Princess Crown on NCL Star?? Please help our group decide

[ejkj84]

I am posting this on both princess and ncl boards as we are trying to decide what cruise to go on the second week of March.

 

After much research I have narrowed down to 3 possible cruise choices for a group of 6 24-26 year old friends. We plan to get together on Friday and book one of these cruises. I keep going back and forth, as there are things I like and do not like about each. I know there are many more options but these 3 fit best with what we need and are a good price the week we are going. Here are the cruise:

 

Eastern Caribbean on the Princess Crown

Mexican Rivera on the NCL Star

Mexican Rivera of the Princess Sapphire

 

Considering air and cruise cost the Star would be the cheapest then the Sapphire and then the Crown, but only by a $150 from the lowest to most expensive. Also on the cheapest on (star) it would be 4 to a cabin and the other 2 are 2 to a cabin.

 

We have never been to the Mexican Rivera side so that is what initially drew us to that area. However, I am very concerned that it will be cooler over there than in the Caribbean. What we want to do on most port days is just get to a beach and stay there for awhile. I do not know how possible this is in the Mexican Rivera- it seems to be more of an excursion place. Plus I have heard that the Mexican Rivera side is not quite as safe, but who knows. This fact, along with a much longer flight time is the reason we are also considering the Crown.

 

The reason we are favoring the NCL is because of our age. We are all in our mid twenties and want things to do in the day and night. We do not need a wild party or anything, but to have the Night Club open late (with people there) would be a positive. We thought that possibly there would be a younger crowd on the Star than on the Princess cruises. Also they seem to have a lot of comedy shows, and I always like them. It is also the cheapest option which would leave us a little extra money.

 

The Princess Sapphire seems to be in the middle, both in price and advantages. We get a nicer ship (probably) than the Star but I still have reservations about the night time activities and the Mexican Rivera’s temperature. It is cold here, I want to be HOT!

 

 

Can anyone offer any insight on what might be the best for our group? Any thing else I should consider? We looked at the Pearl and Dawn but there prices were higher for that week. I think I am leaning towards the Princess Crown, the only thing making me hesitate is the possible lack of others our age and the slightly higher cost.

[PattiG]

I would choose just about any other cruise line over NCL. Don't like their garish ships, freestyle dining or any of their food. Just awful!

[Latitude 20]

Also on the cheapest on (star) it would be 4 to a cabin and the other 2 are 2 to a cabin.

 

I think you should go with the two people per cabin. You don't mention if your group is men or women (or a mix) but four adults sharing one tiny cruise ship cabin (with only one bathroom!) would be challenging. Not to stereotype, but our kids are your age and they spend a good long time in the bathroom getting ready to go out at night.

 

Other than that, I think you'd enjoy any of these three cruises. The Caribbean will be warmer than Mexico but both will be way warmer than Illinois! Second week of March is a little early for the full-on spring break crowd but you'll find people your age on all three ships. We were on the Sapphire a few years ago and our kids (22-24 at the time) had a great time!

 

Whichever you choose, I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

Kathi

[dcrow72]

the Crown is a huge, beautiful ship. There are tons of things to do all the time and multiple night time venues to choose from including nightclubs, comedy shows, production shows, piano bar, etc. We only sailed NCL once many years ago and it was a long time before we ever wanted to cruise again! Never again on NCL; many promises and none kept. Of course the passenger demographics can vary from cruise to cruise, but I don't think you'll find a bunch of old folks on the Crown in March in the Caribbean. We sailed on her sister ship the Caribbean P. in October and found more younger than older that trip. The nightclubs were hopping til the wee hours. I also agree with the previous poster that 4 adults in one cabin would ruin my vacation! They are tiny. We had 3 teenagers share an inside in October and they were ready to kill each other if they spent any amount of time in the cabin (which didn't happen often since there was so much for them to do). We liked Carnival and would sail them again if the price/itinerary were right, but absolutely loved Princess by comparison. Better food, service and ambiance all around. Good luck and let us know what you choose.

[JMA]

We did the Mexican Riviera cruise once and it was COLD the first day going down and the last day coming back. Tried laying out by the pool and had to keep getting more towels to cover up with to keep warm. So if you really want HOT, then go to the Caribbean.

[velvetred]

I have been on the NCL Star to the Mexican Riviera in December 2007 and the Ruby Princess, sister to the Crown Princess, in November 2008. I would first decide which itinerary you prefer. In March, I think the Mexican Riviera will also be warm. We were in shorts everyday on our cruise to the Riviera in December and it was only cool (not cold) the first day out and on the last day back (it was an 8 night cruise on the Star). My dh and I had a wonderful time on the Star and loved the Mexican Riviera. We hope to do it again someday.

 

Cruise Critic has a ports of call section and you should really check out information for the ports and decide which itinerary appeals to you the most. IMHO, the Caribbean has better and more beaches than the Mexican Riviera (think tropical islands versus land ports). Also, keep in mind that NCL offers a more casual experience in the evening. Ice cream is available for most of the afternoon for free on the Star while it is served for only 1 hour for free on Princess (you can buy it at other times if you get the craving for ice cream). However, although you will have a wonderful time on the Star, if I were choosing among your proposed choices, I would choose the Crown Princess for her Movies Under the Stars with blankets and popcorn, multiple freshwater pools (the Star has fewer pools), multiple evening entertainment venues in the evening, piazza entertainment, champagne waterfall, and overall cruise experience. Food is always so subjective - we found food to our liking on both lines and I am sure you will, too. Have a wonderful cruise.

[zacc]

Having cruised on the Crown three times it is obvious that we really enjoy her. All three times the passengers covered all age groups but I will admit the "late" night dancing etc varied between the three. We have also sailed NCL. I always say we sailed NCL twice....the first time and the last time. The ship was clean, food was ok, and the crew was good but simply did not enjoy NCL enough to consider returning. Although viewpoints about ports of call are merely opinions, I personally find the Caribbean ports friendlier and more enjoyable. On a final note don't let price be your deciding factor......in this case I believe you get what you pay for. Enjoy which ever cruise you opt for!

[mississauga]

So, which cruise did your group decide on? Come back and tell us.

 

Whichever ship or cruise you'll be on, I'm sure you'll enjoy it and have lots of fun!:D