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Princess Cruise Line

MS Royal Princess

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Reviewed by: Peter Stocker
# previous cruises: 10+
Date of Trip: November 18, 1999
Itinerary: South America

We did Fort Lauderdale through the Canal and down the West Coast and around the bottom to Buenos Aries. It's possible to do trips to the Galapagos and also Machu Pichu, but these were too strenuous for us, so unable to comment. We enjoyed seeing a part of the world we hadn't been to and getting to Cape Horn and the Falkland Is. She is a good size ship for this cruise and a comfortable one with plenty of deck space.

There is an all-around prom deck. Basically all the public rooms are on one deck with a good flow-through and easy access to the dining room one deck down. The casino was fairly small but more than adequate. The decks weren't crowded as the weather was surprisingly cool (el Nino?) and it was only really hot for a couple of hours going through the Cut in the Canal.

This is a funny one. The soups and breads etc. were very good. They have a brand new ice-cream machine which is great and makes the best ice-cream we've ever had on a ship with 3 or 4 new flavours every day. However the entrees varied from good to uneatable and really weren't up to Princess standards. We had the impression that there were maybe problems in the galley as it did improve on the second half of the trip. The Lido is good with plenty of space.

The cabins are all standard size and have one bed which folds up against the bulkhead, although the stewards usually left it down. Plenty of storage room and a good size bathroom with a tub. Good sound insulation.

We've become "showed out" over the years and don't usually go so won't comment. The cruise staff seemed to do an adequate job, and the purser's office were helpful.

With 33 days there were a lot of ports and the trips mentioned before. Peru is great for shopping for woolens at really cheap prices. Chili impressed us with being so clean and prosperous looking , and the friendly people. It was nearly calm when we got to Cape Horn but half an hour after we left it was blowing again. Having read so much about the Falklands it was a highlight of the trip to actually go to Port Stanley where we had a beautiful warm day.

The ship was just about full and without a doubt this was the oldest bunch we've ever sailed with. If anything, those that joined in Valparaiso were even older. And I'll bet that's one thing that ship designers never take into consideration when they decide on the number of elevators needed...we could have done with double what they have. Would we go on her again...Yes if the itinerary and price are right.