Last minute ?'s

[Disneycruiser#1]

Hi All-

 

My husband and I are cruising on the Caribbean Princess 8/28/04 sans our little boys. My husband will be leaving for Iraq 2/01/05 so we are going now so he will be home constantly with us before he leaves in a few months. Since we booked we found out my darling Dad has prostate cancer. He is having surgery a week from today and should be fine God willing. My Mom and Dad were going to take the boys and me on our annual Disney cruise to occupy the boys while my husband is gone but we had to cancel until my Dad has recovered and is done with treatment but a healthy Dad/ Granddaddy is better than any cruise ever.

 

Anyway, we are on the Baja Deck #314 and have PC dining. What should we pack. I think we can dine wherever but may encounter a wait but can call the morning of to try for a reservation time, is this correct.

 

I think we can also eat in the Horizon or Caribe cafe's? Is the dress code for Men dress pants with collared shirts? For the formal nights can we still dress up and then just wait for a table or try and call for a reservation?

 

Will be have to go through Immigration as on the DCL Magic? If so when and where, we are on the Baja Deck?

 

Any last minute advice or info would be great. We will be flying down the night before. Really am having a hard time focusing to go with the surgery next week but my Dad is adament we go.......I am not sure.

 

I told him I will go canvas Princess since none of us have ever sailed them and then next Spring or Summer we will all go and celebrate his health.

 

Thanks for any info. We are planning on doing something on our own in St. Thomas and St. Martin but all hints are great.

 

Thanks for all of your helpful information!

[wwinfl91]

I will try to answer whatever questions I can. Good luck to both your father and your husband.

 

If you are assigned or asked for PC (Personal Choice) dining then you can eat in the PC dining room (it may be rooms on the Caribbean Princess like it was for us on the Golden last year) anytime for your evening meal from I believe 5 PM until 9:30 PM or so.

 

You can also call during the day and ask for a specific time, a specific waiter or a specific table or all of the above. If you find a waiter crew you particularly like you can also arrange the Maitre'd to dine in that section every night of the cruise.

 

Generally most cruise ships ask you to dress according to whatever the evenings dress code is no matter where you eat. The good news is Princess is pretty casual and a sports coat, a white shirt, a tie and a nice pair of pants will make the grade for formal night if your husband doesn't like getting dressed up for formal night. Other nights he can just wear dockers and a golf shirt.

 

Yes you will have to go through immigration so be sure to bring your passports. You will do it actually twice, once when you board the ship and again when you leave the ship.

 

Depending on where you are cruising you may want to take your cell phone and a charger so you can use it to call and check on your father. We were able to get good connections in several caribbean ports, San Juan, St Thomas and Key West and the rates at least with ATT were a lot cheaper than using the phones in the cabin on the ship. Another option is at the various ports there may be places where you can place a call back to the USA at a lower rate than the ship's phones.

 

Be sure to leave your parents the ships phone number and your cabin number so if nothing else they can leave you information.

 

In St Thomas if your ship docks at Havensight dock one thing you might want to do is go up the Paradise Point Skyride. You can get great views of the harbor and your ship from there as well as some decent drinks at the bar. Here is their web site.

 

http://www.paradisepointtramway.com/

 

Have a great next cruise.

[monk888]

Disneycruiser#1,

 

May I suggest that you review the site at the following URL which contains everything you ever wanted to know about Cruising on the Caribbean Princess:

 

http://cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com/

 

If you are PC Dining, you have a World of choices. As soon as you get on the boat, call the Concierge and make a standing reservation for one of the two PC dining rooms on board. The Coral and the Palm Dining Rooms are for PC dining. You can also eat at the Horizon Court or the Cafe Caribe anytime. Dress in there is always casual. During the day, you can always get away with shorts. At night, you can too unless that bothers you. On formal night, I saw folks in there in Tuxedos all the way down to some slob in cheap old shorts who blew in, grabbed a huge plate of grilled lobster and high tailed it out in a hurry! (He looked a lot like me!)

 

You can also get pizza by the Pool at Prego Pizza from 11AM til pretty late. You can also get burgers, hot dogs, brats, fries, etc. by the pool at Trident's Grill 11AM til at least 8PM. No extra charge for the pizza or burgers, etc. Remember, if you want to eat at Sabatini's Italian Tratorria, you must go there in person and make your reservation. They open at 1PM. You can make reservations for Sterling Steak House by calling the Concierge. Also, while you have them on the phone, make your reserations for Movies Under the Stars. Again, I strongly urge you to review the site at the posted link. Have a Blast!

 

The Monk

[enymarsh]

Good info from above posters.

 

I'll just add that (if your family do email) I think a fast (and free) way for them to get a message to you while you're on the ship is for them to send you an email. The ship's crew will deliver it in writing to your cabin. For the Caribbean Princess the address would be "caribbeanprincess@princess.com" , then in the subject line they should put your names and cabin number, i.e. Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, cabin #B314. Then if you needed to call home you'd find out in a timely manner.

 

Good luck with everything!

[monk888]

The Caribbean Princess has a state of the art Internet Cafe. There are loads of computers from which you can access your e-mail even if out in the middle of the Ocean. I used it every day. I think it's $0.50 per minute or so, but free if you're staying in a suite.

[KAJOKG]

You have received good advice from fellow posters. I just want to wish you and your family the best. I can understand your Dad insisting that you go. Don't feel guilty about that...it's what we parents want our "kids" to do and we are sincere about it. Have a wonderful time, and good luck. God bless you and your family!

[Disneycruiser#1]

Thanks everyone!!! I have reviewed all of the information and even made a Word Document to take. We are used to cruising with our family but this is only our second vacation without the children. Last time I kept in contact with my family and boys via email. I think that works too but always take my cell phone and charger and "try". My mind is always on my boys but with the extra worry of my sweet Dad I will stay in touch but at least I will be there with them next week for the surgery and such and then my sister will be taking the next week to stay with them.

 

Thanks for all of the advice and kind words. It actually feels kinda of nice not to plan everything down to the detail. With our Disney Magic cruises the last few years you have to plan out everything :( but since it is just us we can kick back and just go with it. No planned excursions, or dining time this is why we wanted to try Princess!

 

One last clarification.......to attend "Movies under the stars" we have to make reservations I know and that is done at the central reservation number which we will find in our cabin? How many times can you go? I would one time would be just fine?

 

Thanks!

[sue d. miller]

I read that you need reservations for the first two or three nights. Then it isn't as full. But I would make them anyway, if you really want to go, just to be sure of a seat. Have a wonderful cruise!!! Your kids will be fine, and God bless your dad!!!! :)

[Disneycruiser#1]

Thanks everyone!!! Monk......GREAT website, I really enjoyed and sent the link to my Sister who is considering Princess next summer. I am also saving it so when the time comes and my Dad is up for it I can show it to him and my Mom. I am sure they will see the beauty of the ship and since the Disney Magic will be in California all summer this will be the perfect chance for my Mom and Dad to try out Princess too.........maybe when the time comes it will give the vacation to work toward and look forward too.

 

Also, Sue thank you for your continued support and information. We have hit so many road bumps but then I guess that is life. I am grateful I have a wonderful Mother in law to leave our boys with but will miss them like crazy, it is also inevitable I will worry about my Dad but my sister will be with him and I will check in every other day.

 

Thanks everyone. Since I am not "retaining info" I made a Word document with all the info we need and made a folder (lol)......

[sue d. miller]

Yes, you have had a lot of bumps in the road, but you have to look at the bright side. You have made many friends here, and you have had support from your family. I am sure DAD will be fine!! This is a special time for you and your husband, and I hope we have helped to make it great for the both of you. :)

[kruisey]

Sending my love to your Dad and husband.........

Remember if you don't wont to dress up on Formal Nite you can always do as Monk said (Isn't he funny) go to the dining room in tatty shorts,grab a pile of lobster and run.

I must do that one day just for the fun of it.

Love to your family....Kruisey.