Crown Trip 4/30

[las313]

Just back this am from our trip to Bermuda on the Crown.

We enjoyed the ship a lot. It is older and needs work but it is clean and the crew is very friendly.

Embarkation at Philly is very easy. We drove up from FLA. Directions and parking was easy. Cost is $10 a day. WE arrived too early and had to wait an hour and a half to get in the building but once it it was very quick.

The restaurants were ok. The only one charging is the Bistro. We did eat there one night and it was excellent. 2 lobster tails and filet mignon for $20. We ate in Chopsticks one night and enjoyed that also. No charge here. Chopsticks, Pasta Cafe are free, Bistro is a $15 charge but go and make reservations ASAP. WE happened to hit chopsticks one night and there was not wait.

Entertainment was fair. Small Jean Ann Ryan dance group, several comedians, a singer. Stardust lounge is great views from whereever you sit.

Deembarkcation went smoothly. We are on deck 4 and were out on the street by 9:30. Easy to find your bags as there are only 1100 passangers.

I will try to answer any questions but we are on the road traveling with our RV so be patient.

Louise in FLA

[Lucyt1207]

Glad you had a good voyage. I am a bit confused about the Bistro. You say that you had 2 lobster tails and filet mignon for $20 but that the Bistro costs $15 per person extra. Do you mean that the entry fee was $15 and then you had to pay an additional $20 over that?? Please elabotate.

[electricron]

Glad you had a good voyage. I am a bit confused about the Bistro. You say that you had 2 lobster tails and filet mignon for $20 but that the Bistro costs $15 per person extra. Do you mean that the entry fee was $15 and then you had to pay an additional $20 over that?? Please elabotate.

 

It's a $15 surcharge to enter LeBristo. There's an additional $5 charge to order both steaks and lobster (Surf and Turf).

 

Get real folks, few would pay $45 per person to eat at these restaurants! :rolleyes:

[Degirl]

Thanks for posting about your trip. We are on the Crown at the end of May. Did you hit any rough weather sailing to and from Bermuda? Can you reccommend anything that you did while in Bermuda? For example beaches, or excursions. How was dinner in the main resturant and breakfast? Thanks. Glad to hear that you had a good time.:)

 

Paula

[izmackar]

I was on the same cruise as Louise. At about 5 PM on Day 1 out of PHL, the captain gave fair warning of foul seas ahead. Beginning at about 11 PM until the following day at 5 PM (now Monday - our day at sea), waves were continuous at 15-20 feet. Having never encountered a bout with seasickness before, I can safely say I know what it's like now! We remained horizontal in our cabin for the entire time. The weather was due to winds + crossing the Gulf Stream. I understand that the week prior to this sailing, the Crown experienced 30 foot waves that were so bad they managed to put one of the aft elevators out of commission for our entire trip.

That day of troubles waters was the only sore spot on an otherwise wonderful cruise. We were in a mini suite cabin 8009 - absolutely lovely - with a terrific steward named Odessa. Weather was bright and sunny (but windy on occasion) with only isolated sprinkles for our 3 days in St. Georges, Hamilton, and the Dockyard. We docked 3 hours late in our frst port - St. Georges - due to the above weather delays. It seems all the cruiseships take turns exchanging ports. In St. Georges we were alone, and shared Hamilton with the Empress of the Seas. When we got the the Dockyard, Celebrity's Millenium was just pulling out. One disppointment was that we were originally scheduled to get to the Dockyard earlier on Thursday but again I think the bad weather had fouled everyone's schedule so we didn't get in until 4 PM and left the next day at 11 AM for PHL. This didn't leave too much time for exploration there, something I'd been looking forward to as they have a great Maritime Museum. That, plus all the shops close at 5 PM. It was a beautful spot, though - I was surprised as I'd read some not too spectacular things about that port and I found it to be quite interesting - a great fort, lots of history, and a really uncrowded marina-like setting.

The NCL food? Let's say I was unimpresssed. It wasn't bad, but certainly not on par with either Princess or the earlier days of RCL. We ate in Bermuda whenever possible and had fantastic meals wherever we went. On the last night after failed attempts at a reservatiuon in Le Bistro) we ate at the Pasta Cafe and it was the best meal of the week.

Cruising from the Phila Naval Yard is a dream and cool too. You park 2 blocks away and walk right onto the ship slipped next to the mothballed battleships. As a nearby resident, there was no hassling with airports, flights, crowds, etc. PHL should really market that availability better.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll be happy to answer them. We aren't much for joining in onboard activities, so I can't be that much help there. Never had to wait for a deck chair, though! :o

Cheers -

Geri

 

[nanagirl]

Interesting. We're cruising at the end of May, and would like to bring our own liquor on board. Any suggestions? Also, is the ship nice? Only cruised on the Norwegian, now decomishioned. Now, THAT was an old Ship!!!

[Elcruzer]

We will be on the Crown NY-Bermuda July 9 sailing.

How were the shows on board and at what time were they? Any recommendations for tours or anything that you wish you hadn't done?

[izmackar]

We're cruising at the end of May, and would like to bring our own liquor on board.

 

We aren't big drinkers, so I can't answer that one. There is duty free liquor for sale on board, so I can't imagine it would be cheaper to do anything else, though.

Also, is the ship nice?

 

The ship is old, yes, but in fine condition. The workers are constantly working on it. The week we were on they were replacing all the carpets leading to the cabins. Our room was spotless and the bed was comfy. You won't find any big pools here - just a simple one aft plus two jacuzzis. Never went to the spa. There's a central area where things like the casino, lounge, theater, and shops are located. Plus, the Lido Bar overlooking the pool is a great place to hang out.

I found the service in the bars to be not very friendly, even after tipping extra. The food service was great - staff there was top notch as was our terrific cabin steward. They all work extremely hard and I certainly would not want to be in their shoes.

How were the shows on board and at what time were they?

 

We attended two shows, mainly because we were out and about in Bermuda day and night. There was generally 2 per night, but sometimes only one. Times were (I think) 7:45 and 9:45. We liked the ones we saw and it was eveident that the players and dancers liked their work.

Any recommendations for tours or anything that you wish you hadn't done?

 

We are pretty much independent travelers and don't do the overpriced shore excursions. I bought Frommer's Bermuda and Fodor's Bermuda tour books and they served as the basis for our personal shore excursions.

• Get the bus ticket - the buses in Bermuda will take you anywhere you want to go and the drivers are most helpful. The ferry (included with the bus pass) runs between Hamilton and the Dockyard and it makes for a lovely nightime harbor cruise.
  
• Stay away from Clearwater Beach - we saw something on the TV that it was a Bermuda "Best Bet" and are still trying to figure out why a beach requiring a 2 mile hike located next to a motorcycle track and airstrip would be designated as such.
  
• However, Horshshoe Bay beach was spectacular and should not be missed. Very easily accessible by the #7 bus and a great south shore tour along the way.
  
• Best restaurants:
  • Rustico in the Flatts section, very close to the Aquarium.
    
  • The Lighthouse Tearoom in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse was also a great find.

Again, the $25 spent on tourbooks was a great investment, were always right and gave us much more bang for the buck. Bermuda has no unemployment and has the one of the highest standards of living out of all countries in the world. It is very safe, clean, and worth it to get out and explore on your own. You will have a great time!

 

[7SeasLover]

You said the ship "needs work but is clean". What do you mean by needs work?

 

We'll be sailing on her for 2 weeks (South America) in a suite. Am curious by your statement that she needs work. Ummmm what kind, in your opinion.

 

I'm looking forward to sailing on a smaller ship. No megas for me!

[7SeasLover]

One more question I forgot to ask...

 

On the night of high seas and you were sick - did you take anything for the seasickness: 1) at the time the captain announced rough seas; or 2) during the rocking and rolling?

 

Just curious if you did and if it helped. I've been on rough seas many times, but only experienced sickness off the coast of Nova Scotia. We've pitched and tipped on Alaska trips and other places, but I never felt ill. Have taken Dramamine only once and didn't know it zonks you. I took a whole pill and slept for a whole day. When hubby felt ill, I gave him a half pill and he went to bed at 7 and never woke until 9 the next day. Dramamine worked for us.

[izmackar]

On the night of high seas and you were sick - did you take anything for the seasickness: 1) at the time the captain announced rough seas; or 2) during the rocking and rolling?

 

We have cruised before and have our own boat on the Chesapeake, so are somewhat conditioned to wave action. Since we'd never been seasick before and were somewhat smug about it :o , we did not take anything but found that remaining horizontal was the key. When I tried to eat something, it came right up, so we just fasted until the weather passed. I'm not one for taking anything unless I really need it. The ship had lots of those adhesive stickers to give out, though.

You said the ship "needs work but is clean". What do you mean by needs work?

The Crown is almost 20 years old, so it does require constant maintenance to keep it up-to-snuff - something the crew does not ignore. I think Louise meant that. There were no signs of disrepair that I saw - it's just "seasoned". Just don't have expectations that it will have all the bells and whistles, as it won't. It's a very respectable, well taken care of matriarch.

 

 

[Y2K_FRC]

izmackar - Thanks for sharing your experiences with everyone.

 

We, too, will sail on the Crown to Bermuda on 6/11. I just have two questions which I hope you can answer:

 

What is the earliest you can board the ship? (We plan to arrive at the Philly port about 12:30)

 

Is the "dine ashore" feature still available, and did you take advantage of it?

 

TIA

[coccodog]

We are leaving Sunday May 14 for Bermuda. Were you able to swim at the beaches in Bermuda? Was the water comfortable?

[izmackar]

izmackar - Thanks for sharing your experiences with everyone.

 

We, too, will sail on the Crown to Bermuda on 6/11. I just have two questions which I hope you can answer:

 

What is the earliest you can board the ship? (We plan to arrive at the Philly port about 12:30)

 

Is the "dine ashore" feature still available, and did you take advantage of it?

 

TIA

 

We arrived (on purpose) at 3:00 PM for a 4 PM sailing, knowing the ship was sold out. There was no line and we sailed right through - 10 minutes tops. The clerk checking us in said it had been a madhouse earlier, with lines snaking out the door for those who came earlier. I refuse to stand in line - I travel too much in the business world for that!

 

Disembarkation was a dream. I had a nightmare one on a Princess cruise out of Galveston last year where it was a complete zoo. This, in comparison, was orderly and quick. They called us at 8:45 (we were on the sun deck waiting for our luggage tag color call) and we retrieved our bags in the terminal, breezed through customs, and were in our car by 9:30 - home near Reading by 11 AM! Granted, the Grand Princess had 3000+ passengers and this ship had a little over 1000 passengers, but it was evident that NCL knew what they were doing. With Princess, it was chaos.

 

Yes, the dine ashore worked great. You can "upgrade" the lunch voucher for an additional $5 and the allowed restaurants were good. We used ours at a seafood restaurant at the Dockyard, but there were plenty of selections and most were highly referenced in the guidebooks I listed in my email above. You only can get one voucher per person for the whole 3 days,though.

 

Hope this helps....

[izmackar]

We are leaving Sunday May 14 for Bermuda. Were you able to swim at the beaches in Bermuda? Was the water comfortable?

 

Yes, we swam at Horseshoe Bay. It was chilly, but no more so than the Jersey Shore in the summer. Unbelievablely beautiful water with sand out as far as you could walk! I could have spent all 3 days there....

 

FYI - there's a water mollusk called Potuguese Man of War that was spotted on the north beach @ Tobacco Bay. Bermuda has signs posted at all beaches regarding them. We were not at Tobacco Bay, but a fellow cruiser said they were scooping them out of the water like crazy. Their sting is worse than a jellyfish. See below for more info. We didn't see any in Horseshoe Bay (south shore) but maybe it was just luck??

 

Portuguese Man-of-War

 

The Portuguese man-of-war is a jellyfish-like marine creature occasionally found in Bermuda. Its body consists of a gas-filled, balloon-like translucent blue float. Below the float are clusters of polyps from which hang tentacles that can reach about 150 feet in length. The sting from these tentacles is about 75% the toxicity of cobra venom. The Portuguese man-of-war is usually most prevalent in Bermuda’s waters in spring and early summer, especially after storms when they can also be seen blown onto the beach.

Few Portuguese man-of-war stings cause death, unless the recipient is extremely sensitive to venom. For the average sting treatment should be as follows:

• Remove any visible tentacles with a gloved hand or stick
  
• Rinse the sting with salt or fresh water
  
• Apply ice to control the pain

If itching persists apply 1% hydrocortisone ointment 4 times a day, and 1-2 25 mg diphenhydramine tablets every 6 hours. Previously thought to be effective, recent studies have shown that application of alcohol, papain or urine can actually cause more harm than good.

For more serious reactions, such as chest pains and breathing difficulty, medical attention should be sought immediately.

[phredt]

Interesting. We're cruising at the end of May, and would like to bring our own liquor on board. Any suggestions?

 

If the Crown is anything like the Jewel, Norweigan tends to be fairly strict about liquour. They x-ray your luggage, and they look for bottles that look like liquour bottles (ie, the shape). I'm talking about your checked in luggage. If they find anything suspicious, they mark it with RED tape that says "Liquour" on it. They will then call you to a certain area to come and get your luggage. There, they will ask you to open it so they can inspect it. If they find your liquour, they will take it and give you a receipt to pick it up at the end of the cruise. I suggest you rebottle any liquour into plastic water bottles.

 

You can buy duty free liquour on board, but you can't take possession until your last night at sea.

[las313]

We did use the vouchers. We were a party of 21 and ate in St George at the Carriage House. Bill came to$900 for dinner. With the voucher, it cost us $62 for drinks and 2 kids dinners. And the $10 voucher for each person.

 

As for early embarking, we got there at10:30 and were not allowed to start embarcation until 12:30. But once we started, we went right through. Piece of cake.

 

As for being seasick, there was a pill available at reception at no charge that some say helped. We spent a good part of the time laying down and napping or reading but we were able to eat all meals with no problem.

 

There was a problem with some sort of a stomach bug that quite a lot of people got. DH was one but for him it wans't bad. I did have imodium and lomitol along so we self medicated.

 

Hope I caught everyones questions. We are still away from home. We are traveling in our RV but hope to be back in FLA by the end of the week and will try to answer any questions.

 

PS- to PE - they have a karoeke room. You should be right at home!!!!!

Louise

[Planer's Edge]

Welcome back Louise, sounds like you had a good time but then again who could have a bad time on a cruise. :rolleyes:

 

Did you notice if the bar on the aft area of deck 10 was open at sailaway? We are looking for a good place to meet for a sailaway gathering. Or is the best option just outside of the Lido Bar on deck 8. Was there much of a sailaway party going on?

 

Thanx for the heads-up on the Karaeoke Bar. It may come handy for some comic releif. :eek:

 

PE

[garycarla]

Interesting. We're cruising at the end of May, and would like to bring our own liquor on board. Any suggestions? Also, is the ship nice? Only cruised on the Norwegian, now decomishioned. Now, THAT was an old Ship!!!

 

Welcome NANAGIRL - regarding your liquor question, you might want to scan through the most current few pages of posts. You will see this topic brought up a few times, usually every 4 days or so a new thread is started.

 

And, if you want more input, use the search function. You will read way more than you care to know.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Jeanne S]

J. I've been on rough seas many times, but only experienced sickness off the coast of Nova Scotia

 

If you could take the Canadian Maritimes, you should be fine.

[las313]

PE-

I believe all the vars are open. Isn't deck 10 the top of the crown. Enclosed but a great view. We sat up here coming into St George and had a great view.

Louise

[Planer's Edge]

Louise,

 

Top of the Crown is on deck 11. I was talking about the liitle bas on the aft of deck 10 near the hot tubs. This looks like a good place to hang out for sailaway.

 

Was there much of an organized sailaway party going on?

 

PE

[las313]

There was no cruise critic sailaway. No one answered my roll call.

Yes, I would think that deck 10 is a good place. We also liked the rear deck on 7 near the pool.

Have a great trip. Say hi to Mr T and BG. Let us know how your trip goes.

Louise

[Planer's Edge]

Thank you Louise. We (I mean Rummie) will try to post a review upon return.

 

PE