Live from ... Cruise Critic's Caribbean Kick-Off on Crown Princess (11/7 - 14)

We're getting ready to kick off this winter's Caribbean cruise season ... and you're coming with us! Warm up for your upcoming Caribbean voyage -- virtual or otherwise -- with Cruise Critic on a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard Crown Princess. Calls include Princess Cays (Princess Cruises' private island), Grand Cayman, Roatan and Cozumel. I'll be filing reports from the ship, posting pictures, interviewing cruise ship staff, reviewing dining and more.

 

Join the conversation here and on Twitter (#TwitCruise)!

 

Vote to create YOUR perfect cruise. We want to know: What makes a perfect Caribbean cruise for you? Tell us by voting in our Caribbean season kick-off polls, where we'll let you make choices for me on dining, spa treatments, entertainment and island adventures.

 

Choose Your Cozumel Shore Excursion

Choose Your Crown Princess Dining

Choose Your Evening Entertainment

Choose Your Spa Service

We're very much looking forward to your reports!

Going on December 12th, and can't wait to read about your trip.

We're very much looking forward to your reports!

 

Going on December 12th, and can't wait to read about your trip.

 

And if you have any questions, no matter how obscure (who's the sushi distributor for Vines?), shoot them my way. Happy to report back with findings...

The Crown is one of my favorite ships. I love the aft pool area.

 

Bon voyage, blue skies and smooth seas (especially with Ida)!!

I will be on the same cruise starting 12.12.09. Do you have any idea which nights are formal nights?

We are on the Crown on 11/28. This is our first cruise and thanks to cruise critic we are very well prepared. Thank you to everyone who has answered my questions or posted questions I had.

 

I am looking so forward to your reviews. Very interested to figure out the night time activity schedule with anytime dinner.

 

Thank you

Can't wait to read your reviews..we sail on Jan 30th. Is there anyway you can take some additional photos of the gym and what type of equipment they have. We like to spend the mornings working off the previous nights dinner. Also can't wait to hear about the shows. Another request anyway to scan in the daily flyer that is left in your cabin for the days activities I'd love to see that. I think its called the Patter but I'm not sure. Thanks...

Awesome! Thanks for posting this! We are on the Crown right after you, we sail Nov. 14th!:D It's our first Princess Cruise!

We are sailing the same cruise on 12/12 and we are wondering what port the ship uses when we dock in cozumel. called Princess and got two different answers and I know there are 3 ports there!

 

Have a nice cruise and thanks!

looking forward to your reports.... we sail Jan 9th

 

Questions from us:

 

Who is the Passenger Services Director now that James Deering is gone?

 

Roatan -- we were going to do Fins and Flipper but since the price has jumped so much we are looking for a beach option and curious about what you are doing there.

 

Embarkation Seafood Buffet in Horizon court -- did the Crown do it?

 

thanks

Vickie

Can't wait to read your reviews..we sail on Jan 30th. Is there anyway you can take some additional photos of the gym and what type of equipment they have. We like to spend the mornings working off the previous nights dinner. Also can't wait to hear about the shows. Another request anyway to scan in the daily flyer that is left in your cabin for the days activities I'd love to see that. I think its called the Patter but I'm not sure. Thanks...

 

Hey J.L.2.C.W.H.,

 

No problem on all three requests -- while I'm not a big gym guy on land, I tend to develop some body image problems while onboard ... and end up using the cruise ship gyms three or four times during a week at sea. Like you said, working off the Black Tiger prawns and 14-ounce Ribeye at Crown Grill (and the morning seaviews are nice). Will post some photos and take note of the equipment.

 

looking forward to your reports.... we sail Jan 9th

 

Questions from us:

 

Who is the Passenger Services Director now that James Deering is gone?

 

Roatan -- we were going to do Fins and Flipper but since the price has jumped so much we are looking for a beach option and curious about what you are doing there.

 

Embarkation Seafood Buffet in Horizon court -- did the Crown do it?

 

thanks

Vickie

 

Hi Vicki,

 

Will report back on PSD and seafood buffet. As far as Roatan, haven't decided on excursion yet, but I'll be adding some updates to our port profile. West End offers beaches (including palm-lined Half Moon Beach), coral reefs for snorkeling, and water sports like sea kayaking, diving and sailing. Will be polling passengers, crew, etc. for added input.

I would love to see RECENT photos of the Crown WE will be on it NOv 28 so that would be helpful

Plus a heads up on things to do or not miss in all ports .My concern is ROATAN and SAND FLEAS ....YUCK!!!

Temp on ship in dining room ..cool or comfy

WHat not to miss

 

 

Merci

 

Michele

Look forward to reading your posts. I have a friend on this cruise and I will be on the Crown next August

We are considering the same cruise for Feb. Would love to hear about the good and bad of the ship and your recommendations for each port. Have a great time! I'm so jealous!

Really lookig forward to reading this thread. Building the excitment for me to return to my favorite ship. We'll be on her Jan. 2. Thanks for posting...Pat

Looking forward to your reports... bon voyage:)

Will be on Crown 11/28 - we really enjoyed her on the Eastern Caribbean last November. I think there will be some time changes while onboard. The person we booked a scuba dive through in Cozumel has asked whether we will be on local time. I think Princess normally changes to be on the local time. Can you confirm & let us know when/if the time changes are happening. Also would love to hear what the menus are each night (Italian, etc.). We can then decide what night to book Sabatini's or Crown Grill. Thanks & enjoy.

Debi

my DH has been wanting me to ask ...is a server named Melvin still aboard? he was new to princess/crown when we were aboard, jan/09. he was in the anytime dining room, filipino and we thought he was great!thanks

Is there anyway you can take some additional photos of the gym and what type of equipment they have. We like to spend the mornings working off the previous nights dinner.

 

When we were on the Crown Princess two years ago, we made use of the fitness equipment to offset all of the great eating! (We also made a point of using the stairs rather than the elevators.) We recall a bank of cardiovascular workout machines (such as treadmills, ellipticals, etc.) in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, looking out at the beautiful ocean and island scenery. It certainly made working out more enjoyable! There was also a set of workout machines for abdominals, arm curls, leg curls, crunches, etc. But our memory is generally vague, so Dan will have to provide any specifics.

Would love if you could find out anything about the semi-sub and YUBA in Roatan. Have a great time.

Shogun has been reporting that the ship was really crouded. You couldn't find a seat at the Horizon, you had to show up almost an hour early to be able to get a seat for any show. There is speculation that the weather was too cold to be outside, so everyone stayed in. We're joining the Crown on Nov. 28th and are hoping the venues art as crouded.

Thanks Kerry and Luann

I'm looking forward to getting the update on the gym. We found the gym on the Golden in January to be a bit smaller than we'd experienced on Carnival and HAL ships. There were alot of machine cramped on top of each other and it made it hard to squeeze in and out to work out. I agree with you we use the stairs all the time. Whether we go to the bottom floor to grab a coffee or all the way up to the Lido pools we always take the stairs. The only time I take the elevator is during the formal nights as I have a gown on and heels.

Thanks

Mimi

Shogun has been reporting that the ship was really crouded. You couldn't find a seat at the Horizon, you had to show up almost an hour early to be able to get a seat for any show. There is speculation that the weather was too cold to be outside, so everyone stayed in. We're joining the Crown on Nov. 28th and are hoping the venues art as crouded.

This is one of the biggest problems with the Crown and other Princess ships designed so the 2nd pool is no longer covered and instead, has MUTS. If it's cool or rainy out, which happens on many cruises, there's no place for people to go other than inside. They hog the buffet, often saving tables for the entire day, setting up card games, etc. so when others are looking for somewhere to sit so they can eat, nothing is available. I once saw someone start a jigsaw puzzle, work on it occasionally, and literally left it there for days and no one could use the table for the entire time. So, if the weather is cool, it will be very crowded inside in the public areas. Not the best cruise experience.

I'm so excited to ready your posts. Will you be doing Anytime or Traditional Dining? If you notice line dancing in the patters could you please report back day and times that you see it?

 

Thanks and have a wonderful cruise