Review of First Cruise: 7 Day Western Caribbean on Caribbean Princess

My family and I just got back from our first ever cruise. We went on 7 day Western Caribbean on the Caribbean Princess sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale 5/20/06 to 5/27/06. DW and I were celebrating our 25th anniversary and we brought our two adult children: DS = 23; DD = 21. I used these Cruise Critic boards extensively for planning and ideas of all types. You all were extremely helpful. Thank You.:)

Booking: Began researching cruises and comparing back in March 2005. Family had already decided where- Caribbean- and when- between kids’ Spring and Fall semesters 2006. Now which cruise line, ship and stateroom? I looked for large ships because we all like different things and wanted lots of choices onboard. I narrowed it down to the newest (2004), best rated large (3000+ passengers) ship I could find. Settled on Caribbean Princess sailing right after DS’s Spring Semester ended. Booked cruise online in June of 2005. Online TA was very helpful and knowledgeable- much better than the local travel agent I tried. Saved enough $ booking online to pay for Cruise insurance with some to spare. Used Consumer Reports to research travel insurance and they recommended very helpful website to compare companies, prices, etc. For stateroom I decided to afford a minisuite with balcony and to afford a separate minisuite for the kids. CB has tons of rooms with balconies, fewer minisuites with balconies and fewer still minisuites with covered balconies. However by using these boards I found what I needed. In fact, I found that there were two staterooms on the CB which not only had all of the above but which also had an oversized deck for no extra $. A huge find and one which paid great dividends on the trip. I requested stateroom E730 for DW and myself (this one had the big balcony) and E728 next door for the kids. They were the aft-most port facing rooms on Emerald Deck or Deck 8. I could look portside and turn to my left and look aft to watch the wake from our huge (almost twice the size) balcony. The other oversized, covered balcony with a minisuite on the CB was E731 on the starboard side. I had the TA lock the rooms down so that Princess could not “upgrade” me.

Ft Lauderdale: Decided to stay overnight in Ft. Lauderdale Friday night before the cruise so needed a hotel room. After researching, I booked 2 rooms at Amerisuites on 10th Street for $69 each through Value Trips and, because of mixed reviews of Amerisuites I also booked 2 rooms at Extended Stay America just in case- best I could get was $130 each. Read reviews of Amerisuites, called to confirm my reservation and asked about the renovation (haven’t started yet) 5 days before flying and decided it would do nicely so cancelled ESA. 4 flights with insurance were purchased online at a savings of $94 per ticket vs the quote from the cruise line for airfare. Plane landed early into Ft. Lauderdale. When luggage was in hand I called Amerisuites and their shuttle (included in the room rate) arrived in less than 15 min. Weather was breezy and 82- perfect! Amerisuites offered a clean, well-designed room in a great location and an even greater price for Ft. Lauderdale market. Everything worked as it should and our reservations were exactly as requested even though we arrived at 7:15 pm. After storing valuables in the hotel safe we walked across the street (literally) to Del Rio Tex Mex for great Mexican food at a great value. Del Rio was not crowded at all when we arrived at 8:00. Service was a bit slow but drinks and food were great. DW & I were tired so we hit the hay at 10:30 or so. Kids had their own room and stayed up half the night. Bed and pillows were OK and A/C worked great so the room was a cool, comfortable 12 degrees- just where I like it!;) Next morning at 7:45 we had an uncrowded breakfast in Amerisuites dining room (again, included in the room rate) of eggs, sausage, fruit, pastries, coffee, cereal & juice then DW and I walked the 2.5 blocks from hotel to Publix grocery and purchased, soda pop (DW & DD are very picky about having Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Mt Dew), disposable cameras, and various odds and ends. Rather than lug the stuff back to room, I asked customer service to store our purchased items behind the counter for pickup later. In the same shopping center as Publix is a great liquor store- Total Wine & Spirits- tremendous selection at best prices I have seen. 4 days prior, I had placed an online order for a selection of great wines to be boxed and picked up at this store. When we left the hotel at 11:15am, I had the taxi go by Publix & Total Wine- walked in and picked up orders before heading to the pier. No muss, no fuss and I had a case of 11 great Italian and French wines and one bottle of liqueur for which I had paid an average of $19 per bottle- one of the best ideas and values of the trip. Amerisuites was a great spot close to everything needed- location, location, location.

Embarkation:

Arrived at pier in taxi (total cost = $20 including extra tip for making the extra stops) at 11:40, labeled suitcases, 12 packs of sodas and box of wines with Princess luggage tags (tipped porter $5) and walked to end of line with our carryons. Waited 25 minutes for line to start moving. We were in our stateroom before 1:00pm. Impressive.

Stateroom:

Wow! Minisuite was plenty roomy for two, impressively appointed and usefully laid out. Bathroom and shower were fine even for a big guy- I am 6’0” and 330. Plenty of 3 prong grounded outlets (2 at desk in center of room and 2 at storage/entertainment unit in center of room.- no extension cords or outlet strips needed. Hairdryer (same as in most hotels and plenty of power for short-haired DW) was mounted on wall at desk which, with the mirrors, doubled as a vanity. 1 two prong outlet in bathroom specified for an electric razor. Plenty of storage in the room- no hanging pocket devices needed. Desk storage = 3 9x14x6 drawers. Bed storage = 2 nightstands each with 2 14x14x6 drawers and 1 14x14x5 cubby. 6’ of clothes rod 20” deep with 6’ of 20x14 storage above the clothes rod. 20 wooden hangers- some with clips. Closet was 2’ wide x 1’ deep by 5.5’high and 6 shelves. The storage/entertainment unit in center of room offered equivalent of 8 linear feet of counter space as well as two shelves for storage. Bed was very comfortable with nice comforter. I requested the egg crate mattress pad and 2 feather pillows in addition to the 4 regular pillows which were promptly delivered. Kids room needed to have the beds separated which was also promptly taken care of. DW and I are used to a King size bed and the Queen size in the stateroom was such that we couldn’t tell the difference. A/C worked great in the room all week long keeping it nice and cool. We also purchased a small flat AC/DC fan in Ft. Lauderdale since we are used to a ceiling fan. It was great, easy to pack and very useful.

DS and my tuxedos and 2 shirts were hanging on the clothes rods in the staterooms when we arrived. There were also reminder cards in our staterooms for DW & DD pedicure appointments which were made online 1 week before (should have booked even earlier for better selection of times). The first Princess Patter was in our “mailbox” when we arrived- as well as a one page Cruise Planner of the major events for the entire week indicating the formal nights, the precise times planned in each port, etc. Both are useful for making reservations and initial planning of what to do when.

The balcony – holy mackerel it was great and much bigger than balconies on normal rooms, completely covered. Steward unlocked the doorway between our balcony and kids balcony so we could come and go. We had plenty of room when the kids came over to lounge around on loungers, chairs whatever. These portside extreme aft rooms are subject to some noise which may be a bother to some: 1) Constant low hum and vibration of the engines (actually rather soothing) and 2) audible bass sounds from music at Club Fusion one deck directly below- (not so soothing). All 4 of us reported hearing/feeling this every night when in the staterooms at bedtime but none of us had any trouble whatsoever going to sleep –and staying asleep- because of it. Those requiring perfect silence for good sleep may want to select a different location.

Getting Settled: We put valuables in the room safe, convened a brief family meeting, gave kids some spending cash and then headed to the buffet for a late lunch. Variety of buffet menu was impressive, food was good and of course, plentiful. Just a few examples I can remember: Short Ribs, Shrimp salad, cheeses, corn salad, hot wings, fried sea scallops, fresh pineapple was outstanding. Vanilla horn pastries and apple turnovers with vanilla sauce were wonderful. After buffet lunch (2:45) I made reservations for the two extra-charge restaurants; Sabatini’s Trattoria and Sterling Steakhouse. By reserving first thing you have better odds of getting the times you want for these popular venues but the drawback is you must go in person. After 4:00 pm of embarkation day, you can simply call the concierge for reservations at the two premium restaurants. Exploring the ship was next to see where everything was. Then we had a 30 minute muster drill at 4:15 which required us to get our life vest and walk to an air conditioned lounge, sit down and listen to instructions- no problem. For Sailaway at 5:00, we found a great place- apparently a very well kept secret. The Skywalker Lounge is the highest inhabitable place on the ship. It is a large oval shaped room in the very aft of the vessel and spans the entire width of the ship with ceiling to floor windows 360 degrees around. The bar was not serving but the room was open and when we arrived, there were 6 people in it. What an incredible vantage point to watch this huge cruise ship pull away from port and begin its journey. (DW went to get me a Mojito at nearby pool bar) With the room virtually to ourselves, we simply walked around and watched from any and every angle that interested us while sipping our drinks. This “secret” was available during the day all week long and every time we pulled away from a port.- Incredible!! Upon returning to our stateroom, our luggage, wine and soda were waiting for us. We unpacked, got organized, spent time on the deck with some pleasant breezes and complimentary champagne- (I think its included with a minisuite). Then off to a Sailaway Seafood Buffet: Shrimp, King Crab Legs, Lobster Claws, Smoked Salmon all chilled and for any who don’t like seafood, Prime Rib, blackened chicken breast, Porcini mushroom soup (excellent) baked or mashed potatoes and incredible desserts which I don’t remember:p . More time on the deck watching the sunset, relaxing and visiting before going to bed. Kids stayed up till the wee hours and DS won $170 in the casino playing Wheel of Fortune Slots:D . We were all off to a great start.

My review is turning into a novel. I must stop for now with apologies for being so wordy:o . I will write more (and more succinctly) later.

Welcome to Cruise Critic and great start on your review. Can't wait to read the rest.

Sounds like your vacation started out great! Can't wait for your next installment.

MadamG2U

Great review, my family and I will on this ship for the July 1 sailing. I have a question that you might be able to answer for me. I am trying to book a scuba dive while in Cozumel with an independent operator but I cannot find out if the ship remains on Ft. Lauderdale time while in Cozumel or does the ship change its time to island time while there.

My 2 sons and I are going Western on 6/17/06. The review you started was great and can't wait to read more. Lorie:D

I am getting ready to sail out of Ft. Lauderdale as well. Do you still have the web address to Total Wine & Spirits?

It would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Great review, my family and I will on this ship for the July 1 sailing. I have a question that you might be able to answer for me. I am trying to book a scuba dive while in Cozumel with an independent operator but I cannot find out if the ship remains on Ft. Lauderdale time while in Cozumel or does the ship change its time to island time while there.

The ship definitely changes time as it moves westward. When in Cozumel it is 1 hour earlier than Ft Lauderdale time. BTW, I booked every single tour with an independent rather than Princess. In every case I saved $ and got more with fewer crowds.

I am getting ready to sail out of Ft. Lauderdale as well. Do you still have the web address to Total Wine & Spirits?

 

It would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thank you!

http://www.wineaccess.com/store/totalwine-fortlauderdale/

Enjoy.

scurveydog...Thank you. Very nice review. We have the same cabin on the Crown.

I have to ask: Did you take a tape measure? I was surprised to read the measurements of drawers, etc.? Just curious, thanks. ;)

Thanks! Your review is very helpful, as we are on CB in a few weeks time.

Great review, my family and I will on this ship for the July 1 sailing. I have a question that you might be able to answer for me. I am trying to book a scuba dive while in Cozumel with an independent operator but I cannot find out if the ship remains on Ft. Lauderdale time while in Cozumel or does the ship change its time to island time while there.

Great review...I am looking forward to hearing all the details.....

:D

You are quite the researcher - I am impressed! It took me 3-4 cruises to figure out some of the stuff that you figured out before you left for your first cruise.

Looking forward to more comments!

scurveydog...Thank you. Very nice review. We have the same cabin on the Crown.

 

I have to ask: Did you take a tape measure? I was surprised to read the measurements of drawers, etc.? Just curious, thanks. ;)

madelinerose, Your question made me smile. Thank you for that! It would have made my wife and children laugh out loud- they often tease me for my "surprising" attention to such details. I did not take a tape measure - the measurements were estimates.

Sounds like your vacation started out great! Can't wait for your next installment.

 

MadamG2U

Here's that next installment. I hope this is the best way to add to my first post. Please instruct if there's a better way...

Day One-Princess Cays: Inspired by the previous day’s sunset, DW & I decided to get up for the sunrise since our portside balcony on a South-bound ship should afford a great view. Princess’ automated waking service was set for 5:00am. The kids joined us on the balcony and dark gave way to predawn. As the east horizon emerged we detected clouds and feared our view would be obstructed. Wrong. For 1 hour and 40 minutes the four of us sat and watched the sun create a living, moving palette of purple, pink, orange, yellow and white on the canvas of clouds. The clouds in turn provided random, shifting aperatures, closing here, opening there for the sun.- Majestic. Like nothing I’ve ever seen. We were in awe.

Kids went back to bed after God was finished with the show. DW and I ate breakfast which we ordered the night before by filling out the breakfast request card supplied by our steward. Breakfast came when requested-at 7:30 (the earliest delivery option on the card) but coffee and juice (2- 3oz glasses) were the same temperature- room temperature. From then on we called room service when breakfasting in the room rather than using the order card. It always arrived in a jiffy- at whatever time we requested it, was always the correct temp., plus when we ordered a carafe of juice they provided a 64 oz pitcher! Any extra kept perfectly well in the mini-fridge for later that day instead of a soft drink.

We putzed around the room drinking coffee. DW decided not to go to Princess Cays but kids and I went at about 11:30. Majority of ship was already ashore since we docked at 9:30am. Tendering in was quick and painless- 15 min, total. BBQ Lunch of Hamburgers, Ribs, Chicken Breasts, Bratwurst, Polish Sausage & Hot Dogs, Fruit, Salad, Corn on the Cob, Cookies, etc. was delicious. We waited maybe 4-5 minutes for a picnic table. After lunch we were off to the beach and to splash around in the water. Weather was partly cloudy and by 2:00 when I headed back to ship, it started to sprinkle- refreshing!

DW and I attended the 4:00pm art auction (free champagne) in the Explorers Lounge. These Champagne Art Auctions happen every afternoon of the cruise. This was very enjoyable as was the onboard art gallery but I confess to some dozing as the champagne, beach and 5:00am wake up call conspired against me. After the auction, we killed some time before dinner. We chose the Anytime Dining option which worked out great for us since we wanted to have maximum flexibility. I booked our dinner reservation each day (except for Sabatini’s & Sterling which were already booked). Only once did I fail to contact the concierge for that night’s dinner reservation before 4:00pm which is when they stop taking reservations. When that happens you just have to show up reservationless and hope there is not a wait. One of the three dining rooms (the Island Room on Deck 5) was unavailable at dinnertime for those on the Anytime Dining Plan- it was reserved for those passengers desiring traditional dining option.

Dinner this evening was in the Palm Dining Room and it was delightful. My high expectations for food quality on the ship were exceeded by my meals in the dining rooms- not to mention Sabatini’s which was truly outstanding. Tonight’s menu was a Caribbean theme. Some items: Chilled fruity coconut milk soup in a glass; seafood chowder; shrimp & scallops in mayonnaise; pork with spicy seasonings and delicious sauce; lamb shank; banana soufflé; pineapple crème brule; macaroons (consensus favorite); rum raisin ice cream. The truly great thing we all loved is that cruise dining promotes trying new dishes that you would never otherwise order because there is the freedom to order an alternative if you find you don’t care for what you tried- an option which was rarely needed!! What a gift and what a great way to discover new tastes together. I brought one white and one red wine to dinner from the supply purchased in Ft. Lauderdale. Whenever we brought wines to a meal I was asked for my card and told I would be assessed a $10 corkage fee per bottle. However, when reviewing the stateroom charges only 5 corkage fees were actually assessed on the 10 bottles supplied during the week.

After dinner we went to the Explorers Lounge at 8:30 for one of the week’s many stand-up comedy acts. No reservations taken for this but we arrived about 15 minutes early and got seats in the back of the lounge for the 45 minute show. Very entertaining! Then it was Movies Under the Stars (Pride and Prejudice) at 10:00pm for DW, DD and I. How cool is it to be cruising the ocean, enjoying a warm breeze while watching a movie at night on a 300 sq ft screen with a great sound system??? The screen is bright enough that movies can be and are shown throughout the day but we wanted the experience of night time viewing. Popcorn (no charge) was brought to us in small bags. Candy and drinks (extra charge) offered throughout the movie. No reservations are taken or needed for MUTS- just show up early if the movie is wildly popular. P&P commanded an audience about 20% of capacity. During MUTS the pool loungers are topped with a fabric-covered pad in addition to and much more comfortable than the waterproof, plastic pads which are already on the loungers. There are 3 levels from which to view the movie. The top two levels are the most breezy but movie must be viewed through the glass railing running around the perimeter of these decks.

Good Heavens, I’ve rambled again and only covered one day. Why weren’t research papers ever this easy? Looks like this will be coming piecemeal.

hey i was just wondering for those of you who have gone on the caribean princess with teens if there were good teen activities to keep you busy at sea or when you came back to the ship after ports? I am going on this ship june 17 with my cousin and brother but i will be the only teen outta our group who will still be in the teen center. So if someone knows if there were good activities i would love to hear from you. I have been on other ships and princess and they had good teen activities but all those were to alaska so im hoping that this one will be good to. Thanks for your time!!

Sarah 16 BLGA group

Cant wait until the cruise!!!!

Hello & thank you so much for your review of your cruise. We are sailing this ship in just over 2 weeks, same itinerary. I am reading the review like a very good book. Your review in parts just makes me that much more anxious to see how it goes!! (hello Sarah - Coolrunnings...my, you are everywhere, on this board & that...and oh yeah...in my kitchen) hee hee.

Reading this review makes me ten times more excited. I can almost see the sunrise, taste the seafood, feel the breeze under the stars while watching the night time movies.!!!

It was great to hear about Amerisuites. I reserved 3 rooms there for 3 days prior to the cruise & one day post cruise. You see such mixed reviews, I was a tinge nervous, but your review was wonderful & COMFORTING!! Such great ideas when it comes to the pop & wine.

I look forward to your reviews of Jamaica, & Grand Cayman as well.

I am enjoying every word. Looking forward to reading the rest.

Scurvydog: You definitely have a career as a travel writer. Your detailed descriptions make the words come to life! I have thoroughly enjoyed your writing, and look forward to it each day. Please hurry and continue, as we are on this same cruise sailing on Sat. Must hear about the ports. We sailed her last year on the Eastern itinery, so the ports will be new to us. Thank you so much for bringing your cruise alive to everyone, and let me know when your (first??) book is in publication.......

You are truely a talented writer. I feel like I am right there enjoying it all. Ahhhhhh August will not come soon enough.

MadamG2U

we'll be sailing on the Western CB this Saturday. Do tell us--what other movies were playing on your ship? Pride and Prejudice under the stars sounds marvelous!!!

On our last cruise on the CB my parents attended every art auction. I believe they're now addicted to them, and I'm afraid to see what artwork they might bring home this trip!

Please post more! We leave on Friday!

Wow, the detail in you first post about the cabin should be saved in a FAQ file

Eagerly waiting for the rest of your review.

No apologys needed just keep writing away and say what you feel --it almost seems like iam there sooner then iam going {IN july} --- ------------------ Question When you can "tell me how the tuxs were on the ship " meaning fitted ok, iam thinking of doing this again and last year Carnival gave me a jacket a little too small and that pissed me off they had no others for me !!! good luck

I too am eagerly awaiting your review! It is GREAT! Can't wait to read the next installment.

Thanks for taking the time to write this. :D

Scurvydog: You definitely have a career as a travel writer. Your detailed descriptions make the words come to life! I have thoroughly enjoyed your writing, and look forward to it each day. Please hurry and continue, as we are on this same cruise sailing on Sat. Must hear about the ports. We sailed her last year on the Eastern itinery, so the ports will be new to us. Thank you so much for bringing your cruise alive to everyone, and let me know when your (first??) book is in publication.......