We chose this cruise for the itinerary. We were blown away by Princess from beginning to end. The pre-boarding check in and medallion program were amazing. It made embarkation and debarkation easy and fast. The medallion made purchases on the ship much easier, as well as serving as our bluetooth key to our stateroom.
Our cabin was spacious and had lots of storage space for our clothes and things. We did not feel as though we were living out of our suitcases. All the staff was courteous and helpful, but our cabin steward was a step beyond. Our room had been tidied several times a day and always had clean towels. He put up balloons and a banner for my birthday, which happened to coincide with our trip. Even the artwork in the hallways was exceptional.
We did not eat in the formal dining room, as our dinner hour was later than we expected and all the entertainment was going on by then. This was not the fault of the cruise line, but ours. There was just too much to do on the ship, so we ate at the buffet on our own schedule. But the food on the buffet was amazing as well. Not only a huge variety of international cuisine, but beautiful sculptures made by carving the watermelons and appealing displays of fruits, vegetables, and even spices and teas. The kitchen definitely accommodated all diets. We ordered room service for a couple of snacks and found the menu substantial, and the food was delivered quickly and courteously.
Although our cabin wad an interior regular (about 175 sq. ft.) We found it to be spacious enough to get around without bumping into each other (2 of us) and it did not feel tiny. There was drawer and closet space for all our clothes and things, so it was never cluttered. It had a mini fridge, television with in-room movies and tv, a good sized bathroom and a safe for valuables. The king sized bed was very comfortable and the pillows were down. It was well lit and quiet. We never heard our neighbors coming or going and no door slamming at night.
We went to the island and set up camp under a shade tree and snorkeled around the rocks on our own. There were many fish around the rocks, but the thing that seems to have gotten the most attention was the sting ray encounter.
We walked around the tourist area, but did not go inland. I wish we had had one day between St. Thomas and St. Maarten to rest and recover. There is an airport on St. Maarten where the glide path takes the jets over the beach at an altitude of about 20 feet to land on the runway. I have seen videos of it, and regret not going while we were there but we were exhausted from St. Thomas the previous day.
This was not actually "booked" as a tour, but the excursions desk offers tips on catching a cab to Magans Bay. This beach was voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world by National Geographic. It was rather crowded the morning we went, but beautiful nonetheless.