Crown Princess ABC islands Jan 12 to 20, 2018

[morbihan]

I am here. All ready to enjoy.

[morbihan]

Well! A right slip up here as I thought the review had just started! I am going to have to note dates down. Still, lovely to read through 12 pages in one go

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris! I am late to the party as I just got off the Ruby a couple of days ago and have been busy catching up on life, including back to work today.

 

I also got beeped for a random search in the TSA pre line...but they were so busy dealing with the woman who refused to remove her 2 pounds of metal jewelry that they just did the wipe test on my phone and let me go.

 

Welcome-never too late to join in! I hope the Ruby cruise was a memorable one.

I was going to write this morning but am heading into work early instead. That means I'll get home earlier before it gets dark.

International Cafe, Voice auditions and the show Encore coming later today.

Norris

[metairiegal]

What a wonderful proposal! That gentleman came up with a great idea of how/when to pop the question!!

[WestTexasCruiser]

I, too, am late to this party, but have managed to catch up this morning, instead of the pile of work on my desk...

We are sailing the Crown on 2/10/18 for the 8 day ABC Islands, so I'm glued to your review - and patters.

(JUST 9 DAYS!!! but who's counting? We will be in Ft. Lauderdale on the 8th for some pre-cruise fun.)

Question: do you have to purchase the Sanctuary to eat from the Sanctuary menu?

[PghCruiseGrrrl]

Norris! I'm back from my cruise on the Crown that directly followed yours and desperately trying to catch up on my work that piled up while I was gone! I might get through it all before I take off for a week in Vegas in March! My mother and I had a wonderful time, but I have noticed some differences so far that make me think we may have had a better time on your cruise. We didn't have a Welcome Aboard show :( The first night they went straight into a production number. I can't remember which one (and I know it wasn't Magic To Do because I was looking forward to seeing that one and they ended up not having it). There were only three on our cruise and the other two were Blame it on the Boogie (skipped since we had seen before and didn't really enjoy) and Encore (which we had seen twice before on the Regal and liked it better there, more opera). We only had Pub Lunch once on the last sea day and my Ploughman's Lunch pickle was even sadder then Carole's. It looked like a quarter of a limp, old Vlasic pickle spear. We were on the same sailing as the Concerts at Sea group, so that may account for the lack of entertainment and events on our cruise. But, as I said, we had a great time and it gave my mother a lot of time to rest, which was very important as she was/is recovering from treatment for breast cancer. I'm looking forward to following along for the rest of your review! Ciao!

[vickila]

Checking in as I loved your Regal review. Looking forwarded to it. V.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Bimmer09]

I, too, am late to this party, but have managed to catch up this morning, instead of the pile of work on my desk...

We are sailing the Crown on 2/10/18 for the 8 day ABC Islands, so I'm glued to your review - and patters.

(JUST 9 DAYS!!! but who's counting? We will be in Ft. Lauderdale on the 8th for some pre-cruise fun.)

Question: do you have to purchase the Sanctuary to eat from the Sanctuary menu?

 

Hi and give my love to Texas!

Yes you would have to be a paying guest in the Sanctuary. The menu items are complimentary to S guests but I have never taken advantage as I am usually stuffed from breakfast and lunch and have to save some space for afternoon tea.

I've never even asked them to get me a beer (they will) nor a knockwurst and fries as I have to administer my own condiments at the source. $3 charge if they get you food from beyond the S.

You will love this ship and its crew!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

ahhhh! I'm just back from our cruise (started that review on Carnival forum) and saw yours pop up. Hi Norris!

Time to start reading :) We did the Crown back in 2016 so looking forward to seeing her again through your eyes.

 

Crystal, I will pop over to the Carnival board to see your review. Thanks for finding me and welcome aboard!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris! I'm back from my cruise on the Crown that directly followed yours and desperately trying to catch up on my work that piled up while I was gone! I might get through it all before I take off for a week in Vegas in March! My mother and I had a wonderful time, but I have noticed some differences so far that make me think we may have had a better time on your cruise. We didn't have a Welcome Aboard show :( The first night they went straight into a production number. I can't remember which one (and I know it wasn't Magic To Do because I was looking forward to seeing that one and they ended up not having it). There were only three on our cruise and the other two were Blame it on the Boogie (skipped since we had seen before and didn't really enjoy) and Encore (which we had seen twice before on the Regal and liked it better there, more opera). We only had Pub Lunch once on the last sea day and my Ploughman's Lunch pickle was even sadder then Carole's. It looked like a quarter of a limp, old Vlasic pickle spear. We were on the same sailing as the Concerts at Sea group, so that may account for the lack of entertainment and events on our cruise. But, as I said, we had a great time and it gave my mother a lot of time to rest, which was very important as she was/is recovering from treatment for breast cancer. I'm looking forward to following along for the rest of your review! Ciao!

 

Magic to Do was mentioned by the CD Corey during the Welcome Show but it didn't happen so something is up there. Instead we had A.J. Clarke doing a Princess Theater show. You'll see our shows as I get to them, in photos only as Princess doesn't want you video taping the shows, whereas Celebrity encourages you to.

The pickle I was referring to is the dark brown stuff called Branston Pickle, a delicious and tangy British treat in a jar made by Crosse and Blackwell.

We had 2 pub lunches as we had 4 sea days.

Thanks for following along on this huge ramble!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

INTERNATIONAL CAFE

I seldom go there (gasp!) but it was my idea to have a snack there instead of dinner due to us being over-scheduled. I like (love) meat and potatoes (I'm from N. Ireland) but you do what you have to do.

It's on deck 5 in the Piazza

 

Open 24/7 and I've even seen some young lad buying a bottle of beer there at 4 a.m

The chef wears a tall hat as he has a Marge Simpson hairdo underneath (but don't quote me)

 

 

We sit in a quiet corner as there is no band blasting away. The crowd that was present for the Champagne Fountain etc has melted away.

 

 

Our repast was a simple but tasty one; Pumpkin curry soup and Chicken pot pie for both. Carol had a shrimp and shaved fennel salad followed by a nice cheese plate which we shared and a chocolate mousse for me. It's all there for the taking. Clean plates!

 

Afterwards Carol posed for a Formal Portrait under a full moon

[Bimmer09]

THIS IS THE VOICE!

We have never missed an episode of The Voice on TV since the first show and so went to Club Fusion for a sampling of the Princess version at sea.

This was a rare night as I didn't drink beer (my lifeblood) but rather ordered a mixed drink. I asked for a double rum and coke as I detect no alcohol in the normal Princess measures. When I ask for a rum and coke I mean RUM and coke. (Dark rum, like Myers)

 

Carol had a Key West cooler, purchased with her non-alcoholic beverage package at $56 for the cruise ($7 a day).

 

 

The TVs around the columns in the room whetted the appetite

 

 

 

We scanned the room for the iconic red swivel chairs. Nada. Where are the coaches?

No blind auditions. Just a normal Karaoke night where singers were slow to come forward. But a handful of brave souls did and they did their best. One gent won the crowd's hearts and enthusiasm, singing simply and with feeling. Maybe a Sinatra song-old school. His name was Ernie. We had a show to attend at 10 pm so didn't stay until the very end. It was a low-key event to say the least despite the excitement of the young Cruise Staff lady who tried to breathe life into it.

A walk along the Promenade deck, forward to the Princess Theater is our way of avoiding crowds in the photo gallery and beyond (it's Formal Night so picture all the brightly lit Portrait areas) and it's a lovely warm night at sea. No ships on the horizon, sailing with us.

[tobyt]

Love your reviews! Thank you for all the time and effort! I truly enjoy my weeks reading on the boards and the last couple of years the reviews you share have been a great appetizer to the main cruise course... plus food porn photos!

[Bimmer09]

ENCORE

The photos I share can't tell you how good this sounded to a couple of Voice fans who's passion in entertainment revolves around opera. We've canceled cruises (Ruby) to hear it in Germany, we fly across the country to hear it, we listen to it in the car and at home.

It's not real opera we hear on the ship but appreciate it as a taster for folks who would run when the word Opera is spoken. It means a play where the words are sung accompanied by a big expressive orchestra. It's been filling Opera Houses across the world for 400 years and the ticket prices like the entertainment ain't cheap.

If it's not real opera (it lacks the stabbings) we applaud anyway for Princess putting on a show that takes a lot of people and a lot of rehearsal just to amuse us for 35 minutes or so between meals. The singers, dancers and band give it their all and their all is pretty impressive. Their are no ticket scalpers as the seats are included in the fare which also includes good food around the clock without the grocery shopping, cooking and dish washing.

The stage band is augmented by members of other acts that appear around the Crown, including a cello/violin duo of ladies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More...

[Bimmer09]

Great sound on the vocals and band and atmospheric lighting. Impressive stage craft.

 

 



 

 

Big Finish



 

Carol spoke to Corey afterwards as he was waiting outside the theater (as always). I made a bee line for the smoking section on deck 7 for a last puff before hitting the hay. I wanted to be up early in the mornings- that's what I like to do, especially at sea. I love the quiet of the ship at 5 a.m and if there is a sunrise I want to see it.

So goodnight.

[SquishTheWhale]

That Opera show looks worth attending if only for the set design and sparkly dresses! I'll make sure to look out for it

[Croptop]

Devouring your review Norris -- as I have all of your previous reviews. I usually just lurk and enjoy your narrative and photos from the sidelines. But that crooked candle in the centre candelabrum is driving me nuts! :)

 

Can't wait to read what comes next though. Thanks for sharing your trips and wit with us over the years.

[Bimmer09]

That Opera show looks worth attending if only for the set design and sparkly dresses! I'll make sure to look out for it

 

Squish (that's your real name, right?) it's a good show if you like singing,which luckily we do and it is done so well. The opera solos were performed by Kate Gordon the soprano who is not part of the team of 4 solo singers on the ship and she took on some daunting opera songs and did not fail. We know these songs (from Carmen and The Magic Flute) and gave each other the "yikes" look when we heard the tune begin. We needn't have worried. Princess, even though the shows are short, aren't skimping on the performances.

Norris, impressed

[SquishTheWhale]

Squish (that's your real name, right?) it's a good show if you like singing,which luckily we do and it is done so well. The opera solos were performed by Kate Gordon the soprano who is not part of the team of 4 solo singers on the ship and she took on some daunting opera songs and did not fail. We know these songs (from Carmen and The Magic Flute) and gave each other the "yikes" look when we heard the tune begin. We needn't have worried. Princess, even though the shows are short, aren't skimping on the performances.

Norris, impressed

 

Yes, real name and also a real whale. It makes inside cabins a bit cramped sometimes ;) Have to admit I am not big on opera and know almost nothing about it (unless you count The Phantom of the Opera). But we will give anything a go and I am a fan of huge sparkly dresses :D It'll be good to know that what we are listening to is fairly legit though as we won't know either way!

[Bimmer09]

SUNDAY SUNRISE

We had put our watches and phones forward an hour last night. Morning coffee as always up at Tradewinds, where the usual early rising smokers gather. Chatting about football today, planning to slip into their team jerseys later to watch the game on MUTS (Movies Under The Stars). I have my cameras of course as you never know if there will be a sunrise worth photographing.

 

 

 



 

 



 

 



 

The ship provides a coffee and tea station up here from 6 a.m to 9 and a steward is always standing by to assist and refill.

[Bimmer09]

I used 2 cameras for these pics-a wide angle and a zoom and they were taken over half an hour or so as the sky kept changing as it does with so much cloud around. So they are not always in chronological sequence as the cameras are downloaded to the computer one after the other.

 

 

 

Away from the direction of the sunrise clouds get bathed in a soft light

 

 

 



 

 

[Bimmer09]

I saw some rain far away in the distance in some of these shots and the forecast for today was 77F, partly cloudy with a chance of showers. I have already shown the Patter for today if you care to scroll back and refresh your memory. Lots going on of course.

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

After the sunrise I went down to deck 7

 

We are passionate Prom Deck people. It's the closest we can get to the sea on a ship as she glides along hour after hour guided by a computer on the bridge. It's 1300 miles from Florida to our ports and we have a schedule to keep. People walk this deck for exercise and to indulge their eyes and ears and nose. That salty air and spray. Works havoc on the metal parts of the ship that lose their paint. Yes the Crown is 11 years old and due for a dry dock. Rust Never Sleeps. The Crown has plenty of deck chairs and teak benches if you want to sit out here and relax.

 

I recently did a video walk along deck 7 of the Regal Princess to contrast it against the Grand Class which is what my feet are standing on taking these pictures. I thought of doing a video of the Crown Promenade but I had already done it back in January 2012.....

2QKeQmhXykw

 

 

Norris

[CRLess]

 

 

I can't say with certainty, but it sure looks like you captured one of the elusive "Chair Hogs" in this picture...The sun has barely risen and someone has already marked their territory with a towel on the back of a chair.

[Bimmer09]

Yes, real name and also a real whale. It makes inside cabins a bit cramped sometimes ;) Have to admit I am not big on opera and know almost nothing about it (unless you count The Phantom of the Opera). But we will give anything a go and I am a fan of huge sparkly dresses :D It'll be good to know that what we are listening to is fairly legit though as we won't know either way!

 

Squish, I don't count Phantom of the Opera as an opera as it isn't remotely but it does have the word Opera in it, I'll give it that.

The phrase highlighted in your quote in red instantly tells me that you are my kind of whale.

I went to my first opera in 1993 on a whim and out of curiosity after loving the Three Tenors at Caracalla , the ancient Roman Baths on DVD and La Boheme by Puccini blew me away. 25 years and a very rich life later I am still smitten. I love pop music too and some 70's Jazz-rock fusion and lots of classical music. I go from listening to Debussy piano music to Led Zeppelin in a heartbeat. I'll give any food a go or any activity that looks like fun-scuba,segway,skiing etc.

I took a job on a cruise ship in 1985 not knowing anything about cruising and I didn't stop for a second to think about it. It was my luckiest day ever.

Nothing beats a try...

Norris