A HUGE Ship with a Diverse Crew and GREAT Itinerary
Written: Feb 18 '07 (Updated Feb 19 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great embarkation, BEST entertainment, wonderful ANYTIME DINING, never felt like there were 3K+ people
Cons: Disembarkation confusing, worst traffic design in the buffet cafes, extremely small showers
The Bottom Line: Great introduction to cruising, meet diverse people, travel to several destinations for a great price. Not for those who don't like to stand in line for anything.
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| biffswhiskers's Full Review: Crown Princess |
This was our 1st experience with Princess Cruises but our 6th cruise adventure. We were on the Feb 3,2007 Southern Carribbean departure covering, St.Thomas, St. Kitts, Grenada, Bonaire, and Aruba. None of the ports required tenders for getting to a port (a big plus!). For a one week cruise we only had 1 day at sea. I suggest spending at least one overnight in San Juan to gain some experience there. There wasn't enough time for us due to flight connections.
Important note: We did not purchase transfer coupons from Princess. Instead we hired a taxi to/from the ship. San Juan has a wonderful system just outside the terminal. Look for the girls in orange tops. They will log your destination and number of bags and give you a receipt to give to your taxi driver. $21.50 for two people & 4 pcs. of luggage (one way). We gave $28. to inc. tipping. No meters involved. Fast and courteous!
1. Make sure to log on to Princess.com to review and reserve your shore excursions in advance as well as the Lotus Spa (especially for your day at sea). This will curtail spending all your time in line on the ship trying to reserve spots that are most likely booked solid. Many passengers took advantage of the locals to make solitary excursions on their own to private beaches. But be sure to allow for lots of time to return to the ship. Private excursions are not covered if you are late missing the boat. We had no problem canceling an excursion (by ship phone to the excursion desk) and crediting our account. (allow at least 24 hours prior to the event).
2. This was our first "Anytime Dining" experience and we loved it. We always preferred eating in either the Michelangelo's or DiVinci Main Dining rooms for breakfast, lunch and dinners. Just be sure to check their hours. We found the service excellent but slower if we ate with a larger group of people. The people were wonderful (both passengers and crew). Sometimes we needed a quick meal and the very professional Italian Maitre gave us a table to ourselves with explicit directions for "quick service". We will miss this type of arrangement on other cruise lines. And please remember to dress neatly..no jeans, bathing suits or cover ups.
3. Experience Sabatini's but remember that they charge an additional $20 per person. Compare main dining menus and the other choice restaurants to see if they are serving the same. Book well in advance on the ship for formal nights as these sell out quickly.
4. After talking with several cruise guests about their experiences with cruise dining, there were various opinions which cruise line was the best. The best way for us to describe our experience with others compared to this Princess ship is to give examples: a.) ham & cheese omelet: Holland America, 1/2" cubes of real ham vs. Princess ham that look like bacon bits. b.) pancakes: HA's, homemade batter vs. P's frozen premade c.) desserts (and this of course is important!) HA's, variety of flavors, textures vs. P's boring whipped cream filled cakes, pastries (but their Love Boat Dream is the BEST! and should be consumed nightly!)P's sorbets were very good too! But if this was our 1st ever cruise, Crown's food overall was very good.
5. The Horizon Cafe: thee worst laid out plan of display and traffic control which made the whole experience want me to try land resorts to cruising. The food was nothing to note (good or bad). It lacked variety and depth. We stuck with main dining as much as possible. IMPORTANT! We found daily FREE ice cream and/or sherbets (3pm) in the Cafe only. Very limited and different kinds of choices but with chocolate, caramel, whipped cream, some toppings. We did not choose the pool deck ice cream bar as there are charges, but they had the normal vanilla and chocolate.
6. Movie under the stars is nice for a relaxed evening. They showed concerts and some movies. The Superbowl was an experience on a screen that big but of course the whole ship wanted to attend that.
7. The bars are very nice and the entertainment is top notch. Five stars to the production shows for exciting costumes, stage designs and talent. Some shows were edgy with a somewhat exotic and seductive tone....WOW! The comedians varied in talent, but comedy is very subjective. British humor is different from American humor, so depending on the audience it varies. Honestly, the best humor is the Honeymoon game, these people are real and most will relate with them.
8. Island experiences: these are personal tastes, but we heard from others and know that each is what you make it. San Juan is filled with history, night life, shopping, etc. St. Thomas is busy, traffic, great shopping, crowded beaches (of the ones we know) but snorkeling in St. Johns in Trunk Bay was one of the best we've been to. Very nice island!Grenada's people are aggressively friendly. We took advantage of purchasing spices from Rosie just outside of the terminal entrance. Especially their vanilla and whole nutmeg. They were bottled and sealed. Be sure to pack in plastic bags and covered with clothing in your check baggage only. Bonaire is a slow, quiet dessert island great for scuba divers. This may be the place for hiring a personal driver to tour the area. Aruba has shopping, good beaches (but can be crowded). Very nice people.
9. The Lotus Spa: what can I say, a massage is the ultimate luxury! The Sanctuary is private area for an additional $10/pp per 1/2 day. If you want quiet with cushy lounges, personal attention, palm plants and soft music, this is the place. If you take advantage of the couples massage in the Sanctuary tent/canopies, I believe you get the bonus of relaxing in the area for no additional charge. Look for discounts in these areas when the ship is in different ports.
10. Ship's crew: We felt they were wonderful. Our cabin steward prepared our room at least 3 times a day with chocolates on the pillows nightly. Friendly but not in your face every moment. Restaurant crew were very very busy but always courteous and friendly. I have to admit, Americans were always polite with please and thank yous and generous smiles. Remember honey attracts bees. This was a very diverse crew and we enjoyed them all! Italians, Romanians, British, Canadians, Philippians, and more!
11. Ship shops are typical. Look for further discounts in the daily newsletter. The best deals for liquor and some perfumes are in the Duty Free San Juan Airport after going through security. There is no limit but very limited choices. Ex: no Grand Marni er
Overall, Crown Princess was a wonderful experience. We would definitely return.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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Epinions.com ID:
biffswhiskers
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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