Just returned Crown Princess Review

[rcacace]

[quote name='kendon'] The cutbacks are obvious in the Princess theater.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]They've cut back on the number of shows, repeating them so that everyone gets on opportunity to see them all. I suppose this is a sign of the future with the larger ships. [/COLOR]

[PescadoAmarillo]

[quote name='cruisin patriot']The adults only pool in the back was great, although you have to be up early to get a chair for the day ( I was up on deck by 7:00 on the last day to get our chairs - 6 of them - had first choice!)[/quote]
It is nice to hear of someone who gets their whole group up at 7am to get their lounge chairs, and then occupies them with only infrequent, quick breaks for the entire day. :cool:

Too many times one person sets an alarm, goes outside and claims multiple chairs with towels, and then the whole group doesn't show up until 11am, if at all.

[margord]

Do you remember if they are still serving escargot in the dinning room?

[rcacace]

[quote name='margord']Do you remember if they are still serving escargot in the dinning room?[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]They did on the Emerald, but it was keep a secret from some diners & not published in the menu. If you had a waiter who remembered to let you know it was available (or you spotted other eating it) it could be ordered.
Maybe it was just an oversight since they switched menu styles, but on our next cruise in Jan I'm checking every evening. [/COLOR]

[CruisinMaterial]

How is the steak in the main dining room versus Crown Grill? Anyone have the Porterhouse Steak in Crown Grill and if so, was it fatty? :)

[walkerer]

My husband and I have taken 11 cruises, only 2 with Princess. We took one in November and one this month. They made for the worst sea conditions. This really suprised us as we are from FL and assumed that hurricane season would be the worst. We plan to stick with the spring and early summer going forward.

[billet]

[quote name='rrunner']I am disappointed to read your review of the Crown. Our 1st Princess cruise will be on Jan 11th after 5 cruises/crossings on QM2. I was hoping the food would be comparable with Cunard as several people have told us it is.[/quote]

If you are going on the Crown you will find it remarkably pleasant when compared to the QM2. It has its own elegance but the atmosphere is 'dressed down' somewhat from the QM2. I have found the food and service to be comparable to normal QM service but do not expect it to match Queen's Grill! The speciality restaurants are as good as Todd English, probably because we did not have a particularly good experience in TE! Remember to nip down to the Atrium for lunch if you want a snack from the Internation Cafe,they have great paninis, salads and desserts. Above all enjoy the different experience.

Paul

[rrunner]

[quote name='billet']If you are going on the Crown you will find it remarkably pleasant when compared to the QM2. It has its own elegance but the atmosphere is 'dressed down' somewhat from the QM2. I have found the food and service to be comparable to normal QM service but do not expect it to match Queen's Grill! The speciality restaurants are as good as Todd English, probably because we did not have a particularly good experience in TE! Remember to nip down to the Atrium for lunch if you want a snack from the Internation Cafe,they have great paninis, salads and desserts. Above all enjoy the different experience.

Paul[/quote]
Thank you - after so many negatives your opinion has made me feel better. We always travel Britannia class - so we are not used to the Grills. I did read that the Crown is now serving a British style lunch in the Wheelhouse bar - maybe comparable to the Golden Lion Pub - we look forward to that.

[serene56]

[quote name='kerrytens']Yippee!!! I am on that same January 11 cruise and I've been debating on whether or not I need some jeans for the evenings (not dinner though ;))

Miriam
PS. Thanks for all of the reviews in this thread![/quote]


Two years ago we sailed in February and the weather was not what I expected. There was a cold front that came in-- Bahamas was 52 degrees and needless to say we did not pack for that kind of weather.
Since we always cruise in February--believe me == we pack some clothing in case of colder weather. Buying sweatshirts was expensive. It only happened the one time-- better be safe then sorry

[kerrytens]

[quote name='serene56']Two years ago we sailed in February and the weather was not what I expected. There was a cold front that came in-- Bahamas was 52 degrees and needless to say we did not pack for that kind of weather.
Since we always cruise in February--believe me == we pack some clothing in case of colder weather. Buying sweatshirts was expensive. It only happened the one time-- better be safe then sorry[/quote]
Thanks Serene, very good advice. Luckily I'll be flying in from a COLD climate so I will always have my warmer stuff should I need it (that is my current dilemma, what to wear on the plane but that is another thread, isn't it ;)).
Anyway, 52 degrees is still one heck of a lot warmer than what I'm getting today (-10 celcius and snow - again!) but I am so hoping for 70's or 80's or warmer!!!!! Time for some sun and sand! :D:D
Miriam

[CruisinMaterial]

[quote name='kerrytens']Thanks Serene, very good advice. Luckily I'll be flying in from a COLD climate so I will always have my warmer stuff should I need it (that is my current dilemma, what to wear on the plane but that is another thread, isn't it ;)).
Anyway, 52 degrees is still one heck of a lot warmer than what I'm getting today (-10 celcius and snow - again!) but I am so hoping for 70's or 80's or warmer!!!!! Time for some sun and sand! :D:D
Miriam[/quote]

It is freezing here today too! I learned about taking a sweatshirt on the NCL Dream out of Boston. That ship was so cold all the time because the Atlantic was cold. I couldn't believe how cold it was on that ship. I was so happy when the A/C broke in the main dining room mid-way through the cruise. They had it repaired though by the end of the cruise! Next time I know to pack more heavier items when doing a cruise from Boston in May. :)

[kerrytens]

[quote name='CruisinMaterial']It is freezing here today too! I learned about taking a sweatshirt on the NCL Dream out of Boston. That ship was so cold all the time because the Atlantic was cold. I couldn't believe how cold it was on that ship. I was so happy when the A/C broke in the main dining room mid-way through the cruise. They had it repaired though by the end of the cruise! Next time I know to pack more heavier items when doing a cruise from Boston in May. :)[/quote]

Hey Jake!!!
Only hours now for you :D:p:D
I really am hoping that the exact layers I have on for the flight will do double duty on the ship (and, if truth be told I don't want to even look at those long sleeved items while on board but ... they will be there). I may actually pack another sweater too - not sure. I really need to get more organized but you guys are full of great ideas.
If I don't get another chance to say it, bon voyage!!!! Can't wait for your review. Safe travels!

Miriam

[kerrytens]

[quote name='kerrytens']the exact layers
Miriam[/quote]

Oops, that should be EXTRA layers :o:o

Miriam

[billet]

[quote name='rrunner']Thank you - after so many negatives your opinion has made me feel better. We always travel Britannia class - so we are not used to the Grills. I did read that the Crown is now serving a British style lunch in the Wheelhouse bar - maybe comparable to the Golden Lion Pub - we look forward to that.[/quote]

If they match the Golden Lion I would be very happy!

[billet]

[quote name='99florida']Wow!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing like reading both sides in regards to the Crown. I felt like it was becoming a tennis match. Pun intended here folks.

Can you tell me if the pools are fresh water or not?

Anyone have the Crown weekly menu?

Able to carry on a bottle or 2 and not be taken away? Wow!

Lots of pros and cons and I have a decision to make rather soon.[/quote]

All the swimming pools are fresh water

[CruisinMaterial]

[quote name='kerrytens']Hey Jake!!!
Only hours now for you :D:p:D
I really am hoping that the exact layers I have on for the flight will do double duty on the ship (and, if truth be told I don't want to even look at those long sleeved items while on board but ... they will be there). I may actually pack another sweater too - not sure. I really need to get more organized but you guys are full of great ideas.
If I don't get another chance to say it, bon voyage!!!! Can't wait for your review. Safe travels!

Miriam[/quote]

By the time you see my review you'll be back from your vacation!!! :p Only hours left I know! In less than 24 hours I'll be touching down in FLL. It will be splendid!! Warm weather here we come!!! :D

As for a sweater... I am taking one with me as always anyway. I dress in layers for the flight and peel when I get to FLL. I am taking my winter jacket too. That is always fun trying to stick in the overhead compartment onboard. It always falls out!

Thanks for the bon voyage! You have a safe trip to the ship the following Sunday in case I miss you!

[davis1568]

Hi everyone, I've been lurking on these boards for a couple of months but never posted. My wife and I were on the Crown for this (12/21) cruise and stayed midship on the Emerald deck. It was my 4th cruise (I've done NCL, RCI and Carnival) and it was her first cruise. My last cruise was in 2001 on Carnival, so my expectations were probably higher as this was before most cruise lines began pinching pennies.

My notes:
GOOD: Embarkation was extremely organized and quick, fastest I've ever seen even with the new security measures.

GOOD: We were pleasantly surprised that our "fully obstructed" stateroom only had the bottom 1/3 blocked by a lifeboat.

GOOD: My wife was very pleased that she won 80's music trivia with a 41/42, and the champagne she received from Cruise Director Kelvin was very nice!

AWFUL: Crew made zero effort to fix the problem of no available lounge chairs. My wife and i would walk around at 10:30am and found row after row of chairs "reserved" by people using the striped Princess towels. It was especially upsetting to look at a field of 100 chairs with 20 people laying and 80 chairs reserved by selfish people who probably went outside at 7am with 10 towels to reserve a whole row for their friends/family then proceed to shower, get dressed, have breakfast, etc., etc. Also, there is a natural confusion between reserved chairs and abandoned chairs that have someone’s wet princess towel crumpled on it. Deckhands were AWFUL. There were times I hung out on the deck and never saw a single deckhand for HOURS on end. It was disgusting trying to relax in the sun surrounded by abandoned chairs that were moved all around as if a hurricane just hit. The fact that most chairs and the deck were peppered with wet towels made enjoying a day in the sun all the more disgusting.

Personal experience with the above. On our last full day at sea, I was looking for 2 chairs in the aft area (nice and quiet!!) Around 9:30am I noticed everything was reserved with blue/white Princess towels, so I left. 30 minutes later, I returned hoping to find something before my wife was done in the Spa. Still no chairs, but I noticed an elusive deck hand (Igor) moving lounge chairs for a couple to sit. I politely asked if he could bring 2 for my wife and I. She said "Oh, these are all for us - there are 11 of us." (WTF!) I thought to myself I should have told her to rent a conference room inside. I returned about 40 minutes later after spending some time watching the cooking demo in the Princess Theater for a little bit. Of course, still 100% of chairs were claimed and only 25% had people in them. I noticed 2 chairs in the corner that had a towel and a book on each chair. I specifically remembered these two chairs from over an hour ago, and they looked untouched. Since Princess policy says after 30 minutes items may be removed, I found Igor the deck hand and told him there were no free chairs to be found and pointed at two chairs that weren't touched for over an HOUR. I asked him to bring the towels/books to lost and found so we could sit. He hesitated and said, "Maybe they'll return." I clearly reminded him of the policy and how he must have remembered me from the "party of 11" he was bringing chairs for 30 min ago and flat out said "I need you to remove those items and bring them to lost and found." At that point, he said "Yes sir" and took care of it. It was very unfortunate that I had to go that far. When I finally sat, two women next to me commended me for what I did. I smiled just before a 3rd person on the other side of me said something like "It's about time someone did what you did - everyone takes advantage of the system at the expense of others."

BAD: A side note to the above comment was the lack of 24/7 cleaning (outside only). There were times I would sit outside to watch a movie in the afternoon and noticed a half dozen old pizza plates and knocked over iced tea cups. Two hours later, at the end of the movie, NONE of those items were removed by the crew. A few times when I saw crew about to walk by, nudged my wife and said "Watch this, I bet he walks right past the garbage." Sure enough, he did.

BAD: No towel animals in the stateroom (don't roll your eyes, they're fun!)

GOOD: Despite some of the previous reviews, I was surprised by how stable the ship was. Of course, prior ships I've sailed on were not 100K+ tons, so I was happy the Crown Princess didn't make either of us sick. There were times at sea where I closed my eyes and could have sworn that I was on dry land.

BAD: Anytime Dining in DaVinci definitely seemed understaffed. We couldn't blame the waiters, as they were always running around working hard. Of course, this meant there was no time to chit chat with them which was a cruise experience I missed.

GOOD: Buffets were great, I never noticed any crowds and they were designed to accomodate a lot of people at once (e.g., you can take food on both sides.) When seated, we always had someone approach us within 30 seconds to offer coffee or drinks. BTW, I liked their morning coffee!!!

GOOD: Room service was great, although the menu seemed limited and I missed the 1AM steaks I remember from prior cruises. We made a tradition of midnight tea and cookies/cake in bed. Delivery was always within 15 minutes and the presentation was great.

BAD: Small cruise activities were pathetic. "Team Charades"? "Battle of the Sexes Pictionary"? Come on, I had better daytime activities 20 years ago in summer camp. The worst was afternoon trivia in Adagio Lounge, (I think it was on the day we missed Grand Turk) the heavyset British woman who was leading the trivia was awful. It was very clear that she did not enjoy her job. She was reading the questions and answers as if she was calling out numbers at the DMV. When people questioned her and asked "please repeat that" she got very rude and always replied with an insult. At one point when someone said she was rude, she said something like "Whatever, this is the vacation you people paid for. Hey, I'm here but at least I get paid to do this." After a few "BOOOs" from the 75 people in the room, she said "Oh relax, I'm just messing with you people, we're having fun!" (obvious sarcasm). We thought about reporting that activity, but figured we had better things to do than complain on our vacation.

BAD: PIZZA. Although it was always hot and delicious, the ship has a problem with portions. Here is pizza math as defined by the Crown Princess:
1 slice = 1/8th of pie [CORRECT]
2 slices = 2 pieces of 1/16th of pie [INCORRECT]

Before I knew Crown Princess math, I ordered 2 slices (one for my wife and I). Once I saw the two slivers he gave me, I looked at him and said "In that case, make that 4 slices please". I got a small attitude and 2 more slivers.

GOOD: To end on a positive note, the evening production shows in the Princess Theater were fantastic. We thought the show "Destination Anywhere" on the last night was spectacular.

[Precious Patty]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]We will be on the repositioning cruise to Portugal leaving April 26 and the b2b on the Mediterranean. My husband is anxious to find out what kinds of draft beer are available on the Crown. Anyone know?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]Patty[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[NSWP]

[quote name='Precious Patty'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]We will be on the repositioning cruise to Portugal leaving April 26 and the b2b on the Mediterranean. My husband is anxious to find out what kinds of draft beer are available on the Crown. Anyone know?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]Patty[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]
I would like to know that too for June on CP as I am a draught beer lover. I heard of Stella Artois on tap, but not 100% sure. As long as it not Bud Light, don't mind the Bud Super but not Bud Light, like water!

[Shogun]

Hi davis1568,

Welcome, and thank you for posting,

may be us Brits are a bit quicker to respond about chair hogs, I just take the stuff and stack in a corner, if some one turns up I just say sorry these chairs where empty when I got here what does your stuff look like, "a blue and white towel," sorry seems to be a lot of them are sure this is your chair, even better is to drag the chair to a new position, then when they turn up they look completely lost.


yours Shogun

[serene56]

What movies were being shown on the Mutts at night time?

[billet]

[quote name='Shogun']Hi davis1568,

Welcome, and thank you for posting,

may be us Brits are a bit quicker to respond about chair hogs, I just take the stuff and stack in a corner, if some one turns up I just say sorry these chairs where empty when I got here what does your stuff look like, "a blue and white towel," sorry seems to be a lot of them are sure this is your chair, even better is to drag the chair to a new position, then when they turn up they look completely lost.


yours Shogun[/quote]

I agree if there is only a towel there and it has been unoccupied for 30 mins then I consider the chair fair game. Moving the chair is always fun too!

[Corinne Marie]

I was also on the crown Dec. 21st sailing. The production shows were fantastic IMO, the service in certain ares was poor, they had over 500 new crew on-board, not a good time to do this as this Christmas cruise is double the price. Did not do many ship activities, so can not comment. Found the dining food to be very good. I did enjoy myself as always .

[jean s]

Nice job moving those towels. I've moved towels many times, sat and read a book, taken a nap and still no one has returned for that reserved chair. It's always amazing to me....where did those people go who left their belongings?

[NSWP]

And all the chairs and beach towels are the same colour - blue and white, thanks goodness so you can play musical decks chairs with the 'chair hogs.' Throw all their blue and white towels in the chairs into the towel basket, near the pools!

Worse than the deck chair hogs are the buffet chair hogs who like to sit in the buffet for most of the day from breakfast on, playing cards and reading, not moving for other pax wanting to sit down and eat. I reckon Dining room staff should move them on too.