Upcoming Newbie to Crown Princess questions

[backheidi]

I am a big fan of RC cruises but I am taking my first Princess cruise on the Crown Princess this June. I have some questions and welcome all comments. First, it is a 9 night to the Eastern Caribbean from NYC, can anyway tell me what nights are Formal nights? Also, I have one long dress/gown to the ankle and the other is cocktail length, which night would be best for each dress? My room is a balcony room, mid-ship on the Aloha deck which in the pictures looks small compared to RC balcony rooms, will I be happy...or feel cramped? I like nightlife, shows, dancing, how does Princess do in the entertainment field? And since it is leaving from NYC, should I bring more pants rather then shorts? Or will it become warm quickly (and it will be June). Sorry for so many questions, just like to be prepared.

 

Ports are San Juan, St. Thomas, Bermuda, Grand Turk, any suggestions? Especially interested in best place/beach to go to in St. Thomas.

 

Thanks to everyone.

[christinelee]

I am a big fan of RC cruises but I am taking my first Princess cruise on the Crown Princess this June. I have some questions and welcome all comments. First, it is a 9 night to the Eastern Caribbean from NYC, can anyway tell me what nights are Formal nights? Also, I have one long dress/gown to the ankle and the other is cocktail length, which night would be best for each dress? My room is a balcony room, mid-ship on the Aloha deck which in the pictures looks small compared to RC balcony rooms, will I be happy...or feel cramped? I like nightlife, shows, dancing, how does Princess do in the entertainment field? And since it is leaving from NYC, should I bring more pants rather then shorts? Or will it become warm quickly (and it will be June). Sorry for so many questions, just like to be prepared.

 

Ports are San Juan, St. Thomas, Bermuda, Grand Turk, any suggestions? Especially interested in best place/beach to go to in St. Thomas.

 

Thanks to everyone.

First, Welcome.....Formal nights are always sea nights....meaning following a full day at seas (more time for everyone to spend money at the spa) .....wear short dress first formal and long one on second...just my preference.....your room is just that ...a room...you sleep, you get dressed, and you enjoy the ship.....even though Princess is a little older crowd you find plenty to do at night...shows gambling, Skywalkers, lounges....etc....

maybe one pair of long pants out and one back in....should be warm in June after you get away from New York....We did the same cruise last October and it was great...... In St. Thomas do your shopping....come back to the ship and drop off goodies and have lunch (you paid for it).....The beach we love the most (after six trips to St. Thomas is Coki beach....just hail a cab and tell them what time to pick you up...bring money for a drink and chair. Not much in Grand Turks....we did and horse and buggy ride ....very informative. Hope this helps....Happy Sailing!

[jilkatshi]

We just returned from the Crown Princess. It was nice, but I prefer Celebrity and many other cruisers said they liked RCL better. There was nothing wrong...everyone was very nice, the ship itself and food were not as nice as the Constellation in my opinion.

 

We had a balcony on the Caribe deck (702) and it was one of the larger ones. You might see if you can switch from Aloha to Caribe as the Aloha decks were much smaller.

 

We did an awsome excursion in St. Thomas. It was a little pricey, but well worth the money. We sailed with High Pockets, a 42-foot sailboat. You can check out their website - http://www.sailhighpockets.com. Captain Kathleen and mate Bill were both very nice and there can only be six passengers on board. The sailing was great, snorkeling was great (lots of personal attention) and the food was great!

[Cruise'nKris]

And since it is leaving from NYC, should I bring more pants rather then shorts? Or will it become warm quickly (and it will be June).

 

No need form many long pants for during the day. The east coast is usually pretty warm in June. Actually during my cruise last year out of NYC it was A LOT hotter in NJ/NY area then the caribbean!! :eek:

Maybe a pair or two for during the day for maybe a cool day.

Enjoy your first Princess cruise, your pick a great ship for your 1st!! The Crown is a beauty!!!

[tvaud]

I am a big fan of RC cruises but I am taking my first Princess cruise on the Crown Princess this June. I have some questions and welcome all comments. First, it is a 9 night to the Eastern Caribbean from NYC, can anyway tell me what nights are Formal nights? Also, I have one long dress/gown to the ankle and the other is cocktail length, which night would be best for each dress? My room is a balcony room, mid-ship on the Aloha deck which in the pictures looks small compared to RC balcony rooms, will I be happy...or feel cramped? I like nightlife, shows, dancing, how does Princess do in the entertainment field? And since it is leaving from NYC, should I bring more pants rather then shorts? Or will it become warm quickly (and it will be June). Sorry for so many questions, just like to be prepared.

 

Ports are San Juan, St. Thomas, Bermuda, Grand Turk, any suggestions? Especially interested in best place/beach to go to in St. Thomas.

 

Thanks to everyone.

 

June in NYC should be warm, so I wouldn't worry about taking too many pairs of long pants...bet you won't wear them at all. My suggestion is capris if you want something longer. DH & I had an Aloha balcony on our last cruise and we didn't feel cramped at all. We had breakfast on it almost every morning. I do agree with another poster that the Caribe balconies are the largest...and most desirable.

Our cruise was the same itinerary as yours. In San Juan we split up with another couple...the guys wanted to see the forts and the ladies went shopping. There is a great Coach outlet there. Lots of people did the Duck tour...it may be something to look into and it's close to the ship. In Grand Turk, we headed to Margaritaville. They have a great pool on the beach that has a terrific view of the ship...and it's all free except for any food or drinks you order. They have entertainment there as well and it's just a short walk from the ship. In St. Thomas, we went shopping in the morning, then headed up to Paradise Point for lunch and that gorgeous view! If you are into tropical birds, there is a great bird store on the second floor that also has a bird show. We picked up a wonderful print and some other bird items. My favorite beach is Magen's Bay...it's always ranked as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We never did get to Bermuda this trip as there were supposedly high winds preventing us from entering the channel...:cool: But, from previous stops there, I love Horseshoe Bay and the pink sand. St George is the town I prefer there...very quaint with lots of cute shops and restaurants.

Our formal nights were the 2nd night and the night before Bermuda on the way home. I wear long gowns on formal nights, but usually the first formal night is the more formal of the two.

There is so much to do on the Crown that you won't have time to do it all. There are all ages also, so don't feel as if you'll be the only young ones on board.

If you have anymore questions, don't hesitate to ask.:)

Cindra

[traveling1969]

The balcony cabins on the Crown are considerably smaller than the balcony cabins on the Adventure of the Seas. No divan, just two small chairs. We sat on our beds more often than not. Caribe balconies are twice the size so that is a good tip; switch if you can. Bon Voyage!