Princess Cruiselines, Coral Princess: Vancouver to Los Angeles, 25-28 September 2013.
This was a one-way, non-stop cruise with our ultimate goal of getting to Las Vegas, but while slower than flying or driving, it certainly was more enjoyable and not much more expensive.
The Coral Princess can accommodate almost 2,000 passengers over 16 decks and 789 cabins of its 1,000 cabins have balconies. The ship has several lounges, four pools, five whirl-pool spas, several deckchair areas, a volleyball court and ‘Movies Under the Stars’.
We chose a balcony cabin and while there was not much to sea over the three day voyage, it was great to sit on the balcony having breakfast or early-evening drinks and stare at the grey Pacific – on the last day we could see the hills of Southern California, but saw little or nothing of the coastlines of Washing State and Oregon, nor of San Francisco.
Checking in was easy, with a waiting time at customs of not more than about 30 minutes and thereafter only one stop for the ‘voluntary’ and very annoying, pre-boarding photograph. The obligatory lifeguard drill was extremely poorly organised, with the recorded message and instructions being repeated four times because of some technical hitch – by the third time most passengers simply walked away.
The departure from Vancouver is always spectacular, with the city fading in the background, passing under the Lions Gate Bridge and heading past the beaches of West Vancouver before turning to the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, the deafening music and entertainers who were trying to create a ‘vibe’ (and sell drinks), almost managed to spoil the ambiance.
The cabin was standard, with a comfortable bed, a TV with nothing to watch, a chair and a desk and a bathroom with very small shower. Service was attentive on the first day, but gradually became more sullen as the time went on – perhaps as it was a repositioning cruise cabin crew were more interested in preparing for the next, longer voyage. Gratuities are automatically charged to your onboard accounts at $23 to $24 per cabin per day, but this can (and should) be adjusted if the service is poor – I did not feel the need to adjust it on this trip, but if the level of service did not improve during a longer voyage, I would have been tempted. The service charge is relatively high, especially as a percentage of the price of a cheaper inside cabin.
The food was mediocre, but plentiful, room service was prompt, but the endless lining up every night to get into the two main buffet restaurants was infuriating (the Bordeaux and Provence dining rooms). After waiting for 45 minutes, we went to the upstairs restaurant only to find no queues and many empty tables, but there was no communication between the two restaurants to even out the crowds. Service in both these restaurants varied greatly, and depending which waiter you had, was either pleasant or absolutely dismal. For a supplement passengers could also eat at Italian-themed Sabatini's or the New Orleans-themed Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse. On the first day we had make-your-own pizza next to the pool, which was one of the best I ever had – unfortunately the next two days this was replaced by a pre-made and cold pizza. We spend a lot of time at the Horizon Court with its good buffet options and its ample breakfast spread – sometimes just for a starter before enduring the line-ups for the main restaurants.
The onboard entertainment in the evenings was worthwhile watching and mostly jammed-packed, with many people standing in the back of the theatre. The casino was relatively generous and had many penny options. There were plenty of lounges, theatres and a cigar bar.
Disembarkation was busy, with passengers forced to wait in certain pre-assigned areas of the ship and not many staff members really knew what the procedures were and when groups under their direction could leave. Many passengers eventually just left the ship at their own convenience.
Princess scored a rating of 5.5 out of 10 with this cruise.
