GREAT EATS HAWAII: PRINCESS SAPPHIRE

PRINCESS SAPPHIRE

PORTOFINO SUITE

Cashed in a lot of credit card points to enjoy an Asia cruise aboard the Princess Sapphire. Had enough points to book a suite for our family of three. This was the perfect size crib for a 12 day cruise. Plenty of room for our family with my Daughter taking over the living room. Sliding curtains between the living and bedrooms allowed for privacy. Loved the large Jacuzzi tub, separate shower and sink area. This allowed one person to shower while another used the sink area. We actually used three areas when getting ready. One person in shower, one using sink/mirror and one using the makeup mirror. Worked out nicely. The suite included a refrigerator, sink and bar area with plenty of storage. TV's in both rooms allowed my Daughter to enjoy a movie while I kept track of the stock market and international news. Life on a ship can be difficult but living in the Portofino suite for a few days was really nice. Never felt cramped and if I needed some air there was the huge balcony where you could sit, lay or dance. The think was huge. The ship is large and has all of the things most ships have these days. You can enjoy Pizza, Burgers, Hot Dogs and Snacks pretty much all day and night on deck plus there is a separate Pizzeria, Coffee Shop and the Buffet. We are not big Buffet people but we occasionally hit the Buffet for lunch or breakfast. For dinner we really enjoyed dining in the Santa Fe Dining Room where our suite allowed us a private dining area with the same staff every night. This allowed us to get to know the staff and made for a more enjoyable experience while dining. There are three restaurants on the ship that charge a $30 cover charge; Steakhouse, Italian and Seafood. We avoided these places except for one night because paying an additional $90 for three just did not seem worth the price when we found the food in Santa Fe Dining Room to be fine.

These cover charges were ok when it was $20 or below but at $30 per person it is getting out of control and not worth the extra money in my opinion. I did not care for the central bars onboard (International Cafe and Crooners) as they lacked service and they were small. At peak hours you could not get a seat at the small bars or tables. Service sucked with employees not seeming to care about the guests. Many times the waiter/waitress would walk by tables without acknowledging

you or asking if you wanted a drink. I waited 5-10 minutes and then walked up to the bar and ordered on my own. This happened too many times and upset me. Lots of pools aboard the ship and the spa was great. Good gym and plenty of area to walk around and get exercise. Shopping on board is basic and they really push the watches, fragrances and jewelry every evening in the center of the ship. Entertainment was just ok. We enjoyed several singers that were in the main theatre and in one bar.

The entertainment in the main Piazza (piano, violin and guitar players) were just ok and there was never a time we wanted to sit and listen. Dining aboard was better than most cruises we have been on and you can read my posts on this blog. This was a great cruise for the ports of call and food/service in the Santa Fe Dining Room. Aside from that the service on this ship was among the worst ever experienced cruising. Just did not seem like the crew gave a hoot or maybe they were in a Holiday rutt.