Review: 13 Days on the Caribbean Princess, Fort Lauderdale to Quebec

[CineGraphic]

We arrived at Port Everglades, and check-in was only delayed because some of the local agents seemed to be still learning the whos, whats, wheres, whys, and hows of the Medallion system. Boarding had not quite started, but within 15 minutes or so, we were on the ship. Our cabin wasn't ready yet, but I dropped off our case of wine and carry-on bags before heading to the dining room for lunch.

 

Our waiter strolled in about 10 minutes later....he had just returned to the ship after spending several months at home, and he wasn't in his groove yet. We were in vacation mode, and apparently, so was he, so we chuckled about it.

We ended up eating in the main dining room only a couple of times, opting for the buffet, and specialty dining more often than not. Once at both Sabatini's and Planks BBQ, twice @ Steamers, and four times in the Crown Grill.

 

Sabatini's: It's been at least 7 years since we've tried Sabatini's. The meal was excellent. Everthing was fresh, and tasty. My only complaint....it's a loud room, Lots of hard surfaces. They also sat 5 tables in our waiter's section within minutes of our arrival, including a party of 10, swamping the poor guy, but everyone stepped up to get things served as timely as possible. He thanked us for being patient. Hey, I'm on a boat, with my wife, and a killer bottle of Chianti. What's not to like!?

 

Planks: Service was great, but the food was only so-so. But when it comes to BBQ, I'm a tough cookie, because I live in Georgia, and I'm surrounded by great BBQ.

 

Steamers: We really enjoyed the view from the window while chowing down on great seafood. Add the crab legs and lobster! Not everyone likes certain things, so it was real easy to say, no clams, or no mussels. They gladly offered substitutions. The service was outstanding.

 

Crown Grill: Excellent service. I'd always drop off my wine a few hours before our reservation, and it would be decanted, waiting for us when we'd arrive. I had the lamb chops twice , and they were cooked perfectly. My wife had the filet each time. Only once, did she have to send it back for being under-cooked. It happens every once in a while, and they took care of it. The entire CG staff were kept busy all night. Princess would go broke if they had to pay these folks by the mile.

 

Vines: We enjoyed 2 flights of wine, and the pricing was very reasonable. Service was perfect.

 

MDR: We had dinner there once, and were seated in a section that didn't have a waiter. After a few minutes, the Maitre D' asked us who seated us there, and quickly found a waiter to serve us. He did a great job, even without the help of an assistant waiter, but we found ourselves missing the friendly faces of the servers on the Lido Deck.

 

The Ship: They are keeping her up nicely, always busy working on something. They are dealing with a/c issues in both public areas and cabins. We needed someone to fix our a/c the first night at around 11:45pm. They adjusted everything, and it was ok for the most part, but not 100%. Fans were offered, we declined.

 

Our cabin was R745, the very last inside on the starboard side, which we absolutely love due to it's location. Three steps up, and you're at the terrace pool. We liked to call it our own private balcony. We ate breakfast and lunch up there most of the time, and there's always someone willing to bring you a drink or take your plates away. Every member of the food & beverage team we encountered on the Lido Deck, were delightful. Service was excellent.

 

The Crew: Everyone seemed to be in great spirits as they had just finished doing months of 7 day Caribbean sailings, and this was a big change for them. New ports, cooler temps, and a week off from dealing with a turnaround day.

 

We rarely encountered any lines or delays going here or there, because we learned a long time ago, that the early bird gets the worm. We were usually off of the ship while most were just showing up for breakfast.We walked between 5-6 miles each day in port.  In a stop like Charleston, it was nice to walk and see everything and be back on the ship before it was too hot. How do you avoid an hour long line to buy ferry tickets in NYC? You download their app, and buy your tickets on your phone.

 

I realize that some folks were miserable on this cruise, while others, like us, hated to leave. It's all up to you how you want to spend your time. Do you spend the night complaining, or do you choose your battles wisely and roll with things. I'll give you an example, there's a special drink I like on the platinum/elite lounge menu, I'd order it every day, and it was consistently made wrong. Instead of sending it back each evening while my wife drank her cocktail, we'd joke about if they were going to make it correctly or not each time. They got it right only once. A miserable record, but great folly for us. Some people seemingly take comfort in berating the help, I witnessed some doozies on this sailing. I would never let folks talk to my employees that way.

 

So....if you don't like standing in lines, go before or after everyone else does. Don't get angry at the Maitre D because it's your anniversary and you can't get a window table. If it's so important to you, make arrangements ahead of time. Plan ahead, so you can enjoy later. You're on a floating hotel in the middle of the ocean, if you can't somehow enjoy yourself, you deserve to be miserable.

Edited August 18, 2019 by CineGraphic

[Host CJSKIDS]

Thanks for the fantastic review.  Glad you had such a wonderful time.  

 

Our great friends were on this sailing and they really enjoyed themselves.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review.

[MissP22]

Are they still offering the food in the buffet in cardboard containers with condiments already applied to them? 

We haven't been on the ship since 2018 & it sound as though they still haven't fixed the AC system. 

[OhioDogLover]

thanks for the review.  Im glad you had a good time.

[1965]

Thank you for the review. We're doing this cruise in reverse in Oct. Thanks also for the reminder that a huge part of enjoying a cruise is the attitude & flexibility of the cruiser. 😊

[cnd crsr]

Thanks for the review. It is great to read a positive review and I appreciate your positive attitude to things the can cause others grief. We board the Caribbean tomorrow for eastern Canada and Greenland.

[#love2cruise]

10 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

We arrived at Port Everglades, and check-in was only delayed because some of the local agents seemed to be still learning the whos, whats, wheres, whys, and hows of the Medallion system. Boarding had not quite started, but within 15 minutes or so, we were on the ship. Our cabin wasn't ready yet, but I dropped off our case of wine and carry-on bags before heading to the dining room for lunch.

 

Our waiter strolled in about 10 minutes later....he had just returned to the ship after spending several months at home, and he wasn't in his groove yet. We were in vacation mode, and apparently, so was he, so we chuckled about it.

We ended up eating in the main dining room only a couple of times, opting for the buffet, and specialty dining more often than not. Once at both Sabatini's and Planks BBQ, twice @ Steamers, and four times in the Crown Grill.

 

Sabatini's: It's been at least 7 years since we've tried Sabatini's. The meal was excellent. Everthing was fresh, and tasty. My only complaint....it's a loud room, Lots of hard surfaces. They also sat 5 tables in our waiter's section within minutes of our arrival, including a party of 10, swamping the poor guy, but everyone stepped up to get things served as timely as possible. He thanked us for being patient. Hey, I'm on a boat, with my wife, and a killer bottle of Chianti. What's not to like!?

 

Planks: Service was great, but the food was only so-so. But when it comes to BBQ, I'm a tough cookie, because I live in Georgia, and I'm surrounded by great BBQ.

 

Steamers: We really enjoyed the view from the window while chowing down on great seafood. Add the crab legs and lobster! Not everyone likes certain things, so it was real easy to say, no clams, or no mussels. They gladly offered substitutions. The service was outstanding.

 

Crown Grill: Excellent service. I'd always drop off my wine a few hours before our reservation, and it would be decanted, waiting for us when we'd arrive. I had the lamb chops twice , and they were cooked perfectly. My wife had the filet each time. Only once, did she have to send it back for being under-cooked. It happens every once in a while, and they took care of it. The entire CG staff were kept busy all night. Princess would go broke if they had to pay these folks by the mile.

 

Vines: We enjoyed 2 flights of wine, and the pricing was very reasonable. Service was perfect.

 

MDR: We had dinner there once, and were seated in a section that didn't have a waiter. After a few minutes, the Maitre D' asked us who seated us there, and quickly found a waiter to serve us. He did a great job, even without the help of an assistant waiter, but we found ourselves missing the friendly faces of the servers on the Lido Deck.

 

The Ship: They are keeping her up nicely, always busy working on something. They are dealing with a/c issues in both public areas and cabins. We needed someone to fix our a/c the first night at around 11:45pm. They adjusted everything, and it was ok for the most part, but not 100%. Fans were offered, we declined.

 

Our cabin was R745, the very last inside on the starboard side, which we absolutely love due to it's location. Three steps up, and you're at the terrace pool. We liked to call it our own private balcony. We ate breakfast and lunch up there most of the time, and there's always someone willing to bring you a drink or take your plates away. Every member of the food & beverage team we encountered on the Lido Deck, were delightful. Service was excellent.

 

The Crew: Everyone seemed to be in great spirits as they had just finished doing months of 7 day Caribbean sailings, and this was a big change for them. New ports, cooler temps, and a week off from dealing with a turnaround day.

 

We rarely encountered any lines or delays going here or there, because we learned a long time ago, that the early bird gets the worm. We were usually off of the ship while most were just showing up for breakfast.We walked between 5-6 miles each day in port.  In a stop like Charleston, it was nice to walk and see everything and be back on the ship before it was too hot. How do you avoid an hour long line to buy ferry tickets in NYC? You download their app, and buy your tickets on your phone.

 

I realize that some folks were miserable on this cruise, while others, like us, hated to leave. It's all up to you how you want to spend your time. Do you spend the night complaining, or do you choose your battles wisely and roll with things. I'll give you an example, there's a special drink I like on the platinum/elite lounge menu, I'd order it every day, and it was consistently made wrong. Instead of sending it back each evening while my wife drank her cocktail, we'd joke about if they were going to make it correctly or not each time. They got it right only once. A miserable record, but great folly for us. Some people seemingly take comfort in berating the help, I witnessed some doozies on this sailing. I would never let folks talk to my employees that way.

 

So....if you don't like standing in lines, go before or after everyone else does. Don't get angry at the Maitre D because it's your anniversary and you can't get a window table. If it's so important to you, make arrangements ahead of time. Plan ahead, so you can enjoy later. You're on a floating hotel in the middle of the ocean, if you can't somehow enjoy yourself, you deserve to be miserable.

Great pictures, great review!!!  Thanks so much...

[CineGraphic]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Are they still offering the food in the buffet in cardboard containers with condiments already applied to them? 

There was so much to choose from at the buffet, that I didn't notice.

[villauk]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Are they still offering the food in the buffet in cardboard containers with condiments already applied to them? 

We haven't been on the ship since 2018 & it sound as though they still haven't fixed the AC system. 

 

 

Can’t recall any in cardboard containers. They did have a few pre-prepared rolls/wraps in greaseproof paper in baskets in front of the bread selection; unsure if that’s what you are referring to?

 

We loved the itinerary and would take it again, very easily. Thanks for the excellent review 👍.

[CineGraphic]

18 minutes ago, villauk said:

We loved the itinerary and would take it again, very easily

 

We enjoyed this so much, that we plan on taking the reverse trip down to Fort Lauderdale in the fall of 2021.

[Coral]

Are you going to do a review on what you did in ports?

 

I have done this cruise once and it started with a snow storm in Quebec City.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Coral

[MissP22]

24 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

 

Can’t recall any in cardboard containers. They did have a few pre-prepared rolls/wraps in greaseproof paper in baskets in front of the bread selection; unsure if that’s what you are referring to?

 

We loved the itinerary and would take it again, very easily. Thanks for the excellent review 👍.

Not cardboard but stiff craft paper containers for individual servings. Similar to this but open at the top.

They used to pre-cut the main courses & put them under a heal lamp for serving. I suppose the idea was to make it more efficient to speed people through the line.

[AF-1]

Very nice review.  Love your pics; especially the dessert.  MissP22, I was on Caribbean Princess in Feb and never saw anything close to what you describe in the buffet.   Ate lunch there everyday.  No cardboard box

[CineGraphic]

27 minutes ago, Coral said:

Are you going to do a review on what you did in ports?

We did not do any excursions, other than an independent HOHO Trolley in Boston, which was jammed with tourists, and the early Friday Afternoon rush hour made it all take much longer than we planned. Other than that, we were on our own, walking around, taking in the sights, talking to the locals, trying the local food, etc....

[CineGraphic]

25 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Not cardboard but stiff craft paper containers for individual servings. Similar to this but open at the top.

They used to pre-cut the main courses & put them under a heal lamp for serving. I suppose the idea was to make it more efficient to speed people through the line.

I saw something like this in a station they called, Kid's Corner, or something like that.....tacos, pizza, lots of things with icing and rainbow sprinkles.

[MissP22]

48 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

We did not do any excursions, other than an independent HOHO Trolley in Boston, which was jammed with tourists, and the early Friday Afternoon rush hour made it all take much longer than we planned. Other than that, we were on our own, walking around, taking in the sights, talking to the locals, trying the local food, etc....

I'm happy to hear they got rid of them. I doubt it was to popular & seemed to cheapen the meal. If you asked for a different piece of meat they would only point to what they had already cut & force you to select one of them. 

Many people were just taking the container & dumping the box on the line since it took up most of the space on your plate. 

[1965]

I read the post about princess plans & efforts to be environmentally responsible. But I think I've missed something. What is the purpose of the cardboard box in the buffet area? Thanks. 

[relaxatsea]

Thanks so much, we'll be on the Caribbean Princess next Aug., and appreciate your review and photos!

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, 1965 said:

I read the post about princess plans & efforts to be environmentally responsible. But I think I've missed something. What is the purpose of the cardboard box in the buffet area? Thanks. 

I suspect it was to speed up the traffic but it appears that they eliminated them.  

And none to soon may I add. The most unappetizing thing to me is have something pre-cut sitting under heat lamps waiting for the people to show up.

[villauk]

17 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

I suspect it was to speed up the traffic but it appears that they eliminated them.  

And none to soon may I add. The most unappetizing thing to me is have something pre-cut sitting under heat lamps waiting for the people to show up.

 

We actually preferred the new World Marketplace. There was so much more room being able to use Steamers and Planks - no ‘cattle market’ feeling at all.

[Camelia-]

Enjoyed reading this review very much! Interesting to see your comment about some people being miserable....was this just generally a negative attitude overall or about specific instances? I remember reading that there was a problem with the tendering in one of the ports..I imagine that there must have been a lot of unhappy people then!!

[G&T Cruisers]

We were on this cruise as well and we had a fantastic time.

We would do this itinerary again in a heart beat.

[Lucky TGO]

Thanks for your review very nice!!

Tony

[CineGraphic]

3 hours ago, Camelia- said:

Enjoyed reading this review very much! Interesting to see your comment about some people being miserable....was this just generally a negative attitude overall or about specific instances? I remember reading that there was a problem with the tendering in one of the ports..I imagine that there must have been a lot of unhappy people then!!

 

In one review for our sailing, a user asked a crew member why there was such a long delay, tendering in Newport.

It was explained to him that this happens when everyone wants to leave at the same time.

He accuses the crew member of lying to him. I'm in disbelief.

 

We only waited 10 minutes or so for the tender in Newport, because we got up early. Most, were just arriving for breakfast while we were on shore. We were quite a distance to the dock, and the speed limits were very low. Here's some video of our return to the ship. We were returning from the local grocery store, where they sold blueberries the size of a child's head.

 

The next day, during his announcements, the captain mentioned that many had complained, and he tried to explain that tendering is always affected by how far away the ship has to anchor, tides, wind, other ships anchored in the bay, and marine traffic. This was also repeated at various events by the cruise director and his staff.

 

Currently, there are 9 reviews for this same sailing, (link below....mine will be the 10th, once it's published)

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=303

 

The reviews vary from 1 to 5 stars. From "never again", to "excellent".

Who's to blame in these "worst cruise ever scenarios"?

Is the cruise line at fault? Are expectations too high, or do you remind yourself to the facts that there are more than 3,000 other people on board,  and the captain's #1 priority is the safety of all passengers.

 

There were mornings when my wife HATED me for getting up early, but when we'd realize that we were sitting in a beautiful park, and no one else was around, or when we'd have the whole terrace pool to ourselves in the afternoon while everyone else was in port, she'd get this look on her face, like, "this is sooo worth it..."

 

Some people can spend their whole cruise waiting in line.

 

Have I ever been miserable on a cruise? Absolutely, when I first started cruising. Then I learned to appreciate the fact that I'm on a floating hotel, and I don't have to make my bed, or cook, or do any dishes. Most importantly, someone can bring my wife a latte anytime she wants one.

It's true, "happy wife, happy life".  I'm not going to ruin any of this by complaining all day.

Choose your battles wisely.

 

*sorry for the long-winded answer, the wine was good tonight....

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by CineGraphic