Caribbean Princess Questions

[bucky0926]

My husband and I have cruised CCL, RCI, and Holland.  I have never cruised with Princess.  We are considering the Caribbean Princess for a 14 circle the Caribean cruise. 

 

So are there comedy shows on this ship?  We love the Punchliner on CCL.  What is the smoking policy?  Are there places at the pools to smoke? (Yes, I  know its bad for me).  Is there an overhang or shade at any of the pools?  I don't want to sit at a table I would prefer a lounge chair that will be in the shade.  And if there are how early do I have to wake up to claim my chair?  Most importantly is there a dedicated Texas Holdem Table at the Casino?  I don't care if they deal it or if it is electronic but if DH doesn't have this then all bets are off.  Is there an equivalent of "faster to the fun" on Princess that I should be aware of?  Is there my time dining?  Thank for your help....

[JF - retired RRT]

59 minutes ago, bucky0926 said:

So are there comedy shows on this ship?  Yes. But not a daily occurrence. There will likely be at least one comedian with 2 or 3 shows.

What is the smoking policy?  Smoking is only allowed in designated areas. Churchill Lounge near the theater, the casino, an area near two of the pools and one on Promenade deck.

Are there places at the pools to smoke? See above. Others can be more specific, I avoid the smoking areas.

Is there an overhang or shade at any of the pools?  Yes.

And if there are how early do I have to wake up to claim my chair?  The ones in the shade may be easier to get than the ones in the sun. Chair hogs are up as early as 5 or 6 AM. It's against the rules, but that doesn't stop them.

Most importantly is there a dedicated Texas Holdem Table at the Casino?  No idea, but someone will know.

Is there an equivalent of "faster to the fun" on Princess that I should be aware of? No

Is there my time dining?  Yes. We prefer Traditional. The lines for Anytime can be long depending on when you show up.

See above.

[skynight]

2 hours ago, bucky0926 said:

My husband and I have cruised CCL, RCI, and Holland.  I have never cruised with Princess.  We are considering the Caribbean Princess for a 14 circle the Caribbean cruise. 

 

So are there comedy shows on this ship?  We love the Punchliner on CCL. 

No comedy club. There are guest comedians that will do shows some evenings in the theater and maybe in Explorer's Lounge or Club Fusion.

What is the smoking policy?  Are there places at the pools to smoke? (Yes, I  know its bad for me).

Limited smoking areas. No smoking around any of the pools. No smoking in any cabin or on any balcony. Smoking areas on the Caribbean are: Deck 16, port side next to Tradewinds Bar where there are ash trays on the tables, Deck 7, promenade deck, starboard side, a small standing area (not the entire promenade) just outside of Club Fusion where the walkway narrows and there is an ash receptacle on the wall, Churchill Lounge, deck 6 forward, the only location on the ship where cigar and pipe smoking is allowed, some casino slots while playing, table games as well as the casino bar are all smoke free and on some evenings the entire casino is smoke free, a section of Skywalker's Nightclub, and I think a small area all the way aft, port side on either deck 15, 16 or 17.

Is there an overhang or shade at any of the pools?  I don't want to sit at a table I would prefer a lounge chair that will be in the shade.

Yes, you can find shade. People move lounge chairs around.

And if there are how early do I have to wake up to claim my chair?

Well that depends on sea day or port day and what pool you select. There are 5 different pools. Terrace Pool and Lap Pool are adults only. Not much shade at the Terrace Pool, but very popular. The Lap Pool has limited seating, much of it in the shade. Neptune's Reef or main pool is very busy as is Calypso Reef. Calypso Reef has outdoor movies and other events playing all day on the outdoor movie screen. The Morgan's Reef Pool  area is very nice and built for youth. If you cruise when youth are in school it will be a really nice quiet area with comfortable seating in both sun and shade.

Most importantly is there a dedicated Texas Holdem Table at the Casino?  I don't care if they deal it or if it is electronic but if DH doesn't have this then all bets are off.

I think I remember seeing a hold-em table. Electronic. Games were in the evening.

Is there an equivalent of "faster to the fun" on Princess that I should be aware of?

Not required. Boarding is grouped in order of arrival at the pier. If you arrive around 10:30 or 11:00 then you are quickly checked in and shown to a waiting area. You are grouped by time of arrival. Boarding normally begins around 11:30, maybe a little sooner with priority boarders. Once boarding begins it goes very quickly. Cabins may or may not be ready when you board. I have seen it both ways. Generally you can go to your cabin and drop off your stuff.

Is there my time dining?

Yes, called Anytime Dining. There is a trick to it and crowded times depend on the passenger demographic. It opens at 5pm. Normally fills by 5:45. Tables to share are generally easier to get than tables for two. There can be lines especially on boarding day. Once the first rush clears seating is fairly easy. If you want to dine say at 7:30 it's pretty easy to get a table.

Thank for your help....

Another note about shows. They are all walk in. The theater fills quickly. Arrive 45 minutes early for productions shows, 1 hour early for the Bravo show (a great show with large orchestra and beautiful songs), and 30 minutes early for guest entertainers.