Just Back from Caribbean Princess June 4 Sailing-What a Ride!

Just got in the house from a week on the Caribbean Princess, June 4-11. Wiped out. Will post a full review shortly, but let me say a few things:

1. This is my second week long cruise on the CB. She is an awesome ship and has only gotten better since June of last year.

2. Tropical Storm Arlene, even her weak side, was no picnic and threw out some major weather and waves.

3. Captain Alan Wilson of the CB is one heluva Captain!

The Monk

Monk - Throw some laundry in the machine, take a quick nap, and post a review for us. We want to hear all about it! Kellie in Texas

Caribbean Princess (CB)-June 4-11, 2005 Sailing

Embarkation:

We got to the pier a bit on the later side around 2PM. The line was short to get in. This was in stark contrast to last year when we got there at peak rush hour around Noon. Opinions will differ, but I prefer the short lines of later check in. Due to some work being done, the CB sailed out of Pier 18 instead of her normal berth at Pier 2 which is right next to the Northport Parking Garage at Port Everglades. I do not believe that this anomaly will be repeated so I will not bore you with the minor inconveniences this caused. Be advised that the current fee to park in either the Northport or Midport Parking Garage is still $84 for the week. My advice is to drop off the luggage with the porters, then park the car in the Northport Parking Garage, go downstairs and into the terminal building.

When you enter the Princess Pier facility, you will be given the Norwalk Virus form to complete which is very short and you will be given the Bahamas immigration form to complete. The Virus one simply has you check Yes or No as to whether, in the last few days, you have had any experiences of, well, you know, problems at either end. Check No and you’re on the ship. Check Yes and say goodbye to your cruise.

A bit of advice for cruisers to come. Regarding the Bahamian immigration form, you are given that form in your pre-cruise package. Save time and fill it out BEFORE you go to the pier. Just so you know, no one at the pier or in the Bahamas ever asked for it, but for some reason, they insist that you fill it out. If no one asks for it, why do they have us fill it out if we’re only going to Princess Cays in the Bahamas?

Anyway, after you fill out those two forms, you proceed into the huge terminal building. You look for the line you need to be in by deck name unless you are in a suite or have Platinum status, in which case you proceed to the special line for top-shelf treatment. Have your cruise tickets, picture ID and Passport/Birth certificate ready. Check in was quick and efficient as we had already registered all info online. They swiped our credit cards, gave us our cruise cards and sent us over to the metal detectors. We past through them and went upstairs on the escalator to the gangway. We were on the ship in 5 minutes from there.

Cabin:

This cruise, we opted for a Mini-Suite on Dolphin Deck, D316. I absolutely loved this cabin. The layout is wonderful. It was more than ample for my Wife, my son (11) and myself. Plenty of room for luggage under the bed, plenty of drawers, plenty of wooden hangers in the closet and storage under the two TV’s. Very comfortable. It had a tub/shower combination and plenty of counterspace next to the sink.

Sailaway:

Spent sailaway at my favorite spot back by Outriggers Bar by the Terrace Pool at a table just steps away from the rear entrance to Café Caribe. Got a huge Strawberry Daquiri and watched Ft. Lauderdale fade away. Don’t know how the Sailaway Party was by the Neptune’s Reef Pool on the Lido Deck since I wasn’t there. I can tell you that the band on the CB now is Tenacity. Last year, it was Deep Blue. I heard Tenacity play 3 times. While they appear to keep the crowd entertained, their lead vocalist reminded me of some contestants with pitch problems on American Idol. More later under Entertainment.

Food:

For me, this was a highlight of the cruise. While I enjoyed the food last year on the CB, I must tell you that Princess has really put forth a great deal of effort in this area and it shows. IMHO they have made dramatic improvements in several areas.

First, in Horizon Court and Café Caribe, I notice that they have hired a Manager who is watching the staff like a hawk. Further, they have "beefed up" their staff. Last year, it was rare to see table attendants clearing plates diligently. Now, there are many attendants roaming the Horizon Court and Café Caribe, clearing plates, asking if you would like a drink including Coke or something from the bar, etc. They are clearing tables fast making more room available.

The Horizon Court now has a great system with omelettes. They have a sign that reads "Omelette Station." You just walk right up, tell them the kind that you want, they write it down on a little receipt they give to you and you then go around and get your other items. They call out when your omelette is ready and you’re good to go. The selection each day up there was tremendous and kept changing. A reminder tip: Get your plate and then head to the Café Caribe to eat as it is far less crowded than the Horizon Court and is much cooler since the giant doors to the pool in Horizon Court let in too much heat.

This cruise, we ate in the Coral Dining Room much more often than last time. It was truly awesome. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, the food and the service simply could not have been better. Event this morning at 7AM when I was in there, on the very last day of the cruise, breakfast was superb. I had a western omelette (I know, what’s with all the omelettes? This guy is going to explode!). I was with 6 others. One had the world famous corn flake encrusted French Toast and said it was to die for. Another (my son) had the pancakes and they were great. Another had lox and bagels which he said were great.

For lunch, I had some New England clam chowder. Let me tell you that I know clam chowder. I had a house on Cape Cod and used to it at the Chatham Squire for those of you in that area of the world. The chowder on the CB was as good as I have ever had. I also had a Reuben that was as good as one at the Carnegie Deli in NYC where I was born and raised.

For dinner, I cannot rave enough. The Caesar salad was great. Those rolls were heavenly and reminded me of the great bread of my youth in NYC. My son loved the always available salmon filet. My Mom had the Prime Rib with baked potato and devoured it. I had the twin lobster tails with vegs. I tell you I could go on and on raving about the food, but not do it justice. While it may sound like I’m easy to please in that area, I assure you that is not the case. The food on the CB on this sailing was awesome, just awesome. Everyone in my party agreed, including my Mother who never has a kind word to say about restaurant food.

The desserts were beyond wonderful. Of course, I had the Love Boat Dream cake, but that was just the beginning! The cheesecake, while not as thick as I like (needing a jackhammer to cut through it) was nonetheless light and delicious. My Mother in Law had the signature souflette and she said it was heavenly. Again, I could go on and on. Suffice to say each one was tremendous.

The service was impeccable. My God, I have never seen a wait staff so well trained or harder working! These guys do not fool around. Absolute poetry in motion. Something not on the menu that you want? Just ask, it’s yours. Tell them that you absolutely loved the Fettucini Alfredo? You’re instantly offered another helping. I think I died and went to heaven. Cudos to the management of the Coral Dining Room. They are doing an excellent job. I never ate at the other Dining Rooms, so I cannot comment.

Regarding Sabatinis, yes, we went. As usual, the food was excellent and the service awesome. I must say that we were all stuffed to the gills. Was it worth the extra $20 per person in light of the level of service available at no additional charge in the Coral Dining Room? If you have never been to Sabatinis before, I would say Yes, it’s worth it. If you have been there before, I would respectfully say No, not as an insult to Sabatinis, but because of the amazingly great service at the Coral. One thing though about the dessert at Sabatinis. That layered Italian spongecake with fresh cream and fruit in between is absolutely, one of the best desserts I have ever had anywhere in my life. If I was to be executed in one hour and had only one thing I could order, it would be a huge cake of that stuff. Unreal!

We did not make it to Sterlings. Sorry.

The pizza at Pregos was excellent, as usual. I was blown away by the Quattro Formaggio pizza (4 cheese pizza. Absolutely delicious. Scoops was also very good, as usual. Enough about food.

Entertainment:

The Piano Man: This is a brand new production show for the CB. They have done away with "Let’s Rock." This new show features the music of such notable piano men as Billy Joel, Elton John, Neil Sedaka, Barry Manilow and Liberace. I watched the entire show from the first note to the end. I must say that, for what it was, a production show on a cruise ship, it was absolutely first rate. No, this is not Broadway quality, but it was extremely well done.

Every song in the show was a number one hit, I am told. Other than the Liberace numbers, I knew every word to every song and I am 44 years old. Of course, I used to manage bands.

The music was all done live by David Pitchfork and the CB Orchestra. The band was in a neat layout, in a "Hollywood Squares" kind of scaffolding set. It was actually quite cool. For the most part, the singing was on key, on pitch and excellent, although there were a few "clinkers" along the way. The dancing was first rate, with some very intricate choreography at times. They even set the Liberace stuff in the context of a spoof on "Chopsticks" with the guys in half white and half black tuxedos. You’ve got to see it for yourself. I loved the very beautiful ladies dancing with lighted candelabra on their heads. Very camp with a great sense of humor. The only one who didn’t like it was my 11 year old son who exclaimed, "This sucks!" I didn’t expect him to like it and it was the one thing he didn’t want to do that I demanded he do on the cruise. I would definitely recommend it if you need to choose between it and Caribbean Caliente, the other production show. No disrespect to the Caliente as I have not seen it. I base my statement on countless reviews from others who have seen it.

Tenacity: I have enormous respect for musicians (hey, that’s not something you hear every day, is it?). Like I said, I used to manage bands. Few people know how hard these people work. Practicing, playing dives, going on the road, getting paid next to nothing, working til 3AM, etc. That being said, I’ve got to say that I found Tenacity wanting. The basic musicianship is there, but guys, the vocals, the vocals, the vocals. Either get this guy to sing on pitch or get rid of him. He’s killing you. Where’s Deep Blue? Enough.

Comedian Troy Thirdgill: This guy is good. "A Black comic from Oregon." Hey, that’s part of his act, not some political incorrectness. We saw him in Explorers the first night of the cruise. Very good material. He had our whole party rolling, including my 11 year old son and my 70 year old Mother. Definitely worth seeing. By the way, for all shows in Explorer’s Lounge, get there at least 30 minutes early or you will not get a seat.

Comedian Ross Bennett: He gets off to a slow start, but don’t leave. It’s part of his shtick. He does a lot of self-depricating humor. His bits about his Father, the Lt. Col., are hilarious. This guy has some "major daddy issues." Very entertaining.

James "The Kid" Michael and Hal Spear, Comedians, were also performing, but I didn’t catch their act.

Bert Stratton was not at Crooners. That was a disappointment as I’ve heard all about him and thought I might finally get to see/hear him. Neil Archer and Ali Adams were playing.

Comedy Juggler Jonathan Stamp. We did not see him this year. He was on the cruise last year and does some great juggling of a chain saw and balancing of a full surf board on his chin. Good for some chuckles.

Comedian Magician James Michael. Did not catch his act.

Sil Vous Plait. House band in Explorer’s Lounge. OK, but the lead singer has some of the same issues as the one in Tenacity in terms of staying on pitch.

Ralph Rubino Trio. Playing now in Wheelhouse Bar. Heard them a couple of times while passing by, but really can’t comment.

Denise Canby Trio. Playing in Wheelhouse Bar. Same deal as Ralph Rubino.

MUTS: Meet the Fockers, The Wedding Date.

During the day, they ran Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Beyonce in concert and the movies, Hard Day’s Night and a midnight showing of Rocky Horror. One night was Kids Night at MUTS, but I don’t know what was playing.

Ports of Call:

Princess Cays: The first stop on our trip. Beautiful and pristine. In excellent shape after being wiped out and reconstructed after the hurricane last year. Nice BBQ starting at 11:30 with burgers, dogs, ribs, fries, macaroni salad, brownies, loads of great fresh fruit, etc. One of the few nice weather days we had.

Montego Bay: We docked in MoBay. I just went ashore and did some shopping. Did no excursions there. Stayed on the ship and chilled.

Grand Cayman. Must tender into Grand Cayman. Had booked "Stingray City" and was really looking forward to it. Then, the rains came. Many early risers got it in, but when our appt. time came, it was really very nasty. Wife and Son wanted no part of it, so we stayed on ship. I know, wet blankets are we.

Cozumel. We docked in Cozumel. Spent the morning shopping at the duty free area, etc. Then, the time came to go to our Dolphin Swim Encounter at the Nature Park. The skies grew more threatening. Took a cab out there, paid admission to the park and checked in. Then, it hit. The rains came on fierce. Since there was some rumbling of thunder, we collectively decided to pack it in and returned to the ship. This was the biggest disappointment of the trip. Yes, many stood and waited it out and probably did it and had a ball, but I have one son and no spares. Call me what you will.

By the way, I’ve got to tell you about this one rather enormous woman in a bike driven "rickshaw" who showed up at the last minute seeking to board the CB in Cozumel. She was "drunk as a skunk." I pity her poor husband. This woman was literally falling down drunk. Her husband, the rickshaw guy, and a Princess staffer had her by the arms, trying to pull her out of that rickshaw. At first, she refused to budge. Then, she tried to get out of it and fell back into it. Then, they all tried to pull her up, got her up and she fell into it again. This was quite a show. I tell you half of our ship was out on our balconies along with those of the Carnival Inspiration docked right next to us for this ridiculous display of wanton drunkenness. They finally got her out of the rickshaw and on her feet. She took 2 steps towards the gangway and, you guessed it, she fell right back down on her "brains." She was screaming and laughing at the top of her lungs the whole time. They finally got her on board. I can only imagine her hangover the next day.

The Weather:

As you all know, we were "blessed" to have the first Tropical Storm of the season hit while we were in Cozumel, Tropical Storm Arlene. Just before we pulled out of port Thursday night, the rains hit while the "last minute Charlies" were racing down the dock towards the ship. It poured and stopped. Poured and stopped. Just before we left port, the Captain came on the loudspeakers, informed everyone about Arlene, and told us his plan to deal with it. We were to head South along the Cozumel coast rather than NW on our normal route and wait for the worst of Arlene to pass. Once she past, we would turn around and take the normal route, missing the worst she had to offer.

We were having a bit of a late dinner that night when the real "rocking and rolling" started. We were up in the Café Caribe finishing our dinner when we started hitting the serious stuff. According to the Report from the Bridge on the ship’s TV channel, the Sea Conditions were "Rough"(7.5 to 12 ft). As we made our way down the hallway towards our cabins on the Dolphin Deck, we found ourselves stumbling like drunks, hitting into one side of the hallway and then another. When we got to our cabin, we went out on the balcony. We saw whitecaps everywhere. Thankfully, the CB is a huge ship with state of the art stabilization. The severity of those waves was definitely being cushioned to a large part due to the CB’s systems.

From that time on, we had periods of smooth sailing in the AM followed by deteriorating conditions in the afternoon and then some serious stuff last night during dinner and during the entire evening and night. From about 5PM until late into the night, we hit some big stuff out there. I went out onto my balcony very late last night and was just amazed by the sheer power of the sea. It was as nasty out there as you can imagine. Sheets of rain, the spray from the ship hitting the waves and that endless sea of whitecaps. The wind was whipping. It was really something to behold. Raw power. How could I see so much, you may be wondering? The lights from the ship are very bright out there. That giant lighted Caribbean Princess sign on the side of the ship was lighting up the sky.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the skills of the Captain. Countless times, it seems as though we were heading into major thunderheads and torrential downpours. You could see them directly ahead. Then, the ship would make course changes and before you knew it, that really foul weather was off to port or starboard. Those people in the bridge were busy and did a magnificent job of keeping us out of the worst of it. Cudos to the Captain and his staff on some great seamanship.

My purpose is just to tell you what happened, not to scare anyone. Lest you think otherwise, I assure you that we were in no danger. That ship is 115,000 tons and is quite impressive. It made for some excitement, but certainly no real fear. The stabilizers did their job. I actually liked it to some extent as it felt like I was in a hammock in my bed. My son loved it. We were being accompanied by the Explorer of the Seas from RCI. I could see it in the distance. I wonder how that monster handled those waves as it’s 145,000 tons.

Disembarking:

The ship arrived on time at Ft. Lauderdale. They started letting people off at 9AM. We didn’t get called until around 11AM. After getting called, it went fast. From the time we got downstairs to midships until the time we got our bags and got outside, I’d say it was about 20 minutes. Of course, that hall where you have to identify and claim your bags is chaos, pure and simple. They put them all out there according to color and you have to wade through thousands. I urge all to put some wild, identifying ribbon on the handles to make it easier to pick out. It reminds me of the scene of the dead and dying in Gone with the Wind.

Overall:

Overall, we loved the CB and the cruise. The weather was an issue, but was, of course, beyond anyone's control and we made the best of it we could. I can’t say enough about the staff and their efforts to make our cruise enjoyable.

The Monk

Monk: Sounds like you had a really great time even if you did rock 'n roll! We're booked for our fourth cruise on Caribbean Princess this September. Being a Bert Stratton fan myself, I'm surprised to hear that he wasn't playing. Any idea what happened?

Marly

It's great to see a positive review - this board lately has been loaded with negative everything - from your review I take it the food was a tad better than Denny,s, the service better than your church funeral luncheon and the entertainment better than your latest grade school review - Happy Sailing - We Love Princess!!!!

Ron

Great review- good to hear so much positive about the food-we had very good food on the Dawn Princess earlier this year. It was always very good, sometimes excellent. Fresh tasting, well presented-personal service.

Monk: Sounds like you had a really great time even if you did rock 'n roll! We're booked for our fourth cruise on Caribbean Princess this September. Being a Bert Stratton fan myself, I'm surprised to hear that he wasn't playing. Any idea what happened?

Marly

Sorry, but I have no clue about what happened to Bert Stratton. I assume he is taking some time off. I have a feeling someone out there reading this will enlighten us as to where he is.

I just love the Caribbean Princess. Now that I have sailed her for the second time, I love that ship even more. It is absolutely beautiful. Just last night, as I was coming out of the Princess Theatre, I looked back at the hallway I had just walked through. The amazing attention to detail, the real wood paneling, the wooden crown molding, the amazing rugs with their intricate design, the neat little alcoves, the murals on the walls, and on and on and on. It is such a beautiful ship made with such an appreciation for the finer things unlike some of the garish ships on other lines with their glitz and neon.

My son had to go to the bathroom the other day during a movie in the Princess Theatre. I walked into that bathroom and thought to myself that it was just about the most beautiful public restroom I had ever seen. Marble everywhere, those incredible triangular sinks, crown molding, top of the line everything. You just don't see that kind of attention to detail these days. It may be insignificant to most, but I appreciate the thought, the work and the care that went into it.

The Monk

We were on the ship with you and totally agree with everything you said. This was our first cruise with Princess. Our previous cruise was with Disney, so our expectations were high. Princess is right up there with Disney (and that is quite a compliment coming from huge Disney fans). Thanks to the Princess employees who made our vacation wonderful!

We were on the Caribbean Princess last Sept and "ran into" Hurricane Jeanne as we were heading for Nassau. It was Thursday and we were due back into port on Saturday, Sept.25. The swells were impressive, the noise of the waves against the ship, thunderous, but it was kind of exciting after several days of very calm seas. I don't think the first time cruiser hugging a pillow and was the color of the jolly green giant was too thrilled, though. After several hours of this, the Capt. turned the ship around into calm waters again, after he'd issued the order to close the swimming pools. The water was sloshing in and out and one lady was injured during one of those encounters. That was the only rough day we had, but due to the Coast Guard, ours and several other ships were kept at sea for two extra days. They were passing each other along the coast of Cuba.

We had actually booked the CB again for Oct. 8 this year, but then Hubby decided that he ultimately wanted a different ship-we haven't been on the same one twice, so far. So, now we'll be on the Star Princess, which I understand is a twin to the Golden-our favorite ship at this point. I have fellow cruisers from last year who will be on the CB again this Sept., the exact same week as our cruise last year.

I'm glad you and your fellow cruisers returned safely. I was wondering how the CB and other ships were doing out there during the storm. Lynne

[quote name=monk888

Disembarking:

The ship arrived on time at Ft. Lauderdale. They started letting people off at 9AM. We didn’t get called until around 11AM. After getting called, it went fast. From the time we got downstairs to midships until the time we got our bags and got outside, I’d say it was about 20 minutes. Of course, that hall where you have to identify and claim your bags is chaos, pure and simple. They put them all out there according to color and you have to wade through thousands. I urge all to put some wild, identifying ribbon on the handles to make it easier to pick out. It reminds me of the scene of the dead and dying in Gone with the Wind

The Monk[/quote]

Great review! Good visual about the baggage! It made me chuckle!:D

Monk- great review.

We were on Eastern CB 4/23. I agree with your food ratings (superb) and the music. I also think Tenacity and other band not great. Bert Stratton was on vacation the week of our sailing, but was supposed to be on yours. Wonder what happened.

We found the best "singer" to be Robert Smith, who played in the Explorer's Lounge one evening when a repeat of "Let's Rock" was on. He has a great acapella voice. Wonderful easy listening music. He took requests, used a synthesizer and guitar and his voice. Beautiful. This was one "show" not packed. Perhaps 20 pax there. It was a treat. He serves as a fill-in. We saw Troy Threadgill and thought he was funny, too. We have a son in college, so we really enjoyed his college jokes. We had a comedian, Phil Tag, who was the funniest and best entertainment. Obviously, he was not on your sailing.

We purchased Phil's CD and found Robert Smith's CD's in the Gift Shop/Liquor store on the ship our last night. We bought one CD- a nice memory of our wonderful cruise. We booked the Crown out of NYC next August. However, it wouldn't surprise me if we got in another cruise on the CB before then. First, we have our RCCL Voyager cruise this August!

Disembarking:

 

The ship arrived on time at Ft. Lauderdale. They started letting people off at 9AM. We didn’t get called until around 11AM. After getting called, it went fast. From the time we got downstairs to midships until the time we got our bags and got outside, I’d say it was about 20 minutes. Of course, that hall where you have to identify and claim your bags is chaos, pure and simple. They put them all out there according to color and you have to wade through thousands. I urge all to put some wild, identifying ribbon on the handles to make it easier to pick out. It reminds me of the scene of the dead and dying in Gone with the Wind.

The Monk

11:00? :eek: I wonder if it is even worth it to rent a car for the day. We have a late flight (6:30) post-cruise in August. Since we'll want to be at the airport by 4:30, it only gives us a few hours. I have reserved a huge SUV from Hertz for 6 of us and our luggage, which was not cheap. What do you think? Can we request an earlier time for debarkation?

Btw - Absolutely loved your review! Sounds like you had a relaxing enjoyable trip and your positive attitude about everything including the weather was so refreshing! :)

It's the luck of the draw in terms of when your color is called to get off the ship unless you have an early flight. You might want to search on this thread about Ft. Lauderdale and it's water taxi service. There's lots to do that you can reach by water taxi to kill 4 or 5 hours around the waterfront.

The Monk

Hi!

Bert Stratton lists his vacation times on his website and was scheduled to be on the Caribbean Princess last week. Did you check for him at Crooner's after the first night aboard the ship? Saturday is always his night off, but he should have been there the rest of the week. It's too bad you didn't get to see him as he is a definite highlight of the cruise.

Reggie

I have every single Patter right here. No Bert Stratton at Crooners.

By the way, one thing I forgot to mention under food is the coffee. The coffee has gotten much better since last June. It was a huge improvement that we all welcomed. The Cappucino at the Lobby Bar was also excellent. We had it just about every day in the afternoon for a jolt of java.

The Monk

Reggie: I share you enthusiasm for Bert! It's ashame Monk didn't get to see him as he's the highlight of the cruise for me! You can send me an email if you'd like. It would be fun to put together a "Bertified Cruiser" group.

Monk: Do you have another cruise on the CB planned yet? One day we'll have to meet at Channelside!

Marly

Marly,

Yes, one day we'll have to meet down there for a drink, preferably when the Carnival Miracle is in port as I have yet to see her.

Alas, I have no future cruises on the CB booked at this time or on any other ship for that matter. The unthinkable happened on this cruise. The Wife got really "freaked out" by the tropical storm we went through. She says that she's never getting on a cruise ship again!:eek: She said the same thing about planes after 9/11 and we haven't flown since. All I'm left with are tires and rails!

Yes, my cruising fanatic friends, it's my worst nightmare come true. I'm reading over the fine print of our marriage vows and looking for a legal loophole. I'm wondering if "for better or for worse" covers depriving someone of one of their greatest joys in life?:confused: The reason I went on the cruise in the first place last year was as a compromise since she won't fly anywhere anymore. I thought I'd hate it since I had a bad cruise experience on Carnival when I was about 19, but I ended up loving it. I thought I'd found a solution that we could both live with and be happy with.:( I can already hear those positive thinkers out there: "Don't worry, she'll change her mind. Just give her some time." If experience is any indication, she won't.

Just so you don't think I have abandoned all hope or that I've "thrown in the towel", know that I put down my $100 deposit on the Future Cruise Credit program on board and already have that paperwork in my back pocket!:D Hope springs eternal. If not, I've always heard that vacations apart make the heart grow fonder.;) I think I know where to find some cruise buddies to hang out with by Outriggers.

The Monk

Monk--thanks so much for a great review! I enjoyed reading about the CB.We were on her last summer itinerary (7/04) (storms in Grand Cayman and Cozumel, too) and I wondered if and how she had changed. We were on a family cruise that time, and are thinking about going back on her with an even larger group next summer, eastern itinerary. I really enjoyed my time on the CB--not a perfect ship, but a fantastic cruise...

Was on the Prinsendam about 3 weeks ago and had very rough weather from FLL to NYC--had never been on a ship that pitched and rolled so much (it only has just under 800 passengers, much less tonnage than the CB). Most passengers handled it pretty well, and it got much better across the Atlantic, especially after the Azores.

Will keep my fingers crossed that your wife gets amnesia (probably too young to have a senior moment) and you sail with her again. I've taken 2 cruises without my husband, and spent a lot of the time wishing he was with me to enjoy a particular port or experience onboard. Didn't spoil the cruise--but it would've been nice to share it with him.

Mary

My hubby says that my time will come when we run into the cruise weather from hell and it will burst my bubble. So far, we've had calm seas, and I haven't been seasick. Knock on a BIG piece of wood! We've only been in the Eastern-once- and the Western-this will be our 4th time. CB was supposed to have gone East last year but was switched to deliver hurricane relief supplies to Grand Cayman. Since our first cruise on the Sun in 1998, we've "graduated" to the Grand Class ships, where I feel much safer. We only had one rough day during Hurricane Jeanne year, but that was kind of fun, actually. I know it will be rough for wifey to get back on a ship, but you know the falling off a horse philosophy-you have to get back on. (But, I don't do horses!). Good luck, Monk, and I hope to see your success translated to a new thread/roll call on the board. Lynne

Monk: Your wife doesn't want to cruise again because of a couple of waves? Remind her that you survived the storm! The ship didn't sink and you weren't even required to repeat the muster drill! I don't know what I'd do if Dave said he didn't want to cruise anymore!! I can't even think about it!

Yes, we must meet for a drink while the ships are in port. Maybe Dave and I can convince your wife that a day at sea in a storm can be a lot more fun and interesting than a day in the office! :)

Marly

We also just got off the Caribbean Princess this past Saturday after a great vacation. When time permits, I hope to also provide a review of our experience on the ship and at the ports.

Just a quick comment on the weather. . . the ship really handled the storm remarkably. We went to Skywalker's night club the last two nights of the cruise (when the weather was the worst) and while we could feel the waves, we were shocked that we were that high on the ship and the movement was still very tolerable.

Not sure how stablizers technically work on the ship, but the Caribbean Princess provided, in my opinion, a comfortable ride given the circumstances.

Hey Monk, can you tell me about "Anytime Dining". Does this mean you can show up anytime between certain times for dinner?. How long is the wait or is there even a wait? I normally cruise Celebrity or RCCL where the time set for dining is more formal.