 Expert Review |
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| | | | | First Glimpse
Princess Cruises has welcomed Sea Princess back into the fleet -- you may recall that the cruise line transferred Sea Princess to sister company U.K.-based P&O Cruises a few years ago, where the ship sailed under the name Adonia. However, the ship is still marketed to British travelers. Sea Princess is a sister ship to Princess Cruises' Dawn and Sun Princess. | | |  top | | | | Sneak Preview
First Impressions Launched in 1998 as the third member of Princess' Sun-class of ships (following Sun Princess and Dawn Princess), the 1,950-passenger Sea Princess sailed for only five years before being transferred to P&O Cruises, where it was renamed Adonia in May 2003. But after barely enough time to get into the groove of British cruising, the ship rejoined Princess in 2005, its original moniker restored. And yet, despite returning to its roots as it were, Sea Princess has remained a staple of the British cruise scene, catering to almost an exclusively British clientele. Stage shows and comedians have a decidedly English flavor, officers are Brits, and the ship spends about half the year sailing various European itineraries out of Southampton. (The other half features Caribbean and Canada/New England cruises, heavily marketed as fly-cruises.) With its last refurbishment having come in 2003, Sea Princess is showing signs of wear. The ship could certainly benefit from the replacing of carpets here and there, and a general sprucing up of some of the older amenities (see: youth center and video arcade) would do nicely. Cabins are on the small end of the spectrum, and the poor size-of-ship to passenger ratio makes crowding and flow issues a regular occurrence. These concerns aside, when the overall experience is blended with Princess' high standards for service and consistently above-average dining options, fans of the line will feel completely at home aboard the nearly 10-year-old Sea Princess. Bedtime Cruisers used to sailing on Princess' newer offerings (or on Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Celebrity for that matter) may be somewhat put off by the rather miniscule cabin sizes. Standard insides start at a paltry 135 square ft., with the 411 balcony cabins only slightly bigger at 179 square ft. -- and that includes the balcony. Bathrooms are shower only. Despite the space issues, cabins are clean and comfortable enough, with a decent amount of drawer space, TV, mini-fridge and hair dryer. Passengers can request robes and fresh fruit from their cabin steward. Guests who book suites and mini-suites will have sitting rooms and Princess' much-upgraded bedding (Simmons Beautyrest luxury firm mattresses). Bathrooms have tubs as well as showers. There are both U.S. and U.K. outlets in all cabins. Mealtime Princess offers the choice of traditional set-time, set-seating meals in the Traviata Dining Room (5:45 and 8 p.m.) or "anytime dining" in the second dining room, Rigoletto (open 5:30 to 10 p.m.). For the open-seating option, diners can either show up and ask the maitre d' for a table or make reservations beforehand. Food in the dining room consistently lives up to Princess' lofty reputation, with the pasta dishes being some of the most popular options. The Sterling Steakhouse is a for-fee specialty restaurant offering steaks and seafood. Reservations are recommended. Horizon Court, the 24-hour buffet venue, will keep guests fed with satisfactory choices -- but seating can be difficult to find at peak times. Grand Old Favorites When Sea Princess returned to the Princess fleet in 2005, the line added its popular Movies Under the Stars (MUTS) feature to the Sun Deck. Guests can watch concert films and movies as they relax by the pool during the day, and first-run choices under (hopefully) starry skies at night. Helpful staff hand out popcorn and blankets to accompany the evening showings. New and Nifty Princess has announced that it will be rolling out its Chef's Table concept here in early 2008. At $75 per person, this exclusive offering allows 10 guests to attend a private dining experience where they'll get to interact with the ship's chef as he or she prepares their dinner. The meal consists of multiple courses, each paired with a suitable wine. Passengers who purchase an evening at Chef's Table receive a complimentary autographed copy of the Princess Cruises Cookbook, Courses, A Culinary Journey, and a photograph with the chef. While certainly not new, it is pretty nifty that there are laundry rooms with two washers and dryers on every cabin deck. Use is free, though detergent must be brought or purchased. Huh? For a ship used to catering to 90 percent British passengers, why the onboard pricing would be in U.S. dollars is perplexing -- though perhaps the weak dollar makes this more acceptable to guests. Kid-Friendly Factor There are quite a few family groups that sail aboard Sea Princess, and yet, something still seems to be awry with children's programs. When compared with offerings from Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean, Sea Princess looks quite dated. Bottom Line Though the ship has been bypassed in style and amenities by its Grand- and Crown-class successors, Sea Princess will provide Princess' stalwarts with the solid service and above-average dining that they've come to know. --by Dan Askin, Assitant Editor | | | | top | | | | Overview
After a brief excursion into the fleet of sister brand P&O Cruises (where it was known as the Adonia) Sea Princess has now reverted to its original name, rejoined her original brand and is spearheading Princess Cruises' drive to carve itself a slice of the ever-growing local market for cruises from U.K. ports. Sea Princess is proving a big hit with Brits, who now make up 90 percent of passengers on summer sailings around the Western Mediterranean. And having just spent a week onboard, I can easily see why. Traditional afternoon teas, fine steak-and-chips dinners (both in the pay-per-use Steak House and in the no-extra-fee main restaurants), BBC costume dramas on the TV and an excellent U.K.-focused entertainment programme make Sea Princess feel like a home from home for British travellers. That's a real achievement for a cruise line which has traditionally catered mainly to Americans. Sea Princess' appeal extends far beyond Anglophiles. The ship, launched in 1998, is not old but its mid-size style and more traditional features make it a good choice for cruise travellers who like to feel they're onboard an ocean-going vessel rather than a theme park at sea. True, Sea Princess needs a bit of cosmetic work in parts, but it's due to get it as part of Princess Cruises' ongoing plan to upgrade its older, 2,940-passenger Grand-class ships Grand, Golden and Star Princess, alongside Sea Princess and her 2,272-passenger Sun-class sister ships Dawn, Sun and Sea Princess. But even without a lick of paint being applied, it's a cosy, welcoming, lovely ship whose atrium area and Vista Lounge are among the most attractive at sea. I suspect Sea Princess's fans will sorely miss the ship in summer 2009, when the larger Grand Princess takes over April-to-September round-trip runs from Southampton there to the Western Mediterraean. But those who like the Sea Princess style can join her on a summer 2009 cruise around Alaska instead. | | | | top | | | | Dining
There are two virtually identical main restaurants, Rigoletto on Deck 5 and La Traviata on Deck 6. Both are attractively presented with large windows on two sides, wood panelled walls, an elegant red and gold colour scheme and ceilings which, though very low, are glamorously studded with twinkling lights. Food is fairly standard mass market cruise fare (with sprouts featuring rather too frequently for my taste), but meat cuts are very good quality and puddings generally high standard; salads could be crisper but the freshly-baked speciality breads and the cream soups are delicious. La Traviata operates a traditional set-seating system with pre-assigned tables, while Rigoletto offers "anytime dining", allowing passengers to dine when and with whom they please. The Princess "Personal Choice Dining" policy allows passengers to switch from one to the other at 24 hours' notice. Generally speaking, this is an excellent system as it removes the old bugbear of cruise passengers being forced to sit with strangers, but it does cause a few problems. On the first night of my cruise there was an extremely long queue of passengers waiting to be seated (though you can avoid this by making a reservation as soon as you board). However, similar problems beset the system when I sampled a sit-down breakfast two days later, with passengers willing to share a table having to wait around 15 minutes, and those who preferred to eat by themselves (not an unreasonable request at breakfast time ) facing an even longer wait. In fairness, it's refreshing to be offered the choice at all, since so many mass-market cruise ships virtually enforce table-sharing at open seating times, but perhaps more dining staff are needed for this system to work really smoothly as only parts of the restaurant were open and waiters, though friendly and efficient, seemed overstretched and harassed at times. There are two alternative dining venues, the lovely Cafe Corniche on Deck 8, which offers a good selection of pizzas and a more limited range of Italian antipasti, pasta dishes and puddings in a very pleasant setting, and the Sterling Steak House ? part of the Horizon Court buffet on Deck 14 which is screened off and dressed with snowy tablecloths every evening. This charges a $15 a head supplement and offers good service, terrific sea views and an excellent range of steak cuts, though the choice of starters was disappointing and some of the puddings were stodgy. And you should take a jacket or wrap if you're planning to eat here, as the air conditioning is ferocious. The Horizon Court is the ship's indoor/outdoor 24-hour restaurant, offering early riser then full breakfasts until 11:30 a.m. , a substantial lunch buffet after that; then afternoon snacks and (from 6 p.m.) dinner. From 11 p.m. until 4 a.m., lighter Bistro dining is available. Like most of Sea Princess' public areas, the Horizon Court is beautifully designed, with a pleasing garden room freshness and substantial solid teak outside seating overlooking the ship's pools. However, at peak times it does get very crowded and tables are hard to come by. Because the buffet is arranged into different islands, there are no long queues, but waiters wielding tea and coffee pots could usefully be more extensively deployed, as the self-service drinks machines do tend to log-jam during busy periods. For casual meals out on deck, the Deck 14 Riviera Grill provides burgers and hot dogs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., while on Deck 12, Sundaes ice cream parlour sells elaborate and highly calorific concoctions (including the amusingly named 'Dieter's Revenge') for $3.95 each. And passengers in balconied cabins can breakfast or dine in solitary splendour on the ship's Ultimate Balcony Dining programme. This costs $28 a head for a Champagne breakfast, $50 for dinner, and meals are served course-by-course onto a balcony set up with a white-clothed table and flowers. | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
Seaboard life revolves around the sweeping black and white marble staircases, glass lifts and gently curved contours of the ship's four-deck-high atrium, which lies midship and contains the Reception and Shore Excursion desks. Deck 6 holds a substantial parade of shops; one deck up is the bay-windowed Crooner's Bar -- complete with cosy sofas and white grand piano -- and on the top level (Deck 8) next to Cafe Corniche is the Monte Carlo Casino. Opposite the casino's roulette and black jack tables is an old-fashioned but curiously charming "007"-themed card playing and drinks area, complete with squishy black leather sofas, a James Bond silhouette mural and navy padded wall panels straight out of an "Austin Powers" movie. One level down, Deck 7 is the main passenger deck, with the lovely peach, blue and gold Vista Lounge at the aft end and the one-tier Princess Theatre at the prow. The Wheelhouse Bar, just behind the theatre, is an intimate watering hole marred only be streams of passengers walking through en route to the theatre. Part English pub, part gentleman's club, it has stylish leather sofas, brass lamps and nautical paintings on wood?panelled walls. Just outside this bar, on the ship's port side, you'll find a lovely small seating area and a fascinating display of memorabilia purchased from Marlene Dietrich's estate. Also on port side is the Razzmatazz Nightclub, with steel walls and bar and deep red "wave effect" sofas. Opposite this is the walnut-panelled, large-windowed Champagne Bar, where Mimosas, Bellinis and Champagne cocktails cost $5.75. Next door is a substantial photo gallery and just off here, up a short wood-panelled corridor, find the ship's Internet Centre and Library. Quiet, large-windowed and equipped with flat screen computers on smart green leather-topped desks, the Internet Centre is stylish but expensive compared to shoreside facilities. Pay-as-you-go costs a hefty 75 cents a minute but there are cost -- saving packages for heavy users, ranging from $55 for 100 minutes to $75 for 150 and $100 for 250. Computer lessons are bookable for $25 per adult, $10 per child (though I suspect the average eight-year-old could teach the instructors a thing or six ... ) Next door, the pretty wood-panelled library doubles as a venue for onboard weddings, which can be conducted by the captain while the ship is actually at sea, thanks to its Bermudan registry. (A major clue as to when a wedding is on is that an archway of white flowers is placed at the library entrance.) | | | | top | | | | Cabins
Accommodation ranges from N-grade inside twins to AA deluxe suites with verandah, and there are 19 cabins equipped for disabled passengers. All cabins are equipped with colour (but not flat-screen) TV, radio, a hairdryer, safe and minibar; all have individually controllable air conditioning and (with the exception of three and four berth staterooms) beds which can be arranged either as twins or a double. Top-grade suites and mini-suites have substantial balconies; balconies on outside double cabins are partially enclosed and more compact -- with room for just a low drinks table and two sit-up chairs -- but they are attractively presented in clean white with nautical blue flooring and chair seats. My cabin -- A745 -- was cosy and comfortable, with a fresh cream, blue and peach colour scheme and a well-designed, if small, triple wardrobe providing perfectly adequate storage for a week's run out of Southampton. The bathroom was tiny and cramped, though -- so much so that I had to stand in the shower cubicle to dry off. And one thing I missed -- being British and therefore obsessed with tea -- was a facility for brewing an early morning cuppa; I would happily have traded the substantial fruit basket which was supplied for a kettle and hot drinks kit, which wasn't. That's a minor quibble, though, as room service is available around the clock, with hot drinks offered alongside a substantial selection of sandwiches, salads, burgers, hot dogs, croque monsieur and pastries. Service is free but you can sign for a gratuity. A plus point is that Princess has resisted the temptation -- a keen one in an upfront price competitive market -- to hike up drinks prices. Minibar drinks range from $1.75 for sodas to $3.85 for Miller or Coors beer, $4.50 for Courvoisier cognac, while room service will bring you a bottle of Pouilly Fuisse for $32 or a fine Chianti Classico for $31 (and even in the restaurants, a bottle of Mouton Cadet claret costs a reasonable $24). Bear in mind, though, that all drinks prices are subject to an additional 15 percent service charge. Passengers who like to enjoy a pre or post-prandial snifter out on the balcony can save cash on a Stateroom Beverage Package; these range from $17.50 for a "Liquor and Mixer Package" comprising a 375 ml bottle of gin, vodka, rum, bourbon or Scotch and three appropriate mixers. Six beers cost $18.75; six sodas $8.75, and $17.50 buys four 187 ml bottles of wine. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
This largely consists of old-style variety acts given a modern twist and is imaginative and generally excellent. On my cruise a very professional Liverpudlian comic, a splendid tenor, a stylish illusionist and an hilarious musical impersonator kept audiences very happy, so much so that it was usually standing-room-only at twice-nightly showtimes in the ship's 600-seat Princess Theatre. I'm not generally a great fan of cruise ship entertainment, particularly of the "medleys from Gigi in fishnet and feathers" variety, but the Sea Princess programme was well thought out and perfectly suited to the largely British clientele. By day, films are shown on the Movies Under the Stars (MUTS) screen, which overlooks the pools on Deck 14; recently-released films are also shown in the afternoon in the Princess Theatre or the Vista Lounge, and the ship has an array of daily classes and lectures to keep passengers occupied. These range from free and fairly traditional activities like cookery demonstrations, napkin-folding and origami-making sessions and special interest talks to Computers@Sea (see Internet Cafe) and Ceramics@Sea classes, which passengers pay to join. In Princess Potter ceramics classes, all materials and instructions are supplied and passengers pay according to what they make -- for example a dinner plate costs $30, a coaster set $20. One thing this ship does excel at is getting people together; social events geared towards groups with shared interests are held regularly -- Medics at Sea, Veterans at Sea, 18 to 25s and Bragging Grannies get-togethers were just a few of those held during my cruise. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
The Lotus Spa is up on Deck 12 and offers the usual range of facials, massages and body treatments priced (at full whack) from $119 for a 50-minute La Therapie face treatment, $155 for a 50-minute Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow exfoliation followed by a Swedish massage. However, with the credit crunch looming and passengers more inclined to watch their pennies, the spa woos cash-canny clients with special offers when the ship is in port. For $100 (including 10 percent tip) I tried an early-morning treatment combining the ginger and lime exfoliation with a shoulder and back massage and a mini-facial, and found it an invigorating ? and not too guilt-inducing - start to a day ashore. Sea Princess' spa contains a well equipped, large windowed gym, a sizeable aerobics room (Yoga, Pilates and cycle classes cost $10 a head per session) and a small outdoor area containing a whirlpool and small circular pool. These areas look a little tired and could do with being freshened up but at least the outdoor space (like the raised pool overlooking the main Riviera pool on Deck 12) is reserved for adults only. In all, the ship has four pools -- three on Deck 12, one on Deck 15 -- six whirlpools and a ball games court (also up on 15 at the top of the ship). | | | | top | | | | Family
Keen to win the kids' vote, Princess asked some of its child-aged passengers to rename its two older age-group activity programmes. Now, eight to 12-year-olds club previously known as "Princess Pirateers" rejoices in the much funkier name of "Shockwaves", while the "Off Limits" clubs for 13 to 17-year-olds has been renamed "Remix". These, together with the "Princess Pelicans" club for three to seven-year-olds, occupy "The Fun Zone" on Deck 12, and keep youngsters busy -- broadly speaking -- from 9 a.m. to noon, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Child supervision is also available from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at a price of $5 per child, per hour, and children are invited to a Kids' dinner from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. -- useful if parents want to dine alone. Younger children must be out of nappies and fully toilet trained to join the club. Compared to some ships (including the newer, bigger ones on the Princess fleet) children's facilities are limited to a couple of rooms, but the youth staff are enthusiastic and the activities -- from making clown hats to designing outfits for a "Fantastic Plastic Fashion Parade" -- quite imaginative. Other than ping pong tables, a ball court and splash pool up on Deck 15 and the large outdoor Riviera pool on Deck 12 -- which they tend to monopolise at times -- kids have no dedicated outdoor area. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
On summer 2008 runs out of Southampton around 90 percent of passengers were British and 10 percent American or other nationalities (though clearly this ratio will change when the ship moves to Alaska in summer 2009). On my end-of-May cruise there were plenty of young families onboard, and you can expect this to be the case throughout the summer, particularly during school holiday times. But the rapidly-growing trend towards multi-generational cruising means passengers in the more traditional cruising age range -- 55 plus to 70 plus are also well represented. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
This is a fairly dressy ship; of the seven nights I spent on board, two were formal evenings. That said, even on formal nights, smart suits with ties are as acceptable as dinner jackets, and passengers who dislike dressing up can dine casually at the Cafe Corniche or the Horizon Court. Even there, though (and quite rightly) a reasonable degree of smartness is expected; slacks and polo shirts are fine, but vests, shorts and flip flops should be confined to daytimes out on deck. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Gratuity stands at $10.50 per person per day ($11 for passengers occupying suites). This is, conveniently, automatically added to your onboard bill, so you don't need to worry about getting cash and faffing about with envelopes at the last minute. --by Maria Harding. The U.K.-based Harding, a journalist and broadcaster, is one of Britain's best-known cruise writers. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, the Daily Mail, the Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Express. | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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