msw.delafield

We tend to favor the Fort Lauderdale Hilton Marina for lodging close to the port.

Is right on 17th Street at the causeway bridge.

Is about a five minute shuttle/taxi ride from the cruise terminals.

Only a 10-15 minute taxi ride to the airport for your outbound flights.

Is a clean, well run establishment – attentive staff and incredible views from the tower rooms!

Has a nice pool area and both indoor/outdoor dining and beverage options.

Great breakfast buffet served in the main restaurant in the morning.

The hotel is also right next to the Water Taxi stop.

The Water Taxi runs up/down the intercostal into downtown FLL or out to stops where you can access the beaches.

Relaxing way to spend the day with shopping, dining or more beach time.

There is another route that runs south down through Hollywood as well.

You would likely be arriving too soon to check-in, but they will check and hold your luggage.

They will also call you once your room is available for you to occupy.

There are also many restaurants within walking distance.

Hope this helps!

We were in the aft Riviera deck balcony cabin R751 on Ruby for a week in 12/2012.

We did hear voices from above during the day when the ship is docked and idle.

Nothing loud or direct, was more random as if being carried by the wind.

You well might hear more noise while in ports from the docks or a ship berthed aft of yours at the pier!

Once underway, noises would be fairly well masked by the sounds from the ships wake.

There is possibility that deck lounge placement might carry through the cabins below.

There are only a handful of lounges lined up behind Terrace Pool, so I can't see that being any real bother.

IMO those aft Aloha suites would be the premiere location if one could afford it!

Didn't realize you were a BVE guest - what your looking for wouldn't be available during the time your onboard.

I should expect you would be able to secure an appointment just after the muster drill.

In my experience, on sailings with late afternoon departure, the Spa has been open after the muster for basic spa services.

I've never seen them conducting business during embarkation and prior to muster, as others mention this time is spent for tours and promoting.

I cannot speak for sailings with evening departures.

Several times in the last few years I've scheduled and enjoyed a shave at 4pm, which also was the time posted for sail-away.

I have noticed others in the salon receiving hair and nail services during this same time.

It is possible that the spa on each ship would vary slightly.

It seems that all services found on board any Princess ship will have a degree of minor variation from ship to ship.

I would like to share that on my last cruise, a 10-day on the Emerald this past March, I was able to reserve Sanctuary for the full cruise but they wouldn't let anyone use it on embarkation day.

Was only charged a 9x30 rate, but was disappointed to not be able to utilize the space that first day - was a waste of an afternoon in my opinion.

The prior March I did the same 10-day trip on the same boat and we had use of the space on embarkation day?

Is this an example of Princess inconsistencies?

As RickEk states - will have the blue tinted glass. See attached image of L242 circled in red, is the same cabin on opposite side of the boat.

I’ve enjoyed staying in this cabin, not only on the Caribbean Princes but also on the Crown and Emerald.

This cabin location is very convenient, just a few steps away from open deck at Terrace Pool and HC.

Is nice as it eliminates reliance on elevators unless you’re heading down into the body of the ship.

Noise from above is minimal, it is positioned far enough aft to only have a HC server’s station overhead on the deck above.

Foot traffic over the cabin is minimal, have never had any negative experience with noise from above.

The balcony is large and as already mentioned it provides you a forward looking perspective – you look down the length of the ship.

Hoping I’ll be able to find and attach a picture.

Yes, the door will occasionally slam mainly when the ship is underway.

While noticeable, it never reached a point during any trip that I felt it was a problem.

As one poster mentions, this balcony is somewhat of an enclosure and will catch wind while underway – have also noticed it collects a fair amount of debris as well.

On two occasions I had asked that it be cleaned, which was done promptly – steward had deck hands come in to hose it out each time.

We always book rooms before and after our cruises at the Hilton Marina in FLL. Generally get there a day or two ahead and always the night after the cruise returns

It’s a great location and if you can get a Tower room facing south you overlook the cruise ship basin which gets you in the mood for your embarkation pretty quick!

It’s a nice hotel, comfortable rooms with a nice pool area. Staff has always been most helpful and accommodating. Great breakfast buffet available. Bars and restaurant onsite if you choose. Yellow Water Taxi stop is just off the property – we use that to get uptown or down into Hollywood, shopping, dining, beaches, etc.

Several restaurants, fast food joints, liquor stores and convenience stores are only a short walk west from the hotel.

It’s about 5 to 10 minutes to any of the cruise terminals. The hotel provides port shuttles, or you can simply grab your own cab for a quicker direct trip.

Hope your experience is as great as ours has been if you do try this hotel!!

As IECalCruiser states, the pool is just next to Sanctuary, down about 12 steps to the deck below.

Is an adult only pool and generally not too crowded.

More pool users on sea days and in the afternoon when passengers return from shore and excursions.

Is called ‘Lap Pool’ but is fair sized, shallower along each side and deeper in the middle.

It's a nice refreshing pool that is convenient to the Sanctuary space.

The front portion of the Sanctuary space is shaded with sail cloth.

There are maybe 20-30 loungers and seating arrangements in this front covered space, along with cabanas used by the Spa for massages.

The rear part of the Sanctuary space is uncovered.

Two separate areas, one on each side of the ship split by the opening down to the pool below.

There are about ten lounge chairs on each side, out in the sun in these rear areas.

You can reserve lounges in either shaded or open sun depending on your preference.

You are also able to use the general seating to cool off in the shade if your open sun lounger is getting too hot.

The Sanctuary staff have always been very accommodating in arranging lounges to allow increase or decrease of sun exposure.

Hope this helps!

They always give me a table by myself, not always a table for two. I've had the rounded half booth tables in Sabatini's a few times.

Thanks to all for your quick and positive responses!!

Will look forward to enjoying my dinners in the CG - and as some point out, I may well meet others on the trip to join or partake with!!

At least now I no longer have any concern for being shunned or turned away if I were to wind up down there on my own!

Thank you again CC members!

I love this resource!!

Has anyone taken dinner in the Crown Grill (or Sabatini’s for that matter) as a solo diner?

We will be on the Ruby doing an E.Caribbean sailing later this year and I am determined to dine in the Crown Grill for several nights during the trip.

My travel companions have already shared that they won’t want to eat there, they enjoy and prefer the MDR atmosphere.

Will the Crown Grill even accept my reservation as a solo diner?

Looking at photos and deck plans, it appears there is counter seating in the Crown Grill - do they seat anyone at the counter (bar style seating)?

It won’t bother me to dine alone in the Crown Grill, just curious if anyone else has done this or possibly observed a single diner in CG or Sabatini’s?

Looking for insight from the collective CC brain-trust!

Does anyone know what the status of Emerald Princess is during the weeks of 12/05/2015 to 12/19/15?

We were hoping to book a grand class ship in Florida for those weeks prior to the holiday.

Unfortunately, the Emerald comes up blank for those two weeks everywhere I’ve looked.

I did call Princess, and while very helpful – the attendant couldn’t explain this gap.

She did indicate it was not a drydock period and that ‘dispatch’ would know the answer, but they had not arrived to work yet.

Could it possibly be a private charter?

If so, is there a way to identify the promoters – we might interested if it were available publicly.

Thank you

Have never encountered a closed laundry room at any time on any of the cruises we’ve taken.

I’m always awake early each morning and similar to Soccerref will run a load or two before anyone else is awake – as early as 5am.

While waiting, I’ll hit the IC for a coffee, maybe a breakfast snack in HC or just wander the quiet upper deck watching the sun come up.

Everything is done and my day is underway by 7am.

I also have gone on cruises with a purchased book or two that was being released mid-cruise.

I’ve always managed to download at one of the ports during the trip.

Have never connected the Kindle to the ship network.

Mainly because of the ship internet expense, I didn’t want the Kindle eating up my minutes by being connected.

I also find the ship networks to be less than reliable.

Would just wait until the Kindle could sync at one of the next ports.

I have found my Kindle-2 will connect at most ports using their free-3G connection.

While connected at a port, it will update the clock and auto-download any new content that has been released since my last connection.

I’ll generally use the ‘menu’ and ‘sync’ functions to force this, simply to save time.

Once the sync has completed, I do turn off the wireless (in Menu) to save battery.

Note that I say most ports, there are a few Caribbean ports where I've noted the Kindle isn’t cellularly compatible and cannot make a connection.

Was never a big deal, if it didn’t connect today in St. Maarten, it would connect and sync the next day in St. Kitts, etc.

Amazon does have coverage maps on their Kindle help webpages if that would help answer your questions.

Another option would be the Yellow Water Taxi that runs north/south on the intercostal.

You can enjoy the ride as a nice tour of the large yachts and houses if you like.

Or you take the water taxi up to the Galleria mall or into the downtown strip for dining/shopping. There is a southbound run as well to Hollywood for beaches and some of the lunch spots down there.

Boats depart from underneath the 17th street causeway bridge just north of the cruise piers (#2 & #4) – if looking at map, right at the Hilton Marina hotel. Is an easy walk from the terminal exit north to 17th and the pickup point.

Search Google for the Fort Lauderdale water taxi and find all relevant information there!

I believe price is now $22 for a full day pass.

Yes, pool temperature can be controlled.

We were on the Crown last December and they had just repainted the Adult pool up near Lotus Spa, refilling it the day after we sailed from FLL.

Once refilled the water was exceptionally cold – a number of us asked if it could be heated and later that day we could feel warm water being circulated into the pool.

I would vote Eastern for your 10-day trip.

IMO the Eastern itinerary gives you more of a lush jungle/tropical flavor, those stops all have interesting features with plenty of history and a vast choice of excursions.

The islands along the Southern leg tend to be more arid, they too have interesting features and plenty of history but less of the tropical feel and more of a windswept sandy terrain.

Received email 3 days ago inviting me to Join "Princess Private Community" forum.

Signed up.

Membership by invitation only. Seems I was invited because I filled out a recent survey sent out by Princess, and on which I indicated I would participate in such a forum- presently 337 members.

Appears to be run by Princess. Refers to "the Princess team", and moderated by a Princess employee.

Discussion topics are posted, and participants are encouraged to comment on issues related to various Princess activities, policies, new initiatives etc.

recent examples-new website design, use of EZ air, Princess hotel packages.

Can also raise any other comments or question you have on other Princess related issues.

Polls are conducted on issues.

Also ongoing invitations to participate in live forums, or to be interviewed directly on some issue.

Although "by invitation only" doesn't appear to be confidential in any way, so am curious if anyone else on this forum is also a member.

Haven't heard anything about it here.

Appears to be a good opportunity to get direct feedback to Princess.

I too received this invitation. I did log-in/join the community.

Vandalayceo summarized the site content well, but the existing array of discussion topics seem to be from early this year.

Would hope the moderator will be releasing some new discussion topics, especially since they've gone through the effort of recruiting a new wave of members with this most recent invitation email.

Tried to book the 14 day Caribbean Getaway for Mar 7, 2015. The base price is lower than b2b. But there were only 4 balcony rooms left. However, as a b2b there are hundreds of balcony rooms (?) Did you have the same problem?

Yes BRANDEE, seems that only certain cabins/categories when you queried as a 14-day booking.

But many more cabins/categories were open (to book as B2B) when you looked at the two weeks as 7-day itineraries.

I felt as if we were being penalized simply because we wanted to enjoy an extended trip on the same ship in the same cabin.

Have to believe this is simply a way to increase profit, I don’t see any other logical explanation for restricting and limiting cabin selection like this.

If you call Princess to question this they are unable to provide any satisfactory or logical answer.

Greatly miss the 14-day tips that used to sail out of San Juan. It cut out the travel time from Florida, seemed to have a lot of ports and went nowhere near Princess Cays.

Today, to get 14-days we need to book two 7-day trips B2B with turnaround in Florida half way through the trip. Unfortunately this also includes two stops at Princess Cays on a 14-day itinerary.

We have used the Hilton Marina located right next to the 17th street causeway bridge for several years now. Great breakfast buffet each morning, nice property with outdoor bar by the pool.

Great view south into the cruise ship basin, located right on the waterway with a Yellow Water Taxi stop right next to the hotel property. Is always fun to wake up on embarkation morning to see your ship pulling into the pier.

Water Taxi is convenient transport to downtown Fort Lauderdale and south to Hollywood too. Convenience stores and grocery/liquor shops are only a short walk west on 17th.

Is a fast cab ride of about 10-15 minutes to the airport, even faster at about 5 minutes to the cruise ship piers.

Sailed on Emerald from 3/9 to 3/19 - We had an aft cabin on Riviera deck. Mattresses were both pretty worn out - visibly sagging in the middle and not the most comfortable. Have had much better on previous Princess cruises.

One would think that cruise lines would team up with commercial mattress manufacturers to showcase a firms product as part of the whole package. Cruise lines could leverage that type of arrangement to assure that mattresses were being swapped out on more regular basis to maintain standards.

Then again, when you begin thinking about the logistics and effort to coordinate mattress replacements on that scale - it's easy to understand why it doesn't happen more frequently.

Chasm4u -

Your Bodden guide will pretty much go or do whatever it is you want to do.

We chose to avoid a ship excursion when we visited Roatan last month. We had pre-booked a Bodden car and driver via the internet. We also communicated ahead of time what we were hoping to do and see.

We were very fortunate to be assigned Channin Bodden as our driver and guide for the day. Channin was born on Roatan but spent his youth in the US, returning to Roatan after high school. He was fluent in both the local Spanish and his English was perfect as well.

Technically, our time with Bodden was booked as “The Best of Roatan” tour – but once we got into the car and we were underway, we shared our interests with Channin and he modified our day to accommodate all of our interests.

Channin took us to see some of the more scenic vistas off the eastern end of the island, we traveled all the way down to West End, looked at some of the available property for sale on the island, visited an iguana farm and took time to stop and see the monkeys at the Bodden home. We finished up the tour that day stopping at a local roadside restaurant/bar on the way back to the ship and enjoyed an outstanding meal of fresh caught and cooked garlic grouper.

It sounds like all of the Bodden guides provide enjoiable experiences, but i'd strongly suggest asking for Channin if you have the choice!

Thanks for reading!!

MSW