Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	406
Accommodation	200	155
Food	400	265
Service	400	287
Entertainment	100	72
Cruise	400	302

How this score is created

Pacific Princess was originally one of eight almost identical ships ordered and operated by the now defunct Renaissance Cruises. It sports an all-white hull (it was formerly a black hull with white superstructure), which makes the ship appear larger. It has a large, square-ish funnel. The vessel cruises for part of the year under the Princess Cruises banner in French Polynesia, and six months under the P&O Cruises brand name in Australia (cruising from Sydney).

A lido deck has a swimming pool, and good sunbathing space, while one of the aft decks has a thalassotherapy pool. A jogging track circles the swimming pool deck (but one deck above). The uppermost outdoors deck includes a golf driving net and shuffleboard court.

The interior decor is quite stunning and elegant, a throwback to ship decor of the ocean liners of the 1920s and ’30s, executed in fine taste. This includes detailed ceiling cornices, both real and faux wrought-iron staircase railings, leather- and cherry wood-paneled walls, trompe l’oeil ceilings, and rich carpeting in hallways with an Oriental rug-look center section. The overall feel is of an old-world country club. The staircase in the main, two-deck-high foyer recalls the staircase in the 1997 movie Titanic.

The public rooms are spread over three decks. The reception hall (lobby) has a staircase with intricate wrought-iron railings. The Nightclub, with forward-facing views, sits high in the ship and has Polynesian-inspired decor and furniture.

There are plenty of bars – including one in the entrance to each restaurant. Perhaps the nicest of all bars and lounges are in the casino bar/lounge that is a beautiful room reminiscent of London’s grand hotels and understated gaming clubs. It has an inviting marble fireplace (in fact, there are three such fireplaces aboard) and comfortable sofas and individual chairs. There is also a large Card Room, which incorporates an internet center with eight stations.

The Library is a beautiful, grand Regency-style room, with a fireplace, a high, indented, trompe l’oeil ceiling, and an excellent selection of books, as well as some very comfortable wingback chairs with footstools, and sofas you could sleep on (it’s the most relaxing room aboard).

Although there may not be marble bathroom fittings, or caviar and other (more expensive) niceties, the value for money is extremely good, and you have the opportunity to cruise in comfort aboard a mid-sized ship with plenty of dining choices. There’s very little entertainment, but it is certainly not needed in the cruise areas featured. Pacific Princess and its sister ship Tahitian Princess are much more about relaxation than the larger ships in the Princess Cruises fleet, and would make good child-free vessels.

In common with all ships in the Princess Cruises fleet, 15% is added to all bar and spa accounts (drink prices are moderate, while beer prices are high), and a standard gratuity (about $10 per person, per day) is automatically added to your onboard account (if you think this is too much and want to reduce the amount, you’ll need to go to the reception desk to do so).

There is no wrap-around promenade deck outdoors (there is, however, a small jogging track around the perimeter of the swimming pool, and port and starboard side decks), and no wooden decks outdoors (instead, they are covered by Bollidt, a sand-colored rubberized material). There is no sauna. The room service menu is extremely limited. Stairways, although carpeted, are tinny. In order to keep the prices low, often the air routing to get to/from your ship is not the most direct.

There is a charge (tokens must be obtained from the reception desk) for using the machines in the self-service launderette (a change machine in the launderette itself would be more user-friendly).

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008