| Ocean
Princess Princess Cruises Reviewed May 2000 CruiseReports Value Index = 12.3 CruiseReports Quality Rating = 8.9 |
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| Strengths: | |
| Beautiful public areas Very nice ship with good service Great foods and meal service Superb layout Small ship feel in a large ship Excellent space ratio Friendly cruise staff, deck officers, stateroom stewards and dining room staff No lines despite full passenger load Immaculate upkeep Well organized activities Range of activities was excellent Plenty of space Shore excursions Itinerary
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| Weaknesses: | |
| Communication between shore excursion and ship personnel very poor Not enough nightly entertainment Itinerary poorly organized too many ports, too little time in port Too many charges for soft drinks, water, ice cream, etc. all should have been included Lack of music variety Calypso band too limited Charter flight arrangements Not enough drink stations on deck 14 Disembarkation information was ambiguous and inquiries were not answered
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| Other Observations: | |
| Missed ferry from St. Johns because it left early would have missed the Ocean Princess if we werent lucky enough to catch another ferry to another ship to catch Ocean Princess Entertainment was just above average not what expected for ship of this class Balconies were very small compared to Grand Princess A little too formal I prefer a little lighter atmosphere Disabled access for wheelchair bound was very good; they had clearly kept this in mind in designing the ship (this does not apply to the tours) Need more help in boutiques
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| Who Should Take This Cruise: | |
Families Seniors Individuals who like to explore many different ports Couples
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| Who Should Not: | |
| Young people/children Adventurers Young married couples Individuals who want lazy sea days Singles Disabled
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| About
The Ratings |
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| Data: | |
| Years Since Built/Refurbished | 2000 |
| GRT | 77,000 |
| Pax (Base 2) | 1,950 |
| Officers & Hotel/Cruise Staff | 900 |
| Passenger Decks | 10 |
| Elevators & Stairwells | 14 |
| Outside Staterooms | 603 |
| Inside Staterooms | 372 |
| Staterooms for Handicapped | 19 |
| Average Stateroom Size (sft.) | 154 |
| Verandas | 410 |
| Entertainment Venues | 5 |
| Pools/Hot Tubs | 9 |
| Outside Public Areas (# Decks) | N/A |
| Dining Options | 4 |
| Standard outside stateroom per diem | $200 |
| Passenger/Space Ratio | 39.5 |
| Passenger/Staff Ratio | 2.2:1 |
| CDC Rating | |
| Ratings: | |
| Overall Condition | 10.0 |
| Outside Deck Areas | 9.8 |
| Inside Public Areas | 9.7 |
| Staterooms | 9.1 |
| Spa Facilities/Treatments | 9.0 |
| Exercise/Fitness Facilities | 8.8 |
| Entertainment & Activities | 7.8 |
| Port Calls | 8.2 |
| Shore Excursions | 8.4 |
| Cuisine | 8.3 |
| Service | 9.4 |
| Embarkation | 9.2 |
| Disembarkation | 7.9 |
| Editors Comments: |
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Like fellow Princesses Sun, Dawn and Sea (but not Sky) this latest Grand Class addition to the Princess fleet touts lots of dining and entertainment options and lots of private verandas. Perhaps its rather low score for entertainment and activities reflects the more demanding tastes of the cruising public. However, the lines bargain early booking rate punches its Value Index way up. |
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For more information: 1-800-PRINCESS or www.princesscruises.com |