Luvmyrotti

The next scheduled dry dock for the CB is reportedly 3/26/17-4/5/17 in the Bahamas.

We are considering a cruise on Crown Princess.

There are 3 aft cabins left on Baja deck 756, 753 & 752.

I understand that there is a vent against B756 which is quite noisy.

Does anyone have a photo of the balcony obstruction on B753 or B752 taken on the ship rather than externally please? Any comments from those of you who have stayed in any of these would be welcome too.

It would really help our decision.

Thanks

Unfortunately I don't have pictures. I have sailed on Caribe and Dolphin deck, in vista suites and for us, the beam is a non-issue. The balconies are wide enough and deep enough that the beam really doesn't impact at all the ability to use the balcony. I'm not sure where exactly it is positioned in the Baja deck suites you list, but on both Caribe and Dolphin, it was off to one side of the balcony and perhaps 20 or so inches in width. Our loungers were near it when we were on Caribe and our table near it on Dolphin.

Princess has a lot more ways to combine OBC. I am heading out this Friday for a b2b. Total OBC for the two cruises $1500.

 

Even if you don't use the laundry facilities, the fact that Princess has them for the people that do use them is a significant advantage, especially on longer cruises, such as 31 days.

Agree! We layer on promo OBC, with additional OBC from our TA plus FCC OBC plus OBC from our Princess credit card plus veteran's OBC. On our 10 day coming up we'll have something like $800 or $900 in OBC. My understanding is that none of the other lines allow for layering as generously.

As for laundry, I like the ability to do a quick load if needed, as my DH is a bit of a mess and often spills. We also typically book suites, so if there is no rush we send it off in the complimentary laundry.

While the Wow factor of the dining room looks to be quite something on X, I would wonder if it's loud? We really enjoy the tucked away alcoves and corners of the P MDRs. It makes for a more intimate dining experience, even in a large room.

Norris, thanks so much for this great comparison. I've often wondered about X and have come close to trying it out, but our platinum perks and the great aft vista suites on P keeping pulling us back. If anything gets us to try out X, it will be this review. Great photos!!

Eagerly awaiting your comparison!

Great pics! Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to more!

I've seen them list everything as sold out when they are getting ready to change an already-released itinerary. They do this to block any new bookings while they are preparing to make the itinerary change on the website.

Are you already booked on the sailing? If you have a TA, I would put them on it to find out for you. A good TA will have a good contact at Princess and can usually get you the inside information.

What part of Maine? I graduated from MCI in Pittsfield and U of M at Farmington. I worked for Intl. Paper in Jay, Me. Im camping this summer at Hermit Island in Small Point, Me. I love the state :)

 

On topic, with the closing of Sabatini's......with the popularity of Alfredo's.....can a charge be in its future? I find meeting my cabin steward and giving a small appreciation :) ensures my large vase of ice is always full for my sodas and all request are taken care of. Then its off to the MDR for lunch.

I live in Scaborough and work in Portland. I graduated from Farmington too, class of 92.

I like it. A little more perky than what they currently have, but still tasteful with the seawitch.

We drop our carry on in the cabin and try to meet our steward so we can ask for a mattress topper and a top sheet on the bed. We try to get our bottle of sparkling wine delivered so it can be chilled and ready (I typically pre-purchase it so there is a card for it already in the cabin). We then go and purchase the AIBP. We then get lunch at the grill and lido deck pizzeria. After lunch we find the barstools that overlook the center pool area to hopefully enjoy some sunshine and cocktails. After muster we go back up to the top decks to enjoy the sail away party. Embarkation is so exciting!

We were recently able to change from a mini suite to a vista suite on the same deck of the Ruby for a very small price increase. We "lost" the AIBP but gained $300 in OBC. Seems like a great deal to me, since we aren't big drinkers, except coffee and an occasional glass of wine, and the view of Alaska from the stern of the ship should be awesome. Comments, please....we have never sailed with Princess, but have traveled with other lines. Thanks!

Yes, you will love the Vista suite!

Hey Heather-

Just a quick update. I may now have more opportunity to travel as a solo. My mom (and travel partner extraordinaire) is gone, and my husband just does not have much vacation time.

 

Good luck!

Tracie-Lynn

Tracie, I'm so sorry to hear that you lost your Mom. I didn't realize. I've enjoyed hearing about all of the travels you two have had.

But the cruise line is selling cabins. Whether they get that "fare" with one or two folk doesn't matter to them. BTW don't think for a moment, the cruise line (any cruise line) doesn't know to the penny what you spend. Your offers, OBC's, upgrades etc asre ALL factored on it. Heck even grocery stores rate customers right along with credit card companies who sell the info.

Unlike land based hotels, they are actually not selling cabins, they are selling berths. Why does it make any business sense to get revenue from a single berth fare in a cabin in which they could get two berth fares (or more) in that same cabin? This is why the solo gets charged fares for both berths in the cabin they are occupying solo.

While I really do appreciate the struggle of the solo cruiser, I'm a business woman and I would take a higher-revenue generating customer any day over a lower revenue generator. We all have to remember that Princess is a business. As a stockholder, I want them maximizing their revenue and profit.

By all reports, the balconies on the Royal are tiny, so you may want to take that into account. That being said, the natural light and fresh air that a balcony affords will win out for me every time.

Thanks for the comparison and sharing your perspective. It's helpful to see comparisons by cruisers who have a lot of experience on other lines.

The free drip filter coffee provided by Princess is like road tar and absolutely dreadful .

That's because the free coffee is actually not drip/filter coffee. It is a concentrated syrup base. I dislike it greatly, which is why I get the coffee card. I can get specialty coffee drinks as well as real drip coffee from grounds.

They can make you just about any coffee or espresso drink you want. I like the white and milk chocolate mocha. Yum.

I'm loving your review. Love that you're posting the menus and patters as well as all of your pictures and commentary. It's awesome!

I thought about taking an aerosol spray with deet, but we can't fly with aerosol cans. Does anyone know of a liquid bug spray that can be packed (preferably with deet?) Thanks.

You can fly with aerosol cans in your checked baggage, so you can bring a can of bug spray.

Yay!! I've been eagerly awaiting your review since you graciously uploaded the patters and indicated you'd be doing a review. I'm thrilled that you're doing a photo review. Thanks for taking the time to share your trip with us!! It gets me so excited for our September sailing of this itinerary!

I wish I had paid more attention in college when I took a class in logic. I could tell you the name of the logic fallacy you are stating.

 

I'm not shoplifting or stealing. I have paid for the package. The package entitles me to unlimited non-alcoholic drinks. Once I get said drink it is mine to do with as I see fit. If I want to I can give it away, throw it out, or just sit and stare at it for hours.

 

Again, if I and my partner were to both order multiple drinks each per day then 2 packages would be ordered. If I drink a lot during the day and my partner only wants one (or less) drink a day then it doesn't make sense to have two packages.

Yes, this is fine, if you then pay for your partner's drink a la carte, as the price you've paid for the package is per person and therefore covers drinks for your consumption.

I am thrilled with our cruises

Me too! I have loved our cruises, even if little things go wrong. We enjoy all the relaxing we get to do, with others cooking, cleaning and waiting on us. We get to go yo fun places and we get to enjoy as many or as few activities as we want. We simply don't look for the little problems.

I know that Princess will no longer be in Houston (Bayport), and I heard they would be moving to Galveston! Does anybody know anything about this move...and when will it be happening? Norweigan and Princess are currently ported in Houston until April 16th....then what??? Thanks!!

The question is, where did you hear this and is it a reliable source??

It's likely that you'll be able to have Alfredo menu items in Sabatini's on the Caribbean during the sea days. Not perfect, but still good. :)

Alfredo's was definitely not available in Sabatini's when we were on the Caribbean. I've never seen it on any of the Grand Class ships I've sailed except for those that have an actual free-standing Alfredo's (Sapphire & Grand).

Sounds like you already have a sense of Princess and that it may not be the best fit for you. What are your priorities on a cruise, what do you really like to do? What have you liked most about other cruise lines you've sailed? That can help us make a case for or against Princess for you.

Also, FWIW, a Panama Canal itinerary is likely going to be an older crowd on just about any cruise line, so I don't think you can make a definitive of the Princess age demographic based on that sailing. That being said, Princess certainly has an older demographic than, say, Royal Caribbean or Carnival.

The top source of trans fat in most baked goods is the use of Crisco shortening-like products. These are used in a lot of commercial baking because they tend to result in a more "stable' product that can be stored longer with a longer shelf-life. Given that there is constant baking going on in a cruise ship galley, this is less of a need/concern for the pastry chef and makes it just as easy to use butter as opposed to shortening. Hopefully this is a route they are going. This year I'm going to try to do the cooking demonstration and galley tour and try to ask about this, as I really try to limit my trans fats. Give me saturated fat any day over trans fat!