our tour stopped for lunch at a tiny restaurant (there were no others nearby) with a limited selection of sandwiches. The food was adequate and not overly expensive. I would recommend wearing sturdy shoes on this type of tour because walking along the lava rocks could be a bit dangerous in flip flops or sandals.
Roatan
Wow, we got off the ship and were in an outdoor shopping mall! As if there wasn't enough shopping for souvenirs, jewelry, and liquor onboard.
Belize City
Same as Roatan - get off the ship and go to an outdoor mall. Not very exciting for me, but if you like to shop it could be paradise.