Convince me to keep my Crown Princess cruise

[amcankid]

Serious inquiry here. We’re platinum on Carnival and have also cruises Royal Caribbean a few times. 
I just booked a Crown Princess cruise for Super Bowl week 2024 out of San Francisco (my home so no flying or hotels necessary).

But now as I look at videos of the ship it seems a little dated, the showers look extra small and there doesn’t seem to be any entertainment areas other than the theater. 
I was able to put a request on my booking for a hand held nozzle for the shower but videos I’ve looked at seem to show the shower as half the size of a phone booth (I’m dating myself with that description lol)

I love the idea of sailing out of San Francisco but I’m not impressed with what I’ve seen on YouTube. Please, anyone who’s sailed on it and loved it I’d like to hear from you.  
As an aside I’m also curious how much they charge to use the sanctuary area and if the pool is only accessible to those who paid the daily charge.

Thanks

[travellingnana]

6 minutes ago, amcankid said:

Serious inquiry here. We’re platinum on Carnival and have also cruises Royal Caribbean a few times. 
I just booked a Crown Princess cruise for Super Bowl week 2024 out of San Francisco (my home so no flying or hotels necessary).

But now as I look at videos of the ship it seems a little dated, the showers look extra small and there doesn’t seem to be any entertainment areas other than the theater. 
I was able to put a request on my booking for a hand held nozzle for the shower but videos I’ve looked at seem to show the shower as half the size of a phone booth (I’m dating myself with that description lol)

I love the idea of sailing out of San Francisco but I’m not impressed with what I’ve seen on YouTube. Please, anyone who’s sailed on it and loved it I’d like to hear from you.  
As an aside I’m also curious how much they charge to use the sanctuary area and if the pool is only accessible to those who paid the daily charge.

Thanks

I recently spent 28 days on the Crown. Yes, the showers are small, but they’ve been small on every other balcony cabin I’ve had on Princess. There is entertainment in the theater, Club Fusion, the Piazza, Explorers Lounge, the Wheelhouse Bar, and probably more places that I’m not thinking of right now. I don’t  use the sanctuary so can’t speak to that. The crew is great, and if you live by SF you can’t beat sailing out of there. I’d go back on her anytime. 

[cr8tiv1]

Let's start with the easy:  The Sanctuary pool is an adult only "free" pool.  So is the aft pool.  All pools are open to the general public.  I believe (I'm not a water person), the Crown actually has a "heated" but just tepid pool.  

 

As for the Crown herself.  I would choose her over any Royal Class and soon to be released Sun Class ships because:

 

Full walk around Promenade

More public spaces:  Club Fusion (aft), Explore's Lounge, Wheelhouse, Adagio, Skywalkers,

Her balconies (not applicable in your case) are twice the size of any Royal Class ship, in most cases.  

At least 500 - 1000 passengers less than the "newer" ships.

 

Granted, she does not have the more elaborate buffet or Gigi's. And her production shows are not as updated as her "younger" sister ships.  The Royal Class ships have several more up-charge restaurants.

 

Depends on where you are going and what you really want to do on the ship.  

 

You can request a hand held shower head or ask once on board on the first day.  If there are any, they will do it as soon as possible.  Interior/Oceanview/Balcony showers are all the same size across the fleet (with slight modifications for the newer ships).

[rdsqrl]

Showers are small but unless you're way over 6 ft (in height or diameter), you'll probably be fine. If you're super worried, you could always book a minisuite, which has a tub/shower combo so is obviously larger.  But I've never minded the showers that much.  It's part of the experience of being aboard a ship versus a hotel. 

 

There are other venues:  Club Fusion aft has game shows, bingo, occasional musical acts.  Explorer's Lounge has musical acts and other stuff, and Crooner's has a pianist.  The Wheelhouse has live music and a nice little dance floor. Then there's Skywalkers, the disco, perched high on Deck 17 with amazing views. 

 

I believe the Sanctuary is $40 per day.  The Lotus Spa pool, which is actually a deck down from the Sanctuary, is free and adult-only. 

 

I've sailed on the Crown twice and enjoyed it immensely both times.  She may not be all new and shiny but there is a lot to like.  There's a proper promenade deck, the bar Adagio aft on Deck 16 is one of my favorite public spaces on any Princess ship, and to me, she just has a relaxing vibe.  I'm sure you'll end up having a good time. 

Edited June 12, 2023 by rdsqrl

[neverbeenhere]

The ship has alcohol aboard. All problems solved!!!

[amcankid]

16 minutes ago, travellingnana said:

I recently spent 28 days on the Crown. Yes, the showers are small, but they’ve been small on every other balcony cabin I’ve had on Princess. There is entertainment in the theater, Club Fusion, the Piazza, Explorers Lounge, the Wheelhouse Bar, and probably more places that I’m not thinking of right now. I don’t  use the sanctuary so can’t speak to that. The crew is great, and if you live by SF you can’t beat sailing out of there. I’d go back on her anytime. 

Thanks for that very quick response. And you’re right about the convenience of anyone cruising out of a home port. That’s what made this so attractive to me along with a fairly great price. 
I’m still not sold on those showers. I guess I should have rephrased it. In comparison to Carnival showers ( which like all cruise ship balcony cabins are small) is it my imaginative or are the Princess showers even smaller?

As far as entertainment, I’d there a dedicated comedy club? Do they even have comedy?  Is there a piano bar? 
Do they have game shows and if so where?

The pools look really nice but the sanctuary pool looks spectacular and more secluded and I’ve read mixed messages on whether the pool is free or is it part of the paid portion?

[amcankid]

20 minutes ago, rdsqrl said:

Showers are small but unless you're way over 6 ft (in height or diameter), you'll probably be fine. If you're super worried, you could always book a minisuite, which has a tub/shower combo so is obviously larger.  But I've never minded the showers that much.  It's part of the experience of being aboard a ship versus a hotel. 

 

There are other venues:  Club Fusion aft has game shows, bingo, occasional musical acts.  Explorer's Lounge has musical acts and other stuff, and Crooner's has a pianist.  The Wheelhouse has live music and a nice little dance floor. Then there's Skywalkers, the disco, perched high on Deck 17 with amazing views. 

 

I believe the Sanctuary is $40 per day.  The Lotus Spa pool, which is actually a deck down from the Sanctuary, is free and adult-only. 

 

I've sailed on the Crown twice and enjoyed it immensely both times.  She may not be all new and shiny but there is a lot to like.  There's a proper promenade deck, the bar Adagio aft on Deck 16 is one of my favorite public spaces on any Princess ship, and to me, she just has a relaxing vibe.  I'm sure you'll end up having a good time. 

Awesome.  You basically answered all my questions (sans one, comedy which I love). 
But your answer was what I was looking for and hoping for. I’m sure I’ll get over the size of the shower. I’m 6’0 and athletic so fitting in won’t be a problem. It’s just that it seems like whoever designed them said “you know? If we cut another 10 inches off of each shower we could conceivably add one more cabin on each deck!”

But I think you just convinced me to stick with it. Thanks!!

[capriccio]

8 minutes ago, amcankid said:

Awesome.  You basically answered all my questions (sans one, comedy which I love). 
But your answer was what I was looking for and hoping for. I’m sure I’ll get over the size of the shower. I’m 6’0 and athletic so fitting in won’t be a problem. It’s just that it seems like whoever designed them said “you know? If we cut another 10 inches off of each shower we could conceivably add one more cabin on each deck!”

But I think you just convinced me to stick with it. Thanks!!

There is no dedicated comedy club but on most 7 day cruises there will be at least one comedian with a production show in the theater and frequently a new set in the Explorer's Lounge (usually) the following evening.

[snoozecrooze]

The thing about choosing Princess for the first time is to set your expectations accordingly (something I'd tell anyone doing it). You go into Princess looking to chill, and I mean, really chill. Especially on a ship like Crown Princess, the best part of it is the wide, open, endless promenade on deck 7 to just stare at the open sea. Adagio Bar is such an underrated space because absolutely no one knows about it and it is pure bliss.

 

There's actually a lot you can choose to be occupied by on Princess, but from my viewpoint, that's because I don't mind visiting many of the planned activities. Some will also just find Princess the perfect sweet spot for both relaxing while also having that one thing at night you really want to do (like a production show or an evening game show). 

 

My one recommendation is I would make an effort to visit the activities led by the cruise staff, which I'm sure you've also learned from your experiences on Carnival. It's the fastest way to build friends and rapport with other cruisers but also cruise staff and that can help you set a goal for your day (finding certain events you now schedule yourself to attend, for example). Or maybe you've found a great group of people at Crooner's (the piano bar) and you guys will see each other every night. But again, the beauty of it is you can do none of that and just enjoy the presence of your own company. Not that any of that would be unique to Princess at all, but in my opinion, there's just less frenetic energy around you at the end of the day.

[jimdee3636]

I've seen this before. People book a cruise on a particular ship on a particular line (not just Princess), and then ask afterward if they did the right thing. Why not ask these questions ahead of time?

[donswife]

Another great feature of the Crown is the International cafe on the bottom deck of the piazza. You can enjoy a light meal or snack (no extra charge) and enjoy whatever entertainment is going on (game shows, music, demonstrations, etc).  

[torringtonwyo]

so how and who did you use to request a hand held shower

[cr8tiv1]

You can request it before hand using the Medallion Class app.  

 

Ocean Ready

My Preferences

Accessibility

In-Cabin Accessibility Amenities

Check Hand-held Shower Head

 

If it isn't in your cabin on embarkation day:

 

Log on to Ship INTRAnet wifi.

Go to Crew Chat 

 

Or go to the Customer Service Desk on Deck 6

[travelin.sisters]

We did a 15-day Hawai'i on the Crown in March & yes, she is older, but we did not have any major problems.

 

You didn't say how long your cruise is, but depending on the length they will have guest comedian, magician & musicians, they will usually do 2 different shows one in the theater & another night in one of the lounges. There will be game shows & lots of trivia with the cruise staff. 

 

The handheld shower head really helps because when it is on the holder it is in the middle of the shower stall over your head rather than at wall & for me that made the space feel less cramped somehow.

 

I did do a live from our cruise with a lot of photos of the ship & my detailed thoughts on her condition...if you are interested the link is in my signature. There are also daily schedules which will be different because of the itinerary, but will give you an idea of the kinds of entertainment Princess does.

[amcankid]

1 hour ago, jimdee3636 said:

I've seen this before. People book a cruise on a particular ship on a particular line (not just Princess), and then ask afterward if they did the right thing. Why not ask these questions ahead of time?

In a way that’s what I’m doing. It’s not like I have buyers remorse cause I’m still in a long window to cancel with 100 percent refund. I’m asking the questions now because I want to confirm if it was a wise choice. So many cruises to pick from each year but being where I live (the San Francisco Bay Area) cruises from my home port are limited where they go and usually more expensive. This particular cruise pricing was in line as if I booked it from LA but without having to drive or fly and also no need for hotels pre or post cruise.

Add in the plus package which is a great deal in my opinion and it was hard to pass up. We did a Super Bowl cruise last year that was a lot of fun so I kinda wanted to make it a yearly thing. And this one just happened to be from SF during that period which is unusual because cruise season in SF pretty much shuts down in the winter months because Alaska is off the table and most ships have repositioned to other areas of the world. 
But like anything else, once you semi commit to something you tend to dig deeper into what it’s all about. 
And the showers as well as the seeming lack of entertainment considering we’ll have 5 sea days made me question if it was a wise choice. But I’ve seen some very positive comments and I’m happy I booked it. Strike that last comment! 

I’m excited I booked it and can’t wait!!

(as an aside we’re going to Alaska out of San Francisco in August so it’s awesome to be able to use our home port over again!)

[amcankid]

1 hour ago, travelin.sisters said:

We did a 15-day Hawai'i on the Crown in March & yes, she is older, but we did not have any major problems.

 

You didn't say how long your cruise is, but depending on the length they will have guest comedian, magician & musicians, they will usually do 2 different shows one in the theater & another night in one of the lounges. There will be game shows & lots of trivia with the cruise staff. 

 

The handheld shower head really helps because when it is on the holder it is in the middle of the shower stall over your head rather than at wall & for me that made the space feel less cramped somehow.

 

I did do a live from our cruise with a lot of photos of the ship & my detailed thoughts on her condition...if you are interested the link is in my signature. There are also daily schedules which will be different because of the itinerary, but will give you an idea of the kinds of entertainment Princess does.

It’s a 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise. Total of 5 sea days with 4 ports. 
And it’s funny but if I don’t have a handheld shower nozzle it’s enough to be a deal breaker! Call me silly but without whisker clean body parts I’m not a happy camper!!

[amcankid]

2 hours ago, donswife said:

Another great feature of the Crown is the International cafe on the bottom deck of the piazza. You can enjoy a light meal or snack (no extra charge) and enjoy whatever entertainment is going on (game shows, music, demonstrations, etc).  

Thanks! I’ve already lost all my doubts based on these comments and you just added more reason to simply be excited 

[travelin.sisters]

13 minutes ago, amcankid said:

It’s a 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise. Total of 5 sea days with 4 ports. 
And it’s funny but if I don’t have a handheld shower nozzle it’s enough to be a deal breaker! Call me silly but without whisker clean body parts I’m not a happy camper!!

In that case, I would check when you get to your room that they have put in the handheld shower nozzle & if not remind them right away, ours arrived within an hour or two once I asked (we had pre ordered in the app but...)

 

On that length of cruise, I would anticipate a comedian, a magician & probably 2 musical acts(they rotate the guest entertainers in & out at the various ports) & a couple of production shows from the entertainment staff...during the day there should also be enrichment talks which can cover a variety of topics depending on who the speaker is & port talks...there will be musicians around the ship in various locations throughout the day.

 

I hope you have a wonderful trip, it is so nice to sail from a port close to home

[cruzin4us]

I don't think it matters what ship you are on.....if you are going to Hawaii out of SF, you need to like sea days.  If sea days aren't your thing or you get bored easily, then I wouldn't book any ship to Hawaii.

 

For me personally, I love the sea days almost more than the port stops.  My husband gets more antsy and needs land under his feet so the Hawaii cruise isn't his favorite.

 

I always request the hand held shower head (10+ cruises) and have never gotten one on any ship (Ruby, Diamond, Majestic, Discovery).   It really isn't that big a deal.

 

All that being said, I'm also on the Crown February 22nd to Hawaii out of SF......as a solo 😁.   

 

 

 

[MTNest93]

If the small shower is that big of a concern, you could book a Reserve Class mini-suite to get a shower/tub combo.  Just a thought.

[donswife]

11 hours ago, amcankid said:

It’s a 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise. Total of 5 sea days with 4 ports. 
And it’s funny but if I don’t have a handheld shower nozzle it’s enough to be a deal breaker! Call me silly but without whisker clean body parts I’m not a happy camper!!

If you decide you don't like your shower once you are on board,  there are nice showers in the gym/spa area by the Lotus pool that are free to use, along with sauna and steam rooms. 

[WisCruiser2]

Someone has already mentioned Crooners, the piano bar -- one of our favorite places in the evening on the Crown! Princess has a variety of daytime activities during sea days, just may not be as rowdy as on Carnival (from what I've been told...).

[Steelers36]

13 hours ago, amcankid said:

It’s a 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise. Total of 5 sea days with 4 ports. 
And it’s funny but if I don’t have a handheld shower nozzle it’s enough to be a deal breaker! Call me silly but without whisker clean body parts I’m not a happy camper!!

Ask your cabin steward as soon as you get there for one.  Supplies may be limited.  My friend has always received one.  If you board early, chances are better.  Look for cabin steward in the hall if they don't find you first.

[Amy G]

We are going on the Crown in July and I am most looking forward to sitting in the Skywalker's Lounge to take in the views, as well as being able to walk around the entire promenade!

[Napagirl]

When I went on Carnival I don't remember thinking - wow, these showers are so much bigger! I thought - yep, it's a cruise ship shower. lol Now, ARE they bigger? Maybe? But not that I could notice. I've been on Princess Ruby and Grand, and from what I can tell these are about the same as the Crown which we will be on in October. (FYI we always sail in a balcony)

 

Sailing under the GGB - just nothing like it! Enjoy!

Edited June 12, 2023 by Napagirl