Crown Princess ABC islands Jan 12 to 20, 2018

[Bimmer09]

* could someone alert Annie (rdsqrl) that food is about to hit the table? Thanks.

When I see an Indian dish on a menu I find it hard to resist. Like this Samosa starter...

 

There's some cooling cucumber yogurt in a little white bowl and at the top of the frame some hot sauces. The Mac n cheese portion will be donated to Carol. The food certainly looked photogenic. The first crispy bite of the vegetable Samosa had me dancing in my chair. So yummy! Off to a great start.

 

More beer garçon!



 

 

Pan Fried Grouper for Norris



 

I was born in a fishing village and so have always had a fondness for fried, grilled, deep fried and even boiled fish. I declared this plate of food one of the best fish plates to ever pass under my knife and fork. My taste buds were singing. It was on a par with Little Bar on Marco Island, Florida, where I have done most of my fish eating in the USA. Sublime. So much so that as we were leaving I walked up to the cooks in the outdoor/indoor kitchen and asked who cooked the fish? Uncertain looks as they maybe thought I was going to complain. When a little old lady raised her spatula I gave her a burst of applause and the thumbs up sign which is by now universally recognized. Kudos! She smiled big.

* Missing from the photo is a little bucket of crispy French fries which is a must for me with fried fish.

Carol had the grilled Red Snapper with some fried bread

 

We were very happy with our choice of restaurant and the walk of 3/4 of a mile from the ship was worth it. It would be the same distance back I reckoned. A busser removed our empty plates and Francisco tried to interest us in desserts...

A fine slice of Key Lime pie was Carol's choice and it didn't disappoint.

 

 

I fancied some ice cream and chose two of my favorite scoops-coffee and banana



 

A fantastic meal and they will be getting a glowing review from me on TripAdvisor (Norris A is my screen name). The bill came to @$100 with tip. Worth every penny to us. I started writing the review last night so don't go looking for it just yet.

We took the long march back to the ship the way we had come, past the Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors etc shops that speak of wealthy brand-conscious passers-by. None of them ever see our feet in their stores.



By the time we get back to the ship we have maybe 90 minutes before we are off it again for our sunset cruise. Carol took a nap sitting on our balcony where it was very quiet while I had a drink up at Tradewinds while my camera batteries were charging in E734.

[Bimmer09]

did The Beatles not cover this song as well during their meditation phase of their musical journey

 

They may have covered it with a heavy Army blanket which I think it deserved. I know Donovan was in India with them at one time. As was Mia Farrow.

Norris

[jlf1]

That pan fried grouper looked delish.

 

Judy

[MisterMet]

Oil rigs and ships on the horizon

 



 

 

 

 

 

Back up on 16 and the coffee station has been set up so I get a fresh cup

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

The decks are often wet in the morning after a night's drizzle. A double rainbow appears

 



 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norris,

 

The second picture in this post and a similar one in another post of yours (one before the double rainbow over the pool deck) are as good “sunrise on a cruise ship” pictures I’ve ever seen. The sunrise pictures are great, yes, but the way you framed them against the structure of the ship are magnificent! I love being up on that deck of the Grand Class ships. It offers great views and perspective. I have often taken pictures facing forward from Sky Walkers Lounge as well that have similar vistas. Well done!

 

Trip

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited February 15, 2018 by MisterMet

[seamwoman]

Is there really a benchwarmer app? If it's real I'd love it!

Karen

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

The second picture in this post and a similar one in another post of yours (one before the double rainbow over the pool deck) are as good “sunrise on a cruise ship” pictures I’ve ever seen. The sunrise pictures are great, yes, but the way you framed them against the structure of the ship are magnificent! I love being up on that deck of the Grand Class ships. It offers great views and perspective. I have often taken pictures facing forward from Sky Walkers Lounge as well that have similar vistas. Well done!Trip

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Trip, I'm glad you liked that photo and thanks for the compliment! I shot it at a fast shutter speed to under-expose it and get as much deep color as I could. I checked the settings on Flickr ( the EXIF data there is one reason why I love Flickr so much) and it was at 1/640th of a second.

I like to try and get part of the ship in the sun pictures to establish where I am as the pictures could be taken from land otherwise. It's easy to do that if the sun is ahead or behind the ship.

Sometimes if it is at 90 degrees I have to stand at the rail to avoid people in the shot and then it is just sea and sun.

I have some pics taken from Skywalkers later in the review-some of them featuring Coral Princess close by. Watch out for those.

Glad to see you are still following along. I uploaded 55 new photos to Flickr before going to work today so those will start to appear in the morning, sunset cruise included and some night shots of the Crown (from a moving boat!)

Cheers!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Is there really a benchwarmer app? If it's real I'd love it!

Karen

 

Hey Carol! Looks like we have our first customer!

Hi, Karen, it's Benchfinder, not Benchwarmer, as Carol is always looking for a place to sit and soak up the scenery wherever we are, and rest from walking.

It's a Norris invention but I admit it would be a handy thing to have. It would take a lot of research though and who has the time? Also in the ideas stage is Perfect Potty-an app for finding good, clean, functioning public toilets as Carol always grades them after use. The worst are the roadside ones on Highway 1 in California (even bacteria avoid them) and the best are any toilets in German Autobahn stops which would get the Potty Palace designation.

Hope that helps.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

That pan fried grouper looked delish.

Judy

 

Judy, it was everything I said it was. I love well-cooked fish and Carol is very fussy as she is a master at cooking fish at home. We will eat ashore in our next island- Bonaire. The eating ashore is my idea which has often failed to happen but this time Carol agreed that it was a good thing to do, once we had the poor Curacao meal behind us.

Stay tuned!

Norris

[DaisyandSika]

Thank you Norris and Carol for the lovely, detailed review. Your photos are amazing! Greatly appreciated! How long would you guess the walk was from West Deck to the ship? We have a reservation for dinner there. Hoping we won't have run to catch our ride! I don't normally order seafood in restaurants (also born and raised in a fishing community), but your glowing review may have swayed me.

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

I believe it was Donovan who sang about “Mellow Yellow.”

Love your cruise reviews and pictures. Would love to cruise with you and Carol sometime. We like Princess as much as we used to like Celebrity.

 

Hi and welcome to one of my reviews for the first time. Thanks for the kind comment!

I wonder why you are no longer enamored with Celebrity? Princess is great for us but we (especially me) love the S Class ships. We haven't sailed an M Class yet. We have only sailed in S1 suites on X so that may color my opinion somewhat as we are treated like Kings on there.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Thank you Norris and Carol for the lovely, detailed review. Your photos are amazing! Greatly appreciated! How long would you guess the walk was from West Deck to the ship? We have a reservation for dinner there. Hoping we won't have run to catch our ride! I don't normally order seafood in restaurants (also born and raised in a fishing community), but your glowing review may have swayed me.

 

Hi Daisy and Sika and thanks for tuning in to one of my epics! Glad you like the photos.

West Deck was 0.7 of a mile according to Carol's notes and it was a pleasant walk, along safe, clean streets with lots of eye candy.

The fish was slap-yo-mama fresh and well prepared by a very nice lady.

Enjoy this nice casual restaurant and if you see Francisco tell him the TripAdvisor review will soon be up!

Norris

[EMS8]

Hi and welcome to one of my reviews for the first time. Thanks for the kind comment!

I wonder why you are no longer enamored with Celebrity? Princess is great for us but we (especially me) love the S Class ships. We haven't sailed an M Class yet. We have only sailed in S1 suites on X so that may color my opinion somewhat as we are treated like Kings on there.

Norris

 

Norris,

I have read all your cruise reviews and just been a lurker, but had to jump in on Mellow Yellow to win the virtual pillow chocolate.:D:D

My DW and I have been longtime, loyal Celebrity cruisers and have sailed in every class of Celebrity ship multiple times. And we too really like the S Class ships. We've sailed in three of the five ships. We also like those aft corner S1 Sky suites. The long walk to the stairs and elevators is good exercise :)

 

I guess we feel like the current Celebrity management doesn't see value in the longtime loyal Celebrity cruiser any more, so that is why we tried a Princess cruise two years ago on Royal Princess. We liked the ship and the service.

[Bimmer09]

Before I got back on the ship I saw an opportunity to get a photo of the stern of the ship and walked on out the dock. When I got there a sign told me to go no further (or else!)

so this is the best I could get. I am not a sign ignorer but am a sign respecter.

 

 

I made my way back to the gangway







We were back on the Crown for a short spell before our Sunset cruise excursion.

Looking down to the dock area...



 

 

You can see that Renaissance Hotel and Casino in this next one



 

 

Many people enjoying the quiet ship on a beautiful day



 



 

Next-Today's Princess Patter

[Bimmer09]

 

 



 

 



 

 

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

I have read all your cruise reviews and just been a lurker, but had to jump in on Mellow Yellow to win the virtual pillow chocolate.:D:D

My DW and I have been longtime, loyal Celebrity cruisers and have sailed in every class of Celebrity ship multiple times. And we too really like the S Class ships. We've sailed in three of the five ships. We also like those aft corner S1 Sky suites. The long walk to the stairs and elevators is good exercise :)

 

I guess we feel like the current Celebrity management doesn't see value in the longtime loyal Celebrity cruiser any more, so that is why we tried a Princess cruise two years ago on Royal Princess. We liked the ship and the service.

 

Thanks for the response. We haven't cruised long enough or often enough with X to notice a change regarding past passengers. We have only two cruises and both in those corner aft S1 suites. I know they have pulled out all the stops to make the suite experience special with Michael's Club and Luminae/Blu, butlers etc. We may only ever cruise on the Silhouette and Reflection because of the Lawn Club Grill and the Alcoves.

Thanks for no longer lurking! And thanks for reading all my reviews.

I had to stop the virtual pillow chocolate rewards as some readers complained that they found virtual teethmarks (mine) on them. I can't resist a nibble.

Cheers!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

THIS

 

 

PLUS THIS



=

SUNSET CRUISE! (hooray!)

4.50 p.m meet-up time in the terminal. I saw no bus waiting outside (best place for a bus)

We walked to our sailing vessel as it was a hop, skip and a jump from the Crown.



 

We weren't at the head of the line but I hustled forward, leaving Carol in the dust. To the lady whom I knocked off the dock into the harbor-"my bad-it was an accident I assure you".

I wanted to be sitting outside and not in the shaded area aft as I needed an unimpeded view of what was to follow on our two hour sail. I needed a seat on the Port side so I could photograph the Crown in the dark when we returned. Once everyone was aboard and the lady fished out of the harbor with a long hook we were set to sail. Our crew of four (?) introduced themselves but I am terrible at remembering names and they are immaterial anyway in this tale. One of them would be operating the Open Bar so the others didn't matter so much.

We leave the marina

 

Into the open water where there is a Somali Pirate Ship but we are behind him and he doesn't see us in his rear-view. Close call!

 

 

Well, that's it! We had a great cruise!

[Bimmer09]

 

 

One sail up

 

 

Hopefully not the bartender scurries onto the bowsprit



 

So pleasant, thought Carol as she was lulled by the sound of the wind in the sails and the lapping of the water on the bulwarks. Just then the pulsing thud of some reggae riddums split the air as the sound system was cranked up. Carol scowled and was dialing her lawyer but I calmed her down by softly chanting "Irie" and "Cool runnings man" and that did the trick.

Who doesn't like some Bob Marley or Desmond Dekker when there's rum in the offing and a warm Caribbean breeze blowing through the windmills of your mind?



 

 



 

Where we happily live. The ship's bum (I'm British remember?)

 

 

We are on the Port side just to the left of the letter C

[Bimmer09]

you know that's not fair! bring on the sunset pics!

 

Alas Crystal, I left the lens cap on for the sunset picks. I blame the rum.

Note from my mother etc...

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Once the bar is open folks head back there to get their drinks. I head to the bow.

 

 

We pass the funfair



 

 

We are not alone on the water



 

 

We sail along the coast and see the big hotels and condos from a new perspective



 

That's Riu and I waited until the boat had turned around to head back South so I could have an uninterrupted view from the Port side

[lola2013]

Thank you Norris, for recommending the West Deck in Aruba. We've just made a reservation for next month. Aruba will be our final stop before heading back (sadly) to Ft. Lauderdale after our Caribbean Princess cruise. :cool:

Your tips are invaluable!!!

Susan

[Bimmer09]

I went to the bar to get us some drinks as we sailed North. Mine was sadly rum-lacking. There was a whiff of some cheap rum but it faded on the palate. Once sipped I went back and this time asked for a double rum single coke and that was at least not a hoax of a drink. The rum should be the star, the Coke should be a hanger-on. Carol's Club Soda had zero rum in it. I rest my case!

There follows photos of hotels or condos I cannot name without the help of Google Earth and a compass. I just don't have the time...

 

 

condos-that I know

 

 



 

I have two cameras around my neck and switching back and forth and twiddling dials and trying to stay upright on a bobbing boat to get these pictures. Oh and I am also working a camcorder and trying not to let the ice melt in my drink. It could have been a relaxing cruise otherwise. LOL! I also have people coming up to me and asking about the cameras and wanting to see some shots I just took so I was busy but having fun too.

 

 







 

It's been so overcast along the sail that I am doubting my chances of a good sunset. Even so I would have enjoyed the cruise. It was just nice to be out on the water in the balmy temperatures while Chicago was gripped in single digits.

 

The Somali pirates prepare to launch an attack on a condo thinking it's a container ship

But there is hope from a glimmer of color in the failing light

 

[Bimmer09]

Away in the far distance sits the Crown

 

 

can you see our cabin ?



 

 

I am feeling optimistic about our sunset chances



 

It will either fizzle among the clouds or reveal itself. There's no sign of the actual sun itself-no fiery round orb of exploding helium but it's what it can do to the clouds after the Earth has rotated away from it that makes the magic happen. There's not one goat on the boat (trust me I looked) so a sacrifice is out of the question.

I cross my fingers....

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

People looking away from the sunset

 



 

 



 

 



 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Thank you Norris, for recommending the West Deck in Aruba. We've just made a reservation for next month. Aruba will be our final stop before heading back (sadly) to Ft. Lauderdale after our Caribbean Princess cruise. :cool:

Your tips are invaluable!!!

Susan

 

Susan hopefully invaluable as we all have different tastes and expectations. It's not Michelin Star, just basic well-cooked fresh ingredients. I can go from a Michelin Star restaurant and my foie gras, black truffles etc to Popeye's chicken and still have a lip-smacking' meal. I don't think I have ever ordered fish in a Chicago restaurant as it would be frozen for shipping but when in a coastal town I'll order it as I love well-cooked fish. Just add a squeeze of lemon for perfection.

I think I ordered fish in Bonaire too-let's see how that turned out (later)

Cheers!

Norris

[lola2013]

Susan hopefully invaluable as we all have different tastes and expectations. It's not Michelin Star, just basic well-cooked fresh ingredients. I can go from a Michelin Star restaurant and my foie gras, black truffles etc to Popeye's chicken and still have a lip-smacking' meal. I don't think I have ever ordered fish in a Chicago restaurant as it would be frozen for shipping but when in a coastal town I'll order it as I love well-cooked fish. Just add a squeeze of lemon for perfection.

I think I ordered fish in Bonaire too-let's see how that turned out (later)

Cheers!

Norris

 

Well, I'm a White Castle/McDonald's/Denny's kind of girl!!! Menu looks great and the location can't be beat!

Susan