what do I need to know before booking Caribbean Princess?

[Scrappytraveller]

Hello everyone, I'm on the verge of booking my first Princess cruise for a party of 8 (1 grandma, 5 adults and 2 kids aged 10 and 13) and was hoping to get some quick tips from the Princess community about the Caribbean Princess.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated, but specifically:

- any cabins to avoid (oceanview, balcony or mini-suite)

- recommendations for choice of dining (late fixed seating is out, for medical and child reasons)

- what is the minimum dress level expected for formal nights on a caribbean cruise? (grandma is the tough one, plus an extreme-tomboy 10 year old who won't go near a dress or skirt:()

- anything special we could consider for celebrating grandma's 80th birthday?

 

Thanks for your time. :)

[TracieABD]

This sounds like a wonderful family vacation!

 

I love the balcony rooms on the Caribe deck...big half covered, half uncovered balconies. There are doors in the balcony dividers, so your steward can unlock both sides and you can extend your balcony, if you have adjoining rooms.

 

You will see various dress on formal nights in the MDR. The men in our house wear tuxes or dark suits. But that is us. As for your daughter, maybe a pair of black slacks and a sparlkly sweater or tee shirt.

 

There are three fixed dining times, you may want to go for the 6 o'clock in traditional dining. If not, you can always do anytime.

 

If you post a special occasion on your Personalizer, the ship usually does something to celebrate the occasion. Door balloons, a letter from the captain, a cake at dinner...

 

Best of luck and happy planning!:)

[RMLincoln]

Hello everyone, I'm on the verge of booking my first Princess cruise for a party of 8 (1 grandma, 5 adults and 2 kids aged 10 and 13) and was hoping to get some quick tips from the Princess community about the Caribbean Princess.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated, but specifically:

- any cabins to avoid (oceanview, balcony or mini-suite)

We try to avoid cabins under the Lido or above the show lounge. Mid-ship iwll have the best "ride" and in opinion the bow has the bounciest "ride". Sometimes families will take a balcony and an inside across the hall from the balcony.

- recommendations for choice of dining (late fixed seating is out, for medical and child reasons)

If you all plan to dine together every evening, fixed early dining at a table of just your family is easy, no decisions, no negotiating. But if you may be doing long days ashore you may want to have the flexibility of going a bit later than early dining, so could do anytime dining. Grandma and the kids may really like eating early - when we took grandkids we ate very early, anytime dining, as soon as the dining room opened and always got a table by the window for just us, worked great. Then we could go to either the early show or do what we wanted after dinner. But that required us to be organized in the afternoon and ready to get dressed for dinner at 5:15, which was not an issue for our group.

- what is the minimum dress level expected for formal nights on a caribbean cruise? (grandma is the tough one, plus an extreme-tomboy 10 year old who won't go near a dress or skirt:()

Ladies often wear black slacks and a shell top and or a sparkly jacket or a shawl (which is pretty much what I do), but not to worry. We had a teenager who wore her "dress jeans" :eek: and the universe did not end! We were a family and they were not about to send one of us away. If you have young boys they can wear chinos and a button down shirt with or without a tie. If the adults meet the attire suggestions (especially slacks, a jacket and tie for the gents) the kids and elders can be more casual, but if the whole clan shows up dressed for the beach you'll all wind up eating in the buffet.

- anything special we could consider for celebrating grandma's 80th birthday?

What would she enjoy? Ask for it, all they can say is no. Is she extroverted? Maybe she would like to be on the morning "Wake Show" on TV? I'm sure the cruise director could arrange for it, or you can ask the cruise director for some other ideas. Would she like a corsage from the florest shop? She could wear it all day and feel special or just for dinner and evening. They will at least sing happy birthday to her in the dining room if you want that, and probably a special dessert for her with a candle but I'd ask the head waiter the night before to make sure. Or, if you request it a day or two before, they will make a special dessert of her request for her. On our first Princess cruise we sat with some "veteran cruisers" and they asked if that ship would be serving their favorite dessert (a chocolate pecan pie) which they had had on previous Princess cruises. Two nights later we were served this dessert at our table. Nice touch.

 

Thanks for your time. :)

Enjoy the planning and have a great cruise! m--

[skynight]

Hello everyone, I'm on the verge of booking my first Princess cruise for a party of 8 (1 grandma, 5 adults and 2 kids aged 10 and 13) and was hoping to get some quick tips from the Princess community about the Caribbean Princess.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated, but specifically:

- any cabins to avoid (oceanview, balcony or mini-suite)

- recommendations for choice of dining (late fixed seating is out, for medical and child reasons)

- what is the minimum dress level expected for formal nights on a caribbean cruise? (grandma is the tough one, plus an extreme-tomboy 10 year old who won't go near a dress or skirt:()

- anything special we could consider for celebrating grandma's 80th birthday?

 

Thanks for your time. :)

 

Cabins, Look at the deck plans. We try to select a cabin that has rooms above us an below us.

 

We like Anytime Dining (ATD). Since you are a party of 8 you can actually reserve a table in ATD by calling the dining line. That way you can eat when you want. If you want traditional fixed seating you can get the normal early time, about 6PM or an earlier time, about 5:30PM. Just because you select fixed seating doesn't mean you can't eat in one of the alternate dining areas.

Horizon Ct./Cafe Caribe Buffet, open from around 6am to 11 pm

Trident Grill - Burgers, Dogs, Fries, Chicken, Brats, open for lunch into early evening

Prego Pizza, Pizza by the slice, open for lunch until early evening, maybe later in the Caribbean

International Cafe, paninis, salads, soups, desserts, open 24 hours

Crown Grill Steaks and seafood (extra charge)

Sabatini's Italian Bistro (extra Charge)

On a 7 night Carib. cruise there will be 2 formal nights. Women wear nice outfits, Most me are in suits, some in sport jacket and tie, a smaller % in Tux. See this web site http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/bring.jsp

 

If you want, you can avoid formal nights by eating in the Horizon Court or another venue on those nights.

 

I think Sabatini's $20pp surcharge is very nice to celebrate a birthday, but I like Italian. Plan for a 3 hour meal. For Steak Lovers, the Crown Grill, $25pp surcharge.

[KKB]

A jacket is NOT necessary. DH no longer even brings a jacket. He does bring slacks, shirt & tie--yes, even for formal night. NO ONE has blinked an eye.

 

On every one of our cruises there has been a wide range of dress in the dining room, regardless of whether it is formal night or not. I love to dress up--I don't get opportunities to dress like that at home. DH was bringing his jacket--but basically he wore it to the table, took it off to eat, then went back to the room to change--just a waste of luggage space.

 

On our first cruise a gentleman at our table refused to wear his jacket the 2nd formal night as he said it was too small. He showed up in a polo. His wife was fuming--but WHO CARES? We were happy he joined us as we had a wonderful time the whole week with them.

 

One of our tablemates turned up in fashionably torn & a plain cotton camisole the last night--personally wouldn't be my choice (nor would I allow my kids--but they like dressing up for dinner; JUST for dinner--they change right after) but again, glad she came to dinner--didn't affect my dinner any! And I would have been upset if she didn't show.

 

Don't feel the need to eat at the buffet just because it is formal night & you didn't bring your jacket!

 

Business casual is appropriate every day of the week anymore. Polo or dress shirt & slacks for men. Women have more options--but black slacks & a dress top will work every day of the week.

[caribill]

I think Sabatini's $20pp surcharge is very nice to celebrate a birthday, but I like Italian. Plan for a 3 hour meal. For Steak Lovers, the Crown Grill, $25pp surcharge.

 

The 10 year old and the 13 year old might not like this three hour experience.

[VirginiaVacationer]

we did my mom's birthday last year on princess. you can go into cruise personalizer and tell them you are celebrating a special occassion and note it is a birthday (or your travel agent can put it in). they will either do a mini cake with a candle on the day you request (or the day of the event), and decorate your door with a sign and balloons. my mom found that entertaining and kept her sign.

 

if you go to a speciality restaurant for the day of the birthday, they will do the cake in the mdr a different day. we went to the crown grill for my mom's bday dinner and then we had the cake in the mdr the next day.

 

note they will do the cake for any birthday 45 days before or 30 after (or it may be the other way around). i will be on carribean princess 25 days before my birthday and i put it in :D

 

have a fabulous cruise!!!

[DrivesLikeMario]

If you're doing a Caribbean itinerary on the CB and you get full sun on your balcony in the afternoon, close both sets of drapes. It will keep your cabin MUCH cooler. Enjoy!