Just Back from our 5/1 CP Cruise!!

We just got back a few hours ago and we had a great time. Overall it was one of our best cruises. I really never did a review before but I'll just note a few things : ).

Embarkation... was a bit crazy...we got there about 11:30 and alot of the reps were missing to check people in and the lines for each deck kind of got mingled together and caused some confusion but once all the reps got in the right spaces the lines went pretty quick.

The boat was absolutely beautiful. This was our first princess cruise and we were pleasantly surprised on all the details. There were staff directing to the rooms, which was a nice touch.

PC Dining...We decided to try this because we enjoy eating alone (table for 2) and since we like to eat late (8:30 or 9) we didn't think we'd run into any problems. We made reservations for 8:30 as soon as we boarded and every night was very chaotic. The problem wasn't that there weren't enough tables, there were plenty empty ones, the problem was the MD taking the reservations. There was no clear line for those with reservations and those with none and most of the time it turned into one big huddle, seeing who can shout their name out first to get a table. The first formal night I really thought there was going to be a brawl. People were getting downright nasty. The second formal night we went to the Carib Cafe so we didn't have to deal with the lines and it was fantastic. A ton of seafood and we were in heaven. All in all we never had to wait for a table but it was very hectic and i would probably opt for Traditional seating next time.

We also went to Sabatini's one night and it was one of the best meails we every had. The place is awesome.

We don't do breakfast so I can't comment on that but the lunch buffet was very good and the pizza was the best pizza I ever had on a cruise line. We never encountered any lines.

We had an inside cabin and it was a great layout. We normal book balcony's but since it was our 3rd cruise in 10 months we tried to save a little. It was plenty big for the two of us and the stewart was great. He took very good care of us.

The entertainment was very good as well. We loved that they had multiple options and we went to Club Fision almost every night to see one of the shows. The last night we went to see Princess Idol and it was great. I didn't think the CD was anything special and hardly saw him around the ship at all. His deputy directors though were awesome and were all over the place.

Disembarkation...totally smooth. We were off the boat by 8:15. No problems.

All in all it was a great cruise and we can't wait to go back. Let me know if anyone has any questions. Thanks!!!

Thanks for the great review! Sounds like a wonderful cruise

Thanks, we are thinking if we ever get off the West coast it will have to be on CP.

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Thanks for your review. Happy to hear you had a great time. I guess PC dining developed another issue. If you ran into problems at 8:30 at night, I can't imagine what it is like at peak times. What exactly did the MD do wrong? Can you comment more, please?

Caribbean Princess 7/03/04

Steve, wave when you fly over to Ft Lauderdale. You will fly right over my house.

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

From what I saw about PC Dining was that they had 2 podiums set up and never had more than one person (MD) allotting out tables at a time. Sometimes the MD would be missing and no one knew which line to go on. It was just confusing. They should have set up signs one for reservations and one without and always had someone up front to direct people. Just better organization would have helped quite a bit. As I said earlier, there were always empty tables, it was the direction before getting to the tables that needed help.

Were you on the same ship as nick?

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I think so but it looks like we had very different views : )

There are two "CPs"- Caribbean and Coral. Please clarify which one you mean when you abbreviate. I'm new to Princess and anticipating our cruise on Coral with great pleasure. I don't want to miss a single post about that ship.

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Carnival Celebration '92

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Coral Princess '04

Thanxs for the great review...just wondering which dining room you went to for PC. Sounds like the PC situation needs some help! Was it less congested around 9pm do you think? Thanxs in advance. Amanda.

thank you for the review. It does sound like you had a nice time.

I have a couple of questions for you...do you pay for the ice cream at Scoops or whatever it is called and do you have to pay at the Caribe Cafe.

My husband was thinking he wanted to try PC dining but we have traditional late seating and it sounds like we better just stay that way.

Leanne

Until we Sail on the Caribbean Princess

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Radiance of the Seas 2004

Caribbean Princess 2005

Thanks for posting our comments so quickly. It sounds like you had a great cruise.

I do have one question. Does the Caribe Cafe only offer seafood, or do they have an assortment of food?

Candi

Coral is known as Coral. Its easy to type. CP is Caribbean Princess. A lot longer to type.

Jacqueline

Constellation 3/20/04

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Candi,

The Cafe Caribe isn't advertised as a seafood buffet, but as someone who doesn't like seafood (and neither does DH), I can tell you they served a lot of it. One night (don't remember which one) every entree in Cafe Caribe was seafood. Thank goodness for the pizzeria and the grill!