Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	424
Accommodation	200	162
Food	400	264
Service	400	291
Entertainment	100	82
Cruise	400	302

How this score is created

This all-white ship (sister ships: Dawn Princess, Sun Princess) has a profile balanced by a large, swept-back funnel which contains a deck tennis/basketball/volleyball court in its sheltered aft base. There is a wide, teak wrap-around promenade deck outdoors, some real teak steamer-style deck chairs (with cushioned pads), and 93,000 sq. ft (8,640 sq. meters) of outdoors space. A large glazed area on the upper decks provides plenty of light and connection with the outside world.

Sea Princess absorbs passengers well and has a decent passenger space ratio for a large ship; some areas even have an intimate feel to them, which is what the interior designers intended. The interiors are attractive and welcoming with pastel colors and decor that includes countless wall murals and other artwork.

There is a wide range of public rooms to choose from (including 13 bars), with several intimate rooms and spaces so that you aren’t overwhelmed by large spaces. A large, four-deck-high atrium lobby with winding, double stairways contains two panoramic glass-walled elevators.

There is a library, a warm room that has large buttery leather chairs for listening to CDs and audio books, with ocean-view windows; a card room and reading room. The artwork collection is good, particularly on the stairways, and helps make the ship feel smaller than it is. The Grand Casino is slightly out of the main passenger flow and so it does not generate the “walk-through” factor found aboard so many ships. Internet connectivity can be found in Cyberspace, a lounge/internet connect room close to the pools on Riviera Deck.

Perhaps the most popular drinking venue is the Wheelhouse Bar, with decor that is a pleasing mix of traditional and modern (it’s like a gentleman’s club, with its wood paneling and comfortable seating), a bandstand and dance floor. For families with children, plenty of space is provided in The Fun Zone children’s center, on the starboard side of the Riviera (pool) Deck.

One nice feature is the fact that the captain’s cocktail party – normally held in the four-deck-high main atrium, so you can come and go as you please. However, note that in the quest for increased onboard revenue, even birthday cakes are now an extra-cost item, as are espressos and cappuccinos (fake ones, made from instant coffee, are available in the dining rooms). Also at extra cost are ice cream (except in the restaurant), and bottled water (these can add up to a considerable amount on a long cruise).

Sea Princess, transferred from the UK-based P&O Cruises to Princess Cruises in 2005 and now marketed to both British and North American passengers, operates cruises from the UK in summer and in the Caribbean in winter. The onboard currency is the US dollar.

Note that there are a number of dead ends in the interior layout, so it’s not as user-friendly as it could be. The swimming pools are quite small considering the number of passengers carried, and the pool deck is cluttered with plastic sunloungers. The digital voice announcing lift deck stops is annoying for many. At the end of the day – as is the case aboard most large ships – you will be well attended if you live in the top-grade cabins; if you do not, you will merely be one of a very large number of passengers

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008