Just back from the Emerald!!

[DWALL]

This was my family's 18th cruise, 1st with Princess. Other cruises have been with RCCL, HAL, NCL, CCL, DCL, and Commodore. In a word, this one was -spectacular!!
It began with our flight on Southwest to Ft. Lauderdale the day before our cruise. I had accumulated lots of free drink vouchers which put the 10 out of 19 in our group on that flight all into a cruise vacation frame of mind. The hour and a half flight was good, as was the shuttle to the Hyatt Place, Airport North.
We had arrived before check-in time, which put us coming in while the crowds of Saturday cruisers were coming out. So the hotel staff secured our luggage and we set out to explore the Harbor Shops just around the corner. We found, to our delight, a great little place called Joe's Cafe and were made to feel right at home. The food and service were great and the prices were very reasonable.
Later, back at the hotel we found our accomodations, well, very accomodating. Clean, well appointed, and comfortable. They have great beds!! So it was off to the pool to relax and digest the great lunch and anticipate tomorrow.
Another visit to Joe's for banana splits was a nice way to end the day.
After a good night's sleep, we came down to the lobby to find it overwhelmed with anxious guests. So we opted to walk over to Joe's Cafe for breakfast. Great choice- Again!
We chose to pass on the free shuttle to the port because of the crowd, and spend the ten dollars for a cab ride to the port which proved to be a wise choice. The wait and the ride took less than ten minutes.
We arrived at the terminal around 11 am. Crowded!! We were too early. But at about 12:15 our number was called and we were on the ship in about 15 minutes.
Our inside cabin, D511, which was already prepared for us was just as advertised. Small, but comfortable, with exceptional closet and storage space. So we dropped off our things and headed up to the Lido to eat our first of many excellent meals.
We found the food and service to be good to excellent in all of the dining venues, with the meal at Sabatini's topping the list. (More later) We had chosen traditional early seating with our group of 19 and were seated at three separate tables being served by the same waiter. Jose and Laura were great as servers. No problems. Since escargot did not appear on the menu all week, he even arranged for us to have some at our second formal dinner- yummy! It was my parents 50th anniversary, so they brought out a little cake and sang for us too. It was very nice.
The shows and entertainment were the weak spot on this cruise, with most being OK at best. But a couple of the comedians redeemed the week's schedule with a few of their performances.
Just a few words on the 4 ports we called on.
Pricess Cays- The tendering operation was the negative about this port. Too many people for too few tenders. It took an hour and a half to get off! Once you were on the island it was great. But this was now overshadowed by the tendering process back to the ship. Not good!!
St. Maarten- We docked and enjoyed the water taxi ride to downtown. $6 roundtrip. The bracelet they provided allowed you back on the taxi as many times as you wished to ride. Be ready for some vendors on the beach but it wasn't bad.
St. Thomas- We took the $9 per person cab ride over to the $4 per person beach day at Maagen's Bay. WOW!! The water was beautiful and the scenery was great! The food at the little counter service restaurant was overpriced but sufficient for the day. We had arranged for our cab driver to come back and get us in the afternoon and he arrived 10 minutes early to get us. After a little shopping, it was back to the ship.
Grand Turk- Margaritaville is the main attraction here. If that's not your thing you do better to stay onboard. Its a very small island with little to offer without the Jimmy Buffett MegaPlex. Giant, winding pool, plenty drinks and loud music and partying.
Sea days onboard were very relaxing with an array of activities. Bingo, pool games, trivia, wine tasting, lectures, etc.
The MUTS (Movies Under the Stars) was a nice feature. Comfortable lounge chairs, cookies and milk, popcorn, pizza, a nice variety in movies. What's not to like?
Sabatini's- This meal was the best of the trip. The meal was presented with your choice of entree, but everything else was brought out automatically. Antipasti, Fried calamari, 2 pastas, about 12 things in all, then entrees, Lobster, scallops, veal, giant prawns. Then dessert. Fabulous!!
Disembarkation was typical. Colored luggage tags provided the night before allowed for some organization. No real problems getting off except for the sadness that comes at the end of every cruise.
Overall impression was- A beautiful ship,
Very good service by a great crew,
Great food,
One of the better cruises we have taken.

[Magellan321]

Thanks for the great review!

[queenbead]

Great review! thanks for sharing

[bhopal21]

Thanks for the great review. I will be on The Emerald myself in February.

Mike

[GTO-Girl]

We will also be first time Princess cruisers aboard the Emerald in less than 3 wks!!!!!

Your great review makes me even more excited!!!

[Treven]

Was the Astoria String Quartet still on the Emerald? They were one of the groups playing every evening in the Piazza when I was on the Emerald last spring; I really enjoyed their entertainment.

[morgiemoo]

Thank you so much for the great review. My family and I have sailed on Princess 7 times, and in Novemeber it will be 8th cruise our first time on The Emerald. I am looking forward to it (can't come soon enough) I'm glad you enjoyed Princess like we have, that's why we have not tried another Cruise Line. Sorry your trip had to come to an end.

[Texcruise]

We like you went on Princess for the first time after cruising on another line . Now we only sail on Princess.....so glad you had a wonderful time. Welcome to Princess!!

[awhcruiser]

We loved the Emerald so much last April we are sailing her again in 2011...Can't get here fast enough...

[Stacey779]

Thanks so much for your review! We're going on this same itinerary in a few months, and I've been trying to figure out a good strategy for Princess Cays. You said it took a while to get off the ship because of the tendering process, but I'm wondering what time you were trying to do this. I guess I'm trying to decide if we should try to get off the ship as soon as we pull in, or if I should wait an hour or two and then try to take the tender over. Do you think the lines would be shorter if we wait, or if we try the early bird strategy?

[Whimsy]

Originally Posted by Stacey779

Thanks so much for your review! We're going on this same itinerary in a few months, and I've been trying to figure out a good strategy for Princess Cays. You said it took a while to get off the ship because of the tendering process, but I'm wondering what time you were trying to do this. I guess I'm trying to decide if we should try to get off the ship as soon as we pull in, or if I should wait an hour or two and then try to take the tender over. Do you think the lines would be shorter if we wait, or if we try the early bird strategy?

We have always been on the early tenders, usually the 2nd or 3rd and never had more than a short wait in the theatre. Excellent choice of loungers this way too.

[Whimsy]

DWALL, thank you for an exellent review. We really enjoyed the Emerald last year.

[chloedmom]

DWALL - just curious you mentioned 11am arrival at the port was too early. Did you have to stand outside the building or were you allowed in to sit down? It's been 10 years since I cruised out of Port Everglades so really don't remember the setup.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[funeralbabe]

Thanks for the great review, I will be on the Emerald on 11/29. I am also staying at the Hyatt Place and just wondering what there is to do around there, is there shopping and restaurants within walking distance? You also mentioned that you took a taxi to the port, was there a specified time that the hotel was shuttling people or was it as you wished to go?
Thanks in advance,
Heather

[DWALL]

Originally Posted by Treven

Was the Astoria String Quartet still on the Emerald? They were one of the groups playing every evening in the Piazza when I was on the Emerald last spring; I really enjoyed their entertainment.

The quartet in the Piazza was the Polonia and they were very good.
The Piazza entertainers were Vladimir and Eleana also very good.

[Amcdon]

Thanks for your review. I can't wait until I sail on Dec. 20th!

[DWALL]

Originally Posted by Stacey779

Thanks so much for your review! We're going on this same itinerary in a few months, and I've been trying to figure out a good strategy for Princess Cays. You said it took a while to get off the ship because of the tendering process, but I'm wondering what time you were trying to do this. I guess I'm trying to decide if we should try to get off the ship as soon as we pull in, or if I should wait an hour or two and then try to take the tender over. Do you think the lines would be shorter if we wait, or if we try the early bird strategy?

Going over early would be better by what we saw, however coming back is still a long wait.

[DWALL]

Originally Posted by chloedmom

DWALL - just curious you mentioned 11am arrival at the port was too early. Did you have to stand outside the building or were you allowed in to sit down? It's been 10 years since I cruised out of Port Everglades so really don't remember the setup.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

The places to sit were all gone by 11:30 ish. But then the numbers started being called just after 12. So it really was not that bad. I only saw maybe 50 people standing for 15-20 minutes. And they were mostly young folks like me who gave up their chairs for the seniors among us.

[DWALL]

Originally Posted by funeralbabe

Thanks for the great review, I will be on the Emerald on 11/29. I am also staying at the Hyatt Place and just wondering what there is to do around there, is there shopping and restaurants within walking distance? You also mentioned that you took a taxi to the port, was there a specified time that the hotel was shuttling people or was it as you wished to go?
Thanks in advance,
Heather

The Hyatt is an excellent choice. The Harbor Shops shopping area is the equivalent of about two city blocks away. Be sure to give Joe's Cafe a visit, even if its for the banana split. The shopping area has a grocery store and plenty of various shops all in easy walking distance. There is a sports type bar also but we did not try it out. We saw others watching football and having a good time.

[DWALL]

Originally Posted by funeralbabe

Thanks for the great review, I will be on the Emerald on 11/29. I am also staying at the Hyatt Place and just wondering what there is to do around there, is there shopping and restaurants within walking distance? You also mentioned that you took a taxi to the port, was there a specified time that the hotel was shuttling people or was it as you wished to go?
Thanks in advance,
Heather

The shuttle was great from the airport to the hotel beacause of the trickle of people arriving. However, the majority of the people staying at the Hyatt are going on a cruise, thus they all need to go to the port. And by and large, most are ready to go around 10:30 or so. Check out is not until 12 noon, so you could wait. A few in our party did wait and the wait was only about thirty minutes for them. The Hyatt says that the shuttle is on a first-come first-served basis, but when there are over fifty people in the lobby, that policy is hard to enforce. I'll try to attach a photo.