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In 1975 a tiny cruise line said "yes" to "Love Boat" and charted a course that has led it to become one of the top four cruise industry giants. There are few industry leaders who don't credit Princess with launching cruising as a mainstream American experience by agreeing to host the show. While Princess' primary cruising regions are the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Alaska and Europe, the company has worldwide itineraries visiting every continent. So many new ships have been delivered in recent years that it's logical to assume a good number of cruisers will sail aboard one of the gleaming mega-liners during the next decade.
The original parent company, P&O (Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company), was the oldest and largest of the great British shipping companies, dating back to 1822. With the demise of liner crossings in the age of the jumbo jet, P&O turned to cruising. P&O operated Princess Cruises and a number of European cruise divisions until 2003 when it merged with Carnival Corporation, forming the largest cruise corporation in existence.
The four elder ships in the Princess fleet are the 70,000-ton l,590-passenger Regal Princess (1991) - which is leaving Princess in November, 2006 - ; 77,000-ton, 1,950-passenger sister ships Sun Princess (1995) and Dawn Princess (1997) and the 45,000-ton 1,200-passenger Royal Princess (1984). In April 2005, the Sea Princess (1998), sister ship of Sun and Dawn Princess, re-joined the fleet while the Royal Princess (1984) will be transferred to P&O Cruises in May.
The Princess fleet also includes four Grand-class ships, the 109,000-ton, 2,600-passenger Grand Princess (1998), Golden Princess (2001), Star Princess (2002) and the 113,000-tons 3,100-passenger Caribbean Princess, all with plenty of entertainment options and balconies onboard. A second 113,000-ton ship, similar to Caribbean Princess, is on order for May 2006 and will be named Crown Princess, sailing year-round in the Caribbean. A third 3,100-passenger vessel, named Emerald Princess, is scheduled to join the fleet in 2007.
In 2003 Princess added two lovely vessels, the 92,000-ton sister ships Island and Coral Princess. Sapphire and Diamond Princess, 116,000-ton, 2,670-passenger sisters entered the fleet in 2004, sailing in Alaska and Mexico.
In August, 2002 Princess Cruises purchased two former Renaissance vessels, R3 and R4. Both 684-passenger vessels, renamed the Pacific Princess and the Tahitian Princess, are sailing in Tahiti and the wider Pacific Ocean region. Following the policies of other ships in the Princess fleet, formal dress is scheduled on specified nights. Tahitian Princess sails year-round from Tahiti on 10-day sailings. The Pacific Princess operates a split deployment, sailing half the year from Sydney for P&O Cruises Australia and half for Princess in the wider Pacific region.
The Princess Experience
Princess excels at predicting trends it was the first mid-price cruise line to offer a large number of cabins with private balconies (Royal Princess) and its mega-liners are the best in terms of upscale ambience, extensive facilities and ease of finding one's way around. In my opinion, Princess builds the most beautiful ships afloat. While not everyone loves mega-liners, those found in Princess' fleet are so superbly designed one never experiences a crowd, waits in line or feels that they're just one of a mass of bodies.
Instead of crowding everyone into a huge dining room, there are two or three smaller restaurants with etched glass partitions, giving a more intimate dining experience. In a similar fashion, the larger ships offer two main show lounges so there's always a choice between Broadway-style revues or cabaret. Public rooms are small and intimate, while one finds upscale touches such as caviar and champagne bars.
These ships boast a multi-million dollar art collection, an enormous number of cabins and suites with private verandas and the most beautiful libraries afloat, complete with plush leather chairs with headsets for audio tapes. They have state-of-the art fitness centers, beautiful outdoor pool decks and several venues for dining, including the Horizon Court, the casual restaurant near the pool where more casual fare is available each evening.
Princess has always had the reputation of being a classy cruise experience and indeed, the ambience encourages dressing up. Princess' cuisine is not gourmet dining, but seems to please the palates of most cruisers. Innovative nightlife isn't one of Princess' strengths, however -- the same old "Salute to Broadway" floor shows we've been seeing for 20 years are the norm aboard the ships in Princess' fleet.
Princess stands out in its Alaska cruise and shore tour program, scheduled each year from May through September. It's pre- and post-cruise land excursions are superbly run in addition to its gleaming two-level domed Alaska rail cars with gourmet dining in an elegant car, the company has it's own lovely lodges in Kenai Peninsula, Denali Park and Mt. McKinley and more are planned or under construction. This cruise line is our pick in organizing the most innovative and best run shore excursions everywhere they cruise. Be sure to confirm what's included in the price of your Alaska ground tour -- in most cases, food and sightseeing aren't part of the package. Your out-of-pocket expenses can add $100-$150 per person, per day to the final cost of the ground excursion.
Princess Cruises' has expanded wireless "hotspots" for Internet access throughout the fleet so they are now available in the atrium areas of all 14 Princess vessels. Passengers who bring their laptops can purchase Internet time for 35 cents per minute ($10.50 for 30 minutes) at the front desk. Passengers with computers that do not already have a wireless network card may purchase a 'Windows XP' compatible card on board. Fleetwide, Princess ships provide a range of Internet capabilities.
Shipboard Internet Cafes feature between eight and 26 terminals, depending on the vessel. Sun Princess, Dawn Princess and Regal Princess have each recently debuted a new Internet center. Most centers are open 24 hours a day and are easily accessed when passengers swipe their cruise cards through the computer's card reader. Selected vessels also provide computer stations in the ship's library. Terminals offer Internet access with direct links to most popular web-based email providers, and passengers can print from the web for $1 per page.
Personal Choices One new feature we love is "Personal Choices," a program offering more flexibility in the style of cruising you choose. The biggest change is dining (available on ships with two or more dining rooms). You may opt for traditional assigned, two-seating program. But should you prefer open, single seating restaurant-style dining is available in the other dining room.
Regardless of which dining style is chosen, a gratuity of $10.00 per person per day is automatically applied to shipboard accounts. This is for the dining staff, cabin steward and room service. Passengers may adjust this amount up or down at the Front Desk, if they so choose.
Fellow Passengers
On one-week Caribbean and Mexico cruises, you'll find the youngest passengers, aged 50 and above. Alaska cruises do attract an increasing number of families each year. While we have seen a few families and babyboomers on summertime Europe cruises, passengers aboard the other Princess ships are generally 65+ as is the case in Panama Canal, Asia, Africa and South America voyages.
Shore Excursions
In our opinion, Princess' shore excursions are the most creative and well executed available. In the Caribbean, you'll find golf and excursions by helicopter, plus snorkeling, scuba and sailing. And, the special "Under the Waves" program includes an intensive scuba training course enabling you to become a certified diver in a week's time. In Alaska, shore excursions are numerous and well organized while the company's pre- and post-cruise land excursions are unbeatable and feature stays in Princess' private lodges with separate sightseeing tours available at every stop.
Princess shore excursions can be booked online at www.princess.com. Click on "Access Your Booking" and enter your reservation number. You can then add your favorite shore excursions to your account.
Taking The Kids
The cruise line's children's programs don't rival those found on Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. The number of children onboard in Alaska and the Caribbean is growing. Pagers are available for parents so they can be contacted by the Youth Counselors. Children's play areas have a ball pit, separate pool, computers and TV and Sun and Dawn, feature a castle in the ball pit and a theatre for movies.
The teen areas include a juke box, arcade, dance floor with disco lights and booths set up like a diner. Grand, Golden, Star and Caribbean Princess have the most extensive children's activities and Coral and Island are not far behind in as they too have a private disco/coffee club for teenagers. Regal Princess has a 2,000 sq. ft. kids/teens center which can be separated by a partition on busy cruises. The entertainment focuses on crafts and games but there is a TV/video for movies and a Nintendo in the teen area and a special teens night out to the disco.
The recently expanded children's program, Princess Kids features complimentary in-port activities and special educational opportunities. Age groups include the Princess Pelicans (ages 3-7), Princess Pirateers (ages 8-12) while the Off Limits teen centers are specially designed for teens (ages 13-17). 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. New educational activities have been created in conjunction with the California Science Center and the National Wildlife Federation. Princess also offers the Junior Ranger program, which runs throughout the Alaska season, and the Save our Seas environmental program.
At night, teen centers convert to discos that stay open from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Group babysitting for children ages 3 to 12 years is offered from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for a fee. There is no in-cabin babysitting on Princess ships. Children's menus are available in the dining room as well as the 24-hour restaurant. One night during the cruise, a pizza party is offered which lets children dine with the youth staff and their new friends, allowing parents to dine alone. Personal Choice Dining is recommended for families who want to dine together in the main dining room before the evening youth activities start at 7 p.m.
Note that Royal Princess, Tahitian and Pacific Princesses do not have dedicated children's facilities. Youth counselors are aboard to operate the children's program only when 20 or more children are sailing. Past Passenger Program
Captain's Circle publishes quarterly newsletter including discount coupons and members receive mailings on special promotions on select sailings fleet-wide throughout the year fleet-wide; sponsors Photo/Essay Contest with four free cruises awarded each year; onboard cocktail party; shipboard raffle for logo prizes; onboard recognition for most traveled passenger on each sailing. For more information call 1-800-PRINCESS.
Theme Cruises & Special Programs
Available fleetwide, the "Scholarship@Sea" program is an expanded roster of enrichment courses including cooking, visual arts, computer skills, photography, finance and the first pottery making classes at sea.
For a list of the current theme cruise offerings see CruiseMates' theme cruise page.
Tipping
Aboard all ships a charge of $10 per person per day is automatically added to your stateroom account for dining and stateroom personnel. This applies to all passengers, whether or not they choose traditional of personal choice dining. The amount may be increased or lowered at the pursers desk during the cruise.
On board all ships a 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs. Gratuities for spa, casino and other staff are at your discretion.
Rates
Princess offers early booking discounts. Have your travel agent check into 'Loveboat Saver Fares' which are offered on some cabin categories, and for other promotions which the line frequently offers. Also check Internet specials at the Princess web site. Per person, double occupancy fares start from
- Coral/Island Princess, seven-night Alaska,$949
- Coral Princess, 10-night Canal,$1,299
- Diamond/Sapphire Princess, seven-night Alaska, $899
- Caribbean/Grand/Golden/Star Princess, seven-night Caribbean, $549
- Golden Princess, 12-night Med, $2,340
- Grand Princess, 10-night Baltic, $1,590
- Regal Princess, 10-night, Alaska, $1,409
- Royal Princess, 12-night Europe, $1,890
- Royal Princess, 12-night, South America, $2,095
- Star Princess, 12-night Mediterranean $1,790
- Sun/Dawn Princess, seven-night Alaska, $599
- Sun/Dawn Princess, ten-night Caribbean, $899
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