Anyone recently on Crown or Emerald? Are resort amenities working OK?

[bubbaed]

Considering both Crown and Emerald for a holiday sailing this year. Both 15-day itineraries: Crown to Hawaii, Emerald through Panama Canal. Hoping to get feedback on the condition of the ships from anyone currently (or recently) aboard. We are less concerned about MDR food/seating issues or Medallion app functionality (some of the recent pain points on Princess) but we DO care about resort amenities being open and functioning such as:

 

• Are all pools open and heated (especially the Lotus pool)
• Steam and sauna in the locker rooms operational
• Hot tubs working
• Gym equipment in working condition
• Outdoor bars open (and stocked)
• Condition of lounge chairs, decking, etc.

 

If anyone has recent experience with these items on either ship, please let me know. Any other feedback about the condition/operation of the ship(s) would be helpful, too:

 

• Air conditioning working
• Hot & cold water in stateroom
• Internet (slow is OK, only an issue if not working at all, like recent TA voyages)

 

Thanks!

[OccasionalSanta]

The Crown and  Emerald are both recently out of drydock. The Crown is just finishing its first post-drydock cruise and the Emerald is currently on its first. I have heard no negative comments about either one yet; which I consider good news, considering how critical the posters on this site tend to be, 

 

I am currently booked on the Emerald in January and the Crown in March, so I'm hoping for the best

Edited November 2, 2022 by OccasionalSanta
minor correction

[wallyj]

I just received a text from a passenger currently on the Emerald. He said the changing rooms in the Fitness center were remodeled and there are NO longer complimentary steam and saunas, they were removed?

 

This is the first I have heard Princess has removed the steam and saunas from a ‘Grand’ class ship, and wonder if it will roll over to the other Grand Class ships being, Caribbean, Crown, Ruby and Sapphire.

 

waiting to get further confirmation from other passengers

[cr8tiv1]

If you are taking a holiday 2022 cruise to Hawaii on the.Crown Princess, ELUA will be on there for the Christmas run.  I do not believe the Emerald has "cultural ambassadors".  ELUA will have free hula and ukulele classes and Dave/Leialoha will do enrichment lectures.  Since there are so many sea days, there will also be a naturalist or other lecturer onboard.  

 

December 20, 2021-January 4, 2022

January 4-19, 2022

January 19-February 3, 2022

 

I did not have any problems with the internet across the Pacific.  At times it was a little slow.  At times, it would not load a video.  At times I could do FaceTime.

 

None of Princess' pools are heated.  I do not remember, but don't think the Crown (class) has an indoor/covered pool.

 

Food is very subjective.

 

The Medallion Class App (which has many functions) seems to be working more than not.

 

 

[bronzey214]

The F&B Manager on the Crown alluded to adding hand washing stations outside of the buffet on the Crown during drydock. I don't see how that would be feasible but I'm curious if it happened.

[bubbaed]

21 hours ago, wallyj said:

I just received a text from a passenger currently on the Emerald. He said the changing rooms in the Fitness center were remodeled and there are NO longer complimentary steam and saunas, they were removed?

 

This is the first I have heard Princess has removed the steam and saunas from a ‘Grand’ class ship, and wonder if it will roll over to the other Grand Class ships being, Caribbean, Crown, Ruby and Sapphire.

 

waiting to get further confirmation from other passengers

Thanks. Please do update if you can, this would be a deal-breaker for sailing on this particular ship, since the pay-to-use "thermal suites" on the Grand class are abysmal. The complementary steam and sauna are a major perk of this particular class.

[bubbaed]

20 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

None of Princess' pools are heated.  I do not remember, but don't think the Crown (class) has an indoor/covered pool.

The Lotus pool (forward, by spa) on Ruby, Caribbean, Crown, Sapphire, in my past experience, has always been heated - sometimes so much so that steam rises from the pool in cooler weather. Makes for great swimming in the cool Pacific or Alaska. I've also found that at least one of the mid-ship pools (Calypso or Neptune's Reef) is also heated. UNLESS Princess is getting cheap and saving energy by not heating them anymore. Another deal-breaker for me.

[bubbaed]

21 hours ago, wallyj said:

He said the changing rooms in the Fitness center were remodeled and there are NO longer complimentary steam and saunas, they were removed?

Emerald Princess deck plans on Princess.com currently show steam and sauna in changing rooms. Can your contact verify?

[Coral]

25 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

Emerald Princess deck plans on Princess.com currently show steam and sauna in changing rooms. Can your contact verify?

I read the same thing. Someone posted this on the 10/28 roll call.