Star Princess2002/03: Alaska & Mexico
Written: Oct 01 '02 (Updated Oct 01 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful ship & great service.
Cons: None on our cruise to Alaska!
The Bottom Line: Great ship, excellent service! Perfect for families & couples alike.
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| Suzi's Full Review: Star Princess |
The Star Princess recently returned back to Los Angeles, after spending the summer in Alaska. The remainder of 2002 and well into 2003, the Star Princess will be sailing to the Mexican Riviera out of San Pedro, calling on Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.
I spent two weeks aboard the Star Princess, June 8-22, 2002, on back to back Alaska voyages. This was our first trip to Alaska. Although I consult for the cruise industry, the nature of this trip was strictly for much needed rest and relaxation. Our objectives included to see as much of Alaska as possible, enjoy the pampering service Princess is well known for, and get lots of rest (in celebration of our home's remodel). Neither the ship nor Alaska disappointed us.
Pre-Cruise Information
I booked this trip, three months in advance of our departure date through Princess' website and later transferred my reservation to a cruise-only agency. I obtained a very low rate on our two high season voyages, and saved a total of $300 . We booked an outside guarantee for $675pp going Northbound and an inside guarantee for $599 Southbound. Although there is never a guarantee on back to back voyages that you'll be able to remain in the same stateroom (especially when booking a guarantee), I emailed my request to Princess Cruises soon after booking our trip, and within a week, received a response that we could remain in one stateroom for both voyages. We were also tickled pink to learn that we had been placed in a mid level outside stateroom.
Embarkation
We flew into Seattle and utilized Princess' shuttle service. We were met at the airport and transported to Vancouver to board the Star Princess. I was very impressed with Princess' service; it was prompt and bus service personnel were helpful. I have cruised many times aboard Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL and frequently find the ride rendered by bus contractors to be painfully slow and inefficient. However, the contractor retained in Seattle was excellent.
Check-in at the port was painless. We pre-registered our embarkation information via Princess' website, therefore our documents indicated priority embarkation. It was quick and painless, and I strongly recommend you complete the required forms on the Princess website to expedite embarkation.
Once on the ship, we made it to our stateroom, and met our room steward. Our luggage was in our room before the mandatory fire drill. The entire embarkation process was fast and easy.
Our Stateroom
Our outside stateroom consisted of a well appointed bathroom, large closet with shelves and a safe and a bedroom with two very comfortable beds that could be moved together to form a queen size bed. There was a refrigerator (standard I'm told in ALL staterooms), a vanity area with lighted mirror and a hair dryer. We also had a small sitting area with a glass topped coffee table, two chairs and a TV. Below the TV (on top of the refrigerator) was an area we used as a bar.
Our stateroom was identical to nearly all inside and outside cabins. Even ones with balcony's (except for suites) had an identical layout. The room was decorated tastefully with muted colors. For two of us, it was very comfortable. People with three and four to a room seemed a bit cramped. But there was enough space left over in our cabin, to move around comfortably. And the closet space surprisingly was big enough to hold two weeks worth of heavy sweaters, formal outfits and all our luggage.
Getting Around the Ship
The Star Princess is a huge ship, and even after two weeks, we left not having explored many areas. I found the ship very easy to navigate, and continually enjoyed stumbling on places we have never seen before.
The ship's main public area is the Plaza Atrium, where you'll find two Purser's Desks, shore excursion information and shopping areas. There is also a very cozy and well stocked library and card room as well as a few intimate lounges. There a places to sit with a drink where you can enjoy views of the ocean from large picture windows.
The wedding chaple, art gallery, casino and Tequilas (one of the alternative restaurants) lie adjacent to the atrium. There are glass elevators and beautiful artwork everywhere. The Promenade is also a major boulevard of sorts, where you can find Sabatini's, another alternative restaurant, showrooms and theaters.
Dining
We opted for the Personal Choice dining option, and came away very pleased with both the service and quality of the food. In the two weeks we spent aboard the Star Princess, we found most dinners in the two main dining areas to be of excellent quality, very much in line with quality typical of Royal Caribbean and Carnival. No, it wasn't five star gourmet cuisine, but our overall impression was favorable. To our surprise, the Horizon Court Buffet (open 24 hours) offered many of the same dishes. Some of our favorites included lobster tail, the rack of lamb and Alaskan king crab. There were a few staples, such as shrimp cocktail, steak and other dishes available EVERY night. Service was excellent in the mian dining areas.
Although we did not try Tequilas, the Southwestern (Tex Mex) restaurant, we did go once to Sabatini's, the other, more formal alternative dining room ($15pp cover charge) and felt once was enough. Although people generally raved about the quality and service, we were not impressed with either. My lobster and my husband's mixed seafood grill was excellent, but we felt ignored the entire evening. We noticed that people who ordered expensive bottles of wine throughout the night got better service, unlike us - we each had one glass of wine! Despite the so-so service at Sabatini's, we enjoyed the food, typical of the dinner we had a few nights earlier in the main dining room. We ate here the last night of the first leg of our two part voyage, and felt we had a much better meal than we would have had we dined in the main dining area. So would I recommend coming here and paying $30/per couple? It was worth it for us. But make your reservations early, as the last night of the cruise and days between the two formal nights fill up fast. Also, you'll have to plan on three hours here...there were about 6 courses.
The breakfast and lunch served in the Horizon Court Buffet were nearly identical to the ones served in the main dining rooms. But the lines at the buffet and trying to find an empty table often proved to be challenging, so frequently, we found going to one of the main dining rooms less of a hassle.
Entertainment
There were two nightly shows to choose from, and most nights, a movie as well. The production shows were typical of the entertainment you find on most cruise ships. Some were good, others just so-so. But there was never a shortage of things to do. We found on some nights we could take in two shows, depending on when we finished with dinner. The casino was a fun diversion, and for those people not into gambling, there were lounges with live music and dancing.
During the day, the main attractions were in the ports of call and on days at sea, the nature unfolding before us. We enjoyed relaxing during the days at sea, however, few activities were available to those people looking to stay active during the day. Keep in mind that we were cruising in Alaska. If your itinerary takes you to Mexico, I have a hunch you will have more outside activities to choose from. Often, it was too windy and cold to enjoy the miniature golf, paddle tennis (there was ping pong too) or the beautiful pools.
I swam laps every day, and enjoyed the spa one afternoon. I also took in a movie one afternoon and went to number of lectures put on by the resident naturalist. But many young adults on this cruise complained of being bored during the day. I had no such problem, but I also went in with the mind set, that I needed "down-time."
Ports of Call
During the summer of 2002, the Star Princess called on Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Seward, sailing either north or south bound. We took in each port twice, enjoying the sights, frequently doing our own, less expensive versions of shore excursions. I strongly recommend you research your options carefully if you plan to visit Alaska, as the choices are staggering. Suffice it to say, we enjoyed our visit, and would not hesitate to return.
Much of the year, the Star Princess will be doing 7 night cruises out of Los Angeles, heading to ports in the Mexican Riviera. Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas give visitors lots of opportunities to go shopping, enjoy the beaches and Mexican culture. Puerto Vallarta is known for it's lush jungles, beautiful beaches and party atmosphere. The best places to snorkel, in my opinion is in Cabo San Lucas. Save your shopping dollars for Mazatlan. You'll find lots of information both here at Epinions on these ports of call and else where on the web.
Disembarkation
Disembarkation was the most organized of any ship. A list of disembarkation times was distributed to passengers, and we were able to get off the ship within 15 minutes of our scheduled time. This made it convenient to coordinate our departure time with breakfast. We never felt rushed, and disembarked the ship immediately after breakfast. I don't know how the disembarkation schedule works for LA departures; however it was well organized in Vancouver. Minutes after disembarking the ship, we boarded a bus to Seattle, and we were on the way home.
What Makes Princess Special
After all is said and done, Princess is still a mass-marketed cruise line, appealing to young and old alike. But what gives Princess that slight edge, over NCL, Carnival and even Royal Caribbean, is their ship's elegance and upscale appearance, their commitment to organization (such as their disembarkation procedures) and attention to little things - like self service laundry facilities, 24 hour pools & hottubs and great service - that make cruising a pleasant experience. The ever present dining choices, such as being able to get shrimp cocktail every day, if you wanted and having the ability to make a special request at the buffet (in my case for smoked salmon) gives Princess a definite edge in my book.
There will always be critics out there, and if you're seriously considering taking a cruise aboard the Star Princess, despite my thumbs up recommendation, I still suggest you read other reviews. No cruise is perfect. There were a few glitches here and there, but I must admit, Princess came very close to providing us with a near perfect vacation experience.
Final Thoughts
A $10 per person, per day gratuity is automatically added to your ship board account. We had no problems with this, and found the service we experienced to be as good, if not better than ships were individual gratuities are distributed the last night of the cruise. There are some critics out there, but we found we very much liked the Personal Choice dining option.
Our overall experience was very positive, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending this cruise ship to any of my friends. Clientele ranged from young families, honeymoon to middle aged couples and older people. Lots of groups were also in attendance. We ran into friendly staff everywhere on the ship. Alaska or Mexico...take your pick. You won't be diappointed. But do your homework. Cruising isn't for everyone. Regardless of what itinerary you choose, there will be days at sea, and if you're the more active type (like we are) you have to be in the right mind set. They will have games and things to do throughout the day, but many daytime activities were geard towards older people on our Alaska cruise. I took along a good book (which I am proud to say I finished) and had the pool to my self most days. Those of you looking to cruise the Mexican Riviera should expect more outdoor activities.
Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions. Good luck!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
Suzi
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Location: California
Reviews written: 190
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:
Suzi is an aspiring travel writer who enjoys scuba diving and volleyball.
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