We chose this cruise for the destinations... many Interesting ports & enjoyed what our excursions allowed us to see. Private tours in Guernsey & Liverpool MUCH better. As 1st time travelers to this area, with no knowledge of public transportation available, we booked the safe, guaranteed way of seeing the things we wanted. Many of the Princess tour buses were crowded, and my husband has very long legs, so it was a problem finding a comfortable seat for him. I'm not a fan of bus trips period. Cruise line shuttles were helpful for self guided days but the coordinating and herding of passengers was ridiculously unorganized. Veranda cabin was small, but efficient & clean. Bed too soft, and only ONE of the electrical plugs worked, so we had to take turns charging things which was annoying and Not resolved by our steward. Ship was extremely crowded, so movement was a problem with slow, crowded elevators, and the buffet a nightmare. Many areas of the ship were too HOT, including the Princess Theater, and our sleeping room. Kept the balcony door open most of the time since the A/C was ineffective. Plenty of staff around to offer assistance everywhere. Entertainment was somewhat lackluster, only a couple of really good show (disco night & Piano Guy) and 2 tasteless comedians. Was surprised there was no on-deck departure party, and the Balloon Drop party was on the 3rd night? Fun Trivia Staff in evenings at Explorers Lounge, but not much to do on sea days. Dining room crowded, hot and slow. Buffet Food not exceptional, kind like a substandard cafeteria, but I will admit to being a food snob. Hamburger, Pizza, ice cream was great on the movie deck! We really enjoyed our excursions to Guernsey, and Dublin. Blarney Castle left 45 mins late, we got stuck in traffic and then only had 1.5 hours to see, VERY disappointing. Itinerary should not have been penalized for traffic. Other tours to Glamis, Dunrobin, Dublin Castle and Book of Kels were great, and we went on our own in Dublin after the tour which was fun to have free time without being rushed. Normandy tour was the WORST, very long drive with inadequate time at stops to see the wonderful historic things available, AND the worst lunch ever!!! Tour guide had a heavy French accent, and/or something was wrong with her microphone, so we could not understand a word she said & the driver was a maniac. This was also the most expensive, and we were very disappointed. It was a beautiful, meaningful area in American history and in instead of remarking on local culture, homes, industry, etc. the entire return trip was in complete silence. Other guides had offered a wealth of information, trivia and local culture. Way too many photographers on the docks, and pictures were overpriced . Embarkation at Southampton was disorganized, and the Disembarkation at the end was much too early, but efficiently handled (8:00 am) and we had a very long wait at the airport. If I went again it would be a different way. Ship board "shopping" kind of a joke too, mostly way overpriced stuff no one really wanted. I don't go on vacation to buy stuff like that, but it seemed well attended. Spa prices were ridiculous, and the internet I paid for was spotty at best. This new "Medallion" thing still has some bugs to work out . Opened the doors and paid for things, but most featured items didn't work as advertised. My biggest complaint was the way security was handled getting on/off at ports. Staff were rude and rushed us thru like cattle. My underwire set off every sensor the whole time, and I got really TIRED of being felt up!! Sorry this is kind of negative, but I have been VERY truthful. Did not "come back new"