Crown 11/20 - 11/27

[kywildcatfanone]

Hi folks,

 

I'm really not eloquent enough to write a proper review, but we just got home from a week on the Crown, and as usual it was a great cruise. This was our third time in a row on the Crown, and we are booked on her for April of next year, so we clearly are happy with her and the Western Caribbean itinerary.

 

Anyway, I was looking for a thread where there was a lot of discussion about anytime dining. Our experience was that we didn't see anything different than any of our previous cruises, except for one thing. Previously we could make anytime dining reservations for the entire week. On this cruise, they would not let us do this, I had to call every day and make a reservation for that evening, even to eat at the same time with the same wait staff. Other than that, no difference that I could see. Michaelangelo and DiVinci were anytime from 5:30-10pm just like always.

There were typically small crowds of people in line at 5:30pm to eat, but when we would leave the dining room around 7:30, I never once saw a line waiting to get in. No problems there that I could see.

However, since it was a holiday week, there were quite a few empty cabins, I would guess the ship was down 300+ passengers from capacity, and that might have helped as well.

Also, our room steward told us when we met her for the first time that if we were repeat passengers, we did not have to go to the muster drill, so we didn't go. She also gave us a small beach bag tote, I saw lots of people with them.

Anyway, just wanted to report back on what I noticed with anytime dining. If anyone has any questions, I will try to answer as best I can.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your review. We loved our Crown Princess cruise last spring. I'd gladly go again, even though we prefer eastern to western Caribbean cruises. For this cruise, the ship was our main destination.

[Rockymountainsparky]

Thanks for the report.

[robgvic]

Looking forward to boarding next Saturday. We don't eat until 730 to 8 so dont expect a problem with any time dining.

I hope you left the ship in good condition. lol

[1 HappyCruiser]

It appears that on ships that have the 5:30 traditional dining they no longer take standing reservations which only forces us to take traditional DR seating & abandon it when we feel like eating elsewhere. Not to smart since there's now vacant seating in the TD DR for the whole seating whereas before in the AT DR there would always be someone to back-fill the seats.

In their attempt to provide additional traditional seating they've only made the situation worse for the anytime diners & now I can see why I've read about some major dining delays on the Crown.

[kywildcatfanone]

Looking forward to boarding next Saturday. We don't eat until 730 to 8 so dont expect a problem with any time dining.

I hope you left the ship in good condition. lol

 

She looked to overall be in wonderful shape. The only thing I noticed that needed attention was in a couple of places at the top of the steps leading to Deck 16 by the Calypso pool, the rubber padding was coming loose, and created a trip hazard. I pointed it out to a deck attendant, but it hadn't been repaired when I last saw it Friday night. Other than that, the ship looked to be in impeccable condition. There were people cleaning all the time. Part of what I love about Princess is that they really take care of their ships.

 

Mike

[robgvic]

The solution to that "Happycruiser" is to check cards and not let traditional dining people into the Anytime dining rooms

[1 HappyCruiser]

The solution to that "Happycruiser" is to check cards and not let traditional dining people into the Anytime dining rooms

 

Yes I know that's very true and I have noticed an increase of the checking in the last 6 months but there now creating an even bigger problem with the very early traditional seating option. It's just like having standing reservations in anytime which a lot of people are totally against.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks to the OP for reporting back that things are working smoothly contrary to reports from some other recent Crown cruisers. :)

[kywildcatfanone]

A couple of other things to share:

 

We received outstanding service throughout the cruise from the dining room wait staff and our room steward. Just outstanding, and it was a pleasure to give them additional tip money on Friday night. Also, we had asked the headwaiter about a dessert that is my wife's favorite, which night it would be on. He wasn't sure and was going to check on that for us. Well, we never heard back from him, did not bring clothes for formal night and they had her dessert on that night. The next night at dinner he came over and apologized for forgetting us, but then told us he had saved some of that dessert for her. What great service! We look forward to seeing all of these staff members again in April.

 

The comedian onboard this time was a guy named Rondell Sheridan. He was the best comedian I have ever heard. I was in tears laughing so much. His show was based upon asking questions of passengers in the audience and spinning off of their responses. It was fabulous. We saw his show both nights, and it was the highlight of any of the entertainment we watched. I would recommend him if he is on your ship in the future.

Also, Ashley, the hula hoop artist in the Piazza was really amazing to watch.

 

Mike

[Colo Cruiser]

A couple of other things to share:

 

We received outstanding service throughout the cruise from the dining room wait staff and our room steward. Just outstanding, and it was a pleasure to give them additional tip money on Friday night. Also, we had asked the headwaiter about a dessert that is my wife's favorite, which night it would be on. He wasn't sure and was going to check on that for us. Well, we never heard back from him, did not bring clothes for formal night and they had her dessert on that night. The next night at dinner he came over and apologized for forgetting us, but then told us he had saved some of that dessert for her. What great service! We look forward to seeing all of these staff members again in April.

 

The comedian onboard this time was a guy named Rondell Sheridan. He was the best comedian I have ever heard. I was in tears laughing so much. His show was based upon asking questions of passengers in the audience and spinning off of their responses. It was fabulous. We saw his show both nights, and it was the highlight of any of the entertainment we watched. I would recommend him if he is on your ship in the future.

Also, Ashley, the hula hoop artist in the Piazza was really amazing to watch.

 

Mike

 

 

Rondell is one of my favs!!

 

[Princessmich]

Thanks for your report...we look forward to being on the Crown again for the Western itinerary. We had anytime dining on our past cruise without any complaints so we will be doing it again.

Did you do any excursions?

 

thanks,

Michelle:)

[rdsqrl]

Thanks for your report (which I thought it was quite eloquent, by the way). Glad to hear she's still in fine shape; I'll be on her in three weeks today. Too excited for words! Anyway, I have TD so AD isn't a concern for me on this trip but I'm glad to hear everything worked out well, including the headwaiter who salvaged what could have been a bad situation -- missing one's favourite dessert is no trifling matter (anyone get the pun?). What dessert is your wife's fave, by the way?

Many thanks, too, for the good report on Rondell Sheridan. I love a good comedian. Hopefully he'll still be onboard for my sailing.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

[rdsqrl]

Mike, one more question, if I may. Did you happen to notice which dining room was open for lunch on embarkation day? I'm determined to give it a try this time, as much as I'll miss the salad bar and fried scallops upstairs.

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks for your report...we look forward to being on the Crown again for the Western itinerary. We had anytime dining on our past cruise without any complaints so we will be doing it again.

Did you do any excursions?

 

thanks,

Michelle:)

 

No, just got off at each stop and shopped for a while, then back to an empty ship and relaxing by the pool.

 

Mike

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks for your report (which I thought it was quite eloquent, by the way). Glad to hear she's still in fine shape; I'll be on her in three weeks today. Too excited for words! Anyway, I have TD so AD isn't a concern for me on this trip but I'm glad to hear everything worked out well, including the headwaiter who salvaged what could have been a bad situation -- missing one's favourite dessert is no trifling matter (anyone get the pun?). What dessert is your wife's fave, by the way?

 

Many thanks, too, for the good report on Rondell Sheridan. I love a good comedian. Hopefully he'll still be onboard for my sailing.

 

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

 

Oh yeah, I guess I could have included that, it was grapefruit sorbet (don't ask me why that is her favorite, but it is).

I did find Rondell Sheridan's web site, it looks like he is on the Crown for one more week (this week), and then is on a Carnival ship, and then Cunard for the rest of the month.

 

Mike

[kywildcatfanone]

Mike, one more question, if I may. Did you happen to notice which dining room was open for lunch on embarkation day? I'm determined to give it a try this time, as much as I'll miss the salad bar and fried scallops upstairs.

 

Sorry, I did not. We were traveling with my in-laws (in their late 70's), so we didn't fly in until Saturday, and didn't get to the ship till around 2pm, so the dining room was already closed. When we were on her in March, it was DaVinci, and I would bet that is the one they use most of the time.

 

Mike

[rdsqrl]

Bummer about Rondell but thanks for going the extra mile to answer me. And I think grapefruit sorbet sounds yummy! I'll be on the lookout: I forsee a two-dessert night that night . . .

DaVinci, got it. Will check there first. Thanks again!

[kywildcatfanone]

FYI one other thing...

 

I was supposed to have OBC, some from the TA, and some from using FCC's for booking and being a Carnival Stockholder. I never do this, but when I got onboard I went to the pursers desk to verify my credit was on my account. It wasn't, none of it. When I started to discuss it with the young lady helping me, she directed me to the FCC consultant onboard for help. I knew that wasn't the right answer. She took down my information, and told me they were having network problems between HQ and the ship and would I check back on Monday after HQ is open for business hours. In the mean time, I e-mailed my TA to ask her to check on this from her end as well.

The lady at the pursers desk also wanted to know if I had proof of my credits. I had printed out nothing to bring with me, as my credit was showing up on my account before I left home on Friday. Since most of it came from Princess itself, I wasn't too worried about it getting resolved, but wasn't 100% sure how it would play out.

 

Long story short, it was all resolved by Monday afternoon. I know my TA contacted Princess, but she wouldn't have anything to do with the shareholder credit, so I hope it was just a computer glitch. Lesson learned here, print out OBC information and take with me next time.

 

Mike

[nickels549]

FYI - My email for the 12/11 sailing on the Crown said Al Katz will be the comedian on board. Never heard of him before. Hope he's good!

[southpawsdakota]

I agree, print out your OBC prior to leaving home as I tried to check when I was ON the Sea Princess in September. It seems once you are on board you will have to check with them. Easier to have proof prior to boarding.

[Mist_ynight]

Rondell is one of my favs!!

 

 

Is there anyway to find out what comedian will be on my ship before I go? My hubby loves a good comedian and it will give him one more thing to look foward too since it's his first cruise. I'm on the Crown on Feb 26.

[CrusinAgain]

I truly hope they saw the added traditional dining time on the Crown for the 10/16 sailing did not work for the anytime diners and got rid of it so it is back to how it was with the exception of having to call every day for a reservation. I know they had alot of complaints and angry passengers on that 13 day cruise. Thanks for the report and it sounds like the 5:15 early traditional time is gone for the Caribbean cruises and perhaps back to normal where we never encountered any problems of dining.

[Woobstr112G]

OP;

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts. I totally agree with your thoughts about how good the comedian was. I've seen him before and he is a riot.....:):):)

 

Bob

[nickels549]

Is there anyway to find out what comedian will be on my ship before I go? My hubby loves a good comedian and it will give him one more thing to look foward too since it's his first cruise. I'm on the Crown on Feb 26.

 

I received my entertainment email yesterday, 2 weeks, prior to my sailing. It listed the production shows, entertainers such as comedians and what movies were scheduled to be shown. It also included the CD. Hope this helps!