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Princess Cruise Line

MS Grand Princess

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:Bill Grenker
# previous cruises: 3
Date of Trip: December 24, 2000
Itinerary: Caribbean - Eastern

The stateroom was very good. The food was above average. The shore excursions were horrible. The main problem was the money grubbing feeling that one got after being accosted by what seemed to be hundreds of personnel trying to sell drinks, artwork, jewelry and all sorts of other junk. Was it by accident that there was no water fountain placed near the pizza and hot dog counter - only a bar where you could purchase something? I expect to pay for bar drinks but also expect that soft drinks would be available throughout the cruise without having to pull out the annoying charge card. Here is a small gripe. Each of the four adults in our party are ice cream experts. We found it obnoxious that the dining room would serve a greasy, tasteless version of their "home made" ice cream as opposed to the so-called premium ice cream served at the pay-as-you-go ice cream counter. Also, the Haagen Daz was clearly of a lower quality than normally is purchased in the supermarket. They found a way of getting a cheaper grade. (The pops that they sold had the original grade.) The multitude of opportunities for photographs to be taken and later sold became tedious. The dining room photographer was obnoxious and rude. She started her "offer" to take pictures by saying "I'm sorry to interrupt" and then proceeded to blatantly interrupt our conversations.

There was a shortage of deck chairs on the days at sea. There was a shortage of deck attendants at all times. There was absolutely no shortage of wandering waiters trying to sell us drinks. I can't believe they have the nerve to advertise in their brochure the statement about OTHER cruise lines that "believe it or not you may have trouble finding a deck lounge on THEIR ship."

The quality of the food was acceptable. They buffet hot dishes were mediocre at best. The food service was pleasant but definitely too obtrusive.

The cabins and room steward were very good.

Some shows were OK several were awful.

Do not do the Megan's Bay excursion on St. Thomas. The water is clear but the beach is dirty and crowded. The "yacht race" on St. Maarten was terrible. The only people clearly enjoying themselves was the crew.

We were travelling with another couple of our own age (50ish). We met some very pleasant people and some not so pleasant ones as is normally the case. There were no very loud, obnoxious people that we saw.