Crown Princess Review

4.5 / 5.0
2,240 reviews

Southern Caribbean--Jan 2008

Review for the Southern Caribbean Cruise on Crown Princess
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aharrison
First Time Cruiser • Age 20s

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Sail Date: Jan 2008
Cabin: Mini-Suite with Balcony

This was our 3rd cruise and our first with Princess (previously we cruised Celebrity). We made all travel arrangements through Princess so we had transfers to and from the airport. We travelled from Maryland embarked in San Juan and by the time we retrieved our luggage, etc. we did not arrive on the ship until 6:00 p.m. Of course there were no lines and we were on the ship in no time. The ship is quite large and takes it takes time to learn the lay-out. We had not eaten all day so we went to the Horizon cafe and had some great seafood to tide us over until dinner. Our luggage arrived fairly quickly and we had arranged traditional dining for 8:15 in Botticelli. We found our servers to be very nice but the food was hit-or-miss. Sometimes the food was excellent and sometimes it was inedible. We tried to be gracious, however. We travelled with another couple and were seated with them along with two other couples. We got along famously with everyone at the table and hung out with them whenever we could.

Our second day was an "at sea" day and we basically explored a little and hung out at the pool. There was music and pool games and it was a relaxing day. We then had formal night and went to a show afterward which was fun. We actually enjoyed the entertainment on the ship. Along with the "Princess dancers" they book a number of comedians (which I prefer to acrobats and jugglers) and they were very funny. The cruise director, J.J. must have a good sense of humor. Some of the passengers raved about the entertainment in the various lounges which we did not have an opportunity to experience.

As for excursions, we did mostly beach trips. On Barbados we sent to Malibu Rum Factory and Beach. We were there before on a previous cruise and loved it. This time was a disappointment. The staff was not friendly and the prices of drinks has gone up. On St Lucia we did the Catamaran Cruise the the Pitons. This may have been our best excursion. Lots of drinking, music and and dancing. The crew worked hard to include everyone in the fun. We also pulled into a cove and swam for a bit. On Antigua we the the Beach Escape with Lunch. We spent most of our time fending off the locals trying to sell us jewelry, massages, boatrides, etc. Antigua is very poor and you can't blame them, really. On St. Thomas we went to Magens Bay which is beautiful but feels very much like a public park with picnic tables and a beach. We laid out on our towels and it was fine. The water was a little chilly, however. In Tortola we went to Cane Garden Bay Beach (Tortola Beach Break). This was the first beach which had "breakers" but the water was warm and clear. Theres lots of shops and restaurants along the beach and we had a great lunch. I would recommend this excursion. As for our room--we had a mini-suite on Dolphin deck which is pretty roomy and keeps you from constantly tripping over one another. The balcony is large enough--two lounge chairs and a small table and chairs. The table and chairs were a little rusty and should probably be replaced. The balcony is open so the passengers above can look down on you when you are out. The bathroom was large and had a tub with built-in shower. We only used the shower but the water would back up. We reported this and I think they may had tried to work on it but our stewardess said it was not unusual to have this problem.

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Mini-Suite with Balcony

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