Has anybody been on the Pacific or Ocean Princess ships

[wishIwascruising]

We have not sailed on one of the smaller ships but wanted to try it this summer for our family reunion cruise to Alaska. We will be joined by 8 grandchildren ages 3-16. We were told (by Princess) that the Kids Club is really small and they don't have the programs & activities that larger ships do. For that reason alone we opted for the Golden instead. Maybe someday when it's just for the grownups.

[paul929207]

With fewer passengers, there will be fewer kids. Normally, there is no kids program on the small ship unless there are at least 15 kids. We rarely have seen that many on the little girls. Often there are only 3 or 4 kids. At least one time there was one child - the 2 year old son of the Captain

[petlady7]

Thank you everybody for your input , I have already booked Hawaii on the Star leaving SF for next Feb but noticed then the Hawaii to Tahiti itinerary which makes sense for us coming from Europe , it will now depend on the prices of the flights and the cruise we want is not available yet so need to check the Princess website daily not to miss out as the ship is so small I suspect it will get booked up quickly , I will take my bands and sea sickness remedies along just in case !

[islandatsea]

Assumption correct about two shows only.

 

Dancing: most times prior to show in Cabaret Lounge and also up on deck 10 in the Pacific Lounge (Pacific) or the Tahitian Lounge (Ocean).

 

How late does the Tahitian Lounge have dancing going on usually? We understand that it is subject to change.

Edited July 10, 2014 by islandatsea

[Aussie Gal]

Love both the Ocean and Pacific Princesses. Also enjoyed the Royal before it went to P&O UK and have spent many days on Oceania's Nautica and Azamara's Quest. They all sister ships so they are all very similar.

 

We love the itineraries first of all as they do go to some very unusual ports that the bigger ships cannot visit. We also love the size as only having 600 odd passengers makes a huge difference and you do get to know people so much easier and quicker.

 

As has been pointed out there is only Anytime Dining or the Buffet plus one alternative restaurant each night. We are quite happy with Anytime as our experiences on both Princess and HAL with Anytime hasn't been pleasant. Oceania does it well as they open every restaurant up for each night at no extra charge.

 

The lounges around the ship are smaller and not as many but the library is fantastic with many books and a lovely ambience.

 

We have never felt that the ships move more in rough water than the larger ones and we have experienced some rough weather particularly around the Cape of Good Hope and on the edge of a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean.

 

The mini suites and suites on board are fantastic. The normal cabins are also lovely though the bathrooms are very small.

 

We have found the staff on these little ships to be exceptional and we would always choose one of these smaller ships to a larger one if there were two nearly identical itineraries.

 

Jennie

Edited July 10, 2014 by Aussie Gal

[caribill]

As has been pointed out there is only Anytime Dining or the Buffet plus one alternative restaurant each night. We are quite happy with Anytime....

 

They only have traditional. No anytime.

[Crystabel]

They only have traditional. No anytime.

 

Quite true. We're due to board the Ocean Princess in ten days and were only offered traditional dining.

[Aussie Gal]

They only have traditional. No anytime.

 

Sorry I meant to write Traditional but somehow my senior's mind wrote Anytime instead!! After being on the Ocean Princess 6 times and the Pacific and Royal once I should know by now that we had Traditional and not Anytime!

 

Jennie

Edited July 11, 2014 by Aussie Gal

[Wehwalt]

I am on the ocean princess now. Although there is a DJ in the Tahitian lounge at 11 PM in practice it is very badly attended by the passengers almost all of whom are either asleep or have retreated to their cabins not necessarily both.

 

There is some movement especially at the front of the ship but it has been a very smooth ride in the last 35 days I have been on her in the north Atlantic and in the Baltic. I had a fairly bad ride on the Pacific Princess about two years ago but that was in November in the Mediterranean so what do you expect.

 

There are very few kids on the present about a half-dozen mainly I suspect because there are no facilities for them. I understand that if there are minimum number booked this generally happens on Christmas cruises they will set-aside a room for them but I don't know how attractive that is. This was what I was told on the December 2012 transatlantic on the Pacific Princess also that they would bring aboard a crew member who deals with children

Edited July 11, 2014 by Wehwalt

[islandatsea]

I am on the ocean princess now. Although there is a DJ in the Tahitian lounge at 11 PM in practice it is very badly attended by the passengers almost all of whom are either asleep or have retreated to their cabins not necessarily both.

 

There is some movement especially at the front of the ship but it has been a very smooth ride in the last 35 days I have been on her in the north Atlantic and in the Baltic. I had a fairly bad ride on the Pacific Princess about two years ago but that was in November in the Mediterranean so what do you expect.

 

There are very few kids on the present about a half-dozen mainly I suspect because there are no facilities for them. I understand that if there are minimum number booked this generally happens on Christmas cruises they will set-aside a room for them but I don't know how attractive that is. This was what I was told on the December 2012 transatlantic on the Pacific Princess also that they would bring aboard a crew member who deals with children

 

Thank you for the info on the DJ in the lounge & ship movement.