Hi, I’m Julie McCoy, Your TR Director Review of the CB

[jenseib]

Looking to my right.

I could see the gangways to the ship and the terminal.

I believe that is the spa/gym up there.

Just looking out and enjoying the views.

[jenseib]

And this was looking to my left.

I then left that area and headed towards the back of the ship.

A little kiddie pool.

Speaking of kids…I did not see many at all on the ship. Yes there were some, but it was rare when I did see them. One thing I failed to do was find the actual kids clubs and go in for a peak. I saw some outdoor play areas, but I never made an effort to find the inside areas. I really wish I had checked them out for Claire.

A look down at the aft of the ship.

The bridge is going up again!

I walked through Horizons then.

[jenseib]

They were offering different drink packages all over the ship today. I am glad I did sign up for mine beforehand, but you can do it once onboard as well.

Tables and chairs to eat at out near the pools.

The ice-cream shop!

You can get hard dipped and soft serve here and it’s free. You can also get shakes, but those cost, but were included with my drink package.

I also believe this is where you could get popcorn during the Movies Under the Stars, though I never did look into it.

Even though I really wasn’t hungry and actually still quite full from the drink I had recently had, I got a vanilla hard dip cone. It was delicious!

[#1Nanna]

What kind of drink was this? It looks so yummy! I have purchased the beverage and more package for our upcoming cruise and would love to know. Thanks!

 

 

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[Homosassa]

Re: the spin cycles. The seats are removed by the gym staff between spin classes (fee) so no one would think that they might be able to work out on one on their own.

 

I don't understand the reasoning as the stationary bikes that are available offer the same features as the spin class bikes.

[Cruisin' Chick]

On my last couple of cruises, a freestanding popcorn machine was placed near the ice cream place. This was on the Golden so I don't know if it's the same for other ships.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Re the kids' program rooms, other than the first day when it's just sign up and orientation, those who don't have kids there are not allowed in. Even to take photos (especially not...the only photos I was allowed to take was when we came in for the mandatory meeting for parents). Privacy issues.

 

You can look at the info that's outside where the number of kids per age may be listed as well as perhaps a listing of some of the activities

[jenseib]

What kind of drink was this? It looks so yummy! I have purchased the beverage and more package for our upcoming cruise and would love to know. Thanks!

[ATTACH]330078[/ATTACH]

 

 

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It was a strawberry daquiri. Very good! They also had a menu with mocktails and I tried several of them. I also asked one day for them to make me one that was half strawberry and half mango.....and boy was that GOOD!!!!

 

Re: the spin cycles. The seats are removed by the gym staff between spin classes (fee) so no one would think that they might be able to work out on one on their own.

 

I don't understand the reasoning as the stationary bikes that are available offer the same features as the spin class bikes.

 

Thats funny. I wondered if they were removed but couldn't figure out the reasoning why.

[#1Nanna]

Awesome!! Thanks!! Sounds so good!

 

 

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[jenseib]

On my last couple of cruises' date=' a freestanding popcorn machine was placed near the ice cream place. This was on the Golden so I don't know if it's the same for other ships.[/quote']

 

I am not sure about that. I never actually saw popcorn popping! :D

 

Re the kids' program rooms' date=' other than the first day when it's just sign up and orientation, those who don't have kids there are not allowed in. Even to take photos (especially not...the only photos I was allowed to take was when we came in for the mandatory meeting for parents). Privacy issues.

 

You can look at the info that's outside where the number of kids per age may be listed as well as perhaps a listing of some of the activities[/quote']

 

Yeah that is pretty typical of most cruise lines. I just wanted to give a peek and see what it was like and I looked one morning and got distracted and never looked again.

[jenseib]

Awesome!! Thanks!! Sounds so good!

 

 

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There were many good choices! :D

[jenseib]

More exploring to be done…I made my way to the Princess Theatre to see what that looked like.

And then a walk through the Casino.

Warning, the Casino allows smoking on one side. It can get quite smokey in there and you can even smell it drift out into the Atrium area. There was one night that it was smoke free though.

I wandered out towards the Atrium then.

And took a look down in the Piazza.

[jenseib]

I really liked the light….I liked it much better than the new one they put on the Disney Magic.

Though I kept thinking it looked like fly eyes! LOL.

One of the bar areas. (I believe this was Crooners)

And then I walked towards the aft of Deck 7 and found the Explorers Lounge, which I never went in to.

[jenseib]

This is outside the Explorers Lounge.

Next was the Wheelhouse Bar.

Another place I never went in to, but I may have peeked in the door a time or 2. It was really hopping in the afternoon one sea day.

This is Sabatini’s which is an Italian restaurant that you pay an upcharge for. I hear it is really good but we never ventured to any of the specialty restaurants.

It was now getting close to the Muster Drill time so I went back to the room to fetch Mom, who had been unpacking her suitcases instead of resting.

We went in search of our station and wouldn’t you know, it was in Sabatini’s, right where I had just come from. We asked to be sure we were at the right place and they directed us inside to take a seat and someone would be inside to check us off. NOT! They were actually scanning cards outside, but evidently the CM I had talked to didn’t know that. That’s OK we did eventually get taken care of.

We sat and waited and the restaurant really filled up.

One thing I need to mention now is the heat. It was really hot outside today again. I don’t mind that so much if I can escape inside to cool off. The ship was not cool at all. Our room was hot and we did set the AC to the lowest it could go, many of the halls and areas were also hot. Cooler than outside, but not refreshing at all. I did worry this may become an issue.

Sabatini’s was hot. Sitting there with a lot of people in there was quite warm and many people were fanning themselves.

As we waited an older 4 some of 2 couples came in. The place was pretty full now. A CM directed them to a table and said 2 can sit here. This guy screams WE NEED A PLACE FOR 4!!!!! We all busted out laughing. First, don’t be late if you want to sit together. 2nd, it’s only for a short time and it won’t kill you to be apart from your friends for a little while. This guy refused to sit there though and they hung out by the door. I think some people actually moved so this 4some could sit together. I wouldn’t have. LOL. Now if it was a family with kids, I would’ve, I’m not completely heartless.

It also made me laugh because this would be my dad. He is attached to my mom at the hip and if he had to be separated from her for a few minutes he would’ve had a fit.

This is the table those couples had been directed to and refused. LOL!

They announced that anyone who had not been scanned to raise their hands so we did and no one came. I gave up when my arm got tired and it was actually about 15 minutes later before they came in to scan us.

The Muster Drill was painless. One thing to note as well, Princess no longer requires you to bring your life jacket to the Muster Drill. This is a very new change for Princess. Disney has been doing this for a couple of years now (as well as many other lines). They had several announcements before the drill about this and that you could take the jacket with you if you were new to cruising or felt the need to refresh, and they also encouraged you to try on your life jacket when you got back to the room. I am sad to say I never actually did do that.

After the drill we headed outside. It was crowded and hard to get around so we just took a breather.

[jenseib]

We went in near the Circle Host Desk and Future Cruise sales area and looked around. Many people were already ready to book a future cruise.

The Crown Grill is also located right in that area. That is another specialty upcharge restaurant.

The Shore Excursions desk is opposite the Crown Grill.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

I'm hanging on every word Jen. I can barely respond. I leave for my CB cruise in 9 days and am trying to prep the house for DH & our 6 kids to have a painless week.

 

I appreciate every single picture and all the great narratives! You are helping me get excited when I'm basically freaking out about leaving my family. :{

Edited November 6, 2014 by Vacationdreamer<><

[Vacationdreamer<><]

Your drink sticker was already on your card when you got it in the terminal? Was that b/c you are Elite? My friend pre-ordered ours. I was thinking we would have to get them in our stateroom.

 

 

<><

[jenseib]

I'm hanging on every word Jen. I can barely respond. I leave for my CB cruise in 9 days and am trying to prep the house for DH & our 6 kids to have a painless week.

 

I appreciate every single picture and all the great narratives! You are helping me get excited when I'm basically freaking out about leaving my family. :{

 

I totally understand. I had to do the same thing..though only 1 kid left at home. But I had to make a schedule up and hang it on the fridge' date=' have on on the counter, one to my friend, one to my MIL, just so everyone knew what was going on and so Claire new which days to pack a lunch and to buy and bring gym clothes...all that fun stuff. Luckily MIL lives right next door so Claire would go over there after school and if she needed anything she could run home and get it.

It's a little extra work but so worth it! :p

 

Your drink sticker was already on your card when you got it in the terminal? Was that b/c you are Elite? My friend pre-ordered ours. I was thinking we would have to get them in our stateroom.

 

 

<><

 

Yes. I prepaid and it was on my card right as they gave it to me in the terminal. It had nothing to do with being elite, only that I prepaid and the cup (which you do not have to use on the ship) was waiting for me in my room.

[jenseib]

We made the circle and took a look at the Piazza.

I took a lot of pictures of the Piazza throughout the cruise.

We walked around the area and I took several pictures.

One of the dining rooms, I believe this is the Coral but I could be wrong. The dining rooms look very similar and the colors are just slightly different.

[jenseib]

I guess I visited the Island dining room as well.

Time for a snack again! Actually I wanted just the cheesecake but the CM didn’t understand me and put other things on first, so he just kept adding till I got the right one.

Looks like I ate the cheesecake before I even took a picture. LOL…..well it was good!

It was now about time to sail away. I went up top and called Claire to say goodbye. I told my MIL I would have a friend post the Port Everglades webcam link to my facebook page and she could let Claire watch me sail away. I then contacted one of my friends and of course she was away and not answering me. In the end another friend was able to do it for me and Claire said she did watch us sail out. My MIL said she was glued to the computer screen watching me sail away.

I believe we found a spot on deck 17 right behind the Caribbean Princess sign on the Port side to watch as we sailed out. I kept waving for the off chance that they zoomed in and Claire could see us.

Edited November 7, 2014 by jenseib

[jenseib]

Being the dork I am, I also turned on the webcam on my phone and watched us sail that way too.

I was also messaging 2 of my friends as we sailed out and they were watching as well.

I must admit this is a little more of an interesting port to sail out of verses Port Canaveral.

As we sailed by these apartments we saw a few guys out waving. One had an air horn and did a few blasts. The ship then did the same rhythm of blasts back. Now I am not sure if this guy knows the routine and just blasts right beforehand as he knows what is coming or if our ship was truly answering him, but he did it several times and each time we would blast the same way. It was kind of cool. My friend, Brook, said she could hear it on the webcam too.

The guy above looks like he has some Mickey hands….the guy in the next picture…..well he looks naked.

[jenseib]

What a pretty shoreline.

A little boat out there.

We then walked over to the other side of the ship to see the view over there.

I could be wrong, but I think that is the pier we saw from Hollywood Beach yesterday.

[jenseib]

Being close to the airport, the planes were flying right over us.

The Vision was still docked.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

I totally understand. I had to do the same thing..though only 1 kid left at home. But I had to make a schedule up and hang it on the fridge, have on on the counter, one to my friend, one to my MIL, just so everyone knew what was going on and so Claire new which days to pack a lunch and to buy and bring gym clothes...all that fun stuff. Luckily MIL lives right next door so Claire would go over there after school and if she needed anything she could run home and get it.

It's a little extra work but so worth it! :p

 

 

 

Yes. I prepaid and it was on my card right as they gave it to me in the terminal. It had nothing to do with being elite, only that I prepaid and the cup (which you do not have to use on the ship) was waiting for me in my room.

 

That'd be great if it was already on my card! I'd thought it'd be in the stateroom and we'd get it there.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Vacationdreamer<><

[jenseib]

That'd be great if it was already on my card! I'd thought it'd be in the stateroom and we'd get it there.

 

It should be, but I have heard sometimes it is not. When checking in at the terminal if it isn't there I would ask them about it and they can tell you where to find it.