 Expert Review |
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| | | | | Overview
For someone who's traveled on Princess' bigger ships -- like Sapphire Princess and the still-sparkling Crown -- I boarded Tahitian Princess, one of the line's smallest vessels, not knowing exactly what to expect. Immediately, it was clear I'd left the cookie-cutter world of mega ships for something unique. Burgundy carpets and dark woods dominate the decor throughout the ship, creating a completely different feel than the peachy tones on newer mega-ships like Crown and Sapphire Princess. Sitting areas on either side of the reception desk feature sedate blue couches around a coffee table on oriental-style carpeting. In a strange way it felt like coming home (or staying at a friend's very large English country house). Tahitian Princess, which, despite its Polynesian name now offers some of Princess' more exotic itineraries, has its own story to tell. Princess acquired the 30,277-ton, 670-passenger ship and sister-ship Pacific Princess in 2002 from now-defunct Renaissance Cruises where it was one of eight near-identical mid-size ships. Its one of three of the "R-class" ships in Princess fleet (Royal Princess and Pacific Princess are largely identical). On Tahitian Princess, the exterior received the bulk of the changes: The ship was outfitted with Princess' trademark blue-tinted windows and a fresh coat of white paint. However, the interior went untouched. The lobby resembles that of a boutique hotel, with a grand staircase reminiscent of the Titanic as a dramatic focal point with wrought iron railings. Even some of the signage remains from the ship's Renaissance days. The oval plaque outside Sterling Steakhouse, for example, reads simply the Grill; if you are looking for Sabatini's, Princess' Italian eatery, well that's labeled Italian Restaurant. Once inside, however, the experience is distinctively Princess. Menus are in line with the same eateries elsewhere in the fleet. Indulging at Sabatini's brought back memories of my first experience at that restaurant, on Sapphire Princess in Alaska -- just the same, you choose your main entree only, and a parade of hot and cold appetizers, salads, and pastas are served automatically. It's truly an event, and a Princess trademark I was glad to revisit. The ship is elegant and gorgeous ... and intimate. There's only one pool (really all it needs) and a cabaret lounge takes the place of a main theater. Only one public space -- the Tahitian Lounge -- really feels Polynesian, with murals of tropical flowers and dark-skinned women gracing the walls. What's sometimes odd about a cruise on Tahitian Princess is that menus and entertainment do not spotlight the itineraries it cruises. Aside from sailaway and certain port days when local performers come aboard for dance and music productions, the onboard atmosphere is generally very different from life on the other side of the gangway (or tender). In the long run, this separation of ship and shore did not spoil the experience for me; if anything, it enhanced it. I enjoyed coming back to Tahitian Princess each night -- essentially my floating hotel -- and magically waking up in another exotic city the next day. Having sailed on modern Princess ships including Sapphire and Crown, I found that the size of this gorgeous ship made it possible to get to know the staff onboard; almost all would stop what they were doing to say hello, whether I was passing by with my laptop and coffee first thing in the morning, or coming back onboard from a day ashore drenched from the humidity. It's that personal interaction more than anything else onboard that sets Tahitian Princess apart from its larger fleet mates. | | |  top | | | | Public Rooms
Passengers enter the ship via the very homey lobby on Deck 4, where you'll find the purser and shore excursions desks. Just atop the main staircase are the Atrium Boutiques -- a shop selling perfume, souvenirs, duty-free liquor and various sundries (we kept them in business with our purchases of things we forgot to pack including Band-Aids and tweezers), and a fine jewelry store concentrating heavily on Tahitian black pearls, the much-coveted souvenir of the region. Also on Deck 5, which is the main thoroughfare between the Club Restaurant and the Cabaret Lounge, is the Photo Gallery. On Deck 9 there's an Internet cafe with eight computer stations; the cost to connect is 50 cents per minute, though your first minute is free so that you can test the waters, so to speak, of connection speed. Not fast enough? Come back later. There's also a wireless signal at the same rate in the lobby area (no in-cabin access is available). The Card Room next door with green felt covered tables is the space for hosted and casual games of bridge. The ship has one laundry room for passenger use. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
There are just five types of staterooms onboard Tahitian Princess: Interior Double, Oceanview Double, Oceanview Double with Balcony, Mini-Suites and Owner's Suites. What's important, though, is that size may vary even within like groups. Oceanview Doubles, for example, clock in between 146 and 206 square ft. -- that's a pretty big range (Categories CC on Deck 7 and G on Deck 6 are the roomiest); likewise for the Owner's Suites, which measure approximately 786 square ft. to 962 square ft. with the verandah (figure an average of 874). I popped my head into cabins across several decks and the differences in size within each of the five types were not apparent to my eye; however, since this is home for 10 days, you'll probably appreciate the extra inches here or there -- and will obviously want to snag the most square footage you can! Be sure to ask your travel agent or Princess for dimensions specific to your stateroom when booking. Note: Categories GG and G are obstructed-view; Category F staterooms come with just portholes, not picture windows. There are 334 staterooms in total, and a whopping 92 percent are outsides (there are only 26 inside cabins at 158 square ft.), 75 percent of which have verandahs. Moving up the scale, there are 76 standard outside cabins (again, these measure between 146 and 206 square ft.), 170 outsides with private balconies (216 square ft. with the balcony), 52 mini-suites (322 square ft. with the balcony) and 10 top-of-the-line Owner's Suites (again, from 786 square ft. to 962 square ft. with the balcony -- most are approximately 874 square ft.). My Oceanview Double with Balcony was not as cramped as I expected on a small to mid-sized ship. There was a tight spot rounding the corner of the bed closest to the door (two twins combine to a queen), but any sense of claustrophobia was squelched by a decent sitting area between the bed and the balcony. There was a loveseat, a small table, and a desk under a large lighted mirror for doing makeup or writing postcards. Balcony furniture consisted of two plastic chairs and a low plastic table (the verandahs are not completely private -- there are gaps between the dividers and the iron railing). Amenities across the board include a private safe; a telephone; a bureau/closet with a rack of hangers (wide enough to store two standing rolling suitcases), shelves and plenty of drawer space; and a mini-fridge. In-cabin televisions are not interactive -- i.e. you can't check your folio or book excursions -- but feature programming from CNN, ESPN, TNT and Discovery Channel; there are also stations broadcasting recently released and classic movies, shipboard events, and various genres of music. My bathroom had the essentials: a toilet, a sink and a narrow shower stall with a curtain. Packets of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and moisturizer are provided and replenished as needed. All staterooms are also equipped with a hair dryer, though I hesitate to even call it that as it was probably the worst contraption I've used at sea or on land. It is mounted above the toilet (so you have to stand and style in the tiny bathroom) and resembles a vacuum cleaner hose. I can't understand how the air came out so pathetically lukewarm while the hose itself got so hot I had to create a makeshift oven mitt out of a washcloth so as not to scorch my hand. Moral of the story: BYO. Besides the extra size, Mini-Suites add robes, a bathroom with a tub and a shower, and a sofa bed. The Owner's Suites are the most luxurious with a wide verandah that occupies a full forward corner of the ship (it's not the best view, though; the ocean is beyond an exposed pointy deck at the hull). These feature an entertainment center with two televisions and a CD player, a guest bathroom and master bath -- the latter of which has a whirlpool tub. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
Despite its smallish size, you'll find plenty of activities onboard Tahitian Princess including dancing classes, art auctions, cooking demonstrations, shopping seminars (particularly popular was one on how to purchase Tahitian black pearls) and onboard films. Though there's technically no Movies Under the Stars (the huge LED monitor found on newer ships like Crown Princess), movies are shown indoors and on a projection screen on the pool deck. On sea days, ScholarShip@Sea courses are offered, mainly in photography and computer technology; some lectures are free and others levy a charge, from $10 depending on course. Princess' signature Ceramics@Sea program is also offered on sea days; a section of the lido deck is set up with a cart of paints and ceramics ranging from coffee mugs to picture frames. Passengers can come by at scheduled times (check your Patter), purchase a piece (prices fall in the high teens and low twenties) and paint away. Items are fired in a kiln onboard and delivered to your cabin before the cruise ends. Third time's a charm: While I've hidden my "art" -- and I use the term loosely -- from my trips on Sapphire and Regal Princess, my teal and yellow lidded box is proudly displayed on my dresser. At night, entertainment is concentrated in three areas of the ship. The Cabaret Lounge is Tahitian's main show venue; on our sailing production shows ran twice -- before first seating and then again before second seating -- and there was always pre-show dancing. Tip: Because this is more of a lounge than a traditional shipboard theater (there's no elevated seating or raised stage), you'll want to arrive early and get seats up front for a view of the performers rather than your fellow cruisers' heads. Generally, expect Princess' usual combination of comedians, magicians and Broadway showtune medleys. Live piano music can be enjoyed every night in the Casino Bar, a cozy spot with antique-style furniture and a (faux) fireplace. The adjacent casino offers table games and slot machines. Finally, the Tahitian Lounge is the top-of-the-ship observation lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows; though the late-night disco was never packed (we imagine that most of the older passengers and even the honeymooners turned in early), the tunes bumped into the wee hours for the few partiers. This was also the venue for game shows like Love and Marriage, which never fails to generate laughs. One rather feisty couple -- I blush to share their stories here but I will say they won -- got a lot of high fives the next day in the elevator and on tenders ashore. Because of the intimate size of the ship, activities tend to blend together. If you sit at the bar outside the casino, you can hear the piano player, the clanging slots and the chatter of folks buying their formal portraits from the hallway studio. While painting ceramics on the lido deck, you can also watch pool volleyball or the sexy legs competition ... and you'll definitely want to look out for stray Ping-Pong balls! It's not necessarily a bad thing; I only participated in the activities that interested me most because let's face it, you can't do everything -- but I enjoyed feeling as if I got to sample more than I had. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
There's just one pool flanked by two whirlpools (and a busy pool bar), but deck chairs were nearly always readily available. Because there are so few sea days, this area is peaceful most of the time. There's live entertainment at certain times of the day, including local folk music at sail away. Editor's note: The hard deck surface gets scorching hot beneath the daytime sun, and there's even a sign posted to warn passengers of this fact; walk barefoot at your own risk! Princess' signature Lotus Spa is located on Deck 9. Aside from a Zone Diet seminar, there was nothing on offer that struck us as brand-new or inventive -- and we would have loved to see some Polynesian-themed treatments; on a recent Hawaiian cruise, the lomi lomi massage, once reserved for royalty, was a highlight. Here, expect to find facials, massages, teeth whitening and body wraps; there are specials on port days. The adjacent salon offers haircuts, coloring and styling, manicures and pedicures in portable footbaths (no fancy remote-controlled chairs here). Lotus Spa has just five basic treatment rooms, though the one located off the salon has a gorgeous view through a floor-to-ceiling window. The staff is small, so it's common to have the same therapist for multiple treatments, and all were very friendly and helpful. I was not pressured into making a Steiner purchase (though items were recommended), nor was I rushed at any point to make room for the next guest. After my reflexology treatment, my therapist patiently answered my questions about the parts of the feet that correspond to different areas of my body -- and where she worked out the most tension. Because of the personal attention the experience felt closer to that of a small town spa than most facilities at sea. One nice, modern touch is a partially covered private spa deck, forward, with teak padded loungers and a therapy pool. Only guests who've paid for this special privilege have access; you can purchase day passes for $15, or book the entire cruise for $100, and come and go as you please throughout that time period. Anyone who is receiving a treatment, however, can utilize the adjacent steam and shower room. If extreme privacy is what you crave, it's worth it; we never saw more than one or two people lounging here. The Fitness Center connected to the Lotus Spa is also small by today's standards but sufficient for the number of passengers onboard, well equipped with weights, treadmills, elliptical machines and an open area for exercise classes; some are free and others (like Pilates and yoga) levy a $10 charge. For al fresco fun, there's a jogging track (13 times around equals one nautical mile), a golf cage, a well-frequented Ping-Pong table and shuffleboard courts. | | | | top | | | | Family
There are no dedicated children's facilities onboard Tahitian Princess. If there are 20 or more kids on a given sailing, a special counselor will be assigned to run youth programs (this happens most often during the holiday season: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's). This was not the case on our cruise, though the few kids we did see onboard were well behaved, enjoying the pool by day and shuffleboard by night. If your kids are content to play board games after a busy day in port, this ship may work; however, we wouldn't recommend this ship for families accustomed to the extensive facilities onboard today's mega ships. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
The majority of Tahitian Princess' passengers are in their 40's, 50's and 60's, with the average overall age falling somewhere between 50 and 55. On our sailing, there were also a few kids and a handful of honeymooning couples; most guests hailed from North America (the U.S. and Canada), though there was also a decent showing from Europe and Australia/New Zealand. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
During the day, most passengers conform to a casual, country club-style of dress. I was surprised by how many passengers donned sparkly gowns and tuxes for our trip's two formal nights, but plenty of others went a little more casual, wearing shorter dresses or light suit jackets. I made a nice sundress (floral, but black, so somewhat "formal") and high heeled shoes work, leaving pantyhose behind altogether. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Princess automatically adds $10 per person, per day to shipboard accounts; adjustments can be made in either direction at the purser's desk. A 15 percent tip is automatically added to bar bills; tipping at Lotus Spa is at your discretion. --by Melissa Baldwin, Senior Editor Photo of ship's exterior appears courtesy of Michael Paloti. | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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