Jasperdo Posted February 19, 2016 #101 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Regarding your last question the perpetrator was arrested after another armed home invasion in a different state a month later. He's been in jail since December awaiting trial. All is well.Excellent news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 19, 2016 Author #102 Share Posted February 19, 2016 The S Class ships like the Silhouette have 3 pools. 2 of them are end to end midship. One pool is adults only and the other is a family pool. They are open from 7 am to 11pm. Loungers are left out overnight and not tied up at dusk as on Princess. The pools look good at night The 3rd pool is an indoor one which can come in handy on a rainy or windy day and would be useful too in Alaskan waters. It's called the Solarium and is open 7 am to 11 also. It has a cafe serving healthy snacks and smoothies. Nice padded loungers. Adults only. The pool furniture is not what you usually see on a ship... Hammock for two POOLS? ADVANTAGE CELEBRITY (FOR THE INDOOR POOL, THE 11PM CLOSING, THE POOL FURNITURE, SWIM ACCESSORY SHOP AND THE "CANVAS" SUN SHADES) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare geoherb Posted February 19, 2016 #103 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Looking forward to the rest of your review. Is there a problem with the adults-only pool being right beside the family-friendly one? That was our complaint on the Sun Princess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 19, 2016 Author #104 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Looking forward to the rest of your review. Is there a problem with the adults-only pool being right beside the family-friendly one? That was our complaint on the Sun Princess. Hi and welcome! There were barely any kids on our cruise. I can think of three and one of those was a toddler. The ship sets aside 6 pm to 9 pm (dinner hours) as Family Time at the pools. I didn't notice any takers and there was not one squeal heard all week. I think like Princess the line doesn't attract young families. When I see a ship with "fun apparatus", such as a waterpark or jungle gym on the upper decks I immediately get out my notebook and add it to my list to avoid. The X demographic and the Princess one were the same on this cruise. Respectful people on the ship to relax during the day and have fun at night after a good meal. It took me about one second to adjust and feel at home. I will say that the Silhouette was more lively in the evening with a lot going on and the closing hours for the bars (coming up next) reflected that. Next morning the ship took longer to wake up-e.g the buffet opens for real at 7.00 am as opposed to 5.30 on Princess. That suited me as I like having the ship to myself as I'm an early riser. Cheers, Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan275 Posted February 19, 2016 #105 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) Hi, I did a youtube search on Vista Suites Dolphin Deck Princess Cruises but it only showed mini suites so I can't give you a definitive answer. As the stern is vertical I think it unlikely that your balcony will differ from the one I showed on the Emerald as you are just one deck below. Norris You won't get much from youtube. Tried that. Just google vista princess suite images. Here's one: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1726579 Post #5. This is an image posted on cruise critic of a vista suite on dolphin. See what I mean? From what I can tell, the vista's on Caribe are the smallest. Dolphin appears to be much bigger. Emerald can have noise issues if over Club Fusion. We've got D-736 booked on CB in December. The reason I've been asking is because we might be interested in a Penthouse suite but only if there is a significantly larger balcony. BTW, enjoying your review. We cancelled a Celebrity Suite on Silhouette to book a vista on CB. Saved about $1000. Often wonder if we should have kept the booking. Edited February 19, 2016 by RocketMan275 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 19, 2016 Author #106 Share Posted February 19, 2016 You won't get much from youtube. Tried that. Just google vista princess suite images. Here's one: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1726579 Post #5. This is an image posted on cruise critic of a vista suite on dolphin. See what I mean? From what I can tell, the vista's on Caribe are the smallest. Dolphin appears to be much bigger. Emerald can have noise issues if over Club Fusion. We've got D-736 booked on CB in December. The reason I've been asking is because we might be interested in a Penthouse suite but only if there is a significantly larger balcony. BTW, enjoying your review. We cancelled a Celebrity Suite on Silhouette to book a vista on CB. Saved about $1000. Often wonder if we should have kept the booking. Yes the pic shows a deeper balcony than Caribe 750 on the Emerald. I'd be happy with that. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneharborlady Posted February 19, 2016 #107 Share Posted February 19, 2016 ar, great to see you again and I'm glad you're tuned in to the comparison. I've had a lot of people mention health considerations after eating my muffins. I wasn't wearing my glasses when I baked them and will need to check that recipe again. Norris Oh terrific, NOW he tells us!!! :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josumello Posted February 19, 2016 #108 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Whew!! I am now caught up on both threads, the review and the comparison. Great posts. Have done both lines. Agree with many of your observations with the exception of MDR. Of course each cruise is different. Our dinning experiences have been excellent on X. Thanks so much for all the time and effort you have put into your reviews. Love your writing style. Much appreciated. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 19, 2016 Author #109 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Pat mentioned coffee so I'll talk about that. As an early riser I need that first cup of coffee. As I head for the top decks I usually get my fix from the buffet. I've tried the fresh brewed using my Coffee Card on Princess but it wasn't much better than the syrup pour in the buffet and paper cups aren't my favorite. So on Princess I get my coffee syrup here There are several of these stations in the buffet. On Silhouette I also go to the buffet for coffee . There are several smaller stations in the buffet They brew Lavazza- a recognized and good brand. It comes ground in domestic sized packs. If it's after 7 a.m (6 on disembarkation day) I can get espresso or cappuccino from Il Secondo Bacio, which is a bar within the buffet. It's included in my Beverage Package. COFFEE? ADVANTAGE CELEBRITY (FOR THE LAVAZZA COFFEE, THE BAR WITHIN THE BUFFET AND THE FRUIT JUICE MACHINE) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted February 19, 2016 #110 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I'm glad you are finding merit in the comparison Gut. Princess was our first too. If we were to look for a cruise today we now have two worthy lines to choose from and 10 more ships and itineraries. That helps. I didn't try the Aqua Spa Cafe-but I will next time as your wife is so gung-ho on it! Cheers, Norris It's all healthy junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 19, 2016 Author #111 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Whew!! I am now caught up on both threads, the review and the comparison. Great posts. Have done both lines. Agree with many of your observations with the exception of MDR. Of course each cruise is different. Our dinning experiences have been excellent on X. Thanks so much for all the time and effort you have put into your reviews. Love your writing style. Much appreciated. Sue Thanks Sue! As you saw my X MDR experience was not good -both food and service but I'm ready to try again on the Reflection. Hopefully Carol will join me there. I'm glad you've read both and have enjoyed them. Much appreciated. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sajlm045 Posted February 20, 2016 #112 Share Posted February 20, 2016 It seems that this thread is just getting warmed up. I'll have a double espresso and a Sambuca please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle19 Posted February 20, 2016 #113 Share Posted February 20, 2016 This is so great. Really enjoying it!! Thank You:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJSailors Posted February 20, 2016 #114 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Hello Norris Just chiming in here. On the Regal and,I would think the Royal, the new buffet layout provides a coffee station which serves fresh brewed coffee as well specialty coffees such as espresso,etc. It took me a few mornings to realize this when we were on the Regal last year. Before making this discovery at the HC, I would go to the IC to get my morning latte and carry it up to the buffet for breakfast. Having the specialty coffee station in the HC is very convenient. Perhaps, this will be offered in the future on the other Princess ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lor74 Posted February 20, 2016 #115 Share Posted February 20, 2016 The coffee station at the buffet on regal/Royal only serves specialty coffees with the card, there is no regular brew or iced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisencatlady Posted February 20, 2016 #116 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Love your line comparisons so far! Not so sure about your muffins. Since my return this week from a Princess 10-day Partial Panama Canal/Costa Rica(not!)/Caribbean cruise on the Coral Princess, I'm in full blown ABP mode for my fall vacation. Your review as a mainly Princess cruiser is helpful to this only Princess traveler, but X, Disney, or Royal Caribbean may be an option next time. Being a solo traveler without a huge budget for a suite, I wonder how the non-suite, steerage cabins compare. Hope the Feds don't handcuff you, and you get to finish your review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 20, 2016 Author #117 Share Posted February 20, 2016 As there are so many bars- 11 on Princess and 13 on Celebrity I'll break them down into; Casual Bars which will include the pool bars Bars with music and/or dancing Wine Bars So casual bars first... Princess- Tradewinds (pool and smoking section) Calypso ( movie screen pool) Outrigger (aft pool) Casino Bar Celebrity Cafe al Bacio Il Secondo Bacio Casino Bar Martini bar Mast Bar (above pool like Tradewinds with smoking section) Molecular Bar (by the shops) Passport Bar (by Guest Relations) Pool Bar (pool deck) Sunset Bar (aft above buffet outdoor seating) The Sunset bar was where I hung my hat all week as it had the lawn and a great view aft and I could pop down to the buffet below for coffee or lunch. The earliest of these bars to close is the Pool Bar which closes at 8 pm. The Mast bar closes at 10 but the rest stay open until 12 or 1 am, including the Sunset bar. Another 1 a.m bar is Il Secondo Bacio (buffet). Molecular bar and Cafe al Bacio close at midnight. The Martini bar with the "Flair" bartenders closes "late"-when everyone is drunk and asleep on the bar stools. As the casual bars on Princess are by the pool they close earlier. In the case of my favorite the Tradewinds they "close" at 7 but start packing away at 6.30. Not good. I should be able to get a drink there at 6.59. Harrumph! The Outrigger Bar is always closed when I go out there after dinner in Sabatini's. I've tried to find the Bar hours for Princess on line but to no avail. The closing times are listed in the Patters as "onwards" which probably means they close at the Manager's discretion (Like when he sees me approaching the bar) CASUAL BARS? ADVANTAGE CELEBRITY (FOR POSTING CLOSING HOURS AND STAYING OPEN LATE, FOR THE NUMBER AND VARIETY AND FOR THE MARTINI BARTENDER FLOORSHOW) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 20, 2016 Author #118 Share Posted February 20, 2016 It seems that this thread is just getting warmed up. I'll have a double espresso and a Sambuca please! Alas-"someone" has drank all of the Sambuca. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovevacadays Posted February 20, 2016 #119 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thank you so much for your review and photos. I am really enjoying this thread as well as your review on the Celebrity boards. You have definitely made me want to try one of the S Class ships. A good goal for 2017.:):):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 20, 2016 Author #120 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Love your line comparisons so far! Not so sure about your muffins. Since my return this week from a Princess 10-day Partial Panama Canal/Costa Rica(not!)/Caribbean cruise on the Coral Princess, I'm in full blown ABP mode for my fall vacation. Your review as a mainly Princess cruiser is helpful to this only Princess traveler, but X, Disney, or Royal Caribbean may be an option next time. Being a solo traveler without a huge budget for a suite, I wonder how the non-suite, steerage cabins compare. Hope the Feds don't handcuff you, and you get to finish your review. Thanks for the enthusiasm for the comparison! The Feds and the Muffins? No problem. I asked them if they took bribes-they said " Sir, we work for the Government of this Great Land - so, sure! Hell yeah!" So I am in the clear. Cheers, Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 20, 2016 Author #121 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thank you so much for your review and photos. I am really enjoying this thread as well as your review on the Celebrity boards. You have definitely made me want to try one of the S Class ships. A good goal for 2017.:):):) Michelle, glad to see you enjoying both threads! S Class- I lean towards the 2 ships with the Lawn Club Grill (Silly and Reflection) but of course itinerary is paramount. Whichever of the 5 you'll have a great time. Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 20, 2016 Author #122 Share Posted February 20, 2016 This is so great. Really enjoying it!! Thank You:) Thanks for the feedback, Michelle! More to come.... Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midwestchick Posted February 20, 2016 #123 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thanks for the feedback, Michelle! More to come.... Norris Since the bars close earlier on Princess, where do you go later in the evening if you want a drink or two or three? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted February 20, 2016 Author #124 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Since the bars close earlier on Princess, where do you go later in the evening if you want a drink or two or three? :D Oh, in the evening I only drink at dinner. A glass of wine. On Princess I usually have a bottle of red and a bottle of white following me from restaurant to restaurant. I ask for the Riedel glasses on Princess as their wine glasses are...nah, don't get me started. BTW I am in court next week for the armed robbery trial. I am going to ask the Judge to give the perp the Electric Chair or an electric toaster...something electric anyway. Cheers! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midwestchick Posted February 20, 2016 #125 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Oh, in the evening I only drink at dinner. A glass of wine. On Princess I usually have a bottle of red and a bottle of white following me from restaurant to restaurant. I ask for the Riedel glasses on Princess as their wine glasses are...nah, don't get me started. BTW I am in court next week for the armed robbery trial. I am going to ask the Judge to give the perp the Electric Chair or an electric toaster...something electric anyway. Cheers! Norris I don't drink wine and DH likes his bourbon at night. 😉 🍺 🍹 I like to have a couple really cold beers....helps me sleep. Is there a loung or somewhere to go like there is on X? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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