Questions about my upcoming CB cruise

[Vanilla]

Love the info everyone posts on their cruises, really makes interesting and exciting reading when planning for the upcoming cruise. A couple of questions - and I am not new to cruising, although this will be my first Princess cruise, but we usually book transfers, but since we are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, I thought it would be easier to do it on our own and not have to wait around for the "bus to be full".

We have an overnight package with Embassy on 17th street - was wondering if there are any grocery stores close by...want to get a few bottles of Pepsi and bottled water to take with us.

Also, can we just tell the taxi driver the Princess pier? Anyone know which number it is?

CB do the animal towels? (I personally love those!):p

Thanks... and happy cruising to everyone.

[Toto2Kansas]

Directly behind the Embassy Suites there is a new shopping mall. Plenty of stores from Publix (huge grocery store) to a Wine and More store and just about everything inbetween. About a two minute walk is all it is.

 

When leaving for the ship, Just grab a taxi and tell them you are going to the cruise ship and the name of the ship you are sailing on, no problems, they know exactly where to take you.

 

As for towel animals, not usually found on Princess ships. Occasionally you hear of someone saying they have found them on their bed, but not often. I can say we have never seen one after 18 Princess Cruises. We don't miss them, never did think much of them, but I know there are those that love em. We have had them on other lines though, just not on Princess.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[GloriaF]

We've had a couple of towel animals on Princess, but it is not the norm as Toto indicated. Hope you get one or two since you enjoy them!

[jkudzu]

Love the info everyone posts on their cruises, really makes interesting and exciting reading when planning for the upcoming cruise. A couple of questions - and I am not new to cruising, although this will be my first Princess cruise, but we usually book transfers, but since we are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, I thought it would be easier to do it on our own and not have to wait around for the "bus to be full".

We have an overnight package with Embassy on 17th street - was wondering if there are any grocery stores close by...want to get a few bottles of Pepsi and bottled water to take with us.

Also, can we just tell the taxi driver the Princess pier? Anyone know which number it is?

CB do the animal towels? (I personally love those!):p

Thanks... and happy cruising to everyone.

We're taking our cruise in July and staying at Embassy Suites the night before. We've been told that the hotel has a shuttle that will take us to the cruise ship. You just need to let the front desk know when you get there. Hope this helps. Have fun on your trip! When are you going?

[SingerEsq]

Our (former) TA had us pay for Princess transfers from the airport to our hotel and then from our hotel to the ship ... we were at the Renaissance, which is literally across the street from the teriminal!! :eek: Because of security, the buses cannot stop directly in front of the terminal, so after the Princess rep met us, we had to drag our bags out of the terminal and a good distance away from the terminal to wait for the bus. At first it seemed, are we walking to the hotel?

 

We ended up throwing our transfer tickets to the ship away and taking a free shuttle, got to the terminal at 10:30, waited inside the terminal (limited seating and they closed it off around 11:30). Even at 10:30 we were in group 4, I think, so people tend to get there early. They usually start boarding around noon (depending on clearance). We were in our cabin by 12:15. Had we waited for the transfer (which was not scheduled to pick us up until 2, we would have been waiting with the masses in the hot sun. You'll be able to see the top of the ship from your hotel ... forgot how flat Florida is. :)

 

Sometimes Princess transfers are great, but in FLL they're a waste. As others have mentioned, cabs a plenty and most of the hotels offer shuttles to the dock. The hotel is about a 10 minute cab ride from the airport. Hotel to terminal, about 3 minutes. As Toto mentioned, there is a great shopping center literally in the shadow of Embassy Suites and Total Wine and More is GREAT! We got our wine and water (at Publix) the night before. Total Wine gave us some boxes. I boxed up the wine and the water, slapped luggage tags on both boxes and it went on the ship with our luggage, so we didn't even have to carry it.

 

When we returned to FLL, we should have thrown our airport transfers away too. We had to wait for the "bus to fill up" as you say. The bus was a disgusting old Greyhound. The bus driver was sure to tell us that our transfer package did not include gratuity. Again, upon arrival at the airport, the bus passed our terminal (for security reasons) drove to a spot about 100 yards away ... we got our bags and dragged them back to the terminal we had just passed.

 

As I indicated, our (former) TA got us into that one.

[Toto2Kansas]

Many of the hotels have shuttles, so anyone staying the night before might want to check on this before booking Princess transfers, as said.

 

One thing we have found about the hotel shuttles is that some of them do not leave until much later then we like. Taxis are very inexpensive to the port from the 17th street hotels. If you don't care about waiting in line, then grab the hotels shuttle. If you would like to arrive earlier and possibly be able to go in and get a seat to wait for boarding to begin, then take a taxi. Well worth a few dollars to arrive without the crowds and the time we like instead of the time the hotel begins the transfer process.

This is one of those decisions that doesn't have to be made until the morning you board. Check out how many cruise passengers are hanging around as shuttle is usually a sign up sheet of first come first served the night before. If you aren't on one of the first shuttles, and would like to get to the port, taxis are plentiful.

[ldoc31]

They have a demonstration of fruit and vegetable carving that also includes the making of towel animals. It was in the atrium--check the Patter for day and time. I almost forgot the best part was the martini demo and you get to taste.

[SingerEsq]

Many of the hotels have shuttles, so anyone staying the night before might want to check on this before booking Princess transfers, as said.

 

One thing we have found about the hotel shuttles is that some of them do not leave until much later then we like. Taxis are very inexpensive to the port from the 17th street hotels. If you don't care about waiting in line, then grab the hotels shuttle. If you would like to arrive earlier and possibly be able to go in and get a seat to wait for boarding to begin, then take a taxi. Well worth a few dollars to arrive without the crowds and the time we like instead of the time the hotel begins the transfer process.

This is one of those decisions that doesn't have to be made until the morning you board. Check out how many cruise passengers are hanging around as shuttle is usually a sign up sheet of first come first served the night before. If you aren't on one of the first shuttles, and would like to get to the port, taxis are plentiful.

 

I do not think the shuttle we took was even a "hotel" shuttle. It was a guy in a non-descript white van and didn't seem to be a part of the hotel. He just kind of appeared, and I think he just spends the day getting people to and from the ship. We each gave him $5.00 for the 3-5 minute ride and he seemed pleased. So I should clarify, our shuttle techncially was not free but for a total of $15 (there were 3 of us) and all the luggage we had, it was a bargain over the Princess transfer.

[mississauga]

Just a reminder to everyone. The CB sails on a Sunday so if you want to purchase alcohol, do so on Saturday. Alcohol can be purchased only after 12 noon on Sundays.

[live4vacation]

We are sailing on the CB and arriving Sunday at 10:30 am. Can we check in and then leave the ship after noon to pick up some vino??

[Toto2Kansas]

Yes, once you check in, you can then leave the ship, grab a taxi and hit the stores.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We're taking our cruise in July and staying at Embassy Suites the night before. We've been told that the hotel has a shuttle that will take us to the cruise ship. You just need to let the front desk know when you get there. Hope this helps. Have fun on your trip! When are you going?

 

I am booked there for a cruise in June and had to pay extra for the shuttle. It wasn't much but it wasn't free either.

 

Bill

[beauty1492]

We stayed at the Embassy last time before CP.

 

It was fine. Stores nice and close and new.

 

Have them call you a cab. Take a cab to the ship! Don't take the shuttle! Much faster.

 

Hey Vanilla, this is the second post I have seen from you. When do you sail?

 

beauty

[Vanilla]

June 17, 2007 and getting more excited by the day!!!!:D

[luvrotties]

We are sailing on the CB and arriving Sunday at 10:30 am. Can we check in and then leave the ship after noon to pick up some vino??

 

 

We also arrive at 10:30a.m. and was wondering what to do at the airport till 12:00 noon so we could stop for some wine. Good idea about going to the pier first then back out to get our alcohol after 12:00. When do you sail ?

[Martin and Lindsey]

The towel animal demonstration will be on a Sea Day. :)

[Elizabeth K.]

We were on the CB last month on Aloha 330. Our cabin steward surprised us with a towel creature on Valentine's Day with little heart shaped chocolates for eyes--very cute:) The next nite there was a second one. No one else in our group of 6 got one. Our steward's name is Chai. It was a nice touch that I wasn't expecting.

 

Missisauga--whens your next sailing. We're hoping for the same week in 08:D

 

Vanilla, have a wonderful cruise.

 

EK

[live4vacation]

toto2kansas,

If we do leave the ship after check in will we have to wait in line to get back on the ship? Also, where should we ask the cabbie to take us to get liquor? Thanks in advance :)

 

 

luvrotties,

We will be on the CB April 22nd & can't wait. What about you?

[Guardian Angel]

The last two times we have sailed CB, she was docked in TERMINAL 2. I understand this is not cast in stone and can change. I also read on these boards that someone left from Terminal 2 and came back in to a different terminal:eek: . That would be a nightmare for us as we park in the garage and could not imagine having to schlep our luggage to another garage!

 

We last sailed CB in February during Valentines Day week and we had one towel animal that week. We did not have any on our first sailing though.

Enjoy the ship, be sure to stop in at Crooners and see Bert Stratton!

[southbayer]

Yeah, never been to this port myself, but was told the Airport to the Cruise Terminal was very close... I wouldn't bother with transfers when a quik taxi ride will do.

[suzyaz]

I am booked there for a cruise in June and had to pay extra for the shuttle. It wasn't much but it wasn't free either.

 

Bill

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I love your web-site Caribbean Princess.

I love the pictures.

 

Thank you for sharing with CC Board.

 

Suzy

[hawaii6o]

Elizabeth K, how was your room a330 on CB. We are in a328 across the hall. How was your room steward and the general location. Was it quiet?

 

Thanks,

 

Jeanne :D

[Elizabeth K.]

I thought our room location A330 was good but I must say I'm not too fussy--I was so excited to be on a cruise and on my first balcony:D. Our room steward was Chai and he was super nice. Brought us robes without us asking. Always able to answer our questions, always asked us if we'd had a nice day/nite:). We did tip him a little extra on the last day.

 

Its just up 2 flights of stairs to the Lido deck (we almost always took the stairs), but more of a hike up and down to the atrium area. On our cruise it was pretty quiet--but I did bring earplugs for sleeping and used them in anticipation of DM's snoring:) So I slept well every nite. Enjoy!

[Martin and Lindsey]

We're going to be in A325 in July :D I think you were on the other side of the ship (Port). I believe we will be on the Starboard side. Can you remember which were the ports that you looked out on from your balcony, and which ports could be viewed from the other side of the ship.

 

Has anyone stayed in A325? Any photos? It's going to be our first balcony too! Very exciting! :D

 

Lindsey

[stlwaterbaby]

 

We ended up throwing our transfer tickets to the ship away and taking a free shuttle, got to the terminal at 10:30, waited inside the terminal (limited seating and they closed it off around 11:30). Even at 10:30 we were in group 4, I think, so people tend to get there early. They usually start boarding around noon (depending on clearance). We were in our cabin by 12:15.

I appreciate your information about what time you arrived at the Terminal.

 

What do you mean they closed off the terminal around 11:30?

 

Thanks!