Live from ... Cruise Critic's Caribbean Kick-Off on Crown Princess (11/7 - 14)

[Kerry&LuAnn]

The treadmills and ellipticals apparently have video monitors on them. Are headsets provided in the fitness center, or do passengers need to bring their own?

[Older Sister]

The treadmills and ellipticals apparently have video monitors on them. Are headsets provided in the fitness center, or do passengers need to bring their own?

 

Honestly, I don't quite remember if headsets were available. I do recall that there were video monitors on the ellipticals, but I brought my own iPod with headsets and listened to music while I worked out. Hopefully someone else more observant can answer your question!

[Dan Askin]

Dan,

You must have missed it. It had been on the last two cruises, this one and the one we started on in Quebec. It was very good.

 

It was in the Horizon Court in the evening. I haven`t had it before so it was good for me.

 

Nice to meet you and everyone at the CC meet yesterday.

 

Hi Caber,

 

Good meeting you too -- and I hope you'll get some use of your sweeet Cruise Critic insulated bag. I hear the x-ray machine can't penetrate the space age exterior. When the sky opened briefly in Grand Cayman, I was thinking I should have withheld one of the ponchos.

 

I think there's some confusion about the seafood offered at the sailaway buffet. One poster had specifically asked about the "Seafood Extravaganza," which was apparently a themed seafood bonanza involving a lot of pomp ... there's still seafood at the sailaway, but it's not quite as extravagant as it used to be. Ah, semantics.

[Dan Askin]

Honestly, I don't quite remember if headsets were available. I do recall that there were video monitors on the ellipticals, but I brought my own iPod with headsets and listened to music while I worked out. Hopefully someone else more observant can answer your question!

 

Hi,

 

Just called up to the spa, and yes, they can supply you with headphones free of charge.

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[AlaskaGolden]

Hi Dan,

 

Enjoying your Live thread. We'll be on the Crown in about 10 months.

 

Was wondering about what else besides popcorn is being offered (probably at an additional cost) during MUTS showings?

 

Also food related...do they still offer milkshakes (again, at an additional cost) at (the venue formerly known as) Scoops?

[Debi_D]

Hey Dan - hoping you are having a wonderful time. Can you tell Francois Ferat (Hotel Maitre'd) that the Dougherty's and Carro's (the Opus loving people) will soon be visiting the Crown (12/5) and we are looking forward to him spoiling us again;) I was hoping that Adam was the Passenger Service Director but I see he is not.

 

Can't wait to hear about the ship and the ports, especially Roatan. I was wondering if it had any wind damage from this past hurricane.

[mjksmonkey]

Dan-

 

Your updates have been great! Thanks so much for letting all of us tag along. We will be on the 11/28 sailing and one of our cruise traditions is a ship pub crawl. Can you confirm all the places onboard that serve alcohol? here's what I pulled from the Princess web site, but want to check as we're going to make up a little sheet to fill out as we go along for our post cruise memories. Thanks!

 

Princess Theatre

Aft Pool

MUTS Pool Bar

Neptune's Reef Pool Bar

Gatsby's Casino

Explorers Lounge

Skywalkers Nightclub

Club Fusion

Wheelhouse Bar

Adagio Bar

Crooners Bar

Speakeasy cigar lounge

[Dan Askin]

Had a nice time chatting with 25 or so Cruise Critic readers yesterday at the CC party, an all-around high-spirited event that included a Christmas ornament exchange. Here's a selection of photos from the get-together. I snapped quite a few, but most came out pretty poorly (tough lighting in the top-ship Skywalker's; I can't work under these conditions).

 

 

Shogun (AKA Steve), who's also contributing a "Live from" thread, is the group's leader and spiritual cruise advisor (15 cruises under his belt and a fount of cruise knowledge). He's been on Crown for a little while now ... he's in the midst of a three-week hybrid Canada & New England/North-South Repositioning/Western Caribbean cruise that started in Quebec on October 23. Snowman on the bow (built by crew) in Canada ... sweat on the brow in the Caribbean. Saw Shogun, a proud Scotsman, during formal night on Monday in his full Scottish regalia.

 

 

Kathy (Cruisin' Kathy) is on her seventh cruise. She loves planning cruises so much she actually makes up her own embarkation day ship tour. She's also a big "twister" at the 50's dance parties and a proponent of keeping a rechargeable flashlight in the cabin bathroom at night (there are no dimmer switches on Crown Princess -- it's either full force or nothing, so the flashlight makes an effective nightlight).

 

 

Here we have Tim (TMitchell82) selecting a name at random (from a Cruise Critic insulated sport pack) for the ornament exchange. Tim's impressive claim to cruise fame is finishing second in the Mr. Golden Princess Contest. What did he learn from the experience? "Champagne sprayed in your eyes burns." He's here with his wife and daughter, the youngest CC-er, who left when she became hungry.

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Dan, we are absolutely loving your live reports. It's pretty nice here in New Jersey, but still no Caribbean. No fair :D

 

I just wanted to make a public service announcement from Cruise Critic headquarters to all of you that we are currently experiencing technical difficulties with our Twitter account. We'll resume our #TwitCruise tweets as soon as we can. In the meantime, keep following Dan's progress and updates right here on this thread, as well as on Facebook!

[Dan Askin]

 

Stephen and Constance are Oregonians who are in the enviable position of living above the Columbia River Gorge. We actually met on embarkation day, and we talked about cruise travel, reality TV and the Portland area. That's Kay (BandBLady), from Stirlings Scotland, in the foreground. She and her husband Andrew own a B&B ... just checked out the Web site and they've got William Wallace on there!

 

 

Sheila is a realtor who lives in the Ottawa area and eight-time cruiser. She's been absurdly busy, working 70-hour weeks in what's currently a seller's market -- but she's now switched off her Blackberry and is no longer checking her e-mail. She imparted some sage advice for anyone who books a Crown Princess cabin with balcony on Dolphin Deck (9), where the verandas jut out and are completely exposed to the prying eyes from passengers above. Bring a beach umbrella. Great stuff.

 

 

Here we have Christmas ornaments on the floor.

[sunsetme]

dan

whats the earliest one can disembark diy style?

[wdblake]

Which dining room has the sail away buffet? Is this a lunch or dinner? Hope you will try to post all the menus and Patters from this trip. Enjoy your cruise!

[editor@cruisecritic]

It's fun to see which members are onboard! Was looking for some I know but alas, still love these -- keep 'em coming, Dan.

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

Stephen and Constance are Oregonians who are in the enviable position of living above the Columbia River Gorge. We actually met on embarkation day, and we talked about cruise travel, reality TV and the Portland area. That's Kay (BandBLady), from Stirlings Scotland, in the foreground. She and her husband Andrew own a B&B ... just checked out the Web site and they've got William Wallace on there!

 

 

Sheila is a realtor who lives in the Ottawa area and eight-time cruiser. She's been absurdly busy, working 70-hour weeks in what's currently a seller's market -- but she's now switched off her Blackberry and is no longer checking her e-mail. She imparted some sage advice for anyone who books a Crown Princess cabin with balcony on Dolphin Deck (9), where the verandas jut out and are completely exposed to the prying eyes from passengers above. Bring a beach umbrella. Great stuff.

 

 

Here we have Christmas ornaments on the floor.

[houch]

Just saw my friend, Lana, in the background of the picture of Sheila. That was fun.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I love the updates. The photos you've been posting make the Live From even more alive. Looking forward to reading more. Thanks!

[bmdlover]

Dan;

 

Thanks so much for answering all our questions. I can hardly wait to get on her next week! Is there still high tea in the afternoon? When and where, and are the scones still great?

 

Love your updates!

 

Marianne

[catergirl]

sailaway buffet or any buffet for that matter is in the HC/ horizon court.

[Dan Askin]

Hi Dan,

 

Enjoying your Live thread. We'll be on the Crown in about 10 months.

 

Was wondering about what else besides popcorn is being offered (probably at an additional cost) during MUTS showings?

 

Also food related...do they still offer milkshakes (again, at an additional cost) at (the venue formerly known as) Scoops?

 

Hi AlaskaGolden,

 

Princess has a little "menu" tied in with MUTS (outdoor movie theater on sun deck that shows nightly films, for those who don't know). Popcorn is free, but candy costs extra (from $.75 for a 3 Muskateers to $2.95 for a box of Starburst; movie theater-sized sour patch, M&M's, nerds for $1.95). Ice cream, pizza (both free) and milkshakes (they told me $3.75, but let me confirm) are also offered nearby.

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[2Fltravelers]

We'll be on the Crown this Saturday. I also would like to know where she docks in Cozumel so I can book a rental car near the pier. Also, can you find out the cost (pp and couple ) for the thermal suite, the sanctuary and if there is a combo price for both? Thanks so much!!Hope you're having fun.

[2Fltravelers]

On another strange height issue point, the shower head in the mini-suite is anchored in place at a ludicrously low position. Hits me square in the chest ... and can't be adjusted. Bending slightly to wash the face and hair is pretty minor, but I wonder if there's something karmic in play here.

 

Oh no! DH is 6'3" and I've been telling him how wonderful the shower will be in the mini-suite. I guess he'll be showering in the men's locker room-again.

[mmceachn]

HI

I will be on the Crown for the second time on the Nov 28th sailing. The last time I was there, I took a catamaran trip on the Jolly Roger. Great fun!

 

I see that the Crown shore excursion offers a catamaran trip on the Graziafelize

Can you please ask the shore excurions people where the Graziafelize is docked and also about the transportation to the pier? Big bus? Van?

 

Also..if you happen to speak with anyone that went out on the Graziafeliz and has feedback, that would be appreciated.

 

I also want to purchase Hondouran coffee beans. Any info on that would be appreciated

 

I'm enjoying your narrative. I was on the Crown one year ago today

[Gainer]

We are taking our entire family on this cruise on January 23rd. We are looking forward to seeing new places as Grand Cayman, Honduras and Cozumel. We have been on two other Princess cruises and loved them. We are so glad to take our family and are excited about the new experiences they will share.

[Mrs Z]

Will be on the Crown the week of Thanksgiving. Trying to get the dinner menus so we can plan one night for the specialty restaurant. Do you have them or know where we can find them? Thanks. Also, do you know what the time difference will be in each port as from ship time?

[Sam13010]

Dan, We have a small group booked on the same cruise in April 2010. We are very much looking for your comments. However I do have a few questions:

1. What did you consider the best excursion in Roatan?

2. How about Cozumel - been there 5 times, looking for something different

3. What time does the ship start boarding on Saturday? As a Platinum Member I was thinking we should be at the ship to board about noon.

4. What type of entertainment does the main show have besides the Princess singer and dancers?

Sam

[otisishere]

Please let us know if Mayan Princess on Roatan still sells day passes. We were there in May and loved it and desparate to return. We had heard they stopped selling the day passes to cruise passengers. We will be on the Crown December 12th. Thank you very much in advance for any information.