Emerald Princess, First Cruise - Advice Required

[Cruisin' Chick]

Haven't been on the Emerald and haven't been to Europe, but have been on five Princess cruises.

 

Sknight had a good run down of the dining choices.

 

When you booked your cruise, you should have been asked if you wanted early traditional, late traditional, or anytime dining ==all of these are concerning dinner only and not the other meals. The first two are assigned times and table as well as having the same waitstaff. My hubby and I always try to get late traditional. Your cabin card (which doubles as a key and also will be swiped for anything you buy on the ship as it's a cashless system) will tell you what kind of dining you have.

 

Anytime dining is the flexible one so you head to one of the anytime dining rooms during the dinner period. If you say you're willing to share a table, more likely you'll get seated more quickly.

 

These are included in your fare.

 

You can also decide to eat at the other venues. The specialty dining rooms have a cover charge.

 

But you don't have to pay anything if you don't want to (we haven't).

 

There's a pizzeria and grille poolside (my hubby loves the grilled chicken sandwiches). Usually open from about 11ish to 11ish. Good for a meal if you're in your bathing suits and don't want to change for lunch.

 

The International Cafe isn't an enclosed eatery, but a set of display cases located in the Piazza (Plaza deck midships) on many of the Princess ships. Great for a light meal or even a 3am snack as it's opened 24/7. On some ships, you can buy gelato there, but most everything else doesn't have a charge. You can buy specialty coffees, etc. at the counter there too. I recommend the chocolate cookies there but many others have their faves. I have stopped by to get a treat to take with for trivia time or to take back to our cabin for watching a movie on the in-cabin TV.

 

The Horizon is the buffet. Open from early, early morning to around 11pm. Even if you have a meal in the main dining room, you can stop by there for a snack or mid-afternoon nosh, no problem. No one keeps a record of where you eat or how often, unless it's a specialty restaurant because of the charge.

 

Breakfast is open seating in one of the main dining rooms or you can go to the Horizon. Lunch has a lot more choices as more places are open. But on port days, the MDR usually isn't open. On sea days, it's open seating.

 

Whether you have traditional or anytime, it's the same menu (but each night different items will be offered) and same dress code. So if you want to check what's for lunch or dinner ahead of time, just stop by any MDR and there will be the next menu in a display case.

 

Room service is available on a full menu for full suites; else, it's a limited menu. Only pizza has a charge, I think (we don't do room service). Be sure to hand your server a couple of bills as thanks for delivering your food.

 

I'm not an expert on the drink packages as I don't really drink and hubby will bring on a box o'wine, but will also occasionally buy a glass of wine. I bring on some bottles of Mountain Dew and Sierra Mist as I don't care for Coke products (which is the brand on board) -- don't have any problem doing so. I keep a two-liter bottle in the cabin fridge and we'll pour as desired into our beverage mugs. My daughter (who was 15 on the last cruise) would sometimes buy a soda (she's not as picky as me) or hot chocolate.

 

As stated above, each day you'll have a Patter newsletter put in your room (after the first day, it'll be slipped under the door at night). It'll have the hours for various venues (the dining places, casino, ship's stores) listed as well as the schedule of activities, next port info, predicted weather. Really great source of info. Also you can turn on the navigation channel on your TV and see how far you've gone or how many miles to the next port, weather and sea conditions, etc. The bridge cam station is also fun to watch.

 

After the mandatory muster drill (the first afternoon, usually before sailaway), you really are free to do as you want. You don't even need to leave the ship at every port until the disembarkation one. But in port, you can sightsee on your own (if you're good at researching), take a ship's tour, go with an independent company, or even stay by the pool on the ship. You don't have to be off the ship the whole time if you do leave.

 

Just make sure to be back on board by the deadline listed on the Patter.

[easyboy]

Hello,

We are due to sail on the Emerald Princess on the 14th May for 2 weeks around the Med, which will be our very first cruise and I'm looking for the do's and don't while on-board and also any advice on the excursions that are on offer to you.

 

Any tips/advice will most welcome and i'm sure i'll be asking more questions later on

Join us on our roll call:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2255936&page=8

[WupperAV]

Check your account as you use your card on board for everything and you can run up the cost of a cruise on it without some restraint.Don't worry, there's enough food to eat yourself all the way there and back. Don't over pack, take a formal gown and rent a Tux on board for formal nites. They are fun. Hand the keys to the Captain and relax.

[Panche]

Hello

Has anyone sailed from Southhampton to Singapore on the Emerald princess in an inside cabin? Was it clostrophibic? We are looking at going in September but can't get an oceanview cabin. Also was there a predominant nationality on the ship?

[GUT2407]

Hello

Has anyone sailed from Southhampton to Singapore on the Emerald princess in an inside cabin? Was it clostrophibic? We are looking at going in September but can't get an oceanview cabin. Also was there a predominant nationality on the ship?

 

I find an inside too claustrophobic FULL STOP.

 

Seems mix of nationalities on those itineraries, Brits, Americans and Aussies seem to dominate.

[Panche]

Thank you for the feed back - it might b better to rethink it as 30 nights may b too long in an inside cabin 🤔

[easyboy]

Thank you for the feed back - it might b better to rethink it as 30 nights may b too long in an inside cabin 🤔

It think it will also depend on how you plan to spend your day on sea days. There are activities that may need you to stay out of your cabin, day or night.

[Lucky TGO]

We loved the Lotus Spa pool at the front of the ship. Adults Only Pool.

Tony

[jefa]

Panche

 

My first cruise was a 31 day cruise from San Francisco to Sydney in an inside cabin. It was fine, you will be out and about most of the day, and usually only use it for showering, dressing and sleeping. If you put the TV on showing the webcam it's almost as good as having a window!!

[goughsters]

Excellent thread ☺