I normally do not write reviews but people should be informed before deciding to take a cruise with Princess Cruise Lines. Don’t get me wrong, we did not have a horrible time, but there are factors that made it not enjoyable. We chose this cruise because of the timing and crossing the Panama Canal was on our bucket list. First and foremost is the Elite status they give to returning passengers. They flaunt the special lines, discounts and privileges of returning Elite passengers to the point that the first-time cruisers felt like a lower-class passenger. Much like those of maritime crossings of the past.

The anytime dining was the biggest fiasco I had seen in any restaurant. I read the prior reviews and we went directly to the Maitre D’ on the first day and requested traditional dining. We were given the second seating, which is okay, but we missed several events in the lounges because of the diner time. We heard nothing but complaints about the anytime seating. You either try to make a reservation or wait in line, which usually stretched all the way around the Atrium. They do have a special line for Elite passengers. Most of the people we talked to just gave up and went to the buffet most nights.

The shore excursions have problems as well. We signed up for excursions months in advance. We continued to check the website as we know they add others over time. We noticed one of the excursions was removed from the list of signups, but it was still on our itinerary. We called several times to ensure we were still scheduled even though they were not offering it anymore. We were assured we were still scheduled for the excursion. On the day of embarkation, we received a notice that it was cancelled. I was highly upset because the other excursions we wanted were full. The excursion desk only shrugged and said, “Sorry.” They did not offer any compensation or offerings to make up for the inconvenience. We also went on an excursion that we were completely unsatisfied with. Again, the excursion desk only said sorry when I asked for a refund. You would think that after spending over $6000 for a cruise they would refund a mere $140 to have a satisfied customer. All they said was to contact customer service when I got back to the states. This issue is still pending. Read more