Honeymoon, first time with Princess

[kwoody]

Hey Guys,

I am going to be getting married this upcoming New Years Eve (12/31/2011) and have begun to look for honeymoon choices. We have cruised a few times before (Carnival 2x and RCCL 2x) We are looking for something a little different then our home port departure of Galveston. We looked around at some websites and found a Princess sailing on 1/2/12 out of San Juan that interested us. It seems as if it is a 7 day cruise that is shortened to 6 because of the New Years Cruise (Which does not necessarily bother us seeing as departing on a cruise on the first would be a logistical nightmare for us) I just have a few questions seeing as neither of us have ever experienced Princess before and the forums don't seem as active as the CCL and RCCL.

 

1) I understand that Princess is a little older demographic then probably most of the sailings we have been on. (Think Galveston 5 day cruising=party) But we are both 26 and wanting to not so much as party as enjoy each others company on our honeymoon. Are the demographics that much different (or even different at all) where we may feel like sticking out like a sore thumb.

 

2) Food. We both love food (who doesn't!) Her favorite things are the lobster tails and the Chocolate Melting Cake of CCL. Mine is eggs benedict. Does Princess serve eggs Benedict for breakfast? If they do I assume it is only at the sit down dining choice?

 

3) Mini-Suite. Since this is our Honeymoon we are looking to splurge a little bit and potentially get a mini suite either with dolphin or emerald deck. Are there any perks over a balcony with a mini suite? I am still looking at finding a TA for our potential trip but figured I would ask CC advice first.

 

Right now we are just in our initially planning stages but really like the Ports of Call of the ship. Both RCCL and Princess have about the same itinerary and pricing for a entry level suite. What are your experiences of the two departing Puerto Rico.

Thanks!

[Toto2Kansas]

Princess does serve eggs benedict in the dining room. If it is not on the menu that morning, you can ask, and if they can't fix it for you that day, it will be ready the next day, and the next and the next if you wish. Often times we have found it on the buffet at breakfat also, but if you don't get them when they are first brought out, they can be a bit dry I am afraid.

 

No chocolate melting cake on Princess for your bride though, sorry. They do offer the Love Boat Dream which is totally chocolate and she might enjoy that.

 

Mini suites on Princess are wonderful, but aside from the larger cabin with a full sized tub, 2 TV's, sitting area, etc, the only real perk would be a glass of champagne delivered by your room steward after you board the ship. The mini suites are all identical inside (except for a couple of end minis on some of the ships), the only difference in them is that on the Emerald Deck, towards the aft, the balcony is totally covered, where as the minis on the Dolphin Deck the balconys are all totally exposed to the sun. So, if you decide on a mini suite on Princess, keep that choice in mind.

 

Definitely consult a travel agent if you decide on Princess. A discount TA can save you over the Princess price, and often times offer shipboard credit to your booking too.

Good luck on your honeymoon search. ;)

[kwoody]

Princess does serve eggs benedict in the dining room. If it is not on the menu that morning, you can ask, and if they can't fix it for you that day, it will be ready the next day, and the next and the next if you wish. Often times we have found it on the buffet at breakfat also, but if you don't get them when they are first brought out, they can be a bit dry I am afraid.

 

No chocolate melting cake on Princess for your bride though, sorry. They do offer the Love Boat Dream which is totally chocolate and she might enjoy that.

 

Mini suites on Princess are wonderful, but aside from the larger cabin with a full sized tub, 2 TV's, sitting area, etc, the only real perk would be a glass of champagne delivered by your room steward after you board the ship. The mini suites are all identical inside (except for a couple of end minis on some of the ships), the only difference in them is that on the Emerald Deck, towards the aft, the balcony is totally covered, where as the minis on the Dolphin Deck the balconys are all totally exposed to the sun. So, if you decide on a mini suite on Princess, keep that choice in mind.

 

Definitely consult a travel agent if you decide on Princess. A discount TA can save you over the Princess price, and often times offer shipboard credit to your booking too.

Good luck on your honeymoon search. ;)

 

Thanks for the great info. I will definitely check out those cabins moving forward. Placed a few calls into TA's so we will see where it goes from here. I am sure I will have lots more questions going forward!

[spider3455]

My wife and I are 26 & 28 and we have cruised Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess. We keep coming back to Princess. Classy without being stuffy is how I would describe it. There is a broad demographic on most cruises, but like most lines, it depends on the length of the cruise and time of the year. A 6 day out of San Juan around the holidays will have lots of young people on board. Our last cruise was a 10 day in November and it was clearly a older crowd, but no complaints. Always something to do.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

One main difference is leaving out from a port overseas

[kwoody]

One main difference is leaving out from a port overseas

 

Ya this is what interests us in this cruise in particular. Would be fun to stay in San Juan for a day or two after the cruise.

[Katie333]

Definitely stay an extra day or two in San Juan, lots to see, and some very nice beaches and excursion options as well (such as the Rain Forest).

 

Princess should be great and in early January, you'll be hitting the soft side of the offseason, so you'll have great weather and less crowds.

 

Mini suites are a treat and for your honeymoon I would absolutely do this. We love them and have become a bit addicted to the space and in-room amenities offered vs. a balcony or below.

[Loonbeam]

And make sure to let them know its your honeymoon. They'll decorate the cabin, and on our last Princess cruise the captain invited a honeymoon couple to the bridge for a complimentary photo and the crew pulled out all the stops for them (it was a little funny, they were stereotypical small town midwest highschool sweethearts and were just a WEE overwhelmed.)

[lusitanica]

Hey Guys,

I am going to be getting married this upcoming New Years Eve (12/31/2011) and have begun to look for honeymoon choices. We have cruised a few times before (Carnival 2x and RCCL 2x) We are looking for something a little different then our home port departure of Galveston. We looked around at some websites and found a Princess sailing on 1/2/12 out of San Juan that interested us. It seems as if it is a 7 day cruise that is shortened to 6 because of the New Years Cruise (Which does not necessarily bother us seeing as departing on a cruise on the first would be a logistical nightmare for us) I just have a few questions seeing as neither of us have ever experienced Princess before and the forums don't seem as active as the CCL and RCCL.

 

1) I understand that Princess is a little older demographic then probably most of the sailings we have been on. (Think Galveston 5 day cruising=party) But we are both 26 and wanting to not so much as party as enjoy each others company on our honeymoon. Are the demographics that much different (or even different at all) where we may feel like sticking out like a sore thumb.

 

2) Food. We both love food (who doesn't!) Her favorite things are the lobster tails and the Chocolate Melting Cake of CCL. Mine is eggs benedict. Does Princess serve eggs Benedict for breakfast? If they do I assume it is only at the sit down dining choice?

 

3) Mini-Suite. Since this is our Honeymoon we are looking to splurge a little bit and potentially get a mini suite either with dolphin or emerald deck. Are there any perks over a balcony with a mini suite? I am still looking at finding a TA for our potential trip but figured I would ask CC advice first.

 

Right now we are just in our initially planning stages but really like the Ports of Call of the ship. Both RCCL and Princess have about the same itinerary and pricing for a entry level suite. What are your experiences of the two departing Puerto Rico.

Thanks!

 

Try mini-suites (covered balconies) on starboard Emerald Deck (right side).

These are just large and comfortable balcony cabins (no "suite perks"), but they are simply the best balcony cabins you can find at see.

The very aft of them with an extended balcony is a single best balcony cabin throughout world's cruise fleet.

[kwoody]

I have called around to some TA, got some good advice so far but also got some bad advice. Looks like I may be leaning towards Princess Mini-Suite category AC (I am open to advice as far as this goes)

I know this may sound like a dumb question but does Princess accept CCL future cruise credits, I only ask because it seems they have the same parent company.

[Loonbeam]

No, they don't at least not normally. While they are part of the same corporate chain they operate as a separate business entity.

I have called around to some TA, got some good advice so far but also got some bad advice. Looks like I may be leaning towards Princess Mini-Suite category AC (I am open to advice as far as this goes)

I know this may sound like a dumb question but does Princess accept CCL future cruise credits, I only ask because it seems they have the same parent company.

[CaribQween]

My husband and I were on the Emerald Princess over Thanksgiving. It was our first Princess cruise. We've also sailed Carnival and NCL. We absoltuley loved Princess even a little over the other two. We did find the age demographic to be a more mature crowd, but we certainly didn't feel out of place and I don't think you will either. It was a 10-day cruise so there weren't many kids. We really felt like we had the opportunity to just enjoy each other without everything being all loud and crazy. Princess really has a more refined feeling to it. We were able to go to the adults-only pools and enjoy not having kids around. We went and had a couple's massage in the Lotus Spa and enjoyed it so much that we went back and had a second one the last day of the cruise. It was absolutely heavenly. If you're interested, make sure to check out the daily Princess Patters for Spa specials. You may want to try a half-day in the Sanctuary too since you're going to splurge a little for your honeymoon. And possibly try out the Movies Under the Stars (MUTS), if offered on your ship, where you can curl up together on a couple of loungers and watch a movie on an absolutely huge screen. They even provide blankets so you can curl up together under the stars. Waitstaff will go around and take drink orders too (or you can just run to the bar which is right there). They even have a popcorn machine too. There are a lot of great dining option too. We did the Any Time Dining and we really enjoyed being able to go down to dinner whenever we wanted without any waits (at all) and we were always able to get a table for two so we could just enjoy dinner together ourselves. Both the Crown Grill and Sabatini's are very nice specialty restaurants (fee charged) with a nice quiet romantic ambience just great for a romantic dinner together. The Crown Grill is like a Steakhouse with both steak and seafood choices (including lobster tails for your soon to be wife). And just so you know, they do have a wonderful chocolate melting cake in the Crown Grill too called the Molten Dutch Chocolate Fudge Obsession. It's all warm and gooey and very, very good. I'm not sure if you ask in the MDR if you could get it there or not. Sabatini's is Italian but with a lot of seafood. Princess also offers Ultimate Balcony Dining (of course for a fee) where you can have a wonderful 4 course lobster or steak dinner served to you out on your own balcony with cocktails, flowers, champagne. Or, you can do it for breakfast which I believe includes a half bottle of champagne, fruit, pastries, quiche, smoked salmon, etc. You get your own waitstaff dedicated to your meal the entire time. It's just very, very romantic. They have sample menus for all of the restaurants on the Princess website. I think you could really plan an awesome honeymoon. We use a discount online TA that always gets us prices lower than Princess. I guess the rules don't allow me to put it on here but if you're interested, shoot me an email and I'll send you the info (mwoods0313@comcast.net). Good Luck with planning and Congratulations!!

[jtcoolk]

Hey Guys,

I am going to be getting married this upcoming New Years Eve (12/31/2011) and have begun to look for honeymoon choices. We have cruised a few times before (Carnival 2x and RCCL 2x) We are looking for something a little different then our home port departure of Galveston. We looked around at some websites and found a Princess sailing on 1/2/12 out of San Juan that interested us. It seems as if it is a 7 day cruise that is shortened to 6 because of the New Years Cruise (Which does not necessarily bother us seeing as departing on a cruise on the first would be a logistical nightmare for us) I just have a few questions seeing as neither of us have ever experienced Princess before and the forums don't seem as active as the CCL and RCCL.

 

1) I understand that Princess is a little older demographic then probably most of the sailings we have been on. (Think Galveston 5 day cruising=party) But we are both 26 and wanting to not so much as party as enjoy each others company on our honeymoon. Are the demographics that much different (or even different at all) where we may feel like sticking out like a sore thumb.

 

2) Food. We both love food (who doesn't!) Her favorite things are the lobster tails and the Chocolate Melting Cake of CCL. Mine is eggs benedict. Does Princess serve eggs Benedict for breakfast? If they do I assume it is only at the sit down dining choice?

 

3) Mini-Suite. Since this is our Honeymoon we are looking to splurge a little bit and potentially get a mini suite either with dolphin or emerald deck. Are there any perks over a balcony with a mini suite? I am still looking at finding a TA for our potential trip but figured I would ask CC advice first.

 

Right now we are just in our initially planning stages but really like the Ports of Call of the ship. Both RCCL and Princess have about the same itinerary and pricing for a entry level suite. What are your experiences of the two departing Puerto Rico.

Thanks!

 

Just to add my two cents.......I would save the money and book a balcony on Caribe deck - they are larger than other standard balconies and use the money for the Ultimate Balcony Dinner!

I have been in a mini-suite and a balcony and I personally don't think it's worth the price difference, unless you get a great deal. the "full sized" bathtub is still very tiny, you do get an extra tv - but room hardly seems large enough for 2, and you gain a couch.

 

Oh and my favorite cabins are on the aft. Deck is large, you're only neighbor is the full suite next door and you get to watch the port as you sail away!

[CaribQween]

Just to add my two cents.......I would save the money and book a balcony on Caribe deck - they are larger than other standard balconies and use the money for the Ultimate Balcony Dinner!

I have been in a mini-suite and a balcony and I personally don't think it's worth the price difference, unless you get a great deal. the "full sized" bathtub is still very tiny, you do get an extra tv - but room hardly seems large enough for 2, and you gain a couch.

 

Oh and my favorite cabins are on the aft. Deck is large, you're only neighbor is the full suite next door and you get to watch the port as you sail away!

 

Okay, I know I've put way past my two cents....But I totally agree with getting a balcony on the aft. We LOVE the aft balconies. We wouldn't trade to anything away from the aft. There is nothing more romantic than sitting out there watching the wake of the ship. And seeing the entire port as you sail away is just nearly magical.

[kwoody]

Looks like we have narrowed our choices between AD mini suite and BB aft balcony. I thought i had read somewhere that AD emerald had covered balconies? Are there balconies in those two categories that are bigger than others? (the only thing my fiancee is concerned about is balcony size!)

 

Thanks!

[Northender]

You didn't say what ship. I have friends who always get the mini on Emerald AD. E730 & E731 are prime. Balcony is a little bigger. Also, the Caribe Deck aft on Ruby, Crown C752 & C753 (check it first) are nice cabins.

 

There could be quite a few families on this sailing out of PR. School break.

[kwoody]

You didn't say what ship. I have friends who always get the mini on Emerald AD. E730 & E731 are prime. Balcony is a little bigger. Also, the Caribe Deck aft on Ruby, Crown C752 & C753 (check it first) are nice cabins.

 

There could be quite a few families on this sailing out of PR. School break.

 

 

Sorry Carribean Princess

[CaribQween]

Looks like we have narrowed our choices between AD mini suite and BB aft balcony. I thought i had read somewhere that AD emerald had covered balconies? Are there balconies in those two categories that are bigger than others? (the only thing my fiancee is concerned about is balcony size!)

 

Thanks!

 

Caribbean Princess. Take a look at this thread that is called "the Ultimate Aft Balcony Thread with Pictures...". (I've put in the link but not sure if it will work). http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=808951&highlight=hopefully+the+ultimate+aft

 

A member put it together and it has pictures and diagrams of all of the balconies on the different Princess ships. It is really helpful. Many of the ships have the same layout so you'll be able to look at one picture and it will cover your ship too. Definitely read through some of the posts because there are aft balconies on some of these ships that have beams or vents that are placed in a really inconvenient place on the balcony and therefore it takes up a good portion of it or doesn't allow for you to place your chairs out there next to each other. We were on the Emerald Princess which I believe has the same layout as the Caribbean Princess. We were on the Baja deck in stateroom B755 which is category BB. It was one that did NOT have any beams or vents with bad smells. We loved it. We have our April cruise on the same ship and same exact balcony. You'll probably find that the end balconies have a deeper balcony (B748, B750, B749 and B751), but we've never been in one so can't comment on it. We decided that since we knew B755 was great that we wouldn't take any chances. Our balcony was covered but you could still get sun at different times of the day. We've never been in a mini-suite. However, we would not give up a BB balcony for a mini-suite that wasn't aft. But, it's all about preference. Good Luck.

[Celandine]

The demographic is older, but it is more noticeable on cruises that are longer.

 

I am also 26, and on my Crown Princess 14 day Transatlantic, I only ever saw a handful of people around my age.

 

That being said, that ship had a great time! THe deck party was awesome, people were up late dancing in Club Fusion, and everyone I met was super friendly.

 

Eggs benedict is always in the dining room, sometimes in the buffet. It is delicious. (food in general on Princess I found delicious)

 

I think it would be a fabulous choice for a honeymoon cruise! (in fact, I think if I ever get married I want to get married on a Princess ship)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Love Boat Dream. Don't say I didn't warn you.

 

[StewartFlyer]

kwoody,

 

We are a newlywed couple (25 and 27) that is set to embark on the CB this Sunday. We came into port today, and will be exploring all the San Juan has to offer.

 

It's also my first trip with Princess, so I can't vouch for the line just quite yet. I'll be happy to share my newlywed experiences with the board at the end of the trip.

[Northender]

Re: Chocolate Melting Cake

I am not sure what this is, but at the Crowne Grille they have a dessert that is a hot chock cake with nice chocolate oozing from the middle. I always order some ice cream on the side. Very good.:):)

[kwoody]

kwoody,

 

We are a newlywed couple (25 and 27) that is set to embark on the CB this Sunday. We came into port today, and will be exploring all the San Juan has to offer.

 

It's also my first trip with Princess, so I can't vouch for the line just quite yet. I'll be happy to share my newlywed experiences with the board at the end of the trip.

 

Have fun! enjoy it.

[paul929207]

Congratulations. Have a great cruise

[AZaTaz]

My son and daughter-in-law went on a Princess cruise. They loved it so much they have booked a get away for the two of them. They are in thier 20's. They would not even look at a different line, it was Princess or nothing.