Crown Princess review : 3/27/10 - 4/3/10

[MamaPuggle]

Having just finished a 7 day cruise aboard the Crown Princess, I would like to post this review. I read the blogs on cruise critic extensively before I left so I will attempt to touch on topics that came up on the blogs.

My family, consisting of me (husband, 49), wife (48), son (19) and daughter (15) were booked in two cabins on the Baja deck (one was a balcony (#255) and an inside (#257). Both were foward cabins). This was our 4th cruise, 2nd on Princess.

We arrived in FL Friday evening. We stayed the night in the Hyatt Place, North. Great hotel with shuttles from the airport and to the pier included in the room rate. We woke up Saturday morning and walked over to the plaza that contained the Total Wine store. We picked up six bottles of wine for our cruise.

Embarkation was simple. We took the 10:30 am shuttle from the hotel and arrived at the pier shortly before 11:00 am. There was a bit of a line but we were on the ship by 11:30 am. We placed our wine in a backpack and had no problem getting it aboard ship. Our cabins were available. We checked them out and had three choices for lunch, the Da Vinci dining room, the Horizon Court buffet on deck 15 or the International Cafe.

Our cabins were very nice and VERY CLEAN. Our cabin steward was a young lady (Jenny) who took care of our every need.

We chose traditional dining, 8:15 pm seating. We dined in the Botticili dining room. Our waiter (Antonio) and his helper (Gilbert) were ther best. Not only very efficient but entertaining, too. We purchased a bottle of wine from the wine list on the first night. Every night after that, we brought a bottle to the table. Gilbert uncorked it for us and we never paid any night to have it uncorked. The food was the best we have ever eaten on a cruise ship.

The ship was in wonderful shape.

I was able to win a $1000.00 jackpot on Sunday and a $500.00 jackpot on Wednesday on the "Wheel of Fortune" slot machine.

We had perfect weather all week. We only had a slight drizzel while in Routan.

I cannot say enough about the wonderful time we had aboard the Crown. Princess will be the only line we will look to book in the future.

If anyone has questions, respond back. I will give an honest reply.

[SF]

Glad to hear you had an enjoyable cruise. Besides Troy the comedian and the production shows what other entertainers were there?

[kywildcatfanone]

MamaPuggle,

 

We were on this cruise as well, and thought the weather was great all week (except as you noted, the Roatan day - but after two days of sunshine, the cloudy/overcast/rainy day worked well for us and we stayed in the shade. Sounds like I should have gone to the casino, congratulations on your winnings!

 

Mike

[kywildcatfanone]

Glad to hear you had an enjoyable cruise. Besides Troy the comedian and the production shows what other entertainers were there?

 

Rollin' Jay Moore was a comedian the first 2-3 nights, and Troy Thirdgill was the last 2-3 nights. Bert Stratton was in Crooners Bar several nights, and the Explorers lounge one night as well.

We have seen them all before, and were very good. There was a hypnotist as well, but didn't go to that show. They also had some Cirque entertainers in the Piazza.

 

Mike

[SF]

Thanks Mike....

 

Do you know if the movie Up In The Air was playing during the cruise and when?

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks Mike....

 

Do you know if the movie Up In The Air was playing during the cruise and when?

 

Yes, they did play it, I just can't remember off the top of my head whether it was in the Theatre or MUTS, but I do remember seeing it listed one day (obviously I didn't watch it). I will look at my patter tonight and report back unless someone answers it before I get a chance.

 

Mike

[SF]

I will look at my patter tonight and report back unless someone answers it before I get a chance.

 

Mike

 

If possible I would appreciate since you are looking in the patter anyway could you also let me know what else is going on that evening or during that time? Thanks for taking the time to help.:)

[seajay312]

Mama Puggle,

You said you boarded the ship at 11:30 am, are you platinum members to get on so much earlier or could anyone start boarding then?

[lovevacadays]

Thanks for the review. Glad you had nice weather and enjoyed your cruise

[maxxedout2]

Congrats. Never heard of anybody winning in the Casino.

DW and I were on 3/27/10 cruise.

Great weather, calm seas, except Roatan, I mean "RainNoTan", Honduras.

 

Here's a snapshot of Crown backing into Mahoghany Bay from our 3/27/2010 cruise.

 

:cool::cool:

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

Dear mamapugle,

 

Thanks for the review...we sailed on the Crown on March 13, and felt it was an outstanding cruise in every respect. Glad it continues to be so!

[cruise&travelgirl]

Thanks for posting your review! I will be sailing on the Crown in a couple weeks so I'm happy to read such a positive review!

[kywildcatfanone]

Mama Puggle,

You said you boarded the ship at 11:30 am, are you platinum members to get on so much earlier or could anyone start boarding then?

 

We are platinum as well, and waited in the platinum/elite area before boarding. It was around 11:30 when they started letting us in to get our cruise cards and then you could go right on board.

 

Mike

[kywildcatfanone]

If possible I would appreciate since you are looking in the patter anyway could you also let me know what else is going on that evening or during that time? Thanks for taking the time to help.:)

 

Sorry, I got home late last night from a Bible study I go to on Monday nights, and forgot to look, but I will tonight, as my schedule is more normal and post either tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

Mike

[seajay312]

We are platinum as well, and waited in the platinum/elite area before boarding. It was around 11:30 when they started letting us in to get our cruise cards and then you could go right on board.

 

Mike

 

I guess my question was is Mama Puggle a platinum member in order to get on the time she did. I'm sorry I missed her response or did'nt see her earlier post which identified her a platinum.

[cdnguy]

This was our 4th cruise, 2nd on Princess.

They wouldn't be Platinum since this was only their 2nd cruise on Princess. :)

[kywildcatfanone]

If possible I would appreciate since you are looking in the patter anyway could you also let me know what else is going on that evening or during that time? Thanks for taking the time to help.:)

 

SF, OK here goes. I hate it when work and life gets in the way of talking about cruising, don't you?

 

"Up in the Air" was shown in the Princess Theatre at 10pm on Monday March 29th, the Grand Cayman day.

 

Other entertainment that evening included the production show "What a swell party" at 8:30 in the Princess Theatre.

 

Rollin' jay Moore in the Explorers Lounge at 7:00, 8:30, and 10:30pm.

 

The Princess singers and dancers in the Piazza at 5:30 and 7:00pm performing "Thoroughly Modern Millie"

 

A Martini Demonstration at 7:30, also in the Piazza.

 

Club Fusion had Music and Dancing, Music Trivia, a Dance Party, and Love Boat Legends karaoke, and a late night dance party all starting at 8:00pm.

 

The Wheelhouse Bar had Nova (resident band) starting at 7:30pm.

 

Bert Stratton in Crooners from 9:00pm on.

 

Adiago Bar had Lodovic at the Piano, and Jazio in the Adiago (House Orchestra).

 

MUTS was showing "The Boys Are Back" at 8:15pm and 10:30pm.

 

Skywalkers nightclub had club 18-20 Get Together at 9:00, 80's Retro Power Hour at 10:00, and All the hits and more at 11:00pm.

 

Wow, until I was typing all of this, I didn't realize how much stuff was really going on each night. That is a lot of stuff. If you need anything else, let me know.

 

Mike

[SF]

Mike-

 

Wow, thanks for that in depth reply! :)

 

In answer to your question....yes, I also hate it when I'm deprived of talking about cruising but since working pays for them I should set aside some time for that also.;) even though when I'm working I usually check the boards once or twice!!!

 

Cayman night seems like there is a lot happening so we may opt out of going to the dining room and just grab something at the buffet. Heard that was Caribbean night in the dining room anyway (if I remember correctly) so it's no big deal to us to miss that.

 

Did you see Rollin' jay Moore? If so did you enjoy the show?

 

We've seen all the production shows that will be on this cruise so missing What A Swell Party won't matter. Would much rather partake in the other activities and then see the movie. I'm usually not into movies but I heard this one was good and it seems like a nice quiet way to end a busy day since we will be swimming with the dolphins.

 

Did they repeat the Rollin' jay Moore show the next day again?

 

Any other info you care to share would be appreciated. Thanks again for taking the time to post.

[kywildcatfanone]

Mike-

 

Wow, thanks for that in depth reply! :)

 

In answer to your question....yes, I also hate it when I'm deprived of talking about cruising but since working pays for them I should set aside some time for that also.;) even though when I'm working I usually check the boards once or twice!!!

 

Cayman night seems like there is a lot happening so we may opt out of going to the dining room and just grab something at the buffet. Heard that was Caribbean night in the dining room anyway (if I remember correctly) so it's no big deal to us to miss that.

 

Did you see Rollin' jay Moore? If so did you enjoy the show?

 

We've seen all the production shows that will be on this cruise so missing What A Swell Party won't matter. Would much rather partake in the other activities and then see the movie. I'm usually not into movies but I heard this one was good and it seems like a nice quiet way to end a busy day since we will be swimming with the dolphins.

 

Did they repeat the Rollin' jay Moore show the next day again?

 

Any other info you care to share would be appreciated. Thanks again for taking the time to post.

 

SF, I'm with you. I try to check a time or two a day as well, when I'm working from my office, but I also travel some, so I'm not always online.

 

We did not go to any of the production shows either, as we have seen them all before. However, the CD did mention that for the Destination Anywhere production show, I think there was a changeover in the Princess Singers mid cruise, and the new singers would be doing that show, so it might be different people, just the same show.

 

We did not eat in the dining room that night, so off the top of my head (patters are at home), I'm not sure what theme night it was, but it probably was Caribbean night as you suggested.

 

Of all the above activities, we decided to go see "The Boys Are Back" on MUTS, and I didn't like it at all. After about 45 minutes and I couldn't pick up the plot very well, we left. I would have preferred to have done something else, but you never know till you try. We had family with us on this trip and spent some evening time playing cards in the Horizon Court.

 

Rollin Jay Moore's shows were on Sunday and Monday, so the Monday performance was the repeat from Sunday night. I would assume it would be the same each week. We have seen him 2-3 times and even though most of the jokes are the same, it is still entertaining. Usually for us the comedians are the highlight of the entertainment (and Bert Stratton - he's so funny and talented).

 

Mike

[SF]

Mike-

 

We've seen Bert before on other sailings also and he is funny and very lively. We enjoy seeing some production shows over again as they are really good and like you mentioned they are with other singers and dancers who in sort of a way put their own spin on things. Some production shows we didn't care for so we opt for other entertainment which is never lacking. Always something to do.

 

Island Night is Tuesday (got info from another post)so I'm sure the entertainment then is a pre-dinner show for second seating passengers. We usually don't make those as we prefer to lounge till later in the day and then head back to shower and change. That's what we find so great about cruising.....all the options for everyone to do what they wish and still have some family time.

 

Thanks again for your help and if you can think of anything of interest please post. I'm sure I'll be back again with more questions!;)

[lifeizgr8]

Any suggestions on great rooms on the CROWN? Also any "stay away from this room?"

 

Thanks, mardi:)