We booked this cruise in July and secured "obstructed view" cabins for us and our friends after surfing the Princess website for a "hot deal." We've sailed on two Celebrity cruises to Canada and New England, visited all the ports except for Saint John, Canada, and decided to give this cruise a try. When we were upgraded to a balcony on the Aloha deck the week before we left, I felt like I hit the jackpot even before walking into the casino! Here are my thoughts about this cruise.
EMBARKATION The pier in Brooklyn is about a 40-minute drive from our house. We did a dry run a few weeks before to be certain of the route. Although there are signs posted, they weren't that visible with the detours plaguing the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE). Our friends booked car service to the pier. Driving and parking on a Saturday morning could not have been easier. The lot is inside the terminal and easy to find after you drop off your luggage. You are literally steps from the ship! I was surprised that so few passengers used the facility; it's safe, fenced, has two employees who are eager to chat and/or help, and just about the easiest parking of the New York area ports. The fee is $128 for seven days. Once we entered the terminal just after noon, we submitted our e-documents and were promptly on board. We were able to leave our hand luggage in the room before venturing to the welcome buffet. Our luggage arrived well before the muster drill (at 4 p.m.) and we enjoyed the beautiful sailaway from our balcony especially the experience sailing under the imposing Verazanno Bridge. We did recognize many sites in Brooklyn and Staten Island and that was fun. Cabins on the starboard side face the Statue of Liberty as the ship departs.
OVERVIEW OF THE CROWN PRINCESS AND PUBLIC AREAS I think there is a wow factor in the design of the Crown. The atrium is stunning and there are times when there are "street" entertainers and performances in the area. On the Plaza Deck, you'll find the International Cafe which is a great spot for cappuccino or other specialty coffees. The coffee card (not advertised anywhere) offers 15 specialty drinks for $27 (three free) and unlimited brewed coffee. There are some delicious chocolate treats and candy apples for sale, gelato for $1.50 (delicious), and complimentary pastries, cookies, and light lunch items. The lounges and bars are very attractive and inviting. Some, like Adagio on the 16th floor, have evening entertainment, but no one other than us was there the one night we checked it out. The only public area we ever found crowded was the Princess Theater, which only has 800 seats for more than 3,000 passengers but more on that later. The gym is beautiful with lots of treadmills, elliptical trainers and weight machines. In a large ship, there are no waits for equipment or sign-in sheets. We have been on the Caribbean Princess but the Crown seemed more luxurious.