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Crown Princess ABC islands Jan 12 to 20, 2018


Bimmer09
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We were cruise mates on this cruise! Can’t wait to compare your experience to ours. We had been to Aruba and Bonaire several times on previous cruises, but this was our first time in Curaçao. We are driving home to Missouri after a stop in Jacksonville so I’m jealous that you are already home! Lol!!

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Norris, I was so disappointed that I had just finished Season 2 of "The Crown" and wouldn't have that extra something to look forward to in the evening and then I see your name and ABC cruise pop up!!

I enjoyed reading your previous review, (reading one for the first time) ....beautifully framed pictures, entertaining commentary ( with humor and song) and an upbeat outlook on life. Will be delightful reading at the end of a long day .. Thank you!

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Ann, welcome and thanks for joining us. I will have to look through the Patters for the answers to your questions and that will have to wait until tomorrow as we are catching up on our TV shows that we missed while we were gone for 10 days. Top Chef and the Colbert Show lead the list.

Norris

Thanks.... Just watched the two playoff games...we are on the Crown ...departing a week from today...hence the questions...any input to my questions will be helpful... Your itinerary looked great ...I LOVE Bonaire....Welcome Home👓👓👓👙👙👙 Ann

 

Ann, welcome and thanks for joining us. I will have to look through the Patters for the answers to your questions and that will have to wait until tomorrow as we are catching up on our TV shows that we missed while we were gone for 10 days. Top Chef and the Colbert Show lead the list.

Norris

 

 

Sent from my K88 using Forums mobile app

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My DH and I are going to the ABC islands in May on the Caribbean Princess. I’m looking forward to getting some hints and ideas from you. This is my first review from you and I have a feeling it will be fun! Thank you for sharing!

 

 

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Welcome home, Norris. This is a real treat, getting two of your wonderful reviews within a few months of each other. I've been to two of the three ABC islands. I really love wandering around downtown Willemstad. Can't wait to get immersed in your review.

John

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WHY THIS CRUISE?

Good question and thanks for asking it.

We always take a cruise in January to escape the Chicago weather for a week and this year that was particularly appropriate as we were experiencing bitter cold weather with temperatures in the Minus. Last year, which, if my math is correct was 2017 we sailed Celebrity on the wonderful Reflection to the Western Caribbean in January followed by a bucket-list sailing on the beautiful Regal Princess to New England and Canada in mid October. That was port-intensive which always gets a loud YIPPEE!! from me (Gangway Norris) and a sigh from (Sea Day in the Sanctuary) Carol.

This cruise offered 4 sea days (mixed cries of Hooray! and Yikes!) on a ship which we had sailed to Princess Cays (didn't get off) Aruba and Curacao-the AC islands in January 2012. We boarded the ship the day after Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized. We loved the ship-our first love at first sight Grand Class sailing.

When I booked this cruise all the aft cabins-both suites and balconies were sold bar one.

E 734 is the one directly above Club Fusion so there was a possibility of noise from the bands at bedtime. It also has a balcony with a metal beam obstruction. There were some other cabins NEAR the stern and I debated with myself choosing one of those. The debate got rather overheated and ended with me slapping myself on the face and pouring a pitcher of iced water over my head. I don't support using violence to resolve an issue and felt bad and stopped talking to myself for a few days. I won the debate and booked E734 for we must have a wake view!!

The timing was such that after getting off the Regal we were faced with another cruise to be paid for a week later and while I recounted our Regal adventures on CC for two months of writing everyday (how I roll) the Crown cruise quietly sneaked up on us until I looked at my phone one day....

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I had just finished the Regal review so now could focus on the Crown. Then this happened....

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I worked until 11 pm just an hour before my phone told me this...

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We were already packed and our favorite cat sitter Chris was booked to visit our cat who goes by the name of Little Snowy. All we had to do was sleep for 5 hours and get up fresh (ish) for the drive to O'Hare airport to take our seats on a flight to FLL. It was January 11th, a Thursday.

Well my bags are packed, I'm ready to go.....

 

Carol called a Lyft car and at 7.30 a.m we were out on the street. The driver had a car with some dents in the bodywork and when he opened the trunk for our luggage it was already filled with what is technically called "crap"-baby blankets, shopping bags, polystyrene take-out containers et al. Really sir? I had to put some of my carryons in the front seat and held my camera bag (weighing 13 pounds) on my lap. With morning traffic in stop and go mode it took 50 minutes to travel the 18 miles to O'Hare. We always allow a generous cushion of time so no sweat. We had TSA Pre and the United Lounge waiting for us.

At TSA Pre they pulled me aside (The Nerve!!) for a random check which involved taking my MacBook out to see if it really was a computer . Turned out it was!

We relaxed in the United Lounge, nibbling on snacks and drinking espresso by Illy until it was time to board....

Well, that's the end of my review and I hope you enjoyed it!

Norris

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We are on her in December and it's our first with Princess so of course I want to know about the most important thing.... dinner! Bring on the food porn please :D

 

I'm already comparing the sea day picture you put up of the pool/sun deck against the sun deck of the NCL Escape on sea days- such a different kettle of fish! And by that I mean you could actually fit a fish (in or out of a kettle) between the loungers on the Crown...

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Up, up and away...

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Blue skies, nothing but blue skies...

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....and we are in Florida! And so is our luggage! Hooray!! There are no cruise ships in port today but the luggage carousel still sounds that ship's horn when the bags come out. Such a good mood-setter! Outside a lovely 72 degrees and soon Carol has a Lyft ride to our hotel.

 

(All photos iPhone 5)

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From the mailbag....

 

I was on the Crown last month for an 8 Day Eastern Caribbean, so I’m excited to see your take on her.

We really think Corey Moir and his crew did a terrific job.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Agreed on Corey!! Super energetic and fun. We were both very impressed.

quote Looking forward to your review and excellent photos!!

Welcome Pretty Princess!

quote Following along....

I love your detailed reviews and wonderful photos!Thank you Poipu 1, glad to have you along!

quote We were cruise mates on this cruise! Can’t wait to compare your experience to ours. We had been to Aruba and Bonaire several times on previous cruises, but this was our first time in Curaçao. We are driving home to Missouri after a stop in Jacksonville so I’m jealous that you are already home! Lol!!

Welcome MustangGT and thanks for coming aboard. You are obviously not a smoker as none of the smokers I met up by Tradewinds (my home from home) knew what CC was.

quote Following!

Welcome no1racefan1

quote Very nice photos, looking forward to the rest.clear.png?emoji-smile-1742

Welcome and thanks for the compliments Host Clarea. Nice to have you along for the ride Bob!

quote So looking forward to all your pictures and reading about your travels on the Crown!

Welcome HOST CJSKIDS. Thanks for stepping aboard Carolyn!

Thanks to all who have responded. As you may know I like feedback whether from a Gibson guitar and a stack of Marshall amps or from CC readers.

Now- let's go to Ft. Lauderdale!

Norris

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So glad to be reading your review. Btw, love your photos. We so enjoyed our ABC cruise on the Crown Dec 30 and I am really looking forward to seeing all your pictures and reliving some of the cruise with your review. It seems I have never come across your legendary reviews up until now! Do you have a link for the Canada New England? This has always been an interest but I do worry that the weather will be rainy and cloudy so this keeps me away (being from the North I am already sun deprived...).

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MARRIOTT HARBOR BEACH HOTEL

We always stay here as it is on the beach and we can see ships coming and going from our room. At check-in around 3 pm the nice man behind the desk apologized for not having the room we requested as the hotel was at full occupancy so would we mind if he put us in a suite? Wow, that's quite the conundrum. We rolled with the punches and our luggage rolled with the bellman up to the 14th floor (it has 15 floors and we like to be high up)

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There were two sliding doors from the living room to the bedroom

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and a good computer desk with desktop power

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More...

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The suite featured a bathroom (score!) and we wondered if our Crown balcony cabin bathroom would compare...

 

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The towels were fluffier than the dishcloths we had on the Regal

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The bedroom had its own door onto the balcony

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Where Carol took up residence

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Birds eye view

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Wow that is a gorgeous suite!

 

I am looking forward to reading this. We were supposed to be on the same itinerary in late February but ended up cancelling that one (bummer!) and instead are doing a 5-day on the Crown leaving this Sunday. I will be interested in your impressions of the ship as it seems to get very mixed reviews here on CC.

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