Crown Princess

[Richjoxyz]

We just booked Cabin C431 on the Crown for December.  We've sailed the Regal and the Grand.  For folks that like the Crown, please tell us what is nice about the Crown.  Please feel free to add comments about our cabin selection.  How is the Crown different from the Grand?

[DrivesLikeMario]

We've been on the Crown I think 3 times now, most recently last March and had a fantastic time.  I was worried because other CCers I know refuse to step foot on the Crown, but once again we had a truly wonderful experience. 
The ship is a newer build and feels more spacious than the Grand although it hasn't been recently renovated like the Grand has.  The buffet is still in the old format and the Salty Dog Pub Lunch was really well-attended.  Service was verging on excellent.
We always prefer the Caribe Deck cabins due to their big balconies. 

[1emerald1]

Although my memories are tarnished of the Crown, having had norovirus, I can say that I enjoyed the art throughout the ship.

[paul929207]

The Explorer's Lounge is so much nicer than Princess Live.

[1emerald1]

5 minutes ago, paul929207 said:

The Explorer's Lounge is so much nicer than Princess Live.

Without doubt!

[caribill]

7 hours ago, Richjoxyz said:

 How is the Crown different from the Grand?

 Among other things:

a) Closet space in regular cabins is larger on the Crown.

b) One more deck of cabins, so almost 500 more passengers on the Crown

c) All for aft elevators on the Crown go down to the aft dining room and up to Skywalkers. The Grand no longer has Skywalkers.

d) The Crown has the Adagio Lounge on deck 16. This is a relatively quiet place and often has live music in the evenings. Sabatini's on the Crown is located next to the Adagio Longe.

e) Unlike the Grand, there is a second buffet area (Cafe Caribe) on the Crown located aft of the Horizon Court. It is open for breakfast with a smaller selection than the Horizon Court. At lunch it may have different food offerings than the Horizon Court. Either the Horizon Cort or the Cafe Caribe will be open for dinner, but not both. At any time, you can sit in either area no matter which area you obtained your food.

f) The Crown's center staircase is accessible to all passengers for all decks.

g) The Grand has a covered pool. The Crown does not.

h) The Grand has some window suites. The Crown does not.

i) The aft showrooms (Vista Lounge on the Grand and Club Fusion on the Crown) are a little different. Club Fusion has a number of TV monitors around the room which the Vista Lounge does not.

 

[rocklinmom]

Excellent ship comparison, Caribill! 

I have a question, we are booked in interior cabins Riviera deck aft (near the doors out to the Terrace Pool)...will it be loud with the Café Caribe buffet above?  I hadn't realized that Crown had it.  

[Richjoxyz]

Thank you for the informative feedback.  We are thoroughly enjoying our anticipation of walking onto this ship!  Your comments help guide us as we review deck plans and watch ship tours.  Our cruise is a short 10 night Southern Caribbean, with 2 nights at Lago Mar Beach Resort pre-cruise.  Thanks for adding to our pre-cruise fun! 

[christinelee]

We have sailed many times on the Crown - both inside and balcony no noise from upstairs eaters or the pool  - love that location.

leaving on her the 27th of November.

 

[SCHappilyRetired]

3 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

Excellent ship comparison, Caribill! 

I have a question, we are booked in interior cabins Riviera deck aft (near the doors out to the Terrace Pool)...will it be loud with the Café Caribe buffet above?  I hadn't realized that Crown had it.  

This is our favorite area on this class ship.  We didn't find noise at all and it is like having a  balcony a few steps away.  We book these cabins when we have a port intensive schedule as we hardly are in the cabin. We just booked a aft Riviera inside cabin for Norway.

[rocklinmom]

Thank you so much!  That is great to know.  I would love to have balcony cabins but it's just too expensive.  And it is a port intensive itinerary (British Isles). 

Edited November 11, 2018 by rocklinmom
typo

[XBGuy]

I will also compliment Caribill on his excellent comparison--with this one addition.  The Crown Princess does not have an Alfredo's Pizzeria which we enjoy as a nice dining alternative on the Grand Princess.

[poinsettiaplate]

Do I understand correctly that this ship has two main dining rooms and that one is assigned to one of them for fixed seating?  What is the criteria for assignment?  What is the difference between the two and can one request one or the other?

[Cancruizer]

6 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

Excellent ship comparison, Caribill! 

I have a question, we are booked in interior cabins Riviera deck aft (near the doors out to the Terrace Pool)...will it be loud with the Café Caribe buffet above?  I hadn't realized that Crown had it.  

 I cruised in an interior cabin on Riviera last New Year's on the Crown and it is absolutely my favorite place to have an interior cabin. We were about 8 cabins from the back door and it almost felt like our own private "balcony" in the morning as we walked out to the terrace pool early in the morning. Never noisy. Don't worry. You can go through the back to the buffet. We also had our breakfasts there looking at the wake.

[amscene1]

Question, I remember having delicious pizza on regal during MUTS served poolside. 

 

Does crown have this as well and is it as good?

[rdsqrl]

3 hours ago, poinsettiaplate said:

Do I understand correctly that this ship has two main dining rooms and that one is assigned to one of them for fixed seating?  What is the criteria for assignment?  What is the difference between the two and can one request one or the other?

It actually has three main dining rooms.  One is only used for early and late seating traditional; one is only used for anytime dining.  The third dining room is used for an early traditional seating, and then once that is over, around 7-ish, it switches over to anytime dining.

 

If you selected early traditional, you could be assigned to either Botticelli, which is the all-traditional dining room, located on deck 6 all the way aft, or to whichever midships dining room (on either deck 5 or deck 6 -- I think it's the one on 6 but I'm not sure) is being used for an early seating.  The times of the two early seatings usually vary by about 30 minutes and you are assigned to whichever room is doing the time you are confirmed for. 

 

The dining rooms are virtually identical in decor/atmosphere, and of course the menus are identical.  I can't see any reason to request one over another, although there are people who don't like the Botticelli's location, but getting to it isn't that onerous -- it's not like you have to train for months, pack provisions for the trek, and hire a Sherpa to guide you. 

[releck97]

3 hours ago, amscene1 said:

Question, I remember having delicious pizza on regal during MUTS served poolside. 

 

Does crown have this as well and is it as good?

Yes, the Crown has pizza poolside on the Lido deck.

[lynn247]

11 hours ago, XBGuy said:

I will also compliment Caribill on his excellent comparison--with this one addition.  The Crown Princess does not have an Alfredo's Pizzeria which we enjoy as a nice dining alternative on the Grand Princess.

Is Alfredo's pizza served lunchtime on sea days in Sabatini as it was on the Coral Princess? We really enjoy their pizza.

[poinsettiaplate]

Thank you, rdsqrl, for the clean explanation of the dining rooms and their functions.  It seems a much more sensible approach than the controlled chaos on other lines where fixed and any time dining are mixed together.

 

I look forward to trying it.

 

Diane

[jasbo49]

8 hours ago, lynn247 said:

Is Alfredo's pizza served lunchtime on sea days in Sabatini as it was on the Coral Princess? We really enjoy their pizza.

The reference to Alfredo's on this thread is the one on the Grand. That one is permanent.

 

Jim

[MercerIslandGirl12]

Are you sailing on the Caribbean Christmas cruise on 12/17.  We booked a couple of weeks ago and are on the Baja deck

[Richjoxyz]

Hi MercerIslandGirl...yes, we are on the same cruise!  Getting very close.  Time to pack!

[jagsfan]

On 11/12/2018 at 10:37 AM, jasbo49 said:

The reference to Alfredo's on this thread is the one on the Grand. That one is permanent.

 

Jim

But does Sabatini’s serve pizza at lunch on sea days? A pop up Alfredo’s 

[jasbo49]

10 hours ago, jagsfan said:

But does Sabatini’s serve pizza at lunch on sea days? A pop up Alfredo’s 

Not on the Grand. It has the original Alfredo's, so there is no need for a pop-up at Sabatini's. The Alfredo's is there all the time and is pizza only. You can't even order a salad, which is kind of weird but true.

 

Jim

Edited December 9, 2018 by jasbo49

[jagsfan]

33 minutes ago, jasbo49 said:

Not on the Grand. It has the original Alfredo's, so there is no need for a pop-up at Sabatini's. The Alfredo's is there all the time and is pizza only. You can't even order a salad, which is kind of weird but true.

 

Jim

My original question from Nov 11 was in reference to Crown Princess and only Crown. 

I just wanted to know if Sabatini’s serves Alfredo’s pizza on sea days. 

I know there is no Alfredo’s on the ship, but some ships that don’t have an Alfredo’s do serve the pizza at lunch in Sabatini’s. 

I appreciate the answers, but they don’t fit my question.