Princess Cruise Line

Princess Cruise Lines Experience

Princess Cruises is one of those companies with a reputation for reliability and consistency. When you board a Princess ship, you know almost exactly what to expect. At the same time, it seems to have something of a crystal ball. With Royal Princess, it became the first mid-price cruise line to offer a large number of cabins with private balconies.

Princess was also the first line to offer 24-hour buffet food service, though it was practically a secret at the time. One can go anytime for a snack or a meal, including at dinnertime if one does not feel like dressing up for the dining room. At the time, the idea seemed revolutionary in cruise circles. Today, it is the norm.

Megaliners aren't everyone's vessels of choice, but Princess approaches the concept differently. First of all, they carry fewer passengers, so they are simply less crowded. Rather than one gigantic dining room, two or three smaller restaurants with etched glass partitions provide a more intimate dining experience. They divide the crowd between two main show lounges, one with Broadway-style revues, the other cabaret, and then switch them, all according to the dining schedule.

Public rooms are small and intimate. Caviar and champagne bars give the passenger a feel for the lap of luxury, as well as the multi-million dollar art collection and the most gorgeous libraries at sea, complete with plush leather chairs and earphones for audio tapes.

Princess is known for the innovative aspects of its shore excursions, most notably its Alaska cruise-tours where cruises are combined with shore tour programs. The land portion features gleaming, two-level railcars with glass domes and company-owned lodges in Kenai Peninsula, Denali Park, and Mt. McKinley. When taking an Alaska cruise-tour, however, be very sure to confirm what's included. In most cases, food and sightseeing are added costs.

There are expanded wireless "hotspots" for Internet access on ships throughout the fleet; including availability in the atrium areas of all 14 vessels. Passengers with their own laptops can purchase Internet access for 35 cents per minute ($10.50 for 30 minutes) at the front desk. Those whose computers lack a wireless network card may purchase a 'Windows XP' compatible card. Shipboard Internet Cafes feature between eight and 26 terminals, depending on the vessel. Sun Princess, Dawn Princess and Regal Princess have all recently opened Internet centers, most open 24 hours and easily accessed. Selected vessels' libraries also provide computer stations with direct links to the Internet.

The line's new Movies Under the Stars program, featuring a King Kong-sized LED screen above the main pool, having debuted on the Caribbean Princess, is now featured on all Caribbean itineraries. The line is set to begin offering headphones to those who wish to watch, as the audio has been prompting complaints from many passengers with cabins on the decks below.

Princess Cruise Lines | Fellow Passengers

Princess' youngish "average" passengers, fifty-somethings, seem to prefer the line's one-week Caribbean and Mexico cruises, while the Alaska cruises seem to attract more and more families. Babyboomers and their teenagers are occasionally glimpsed on summertime European cruises. On the Panama Canal, Asia, Africa and South America voyages, passengers are generally over 65. If you're not yet eligible for Social Security, you're especially likely to feel out-of-place aboard Regal and Royal Princess. At the other end of the spectrum, Tahitian Princess, a favorite of newlyweds, has come to be seen as the line's "couples" ship.

Princess Cruise Lines | Taking Kids on a Princess Cruise

The recently expanded Princess Kids program features complimentary in-port activities and special educational opportunities, some created in conjunction with the California Science Center and the National Wildlife Federation. Grand, Golden, Star and Caribbean Princess have the most extensive children's activities, while Coral and Island each has a private disco/coffee club for teenagers. The Junior Ranger program runs throughout the Alaska season, and there is also a Save our Seas environmental program.

Princess' Youth Centers offer a full schedule of activities from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with two-hour breaks for lunch and dinner, on sea days. During port days the program runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and again from 7 to 10 p.m. Parents are given pagers so they may be contacted by the Youth Counselors. Princess divides kids into one of three groups, Pelicans (ages 3-7), Princess Pirateers (ages 8-12), and teens (13-17), for whom the Off Limits centers were specially designed, with a jukebox, arcade, dance floor with disco lights, and diner-like booths.

At night, teen centers convert to discos open from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Group babysitting for children 3 to 12 is available from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for a fee, but no in-cabin babysitting is on offer.

Children's menus are available both in the dining room and the 24-hour restaurant. One night each cruise, there's a gala pizza party at which kids dine with the youth staff and new friends, allowing parents to dine with other adults for a change. Personal Choice Dining is recommended for families who want to dine together in the main dining room before evening youth activities kick off at 7 p.m.

(Do note that Tahitian Princess and Pacific Princesses have no dedicated children's facilities, and youth counselors board only when there are 20 or more children on the passenger list.)

Princess Cruise Lines Shore Excursions

Nobody in this price range gives you more variety than Princess. In Alaska, Princess's offers pre- and post-cruise land excursions, including accommodation in Princess' private lodges and separate sightseeing tours at every stop. In the Caribbean, in addition to the usual snorkeling and sailing; the intensive "Under the Waves" scuba training course enables participants to become certified divers in only a week. Or there are golf specials and helicopter excursions.

Tipping:
Aboard all ships a charge of $10 per person (including children) per day is added automatically to your stateroom account for dining and stateroom personnel. This applies whether you choose traditional or personal choice dining. The amount may be increased or lowered at the Purser's Reception desk during the cruise. A 15% gratuity is automatically added to all Princess beverage tabs. Gratuities for spa, casino and other staff are at your discretion.

Princess Cruise Lines Repeat Passenger Programs

The Captain's Circle quarterly newsletter includes discount coupons, and subscribers are regularly advised of special promotions. The four annual winners of the line's Photo/Essay Contest win free cruises. On every cruise, there's an on-board cocktail party, shipboard raffle for logo prizes; and onboard recognition for most-traveled passenger. For more information call 1-800-PRINCESS.