Crown Princess Jan. 15-22 Trip Review

[NYcruisefan08]

Hello!

 

We (my boyfriend and I) just got back from a fantastic week on the Crown Princess. Since these boards were so helpful to me while I was planning, I thought I’d write a trip report to help anyone else that may want to read about the experience we had aboard.

 

Quick overview of us: We are 32 (me) and 35 (him), from NYC and this was our first time on Princess and our first 7 night cruise in the Caribbean. Overall – it was a wonderful week and we were definitely able to “escape completely.”

 

We flew into Ft. Lauderdale the day before the cruise and stayed at the Westin Ft. Lauderdale Beach (Priceline) the night before the cruise departed from Port Everglades. The hotel was lovely (although the bathroom was somewhat not private – there were slats in one wall and on the sliding door – you could hear everything – which was fine for us, but if you are traveling with someone you don’t know very well – or really like your privacy it could be an issue. We ate dinner at a place called Coconuts (I think). It was good.

 

Embarkation:

 

We took a cab to Port Everglades at about 12:30 PM. We got there in about 6-8 minutes and there was no line to get into the Port area. The cab dropped us off and again – no line to have our bags taken by the dock porters (we tipped them $10 for 2 bags when they took our suitcases). We walked into the check in are and filled out the health forms and then got online to get our Room keycards. That took less than 10 minutes – there was one gentleman working (Michael, I think) – who was very efficient.

We then walked up and onto the ship to begin our week at sea!!

 

Cabin:

 

We stayed in Aloha 701 and LOVED our cabin. The bed was super comfortable (we got the egg crate – asked for it right when we arrived). The balcony was the perfect size for the two of us and we took full advantage of it by spending quite a bit of time out there reading / snacking and watching the water go by. We also liked to be out there during sailaways from the different port stops. Jay was our cabin steward and did a great job I thought. He was totally on top of things and we always had fresh towels, a made bed and chocolates on our pillows at night.

 

Ports:

 

1. Grand Cayman – we took a cab ($5 each way) to Sea Grape Beach. I think it was nice – it was our first stop and we were still getting acclimated to cruising – so I think the low key day was just perfect for us. I have to say – I expected 7 Mile Beach to be one long beach with tons of high rise hotels on it – sort of like Palm Beach in Aruba – but it didn’t seem to feel that way from where we were. After beach time we walked around the shops, but didn’t buy anything

 

2. Roatan – In Roatan we went to the Sante Wellness Day Spa. Angela and Leon (the owners) were wonderful. The treatments were top notch, the prices were very reasonable and the experience was completely soothing. We had the hot stone massages and then had a lovely lunch of grilled shrimp and rice (prepared by Leon). We would definitely recommend Sante to anyone visiting Roatan. It was easy to get to and felt very private and zen – all of which we were hoping for from the experience.

3. Cozumel – In Cozumel we went to Isla Passion. The beach was breathtakingly beautiful. White sand beach. Turquoise waters. We relaxed on the beach, floated in the sea and had a very good lunch of chips / pico de gallo / guacamole / chicken and fish. We took a boat back to the dock area and then walked across the street to buy tequila – we ended up buying two bottles of this delicious Coffee tequila – YUM.

 

4. Princess Cays – there were rough seas going into Princess Cays and the tender rides were really frightening. Other than that, it was a nice time on the beach. It was very convenient to be able to use my keycard on the beach. Liked that a lot. The water was actually warm – although the warning about the rocks were spot on. It was a bit tricky to get in and out of the ocean.

 

Sea Days:

 

We had two days at sea – both of which were incredibly relaxing. We did a lot of reading while watching the water go by. We ate at the Hamburger and Hot Dog Grill and tried many desserts from the International Café. We had no problem finding lounge chairs – we ended up at the top deck on the second sea day – which I really liked.

 

Food:

 

I am Gluten Free – my boyfriend is not. From both perspectives we found that overall the food was very good. We did the soda package, which (for us) was a great deal.

The MDR and International Café were the best spots to eat (plus the Burger Grill). We ate at Crown Grill and Sabatini’s – both of which were delicious. Sabatini’s was very romantic and we loved the experience there.

We did Anytime Dining and I preferred the DaVinci Dining Room to the Michelangelo (I’m not sure why…). We normally ate around 7 – 7:15 ish and only had a wait one night (second formal night) which was about 20 minutes. Otherwise, we just walked right in. The dessert coffees were quite tasty. We never ordered a bottle of wine, but did order a glass each a few nights.

On a Gluten Free Note - I tried to get a Gluten free pizza one day and it was really difficult. I went to the pizza area and asked if I would be able to order one while watching the football playoff games the next day. They told me to go speak with the head waiter at Horizon Court. I found him and he suggested I order a pizza from Room Service (with the $3 charge) and have it delivered the next day to my stateroom and then carry it up to deck. I explained that I wanted it the next day on deck (while watching the playoff games) and didn’t want to have to go back to my cabin and he (it seemed reluctantly) wrote down on a notepad that I was going to pick it up the next day at Noon. So the next day I went over to the Pizza area and checked in for my pizza around 11:30 – they had no idea what I was talking about. I recounted the steps I took the night before and they said they would try to have one ready by 4 PM. I went back at 4 and they had no idea what I was talking about (again). I explained everything once more and they said to come back on about 45 minutes. When I did go back they finally had the crust there and were able to make one for me.

 

Nightlife:

 

We watched MUTS (which I loved), danced at Club Fusion, went to Skywalkers for a quick visit, watched the Marriage Game and walked around. We are not big drinkers, but had a few cocktails over the course of the week. It was good for us.

 

Disembarkation:

 

We were Purple 6 and scheduled to exit at 9:30am. We went to the assigned meeting space at 9:25 and they pretty much let us just walk right off. We quickly found our bags and flew through Customs. We had a 1:36 flight from FLL and were delayed. Security / lines at Jet Blue weren’t too bad – I expected worse after reading these boards.

 

In Summary:

 

All in all – I am thrilled with our trip – it was everything I hoped it would be. The ship was beautiful, the weather was great, the fellow passengers were lovely, the ports were gorgeous and I feel 100% recharged after the week at sea with my wonderful boyfriend.

 

Hope this helps anyone thinking of a cruise on the Crown!

[Princessmich]

Thanks so much for posting your review. I'm glad to hear that your first experience was such a great one! We are looking forward to our second cruise on the Crown and every time I hear such positive reviews, I get even more anxious!

Thanks again!

 

Michelle:)

[irishmom7n30]

Just wondering if the rooms had irons or blow dryers?? We are on the Caribe deck upcoming

[drevil0208]

We also had Jay as our cabin steward (we were in A615). We thought he was great also. Every time we saw him he would always greet us and ask us if everything was ok. Seemed very attentive.

 

No irons in the room, but there are blow dryers. There are irons free to use in the laundry rooms.

[Dena]

Thank you for posting this review. How did Sabatini's handle the gluten free.

[phabric]

Thanks for the review. We will be on the Crown in April.

 

I think that Princess has one of the best hamburgers compared to the other cruiselines. I only have mustard on my hamburgers so can tell the difference.

[Coolmama_1]

Thanks for the review. Sounds like you had a fabulous time!

[Caribbean Sunsets]

Thanks for the review. My son and his GF were on this cruise. They had a fantastic time. They also commented on how rough the tender ride was at Princess Cays. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.:)

[hubofhockey]

Just wondering if the rooms had irons or blow dryers?? We are on the Caribe deck upcoming

 

The irons are in the laundry rooms.

 

OP, thanks for the review. We were on the Crown once and if that is still the ship doing British Isles in 2012, then we hope to be back on it again.

[EAGLESLOVER]

Thanks for the review. My son and gf were also on board and had a great time. We are boarding on the 5th of February and also going to Sante. How much was the taxi. Did you pay only on the way bacK? What time did they pick you up to return to the ship? Thanks

[NYcruisefan08]

Thank you for posting this review. How did Sabatini's handle the gluten free.

 

Hi! I thought Sabatini's did a great job with the gluten free issue.

 

The day before our dinner there I stopped by to let the maitre d' know about my allergy (which I found was a helpful strategy everywhere on the ship - the more notice they had about my allergy and my dining plans the easier it was for them to accomodate my needs).

 

During our dinner they just altered slightly the items they served me (for instance, in the hot hors d'ouerves there were no crabcakes served to me, but instead an extra portion of the ricotta "cakes" were on my plate).

 

They also substituted gluten free pasta for the regular pasta during that course (although I didn't love the sauce that came on it - which I think was the same one as the regular pasta dish).

 

They had gluten free bread for me during the entire meal.

 

My main course was the shrimp with polenta (fantastic!) and for dessert I had the expresso creme brulee - which was fine to eat.

 

Hope this helps!

[NYcruisefan08]

Thanks for the review. My son and gf were also on board and had a great time. We are boarding on the 5th of February and also going to Sante. How much was the taxi. Did you pay only on the way bacK? What time did they pick you up to return to the ship? Thanks

 

Thanks everyone - I really liked writing the review :) I'm glad it's helpful!

 

For Sante - Angela sent us the names of two other passengers on the Crown that were also going to Sante and we emailed with each other prior to the cruise to make plans to meet up and share a taxi - as we were told it's less expensive if there are more than 3 people in the cab.

 

The cab cost each person $20 USD roundtrip - and we only paid the driver when he brought us back to Mahogany Bay (which I didn't know beforehand). He'll drop you off at the marina area at Parrot Tree Plantation and then ask what time you want to be picked up - he was on time for the return trip and very friendly.

 

We were off the ship right away in the morning (per Angela's suggestion) and were picked up at the marina at Parrot Tree after our Sante experience at 2 PM, which gave us plenty of time to get back to the ship and walk around Mahogany Bay (and stop for a daquari at Fat Tuesdays) before getting back on board. I think all aboard was 4 PM?

 

It took about 20-25 minutes each way to and from Sante.

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your review. We did the same itinerary on the Crown in March and loved it.

[BoardwalkBabe]

Thanks for the great review. We have this itinerary in March and are looking forward to it.

[EAGLESLOVER]

Thanks everyone - I really liked writing the review :) I'm glad it's helpful!

 

For Sante - Angela sent us the names of two other passengers on the Crown that were also going to Sante and we emailed with each other prior to the cruise to make plans to meet up and share a taxi - as we were told it's less expensive if there are more than 3 people in the cab.

 

The cab cost each person $20 USD roundtrip - and we only paid the driver when he brought us back to Mahogany Bay (which I didn't know beforehand). He'll drop you off at the marina area at Parrot Tree Plantation and then ask what time you want to be picked up - he was on time for the return trip and very friendly.

 

We were off the ship right away in the morning (per Angela's suggestion) and were picked up at the marina at Parrot Tree after our Sante experience at 2 PM, which gave us plenty of time to get back to the ship and walk around Mahogany Bay (and stop for a daquari at Fat Tuesdays) before getting back on board. I think all aboard was 4 PM?

 

It took about 20-25 minutes each way to and from Sante.

 

Thanks so much

[melmel]

Thanks so much for the great review!! How warm was it? We are leaving Feb. 12th and I'm so unsure about what clothing I will need. This is my first winter cruise. Can you, or anyone else help me out with this? Thanks so much!

[Mary Ellen]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks for posting your review. Sounds like you had a great time.....:):):)

 

Bob

[CruiseAdict218]

Thanks for posting the review, do you know who your Cruise Director was?

[NYcruisefan08]

Thanks for posting the review, do you know who your Cruise Director was?

 

It was Ron Goodman.

 

I actually only saw him once - during the Love / Marriage Game. I don't recall seeing him at the pool or during MUTS or anything (although I'm sure he was around).

 

We didn't really partake in many group games (such as the Sexy Leg Competition) or go to any of the shows, which may be why he was nearly invisible to us.

 

We did go to the Ultimate Deck Party - but I don't remember him being there....

[CruiseAdict218]

It was Ron Goodman.

 

I actually only saw him once - during the Love / Marriage Game. I don't recall seeing him at the pool or during MUTS or anything (although I'm sure he was around).

 

We didn't really partake in many group games (such as the Sexy Leg Competition) or go to any of the shows, which may be why he was nearly invisible to us.

 

We did go to the Ultimate Deck Party - but I don't remember him being there....

 

Thanks

[NYcruisefan08]

Thanks so much for the great review!! How warm was it? We are leaving Feb. 12th and I'm so unsure about what clothing I will need. This is my first winter cruise. Can you, or anyone else help me out with this? Thanks so much!

 

Well, we had really good weather! I was totally fine in shorts and tee shirts or a cotton sundress during the day - it was sunny and warm - warm enough to go in the pools / sea.

 

As the sun went down in the late afternoon and at night it got CHILLY. I needed long sleeves everynight on deck. As we headed back North to FL (the last two nights) I even wore jeans. I think I wore a light fleece and jeans my last night on board (and was comfortable in it).

 

It was also really windy on the top decks - I ended up wrapping myself in a towel a few times to stay warm while reading around 4PM.

 

Hope this helps!

[wifeofbedo]

quick couple of questions from me...

 

1. Was there lobster dinner one night? If so what night?

We are thinking of going to Sabatini's on the (Wed) Cozumel night and hope we don't miss out on it.

 

2. You mentioned stopping off for drinks on Roatan, is that place close to the cruise ship dock? Are drinks a bit cheaper there than on the ship? Hoping also to get some great Margaritas in Cozumel, hopefully less cost than on the ship!

 

thanks!

[NYcruisefan08]

quick couple of questions from me...

 

1. Was there lobster dinner one night? If so what night?

We are thinking of going to Sabatini's on the (Wed) Cozumel night and hope we don't miss out on it.

 

2. You mentioned stopping off for drinks on Roatan, is that place close to the cruise ship dock? Are drinks a bit cheaper there than on the ship? Hoping also to get some great Margaritas in Cozumel, hopefully less cost than on the ship!

 

thanks!

 

Hello!

 

We did Sabatini's the night we were in Cozumel as well. I think we had lobster in the dining room the following evening (I don't eat it - but I think the dish was Lobster tail and Prawn - and I just had the Prawns without the Lobster). You should be fine going to Sabatini's that night and still have the lobster the next day.

 

In Roatan, there is a Fat Tuesdays in Mahogany Bay literally right as you get off the ship. It couldn't be closer! As for pricing, they were pretty similar to ship pricing - we paid $6 USD for the small daquari.

 

Enjoy!!!

[wifeofbedo]

Hello!

 

We did Sabatini's the night we were in Cozumel as well. I think we had lobster in the dining room the following evening (I don't eat it - but I think the dish was Lobster tail and Prawn - and I just had the Prawns without the Lobster). You should be fine going to Sabatini's that night and still have the lobster the next day.

 

In Roatan, there is a Fat Tuesdays in Mahogany Bay literally right as you get off the ship. It couldn't be closer! As for pricing, they were pretty similar to ship pricing - we paid $6 USD for the small daquari.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

Thanks for your help!!

We are looking forward to it :D