To anyone who has been on Pacific Princess

[anteaters]

Hi! We have never been on a small cruise ship before and have been on both of Princess's giants (Regal and Royal) and have loved them. We will be on Pacific Princess in November and have already discovered that because of smallness, there is not even the anytime dining option. Can you tell me what other "usual" things will be missing from this cruise that are found on all the other Princess ships AND also hopefully things to which we can really look forward to enjoying instead? We love the evening entertainment (Princess singers and dancers plus the guest performers) and I'm curious what they'll be like without the Princess theatre and whether the lounge has room for everyone. I'm also wondering about daytime activities since the pool won't be an option in November around Italy, Greece, and Croatia (I don't think.) I love anticipating cruises and would appreciate any of your information and thoughts. Thanks!

[san diego sue]

Still Princess singers and Dancers performing but a smaller amount of

them because the stage is much smaller.

Fixed dining is really nice in their pretty dining room.

You can always eat in the buffet as well.

Smaller ship with less passengers make it very easy to disembark in ports.

Have done the small ships a few times. You really get to know your fellow passengers. We felt that people seem more friendly.

Very relaxing atmosphere. And not to be forgotten, the fabulous Library on board.

[paul929207]

We have about 300 nights on the small ships and loved every one. I agree with everything SD said.

 

I would add that the smaller ships can go places the big ones can't/don't. Do you go to Venice? The Pacific will dock in town, so you can walk off the ship and go. The large ships require a shuttle to get you to town.

[anteaters]

We have about 300 nights on the small ships and loved every one. I agree with everything SD said.

 

I would add that the smaller ships can go places the big ones can't/don't. Do you go to Venice? The Pacific will dock in town, so you can walk off the ship and go. The large ships require a shuttle to get you to town.

 

It's funny. We begin and end in Venice but basically would have no time there except we are doing two overnights pre-cruise which will give us a half day on arrival, a full day, and a little time before embarking on the cruise day.

[PescadoAmarillo]

There is no International Cafe and so there is no food available after the Panorama Buffet closes except for room service.

 

The Cabaret Lounge is small and the sight lines aren't as good as on the larger ships but you can arrive 5 minutes before a show and find two seats.

 

The Promenade Deck seating is comfortable and plentiful.

 

The dancers are the cruise staff and that really adds to the comraderie on the ship.

 

The ship lacks the tension the larger ships have due to scarcity of resources (deck chairs and theater seating especially). It's like a large yacht.

 

We weren't sure we'd like it either, but after almost 150 days on, it is our favorite ship. I only wish we'd discovered it sooner.

[DougH]

No lines.....for anything. Gorgeous Pacific Lounge with forward views a great spot to read and watch the world go by. Wide promenade deck with loungers :) Covered outside seating area behind the buffet. If you need to go to your cabin its tops 5 minutes away from anywhere on the ship.

[AJs Grandpa]

Agree with everything above. We have been on both the Pacific and her sister ship the Ocean. (Alas, the latter is no longer in the Princess fleet :( ) We prefer them to the other ships and dread the day the Pacific might be sent away.

 

As much as we love the ship, there are a couple of potential negatives that might apply to you.

 

First, if you are prone to sea sickness, you may find the ride a little rougher than on the large ships. I fall into that category and have experienced some queasiness on both of our voyages. Neither episode lasted more than a few hours. I simply stayed in bed in our mid-ship cabin and rode it out. The key is to stay away from the front of the ship--that means you may have to miss a show. Be sure to book a mid-ship cabin if this could be an issue for you.

 

The other potential issue applies to those who must stay busy every minute of the day. You won't find the quantity and variety of activities available on the large ships. On the other hand, you'll be fine if you are content to read, watch a movie or lounge on sea days. I'm not saying there are no activities--just fewer.

[anteaters]

Thanks! Everyone's comments so far are so interesting. The cruise staff are also the dancers....hmmm....I might miss the International Café but maybe I won't gain any weight... I can't wait to see the library because usually no one mentions the library in a positive way....So I'm seeing positives and negatives...sounds exciting! Oh, and we're a guarantee balcony so I have no idea what we'll receive but I'll have seasick pills with me.

[AJs Grandpa]

I can't wait to see the library because usually no one mentions the library in a positive way.

 

The library is the biggest and most beautiful of any Princess ship I have seen. I can't say anything about the quality of the book selection, but there was quantity evident. The ambience is great. Furnished with comfortable stuffed chairs, etc. A definite plus if libraries are important to you.

[JimmyVWine]

Another difference, (which really shines the light on how a cruise on Pacific Princess is unlike any other), is that the ship has no Sanctuary. It doesn't need one. There isn't any commotion from which one feels the need to escape. For the most part, the people who book cruises on Pacific Princess are not the people who need to have the latest, shiniest, newest, boldest features. If you stop to think about which you would enjoy more--two weeks surrounded by people who have to have the latest and greatest, or two weeks surrounded by people who could care less about the latest and greatest--that will go a long way towards telling you if you would like to cruise on Pacific.

Edited September 12, 2016 by JimmyVWine

[cruisenfreak]

Some of our favorite ships are those from the old Renaissance Line and this will be our third transoceanic on the PP (one Pacific and 2 Atlantic).

 

Getting off the ship in ports takes very little time. On ship tours you will probably be with people you have met or at least seen before.

 

There will probably be lectures.

 

Are you staying on board for the transatlantic? If so and if you knit, crochet, crossstitch or the like, there will be get togethers where you will really get to know fellow cruisers - our group decided to meet every day in an area near the front desk.

 

As said above the entertainers lead these groups as well as dance classes, exercise, yoga, games, bingo, trivia, etc. You do get to know them - what fun to watch someone you know perform at night!

 

We often saw - and sometimes joined - groups of newly met friends who were just visiting with each other. A travel companion laughs and says one morning at sea she pulled on sweats, no makeup, messy hair, and ran upstairs to grab a cup of coffee. Three hours later she was still sitting at one of the big tables enjoying conversing with others she had met on the cruise.

 

There's also quiet time reading, doing puzzles, watching the water from the balcony, or sitting in a quiet spot in a public area.

 

We really prefer the small ships.

 

Mary Jane

[rockdoctor]

The Pacific Princess is one of the last of a dying breed. Enjoy her while you can. Personally, I gave no ambition to cruise on one of the RCI mega ship. Her MDR and theaters are small enough that it feels like you are participating in something special.

[portcbob]

Hi Anteaters.

 

Bob and Christine from AUSTRALIA. Cruised on the Pacific Princess out of Sydney Harbour to the Pacific Islands a few years back and although she is quite small compared to ships nowadays she is lovely. We had the best time on her and the food and entertainment was fantastic as was the crew. You will thoroughly enjoy her.

Go with a positive attitude, and don't worry to much.

 

Regards Bob.

[towhee]

We're another couple who loves the small ships.

After about three days you know a lot of new friends and know where everything is on the ship. Tours are smaller and tend to run on time. We kept running into our table mates or other new acquaintances in port. There's plenty to do, but no crowds so you don't have to rush from venue to venue.

The crew seems to be friendlier and really want you to have a good time. After a couple of days the bar staff knew what we wanted as soon as they saw us.

[Loreni]

I agree with what has been written and can add a few comments.

 

Pluses:

 

The balconies have railing rather than Plexiglass. I think this is better because the view won't be obstructed by a film of salt.

 

All balcony cabins have a sofa.

 

Fast and easy to get on and off the ship when in port.

 

Theoretically you can reach smaller ports, but for us, this only worked one out of three times due to weather.

 

Minuses:

 

Smaller showers.

 

Hard to enjoy small promenad without smoke. To get to one side you must walk through the smokey casino. This side also is where Princess sets up the dog potty for those traveling with dogs (it was always clean). And I believe this side allows smoking. The side which does not allow passenger smoking, does allow crew smoking at the forward end...since the ship is so small the smoke wafts to the aft end.

 

Promenad not good for walking.

 

Food not as good as on larger ships. Less variety, but also execution is worse. For example, we always ask for extra green vegetables with dinner. They were a sickly shade of green and looked like they had been boiled and originally either canned or frozen. This has never happened on other ships.

 

Plus or Minus:

 

You will see the same other passengers multiple times each day.

 

This can be very nice, but is not always a plus. We joined the ship for one segment of a world cruise, towards the end. On our first day aboard quite a few asked, "Where did you get on?" These were practically the only words ever spoken to us by such passengers. Every single person who asked that question was a world cruiser who had been aboard for months. If I tried to engage them later, I received terse often one syllable answers, once followed by a turned back. Many people did not initiate or even return simple greetings in the hall or on the elevator.

 

I later shared an elevator with two women. I followed the onboard custom of not speaking upon entering, but I did nod. I was wearing a short sleeved shirt and a large Timex with huge numbers (I can read it without my glasses and so can anyone near me). The elevator also has a clearly displayed clock as anyone who had been aboard for a day would notice...many people had been aboard for months. One woman turned to the other and asked for the time. The second woman looked at her Rolex and replied. Then the first woman pulled up her sleeve and looked at her Rolex and agreed. Neither spoke to me that day, although previously one had asked, "where did you get on?"

 

I interact with people from all walks of life, from the bottom to top 1%, and have never experienced anything like this before. But after all we were "segmenters" and segmenters, on average, probably have a lower net worth than world cruisers. Segmenters are also probably paying a lower price per day. Maybe they resented this. I don't know. But instead of resenting that others have gotten a relative bargain, perhaps be grateful that you can pay full fare. Or if it was my age that offended, instead of resenting my (relative) youth, be thankful that you have had a long life (there is no guarantee that I will).

 

We would sail on this ship again. I won't let a few snobs scare me away from an itinerary I like. And most people, segmenters and world cruisers alike, were very nice. However, on a small ship, a few unpleasant people can change the atmosphere a bit.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Loreni

[paul929207]

If you join the Roll Call and sign up for some private tours, you will really get to know many of the cruise critic members on the cruise.

[anteaters]

I find all your thoughts very interesting and I'm so eager for this cruise to begin (although being in my 60's, time passes too fast so I can't wish it to pass faster ;) . Do all balconies really have a sofa? We were debating whether to try upgrading to a mini because the price dropped so much for one but it would still end up being several hundred more than we're paying for our balcony guarantee so we didn't....but one of the main things we like about a mini is having a sofa. So if our balcony comes with a sofa, that would be great! And I do love reading and libraries and will spend time there when not reading on the balcony. I hope the dancing mentioned will include line dancing because that's way up there for my favorite things to do on board besides eating food that I havedn't shoppied for and prepared and watching the ocean as I read. I am sorry that the promenade deck isn't good for walking because of smokers though because I love walking all around and feeling the differences in temperature and breeze from one side to the next but maybe we'll be lucky and have all non-smokers. I like the sound of no sanctuary being needed, although we have never booked the sanctuary, and that there is more a feeling of peaceful co-existence. I love all the details provided. Thank you so much! I can't wait to share it all with my husband when he returns from golfing.

[anteaters]

P.S. I just looked up Pacific Princess balconies because I was so excited about the possibility of a sofa after one person mentioned that but the description said that some (so not all) have a sofabed that could sleep a 3rd person....So I would guess our cabin probably won't have one. Oh, well.

[Loreni]

I find all your thoughts very interesting and I'm so eager for this cruise to begin (although being in my 60's, time passes too fast so I can't wish it to pass faster ;) . Do all balconies really have a sofa? We were debating whether to try upgrading to a mini because the price dropped so much for one but it would still end up being several hundred more than we're paying for our balcony guarantee so we didn't....but one of the main things we like about a mini is having a sofa. So if our balcony comes with a sofa, that would be great! And I do love reading and libraries and will spend time there when not reading on the balcony. I hope the dancing mentioned will include line dancing because that's way up there for my favorite things to do on board besides eating food that I havedn't shoppied for and prepared and watching the ocean as I read. I am sorry that the promenade deck isn't good for walking because of smokers though because I love walking all around and feeling the differences in temperature and breeze from one side to the next but maybe we'll be lucky and have all non-smokers. I like the sound of no sanctuary being needed, although we have never booked the sanctuary, and that there is more a feeling of peaceful co-existence. I love all the details provided. Thank you so much! I can't wait to share it all with my husband when he returns from golfing.

 

Promenad too small to walk even without smoke and was actually locked off many days due to weather. DH walked track 13 laps to a mile, I believe. Yes, I do think all balcony cabins have sofas.

[shellbeachjim]

Do all balconies really have a sofa? We were debating whether to try upgrading to a mini because the price dropped so much for one but it would still end up being several hundred more than we're paying for our balcony guarantee so we didn't....but one of the main things we like about a mini is having a sofa. So if our balcony comes with a sofa, that would be great!

*Almost* all balcony cabins have sofas. Those with adjoining doors to a connecting cabin will not - they'll have an upholstered chair instead because the sofa would block the doorway. I just realized the online deck plans now have an check-box option to find "connecting cabins". We encountered this before (not a big deal to us) with 8024.

 

There is a long time poster here who once asked if she could get the chair replaced with a sofa. The only way to do it was while the ship was in port and the sofa had to be brought in via the balcony. I doubt they'd honor a similar request now... ;)

[Murphey]

Our cabin on deck three (porthole) had a sofa!

[cactusrose]

Another difference, (which really shines the light on how a cruise on Pacific Princess is unlike any other), is that the ship has no Sanctuary. It doesn't need one. There isn't any commotion from which one feels the need to escape. For the most part, the people who book cruises on Pacific Princess are not the people who need to have the latest, shiniest, newest, boldest features. If you stop to think about which you would enjoy more--two weeks surrounded by people who have to have the latest and greatest, or two weeks surrounded by people who could care less about the latest and greatest--that will go a long way towards telling you if you would like to cruise on Pacific.

 

There is a small salt water hot tub with some lounge chairs in front of the ship that is pay for use but is no where as nice or large as the sanctuary on other ships.

[JAT0303]

Hello everyone - I've wondered about the Pacific Princess and doing a lot of planning as my husband and I are getting ready to retire next year.

 

Is there usually live music and a place to ballroom dance in the evening?

 

Thanks for any insight you can offer!

[Shoalwater]

The Pacific Princess is one of the last of a dying breed. Enjoy her while you can. Personally, I gave no ambition to cruise on one of the RCI mega ship. Her MDR and theaters are small enough that it feels like you are participating in something special.

 

We enjoy the small R class Princess ships, but I am afraid the Pacific will eventually be mustered out of the fleet like the Ocean was. However, Viking Ocean Cruises is filling the void with 6 ships, 980 passengers and we are ready to transition our cruising over there as the situation warrants.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

We were on it for 17 days in May. Far and away, the best cruise EVER. You can almost touch the entertainers when they perform. The second night, almost everyone in the MDR knew our first names. I am an entertainer in NYC. The CD allowed me to perform during the afternoon Happy Hour.