Pacific Princess Question - Size

I'm looking at a cruise with Princess to Ireland/Scotland/England. This is a completely new to me. Question, not sure if anyone could help. My question is about the water out that way. The boat that I'm looking at is very small compared to what my family is use to. It's the Pacific Princess. It's only 30,000 some tons, almost 600 feet. I've never been sea sick on a cruise ship before, but was totally sick on a gambling cruise that was not very far off the shore. I think it was 200 and some feet. Wondering if I could get some feed back from anyone that can compare 100,000 to 30,000 tons out in waters in the United Kingdom in the month of August. I know this sounds crazy, and everyone feels differently on ships but I really don't want to waste the money if I want be able to enjoy the cruise. ;) Thanks in advance for any help!

We definitely liked sailing on the Pacific Princess but you can feel the difference in the movement on a large vs smaller ship like the Pacific. Even when the sea conditions looked some what calm there was a vibration on the ship at times. The R class ships have had a reputation of a rougher ride. We would sail her again but would be picky about the locations.

We've had 2 different scenarios on this size of ship, one with very minimal movement (British Isles) to a lot of movement (Mediterranean). Bottom line is you'll feel movement more on the Pacific Princess. Is that enough to make you sick? That depends on you.

Just get a cabin that is low and slightly aft of midship. Take Bonine a few hours before you leave the port on the first day. The roughest waves/wind will probably be around the top of Scotland before reaching Rosyth.

We were on the sister ship (since sold), the Ocean Princess, on an August British Isles cruise. And it was right after the remnants of a hurricane (the day before when we were in London. I do not remember any vibrations on the ship.

Edited January 18, 2018 by ontheweb
punctuatuion

We were on the Pacific Princess for 38 Days in the Iceland & Norway - Arctic circle. This ship is very small and has no sidethrusters, so it can get bumpy. We were not bothered, but others were. It is our very favorite ship in the fleet and would love to sail her again. We have been seasick on small fishing boats, but never on a cruise ship. I wish I could tell you how you are going to feel, but no one can. Weather varies from year to year too.

 

 

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Much depends on the ship's draft and stabilizers. The large ships do not draw all that much more water than many of the smaller ones. In essence, they are like clorox bottles on the water. I have cruised on vessels ranging from 11,000-150,000 tons in all kinds of sea conditions. Stability has much more to do with design than size.

Much depends on the ship's draft and stabilizers. The large ships do not draw all that much more water than many of the smaller ones. In essence, they are like clorox bottles on the water. I have cruised on vessels ranging from 11,000-150,000 tons in all kinds of sea conditions. Stability has much more to do with design than size.

I agree. Everything depends on the weather and design of the ship. The large ships are more affected by wind gusts because the upper decks catch the wind. The smaller ships do better in windy conditions than the large ships. The large ships do better in heavy seas.

 

I’ve sailed on the Royal as well as the Pacific Princess and Royal Princess I and II in the Caribbean, South America, trans-Atlantic, Mediterranean, Mexico, Central America. etc. Royal Princess II was a sister ship to the Pacific Princess. Never felt that the smaller ship was more unstable or had more movement than the large ships. Never noticed.

I want to thank everyone for their replies, this definitely helps in making some decisions.

I’m on the Pacific Princess right now. We left Port Everglades on January 5th at the tail end of that Bomb Cyclone going up the east coast. It was very rough sea until we went around Cuba. I don’t think it was any bumpier on the Pacific Princess than on the Emerald Princess crossing the Tasman Sea last February. I love this small ship, but I’m also comfortable with motion and actually sleep better if it’s rocking a bit. Our cabin (8064) is on the stern and sees more movement than cabins that are more centrally located.

 

 

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Wonder if you are looking at the Aug 2 sailing? That is the one we are booked on. We have been on the Pacific once before and loved it.

I do get seasick but will be taking my meclizine for sure. I hope that it won't be too rough, but can't do anything about it. We really want to do this itinerary with our son who will be on leave from the USCGA.

This ship is very small and has no sidethrusters, so it can get bumpy.

Wrong, it has two bow thrusters. It also has Becker Rudders. It also has stabilizers, that work. In addition it has a deep draft relative to todays gigantics that are relatively flat bottom with their high slap sides, wind catching sail areas. Six TAs for us, once on the Pacific Princess two others on ships the same size. Roughest was on the Pacific Princess, handled the seas better than the three trips on 144,000 plus gross toners we did. Edited January 19, 2018 by kennicott

I have done a lot of cruises with Princess, and have been on most of the ships in the fleet. During my 3 cruises on the Pacific Princess, I have not experienced a large amount of motion, though I am very aware that it could happen. I've been on an Atlantic crossing to FLL, and 1 cruise in the Med, and one from Dover to Venice on her. I also cruised on the Ocean Princess (her sister ship) in the Pacific Ocean before she was sold.

IMO, she's the most enjoyable ship in the Princess fleet.

The 8 "R"-class ships, so called because they were commissioned by Renaissance Cruises, are fabulous ships. Sailed once on Pacific Princess (Amazon/Manaus to FLL) and a dozen times on Azamara's ships. They are sturdy ships, passenger friendly, and have bow trusters and stabilizers. Longest cruise was Mumbai to Piraeus. Never a problem with motion. On the other hand, we sailed Emerald across the Pond and that ship vibrated and and rattled whenever the seas dusted upon a bit.

Have never been bothered by motion on any cruise ship but felt a great deal of motion on the Tahitian Princess (former Renaissance Cruises R-four, Tahitian Princess, Ocean Princess and now MS Sirena for Oceana Cruise line) especially in the dining room which was in the aft.

Many people love this class ship but for us the itinerary would have to be very special to sail on her sister the Pacific Princess. Ship is much too small for our liking and lacking many of the things we like about Princess.

Wonder if you are looking at the Aug 2 sailing? That is the one we are booked on. We have been on the Pacific once before and loved it.

I do get seasick but will be taking my meclizine for sure. I hope that it won't be too rough, but can't do anything about it. We really want to do this itinerary with our son who will be on leave from the USCGA.

 

I am on this August 2nd sailing too, cheeseclan. The itinerary is really going about the British Isles but cutting through The Irish Sea instead of going out to the Atlantic so should be more sheltered there. The more unusual ports of call are Jersey, the main Channel Island which is much closer to France, it's not suitable for large cruise ships. Also calling at Wales as a tender port again a rare place for cruise lines to visit. If it does get rough, my money is on the North Sea towards the end of the cruise. Most cruises round trip start at Southampton but this one starts at Dover which needs factoring in with your embarkation/disembarkation travel plans.

 

Regards John

Wonder if you are looking at the Aug 2 sailing? That is the one we are booked on. We have been on the Pacific once before and loved it.

I do get seasick but will be taking my meclizine for sure. I hope that it won't be too rough, but can't do anything about it. We really want to do this itinerary with our son who will be on leave from the USCGA.

 

That is the itinerary that we are looking at but, with the cost and I want a balcony this will be a 2020 cruise. Hope you have a wonderful time! Would love to see a review.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer questions. It's good to hear that they have stabilizers, and that the seas may be some what calmer for this smaller ship since it won't be traveling through the Atlantic.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer questions. It's good to hear that they have stabilizers, and that the seas may be some what calmer for this smaller ship since it won't be traveling through the Atlantic.

 

During a good conversation with a cruise ship captain/master several years ago he stated that the worst seas he had ever sailed were in the Bay of Biscay. Not in the Atlantic or Pacific or Drake Passage. Just west of France.

Ilovcruisin,

 

Yes this is not a cheap cruise but when we booked in December it was the 3 for free and got what we thought was a good deal. It is now almost $2000 more for the same cabin.

Keep checking the fares and see if they go back down.

 

cheeseclan

We sailed on the Pacific to the Caribbean where we had rough seas for 2 days. Many were seasick, including me, and I don’t get seasick on the big ships. After those 2 days, I got my sea legs and didn’t feel as sick when we hit rough seas again later in the cruise.

 

 

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During a good conversation with a cruise ship captain/master several years ago he stated that the worst seas he had ever sailed were in the Bay of Biscay. Not in the Atlantic or Pacific or Drake Passage. Just west of France.

 

I was on a Britain to Venice 23 night cruise on the Pacific. The only time I really felt any motion was during this same stretch. I didn't get sick, but many people did. The captain ended up slowing down our pace and we arrived into our next port in NW Spain several hours late. The rest of the cruise seemed very smooth.

Another important point is the ship does not enter The Bay of Biscay or sail across its "Mouth" so as to speak. These are notorious rough sea areas for Mediterranean and Canary Isles cruises out of Southampton. So we are not going to get the BOB effect.

 

Regards John