One more just back from the 4/3 Caribbean Princess

I've read what the others on this board have had to say about the Caribbean Princess inaugural cruise and truly believe its "different strokes for different folks". What bothers some is no big deal to others.

First,the personal bad stuff no one else should care about since it shouldn't happen to you:

* When we arrived in our room, the carpet was soaking wet. We informed our room steward who said he would tell his supervisor but suggested we would get faster response if we told the Purser's desk, which we did. After two more requests that evening and the next morning we did get someone with a wet vac and dryer on Sunday morning. Two more sessions on Monday and Tuesday and we had almost dry carpet. Our room steward said someone on the one night cruise before us had let the sink overflow. I hope that's all it was. Needless to say, we wore out flip- flops around in the room for a few days.

* The temperature control in the shower didn't work for the first couple of days and so we took some very cold and very hot showers. After about Wednesday this problem pretty much resolved itself. Don't know what was going on there. I haven't heard anyone else mention that problem so I guess it was confined to our cabin. We've used these showers on previous cruises on the Grand and Golden so I don't think it was operator error.

* Our reservation to the Sterling Steakhouse was lost, even after I called 3 hours before to confirm it and was told it was good. When we arrived we were told it was for Thursday, not Tuesday. ??? I heard several others with similar problems.

There were several problems that I'd pass off as first cruise problems unless later cruises experience them also. The first morning in the Horizon Court was a disaster. Long lines and no food at many stations. This seemed to clear up later in the week and we didn't notice any problems later. The tender situation to Princess Cays was very long. We started in the line for tickets to wait in the theatre at 10:15 and made it to the island at 12:00. Tendering to Grand Cayman was much quicker later in the week.

* I'm guessing there was a new computer system in the dining rooms as the maitre'd seemed totally stressed early in the week and there were long lines to dine in the PC dining rooms. Again, this seemed to smooth out as the week went on so hopefully it will work well later. We have enjoyed the PC dining on previous cruises but I'd have to say this was not what I expected. As others have indicated, it was difficult to walk up to dine between 7:00 and 8:30 without being told that the wait would be an hour. My impression was that they were really pushing reservations. We gave up after the first night and had a standing reservation at a specific table for 7:00 each evening. That worked fine but seems to defeat the purpose of PC dining as it used to be on the Grand and Golden on our previous cruises.

* We didn't try the Horizon Court or Caribbean Cafe in the evening so I can't add anything to the confusion about those subjects.

The good stuff:

* She's a beautiful ship and looks very similar on the interior to the Grand and Golden (I think that's a good thing).

* I didn't notice that the ship seemed any more crowded after the first two days than my other cruises on the Grand class. The redesign of the previously covered pool area created more deck space which seemed to take care of the deck chair situation. The dining rooms didn't seem any more crowded but that could be a function of the PC reservation system.

* Food and service after the first couple of days were similar, in my opinion, to other cruises on Princess. That is also a good thing.

* Our room steward, Ibarra, and waiters, Cecilia and Stefan, were very good and made the trip enjoyable.

* We didn't do the "Movies Under the Stars" but did walk up on deck to have a look. It looked like a good entertainment alternative to me. I don't think the sound would be a problem on below deck balconies but others could comment. Our cabin was on the Caribe deck well forward of the movies so we couldn't hear anything on our balcony.

To sum it up, we expected some minor problems and glitches on an inaugural cruise but may have received more than we bargained for. To the crew's credit, most of these things were cleared up before the end of the week and I doubt that cruisers a month from now will have any of these problems. We worked hard to keep anything from detracting from a great cruise and were successful in doing that. This may not have been quite as enjoyable as our previous cruises but was still a great experience and I'd go again tomorrow. I think the ship will be very successful (I'd guess its target demographic is a slightly younger crowd than the overall Princess demographic) but it's also probably a good thing to expand the customer base a little bit.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions, although I can't do much to clear up the Horizon Court/Caribbean Cafe confusion.

Doug

Very nice review. Was Island night still held at the aft pool?

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Doug,

thanks for the great review and wonderful positive attitude. I'm sure looking forward to our cruise on 6/5. I'll bet it will be smoother then.

Linda in Iowa

Hi, thanks so much. We're sailing May 8th and I'm wondering if we will be okay with PC by then. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to try to switch to traditional? What do you think?

If you are nervous, you could try for traditional. If PC has straightened out, you could switch.

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Sue - Island night was not at the aft pool. It was at the "main pool" (I don't remember the name). There is not as much room at the aft pool with the addition of the Caribe Cafe at the rear of the Horizon Court area so the Island night has been moved. That wasn't an improvement, in my opinion. I don't know if I was just tired or what but the whole affair didn't seem to have much energy. We left early so it might have been more lively later.

Aquarian - I'd probably stay with PC but its a close call now. If you do PC, jut be prepared to make a reservation the first night and, if you like your waiters, try to reserve that table for the remainder of the week. What appears to be difficult now is to just walk up at any time and get a table with a minimum wait. At least it gives you the flexibility of a different time than 6:30 or 8:30. If one of those times is OK with you, traditional would be just fine. We talked to several people who started out with traditional and then switched. I hope they notified the dining room staff.

Doug

Opokie, sorry to hear about the problems you had in your cabin the first few days but so glad you still had a positive attitude. If this cabin went to a "Negative Nellie" I can only imagine what review would be posted here and disappoint so many of us waiting to sail her.

Caribbean Princess 7/03/04

Doug, does the aft terrace have any tables there around the bar?

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Doug- thanks so much for your insight. We're looking forward to our June CP sailing even more now!

Welcome back to Kansas where everything is just as much fun as at sea...sorta

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/26/04

Star Princess 10/24/04

Carnival Victory 12/19/04

Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

Hey. You are neighbors!!!!!!!!! Maybe your house is as much fun as being at sea, but........ Lol

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Sue,

Mike and Carol's website had pictures of the aft bar. There are tables.

Wow. Thank you.

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Bidro. I couldn't get in. I refreshed, but it didn't work. Thank you for telling me though. Sue

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

hello,

in relation to water on the floor! We were told by a staff member that durring the crossing of the Atlantic one of the main pools drained into the lower decks- pretty much the whole pool. I am so bad with details, and I don't remember which pool it was. Don't know when it actually happened either. I believe most of the leak was to deck 7. My husband is very talkative, and always asks the staff and passengers lots of questions... so we find out some interesting things sometimes.

Well, that would explain it! I didn't hear of anyone else with that problem and I'd think it wouldn't be confined to one or just a few cabins but you never know. Oh well. Water under the bridge now (pardon the pun).

Chris - after the first day back at work I haven't noticed what about Kansas is as much fun as a cruise. Clue me in so I can enjoy it!

Doug

lOL.

Sue

7 days on Star Princess 10/24

Thanks Doug for an informative review. We are on the Caribe Deck (L310). Other than the wet floor and the tricky faucet, did you enjoy the room? Did you like the location?

on Caribbean Princess June 5, 2004

Larry

Doug / Opokie,

Any info about the BA Blacony's on Caribe deck ? We have a balcony on our august 14th sailing and was wondering if it's better then a balcony on other decks ? We can also take a cabin on the Lido deck.

Carnival Triumph 01/02

Mistral (Festival Cruises) 05/02

Navigator of the Seas 01/03

Serenade of the Seas 08/03

Caribbean Princess 08/04

Did they have a SCUBA diving operation on board?

John

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

I guess by the time I board (Jan 05) most of the bugs should be worked out by then.

Sounds like a fabulous ship.

Dan

CARRIBEAN PRINCESS JAN 2005

CARNIVAL'S LEGEND JAN 2003

CELEBRITY'S CENTURY DEC 2003