The Pacific Princess is a stylish, elegant, well-designed ship offering exotic itineraries and a 102-day world cruise in 2008 for Princess Cruises. The ship's small size allows her to visit less-well-known and smaller ports on all her itineraries, and to dock closer to points of interest in larger ports than her mega-ship colleagues.
Built in 1999 at St. Nazaire, France for Renaissance Cruises as the R 3, this ship was refit in 2002 and joined the Princess fleet in 2003 as the Pacific Princess. She has since done split itineraries with P&O Cruises in Australia while retaining her Princess branding and name.
At 30,277 GRT and double-occupancy capacity of 602 (maximum 802), Pacific Princess is among the smallest ships in the Princess fleet, joining sister R ships Royal and Tahitian Princess as the relatively new Explorer Class. Registered in Gibraltar, she has a cruising speed of 20 knots and a top speed of 22. She is 592-ft-long with a beam of 83.5 ft, and draft of 19.5 ft. Her 373-person crew is comprised of British and Italian officers and an international staff. The crew-to-passenger ratio at double occupancy is 1 to 1.8.
Due to the nature of her longer and more exotic itineraries, passengers are generally aged 50 and above, retired and well-traveled. Most speak English as their first language and hail from North American, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. The mix of nationalities depends upon the itinerary. Announcements are in English, and may be repeated in other languages.
The Pacific Princess sails on itineraries that are world-over, or to exotic destinations, or by special interest or theme. The ship is smaller than many vessels with similar itineraries, and her cruises are well-priced relative to ships of comparable quality and size. She operates in the South Pacific; in smaller ports of the Mediterranean; and on world cruises lasting 102 days. Excursions include a helicopter trip over a volcano in Hawaii; a canopy tour of the treetops in Puntarenas; trips to the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven; and a visit to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. On the special interest cruises—for example, the Islands of the Pacific Theater cruise—all of the shore excursions, on-board lectures and activities, films and documentaries contribute to the cruise theme.
Of her 11 decks, four are for cabins only and one mixes cabin and public spaces. One outdoor pool, three whirlpools and a large sunning deck area enhance the outdoor experience. The small but well-equipped fitness center has aerobic and weight equipment, with both free and fee classes. A jogging track, golf driving net, shuffleboard court and second sun deck provide more opportunities for exercise. The full-service spa and salon and Thalassotherapy spa pool and private deck incur extra charges.
The nightclub has a good-size dance floor and the eight bars feature solo pianists and small combos which provide entertainment and dance music. A single show lounge with seating for 345 provides cabaret versions of production shows and guest entertainers with sophisticated lighting and staging. The modestly sized casino offers table games, roulette and slot machines and has an adjacent Casino Bar. Pacific Princess has an exceptionally large library for a ship of her size, well-stocked and well-lit, with tables and chairs for 37. The card room, also stocked with board games, is the site for bridge lessons and games. Guests can check their email at eight compact stations in the Internet room. Onboard shopping is limited to two boutique and duty-free shops. Likewise limited are youth services: Youth and teen programs are offered only when 20 or more young people are aboard and there are no designated youth and teen areas.
The fixed-seating Club Restaurant seats 338 guests in two sittings nightly, serving Continental cuisine. The Panorama Buffet serves breakfast and lunch with open seating, alternating bistro and pizza menus, with table service nightly at no charge. Sabatini's Italian restaurant, seating 90, and Sterling Steakhouse, seating 92, both carry added charges. The Poolside Grill provides lunchtime burgers and hot dogs. Food quality and service are superior to outstanding in all.
Of the 334 cabins, 308 are outside and 232 have balconies; 26 are inside. Twin beds convert to queens, and all cabins include separate sofa seating, refrigerators, TVs, ample storage and closet space, showers and hair dryers. Some outside cabin categories have portholes, but some of these have obstructed views. Five cabins are wheelchair-accessible: two mini-suites, two outside and one inside, with square footage ranging from 158 to 322. The 10 suites range in size from 786 to 962 sq ft. Thanks to thoughtful design, noise is not an issue in any of the cabins.
Attracting older, experienced cruisers with her longer and more exotic itineraries and her comfortable and elegant design, Pacific Princess is a popular ship that offers a good value when compared to vessels of similar style and equivalent itineraries. The few complaints that are raised are about the lack of a "personal choice" dining room option and the small size of the Internet facility. Passengers are more likely to be found curled up with a good book than partying the night away, and enrichment lectures tend to be exceptionally well-attended, while the nightclub is virtually deserted.
