We love cruising round trip from LA (no flying!) and Hawaii is one of our favorite destinations. What made this cruise even sweeter is that we were meeting up with a British couple we had made friends with on a cruise five years ago. The food was excellent, although many special dishes from the past (e.g., rack of lamb) have disappeared. Also, the traditional coffee card is no longer usable on subsequent cruises, which significantly reduces its value. The entertainment on Princess is probably the best in the industry, especially since Steven Schwartz begain creating shows for them. "Born to Dance" is our favorite; we stayed to see it twice on two separate cruises. Fernando, the Cruise Director was outstanding, and the Captain was an approachable and unforgettable character who ended every announcement with "but nevertheless, by-by." Our room steward, Russell, was always there with whatever we needed. The cruise loses a star only due to the uncomfortable cabin that was assigned to us (see below).
Worst cabin ever! Tiny, right next to staff quarters. Queen bed was against the wall so one occupant had to climb over the other to get in or out. Are we supposed to be gymnasts?Most uncomfortable 15 nights we ever experienced. Passenger services insisted there was not one single empty cabin on the ship. Really?? Not an appropriate way to treat frequent "elite" cruisers.