Semi-live from the Caribbean Princess, Dec. 3, 2016

[fatcattravel]

Enjoy your relaxing day! Can't wait to be on the ship!

 

 

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[chubbypiggy]

I have a few more questions:

 

1. I read somewhere that Aruba's currency is Aruban Florin. Is USD acceptable in most shops or I need to get Aruban Florin?

 

2. Curacao and Bonaire use USD?

 

3. At all three ports, do you remembering seeing independent tour operators offering tours at the port?

 

4. Walking to Curacao downtown (across the pontoon bridge) is a easy walk? On flat road? Not too much car traffic? Will the walk take over 30 minutes?

 

Thank you for your time.:)

[Colo Cruiser]

I have a few more questions:

 

1. I read somewhere that Aruba's currency is Aruban Florin. Is USD acceptable in most shops or I need to get Aruban Florin?

 

2. Curacao and Bonaire use USD?

 

3. At all three ports, do you remembering seeing independent tour operators offering tours at the port?

 

4. Walking to Curacao downtown (across the pontoon bridge) is a easy walk? On flat road? Not too much car traffic? Will the walk take over 30 minutes?

 

Thank you for your time.:)

 

Have been to all 3 numerous times and have always used USD.

[Colo Cruiser]

[easyboy]

Thanks for the good wishes for my wrist. It doesn't really slow up my typing, but I can't hold much weight with it and am still wearing the brace most of the time. I take it off to swim and try to keep my wrist stationary against my belly while I'm in the pool. The injury kept us from booking any snorkeling excursions or anything else strenuous.

Glad you were still able to take a swim despite your wrist injury and hope it gets better.

[Woobstr112G]

The pub lunch is today in the Crown Grill. I looked for the menu and did not see one. We'll skip it. I checked back for our Patters from our first two sea days. I only found one of them and the pub lunch wasn't offered on it and I don't remember seeing anything about it, so this may be the first one of our cruise.

 

Last night Alan Parsons (of the Alan Parsons Project) gave a talk in Club Fusion/Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Bar. It was well attended. One of our tablemates is a big music junkie and attended with his wife. We went after dinner, about 15 minutes after it started. DH stayed, but I went with our other tablemates to see the comedian. His material did not appeal to me as much as the first comedian's did, but lots of folks in the audience seemed to enjoy him.

 

We had a rock 'n' roll night at sea last night. From our little cabin at the front of the ship, the waves pounding against the ship sounded like a construction site. Big plumes of water would come up over our window. Apparently a lot of folks are sleeping in today. It's 7 a.m. and hardly anyone is around. We'll have a relaxing day at sea--some trivias, time by the pool later in the afternoon, reading, maybe a game of Scrabble, and trying not to think about packing up tomorrow. They also have a Mardi Gras-themed parade this morning in the Piazza and the balloon drop tonight. Other activities include a paper plane contest, lots of spa and shopping specials, and other things.

 

Sounds like a great day onboard.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Lucky TGO]

Nice report!! Take care of your wrist and enjoy the rest of the cruise.

Tony

[geoherb]

I have a few more questions:

 

1. I read somewhere that Aruba's currency is Aruban Florin. Is USD acceptable in most shops or I need to get Aruban Florin?

 

2. Curacao and Bonaire use USD?

 

3. At all three ports, do you remembering seeing independent tour operators offering tours at the port?

 

4. Walking to Curacao downtown (across the pontoon bridge) is a easy walk? On flat road? Not too much car traffic? Will the walk take over 30 minutes?

U.S. dollars are accepted in all three islands. I did see a grocery store away from the main shopping area a few blocks where the prices were just in local currency. I think the last time we were there we bought something and received change in local coins. We did not buy anything this time.

 

There were independent tour operators near the pier in all three islands. They offered things such as city tours, island tours to various spots, snorkeling, beach tours, plus lots of taxis that will take you to popular places (or anywhere you want to go). Check out the boards for the specific islands here on Cruise Critic for some great tips or to ask specific questions.

 

The walk to downtown Curacao is about 10 minutes. It's flat and not much traffic. If the pontoon bridge is open for a boat to go through, you'll have to take the free water taxi, which adds a few minutes, or wait for the bridge to close.

[geoherb]

We had a relaxing day at sea yesterday. One more today. The weather was a bit rough in the morning. The port side was wet from spray. They closed the doors to the starboard side because the wind made them too difficult to open. I enjoyed walking back and forth on the starboard side in spite of the wind. Eventually the sky cleared and the seas calmed down.

 

As usual, we had breakfast in the main dining room. Once again, service is probably the worst at breakfast. I wanted grits with my eggs, but the waiter came back to tell me they were only available upstairs in Horizon Court. Then he ended up bringing me a bowl of grits but did not bring my eggs at the same time. I waited about 10 minutes for the eggs. The guy sitting next to me ordered his eggs over easy but got them sunny side up and very undercooked. The whites were still partially runny. He ate around the edges. I would have sent them back, but I guess he did not want to be a bother.

 

At the morning trivia, our team did not do very well, several points away from winning. We tied in the afternoon but lost the tie breaker. We'll try again for our last two chances today. Other activities today include another champagne ring toss. We missed the first one since we were on our tour in Bonaire.

 

Our tablemates at dinner shared the bottle of champagne they won at the Beatles trivia the night before for last night's formal dinner. I had the escargots and surf and turf--beef Wellington and the lobster tail and shrimp. The seafood portion was much better than the beef. The most enjoyable dish was the Norman Love chocolate dessert--some sort of mousse dome with pistachio, almond, and praline.

 

Most of the men adhered to the spirit of formal night in the dining room, though I did see one guy in jeans and a T-shirt. The others were in various stages of dress shirts with and without neckties and with and without suit jackets or sports coats. There were very few tuxedos but still a handful.

 

The production cast performed "Bravo" in the theater with the addition of a guest soprano. Most of the songs were along the lines of Broadway/Josh Groban types. The soprano sang some aria from a light opera that I did not recognize and the habanera from "Carmen." One of the regular singers did "Nessun Dorma." Another did a song from "Les Miserables" half in French. It reminded me of a HAL show--a little more upscale selection than the usual Princess fare.

[chubbypiggy]

U.S. dollars are accepted in all three islands. I did see a grocery store away from the main shopping area a few blocks where the prices were just in local currency. I think the last time we were there we bought something and received change in local coins. We did not buy anything this time.

 

There were independent tour operators near the pier in all three islands. They offered things such as city tours, island tours to various spots, snorkeling, beach tours, plus lots of taxis that will take you to popular places (or anywhere you want to go). Check out the boards for the specific islands here on Cruise Critic for some great tips or to ask specific questions.

 

The walk to downtown Curacao is about 10 minutes. It's flat and not much traffic. If the pontoon bridge is open for a boat to go through, you'll have to take the free water taxi, which adds a few minutes, or wait for the bridge to close.

 

Thank you so much for your valuable information.

[phabric]

I will be on this cruise January 14 (my birthday).

 

Which days are the formal nights?

[easyboy]

I will be on this cruise January 14 (my birthday).

 

Which days are the formal nights?

Jan 15 (1st sea day) and Jan 20 (2nd day before end of cruise)

[geoherb]

Happy birthday. Easyboy has the right answer about the formal nights. They're not what they used to be. I'm not sure I'll ever bring my tuxedo again, but perhaps on a longer cruise I will.

 

We had one last relaxing day at sea. The days at sea are one of the things that made this itinerary appealing to us--plus having eight days instead of just seven and getting to see an island (Bonaire) to which we had not previously been. Everything worked out into an almost perfect cruise.

 

Yesterday's weather was perfect--bright and sunny with smooth seas. It started getting rough around dinner time. We rocked and rolled all night again in our cabin at the bow of the ship.

 

Last night they had two shows in the Princess Theater. Both were packed. We saw them turning away passengers for the final of the Voice of the Ocean when we were heading back to our cabin to get ready for dinner around 7:45. They set up an overflow room in the Explorers Lounge and simulcast the performances there. Having fixed traditional dining does conflict with a lot of activities, so I understand why some people like the flexibility of anytime dining.

 

The Landfall menu has improved. Two of my tablemates said the New York strip steak was good. I have not ordered it in several years. The last time I did, it was horrible. I had the salmon special--a glazed salmon. Our head waiter arranged for everyone at our table to have the flourless chocolate cake again for dessert. I had a scoop of rum raisin ice cream with mine. Our four tablemates also got slices of the baked Alaska. They said it was good. This was our first cruise since January 2015--nearly two years. I did not realize the baked Alaska parade was no longer something they did. I kept waiting for them to dim the lights for it, but it never happened. I haven't kept up with whether this is a fleetwide change or just on the CB.

 

The second show that was packed was the international crew show. It was interesting, but light on acts from the support staff and heavy on the participation by the cruise director's staff. Speaking of which, they've been very good the whole cruise. We participated in a lot of activities and saw them doing others. The standouts for us were Carla, Melissa, and Micca (the CD).

 

We put our large suitcase out last night. We're going to finish packing the rest of our clothes in a small rolling garment bag. Instead of going to the Platinum lounge, we're going to the Island Dining Room for the regular meeting spot for our color. It's going to be easier for us with the rolling bag since the gangway is on the same deck.

 

I'm saving the Patters for any questions about activities on the ship. I'm looking forward to seeing the Regal Princess today and having one relaxing in Fort Lauderdale before heading home.

[geoherb]

Now we are waiting in the Island Dining Room for our disembarkation group. They're running a bit behind, but they'll probably catch up for when our group is supposed to leave in an hour.

 

Breakfast was served in the Palm Dining Room. I ate light since we'll have lunch on the Regal.

 

One of our favorite Elite perks is the laundry. It worked great until the last batch I sent out. It did not come back the next day as all the others had. I asked our cabin steward about it the following morning. It finally showed up last night after dinner (or during dinner, more likely). I'm glad we did not have the massive delays I've heard about on some cruises with tons of Elites.

[Woobstr112G]

Now we are waiting in the Island Dining Room for our disembarkation group. They're running a bit behind, but they'll probably catch up for when our group is supposed to leave in an hour.

 

Breakfast was served in the Palm Dining Room. I ate light since we'll have lunch on the Regal.

 

One of our favorite Elite perks is the laundry. It worked great until the last batch I sent out. It did not come back the next day as all the others had. I asked our cabin steward about it the following morning. It finally showed up last night after dinner (or during dinner, more likely). I'm glad we did not have the massive delays I've heard about on some cruises with tons of Elites.

 

Enjoy your BVE on the Regal and have a safe journey home.....:):):)

 

Bob

[MrMan]

Enjoyed playing trivia with you guys. Rob is still yelling Abby Road in my ear. They had the Baked Alaska parade in Coral first seating

 

 

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[Cruise a holic]

Haven't sailed on the Caribbean Princess in years. We are considering planning a cruise on her sometime next year. A question, we stayed in a Window Suite and really liked it. Since it was a few years ago, and she isn't a new ship, my question is have the staterooms been redone? Also the public spaces?

 

Thanks

[geoherb]

Haven't sailed on the Caribbean Princess in years. We are considering planning a cruise on her sometime next year. A question, we stayed in a Window Suite and really liked it. Since it was a few years ago, and she isn't a new ship, my question is have the staterooms been redone? Also the public spaces?

 

Thanks

There are some worn out places on the ship. I haven't looked up to see when the CB is scheduled for a dry dock. The worst space I noticed was the hallway on the sixth deck leading away/to the theater. The floor feels very uneven there. Our cabin didn't have any major problems in need of refurbishing. The bed was very comfortable. A couple at our table got to move halfway through the cruise because of toilet problems. It never overflowed, but it wouldn't flush some of the time. They had a balcony cabin on the Aloha Deck and moved down to the Baja. They were a lot happier after the move.

[geoherb]

Enjoyed playing trivia with you guys. Rob is still yelling Abby Road in my ear. They had the Baked Alaska parade in Coral first seating

There are a lot of answers I wish we had gone with. I should learn that the answer, for instance, to any question about the planets is usually Uranus. Hope you have a great second cruise. Edited December 11, 2016 by geoherb

[geoherb]

The Bon Voyage Experience on the Regal was great. We checked in without much delay. The future cruise consultant met us in the terminal and took us upstairs. We waited about five minutes after getting our photo taken before being allowed to board. She gave the two of us a personalized tour of the ship. It's beautiful. A third person was also signed up for the BVE today but had not shown up by the time we got to board. (They told us to show up by 11:30 off we wanted the guided tour.) I still wonder if I'd miss having a real promenade to walk laps. The Enclave is very enticing. We might have to splurge with passes to it if we do sail on the Regal.

 

The future cruise consultant dropped us off at the dining room for lunch after the tour. The food was tastier than on the CB. I especially enjoyed the tenderloin I had for my main course. DH enjoyed our glasses of wine. We toured the ship some on our own after lunch. I wanted to try a lot of things, but I was too full to eat anything other than a small slice of opera cake from the International Cafe right before we left.

Edited December 11, 2016 by geoherb

[rukumani]

Hope you're feeling better now. Any idea what L101 would look like on Caribbean P? Noise level from pool area or gym and "sway" discomfort? Will be it in March.

[caribsun]

Haven't sailed on the Caribbean Princess in years. We are considering planning a cruise on her sometime next year. A question, we stayed in a Window Suite and really liked it. Since it was a few years ago, and she isn't a new ship, my question is have the staterooms been redone? Also the public spaces?

 

Thanks

 

I believe she goes into drydock March 2017 for a good Spring cleaning. :)

[riclop]

Thanks for sharing.

[geoherb]

Hope you're feeling better now. Any idea what L101 would look like on Caribbean P? Noise level from pool area or gym and "sway" discomfort? Will be it in March.

Thanks. They had the treadmills off until 8 a.m. in the fitness center although passengers could use the other equipment before then. I'm not sure how much noise you would get from it. I don't think there'd be much noise from the spa pool since those chairs don't get moved around like the chairs by the other pools. They've finally removed the swim against the current machine from the spa pool. It didn't work when we were on the CB in 2015.

 

As for motion, our cruise was rockier than a lot we've sailed on. Maybe yours in March will be smoother. We don't mind it a little rocky as long as I remember to make sure the coat hangers are secured to where they won't make noise during the night.

Edited December 12, 2016 by geoherb

[geoherb]

We are finally at FLL ready to board our flight home in about an hour. Embassy Suites was better than our stay before the cruise, but the front desk clerk wouldn't honor our 2 pm checkout. She said it was dependent upon availability. Seems like they should be able to tell that when I booked. I'm thinking the front desk clerk I spoke with just didn't want to bother. We ended up checking out and having them hold our bags until after we ate lunch at Joe's Cafe. It's our kind of place. They had a delicious spinach pie that fit my Meatless Monday diet. CPASam had the stir fried chicken. He said it was very good. He really wanted the meatloaf but it's trying to cut out eating too much red meat.

 

There are two RCI ships and a smaller luxury one at Port Everglades today. We could see them from our balcony, but still walked down to the bridge to see them closer up. The bridge opened while we were at the top viewing platform. I still find it fascinating.

Edited December 12, 2016 by geoherb