Crown Bay ... Love It Or Not?

[djandnic]

There needs to be a lot of work done at Crown Bay (such as opening some shops and letting outside cabs into the gates) before I'd prefer it.

 

I'd rather tender from Havensight. Crown Bay is a pain in the neck.

 

You are absolutely right, I would also rather tender at Havensight then dock at Crown Bay. Given the time yoiu need to wait for a taxi to the beaches (not downtown) you would still come out ahead. If all you want is a taxi to town, then Crown Bay is fine because that's the only place you can go to until all the passgengers that want to go downtown have left. Then, and only then, can you get a taxi to one of the beaches.

 

But luckily, there is a better option and that is to do business with another cruise line that values their passengers and stops at Havensight. This supports a cruise line that provides you with the level of service you want, and may, just may, get Princess attention as to the stupid decision they have made at the expense of their passgengers. At the bare minimum, at doesn't reward Princess with my revenue.

 

My cruise for next year is already booked with another line and I'm already looking forward to a much better visit to St. Thomas!!! I'll be thinking of those passengers standing in line for a taxi to the beach as I am already laying on the beach drinking my second adult beverage. Aren't choices grand!!!!!:)

[Livin4Real]

It's a standard business model, you don't institute a huge change in this size of a corporation without doing a market analysis first. They would have nothing to gain by upsetting the masses that support their business, it would be detrimental to the company and shareholders. Without change where would this world be? You keep bringing up my one cruise, that's true but I was there last week! After reading many posts on the subject here it is apparent to me that it has made alot of progress in the last couple months. I have a longtime friend who has been going to St. Thomas for decades and saw the area before Havensight was built up and is now looking forward to what Crown Bay will offer in a very short time. Thank God explorers of past centuries didn't have the close-mindedness of you or we would all be stuck on the same rock together. Try viewing the glass half-full for once and picture it a year from now or have you lost your imagination to look ahead to the future? Don't use the excuse that I've only cruised once to try and belittle me. I put alot of time and research into our first cruise and the ports we stopped at so that I would have a working knowledge of where we were going. I'm not saying Princess is perfect, (heck I'm upset at the fact that after next spring there won't be a 7 day option to the eastern caribbean anymore) I'm asking you to see it from their eyes and them looking to the future to offer their passengers a choice. Yes you have a choice, there was an abundance of taxis waiting at the dock anytime to take you anywhere you wanted to go. It was $4 for a taxi to Havensight and only took a couple minutes to get there. The stories of outrageous cab fare and taking forever to get to town are grossly exaggerated.

[caribbean2000]

Oh my, "lost imagination" "belittle you" take a chill pill, friend. All I asked was were you got your information. I have a *little* experience in market analysis by the way

[Nana G]

Just got off the Crown Sat. 14th, When in St. Thomas on Friday, we docked at Havensight due to the Queen Mary being also in port. We were thrilled to return to Havensight Mall and closer shopping. Hate C.A. and this was our last stop and a piece of heaven in our plans. So easy after returning from St. John's and stop for a few last minute things.

[Colo Cruiser]

It was $4 for a taxi to Havensight and only took a couple minutes to get there. The stories of outrageous cab fare and taking forever to get to town are grossly exaggerated.

 

 

I don't know what St Thomas you went to but you can't get to Havensight from Crown Bay in a "few minutes" by taxi. :rolleyes:

[MaryPoppinz]

It's $4 and a few minutes to Charlotte Amalie, but it's actually $8 and closer to 1/2 hour to Havensight by cab -- if you can get someone to go out there from Crown Bay. The cab drivers at Crown Bay want to go into town and back, not to Havensight -- and at Havensight, they want to go into town and back, not to Crown Bay. At least, that's my experience. I ended up taking a cab to town, then a different cab to Havensight ($4 each.) When I returned, I walked from Havensight to town and took a cab to Crown Bay from there --as did a bunch of crew members who were returning from Havensight about the same time.

 

Crown Bay may get developed, it may be a lovely dock. But, it will never be the beautiful walk to Charlotte Amalie, and it will never be closer to St. John via Red Hook than Havensight. Of the two locations, Crown Bay is the poorer.

[willysgrandma]

I would imagine the reason that Princess docks in Crown Bay is similar to why they dock in Brooklyn instead of NYC. They were given incentives by the City to dock there. And I believe Princess paid lots of money to help build the new Brooklyn pier as well.

 

The fact that the ship docks in Crown Bay would never dissuade me from sailing Princess again - it is there for one stinking day, I am not sure what the fuss is. I'd prever Havensight, but would never not take a cruise on Princess again because I don't like Crown Bay.

 

I've been in a lot of ports that are a lot worse than Crown Bay. Where NCL docks in Maui is horrible - way out of the way from anywhere. Many other ships tender in near Lahaina, which is a better tourist area than where NCL docks.

[lazygal]

$4 pp may not sound like much. But multiply that for families and roundtrips and that is a chunk of change for people who previously did not have to pay to enjoy shopping. Tendering IMO would be a better option if it landed me in town.

 

I liken it to the Key West Navel Pier, where a shuttle is ALWAYS provided free to town. I'm not sure if it is the ship or the Conch Train providing this service, but they see the sense in getting the passengers to town.

 

I have not experience Crown Bay yet, but will next week, then I'll have a better opinion, but I trust those here who didn't like it, especially if the walk is unsavory.

[Spender Nui]

Seeing that St Thomas is the place to buy liquor in the Caribbean you'd think the first thing they'd open at Crown Bay would be a liquor store. I haven't seen any comments regarding this. Does anyone have insight?

[Spender Nui]

Seems to me that we should have a decrease in port charges if the cruise lines are getting a reduction in their docking costs.

[djandnic]

Seeing that St Thomas is the place to buy liquor in the Caribbean you'd think the first thing they'd open at Crown Bay would be a liquor store. I haven't seen any comments regarding this. Does anyone have insight?

 

When we were there in February there wasn't a liquor store open at Crown Bay. Given the limited number of store that will be at Crown Bay versus Havensight, I would doubt the prices will be as low given the lack of competition.

[phillipahain]

Livin 4 real

 

The only Market analysis on Crown Bay will be the BIG BENEFIT for Princess

Free Docking for 10 years

 

They dont give a hoot for any of their passengers and as said by others

1) theres no wonderful cheap liquor store like there is just outside Havensight

2) for a family the taxi fares from Crown Bay to Havensight are simply too expensive

 

We docked in Crown Bay in February on the Sun Princess and you can keep the view , the marina and the new buildings

The only 2 shops had no stock worth looking at and were expensive

 

Sorry but despite being Elite on Princess any next Caribean Cruise will not be on Princess or HAL

[Genessa]

we docked in Crown Bay on our March cruise and there were some stores and stands open.

 

The first time I docked at Havensight, there was one tee shirt stand (and I bought 6 tee shirts). The next time, the whole mall was there and I bought NOTHING!

 

I don't cruise for the shopping and seldom bring back more than $25-$75 worth of anything, so, if my choice is Crown Bay or tendering, well, then,

I LOVE CROWN BAY ;).

 

It took us a few minutes more to get a taxi to go to the beach, but considerably less time than it would have taken for a tender.

[ndavis7515]

This is simply amazing that a person with one cruise, and never docked at Havensight, would have access to a marketing study done on a port that has only been used since October of 2006. This is good information to know, thanks.

 

FYI, we docked at Crown Bay while on the HAL Zuiderdam in OCtober 2005.

[margord]

Are any of the stores at Crown Bay open? We were their last October and they were still building the stores.

[Salty Dawg]

[B]Looking for Liquor store at Crown Bay?[/B]

[B]Go to the Market in the Crown Bay Marina across the street from the port. They have plenty of wine and Liquor and cigarettes too![/B]

[B]Prices are fairly comparable to Havensight liquor stores too ![/B]

[willysgrandma]

[quote name='Spender Nui']Seeing that St Thomas is the place to buy liquor in the Caribbean you'd think the first thing they'd open at Crown Bay would be a liquor store. I haven't seen any comments regarding this. Does anyone have insight?[/quote]


We actually got better deals on liquor in St. Maarten. We got better deals on everything in St. Maarten....

[Clutterlady]

Agree 100%! Thats why I can't understand the big shopping problem in St. Thomas??

[pablo222]

[quote name='djandnic']This is simply amazing that a person with one cruise, and never docked at Havensight, would have access to a marketing study done on a port that has only been used since October of 2006. This is good information to know, thanks.[/quote]

This isn't correct. Crown Bay was used as a sub base in WWII.

We docked there on November 2003 on Sun Princess, and a few
other times on other cruise lines -- when there were no berths
available at the WICO pier.

[sppunk]

I've never understood why the masses want to shop in St. Thomas. It's one of the most expensive in the Caribbean, despite what they tell you.

[willysgrandma]

[quote name='sppunk']I've never understood why the masses want to shop in St. Thomas. It's one of the most expensive in the Caribbean, despite what they tell you.[/quote]


We also found better deals on goods (t-shirts, etc). in Antigua than we did in St. Thomas.

But the best liquor and cigarette deals were St. Maarten.

[Clutterlady]

Also found better jewelry prices on St. Maarten;)

[Spender Nui]

[quote name='willysgrandma']We actually got better deals on liquor in St. Maarten. We got better deals on everything in St. Maarten....[/QUOTE]

I agree completely. The problems being:

You can lehally purchase 1 liter in St Maarten and 4 in St Thomas.

They deliver to the ship in St thomas.

Other than that St Maarten does do better.

[Spender Nui]

[quote name='lysolqn']Not much there except for a small marina and some shops that will open eventually. It's a short ride through an unattractive area of the isalnd to downtown. Not a great spot but surely better than tendering.[/QUOTE]

Over the years I've tendered in St Thomas several times. Always on HAL. Them tenders went directly into Charlotte Amalie. I'd still vote to tender before Crown Bay.

[djandnic]

[quote name='Spender Nui']Over the years I've tendered in St Thomas several times. Always on HAL. Them tenders went directly into Charlotte Amalie. I'd still vote to tender before Crown Bay.[/quote]


That makes two of us!!!!!!;)

pablo222

I didn't count the WWII subs as cruise ship docking, but that's the only way I'll go back to Crown Bay is if I'm drafted and stationed on a sub!:D