Live From The Caribbean!

[Kerry&LuAnn]

We remember that the first evening after boarding the ship there was a “Sailaway Buffet” (6:00-11:00 p.m.) that had a “Chilled Seafood Extravaganza” in the Cafe Caribe (part of the Horizon Court Buffet) with shrimp cocktail, lobster claws, king crab legs, smoked salmon and much more. It was difficult to think about going to the dining room after enjoying all that!

 

In the dining room menus we found sauteed filet of zander, sautéed orange roughy filet, mahi mahi, grilled swordfish, yellow snapper, freshwater tilapia, sautéed jumbo black tiger prawns, sea scallops and broiled twin lobster tail. We usually ate early (anytime dining) and if there was something we particularly enjoyed, we made our way to the Horizon Court buffet later in the evening and usually found our favorite seafood items there, too.

 

The “Always Available” menu in the dining rooms included a succulent Caribbean shrimp cocktail and a broiled North Sea silver salmon filet. So we could have shrimp cocktail every night if we wanted.

[zoe girl]

just curious about the weather you've had this week? has it been smooth sailing?

[Robroy]

Zoe: Weather today was perfect - likely the best day we've had. Sun and heat. Past couple of days it's been nice but a bit overcast with a couple of showers at times. Nothing to ruin the trip though. Seas have been very calm although we're going to travel faster en route to Princess Cay tonite and tomorrow so it'll start feeling a bit more like we're on a ship!

 

Sasa & Fgd3: That's the one! A751 is a gorgeous cabin and as Fgd3 mentions it'll spoil you forever. With only three cabins across the aft, we've heard absolutely no noise whatsoever with the exception of a bit of a party crowd who got into the yahoos yesterday afternoon and early evening on the Starboard side of Baja. They were just having some loud fun. Absolutely no cabin to cabin noise though and the balcony according to my measurements were approx 12X18' - lots of room for just the two of us!

You'll love your steward Inri - really accomodating fellow and does a great job. We still haven't found time to put away the bottle of champagne which he delivered the first afternoon but we'll try our best. You're in for a real treat!

 

Rob

[fgd3]

The only noise problem we had was the door on the Riviera deck hallway that leads to the aft pool would slam really loudly at all hours. Otherwise it was fantastic. We had some terrific sunsets at sailaways. Is Inri still the steward? Loved the short walk to the aft pool.

Have a great cruise! It's difficult getting back in the rat race after a week in that cabin!

[fgd3]

Sorry just saw about Inri. The champagne is wedged into the shelf under the wet bar. It took me a couple of days to find it but it was re-iced and appropriately disposed of.

[sasa]

Thank you both very much for your posts. We planned the cabin selection carefully and I'm so glad it met or exceeded your expectations. We can hardly wait for Saturday and are looking forward to meeting Inri!

[Robroy]

Fgd3 - I agree about the Riviera doors - it does slam at all hours but hasn't really bothered us although I can't imagine having the cabin adjacent to that doorway or anywhere along that hall for that matter. The sunsets have been fabulous and this morning the sunrise was spectacular as well. We're heading back to Princess Cay and must have been on a westerly course early this morning as the sunrise was directly behind us - what a great sight! We had our normal breakfast on the balcony and after about 15 minutes however we had to go back into the cabin - it was really really hot! Took several photos though and hope they turned out as that view is what sells a lot of cruises I"m sure!!

As for the champagne, ours is still in the bucket and Inri religiously fills it with ice and keeps the fluted glasses on hand just in case we get the urge to crack it open......

 

Sasa: I'll be interested in your opinions on the cabin. I enjoy planning carefully also and this cabin has been everything we had hoped for. Inri has been a real plus - you'll want to take him home I"m sure!

By the way, we've been having some difficulty disposing of all the beer which we exchanged the liquor for. You may want to carefully examine all the cupboards in the cabin on arrival just in case there are a few strays left over.....

Hope you have a great trip!

 

Rob

[Cruisin Kay D]

Seems that your ship's timing of ports was great this week!! -- there have been torrential downpours overnight in St. T & St. M & on some islands schools cancelled because of flooding!!! Check out http://www.stormcarib.com and you'll see in the satellite photo what you've missed out on!!! Likely some other ships are today at St. T & St.M -- nothing to do but stay on board!!!

[sasa]

Rob, you are a GOOD man. I'm sure one of those 'extras' will come in handy the second my DH and I get there! Enjoy the rest of your cruise, have a safe trip home and I'll post again when I return.

 

I'm off to FLL early tomorrow! :)

[topaz1]

Thank you so much for taking the time to post. We were on her last month, though now it seems so long ago. So glad to hear that you're having a great time!

We saw Fernandez a few years ago on another ship, and LOVED him. It was amazing how he was able to hypnotize people and get them to do such crazy things!

Enjoy your last couple of days at sea, and beware of the birds!!!!

[TexasMom2]

Roboy, how was The Atlantic hotel in Fort Lauderdale? I've booked for one night in December with SPG points and noticed you did the same. Was it worth it (ours was 12,000 points)?

[Robroy]

Texasmom:

I was waiting until we got home to post on Tripadvisor about the Atlantic. We used Starpoints for a two night stay and all we can say is WOW!!

Right from checkin, we were warmly welcomed by the res clerk who cheerfully advised us we were upgraded to a 1 BR oceanfront suite. What a room! The rack rate on the door was $969/night although I'm not sure who ever pays full rack rate - maybe at Christmas - who knows?

The amenities are incredible - no idea what they were but my wife says the bath stuff was very high quality. Incredibly large bathroom with separate shower you could have a party in and large soaker tub - separate w/c also - double sinks - all marble flooring. Gorgeous view of the ocean (we were on the 9th floor) with a small table and chairs for relaxing when it cooled down.

Tried Trina's for breakfast and lunch - excellent food - expensive but what do you expect? Any staff we encountered were smiling - said hello - the pool deck area was gorgeous and private with a terrific young bar steward who looked after the lunch and bar service.

Location was terrific also - about a ten minute walk down to Seville St. to catch the water taxi or right down A1A to Beach Place. Another note - the Trolley picks up passengers right across the street from the hotel - runs about every 15 minutes - great way to get down to Las Olas and the fabulous sidewalk cafes and shopping.

The hotel is about a $14 cab ride to the pier plus tip.

All in all, the nicest hotel we've ever stayed in and what a fabulous way to start a holiday. You won't regret booking this hotel at all. I can't for the life of me understand some of the mediocre remarks on Tripadvisor regarding this place....although sometimes your own attitude can make a difference!!!!

Have a great pre-cruise stay and cruise!

 

Rob

[criuisingurl079]

Oh- Kimika was sooo Bad!! Worst show that I've ever seen on a cruise ship- so many people were getting up and leaving, although we couldn't b'c we were in the middle of the row. I can't believe that they hired them! Dreadful- don't waste your time- go do something fun!:p

[TexasMom2]

Roboy, your information is perfect, down to the trolley stop and water taxi! I've printed it for my cruise file...thanks so much, now I'm excited! Hugs!

[SunNfunCruises4me]

Hi WINGIT,,,,,, I will be on your ship too on Sunday the 29th! Maybe we can meet up sometime! We have a balcony cabin AFT. DH has never been on Princess but I have many of times and love it!! It is our 10th wedding aniversary and I am paying for my parents to come along as well, this will be the 2nd cruise for them. The last time my husband and I were booked on the CP we had to cancel 2 days before sailing because we got the "call" from our adoption agency and had to go pick up our newborn daughter needless to say DH is anxious to sail!!! LOL:D

[Robroy]

Just got home from the October 14th sailing and thought I'd check the boards before looking for the buffet here at chez moi.....noticed Cruizinggirl's post about Kamika and think it must have been tongue in cheek - they were great again last night at the farewell show along with an LA based comedian whose name isn't coming up right now.

Nick and Tony were absolutely fabulous - they had the crowd rocking and rolling once again. What a great way to finish off the cruise. Not sure which show you saw but I sure didn't see anyone leaving either show we saw. Then again, bit of jet lag and perhaps I'm not picking up on the satire as well as when refreshed...will post more likely tomorrow.

By the way - Sasa - check the bottom cupboard under the desk to the right of the bed - also the 2nd or 3rd drawer down on the left of the bed. Might find some refreshment unless the room service police have found things....

 

Rob

[Robroy]

Few final thoughts after returning home on Saturday evening:

Overall, this was a wonderful cruise and we thoroughly enjoyed our first aft suite - it likely won't be our last. With the balcony, we never felt the need to rush up to the pool deck areas as there was ample privacy and sunshine. When we wanted company, it was easy to pop up to the Terrace pool one deck higher. We also found no noise whatsoever from the pool deck area although you did hear door slamming from the Terrace pool area on Riviera at times. Staff was excellent - food very good - entertainment overall was really good as well. Anytime dining was great - no problem whatsoever getting a table for two in the Palm. Disembarkation was seamless and well-organized. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and met a lot of nice people. As for the ship itself - it was sparkling clean everwhere we went. Some people have voiced concerns about crowding and yes - it did seem crowded at certain times particularly going through the photo area and during the captain's cocktail party but there were always other ways to get around. Most shows in Princess Theatre were full but we always found a seat when arriving 15-20 minutes ahead of time.

Some people are concerned about the "nickel and diming" with sales of things happening in the dining rooms and extras such as a charge for brewed coffee. These things didn't bother us at all - you could always say "no thank you" and we were consistently greeted with a smile and they moved on.

Princess will continue to be our line of choice because everything suits us to a tee....not that it works for everyone necessarily, but we've always found that your own attitude can greatly contribute to what you get back.

Now it's "cruise withdrawl syndrome" for a while....thank goodness for the future cruise deposit we put down!

 

Rob

[Colo Cruiser]

Few final thoughts after returning home on Saturday evening:

Some people are concerned about the "nickel and diming" with sales of things happening in the dining rooms and extras such as a charge for brewed coffee. These things didn't bother us at all - you could always say "no thank you" and we were consistently greeted with a smile and they moved on.

Princess will continue to be our line of choice because everything suits us to a tee....not that it works for everyone necessarily, but we've always found that your own attitude can greatly contribute to what you get back.

Now it's "cruise withdrawl syndrome" for a while....thank goodness for the future cruise deposit we put down!

 

Rob

 

My sentiments exactly, thanks!! ;)

[lv2cruise2]

Thank you for all your posts. We are sailing in January and have a Balcony on A743. Cant wait to go. This will be our second sailing on CB. But our first trip to St. Martin, St. Thomas. can you tell me more about what and how you did thing on these islands ? is there much to see and do ? What was your most favorate thing to do ?

Thanks!:)

[Robroy]

Lv2cruise2:

We thoroughly enjoyed St. Thomas and St. Maarten. This was our 8th or 9th visit to these islands on this itinerary though and we've done all the sightseeing we've wanted to do in the past and opt for a quick run downtown to wander through the shops and then get back to enjoy the quiet of the ship while everyone is on the island.

One thing we were both really impressed with though was the downtown improvements in St. Maarten - the main street seems to have been redone and is a very pleasant place to walk through now.

I'd defer to other posters about activities however - personally we loved Magen's Bay a few years ago - it was an absolutely beautiful setting and lovely beach. Saw a couple and their party being married at the water's edge on one trip too.

You will love both islands I'm sure and lucky you having a second run at the CB! Have a great trip!!!

 

Rob

[Mitchum]

Sounds like you had a great experience Robroy. We're from Ontario as well, and in the middle of planning our first cruise. Sounds like we picked a great ship to start with. Thanks for all your info!

[Robroy]

Mitchum:

 

I think you've made a great choice for your first cruise! Just keep an open mind and remember you're on vacation - as with any holiday. There's a wealth of experience and information on these boards and we've really benefitted from a lot of the advice and tips we've learned. You'll see a good review of this sailing also by Babs-D - 10/14-10/21 Caribbean Princess - Excellent! There is a great play by play which helps get you excited for sure!

Perfect time to be thinking about GOING on a cruise with this wonderful weather we're all enjoying here in the Great White North right now, eh???

 

Have a great trip!

 

Rob

[Mitchum]

Robroy...I did read that other review you mentioned. Makes me want to go next week! I'm still in the middle of my booking (we have a hold on a cabin). Did you fly into Florida the same day the cruise departed? I've read on here where people talk about getting to the ship for 11:00 but I don't think it leaves until 5:00. I was hoping not to have to worry about a hotel room on the Saturday night....especially since it appears the Superbowl is that weekend in FLL! I suppose the benefit to getting there earlier is that you have all afternoon to explore the ship.

 

And what airport did you fly out of? We were initially going to fly out of Toronto but we've gotten some decent prices for Ottawa. My husband wants to guarantee a window seat though, so that could mean booking through Air Canada Vacations and paying a little more than booking through the cruiseline.

 

By the way, do you know how I get to the roll call boards? I was wondering if there was one started for my sail date.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Robroy]

Mitchum:

We flew into Lauderdale two days early - had no problem with a good hotel but then again, we weren't dealing with Super Bowl weekend! I've read through these boards that hotel rooms are at a premium at that time. As for flying in the day of, we've always been REALLY SCARED about missing our cruise due to a snowstorm or some type of delay and have always flown in at least one if not two days early to avoid any type of delay. Not a problem on the way home naturally. It's also really nice to get settled in a nice climate - enjoy the palm trees/ocean air/great Florida atmosphere for a day or so - then get up in good time - take a cab or shuttle to the ship and arrive for your expedition fully rested and relaxed. I'd strongly suggest you consider even taking a Princess pre-cruise stay at one of their hotels (if available) if you can't fly in ahead of time and locate something reasonable on your own.

We've always flown in from Toronto and normally taken Air Canada - just because they have such a variety of flights and you can get direct flights. We've found the charter prices haven't been substantially cheaper and frankly I have no desire to drive to Buffalo even though it's less money and the airport experience is less hassle. We're only an hour north of Toronto so it's an easy run to the airport anyway. As for Princess air, if you're travelling the day of sailing, at least that means your arrival at the ship becomes a Princess issue - although they won't necessarily hold the ship for you. If you can get reasonable accomodation, I'd really encourage you to arrive a day ahead and get a jump-start on your holiday!

As for the roll calls, when you sign onto Cruise Critic, continue scrolling down below the cruiselines and you'll find a heading for "rollcalls". Click on the Princess rollcalls and then select your ship - then the correct sailing. It's a good way to correspond with others on your sailing and sometimes help resolve mutual issues - also keeps you psyched up with others with the same countdown as you!

 

Have a great trip and if I can be of any help, don't hesitate to post!

 

Rob

[Mitchum]

Thanks Robroy. I've left a message for my TA about the flight issue. We'll probably end up booking with ACVacations if we can....just because we know my husband can pick his seat.

 

I managed to find the rollcall forum for my trip. There's actually someone on there from Barrie....which given your distance from Toronto, must be close to where you live??? We used to work in Barrie (lived in Orillia). I posted on that forum and although it shows me as the last poster, I'll be darned if I can find the actual post! Oh well.

 

Thanks again for your help.