CTMak

Just a few more tips or at least things to think about if you are contemplating this cruise:

* For US-based travelers going with more than one couple: recommend calling your cell phone carrier and adding International texting capabilities. Not very much money and you can cancel when you return. In our group we had 4 couples and I wanted at least one cell phone for each couple with texting capabilities while in Europe. Can't tell you how handy that came in.

* Internet. RCCL had a pretty good deal: $15 per day for one device unlimited internet usage; and $11 per day for 2 devices (per device so $22 per day total unlimited. Yes there is VAT but that applies to everything.) In my cruising experience the deal is very reasonable. The speed was surprising fast. And you weren't wasting package minutes waiting forever for a page to download.

* We were on Deck 12. The pool deck -- also the Solarium for b'fast -- were only 2 flights up on Deck 15 (like many office buildings there is no deck 13) so we used the stairs and were thus able to have that extra dessert as a reward for the exercise. Would be concerned about noise on deck 14 with 15 right above. But I can't opine since I don't know if deck 14 is indeed noisy.

* I opted for a drink package. The one with beer, wine, and soda (aside from an occasional martini, I don't drink hard liquor) I think it's called Select. With gratuities and Vat it was $313.60 for the week. RCCL drink prices are a hot topic on these boards because they are not cheap. The way I figured it, 2 cold beers at the pool in 90 degree weather, plus 2 glasses of wine at dinner and I am drinking on the house for the rest of the night. Also, I bought 2 bottles of wine each night at dinner for the table (I got mine by the glass of course) and the package includes 20% off bottles of wine. And on more than 1 occasion I went to a bar to get myself a glass of wine and one for someone else in our group, the bartenders didn't charge me for that second wine. For me the fact that I didn't have to worry about it was worth it in and of itself.

* This may sound simplistic, but trust me: anytime your Sail Pass Card leaves your sight -- very common: a waiter or bartender takes it after you order -- make sure it's your card when it is returned. Was playing blackjack and ordered a beer. Waiter takes the card, returns it with my beer and I sign. After I finish I go to my room and the key doesn't work. I look at the card and it says Mark somebody -- not me. I rush back down to the casino, tell the bartender, who takes the card and goes to see the manager at the Cashier's cage. 30 seconds later, this irate guy comes charging over to the bar. I ask him if he is Mark. He asks me if I'm Stan, and we got it straightened out. But imagine if either of us didn't go straight back to the room -- went to a movie or Bingo. Or drew $5,000 worth of chips. Yikes!

* You can pick up the cruise in either Barcelona or Rome. Highly recommend Barcelona. We flew a red-eye out of Charlotte landing 7 am on Saturday (ship departs Sunday 6 pm). Did a lot of walking -- in fact had a walking tour -- but were beat. On Sunday a leisurely b'fast, a coffee in a cafe in the square, and then taxis to the ship -- maybe 10 minutes from our hotel vs 1.5 hours from Rome to the port (Civitavecchia.) Plus the itinerary is, IMHO, better suited from Barcelona than Rome for US based travelers. The first port is Palma de Mallorca which is a relaxing port. None of us booked tours. Just strolled the city, returned to the ship by 1 pm, had lunch, a little pool time, a siesta -- a nice way to recover from the excitement of beginning the cruise and jet lag. Gears you up for 4 days of intensive touring. And the last day is a sea day -- lets you decompress a bit. Though, if you board in Rome the cruise is not going to suck. Just think Barcelona is a better starting port.

CT Mak

Thank you so much! We're celebrating our 50th onboard in October and now we're even more excited. My dream has always been to see Tuscany so we've booked an excursion to a vineyard with wine tasting!!

Congratulations on your 50th!!!

You can't go wrong with Tuscany -- one of my favorite places in the world!

CT Mak

CTMak, Thanks for the review, as for the art work you were referencing, congratulation on finding all 20, it took me over 2 hours to find them all and I had a list. The one group is called Small Wonders and the other is the Steroscopic Viewers.

Yes, those are the ones. Surprised you had a list. We went to Guest Services on the last day of the cruise and asked for the Small Wonders map. It took a while to even find someone who knew what we were talking about. They said they didn't have a map or a lost but to create one is a great idea and they would pass it along.

CT Mak

Congratulations on celebrating your 40th anniversary! We will be on the Allure for our 40th in November. Thank you for taking the time to review your wonderful trip.

Congrats to you too on your 40th!!! You will have a great time!

CT Mak

Thanks for the review. We are booked on the June 1, 2016 Italy and Greek Isles tour on Jewel OTS and undecided whether to book ship excursions or go it alone with Viator.

As I mentioned, we've been on 15 or so cruises and we always try to book private -- Viator or any number of reputable companies, which, given you are on this board, are very easy to find.

After booking the cruise, flights, dinner, transfers, etc. it's easy to say let's just go with the ship excursions. And that's fine. But, we've found, it's just as easy to book privately. And we like it much better, and in our research it is cheaper -- at least in our situation. The good news is no matter what, you will have a fabulous time!

CT Mak

Sounds like your family had a great time - nice you could all travel together!

 

? Who did you use for Cinque Terre tour, and can you describe it please? thx!

We are planning to do this on our cruise in September, but haven't confirmed yet.

We used Italy Shore Drivers who were great. The driver met us (8 of us) at the shuttle stop (as I mentioned, in La Spezia the private tour drivers cannot come ship=side; RCCL provides a free shuttle to an area outside the port where they meet you.) The driver drove us to Portovenere where we met our guide. She gave us a walking tour, and in retrospect I wished we had spent more time in Portovenere. Fortunately, my wife and I went on a cooking tour of Tuscany and Portovenere and Chinque Terre about 7 years ago -- so we were familiar. Just wish we insisted on spending a bit more time there for our kids. Then our driver took us to one of the Chinque Terre lands where we again met our guide again (she drove her own car there). We took a ferry to another one of the lands, and a train to a third (you don't need to see all 5 -- especially with only a day.) Our guide was with us the whole time. In the last "land" we had lunch and split up to walk around and shop. At the appointed time we met our driver who drove us back to the ship. No issues whatsoever. A bit sad that there were a lot of ships in port and Chinque Terre has become a lot more touristy IMHO than I remember 7 years ago. Still worth the visit because the place itself is spectacular -- a must see. But it's no longer a "quaint" fishing village but a cruise ship destination. Hope this helps.

Great review, we are sailing on her September 13th and can't wait. We have booked a couple of excursions on the ship and a couple thru viator. Was it difficult connecting with your tour driver from the viator ones...how did you locate them once off the ship? Oh the things that keep me up at night!

Wasn't a problem at all. Your driver waits where the passengers disembark with a sign with your name. However, in La Spezia (Florence) the private tour drivers were not allowed to come right to the ship. RCCL provides a free shuttle to an area just outside the port ( 5 minutes or so) where all the private tour drivers wait -- again, with signs with your name. Please, a fantastic run in the casino should be what keeps you up at night -- not worrying about meeting your driver. Not an issue. They do it every day. Enjoy!

CT Mak

What time did you arrive at the port in Barcelona?

 

As well, did your cruise pick up passengers in Rome or just Barcelona? Thanks!!

We arrived at about 12:30 which I thought was going to be prime time. But no problem.

The cruise did pick up passengers in Rome but it's like 2/3's or 3/4's in Barcelona.

CT Mak

We will be on the August 30 sailing out of barcelona. I have read other posts about the duty free shops. Are you saying that there is not another security screening on the ship.

There was not when we went. And actually it doesn't make sense that there would be -- you already went through one, and then you are boarding on the Promenade deck being greeted by RCCL staff welcoming you. But, the wine/liquor shop folks said it would be no problem and also said they would gladly refund the purchases if there was a problem. Ports were different -- you went through security on the ship. But not in Barcelona -- security was at the terminal.

CT Mak

We sailed the Allure 7/12 - 19 out of Barcelona celebrating our 40th anniversary. We also took with us our 3 adult children (28 - 34) with significant others -- 8 of us in all. DW and I have sailed about 15 times on various lines and various sized ships. Here's a quick review -- perhaps along with some tips -- for your information.

OVERALL: We all had a blast! DW and I were especially thrilled being able to give our kids a taste of Europe and, better yet, being able to share it with them. We are spread throughout the country so all being together for a good occasion was fantastic. It did not rain, but it was super hot -- 90's everyday. But seas were exceptionally calm.

EMBARCATION: As many have posted it was a breeze: cab to cabin in less than 20 minutes. TIP: We went through security upon entering the terminal, then through the check in process. Between check-in and boarding the ship there is a duty-free area with both wine and liquor stores. I won't say whom but people were buying several bottles of both wine and liquor, putting them in their carry-ons and boarding the ship no problem as there was not any additional screening. Not me, of course, just sayin'.

SHIP: Gorgeous. Recently out of dry-dock and you can tell -- everything new. FUN TIP: If you are looking for something a little off the beaten path, there are 20 art viewing devices "hidden" throughout the ship. You won't read about them in any of the ship's stuff and you would be hard-pressed to find a staff member who even knows they exist -- even at guest services. There are basically 2 types of devices: one looks like a pair of binoculars mounted on a metal rod atop a wooden base; the other looks like a large, upside-down telescope standing waist to chest high. Looking into them reveals a piece or art: either a photo, painting, sculpture, etc sometimes in 3-D, sometimes in black & white, etc. There's a small plaque near each one explaining what the artwork is and that there are 20 of these around the ship. They are all in open, public spaces (not, for example, in specialty restaurants or the spa.) One of our kids found all 20 -- the last at 2:30 am the last night of the cruise. They are in the open but off to the side. Hint: look to the side of a casino entrance.

CABIN: Fine for 2; would be mighty cramped for 3 (would have to live out of a suitcase.) TIP: while we had ocean balcony, the kids had adjoining balcony cabins overlooking Central Park. They were great. Less noisy than, I would suspect, balconies overlooking the Boardwalk. TIP: there are no self-service laundry facilities on-board -- you would have to send everything out $$$$. On Wednesday they give you a "wash-and-fold" (no iron) bag no more than 15 x 24 or so for $30. So bring enough T-shirts and underwear to last you for the trip.

FOOD: On average -- just average which I have found is not atypical for the large ships. We ate in the MDR every night and inconsistent best describes my experience with the food: duck was perfectly done and moist; chicken marsala was overcooked and dry. B'fast hot buffet was challenging. The tub of scrambled eggs were unappealing and inedible IMHO. The buffet ham and cheese omelets were not much better. The cook was frying eggs for the buffet and those were ok - but sometimes the yokes real runny and sometimes hard boiled. TIP: we went to the Solarium for b'fast every day. Found it quieter and less busy than Windjammer. The pizza in Sorrento's was no better than frozen pizza from a supermarket so save the calories for elsewhere. You might want to try Central Park Cafe for lunch: create your own salad, panninis. Pretty Good. TIP: We had the late seating for dinner (after 8:00 pm). So about 6 o'clock one of us would go to Windjammer and bring back a plate of cheese, olives, slices of salami, etc. to our room to have with wine as a before dinner snack.

STAFF: We found the staff first rate. Very good.

EXCURSIONS: Since we had 8 people we booked privately throughout (with both Italy Shore Drivers and Viator.) Both companies were fantastic. TIP: Highly, highly recommend going private. Even with 2 people their website will pair you with others to fill the van. Including gratuities for drivers and guides it was cheaper than the ships excursions -- at least that's what we found. At Pompeii, for example, licensed guides have separate windows for tickets and admission. It took us all of 5 minutes to get in. With the ship, they let you off and you stand in line which was, I was told, 45 minutes. TIP: be aware that in Florence the ship docks in La Spezia not Livourno. From La Spezia to Florence is 2 and a half hours each way! We did not want to sit on a bus for that long so we opted for a private tour of Chinque Terre and Portovenere and we were so glad we did.

AMENITIES: Even with 5,400 passengers it did not seem overcrowded, but there were moments. Take the Karaoke Bar for instance. There is only one and during prime time you could not get in. To me, they sacrificed swimming pool space for deck chair space and I guess I can understand why. So while there were a good amount of chairs (excepting Sea Day), the actual water space got extremely cramped. TIP: Plenty of room in the adults-only solarium. They have a small round pool with sprayers which is nice for cooling off.

CONCLUSION: As I said, we had a great time and RCCL did a good job. However some of the amenities they had -- 2 surfing pools, 2 rock climbing walls, zip line, ice skating rink -- are irrelevant to me ... others had great fun on them, just not me. In terms of the larger class of ships, I think I would opt for one that holds about 3,000 instead of 5,400 -- large enough to house the amenities that are important to me while still maintaining some charm. IMHO.

Let me know if you have any questions and I will try to answer them as best I can.

CT Mak

We returned recently from the Allure Barcelona cruise -- they were 8 (the 2 of us plus 3 grown children with significant others) of us traveling together -- and we, too, could not pre-register until 90 days before the trip.

Our cruise reservations were linked, and I called RCL directly to make dinner reservation in the MDR where we ate very night. My Time Dining is basically the old early-late seatings. We had a choice of dinner reservations between 5:30 and 6:15 or 8:00 to 8:45. They use that empty block of time to turn over the dinning room.

We had the same table every night, and we were lucky it was a round table which I feel is more conducive to conversation.

Also, except for the first and last nights, we each drew cards, ace - 8, and that determined the seating arrangement for that night to mix it up a little.

CT Mak

I can't speak for the ship excursions because I was on the NCL Epic when we went to Naples in May but we did a tour of Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Positano and Pompeii booked through Shoretrips. It was wonderful. Probably the best thing was lunch above Positano. Because we were a small van instead of a large bus, we were taken way up above Positano to a restaurant where we had amazing food with an amazing view. Our driver said the big busses couldn't get up so high because the road was to narrow and winding. We also had some shopping time in Sorrento, Positano and a couple of hours with a private guide in Pompeii. This tour was the highlight of our trip.

We ate at that same restaurant, I think it was called Constantino (or perhaps Costanzo -- all the private drivers know it.) Our driver called the restaurant in the morning to make sure we had a window table for the 8 of us. You are absolutely right: amazing food and amazing view high above Positano overlooking the Med. Wonderful.

CT Mak

On the Allure Europe cruise, they were also selling them at the bars.

CT Mak

We were on the Allure 7/12 - 7/19. The stop in Naples is on Friday -- with a bunch of other cruise ships. There were 8 of us and we did a private tour of Pompei, Sorrento, and Positano with Italy Shore Drivers (whom we also used in Rome.) They were GREAT! Highly recommended. Do yourselves a big favor and do a private tour vs the ship's. We were met at Pompei by a private tour guide (arranged by ISD). There are separate ticket windows for licensed tour guides, and no-wait, separate entrances for them as well. We got the tickets and entered the site in less than 5 minutes. The ship's excursions have you stand in the regular line to get tickets. People were waiting 45 minutes to an hour just to get in! That alone is worth it. My wife did the math -- apples to apples including gratuities for guides and drivers and in every case the private tour was cheaper than the ship's excursion (again, there were 8 of us.) Plus you can do what you want. When we were there there was some sort of truckers strike which made traffic nasty. We decided on the fly to skip Sorrento to have more time for a great lunch and walking around in Positano. Also, we just had our driver stop along the coast road for photo opps. Bottom line, if you can do a private tour, do it! IMHO.

CT Mak

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/transport/barcelona-cruise-port.html

We're sailing on the Allure this summer My SetSail pass indicates Terminal B.

CTMak

We are looking at a family cruise, Europe, on Allure of the Seas and are thinking either Broadway or Central Park balcony staterooms for the kids. Any thoughts? Noise? One versus the other?

Thanks

CTMak

Shepp:

It was a terrific cruise: weather cooperated, calm seas, great ship, and a spectacular Alaska.

Just to clarify, my point on the food was that in my opinion the food was inconsistent. (You mention "Chef's Table." Don;t know what that is. Our table # was 221 in the Amalfi Dining Room.) DW's eggplant parm app was absolutely terrific. ( We are from Connecticut and New York City, so we've had some pretty good Italian food in our day.) First rate dish. Yet the pastry-puff crust on her beef wellington was literally sopping wet and inedible. You wrote that you know which dishes to order and which to avoid. You kinda make my point as that is the definition of inconsistency. Personally, I don't think there should be anything on the menu that one should "avoid." If you know which dishes those are, then presumably Princess should know as well and either remove them or fix them.

And you are right about the excursions: nobody is putting a gun to anyone's head. But that wasn't my point. We booked our excursions well in advance and knew the price so it wasn't an issue of sticker shock when we boarded the ship. We thoroughly enjoyed them. And I get it: Alaska is expensive and the excursion folks need to get a year's revenue in 7 months. That;s fine...no issues there. But bottom line is for 2 of us the 2 excursions -- and there were no aircraft involved - totaled more than $800. First-time Alaska cruiser like us -- and perhaps others -- might not know the local bus schedules and transportation options and maybe don't want to risk making those arrangements with never having been there. My sole point is that if you think you might want to book excursions they are pricey so budget accordingly when planning your trip. Simple as that.

Thanks for taking the time to do a review. I was on the Star this summer on the same itinerary, and I agree that Alaska is beautiful. We had kids with us, and they had more fun than I think I've ever seen them have. One question: how many times did you eat in the main dining room as opposed to the buffet? My opinion of the buffet food is maybe like your "IHOP person." I do, however, consistently enjoy my meals in the dining room. Since I have yet to visit the Crown Grill, I can't comment on that.

For breakfast, we ate in the dinning room 4 times and the buffet the rest; for dinner, we ate in the dining room (Amalfi) every night except for the night in the Crown Grill.

My intention in posting this review is not to tell you how beautiful Alaska is (it is) which you've read a million times, nor how many kids our cabin steward has (2). IMHO Alaska is a bucket-list destination but there are many options to get to that destination. My aim is to provide some facts/observation to help determine if this cruise is an option you might want to consider.

Background. DW and i are both 61 and celebrated our 39th anniversary on this cruise. This was our 13th cruise though first on Princess: 1 each on Costa and Celebrity; the rest among Carnival, Cunard, and SilverSeas -- 5 in Europe, 1 in Canada, the rest in the Caribbean.

Overall: We thought this cruise was terrific with Alaska being the star. Saw plenty of whales, glaciers and fjords. The passenger demographics skew older especially when sailing after the school year starts. A crew member said there were 64 passengers under the age of 30 including kids. We definitely brought the average age down which was 66 according to that crew member. We had the late dinner seating (7:45) and our dining room was never more than half full though the ship was pretty much at capacity -- plus they were plenty of open seats at the casino at night. I'm not suggesting the passenger ages or lack of kids is a positive or negative -- just fact/observation.

Also, if you include embarkation day and the Tracy Arm Fjord sailing (you don't get off the ship) there are a full 6 and a half days at sea. Obviously the ship has a variety of activities to keep you busy from arm wrestling and putting contests to bingo, movies, lectures, and of course the casino. But if you take this cruise just be aware that you'll have a lot of ship time.

Ship. We both loved the Star Princess. For a mass market ship (2,600 passengers; 1,100 crew) we thought the decor was grand and impressive without being gaudy. Lots of nook and cranny public areas so you can find your "spot" for reading, playing cards, etc. when at sea. And it was in fine shape as well, though it will be going into dry dock for 2 weeks I believe in December. It was a bit tricky to navigate at first -- just didn't seem intuitive at least to me. But with 2 and a half sea days from the get-go, it was not a problem.

Crew. The bar, wait, and cabin staff were all tremendous. A+. Energetic, smiling, they simply could not do enough for you. And it was noticeable. All the passengers we talked to felt the same way. Whatever Princess is doing to recruit/train its staff they should continue to do it.

Cabin. We got the mini-suite the idea being that with so many at-sea days we wanted a bit more room. I highly recommend it. The cabin was very comfortable with a separate sitting area. Also, we had the third cabin from the back of the ship. First time we were ever so far back -- and from now on I will always select a cabin in this vicinity. While it was a bit longer walk to get to places there was obviously very little "traffic" -- late-night, drunk party-ers making noise at 2 in the morning (though not so much on this cruise) or early morning risers going to breakfast and being loud (a lot on this cruise.)

Entertainment. I don't anyone who chooses a cruise based on the entertainment. The fly-in comic was better than the fly-in vocalist (actually the comic was pretty funny) but next cruise could be the opposite. The production show performers were ok and performed well -- though cruise lines continue to over-produce these shows I guess for the "wow" factor: a sports car rising from below the stage during the British Invasion show for no apparent reason other than it can be done. Overall, no better or worse than other lines/ships.

Excursions. I felt the excursions were pricey. We did the crab boat adventure in Ketchikan (I know, a bit touristy but I like the Deadliest Catch) which was actually very good (we saw whales and eagles, but did not get lunch), and whale watching, baked salmon lunch, and the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau (which also was pretty good.) But the total for those 2 excursions for DW and I was almost $800 not including tips. The helicopter and float-plane tours were almost double that. We booked a bus/train tour in Skagway not through Princess and chose to do a hop on - hop off tour in Victoria. We simply wanted to see stuff in Alaska and it was expensive.

Food. Probably the most controversial aspect of the cruise. Lot of people were down on the food. One woman said she was going to stick with salads and veggies because she didn't want to "waste calories on reheated entrees." Another guy said "IHOP serves better breakfasts" though I thought the breakfasts were pretty good: the buffet selection was plentiful and they would make to order any kind of omelet you wanted. Overall I thought the food was just ok -- not as good as I had on other cruise lines (though the soups they served -- I'm a soup guy --were consistently delicious.) I had some good dinners -- never great-- and some that weren't so good. Sometimes the execution left a lot to be desired. Our table mate had to send his steak back twice for not being done; another at our table was served pasta that was ice cold. My DW's beef wellington had a soggy, in fact soaked, pastry-puff crust with gray meat. At the sit down dining hall breakfast they served my over-easy eggs with the yolks broken and of course over done. Not the biggest deal in the world but just don't serve it that way. Overall though, I thought the food was ok.

However, my biggest complaint was the Crown Grill -- their separate steak house with a $25 pp extra charge. We ate there the night of our anniversary and were very disappointed. First, the waiter started pouring the $100 cab I ordered in a small, house-wine glass. I stopped him and asked for a cab glass. He brings a slightly bigger chard glass which I did not accept. Finally they brought the right glass. Second, my 16 oz, bone in strip steak was not good. It had some grill marks but was basically gray. I was expecting -- because I had it on other ships' steak houses -- a well-seasoned steak with that charred, crusty exterior bursting with flavor. Not so. My DW's sea bass was floating in a liquid that seemed to be a mix of chicken broth and butter. She did not like it. To me, if you are going to advertise an "exceptional dinning experience" make it exceptional. (Though the appetizers were very good -- including my soup.)

But, our table mates went one night and said their meal was terrific.

Conclusion. I do recommend this cruise. Be prepared for a lot of sea time and pricey excursions. Expect mostly good -- not great -- food with a few hiccups. Go with the flow and you'll have a wonderful time.

CT Mak

I am new to Princess (though have cruised extensively) and will be taking my first Princess cruise 8/30 from SFO to Alaska. 2 formal nights. For men: would a blue blazer, gray slacks, and a tie be appropriate or do I need to bring a dark suit?

Thanks.

CTMak

Hi Snowracer.

It works just like any other casino with some exceptions. You could always use cash (chips). You could use your S&S card in the slots as well. In the past if you wanted to get cash using your S&S card they charged you a fee -- similar to what an ATM charges (otherwise you would simply go to the casino for your cash needs and bypass the $3 fee ATMs.) Heard some stuff recently that they may have changed this but I'm not sure.

Also, they will hold blackjack and slot tournaments. These you do have to sign up for -- as I remember it's $20 per entry. Depending on the length of the cruise they may have more than one. Check your capers and the casino area for the dates and times.

What is different than other casinos is that drinks at the table are NOT free.

But in every casino remember: the house ALWAYS has the advantage. Too bad.

And Good Luck!!!

CT Mak