Grand Princess Cruise Ship Review 2011 for Best Cruise Holidays
Grand Princess is a cruise ship owned by Princess Cruises that maintains the company’s hallmark of excellent service for which Princess Cruises is famous for. It was once billed as the grandest ship on the ocean.” But with the passage of time, it is still impressive, elegant and beautifully designed but has been surpassed by many other cruise ships that are larger, faster and newer.
In May of this year 2011, Grand Princess had a massive renovation that resulted in the addition of many of the Princess signature features such as the Piazza atrium; Alfredo’s Pizzeria; a library and tea lounge named Leaves; Crooner’s Martini bar; and The One5, a new nightclub. Enrichment will also be done on the Lotus Spa, the Horizontal Court buffet restaurant and the wedding chapel and seven new suites will be added.
The Grand Princess divides her time between Europe and the Caribbean. It offers one week or two weeks Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale during the cooler months and in Europe it cruises the Norwegian Fjords, British isles and the Mediterranean from Southampton.
Dining on board Grand Princess is beyond doubt a most memorable experience. The chefs of this remarkable cruise ship are real gastronomic artists that only prepare the freshest and most delicious meals at sea out of the best ingredients. There is a choice between traditional dining at the Botticelli dining room and the flexible anytime dining at the Da Vinci and Michelangelo dining rooms. For specialty dining there is Sabatini’s, an Italian restaurant; Crown Grill for steak and seafood and the Ultimate Balcony Dining. Casual dining is also available at the Horizon Court, Alfredo’s Pizzeria, Preggo Pizzeria, Leaves Tea Lounge & Library, Trident Grill for hot dogs and burgers, and at Vines, a tapas and sushi bar. There is also an ice cream bar, the International Café and a 4 – hour room service.
If dining on board Grand Princess is an unforgettable experience, nighttime entertainment is a remarkable adventure. Grand Princess’ performers are some of the most gifted singers, musicians and dancers performing at the Princess Theater, Vista Show Lounge and Explorer’s Lounge. For guests who want to try their luck, there is the Atlantis Casino. For first-rate movies, the Movies Under the Stars, an outdoor theater show first-rate movies while The One5 is where guests dance the night away.
Grand Princess
Photo by John Ambler
For the under 18 guests, Grand Princess offers age appropriate activities and amenities where they can have fun and do their own thing. Grand Princess’ youth and teen centers have the newest movies and video games, arts and crafts, jukeboxes, board games, and fooseball tables. For the tiny ones there are activities such as pajama nights, pizza parties, karaoke and more.
