Supplement to Travel Trade
May 2002

Star Princess:

The Measure of a Star

If your clients cling to the traditions of cruising, you can confidently put them aboard the Star Princess, where they’ll find assigned dinner tables and first and second seatings, afternoon tea, shuffleboard and a hairdresser to prepare them for a formal night.

On the other hand, if your clients prefer a pampered resort life with freedom to dine any time and with whom they want, while away the day with golf, swimming, paddle tennis or simple relaxation and, by night, disco, take in a variety of contemporary shows and perhaps hit the casino — you can still be sure the Star Princess will be a good match.

The third edition of Princess Cruises’ Grand Class ships takes advantage of its size to provide the proverbial something-for-everyone. Or, as Princess executives like to say, “big ship choice, small ship feel.”

You probably know that already. Agents representing 80% of Princess’ business were aboard for a tour or a 1-, 2- or 3-night cruise in the week before the ship entered regular service March 16 with a series of one-week trips from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.

If you are familiar with the Grand Princess or the Golden Princess, you know what to expect. These sister ships have been so successful that only some tweaking was necessary on the Star. Among the modifications:
• The Asian-themed Lotus Spa has half a dozen more treatment rooms, making it Princess’ largest. With 14 therapists, four hairdressers and a “nail technician,” it outshines some land-based spas. The treatments range from straightforward massages to exotic rituals, such as a 90-minute hot rocks experience plus body wraps and facials.

Those waiting for a treatment can relax in an area where fresh fruit and tea are provided or they can rest on a remarkably comfortable recliner made of ceramic tile — and heated! The health facilities include a bank of treadmills and weight machines and a separate room for aerobics classes. Separate saunas and steam rooms for men and women, as well as showers, are in the respective locker areas.

• Children’s activities have been enlarged and moved aft, replacing the virtual reality center that generated little interest. Separate rooms are geared for kids ages 2-5, 6-7, 8-12 and for 13-17 year-olds. A kids pool is part of the complex.

• The Princess Theatre, the 750-seat main showroom, is better equipped than many Broadway theaters. Almost any part of the stage can be made to sink out of sight or to rise. The backstage area is five-decks high so that there is essentially no limit on the sets and backdrops that can be incorporated into shows. Lighting is equally high tech. The two new shows, Dance and Da Beat, exploit these capabilities fully.

• The golf driving range, simulating holes at famous courses, has been moved. The Star also has a nine-hole putting green.

Despite its size — 43 feet too wide for the Panama Canal — the Star does retain some small-ship feel. However, peer down corridors of the passenger cabin decks and you sense the 951-foot length of the ship.

On the other hand, the library, card room and writing room are appropriately cozy. There are small bars seemingly everywhere (actually 14 of them). Ambiance is widely varied, from the Lobby Bar at the base of the 3-story atrium and the Promenade Bar and Lounge at the top (serving pastry in the morning, wine and caviar in the afternoon/evening), to Shooters, a dark-paneled sports bar tucked next to the lower entrance of the Princess Theatre.

The ample open deck space has been broken into non-intimidating areas around the pools, hot tubs and sports. Along the sides of the ship, tinted glass wind baffles divide the decks into human-scale “rooms.” Even the pools have variety. One is outdoors; one is under a retractable translucent roof; one near the gym has a current to swim against.

In décor, Princess has tilted toward the traditional. The dark wood-like paneling of the Wheelhouse Bar, decorated with paintings of historic ships and captains, lends the atmosphere of a men’s club, especially in an alcove at the back with wingback chairs. The dance music is on the mellow side.

Nearby, the Explorers Lounge has more of a nightclub or supper club look, despite some exotica ranging from a gold Egyptian statue to paintings of jungle temples. African animals are represented in some paintings and the fanciful carpeting. Here the music is more upbeat. The room seats 360 for cabaret entertainment.

The Vista Lounge, a third entertainment venue, is sedately furnished with blue and beige chairs and banquettes; a few large paintings hang at the side.

If your clients want something more colorful and active, route them to the spacious Grand Casino, one of the largest at sea, or Skywalkers Disco and Observation Lounge, suspended 150 feet above the water at the stern of the ship. This room, which has been compared to a sports car spoiler, is accessed by an enclosed moving ramp.

Star Princess has three main dining rooms, the Amalfi, Capri and Portofino, all understated in décor and set apart by the paintings of their namesakes. On the ship’s final inaugural cruise, the Amalfi was used for two traditional sittings at dinner; the others were open from 5:30 p.m. (Capri) or 6:15 p.m. (Portofino) until 10 p.m. for open seating dining.

Off Limits, the teens-only facility, includes a disco.The use of the dining rooms will vary by cruise. It is anticipated, for example, that Alaska cruises may attract a more traditional clientele who want assigned tables, so two of the rooms might be dedicated to that.

Current experience is that 30% of the passengers are asking for traditional dining, partly because travel agents are familiar with it. Of that group, 20% migrate to Personal Choice during the cruise. The year-old Personal Choice plan means they can dine at any time in any of the open rooms.

The Horizon Lounge is open 24 hours for a continuous cycle of buffet breakfast, lunch, light meals and dinner. From 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. it becomes a full-service bistro.

Star Princess replicates Sabatini’s, from the Golden Princess, as one of its alternate dining spots. Exquisite Italian cuisine, course after course with an emphasis on seafood, justifies the $15 surcharge for dinner. Singing, fun-loving waiters keep everybody in a good mood. It seats only 92, so bookings immediately upon boarding are essential.

The ochre colors of the Southwest on walls and in the artwork, and some potted cactus, identify Tequila’s, serving Mexican food. Here the $8 surcharge includes a margarita. There is music and a small dance floor.

Both Sabatini’s and Tequila’s are open for dinner, with lunch also served on days at sea.

In case that’s not enough choice, during the day there’s the Trident Grill for burgers and hot dogs or Prego’s for pizza, both beside one of the pools. Scoops serves Haagen Daz ice cream at shoreside prices. There is also 24-hour room service.

One oddity of the Star Princess layout is that the main route to the Princess Theatre splits at the entrance to Tequila’s — one way going right through the tables and the other going between the edge of Tequila’s and the 24-hour AOL Internet Cafe.

Otherwise, the main public rooms are easy to find, lined up on the Promenade deck, stretching from the theater back to the Vista Showlounge. Midway, the Grand Plaza was designed with warmly lit marble, plus marble staircases leading three floors to the top, and two glass-walled elevators. The Portofino and Amalfi dining rooms are a deck below, the Capri below that.

Stairwells are decorated with original paintings, watercolors, collages and silk screens in styles from representational to abstract. Most would look nice on your living room wall, and in fact passengers can buy anything that appeals to them — and which they can afford. American artists are particularly well represented. The art is shown against plain, simulated wood paneling.

Dining room service is attentive and efficient. The menus include a vegetarian selection and a number of dishes “always available,” including broiled salmon, sirloin steak and grilled skinless chicken. The Healthy Choice Menu features dishes that are low in cholesterol, fat and sodium, but high in flavor.

Cabins are low-key in décor. Typically they combine a blue carpet with a trace of a pattern, with draperies and bedspread in muted light blue and light gold patterns. Located at right angles to the entry are the bathroom, and opposite that, a 6-foot-long open closet. A stack of shelves is also located in this area.

Furnishings in our Capri deck cabin included a barrel chair, a desk and chair, bedside stands, each with five drawers and a shelf, and a small refrigerator. The balcony, sporting four chairs, a table and low stool, was approximately 9 feet long. As on the public decks, the panel below the railing was tinted glass, so nothing impedes the view. This will be a big plus for summer cruises in Alaska.

The 502 outside cabins with private balconies measure from 215- to 255-square feet (including the 72-square feet balconies), while the 299 standard outside cabins measure 165 to 210-square feet. The 366 inside cabins are 160-square feet.

Princess president Philip Kleweno said at a shipboard press conference that over time the line will look at all itineraries for the Star Princess, but for the next year or so it is committed to Mexico and Alaska. Hawaii may be included in some future Los Angeles-Vancouver repositioning voyages. In May, the ship will instead go via San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco and Seattle.

Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours, noted that the Star “allows us to reach a broader demographic for Alaska,” appealing to the family market with kids’ space and affordable balconies.

Dean Brown, executive vice president for customer service and sales, added that big as it is, the ship will be alongside a dock at all ports and there will be no tenders. Alaska dock facilities are better than many in the Caribbean, he said.

Somehow, after a day or so aboard, ports seemed superfluous. Of course, that’s the point: the ship is indeed the “star” of this show.

Travel Agents Rate a Star
Princess’ top 75 travel agencies, the iExcel group, were all represented on the final preview cruise of the Star Princess. Those agents Travel Trade talked with agreed that the ship is very much like its predecessors, it doesn’t feel like a huge vessel and they like its muted décor.

Richard Molander, president & CEO of Travel of America, West Covina, CA, said that he was never aware of a crowd and didn’t sense the size of the ship, except in the corridors of the passenger cabin decks. And, with so many things going on, he didn’t see mass movement, such as from the dining room to the show room, as on many other ships.

Similarly, Gary Pollard, CTC, managing director of Ambassador Tours, San Francisco, said, “No matter where you went, you felt you were in a private area, not caught up in the hustle and bustle.”

He applauded Princess for “not trying to funnel you through a particular area,” such as the atrium or the promenade. He appreciated the fact there was “nothing intrusive” in the shipboard art or décor, so he could “feel comfortable everywhere.”

The agents were gratified that Princess has brought such an impressive vessel to the West Coast. Molander said he was “excited to have it in L.A. when we need good press, and we’ve gotten a lot already.” He felt the ship will be a “nice introduction for first-timers,” helping to build the business. He expects the majority will be from the West, at least for the Mexico cruises.

Pollard said that bringing a ship of this caliber and quality to the West Coast will have an impact on travel patterns, especially now that many people are hesitant to fly. With its shows, casinos and lounges, the Star Princess will compete with Las Vegas in terms of both attraction and value, he said. He rated the ship’s big new stage shows as “outstanding.”

Rhonda Holguin, general manager of Montrose Travel, Montrose, CA, used superlatives like “gorgeous” and “marvelous” in describing the ship. Like other agents, she was conscious of the ship’s massive size only in the passenger cabin corridors. She found the multitude of art works, the color scheme and the (simulated) wood paneling in the stairwells and the Explorers Lounge to be “beautiful and tasteful.” Thanks to the absence of pillars, there are almost no bad seats in the show rooms, she added.

Montrose Travel has a honeymoon division that also sells anniversary and romantic getaways. Holguin sees great potential for using the Star’s attractive wedding chapel to sell shipboard weddings in Southern California. For another market she added, “I’m pleased that Princess invested the time, energy and space for children so we can all encourage families to cruise.”