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

[Dan Askin]

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...

 

Here are a couple shots of the gym -- pretty standard mega-ship fitness center, top-ship bow location with great sea views. Didn't blow me away, but nice solid Precor equipment that surrounds a semi-circular fitness class area (spinning, stretching, Yoga, etc.). There are 20-plus precor treadmills, 10 ellipticals, some bikes, various weight machines and a little free weights area. I have a strong sense it won't be too crowded on this cruise ... heard a few people on the spa tour (offered on embarkation day) saying, "no thanks, won't be spending much time there" about the gym.

 

 

 

[Dan Askin]

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.

 

Interesting insights Pam about sun deck layout. Lines are definitely going the magrodome route -- especially Carnival Corp. -- to deal with the weather situation and create a product with more itinerary flexibility (Oasis of the Seas is another story!). I walked the top decks today, and there seemed to be a really nice balance of passengers between the three pools (aft pool, M.U.T.S., and mid-ship). That said, we had decent weather, and I think people were really trying to get their sun time in before we hit potentially rockier weather (TS Ida having already impacted the itinerary). I'm interested to see how things play out.

 

Also have to say, as the first Caribbean cruise of the season for Crown, the ship really does NOT feel full. This is obviously just a gut thing ... will get some official numbers if I can.

[TwinCruiserMom]

Is Giovanni, the head waiter, onboard? He was on the Crown in March and he is a fantastic guy. I am hoping he will be there for our December 5th cruise.

 

Another question is what kind of bug spray or repellant is supposed to work the best for the dreaded sand fleas in Roatan? I thought maybe someone would have some advice on this as I want to be prepared and am not looking forward to being covered in itchy red spots :eek:

 

One more question - what movies are playing onboard?

 

I am looking forward to your reports from the Crown. Thank you for taking the time to keep us all updated :)

[Coral]

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.

 

I was on the sailing with Shogun (Canada to FLL) and the last 2 days the weather was warm (not sure if it was high 70's or 80's) and we went swimming so it felt warm (my face is the color of lobster red). I thought the ship was still very crowded when the temps were warmer. I spoke with a couple who it took 25 minutes to get to the aft dining room for traditional dining. Not sure if Shogun experienced the same or not.

 

The one thing I would comment was when the temps went up, the ship became very warm. Our room was too warm to sleep in the last night.

[Coral]

Some comments -

 

The passenger services guy is Claudio - very nice guy. I didn't have any interaction with him but very approachable. Shogun had him at our CC get together.

 

The PA system was screwy the whole week we were there. We had blaring announcements in our staterooms the first few days and then we had faint announcements in our room but no announcements in our hallway. This dealt with important items such as missing port, arriving early at port, unable to leave port due to another ship blocking us....... They were supposed to be in the hallways but they were not on Dolphin deck. Not sure about elsewhere. There were times when I was in the Horizon Court and due to the number of people in there, we simply could not hear anything except the fact that someone was talking over the intercom.

 

Our wakeup calls never worked. We had to call 6000 and have them manually done. Others said the same thing.

 

The elevator buttons were quite tricky. Tricky in that you could press the up or down arrow and it would not light up or a deck would be pressed in an elevator and the elevator would just skip over it. Another strange thing is that an elevator would shop up with both up and down arrows indicating that it didn't have a direction but when you entered the elevator, there were people in it and numbers were pressed. Sort of bizarre.

[Dan Askin]

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

 

I'll do you one better than recent photos, will be including new pics on this thread. Look out for a bunch of Princess Cays pictures as well following our call there tomorrow.

 

As far as the temperature in concerned, I was perfectly comfortable in the DaVinci dining room tonight -- Personal Choice Dining, 7:30 p.m. reservation -- didn't think of it once, a sign that things were in balance (for me at least).

 

I have heard about the sand fleas (and sand flies, which feast on my flesh). If you're worried, pack some DEET, which is not a bad idea for a Caribbean cruise in general. I'm devoured my skeeters on my yearly trip to the Florida Keys. Just make sure it's in compliance with the TSA, or pick up some when you arrive.

[Dan Askin]

Is Giovanni, the head waiter, onboard? He was on the Crown in March and he is a fantastic guy. I am hoping he will be there for our December 5th cruise.

 

Another question is what kind of bug spray or repellant is supposed to work the best for the dreaded sand fleas in Roatan? I thought maybe someone would have some advice on this as I want to be prepared and am not looking forward to being covered in itchy red spots :eek:

 

One more question - what movies are playing onboard?

 

I am looking forward to your reports from the Crown. Thank you for taking the time to keep us all updated :)

 

M.U.T.S. Moviefilm tonight was "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler and Guy Pierce ("Does the second actor even matter once you mention Sandler," said one of my tablemates at dinner tonight as we struggled to remember his co-star). Tomorrow it's "The Proposal," a Sandra Bullock vehicle. Before sailaway, they were showing a Morrissey concert -- lots of dark cynical crooning to balance the splish-splashy, care-free vibe of the sun deck.

 

Will ask about Giovanni.

[Dan Askin]

I was on the sailing with Shogun (Canada to FLL) and the last 2 days the weather was warm (not sure if it was high 70's or 80's) and we went swimming so it felt warm (my face is the color of lobster red). I thought the ship was still very crowded when the temps were warmer. I spoke with a couple who it took 25 minutes to get to the aft dining room for traditional dining. Not sure if Shogun experienced the same or not.

 

The one thing I would comment was when the temps went up, the ship became very warm. Our room was too warm to sleep in the last night.

 

I've seen a number of comments, both in reviews and on the boards, about the Princess cabins being on the warm side. Don't tend to see a lot of comments about room temperatures in general, but my room was definitely toasty (i.e. sweat-inducing) during the day. Felt a little guilty blasting the AC full bore, but even that didn't do the trick. Was beginning to wonder if it was a mechanical issue, but it's cooled off since, perhaps due to the outside temperature. Will poll fellow travelers.

[editor@cruisecritic]

I am enjoying Dan's posts as much as the rest of you -- would very much love to be on a Caribbean cruise right now!

 

Don't think Dan has yet discovered the magic of Crown Princess (and Ruby, Emerald) and the piazza. For my husband Teijo and me, the combo of the International Cafe's fresh baked bread and pastries, and the excellent wine list of Vines, the wine bar (with sushi which is a nice idea but doesn't really twig with wine) was a fantastic way to spend a day at sea.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[Dan Askin]

I'm lying in bed in my cabin, Mini-suite, Dolphin Deck D509, listening to the outer bands of Tropical Storm Ida whipping against the ship. Instead of moving south from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Cayman as originally planned, we're heading east to Princess' private Bahamian island, Princess Cays. Then as Ida spirals north towards the Gulf area, we'll swing around the east coast Cuba and arrive in Grand Cayman on Tuesday. By that time, the storm should be well north of us -- the National Hurricane Center forecast has it reaching Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama/Florida by late Tuesday or early Wednesday. We've got some movement, more short lurches and spasms than gentle rocking ... so I think I'll leave the bottle of Champagne corked for the night.

Some first impressions from the day:

*Today was a Crown Princess orientation day ... some couples and groups walking around with clear strategies (top decks then methodically work their way down), some wandering aimlessly. Both worked, as the ship is pretty easy to navigate (with the exception of the odd cabin number system -- why is my Deck 9 mini-suite "D509"?). There were tours of the spa and adults-only sanctuary (with the obligatory towel-covered model with cucumbers over the eyes), long lines at the shorex desk (remember the itinerary change), and a smattering of sunworshippers taking advantage of the partly sunny Fort Lauderdale skies.

*A small Cruise Critic contingent met up in Adagio, the bar adjacent to Sabatini's. There's another get together set for Monday, the first sea day, so pictures (and some AMAZING logo item giveaways) from the party then.

*There was an embarkation day scavenger hunt held throughout the ship. I was in the casino inquiring about table games, when a couple of serious players dashed in, got their cards stamp (Gatsby's Casino, check), and dashed out. What's the prize, I asked a casino worker. "It's a goodie bag of all the garbage they can't get rid of," he said with a smirk.

*Waiting for a cheeseburger at the Trident Grill, I asked a woman from Michigan how she was enjoying her cruise. Surprisingly, she said she had only just stopped crying ... her daughter had given her the cruise for mother's day. She hadn't even been onboard for two hours and she was totally smitten.

*While Princess is a decent choice for families, it's certainly not on the level of Carnival, Royal Caribbean or NCL in terms of kids' facilities (not that it's trying to be). Case in point: The video arcade had five games, three where the goal was to kill or dismember zombies, animals (deer, bear, elk) or muscular humans, and two car racing games. There are very few kids onboard this early November sailing, as you might imagine.

Tomorrow we're off to Princess Cays. On this Western Caribbean itinerary, it's usually scheduled for day before debarkation, a relaxing capper to the week, but as we've mentioned, Ida has led to a change in course. For those who haven't experienced what a day at a cruise line private island is all about, stay tuned for a mini-photo essay.

[Dan Askin]

I am enjoying Dan's posts as much as the rest of you -- would very much love to be on a Caribbean cruise right now!

 

Don't think Dan has yet discovered the magic of Crown Princess (and Ruby, Emerald) and the piazza. For my husband Teijo and me, the combo of the International Cafe's fresh baked bread and pastries, and the excellent wine list of Vines, the wine bar (with sushi which is a nice idea but doesn't really twig with wine) was a fantastic way to spend a day at sea.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

I don't usually associate wine with sushi either, but I'll see if they can match something for me. Did have one quick run-in with the Piazza -- after bypassing breakfast (not paying $7 for a US Airways snack box) and lunch (in embarkation lines), I scarfed down one of the tasty caprese sandwiches. Not much of an experience, but something to wet my beak before I get a better look on the sea day on Monday...

[Dan Askin]

We had to overcome two major obstacles to reach Crown Princess in Fort Lauderdale:

 

1. Wing de-icing -- pre-flight trip into the "de-icing dock" for a hot chemical blast of the wings.

 

2. Luggage de-catting

 

 

Never thought I'd ever post a cat picture on a message board, but this seems necessary.

[Minoushka]

I look forward to all the pictures of the Crown and all the Scoop you care to share ...THANKS

I hope you get to LAND in Princess Cays on 2 cruises we could not,.Beautiful day sea too rough for tenders

Have a great time

 

Michele

[Rockymountainsparky]

Dan, the word is that escargot and crab legs are no longer on the menu. Would you find out if this is true, they are my favorites.:D If they're off the menu, are they still available by request?

[Coral]

I've seen a number of comments, both in reviews and on the boards, about the Princess cabins being on the warm side. Don't tend to see a lot of comments about room temperatures in general, but my room was definitely toasty (i.e. sweat-inducing) during the day. Felt a little guilty blasting the AC full bore, but even that didn't do the trick. Was beginning to wonder if it was a mechanical issue, but it's cooled off since, perhaps due to the outside temperature. Will poll fellow travelers.

 

I didn't find the general public areas warm until the outside temps went up. Maybe it was purely that the ship hadn't adjusted the temps for the warmer climates.

[Dan Askin]

I look forward to all the pictures of the Crown and all the Scoop you care to share ...THANKS

I hope you get to LAND in Princess Cays on 2 cruises we could not,.Beautiful day sea too rough for tenders

Have a great time

 

Michele

 

Sorry that you missed Princess Cays (an anchor and tender port), mmemichele. After a slightly rocky night -- and some hallucinogenic dreams that usually join me on cruises (was that my head on a shark's body?) -- looks like pretty decent water conditions today.

 

"What if there's a storm or hurricane when we're at sea?" is a surprisingly common question from first-time cruisers, worried that they might have to take cover from 20-foot swells and 80 knot gusts. Not to worry: Just as we experienced, the captain steers the ship around the storm. Of course, this may result in port changes and a bit of a bumpy ride. What about if Grand Cayman, your favorite port, is canceled? The line is obliged to do nothing (it's covered legally), but typically, if you lose a port day for a sea day -- i.e. if Grand Cayman is replaced with a sea day and not another "comparable" port stop, taking place at any time of cruise -- you might get the port taxes ($25 or so) refunded in the form of onboard credit. For us, we're just switching around the schedule.

 

Back to Princess Cays, where it's partly sunny and in the upper 70's. The first tenders set off about 45 mintues ago. An hour before our stop was scheduled to start, gym was crowded and I'd say the Horizon Court buffet was congested (a step up from "crowded"; more on the the buffet venue's potential layout issues when I focus on dining on the first and second sea days). Buffet crowds to be expected just before port debarkation.

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We had to overcome two major obstacles to reach Crown Princess in Fort Lauderdale:

 

1. Wing de-icing -- pre-flight trip into the "de-icing dock" for a hot chemical blast of the wings.

 

2. Luggage de-catting

 

 

Never thought I'd ever post a cat picture on a message board, but this seems necessary.

Dan, I go thru the Luggage de-catting prior to every cruise :D

[long cruiser]

We just got off.There was no seafood sailaway buffet.

long cruiser

[editor@cruisecritic]

I've noticed quite often that ships on embarkation day tend to get quite warm and stuffy -- may have something to do with long day just sitting there in the sun, not moving. And it's crowded cause everyone's onboard at the same time. Whereas in port, even if a ship is docked all day, there are a lot of people off the ship and less need for full-blasting a/c. IMHO.

 

Carolyn

 

I've seen a number of comments, both in reviews and on the boards, about the Princess cabins being on the warm side. Don't tend to see a lot of comments about room temperatures in general, but my room was definitely toasty (i.e. sweat-inducing) during the day. Felt a little guilty blasting the AC full bore, but even that didn't do the trick. Was beginning to wonder if it was a mechanical issue, but it's cooled off since, perhaps due to the outside temperature. Will poll fellow travelers.

[coconutmonkey]

Dan, did they have the seafood buffet in the Horizon Court on sailaway? Were there lobster claws, my favourite, on the buffet? I've read that some cruises are eliminating this. Thanks

[ocean223]

Hi Dan-

If you get a chance to post the MDR's theme nights and/or menus that would be great. We are on the Jan. 2nd Crown sailing with our 12 & 14 year old kids. Could you check out their 2 groups to see which night they can eat with their kid's clubs, so we can book the Crown Grill for me and my husband?

If you can post some of the 8-12 & 13-17 activity sheets later as well... I/d love it.

Thanks for all your postings!

[lizzy911]

If you can check out Skywalkers at night that would be great. My sister and I (mid and early 20s) were on the Sapphire in January and the crowd was only about 20 people a night at the club. I am hoping there are more people ready to dance all night when I get on the Crown in two weeks!

[houch]

Dan, I loved your cat picture, looks like my Tigger. He and his brother Biscuit are in their first year with us and have never been around when I pack for a cruise. I wonder if I will have the same problem with them. My previous cats were never too interested in the suitcases.

Thanks for your posts and have a great cruise.

[Boccicelli]

Thank you Dan for blazing the trail. My DW and I will board 11/14.

The request:

You seem very willing to go to any lengths to answer even the most obscure minutia, so here goes:

Could you please try out the Victor Bodden Zipline to make sure that Hurricane Ida didn't loosen the cables. Thanks a million. If anything happened to my wife or I our 4 daughters would be crushed!

 

You're the best.

Foster

[Dan Askin]

If you can check out Skywalkers at night that would be great. My sister and I (mid and early 20s) were on the Sapphire in January and the crowd was only about 20 people a night at the club. I am hoping there are more people ready to dance all night when I get on the Crown in two weeks!

 

Hey lizzy911,

 

Didn't get up there last night -- was totally gassed after the 4:30 a.m. wakeup and don't really spend much time in the clubs besides -- but some folks I talked to said that is was pretty hopping (they preceded their dancin' with some karoake crooning). I'll head up there later tonight for some crowd surfing and to see what's going on music-wise.