That Princess picked Kate, Duchess of
Cambridge, to christen the Royal Princess
in 2013
You won’t find zip-lines, go-karts or
tattoo parlors on this ship. But what you will find are excellent shows, varied
food, elegant décor and a laid back, relaxing vibe that helps you, says
Princess, “come back new.”
Eating
The
MDR. The main dining room food was,
well, main dining room food. The Norman Love desserts were a standout, but the
rest was a mixed bag.
The
buffet. Horizon Court was truly the
most expansive I’ve seen on a cruise ship. There were very good roasts, many
vegetable choices, multiple salad bars, and premium foods like mussels, calamari,
shrimp and salmon, a big variety of cheeses (brie! Gorgonzola! Goat cheese! Edam! Stilton!),
terrific fresh rolls and focaccia, smoked fish, prosciutto and quiches, as well
as a few Asian dishes, for foodies like me. There were also typical buffet
foods, from fried chicken to meatloaf to lasagna.
Theme nights were fun—German, Italian,
Brazilian and American. While not everything is terrific, it’s hard to imagine
not finding something to like.
The
specialty restaurants. At Crown Grill,
the service matched the food—both were outstanding. The 8 ounce filet mignon
was fork tender and flavorful, and the molten chocolate cake was deliciously decadent.
My travel companion had the sampler plate—four mini versions of their
desserts—and I was jealous.
The
nibbling. There’s also a 24-hour International
Café with good quality sandwiches, quiches and desserts, and pizza thought to
be the best at sea.
Watching
The
shows. Princess has upped its game
significantly on its production shows and two in particular were terrific. “Encore”
had a romantic, old-world set with tunes both familiar and new, with a bit of
opera thrown in. But the best was “The Secret Silk,” which featured a sweet
story, amazingly elaborate and colorful costumes, constantly changing interesting
sets with an Asian theme and unique puppetry. All showcased Broadway quality singers.
The
movies. Movies Under the Stars (MUTS)
is like a drive-in without the car (but with better audio!). This trip, they
were showing “Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again,” among others. Snuggle up under
their red plaid blanket on a padded lounger, load up on free popcorn and you’ve
got yourself a different way to do the night.
The
fountains. While some complain that
the fountains take up precious pool space, they are fun to watch. The water
spurts out every which way, in color and to music, with the movie screen doing
something or other in the background.
Playing
The Royal
Princess has some great activities, such as an inexpensive wine tasting
($9.50), interesting lecture by a ship officer on navigation (here’s a tidbit: life
boat capacity on the ship well exceeds the capacity of passengers plus crew), galley
tour and behind-the-scenes event by the production show staff. These last two
events were offered free—there’s often a charge on other cruise lines.
You’ll also find the usual cruise events—game shows, contests, bingo, ice sculpture demo, karaoke, dance lessons—as well as the spa, casino, etc.
And
then…Princess’ mini-suite can cost
not much more than a balcony if you time your trip right…Horizon Court buffet
is well staffed with waiters who will bring beverages such as orange juice,
coffee and water to your table…The buffet is open with a full dinner until 11
p.m.…the balloon drop on the second formal night in the ship's stunning piazza was a colorful and lively
party combining bopping to music with balloon popping…music around the ship
varied from steel drums to solo guitar…there was a wedding chapel tailor-made
for vow renewals…
In fact, there’s quite a lot to like
about Princess. And it’s why we find ourselves on the line again and again.
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