Considering a cruise aboard the Pacific Princess

[Fuzzyape]

So DW and I got our 2018-2019 Cruise atlas. We were looking through it and became interested in the Dec 2018 Caribbean itinerary aboard the Pacific Princess. This ship would be the smallest we've ever sailed. We've done Panama, but wonder what to expect from an even smaller ship. I know we'll have a fantastic time if we decide to sail, but wondering if there is anyone out there that can give us some idea of any major differences this small of a ship will bring.

 

I did a search but didn't find much concerning the differences (if I missed it just post a link).

 

I have always found Cruise Critic so helpful, and suggest all the people I meet join if they are taking a cruise or look through the site, if they are thinking about it.

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

[southpawsdakota]

We were on the Pacific Princess for her last cruise in Alaska a few years ago and absolutely loved her. We have booked a Transatlantic for Dec. 2018 but might check out the cruise you mentioned.

[KruzeKrazy!]

There have been lots of CC discussions about larger versus R-class ships. We've sailed Caribbean Princess as our largest, Pacific Princess as our smallest, and several 2,000+ pax sizes in between.

 

If you're used to large ships at first the R-class will feel small but once you've been on her for a day or so you'll start to appreciate her comfortable size. Think country club versus mega resort. Plus he often stops at ports the large shios can't, whether she docka or tenders it's easy on/easy off, and never any long lines for anything

 

You'll get to know staff and other pax better and sooner. To some that may be good - to others not. It really depends on how social you are/want to be.

 

And while we were in an Owners Suite on the PP the Mini-Suites are in great locations and a bit larger than on other ships.

 

So unless you fear change or the more intimate cruise experience I'd suggest trying it so you'll know rather than forever wonder. Plus the PP was recently renovated so should be in extra good shape.

[paul929207]

We love the R Class ships. The Ocean was our favorite.

 

The PP will have fewer choices than the big ships. There will be no Anytime Dining. The shows are in a nice lounge, but not with the seating of the Pacific Theater.

[JF - retired RRT]

DO IT!!

We spent 34 days on the Pacific (B2B Panama). I keep looking for an itinerary that will fit, so we can go again. Absolutely fantastic experience.

One small note of warning: even though you'll be in the Caribbean, bring a jacket or sweater. It is COLD in the ship, more so than on the larger ships. When we went to watch shows or movies in the Cabaret Lounge we wore our sweatshirts. My sweatshirt is extra heavy with a hood (hood UP), gloves ON, blanket from cabin steward wrapped around my legs. I'd walk in with all my stuff ready for Winter and fellow passengers said, "How smart! Why didn't I think of that". DH just needed a sweatshirt, he's a walking/talking heater.;p

[Centsless_Cruiser]

If you have some time read Pescado Amarillo's Blog at

http://pescadoamarillo.blogspot.com/

She and her husband have spent extensive time on the Pacific Princess and her blog will probably answer a lot of questions.

 

Good luck

[Thrak]

Would love to sail on PA (Pacific Princess). I think a Panama Canal transit would be my ideal introduction to the smaller ship experience. Long enough to get a good feel but short enough to not be excessive as an introduction.

 

I have read numerous glowing reviews of this ship and the experience of sailing on her but don't think I've ever seen a bad review. I'm sure the smaller ship experience isn't for everybody but I would love to give it a try.

[leaneff]

We sailed on the Pacific Princess this May to Panama Canal. She is our new favorite ship, you get to know so many passengers and the staff and crew are the happiest I have ever dealt with. She is a gem!

[west coast cruiser]

Sailed on her a few years and loved it. I really like the smaller ships. We got to know so many people.

[muggo11]

We took her for our first Transatlantic. We had an aft balcony. It was wonderful

It is like being in a doll-house ship if you have only ever sailed the big ones. Everyone was very friendly. Lots of world cruisers in board who welcomed those of us on single segments. My travel journal reports we loved the food, the activities, the ports and the weather. Go for it. (Cant wait to get our cruise atlas!)

 

 

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[cdngrl]

first, a disclaimer: i don't like the big ships.

 

i wasn't sure how i'd feel about a small ship but it was great! everything is close. you are not walking miles to your cabin. the cabins are a tad larger than the other ships. i've had oceanviews each time i sailed on her and the cabin has a loveseat or oversized chair. there's the regular tiny bathroom with an even smaller shower--more of a rectangular shape. there are lots of built in cabinets for storage. the closet has doors. which make it hard to pack/ unpack from the bed as you have to get past the open door to get down the (short) hall to the bed.

 

you get to know the crew and other passengers pretty well. i think people are nicer on the small ship because you can't be anonymous-- you know you are going to see these people again.

 

i found the cabaret lounge a bit chilly but only until its full. i see the person who posted that is from warm and sunny california. :) or perhaps the ac was working overtime on their cruise.

 

there is no international cafe or alfredo's but the buffet is really good with lots of choices. there is still a grille out on the pool deck. there is no muts.

 

there is no atrium as we've come to know them. there is a reception area.

 

there is the biggest, nicest library on any ship with comfy furniture and lots of books.

 

there is a great walking track.

 

that's all i can think of off the top of my head. i am looking for my next cruise and i look at her first. for me she has a more personal touch like i imagine old-style cruising to be like.

[caribill]

On the Pacific Princess:

 

o Elevators seem to work faster than on other Princess ships

o You can go from the front of the ship to the rear in just a couple of minutes

o Casino is significantly smaller than on other Princess ships

o Purser's Desk is unmanned overnight (but you can call if you need assistance)

o Only one of the specialty restaurants (Sabatini's and Sterling Steakhouse) is open each evening

o Still has the ice cream hour in the buffet in the afternoon

o No true Sanctuary, but a special area outside the spa at Sanctuary pricing

o Princess dancers double as cruise staff members for games, trivia, etc.

o Same person is Future Cruise Consultant and Captain's Circle representative

o Has only one laundromat for passengers

o Has less concurrent activities than other Princess ships

o Showroom is not tiered as on other Princess ships

o Production shows have less singers and dancers as the same shows on other Princess ships

o Most oceanview and regular balcony cabins have a couch (I do not know about inside cabins)

[easyboy]

We sailed on the Pacific Princess before on a Med cruise. There were limited venues being a small ship. But dining was more convenient with less crowds.

[flamomo]

To me the Pacific is such a wonderfully different cruising experience, for many of the reasons already posted, that I chose to do a TA on her for my 77th birthday last December. I had cruised on her a few years ago in the Med, and several years before that I had cruised on her sister the Tahitan Princess (no longer in the fleet), and loved both of them.

 

I'm going to be on the lovely Pacific Princess again later this month, for 23 delightful days, and I can't wait.

[JF - retired RRT]

I found the cabaret lounge a bit chilly but only until its full. i see the person who posted that is from warm and sunny california. :) or perhaps the ac was working overtime on their cruise.

Pescado Amarillo spent 2 winter seasons on the Pacific (Europe & Tahiti) and she's the reason I brought the sweatshirts. She talked about how cold the ship was. Apparently, the A/C works overtime all the time.:D

[JF - retired RRT]

Most oceanview and regular balcony cabins have a couch (I do not know about inside cabins)

Insides have a nice chair.

We had 3 different cabins on our B2B; inside, OV and aft balcony (long story). The OV didn't have a couch(?), it had a the chair, too.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We learned that there was really no rhyme nor reason as to whether we had a chair or a loveseat in our cabins. Especially last winter, we changed cabins quite a bit and never knew for certain what to expect. If a cabin is connecting to another, there is definitely a chair. But other than that, we had a loveseat in an inside cabin and chairs in ocean view cabins.

 

As others have reported, the Pacific Princess is a wonderful ship and will spoil you for life, providing you are looking for more of a connection to the sea than being constantly entertained within the ship, not that there isn't a lot of entertainment to choose from, too. Just not as much as on the larger ships. But the very best part for us was the complete lack of lines anywhere. We'd arrive in the Cabaret Lounge two minutes before a show started and slide into seats.

 

We did three seasons in the ship but I posted more about it and my impressions the first year. This would be a good place to start in my blog to get the most information.

 

http://pescadoamarillo.blogspot.com/2014/10/day-2-papeete-tahiti.html

[Fuzzyape]

Thanks so much for all the great info! Will continue to monitor. It's looking more and more like we'll be booking this cruise (we also like the idea of cruising over Christmas and New Years as we've never done that either). I'll make sure DW has some warm clothes for the ship (I'll bring a couple but I'm often labelled a furnace as well).

 

I also want to thank those who mentioned all the benefits and warnings about transitioning from big ships to the smaller ones. Even the time we went through the canal, it was still lots of passengers. I will admit these posts have got me excited. Will have to book soon, I think, then will come the long wait (yep will join the roll call).

 

Again thanks to all of you for your insights, will check out the blog also! One of the many reasons I love Cruise Critic!

[BigGuy25]

We've sailed the Princess R-class ships both from French Polynesia to Hawaii and also in the Mediterranean! We loved both experiences. I doesn't talk long to get used to the smaller ship. everything onboard is "sized" right for the number of passengers. It doesn't seem as small as it is ... until you're in port docked next to a larger ship!!

[PescadoAmarillo]

It's looking more and more like we'll be booking this cruise (we also like the idea of cruising over Christmas and New Years as we've never done that either). I'll make sure DW has some warm clothes for the ship (I'll bring a couple but I'm often labelled a furnace as well).

We've spent several Christmases on Princess ships, but the two when we were on the Pacific Princess were our favorites. Here is a link to the first post on my blog for that same Christmas cruise last year.

 

http://pescadoamarillo.blogspot.com/2016/12/cruise-6-caribbean-connoisseur.html

 

 

Enjoy! I'm a bit envious, actually. And I thought that the warmer the outside air, the colder the inside of the Pacific Princess felt.

[piper28]

Don't do it. You might find you like it, and that can be expensive, since the cruises on PP tend to cost more :).

 

(FWIW, I'm booked on that Dec 2018 Caribbean trip myself. Did one of them on the Ocean a few years ago, and I do feel it's a great itinerary for the Christmas break. Doesn't fit my wife's schedule all that often unfortunately, otherwise we'd probably do it more often.)

[cflutist]

29 cruises and the 4 on the Pacific, Tahitian, and Ocean Princess were our favorite. We don't need to be constantly entertained and we enjoy the intimacy of the smaller ships. Their cabins are also larger than comparable cabins on the larger ships.

[GweninTX]

We were on her for 36 glorious days this summer. Prepare for the best cruise experience ever!! We had a huge inside cabin with a sofa! You get to know everyone on the ship. Food was excellent! You do feel more movement if the sea is rough. She is our favorite ship of all!

 

PS-the ship is small enough, I used our midship cabin bathroom instead of public bathrooms! I needed the steps to offset all the good food. We were on her after her dry dock and she got a lot of new furnishings. The new "Princess bed" is heaven to sleep [emoji42] in. Almost all new carpeting. New outside deck chairs and seating too. I could go on and on.

 

 

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Edited September 4, 2017 by GweninTX

[Fuzzyape]

Thanks for the blog link, I'll be checking that out. You folks have done such a great job, we'll be checking out the sale after labor day. I believe we'll be booking soon. We did notice it was a bit more expensive, but that's what experiences are all about :)

[cruisequeen4ever]

I love the big Princess ships so wasn't overly excited when we booked the Pacific for our 2016 Christmas cruise. Embarkation day and the subsequent 2 seasick days were culture shock as this ship felt positively mini to me, BUT then I adjusted and had a fabulous cruise. We ate on the aft deck every day with glorious views and enjoyed countless Scrabble marathons. We currently have your same cruise booked. It's all about the itinerary, and that itinerary is tops. I still highly prefer the big ships, but I can also appreciate the small ship atmosphere.

 

 

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