Writer Ann Bieri based this independent review on her 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Sailing since 2002, the still-blushing Star Princess entices you to follow your bliss. Succumb to a hot rock massage, learn to line dance, bid on fine art, sample select wines -- all on the same day. Fourteen bars and a dozen pools and hot tubs let you sip and soak to your heart’s content. Will it be rum and reggae on Sun Deck, or tea and a string quartet in the marble atrium? Casino or disco in the wee hours? Choices abound on this amenity-rich ship. Bring your aunt, a bevy of your best pals, or your significant other. Star makes a luminary of every guest.

Why Star Princess?

• Entertainment extraordinaire: Stages in three theaters excite enthusiastic applause from packed houses every night. Impressive song and dance productions performed by the ship’s own troupe transport you to Broadway, and visiting magicians and stand-up comics amuse all ages.
• Anytime dining: The option to forgo traditional fixed seating allows diners to meet different tablemates every night while sampling all of the ship’s restaurants. You can still dress to the hilt for formal night, or keep your shorts on at the 24-hour buffet.
• Wet and somewhat wild: Thanks to bars and lounges at every elbow, libations flow liberally. Younger revelers stay under control, however, taking late-night partying to the space-age Skywalker’s Nightclub, leaving hallways and rooms so quiet you’ll wonder if everyone abandoned ship while you slept.

Who should go
From iPod bearers in board shorts to hearing-aid wearers in wheelchairs, a range of ages feels at ease on this cruise. Families spanning several generations are common, as are affable groups of college grads, recent empty-nesters, and the newly or long retired. Gay and lesbian travelers will find Friends of Dorothy meetings listed in the daily Princess Patter newsletter. Just about anyone who wants the stress taken out of travel will enjoy the Caribbean waters in winter and European cities in summer.

Who shouldn’t go
Those who wince at corny jokes and prefer educational lectures to cabaret acts probably would be happier on a different type of cruise. At full capacity the ship can carry upwards of 2,600 passengers -- waiting for elevators or standing in line to get on or off ship on port days can cause impatience. Food is consistently good, but diners who expect only topnotch cuisine may be disappointed.

Hits and misses
Don’t miss: The first evening send-off party as the ship sets sail into -- or away from, as the case may be -- the sunset is highlighted by live music, waiters plying drinks, and infectious laughter and camaraderie from fellow passengers.
Best part of the ship: The open-air Neptune’s Pool and Reef is filled with pool paddlers, hot tubbers, and sun loungers, most with drink in hand, saying ah, this is the life…
Best experience: Experience a European facial or full-body massage at the immaculate Japanese-themed Lotus Spa. For total relaxation, follow it up with a session in the sauna or steam room.
Best shipboard activities: The nightly entertainment -- whether you’re a participant (karaoke crooner) or observer (stage productions).
Needs improvement: Weak and watery, the java will send the espresso aficionado into convulsions. Unfortunately there’s no coffeehouse, but all the bars will pull a basic cappuccino or latte, for a price.
Activities to skip: The galley tour -- acres of scrubbed stainless steel take two minutes to walk past, then you’re hit with sales of cookbooks and mugs.

How to meet the captain
The captain conducts up to four weddings a day, so if you happen to be waiting for a computer class held during the day at Tequila’s -- the restaurant adjoining the wedding chapel -- you’re likely to find yourself standing next to him for a moment or two of conversation. Otherwise, join the throngs as he gives his address on first formal night from one of the atrium balconies. Captain’s Circle members have cocktail privileges.

Click to view a virtual tour

Portofino, Capri, and Amalfi (main dining rooms)
Curving rails and subtle tiers carve the three grand dining rooms into convivial spaces. Portofino and Capri are the two Personal Choice venues, open from 5:30 to 10 PM; while Amalfi caters only to traditional assigned seating, at 6 and 8:15 PM. All three feature the same menu and elegant atmosphere -- that of white tablecloths, sparkling glass and brass, and crisply jacketed wait staff. Despite the Italian nomenclature, entrées range from beef Wellington to rock Cornish hen to Hawaiian mahi mahi; most are satisfactory, a few outstanding. To deter the cruise adage of a pound a day weight gain, a permanent healthy choice menu offers low-carb wines, vegetarian selections, and always available favorites such as broiled salmon, grilled skinless chicken, and the invincible shrimp cocktail.

Sabatini’s
Intimate tables and attentive service make this Italian trattoria the most romantic destination on formal night. For the $20 outlay, all you need to choose is the secondi (main course). A steady but impeccably spaced parade of antipasti will be yours for the choosing, including prosciutto and melon, white anchovies, steamed mussels, and caviar. After the last possible bite of silky pannacotta, you’ll find yourself groaning from pleasurable excess.

Tequila’s Sterling Steakhouse
This specialty restaurant will set you back $15 for an excellent steak. Choose from a New York strip (with or without the bone), 14-ounce ribeye, 10-ounce filet mignon, or hearty 22-ounce porterhouse. Vegetarians can hook the fish special. Paintings of red sandstone arches and flowers à la Georgia O’Keeffe attest to the Southwestern theme. Bring your date after dinner for a margarita at the bar and slow dance to the soft-toned Melodics.

Horizon Court
You can’t go wrong at this 24-hour buffet, breakfasting on fresh watermelon and pineapple, cereals, pancakes, pastries, eggs any style, bacon, various sausages, and more. Lunch always features hot dishes, soups, and cold cuts. Evening specialties might include a sushi bar or homemade ice cream. The salad bar is decent, and bread and dessert selections always plentiful.

Other dining options

• Prego’s Pizzeria: For a quick best bet, grab a slice of the pizza of the day from this poolside counter. Daily standards are the meatless margherita and a pepperoni. Watch the pie makers toss and twirl the dough.
• Trident Grill: Right by Prego’s is Trident Grill, where hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries are yours for the asking. Lines form for these all-American faves.
• Egg Station: The chef slides out omelets-to-order most mornings between 7 and 10 AM; about eight rather ordinary ingredients make up your choices. Locations change.
• Sundae’s: Sadly not free even for kids, you’ll have to pay $1.50 for two scoops of ice cream; toppings are 25¢ extra. Rev up with a Shaken Jamaican Milkshake or Red Bull Float for $3.75.
• Afternoon tea: Can’t make it till supper? Endless cups of tea, savory finger sandwiches, and bite-size cakes will tide you over in Portofino, between 3:30 and 4:30 PM daily.
• Room service: Free room service is available 24 hours per day. Service is fast, though menu options are limited. A small tip is appreciated, though not required. To enjoy a continental breakfast delivered to your room, fill out the breakfast card left daily on your pillow and hang on your door before bed.

Heard on the deck: “All I plan to do all week is EAT.”

Best dining

• Dish: Tequila’s brie-and-papaya quesadilla with a delicate green cilantro sauce enchants both the eye and palate. The tender filet mignon topped with red peppercorns and a sprig of fresh rosemary goes down easy, too.
• Dessert: Surprisingly, the sugar-free desserts in the main dining rooms are scrumptious; the ricotta crepes, Chantilly swan, and strawberry mousse will please even sugar lovers.
• Restaurant: Sabatini’s reigns, complete with personable wait staff from Italy.
• Food seminar: Cooking With Mario in the Princess Theater turns out to be more of a stand-up comedy routine. The fruit-and-vegetable carving demonstration is more practical, even if you don’t get to wield a knife.

How to…

• Get a table for two: Reserve a window table at Sabatini’s a couple of days in advance. If you don’t mind eating fairly late, you can probably reserve a smaller table for just the two of you in one of the main dining rooms.
• Celebrate a birthday/anniversary: Let the ship’s staff know when you register that a special night is at hand and a singing waiter and personalized cake will be yours. You can also inform the maître d’ after you board.
• Change seating: Call the dining reservation line or the purser’s desk for hassle-free changes.
• Dress for formal night: Sport coats and ties are fine for men, cocktail dresses or pant suits for women. Photographers will snap your portrait at varied backdrops, so don the tux and velvet if you wish.
• Dress for casual night: Shorts are not allowed in the dining rooms, but after minimal clothing all day it’s a pleasure to slip on a skirt or Hawaiian shirt to meet your tablemates.

Tips:

• Those wanting traditional assigned seating must request it at, or shortly after, booking. Don’t wait too long -- since most prefer anytime dining, assigned dinner times are limited.
• Head to the Capri or Portofino dining rooms a few minutes before 6 PM, or well after 7:30 PM. During those times lines will snake and standers grumble, albeit sociably.
• Groups can ensure sitting together without waiting in line by calling 3463 to reserve a table at either Capri or Portofino; but unless you insist otherwise, you will typically be assigned to either 6 or 8 PM.
• Tequila’s (and often Sabatini’s) is not usually filled. Even though reservations are supposedly required, you might easily show up and get a table for two or four.
• Breakfast in the 24-hour buffet is packed between 8 and 9:30 AM, leaving empty indoor seating scarce. Be prepared to take your plate poolside or share a table.
• Some Portofino waiters keep straight faces while good-naturedly teasing their repeat customers. If you decline dessert you just might be brought an empty plate with “Nothing” written in chocolate icing.

Heard on the deck (in a crowded elevator): “We can squeeze in this many now, but wait until the end of the week!”

Each standard inside or oceanview cabin features a comfortable queen-size bed (separable into two twins) flanked by bedside tables; an upholstered reading chair; round side table; refrigerator under the color TV (a dozen channels were available in the Caribbean); and a desk with telephone, outlets for laptops or rechargeable battery packs, and a wall-mounted hair dryer (not exactly the most intuitive location). Tall, narrow closets feature plenty of wooden hangers and shelves (one of which holds the mini safe). Designer Grohe fixtures jazz up the cozy but inviting bathroom, which contains a shower (no tub), angled toilet, and generous sink with shelves. Amenities include a basket holding shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion; a retractable clothes line in the shower; and a hot water button to prevent accidental scalding in the shower. Rooms are cleaned twice a day, and damp towels are always replaced. Before bed, sheets are turned down and chocolates du jour are left on your pillow.

The vast majority of cabins look out on the water -- a good thing since room décor is ho-hum. One entire deck is devoted to minisuites, and 710 oceanview cabins have private balconies. Even the smallest balcony is roomy enough for two lounge chairs and a table. Stepped-back decks mean people on upper floors can look right down into the lower balconies, so if sunbathing au naturel is your goal, choose a higher location.

Cabins for guests with disabilities
Princess boasts an award-winning program for accommodating persons with disabilities. Star designates 23 cabins to meet the needs of guests in wheelchairs, providing close proximity to elevators, larger doorways, wheel-in showers, bath distress alarms, lowered sinks, and more. Service dogs are allowed with prior permission from the cruise line. The hearing impaired can request a room kit containing a TDD text telephone, visual smoke alarm, door knock sensor, and other items. Accessible cabins are available in standard inside and oceanview, balcony, and mini-suite categories, and all major public rooms onboard are designed for easy maneuverability.

Tips:

• When the ship is full, as it often is, upgrades are not an option. Try your hand before departure date.
• Beach towels come with the cabin, saving you some luggage space.
• A 1.5-liter bottle of spring water in the cabin will set you back $2.75 if you open it. Bring your own bottle and refill it at the fitness center drinking fountain.
• Room service is speedy and available 24 hours -- and just what the doctor ordered when some down time is required.

Bars, lounges, and casino
Lions and zebras roam the carpet of the Explorer’s Lounge. Guarded by a gilded statue of King Tut, the stage constantly buzzes with afternoon art auctions and evening karaoke and theme parties. If you don’t mind cigar smoke and football on the telly while you knock back a beer, the snug Shooter’s Cigar Bar, hidden away just beyond the casino, is the place for you. The half-moon Tradewinds bar on Sun Deck is also smoker-friendly. Choosing the drink of the day at any lounge will help lower your bar tab. While atrium music wafts into the library, it’s hushed enough to sit and read, send e-mail, or listen to books on CD (CDs and headsets are supplied free).

The user-friendly Grand Casino (for ages 21 and older) is packed with dozens of slot and video poker machines as well as tables touting roulette, blackjack, craps, and Caribbean stud poker. Take free lessons if you’re a novice; enter the blackjack sweepstakes if you’re not. To avoid crowds at your favorite table, try your luck when most folks are noshing in the dining halls. The action really picks up after 11 PM, but so does the smoke. A small video arcade at the entrance is open to all ages. Bingo and wooden horse racing offer daily gambles in the Vista Lounge.

Swimming pools
The two largest pools dominate Lido Deck: Sun-soaked Neptune pulsates to the live Caribbean steel drum rhythms of B Sharp, while parents with young children gravitate toward the glass-enclosed Calypso pool. Fitness buffs swim against the current in the quieter Lotus Spa pool, while the aft Terrace pool often hosts impromptu parties. Hot tubs adjoin them all. On windy or rough swell days, the pools slosh dramatically with waves -- while exciting for kids, care should be exercised. Poolside lounge chairs are generally claimed before breakfast; all are occupied midday by tanners on one side and those dozing in the shade on the other.

Heard on the deck (at the pool): “I’ll grab the chairs and you get the Fuzzy Navels.”

Shows
Princess prides itself on its shows. Dance! incorporates imaginative sets and dazzling pyrotechnics -- routines range from car-hopping ‘50s greasers to graceful Indonesian-style scarf twirlers. If Sarge, “the best comic you’ve never heard of,” takes the stage, don’t miss his truly funny send ups. The Broadway Revue also fills seats quickly.

Largest of the performance halls, the plush red Princess Theater garners a full house for the 8:15 PM performance, generally less so for the repeat 10 PM slot. If you want a good seat arrive at least 15 minutes before show time. The gently tiered Vista Lounge offers more intimate seating with small glass tables set between comfy love seats. Take in everything from bingo to Broadway here. Recently released films are shown in one or the other every afternoon.

Shore excursions
Couldn’t decide which shore excursion to book online before your cruise? Stop by the atrium tour desk and get the inside scoop from the staff. Complete listings are posted from day one, with sold-out tours indicated. Particularly popular Caribbean tours, such as swimming with dolphins on Tortola, go fast. Tour guides hold up signs to cluster the disembarking crowds. Be prepared to stand and wait for the complete group and/or your bus, sometimes up to 20 minutes. Bring a small pack or tote for a water bottle, light snack, and the beach towel from your cabin, if appropriate. Photo ID as well as your ship card is required for getting back on the boat.

Weddings and vow renewals
Design your ceremony and book months in advance for the cozy Hearts and Minds chapel. Swan-motif, stained-glass panels take the place of windows, while beribboned columns and fresh flowers add ambience. The wedding consultant will arrange everything from a pianist to play the wedding march on the white baby grand piano to a photographer to capture the event on film.

Looking for…

• Quietest spot: The shadowy Internet café -- especially when only a few of the 20 or so computer stations work. The click of fingers on keyboards is all you’ll hear.
• Liveliest spot: The Promenade level Explorer’s Lounge constantly hums with art auctions and trivia quizzes. At night, you’ll find karaoke contests, country/western and ‘50s parties here, or the soulful Onlyne dance band (that entices even shy persons to get up and two-step).
• Most popular spot: The curved drink counter opposite the Tradewind’s bar is covered with scantily clad adults -- sitting on, not at, the counter which overlooks the pool below.
• Best view: Cantilevered 150 feet over the water, the far-out Skywalker’s Nightclub provides uninterrupted floor-to-ceiling views of the ocean during daylight hours.
• Best show: Most passengers enjoy all of the full-bore, song-and-dance productions in the cavernous Princess Theater.
• Best drink: Not your usual gin and olive, the Toasted Almond martini soothes post-karaoke vocal chords with an oh-so-sweet mixture of vodka, kahlua, amaretto, Bailey’s, and cream.

Tips:

• To surprise the folks back home, get a tattoo. Realistic but only airbrushed, your choice of design runs $8-10 and lasts up to a week if you don’t scrub it off. The tattoo artist plies her trade most afternoons next to Sundae’s, by the Calypso pool.
• Deck lounge chairs aren’t supposed to be reserved for more than 30 minutes, but if you want one, you’ll need to claim it with the striped beach towel from your cabin before you head to breakfast. Keep track of that beach towel, though, as you’ll pay a fee if it goes walkabout.
• Before noon, Bloody Marys at select bars will set you back only $3.
• Special Internet rates can go as low as 35¢ per minute, which makes it not much of a deal to buy a $10.50, 30-minute wireless access card for your laptop which you can only use in the bustling atrium area.
• The library computers often work when the ones in the Internet Café don’t.
• Bring your cowboy boots and other country/western paraphernalia for theme nights.
• Judging by the number of unassisted users of motorized wheelchairs, accessibility seems adequate, even over promenade doorways with angled steel thresholds.

Lotus Spa
Tucked away discreetly on the 15th floor, the Steiner-operated spa greets you with soft Asian-look carpet and gleaming marble. Staff at the front counter is prompt and courteous. The darkened waiting room offers pitchers of water infused with fresh fruit, and private treatment tables are draped with Indonesian batik fabrics. Treat yourself at the very least to a $44 manicure or $109 anti-aging facial. Be prepared for a product sales pitch; your no thanks, however, is politely accepted. Couples can rejuvenate not only their skin but their relationship with the aid of herbal clay and aromatherapy oils in the thermal grotto for two ($83 for 60 minutes). Great deals are yours on port days; return early from sightseeing and get up to $70 off massages. Specials are listed in the daily Princess Patter newsletter.

Fitness center
While not super spacious, the fitness center is airy and odor-free. Eleven treadmills and seven elliptical trainers give you a front and center view of the wide ocean through a sweeping wall of windows. As other cruise ships ply to the side you’ll feel you’re racing as your feet pick up speed. Machines and free weights look new and spotless. A separate soundproof aerobics studio holds classes, and personal trainers and fitness packages are available. Fitness continues on Sports Deck, with a nine-hole putting green, ping-pong tables, a paddle tennis court, and an outdoor chess set with knee-high pieces that vie for action with ever-popular shuffleboard. Virtual golf under the eye of a coach will help you keep your swing in shape for $20 per half hour.

Tips:

• Sign up a day ahead for 30-60 minutes on the treadmill of your choice. Mornings are the most crowded times.
• Pilates, yoga, and spin classes are offered daily, for a fee. Sign up in advance. Hip-hop and other dance lessons may be free.
• Free seminars cover everything from weight loss to cellulite reduction. Complimentary cosmetics are yours for attending beauty seminars.
• Clean towels and lockers in the dressing rooms are readily available.

Heard on the deck: “At the beginning of the cruise I took the stairs every day. Now I’m the elevator man.”

Boutiques beckon around the atrium with tax- and duty-free bargains. Calypso Cove is the place to get pastel casual clothing, kids’ stuffed animals, liquor, cigarettes, candy bars, and toiletries. Across the atrium lies Meridian Bay, purveyor of Fossil brand handbags and sunglasses and formal wear such as women’s shawls and men’s tuxedo shirts. One level below, Essence smells like the fragrance-only store it is, while Facets next door reels in window shoppers with its colorful Murano glass fish and Lladró figurines.

Tips:

• Want the inside scoop on the best duty-free diamond and liquor deals? Attend the port shopping talk for tips such as where and when to bargain. Products bought on shore from guaranteed stores will be delivered directly to your cabin.
• Freebie lovers, sit close to the stage at port talks: The speaker throws hats, T-shirts, color-changing rings, and more out into the audience.
• Bottles of liquor purchased onboard or on shore are held for you until the last night of the cruise.
• If you can’t attend the port shopping talk, don’t worry -- it plays repeatedly on the Princess TV channel.

Families can rest assured that their kids will be entertained and supervised in either the Fun Zone, for children ages 3-12, or the Off Limits lounge, for teens 13-17. The latter features a giant-screen TV, cool designer chairs and tables, and cushy curved couches -- one in plush pink with a back that goes all the way to the ceiling. Age-appropriate activities might include arts and crafts, ping-pong tournaments, pizza parties, video games, card games, karaoke, and disco parties. The youth centers are open 9 AM to 1 AM, closing noon to 2 PM for lunch, and 5-7 PM for dinner.

Star Princess sails to the Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean in winter, where beaches, snorkeling, and duty-free shopping are emphasized. Take the ship to Europe in summer for hassle-free visits to cities, castles, and alpine splendor. Scandinavia, St. Petersburg, Iceland, Greenland, Switzerland, and the British Isles are some of Star’s destinations.

Heard on the deck: “He said he didn’t find the passage all that rough. He must’ve been in the Navy.”

• Cruise line - Princess
• Ship name - Star Princess
• Type of cruise - Elegant Resort
• Total cabins - 1301
• Private balcony cabins - 707
• Decks - 14
• Total crew - 1200
• Passenger capacity - 2600
• Ship size - Large
• Officers nationality - British/Italian
• Year entered service - 2002
• Registry - Bermuda
• Tonnage - 109,000
• Ship length - 951