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As first time cruisers our excitement (and anxiety) was ever increasing as our sailaway date approached.
Weeks (months?) earlier, we had arranged car parking at East Midlands airport and booked a night in a nearby hotel to make sure everything went smoothly on the day.
Then, with just three days to go, Princess contacted us. They had apparently 'overbooked' on our flight and were seeking volunteers to relocate to Gatwick. They immediately offered to reimburse our hotel and car parking charges, upgrade our flights to Premium Economy (both outbound and inbound) and dangled $250pp OBC before our eyes.
The idea of driving to Gatwick, and particularly the drive home on our return, was daunting but the offer was too good to refuse and so we accepted.
Princess' organisation was great and we were able to use our East Midlands 'Thomsonfly' tickets to board a Thomas Cook flight from Gatwick without any problems. I should add that, while the on board entertainment wasn't too good, Thomas Cook looked after us well and quickly got us into the holiday mood by plying us with complimentary drinks!
We arrived in Barbados and stepped off the plane and straight onto a bus that whisked us off to the ship. We joined the fast moving queue to be checked in and were escorted aboard the Sea Princess. Just one negative here: we really don't want to be pulled aside for 'embarkation photos' when we look like we've been dragged through a hedge backward after a 9 hour flight.
We were met by our cabin steward (Moises, who was great) and shown our "stateroom". The cabin was somewhat compact but it was very clean and functional with enough storage space to hold and hang everything. And we soon developed a 'passing places' system which allowed us to get from one side to the other without getting wedged against the furniture!
We were keen to get cleaned up and start exploring the ship but PA announcements made it clear we wouldn't have time as we were to have muster drills 15 minutes later. Once that was over it seemed like time went into overdrive and we were soon on deck for the sailaway. A warm Caribbean evening, a glass of something cold, Barbados behind us and our first cruise ahead of us... bliss!
It wasn't long before we were able to explore and were soon learned that what we called 'the pointy end' was the bow and that our cabin was on the port side and not 'on the left'. That did lead to some confusion when we were alongside in St. Lucia. I said we were facing 'to port' and my better half contradicted me to say we were facing 'out to sea'.
Each evening your bed is turned back and adorned with chocolates and the 'Princess Patter', a news sheet containing information on the next day's destination and an entertainment schedule.
We have read a lot of critical reviews of the entertainment on Sea Princess but we found it varies from 'average' to 'excellent'.
The cruise director's staff lead some daytime activities (games and quizzes etc) and are very good at what they do. However, we found that occasionally an activity would be advertised but the staff didn't turn up for it. Perhaps they hadn't been told themselves? Obviously a communication breakdown somewhere along the line.
It has to be said that daytime entertainment isn't what it could be. When you're in port and the majority of passengers are ashore then it's not a real problem but on sea days (we had two) then you can be left kicking your heels. Some people are happy to vegetate on a sun lounger all day so, if you're not quick enough in the morning, you'll never find a vacant one.
The evening entertainment takes place in the Princess Theatre and the Vista Lounge. The resident singers and dance group put on a few very good shows. I'm sure these shows are repeated many times and, if you've seen them before they won't be as appealing but, to the first time cruiser at least, they provide an hour of reasonable entertainment.
The guest performers included very average magicians, good comedians, very good musicians/singers and the excellent Kyle Esplin (if you ever get a chance to see him, take it!).
When the show is over you can head for the Wheelhouse Bar or Crooner's Bar. Both of these feature live music from resident duos of varying quality - each to their own, I'll say no more.
There is also the Monte Carlo casino, if you like that sort of thing, the Premier Cru champagne bar and the Razzmattazz night club. Like it or not, these three all have areas which allow smoking.
Of course, before you take in a show, you have to eat and the Sea Princess has plenty to offer.
Horizon Court offers buffet style self-service dining 24 hours a day with sea views. We had the occasional lunch here but found the food to be a bit hit and miss. It was often luke warm and not of the quality found in the main restaurants. Horizon Court is ideal for a salad or snack if you're out on deck but be warned - you may have to tolerate people in vests or swimming costumes at the next table and you run the risk of eating food others have handled!
In the evening, part of the restaurant is screened off to become the Sterling Steakhouse. We planned on eating here but never actually got around to it. There is a $15pp cover charge for eating in the Sterling Steakhouse but I understand the steaks are among the best you can get and it's well worth the extra cost.
Overlooking the swimming pools on deck is the Riviera Grill. I'm not entirely sure of the opening hours but this offers burgers, bratwurst, hot dogs etc. Again, it's OK for a light snack. The good thing is the food is served to you on a plate so it hasn't been touched by other passengers!
At the top of the atrium is Cafe Corniche, an Italian style restaurant offering pasta dishes and pizzas. We used this for lunch a couple of times and the quality is very good. We saw people eating there at dinner time time and have no reason to think the evening quality was anything less than it was earlier in the day.
The two main restaurants are the Traviata and the Rigoletto. These are identical in both appearance and menu. The only differences are the Traviata offers 'fixed seating' dining (same time, same table) and the Rigoletto offers 'Anytime' dining (eat when want to eat, sit at any table).
We opted for the anytime dining in the Rigoletto and we couldn't find a single fault with the service or the food. The staff were brilliant. When the time was right they could be very chatty and entertaining but at all times they were polite, helpful, professional and efficient.
First time cruisers please, please note that there is no additional charge for dining in either of these restaurants. They should be considered your first choice for dining but we have heard of people who ate every meal in the Horizon Court because they mistakenly thought there was a charge for eating in the restaurants. There isn't!
With the exception of the Sterling Steakhouse there is no charge for dining on the Sea Princess. You have paid a lot of money for your cruise so sit back and let yourself be spoiled rotten at mealtimes!
Another nice touch is 'afternoon tea'. At 3.30 the Traviata opens it's doors for refreshments. It's all very "British" with the string quartet playing quietly in the background and the waiters don their white gloves and serve delicate sandwiches, fancy cakes and cookies... and the most amazing scones with jam and cream!
There is a charge for drinks however and a glass of wine or two with dinner each evening will soon add up. You would be best advised buying a bottle (it works out far cheaper). Even if you only have one glass from it, the staff will mark the label and put it away for you for the next night.
Whether we like it or not, all drinks on the ship have an added 15% gratuity so it's easy to assume your drinks bill will quickly get out of control. In reality if you're not a big drinker and just want a few quiet drinks in the evening you'll pay around £6.50 - £7 for a couple of beers/lagers. When that's coming out of your OBC it's not a problem - but keep a regular eye on your account by asking for a statement at the purser's desk!
As a side note, some people seem to believe you can't bring alcohol aboard. In fact you can't bring spirits aboard (though some do succeed in getting it on). You can bring a bottle of wine (per person) back from your shore visits so you can pick up a cheap bottle and put it in your cabin fridge - ideal for a pre-dinner drink!
Those trips ashore can be expensive if you decide to buy Princess excursions in every port. We found it cheaper (and just as enjoyable) to do your own thing and pick up a tour with one of the many taxis/shuttles in port (be sure to only use the authorised taxi drivers that you find immediately at the gates and check and double check the price before you go). You'll find other passengers doing the same trip so you're never alone.
Bear in mind though that this advice only really applies to 'island tour' type excursion. If you want to go diving/snorkelling/whale watching/swinging through tree tops then you probably won't find those tours being sold at the port gates and you may want to book with the ship to avoid disappointment.
Princess were a little unfair when, three days before the cruise was due to end, Moises approached us to say he had been assigned to a different task and introduced us to his replacement, our new steward. We didn't catch his name but he wasn't a patch on Moises. Whereas we were greeted with a smile by Moises every day, we never saw his replacement again after that introduction and we were never happy with the standard of service over the next few days.
All in all though, we found the Sea Princess to be a wonderful introduction to the world of cruising and would happily recommend her to other first timers.
Quality of Food
Entertainment
Kyle Espin performed two great shows and the resident singers/dancers were very good. Some acts (comedy, magic etc) weren't as polished as others however.
Comment
by Jones, Sully, Vale of Glamorgan (09 Mar 10 18:00)
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this REVIEW
Thank you for an interesting and relevant review. Like Sumner, we are going on the 20th March cruise so this was most useful. After reading your comments about taxis instead of the ship's trips we'll take taxi excursions too.
Comment
by Sumner, Carnforth (09 Mar 10 08:59)
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this REVIEW
Thank you for such a comprehensive review. We are going on Sea Princess on 20th March and after reading your full and positive review I'm getting even more exited - thank you. Barb
Opinion: AgreeComment
by Fitzgerald, Boston (08 Mar 10 18:27)
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this REVIEW
When submitting this review I actually commented on each area and not just 'entertainment'. Unfortunately I forgot to rate that category and the system returned me to the ratings page. I entered my comment again but it removed all the other comments!
Summing up:
The food was excellent. We couldn't fault one thing with the quality of choices available in the Rigoletto.
We mostly found our own excursions but we did use the ship for a very relaxing rafting trip on the Martha Brae in Jamaica and had a brilliant day whale and dolphin watching in Dominica (not Dom Rep).
All the staff were terrific but the caterers deserve particular praise and a special mention goes to Moises, our cabin steward, who always had a smile on his face.
Comment
by Stone, Oxford (08 Mar 10 18:24)
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this REVIEW
I very much enjoyed reading your well written and interesting review. I'm pleased you enjoyed your first cruise, in spite of your pre-cruise anxiety. Are you now as addicted to cruising as the rest of us? Where are you off to next? Happy cruising - Jan
Comment
by Fitzgerald, Boston (08 Mar 10 19:05)
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a COMMENT by Stone (08 Mar 10 18:24)
Yes we have decided we like cruising, and would maybe like to try other cruise lines but not the big ships.
We haven't really decided where and when the next cruise is but we have said we would like to cruise the Med and Alaska.
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