My husband and I have never cruised before. We are in our late 50's and want to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We have been trying yo choose a ship and have kind of settled on the Grand Princess. Can anyone tell us whether this is a good choice or would you recommend a different cruise ship? Also, does anyone have a preference of a western carribean versus a mexican cruise? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Grand Princess is a good ship. I sailed her from Galveston and can give you some info about port and parking if you drive. Don't know about Mexican cruise assuming you mean Pacific coast, but you can't go wrong with Caribbean. Weather is always beautiful except a little hot in summer, and beaches are great.

It's really a tossup between the Mexican Riviera and the Western Caribbean. If I had to choose, I'd take the Western Caribbean because it has more variety. I've never been a fan of Princess, but the cruise line you choose depends a lot on your personal profile, as cruise ships differ in style. Holland-America is good, but serves an older clientele in general. Celebrity is also good. The luxury lines like Crystal and Regent are outstanding, but pricey. Recommendations are worthless without knowing what you're looking for, and while Princess has its fans, it also has its drawbacks. Be prepared to pay extra for everything but the bathroom sink.

Princess is a very good line and has no more "extras" than any other mass market ship. The luxury lines mentioned have these "extras" included but expect to pay a fare of about double. For tons of passenger reviews to get a better look go to:www.cruisecritic.com. We have cruised with Princess twice and are of the opinion that they are a very good line. I am sure you will enjoy them. Cheers, Larry.


















so really

I also like Princess. The Coral and Island Princess are my favorite ships but they do selected itineraries.

I prefer Caribbean to Mexico.

I can't routinely afford Crystal and Regent. I would prefer to cruise more often on a mass line then once every other year on Crystal and Regent.

Princess is a decent cruiseline and you should be fine. I do not like the large ships that carry so many passengers but that is a personal thing. Unlike Theresa, I would rather cruise less often and go on a luxury ship with fewer passengers and no nickle and diming. It is a personal preference and there's no right or wrong answer. I personally prefer the Mexican Riviera itinerary over the Caribbean but if you're into water sports you'd do better in the Caribbean.

Wow! late 50's and celebrating a 40th. anniv. You must have been HS sweeties. Congratulations. . As for destination it depends on what you like. If you cruise is in the western Carib. and includes stops where one can see mayan ruins and if this appeals to you then you may want to consider that. I assume the Mexican side you mentioned is the Pacific so it depends on what you like. personally I'd go with the western Caribbean between the two.
Also Regent, now Regency has announced you can get pure marble bathrooms sinks installed, but for a small surcharge of $500.00 per 7 day cruise with a 25% prorated discount for longer cruises. Crystal is rumored to soon follow the lead. .

I prefer the Western Caribbean to Mexico and Princess is not my personal favorite. I dislike large ships in general and do not like anytime dining, except on the luxury lines where it is a totally different experience.

IMO, the new Crown is indeed setting a precedent for nickel and diming with a fee for the Santuary (basically deck chairs in an adult only area), a pay for sushi bar, pay for items in the casual cafe, etc.

Also, many of their ships feature a stacked deck arrangement meaning no privacy on the balconies, a deal breaker for me.

Cruise lines these days are more the same than different when looking at the mass market lines. For my money, HAL and X are better than the rest if you looking for a traditional experience.

I have only cruised Princess once but the experience did not make me want to return and I have over 100 cruises to date.

JMHO.

Well, nobody has mentioned this, but as first time cruises choosing WHEN you travel on a large ship will have a major impact on your experience. My husband and I prefer large ships because of the activities and entertainment and could care less about the ports. I stay at resorts for a peaceful Caribbean experience. However, if you cruise during Spring Break, summer or holiday times be prepared for large numbers of kids who can be a bit unruly (thanks to parents, usually) We prefer to cruise in October, January or February for a more adult experience. Sailed the Caribbean Princess last year...it was okay, a bit poorly designed, IMO. We really prefer RCCL and the large ships where we have dancing/music options every night in a variety of venues. I hope you have a great trip- the thing we love about an annual cruise is that it's so relaxing- you are totally pampered and don't have to worry about anything. Happy anniversary!

Kfusto: When was that Princess cruise? IIRC it was a while ago wasn't it? Just curious.

jacketwatch, it was 1991 and it was not a pleasure (food, service, entertainment) so I have never returned.

I have been on their new ships for seminars and such but just prefer other lines when on vacation. Perhaps the Tahitian one day but definitely not the big ships as I do not care for them on any line. too many people, too crowded and they just do not feel like ships to me.

I cruise several times a year for business but it has been three since I cruised for a vacation. Two are on the near horizon, though, one on X and one on Regent. Those lines are more to my taste.

Kfusto: Just wondering. Often a bad first impression has a lasting effect.
Princess is getting a new small ship like the Tahitian but I am not sure if it is being built or if they are acquiring it from another line, then refurbishing it. To each their own. Cheers, Larry

Larry, part of it was a bad experience with my room steward who chased me down the hallway on departure day yelling because I did not tip. The tip envelope actually fell between the headboard and mattress when he was stripping the bed and I went back to the cabin and found it for him. I found that unbelievably rude and it left a lasting impression.

Otherwise, it was fine, just not great IMO. I found the staff aloof, the food not as good as I expected and the entertainment not as varied as on RCI, whom I used to cruise but no longer do.

Princess has acquired the new smaller ship and is making some changes before placing her in service.

Interesting that Princess and Celebrity both are recognizing that some folks do not equate bigger with better and are providing alternatives : - )

shartrip, I'm not sure you would want the Grand Princess for your first cruise. Princess, Celebrity or other mass marketed lines are fine for a first cruise but I'd definitely would not consider booking a first cruise (or any cruise again) on any ship that holds 2600 people. If I were you I'd select a ship that holds a lot fewer passenger. I think you'll get a better feeling, quality of food and overall personal service with fewer passengers. When the passengers disembark on a port it is a mad house with passengers out numbering the locals and very time consuming getting this many passengers on and off, nothing like a true cruise experience.

The only cruiseline that I would suggest you not cruise on is NCL, they are sub par to other cruise lines IMO. Congratulations of this special anniversary.

Kfusto: That would upset anyone. He sounds like a bully to me. I hope he at least apologized.
A passenger we met once, a veteran cruiser told us one reason cruise lines began auto tipping was that too many passengers would stiff the crew. He said it was notable how many did not show up for the last dinner when the envelopes were distributed. Thats an utter shame. They work very hard for there money.
I wonder if other cruise lines will follow what Princess and X are doing with smaller ship offerings. If this becomes a niche in the market I imagine they will.
I agree that embarkation and disembarkation onto and off big ships can be long and a bit messy and that on small ships there is a more intimate feel. However if the large has enough attractions then it doesn't feel crowded, at least to us. Also consider the ride. You will feel more "sea action" in the smaller ships. If the seas are calm then it should be no issue but if they get choppy then you will feel it. If you go small get a cabin amidships to minimize motion.
Actually on the Tahitian Princess, a small ship, there were dance lessons held and it was in the lounge astern. The sea was choppy and, well it was "interesting" to see people learn new dance steps while trying to keep their balance. However I give them credit for trying. We chose to be spectators while sipping mojitos. We had fun watching

Larry, I have cruised on very small ships, inlcuding Star Clipper, a sailing vessel that holds fewer than 200, the Radisson Diamond (also approx 200) and the older ships of RCI, X, NCL, etc. I have been at it for 41 years now so I have seen them go from very small to behemoths. Over 70,000 GRT and it is just too big for me.

I agree that motion is felt more on smaller ships in general but my recent cruise on Freedom was VERY rough and I have to think it is because these very large ships are made to fits lots of folks, and the architecture is high and boxy vs streamlined like the ocean liners were. It is much like a minivan versus a sleek car on the open road, where the winds buffet the van about due to the design.

I am not one to participate in group activities, games, etc, save for fitness classes. All I need to be happy is a balcony, space on deck to wander, good food, a great wine list, and great service. A lack of kids makes it perfect and this is where the small ships have the edge, since there are few facilities for families and fewer party spots, it is a more adult cruise environment. That to me, is bliss!

Nice that there is something for all of us, I think!

You bet! Good point about the design factor too. PBS had a show on last night about the last voyage of the Normandie. I'll bet you would have liked that one. take care, Larry

I too, would say that the first cruise and an anniversary one, would apt to be much better on a smaller ship.

In my case, I have cruised on different sized ships and only about 2 times in early decade for the last 3 decades. I like the relaxation and not having to repack etc. and the short stays in most ports don't bother me.

But I took my guy on the last one and it was his first cruise on the Star Princess in Feb. '05 and he absolutely hated it. Now he won't go on any cruises at all. So I would start out small, so you aren't caught up in the line and 200 or 300 packed Americans in a tender syndrome.

It would be better to start off with a smaller and more personal approach tract. I wouldn't go over 500 or 600 people on the ship myself.

I just posted 250+ photos of the Crown Princess on my website: http://CruiseNewbie.com/photos/

Lots of photos of our room and balcony, as well as pictures of the decks, pools, dining, shopping, bars, etc. They should give you an idea of what to expect on the Princess 'Grand' class of ship.

We absolutely loved or Caribbean cruise on the Crown last month.

We have been on the Golden Princess and I'm not familiar with the Grand but if anything like the Golden - you will be in awe!!! We took our first cruise last year and had to continually shake our heads to believe that all the beautiful surroundings were sailing on the ocean. Everything was great - food was unbelieveable; service couldn't have been better. We are rather casual people (also celebrated our 40th this year and hubby turned 60). We went with three other couples, one of which had cruised before and were initially concerned with the formality we had heard about cruises, but there are only two formal nights and the rest are business casual in the evening dining room; buffets are quite casual. Actually, the formal nights turn out very nice and we had our pictures taken after dinner one night.
We are going again in March - this time on the Crown Princess and for two weeks - I can hardly wait. Good luck with whichever cruise you choose - I'm sure you will enjoy.