lor74

Just back from a 14 night and currently have nothing booked...which makes me very sad :(

I recently came back from a 2 week cruise with an inside cabin. Since I am used to a balcony or suite, I was worried about the inside, but in the end there was no issue. We spent so little time in the room (we were at the pool all day), that I did not miss the balcony that much. There was plenty of space for all our clothes.

the deck party was on the st Maarten & curaçao nights

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I notice there was a picture of an all inclusive beverage package. I did not know that was available on the Crown. Did you notice if they were selling it as people boarded? Thank you.

 

 

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It actually started last week for the first time at the same tables where you got the soda and coffee cards. The first week of our b2b it was not an option. I know of at least one person who took advantage of it...the guy literally drank Bud light ALL DAY

I just got off from 2 weeks on the Crown, and I can tell you that I was in the casino for periods of time every day, and I only saw the craps table with players twice. It changes week to week based on the guests. The first week of my trip, the casino was very slow and closed early. The tables got a lot more action on week two....but not the craps table while I was there.

FYI, since this question comes up repeatedly now that most shuttle companies no longer service the Miami airport:

Last month we flew into MIA and took a taxi to the Springhill Suites hotel which is near FLL & Port Everglades. We travelled during rush hour, and were not in the express lane. The cost was $63+tip.

When I asked the Supershuttle rep at the airport what the cost would be, I was quoted $79.

My buddy convinced the DW and I to go on our first cruise for our honeymoon...we have been addicted ever since. Our passion for cruising is infectious, and just about everyone that we come in contact with has since gone on a cruise or wants to in the future. I got my co-worker to take his honeymoon at sea. My brother and I sent our parents on a cruise for their 40th anniversary, and they have gone every year since. The DW and I took her parents on a cruise with us….it was the only way to get them to take a vacation at the time….they have cruised annually ever since. Everyone knows we live to cruise, and as a result they want to see what the fuss is all about :)

Showing people your pictures from the ship and the islands is also a good aid. Let them see the beautiful views, the great looking food, etc...

If anyone is interested, from the Jan 18-Feb 1st sailings...

I just got off the Crown, and both the toilet and a/c did not work when we boarded. Without calling anyone, the toilet was fixed by the time we got back from lunch, and on another day, the toilet did not work between 1am-5am, and was fixed by the time we got out of bed without calling anyone.

I did not tell our cabin steward about the a/c problem. I called guest services in the evening, and the person asked me if I wanted someone to come right awat or wait until the next morning. I said right away, then waited for 15-30 minutes before 2 crew members came to verify that the system was not working. When they left, they said they would send a mantenance guy. When the guy showed up, he took the vent off the ceiling, and hooked up a tester to the thermostat. He then left the room to go check the hvac system....and eventually the air started working. There were no problems with the a/c after that.

After the initial call, the guest relations person kept calling me for status updates. I was very appreciative to know that I was not being left in limbo waiting for people to show up.

moral of the story....call guest relations, not your steward.

Was in B725 for past 2 weeks. a/c and toilet both didn't work when we boarded, but were both fixed on the same day. There was one other time when the toilet did not work between 1-5am. Our cabin was in the Aft section of Baja.....there was a smell in the mid ship area of the deck for our entire voyage.

I uploaded my misc photos, patters & menus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98631961@N04/sets/

We were supposed to meet in the Davinci at 9:20am, but after a light breakfast we walked off the ship early. We found our luggage and went into a long customs line. There were only 3 agents, but the line moved quick enough. Once through we boarded our shuttle to MIA.

Over all, the cruise was good. Most importantly the weather was very good with no rain. I love Princess because of the design of their ships, the way the staff conduct themselves, and the food & entertainment options.....even if I might not like some of it.

This was my first b2b. Given the choice, I would not do it again. I would rather do a true 14 night, or two 7 nights b2b on different ships....which we did last year. I was disappointed that the 2nd week was identical to the first with only a change in some entertainment. Since the cruise was sold as a 14 night adventure, they could have tried a little to mix up the order of things in the 2nd week. I am sure to a lot of people this did not matter, but for me it was Groundhog Day....not that I let this ruin my mood, but I wanted more of an effort on their part.

I saw no major problems with the ship, and any minor problems we had were quickly resolved. Our steward was wonderful and all the other service staff were great as well. Of Lisa Ball and her staff, only Dan & Matt stood out to me as being very good.

We had some good and not so good experiences in the food department, but overall I have no complaints and ate well.

I look forward to my next Princess cruise....maybe NE on the Royal in Oct.

Pictures, patters, and menus coming soon.

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One thing I forgot to mention in regards to our night in the CG; during dessert the waiter brought us all limoncello to apologize for the long night. Only one person at the table drank them....I think he had 4 of them.

Turks was a very nice and hot day. We had never been there before, and since I had read that there was a beach nearby, that was our plan. I was not aware that the beach was actually right next to the ship, and had free chairs and a large pool as well. We were docked right next to the Ruby, and the twins were lined up perfectly....a beautiful site!!! We first had a look at the shops, and Ro picked up some of the free items in the jewelry stores. I had a look at the Tortuga products, and they were cheaper on the ship. We then found some chairs, and I went snorkeling. The water is on a coral shelf which is shallow, until you get to a deep drop. It is very hard to walk on, even in the water shoes I had on. There were a lot of fish with many different colors eating at the wall of the drop. We didn't stay out there that long, because I didn't want to get badly burned and Ro's contacts were irritated by the sand/salt. When we got back on the ship, there were very few people around the pool, which was very nice. I had had a slice of pizza before we got off the ship, then at around 3:30pm I got myself a plate of roasted potatoes and fries to go with a hot dog. Eating lunch this late wasn't a good idea, when we went to have dinner I started with my soup and salad, but only had a couple of bites of the fried chicken which followed. I thought I would check out the disco production show, but between being stuff and getting too much sun, I called it an early night.

Today was a beautiful and very hot day at sea. Almost every minute was spent at the pool. Usual routine....coffee, donut, eggs, bacon, etc. There was a dessert buffet at lunch time. I didn't check it out last week, but today I did. There were beautiful large cakes in many flavors. I got myself a plate of chocolate cake, mouse cake, marble cake, and choco covered strawberries. The mouse was the best. I got Ro a plate of carrot, strawberry, cheese, and lemon cake. Later on I had a slice of pizza and some pasta. At one point during the day I played some cards and cashed in my chips. I then payed off my folio. Between the OBCs and my casino winnings, I did not pay a cent for anything on board during the 2 weeks, which included 2 visits to the CG, 2 soda cards, a coffee card, a wine tasting, multiple items from the shops, and all the tips. This makes me very happy :)

We had our dinner....same stuff as last Friday. Tom Franek is performing again in the theater, but were are done. I just put our luggage out and am watching WWZ on the tv. The party is over.

Final thoughts & constructive criticism to come later on.

Thanks for reading and happy cruising :)

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We had an 8pm reservation for 6 people in the CG last night. Our dinner companions were CG virgins, and were treated as such. This slowed down the process of being seated, ordering, etc. It was very pretentious the way they show you the display of raw meat, push their special salts, and take it upon themselves to bring us all the sides, instead of actually allowing us to order what we wanted. The waiter even started the night by telling us not to eat the bread....we all told him where to go with that suggestion! Once our order was put in, the meal started on a positive note. I had the black n blue soup, and Ro had the goat cheese salad. They were both good. I had the grilled shrimp as an appetizer as well, which was very good. Our companions also had soup, salad, shrimp, and scallops. Everyone was happy at this point. Our waiter had very little support on this night, and was over-extended. There was a very long wait before the main course arrived, and I was starting to get sleepy. I ordered the filet with lobster tails, Ro had lobster, the others had lamb, lobster, rib eye and filet. I checked my meat right away, and it was underdone. I wanted it between medium & medium well, it came medium. I sent it back. It was still not how I would have liked it when it came back, but I didn't care at that point and ate it as it was. Someone else had ordered the rib eye well done. She didn't cut into it until after I had already got my meat back. Hers was medium rare and she was grossed out. She had to send it back twice, and we were all finished by the time her food came. In the end, we were there for 3 hrs and nobody left the table feeling happy about the meal. We will go back....things go smoother with only 2 of us....our friends will not. When we got back to our cabin, we couldn't get into bed fast enough.

St Thomas was a very nice day. It was more humid than any other, and there was a 30 second rain shower at one point. We docked at Havensight mall. After the usual breakfast, we went to the stores and made some inquires, but didn't end up buying anything. We spent the afternoon by the pool, and had burgers for lunch. For the second day in a row, a deck attendant took my towels off my chair while I was swimming.....which really frustrated me!

Last week on the formal night, our food was not that great. As a result, for the first time in our cruise history we skipped the lobster night and went to the buffet. It was good because some of the times from the dinning room menu where available. I started with the tomato soup and a big salad, which was followed by a piece of beef Wellington, puff potatoes, and veal ravioli. Ro had soup and 2 portions of salmon salad.

After dinner we did some shopping on the ship, then I got myself a coffee from the IC and went to the theater for the show. Twin violinists called Synergy were performing. They have talent, but something about the routine didn't work for me....I left before it finished and went to the casino. I played let it ride, hit a full house and left with some profit. I then walked around, did some more shopping, watched a little of Brent Webb who was doing a new set in the Explorers, then watched some of the marriage game in the Fusion before calling it a night.

Today we are on our way to Turks. It is very hot out. Hopefully it will stay this way, our plan is to go to the beach this afternoon.

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2 nights ago we saw Al Katz...his set was mainly about stupid people; it was funny.

Yesterday was a very rocky day at sea. The ship was going very fast throughout the day, and the pool was really swaying. I had my usual breakfast, and some of the Mexican buffet for lunch. I spent the entire day in the shade reading, and finished the Grisham book. It was ok, but predictable. Dinner at the buffet was Onion soup, salad, broccoli, chicken, veal, potatoes, and some real good tortellini. We then went to see the mentalist Brent Webb. He was ok, but I had seen the exact set from different performers in the past.

Today was a hot one in St Maarten. There are 6 ships here. After having the usual breakfast, we got off the ship and took a taxi to the zoo ($6pp). It cost $10pp to get in, and $2 for a bag of animal crackers to feed them. They have a lot of birds, monkeys, goats, rabbits, and some other animals which can be seen on their website. It was good for us since we are animal lovers, but we both preferred the place we went in Aruba, because there were more animals to touch n feed. We got back to the ship at 12:30pm, and I had pizza for lunch & hot dogs in blankets as a mid afternoon snack. My afternoon was spent in & around the pool. I also just submitted future cruises paperwork. Tonight we have an 8pm reservation at the CG with friends we made on board.

A funny thing about this week compared to last, is that even though both sailings were sold out, this week feels much more crowded. All the venues seem to be very busy. It is definitely a younger crowd this week.

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Today was supposed to be hot n sunny, but it ended up being mostly cloudy....which was not a bad thing for me. I had my usual breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, yogurt & coffee, then we sat by the pool for a bit. Around 11:30am, I decided to go ashore, leaving Ro at the pool. I waited for around 10 minutes before getting on the tender, then had a smooth ride to the island. I quickly found a lounger, and jumped right in with my snorkel gear. There was a lot of coral, and many different types of fish. After exploring for a bit, I had lunch....burger, dog, chicken and ribs. I then read a little before going for another snorkel and swim. I went back to the ship after 2pm, and went right into the pool....which was colder than the ocean. The rest of my afternoon was spent talking to a new friend who happens to live in the same area as me and is the mother in law of a friend of a friend. It never seizes to amaze me who you run into on a ship with thousands of people. As I was walking out of the breakfast buffet today, I thought I recognized a woman....do a double take and have a look at her husband...yup, 2 of my parents best friends got on board yesterday. After chatting with them, I go to see Ro by the pool, and she is talking to another couple. They had spotted her and asked "didn't we sail with you 2 yrs ago on the Island?" What do know, our friends from NJ.....it always amazes me!

Dinner was at the buffet...Bavarian night again. I had a soup and salad with broccoli, followed by some Wiener schnitzel, spaetzle, beef ragout and pasta.

We are now in the theater 30 minutes early for the comedian Al Katz.

A reason why I love cruising....specifically on Princess. A few minutes ago in the buffet, an older gentleman asks a staff member if he could have a half grapefruit. The staffer says he will see what he can do, and a few minutes later comes back with one. The man was very happy. I love Princess :)

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We both had burgers for lunch....hers being vegi. It was nice to be able to stay by the pool as everyone else went to the muster drill. After that the sail away party started with The Score. Eventually we headed back to the cabin, showered and up to the buffet for dinner. Since this is our 2nd time around, there is no need to sample anything, we know what we like and dislike. I had a spinach & tortellini soup, salad, broccoli, pasta, potatoes, chicken, and a couple of spring rolls. We shared our table with an older couple from Washington who are on their first cruise. From there we went to the IC for coffee & dessert. I had the mouse with some walnuts. Next we went to the Explorers where the Caribbean band was playing, followed by the theater where Comedian Al Katz is doing the welcome aboard show. We got to the theater fifteen minutes early, and it was completely full....we'll catch the comedian tomorrow night. Back to the IC....Ro had some cheese, and we listened to the piano player. Tomorrow we are back at Princess Cays.

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Friday was a cloudy day at sea. Breakfast was a coffee, eggs, bacon, hash browns, and yogurt. I spent the morning by the pool, and finished book #3. I had never read Hobbs before, and I did enjoy the book and will look for more of his stuff when I get home. I am already half way through #4, which is Alex Cross, Run.

Lunch was 2 slices of pepperoni and a plate of fries. There was a dessert buffet in the Cafe Caribe....I did not check it out.

In the afternoon I played the final bingo session....no luck.

One thing I have not touched on this past week, is the bed. It is old, no pillow top. Even with my ear plugs in, a have been tossing & turning a lot during the night. I am not a great sleeper, so I have not been focusing too much on the fact that I have yet to have a solid nights sleep. On Thursday night my back started to hurt, and last night was real bad. I was having spasms, and was no fun to be around. Now the bed situation had my full attention! Our steward Merlito, who has been great all week, was able to quickly get an egg crate on the bed. I skipped the show and called in a night after dinner....which was at the buffet. I had salad, turkey stuffing, pasta and potatoes.

Saturday/today. I woke up tight, but thankfully the spasms have stopped. Ro brought back to the room some donuts, yogurt & coffee. We walked off the ship around 9:30am, after she had a folio error corrected. We quickly got through customs, and were waking to the taxi line with the plan to go to the Galleria mall. The couple in front of us were also going there so we shared a ride. It cost $16.50 + tip. We were a little early, the stores opened at 10am. I had previously been to Aventura mall....which has a lot more to offer, but this suited our limited needs. Ro got a bikini & a pair of shoes (hers broke on the formal night), and I got a pair of sandals. We took a taxi back to the terminal at noon, and walked back on board. After dropping of our stuff, we headed straight to the pool to continue where we left off...

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sounds like good advice :). anyone know what it costs to get to Galleria mall?

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yesterday was a beautiful day at sea. Ro was up first, and went straight to the pool. When I got up, I went to the IC, had my donut and got us coffee. I then had breakfast by the pool....an already made western omelet, bacon, sausage, hash browns, English muffin, piece of French toast, and a yogurt. After eating, I spent the morning reading in the shade. I finished the Connolly book....it was an easy/good read. I then started the Roger Hobbs book. I have never read this author before, and am enjoying the book which I will finish today. Lunch was a burger/dog/fries from the grill. In the afternoon, part of the pool had some shade, so I was able to go in with Ro without worrying about getting burned. The band played for a good amount of time. At 3pm, Ro went to the wine tasting ($10), and the next stop for me was the casino. I was surprised by how many people were in there in the afternoon. No luck for me. I was playing let it ride, and there was one hand where a woman had 3, 4, 6 of spades in her hand, and the dealer accidentally revealed the first card which was a 7 of spades....so before the hand even started, we knew she needed a 5 of spades for a straight flush....it didn't come, but it was exciting the way it unfolded! I spent the rest of the afternoon outside on the promenade deck reading & enjoying the view. At some point I got myself a Cuban. We had a late dinner in the MDR. We were signed up for anytime dinning. Our timing was perfect, as we walked right into the MichalAngelo, and got a table for 2. The couples around us had to wait 40 minutes for their tables.....we got there right after all the people waiting had been seated. We both started with tomato soup....it is always good. Next Ro had a salad, and I had veal ravioli in mushroom sauce....it is also always good. For the main course, she had the lobster and I had the short ribs with a side of fettuccine. She enjoyed her food, but I tried a piece of the lobster, and to me what I had eaten in the CG was much better. I found that this one tasted "fishy" while the other didn't. The short ribs are always hit miss. Some parts are good while others had fat that you cannot even cut through let alone eat. Christopher James was in the Explorers. We watched a few minutes from the hallway, and weren't interested. Instead we went to the IC for coffee and dessert. She had cheese, and I had chocolate pudding. That was our day....one more to go for the first half of our trip.

Tonight the comedian is back, doing a performance in the theater.

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Besides the time on land, I completely avoided the sun today. I spent the afternoon in the shade reading book #2, which I am almost finished. Besides a couple of liters of diet coke, I also had a cone of vanilla ice cream. We went to the buffet for dinner, where I had a bowl of chicken/vegi soup, salad, broccoli, fried chicken, potatoes, turkey and some pasta. After dinner we saw comedian Darrell Joyce in the explorers. He was ok. A production show was going on in the theater. Next stop was the casino, where I played a few hands and lost a few chips. This was followed by the IC, where I had a tiramisu, a cookie and a chocolate cream cake. Ro had some cheese. After dessert, we parted ways and I went back to the casino where I played for quite a bit, but eventually walked away a loser. Today was a good/long day, and it is passed my bed time. Tomorrow is a sea day and the second formal night.

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I don't drink beer, but have heard them mention the buckets....5 for 4

I know the have Stella on draft

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When we went to the IC after dinner last night, the items had changed. the Greek salad was back, and there was a cashew chicken salad which was replaced by a different chicken salad when it was finished. The mouse wasn't there, so I had a tiramisu and a berry chocolate tart to go with my mocha. From there we called it a night and were in bed early. I awoke at 2am, and needed my ear plugs, but I couldn't find them. I used my phone light to search but they were nowhere to be found....did our room steward throw them out by accident? I went back to bed expecting a restless night, but then it occurred to me that I checked under the bed, but hadn't tried moving the night table....where I did find them....phew!

We got up at 8am and decided to go straight off the ship before it got too hot. We had nothing planned, but to walk around and maybe make a couple of inquiries. I was at the information booth asking about the ostrich farm, when Ro came to me with a pamphlet that she found for an animal rescue called Philip's Animal Garden. Being animal lovers, we decided to go there. The cab ride was $17+tip each way, and it cost $10pp to get in. We had a tour guide who gave us each bags of food and told us about all the animals we were seeing. The list of animals included: donkeys, horses, cows, bulls, kangaroo, goats, sheep, pigs, camels, geese, ducks, birds, peacocks, ocelot, monkeys, ferrets, dogs, snakes, gators and prob some others I am forgetting. It was better than I would have expected, and we were able to feed anything that wouldn't try to take our hands off. From there we went back to the ship. I had a burger, dog & fries for lunch. Ro is getting more sun. It is a beautiful day in Aruba!

here is a pic of the duty free alcohol list. Other pics from the cruise will be posted at the end of the trip

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/98631961@N04/12089230774/

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gin:

beefeater $18 (2 for $30)

Bombay sapphire $27

Gordon's $15

tanqueray $20

Bacardi rum:

8 $24

limon $17

superior $17

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The cafe caribe for lunch had Mexican. I had a plate with a variety of items, and I brought Ro some nachos, salsa & guacamole to go with her vegi burger. We stayed by the pool till around 3pm....we arrived in Curaçao at 1:30pm. We just walked around when we got off the ship. We saw the pontoon bridge move, and took the ferry to the other side. By the time we got back on board, my legs were dead, and I somehow managed to get my face fried today without taking the sun....even with a hat on. Tonight is Italian night, and we are once again eating at the buffet. I overdid it on this meal, having 2 helpings of salad, pasta, pasta, pasta, shrimp, chicken, mini pizza, etc. Next stop is the IC for my mouse and a coffee. This evenings show is Matilda again....no thanks. There will be a deck party at 9:30pm. I don't know if I will be awake. Hopefully the weather stays like this for the entire cruise. Tomorrow we are in Aruba.

So far I have very little negative to say for this trip. The toilet and a/c problems in the cabin were fixed fast enough. The staff are great. The food is good.

A minor annoyance is the placement of 2 ping pong tables in front of the grill....they just shouldn't be there considering the amount of traffic and the balls flying into all the people. My biggest issue would be the repetition of entertainment and what is shown on MUTS....this is a fleet wide problem.

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