Royal Princess will be the smallest ship we've taken

[alldayrayswife]

I really like the big ship feeling, am I going to like the small ship experience as well? We are also crossing the equator on the Royal midway between Hawaii and Tahiti, any thoughts? We have cruised with Princess 6 times.

[Pam in CA]

Everyone is different and some like it, some don't. I'd equate it to the difference between a large hotel and a country inn. It has all the same amenities, but not as much. There's a more personal and intimate atmosphere because you see the same people every day and the same service people, whether it's bar or dining waitstaff. I think service is much better because they are the same people all the time and they get to know you. You also get to know your fellow passengers more, and better, than you do on a large ship. People seem to smile more, and acknowledge each other. It's less impersonal. Hard to describe.

 

It's hard to tell in advance whether someone will like small ship cruising. Try it. You may very well like it.

[BridgeMates]

Everyone is different and some like it, some don't. I'd equate it to the difference between a large hotel and a country inn. It has all the same amenities, but not as much. There's a more personal and intimate atmosphere because you see the same people every day and the same service people, whether it's bar or dining waitstaff. I think service is much better because they are the same people all the time and they get to know you. You also get to know your fellow passengers more, and better, than you do on a large ship. People seem to smile more, and acknowledge each other. It's less impersonal. Hard to describe.

 

It's hard to tell in advance whether someone will like small ship cruising. Try it. You may very well like it.

 

Good description Pam. Our first cruise on a small ship was the Royal in December. I had reservations. The first day, I thought I'm not gonna like this. Smaller corridors, only two elevators - one forward, one aft, no theater, and only traditional dining. By the second day, I was loving it. So easy to get around, always a seat in the lounge for the show, and great tablemates. Actually the best thing was we'd run into the same people again and again and we all felt like old friends by the end. On the larger ships, you sometimes meet nice people but never see them again. We'll have no qualms booking one of these small ships again.

[caneable]

We did two cruises with Princess last year, one on the Grand (large) and one on a small (Royal). I have posted reviews of each one. We certainly found out that on both of them we kept running into people we had met earlier in the cruise both on and off the ship, but of the two I would go for the Grand every time. I found the smaller Royal almost claustrophobic. It was dull and repetitive in food and entertainment, except for the Polynesian Dance Shows performed by islanders. Even the cabin seemed smaller. Above all, 4 of our 6 table companions were downright boring and overbearing. Unfortunately we hadn't the gumption to ask for a table transfer. In fairness, we didn't know that such things were possible. As Pam observes, everyone is different, and it hasn't dissuaded us from cruising again. We're off to the Panama Canal with Princess later this year!

Happy cruising!

[paul929207]

We sailed from Papette to Honolulu on the then Tahitian Princess (now Ocean Princess) which is a sister of the Royal Princess. We had a wonderful time and have cruised all three of the Little Girls. However, as Pam and others said, nothing is right for everyone and this applies to the small ships.

[CTGirl]

I think I did the same itinerary as you in November. We went from Honolulu to Tahiti. It was our first time on a small ship and I was very concerned that I would not like it. It turned out that I absolutely loved it. We had wonderful tablemates and met many other great people. It was a far more intimate atmosphere. I would do it again.

[Talisker92]

It is amazing how perspectives change-The smallest cruise ship I have been on held 48 passengers. Now, when someone goes on a "small ship" it holds 600 passengers.

[caneable]

Yes and I bet that's a totally different experience altogether.

[Pam in CA]

Yes and I bet that's a totally different experience altogether.

I've been on several river boat cruises with 125-150 people, and loved every minute of it. You find that on smaller ships, the people who cruise on them tend to be more laid back, seasoned travelers who aren't looking for someone to entertain them 24/7. My BIL disliked the small ships because there were fewer people playing bridge, so everyone's preferences and expectations are different.

 

Here are a couple of links to good articles or photos of the "small" Princess ships:

 

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/06/25/pacific-princessa-day-onboard-a-5-star-country-inn/

 

http://beyondships.com/Princess-RP-Tour-1.html

[hubofhockey]

Isn't this the ship that Princess is selling off this year?

[Pam in CA]

Isn't this the ship that Princess is selling off this year?

Not sure if the Royal is being sold or transferred, but she's leaving the Princess fleet. :(

[RickEk]

Not sure if the Royal is being sold or transferred, but she's leaving the Princess fleet. :(

 

Since the Royal Princess is going to P&O (where she will become the Adonia), I'd say that it was a transfer.

[donna5]

Not sure if the Royal is being sold or transferred, but she's leaving the Princess fleet. :(

 

Transferred isn't she to P&O and renamed the Adonia,

[Aussie Gal]

We too will be on the Royal on her last voyage when we board her in Papeete after her cruise down from Honolulu.

 

We love the smaller ships and have cruised on quite a few of them including the Ocean, Pacific, Azamara's Quest and Oceania's Nautica.

 

We are going to try a larger ship next year when we do a Canadian/New England cruise probably on the Crown. I think we will get a huge shock as we haven't even been on a medium size ship of 1200 (HAL's Veendam) since 2006 and that was the largest ship we have been on.

 

We have cruised on the little ones 10 times since 2004 so we must really love them.

 

Jennie

[alldayrayswife]

How do you find out if any of the Cruise Critic family will be aboard this cruise? Would love to connect, sounds like my Christmas card list is going to grow after this cruise, I tend to talk to everyone!!!!!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Go to the Roll Call Section for your cruise line and then your cruise ship. Look through the dates. If no one has started one, start one yourself. ;)

 

I didn't think we would like the small ship experience, but we loved it. Wouldn't hesitate to book a small ship again, particularly if it was a port-intensive itinerary. I think for lots of sea days, the larger ships are better. JMHO.

[Aussie Gal]

I am not sure which cruise you are on as there are a couple. In fact the one that leaves Honolulu on the 25th March has quite a few of our Roll Call group on it as they are doing a B2B. Here is the link to the Royal Princess Roll Calls.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=378

 

Jennie

[JanetAlice]

I took several cruises on the larger Princess ships (Diamond, Emerald) before sailing on the Royal to Alaska last year. I loved both but for different reasons. There was more to do on the larger ships but I think the smaller ship was friendlier precisely because there wasn't as much to do, especially in the evening. You also had more of an opportunty to interact with the CD, Matre D' etc and they were delightful. I see the glass as half full and enjoy the best aspects of each cruise experience. You'll have a great time.