a travel blog
Princess really knows how to showcase Alaska, and in my opinion, the Princess ships are the perfect size for an Alaskan itinerary.
The Majestic Princess was built in 2017. She did not get to sail for long before the great cruise shut-down of 2020/2021. Even though we sailed in June of 2022, she still felt like a new ship.
Continue reading “Majestic Princess”On April 1, 2023, we embarked the Emerald Princess from the port of San Pedro, California, for a 15 night journey with a full transit through the Panama Canal.
It seemed a little like coming home, because in August 2022, we sailed on her for a 12 night cruise around the British Isles. I believe that was the first (and maybe only) time to get a picture of sheep, cows, a barbed wire fence, and a cruise ship in the same photo.
One thing I really like about Princess is the medallion. 2022 was my first experience with the Princess Medallion, and I LOVED it. Princess rolled out this feature on some of her ships just prior to the pandemic, and now all of the ships are using the medallion. The medallion serves as your room key (more about that later), and your charge card. Security can scan the medallion as passengers debark and embark the ship, and servers identify guests with the medallion when ordering any food or beverages or making purchases in the shops, etc. (Note, there were some kinks still being worked out when we first used the medallion and the app in 2022, but as of April 2023, things are much smoother.)
In September, 2021, we were privileged to sail on the Odyssey of the Seas – one of the newest Royal Caribbean ships at the time, and a member of the Quantum Class of ships in the fleet which includes the Anthem, Ovation, Quantum and Spectrum. She is beautiful!
Read more: Odyssey of the Seas – Royal Caribbean
There is just so much to see on this ship. One of the most impressive venues is 270 with floor-to-ceiling windows for views during the day and an amazing computerized screen and a stage that transforms the venue into a stunning theater.
A library is located on deck 6 to the rear of 270. During the pandemic restart, they took out all the books! I guess that was one way to eliminate the transfer of cooties. There are tables and chairs here which provides a nice space for playing games. During the pandemic they had signs on the tables saying, “unavailable.” I am definitely ready for things to be available again.
But 270 is not the only entertainment venue on the ship. They have a typical theater on the front of the ship, too,
and a two-story music hall where they offered trivia, bingo and live music.
The Casino is located next to the Music Hall.
But theaters and casinos are not the only venues of entertainment. There are many other entertainment options for folks.
The Flowrider (complimentary)
The North Star. When we were onboard, they were giving complimentary rides on port days with a reservation. (Must make reservations ASAP onboard. It books up quickly.) Rides on sea days were for an extra fee.
IFly – Sky diving simulator (for an extra fee)
Sky Pad Bungee Trampolines. (Complimentary) and we chose to wear the virtual reality simulators while jumping. The game made us think we were animated characters collecting candy while on a race. (EDITED: As of March 31,2023. The Skypad bungee experience has been removed from all the Royal Caribbean ships. The dome is still there but the area is going to be repurposed for other activities. They are removing the bungee trampolines.)
Soccer Billiards (complimentary)
Chess – Also notice the running/walking track. It circles the entire deck.
Twister
Rock Climbing
The Sportsplex has arcade games (for a fee) and offers multiple complimentary activities during the day: They set up pickleball courts at times and have open play basketball games. I tried the archery and the bumper cars when those were offered. Zone Zero is a virtual reality swashbuckling adventure for an extra fee. There was no way to get great pictures here, but take my word for it. That was a lot of fun.
You will see that I am wearing a mask. Masks were required at all indoor venues during our sailing since it was one of the first sailings after the pandemic cruise restart.
There are several pools onboard including a splash pad for the younger guests.
The Solarium tends to be a calm area on the ship. There are small pools, whirlpools, and lots of lounge chairs for relaxing
The Solarium may only be open for older individuals, but there are dedicated spaces for kids, too.
Splashaway Bay …
They also have dedicated kids’ clubs. This is the entrance for Adventure Ocean –
A complimentary, well-equipped fitness center is available. The staff also offers some fitness classes for a fee.
After all that activity, it is time to eat!
The Main Dining Room spans three decks and it is located mid-ship which is very different from most ships with main dining primarily in the aft.
There are other complimentary dining venues around the ship. The Windjammer Marketplace is the huge buffet area onboard. The Windjammer has multiple food and drink stations and is typically open all day. Since we sailed in September of 2021 and the capacity was only at about 30%, they only had the Windjammer open for breakfast and lunch. They closed at 3PM to clean and deeply sanitize. Guests had to choose an alternate dining option for dinner and snacks.
There is no shortage of desserts. I decided to get a variety……
I don’t drink alcohol, and I don’t drink many soft drinks, but I do enjoy Specialty Coffee – Caramel, yum!! So I usually purchase a coffee card which allows 15 specialty coffees for one set price. (A large coffee will sometimes require two punches – depending on who serves the coffee.). My guess is that the coffee card will eventually disappear in favor of an electronic version loaded to the guest’s Seapass card. (Princess cruise lines has already done this.)
On the Odyssey there are two locations for my specialty coffee fix. One is here in the Windjammer.
One of my favorite venues is the 270 Cafe. They serve custom salads, and pre-made sandwiches at breakfast and lunch, and they have pastries, fruit and dessert, and other light fare. This is where I liked to get my specialty coffee.
The Solarium Bistro at the front of the ship is a smaller version of the large Windjammer marketplace buffet. It is great for a quick bite.
Sorrento’s Pizza is another complimentary venue and the pizza is great! It is also conveniently located beside Cafe Promenade where there is a self-serve beverage station and some snack, fruit and dessert options.
If you are in the mood for tex-mex food, El Loco Fresh is located on the lido deck near the pools.
With so many complimentary eating options, one might wonder why anyone would pay extra to go to a specialty restaurant. That’s a valid argument, but the specialty restaurants are AMAZING! I recommend splurging on at least one during a cruise. Often, guests can pre-purchase a package of two or more at a discounted rate. If you have a specific time you like to eat dinner, though, be sure to make reservations quickly so that you can get the time slot you want. Hint: If you like lobster, we found that it was offered on the menu in the main dining room on the second formal night of the cruise. So, you might want to check the main dining room menus for the week on the app and avoid choosing lobster night as your specialty dining night.
Giovanni’s serves Italian specialties
Visit Izumi for sushi and other Asian inspired items.
Teppanyaki for your typical dinner with an entertaining Japanese cooking show
Chops Grill for some of the best steaks at sea
Playmakers Sports Bar is located within the sportsplex area and is a venue that has typical sports bar food like burgers, nachos, fries, pulled pork and onion rings. I highly recommend the onion rings! Their menu is a’ la carte pricing.
Wonderland – the Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant. This is a unique venue for sure. If you are a skittish or picky eater who wants to recognize your food, you might be uncomfortable, but if you are adventurous, this is a fun experience. We did not eat at Wonderland on this ship as we had heard that they did not have the costumed characters. We will wait for this experience on the Symphony of the Seas in another month.
Of course there is a spa and salon. They offer hair treatments, manicures, massage, and a thermal spa which has heated stone chairs, rainforest shower room, steam room and dry heat chamber.
The Ladies’ changing room is impressive. There are large showers here, too, which is convenient after using the facilities or if your shower in your stateroom is just too cramped. I didn’t go into the men’s changing room but I assume the facilities are just as nice
The ship is stunning. The artwork is beautiful and sometimes quirky, and it is fun to just go exploring. I will close this post with more pictures. I hope you enjoy exploring along with me.
