Crown Questions for the cruise experts

[VinnieCruises]

Sailing on 9/29. Havent cruised in quite some time:

 

1. Can you dine in the main dining room if you have anytime dining?

 

2. Is there any difference in Michelangelos and daVinci dining rooms-food, decor etc..?

 

3. For this New England/Canada sailing what night would you recommend that we make reservations for Sabatinis? Dont want to miss either formel night

 

4. Is there anyone to speak to when you get on board about an upgrade?

 

5. How early can you get on the ship in Brooklyn?

 

6. Suggestions for must dos as soon as you get on ship...I.e. purser

 

7. Where is the best location to be for the departure-to see the Statue of Liberty?

 

8. Are there any certain days that offer spa discounts?

 

Thanks so much! Judy and Jack

[friend of Eeyore]

1. Can you dine in the main dining room if you have anytime dining?

No. The Botticelli is for traditional dining, the Michelangelo & daVinci rooms are for anytime. No switching back and forth unless you come from traditional, and then stick with anytime for the rest of the cruise.

2. Is there any difference in Michelangelos and daVinci dining rooms-food, decor etc..?

I'm not an artist, but the rooms were very similar. Slightly different paintings (perhaps linked to the names??) No difference in food with any of the rooms, except that the traditional room gets a Baked Alaska parade, and the anytimes don't.

3. For this New England/Canada sailing what night would you recommend that we make reservations for Sabatinis? Dont want to miss either formel night

No idea, sorry

4. Is there anyone to speak to when you get on board about an upgrade?

If there's any chance of it, speak to your person when checking in, or the purser's desk. However, usually no chance.

5. How early can you get on the ship in Brooklyn?

11ish? Noon-ish?? Check your info, and then probably even an hour before they actually say, but it'll be busy with people leaving as well.

6. Suggestions for must dos as soon as you get on ship...I.e. purser

If traditional is important, then go to the maitre'd and check your dining status. Otherwise, dump your bags, find a drink, and find a good spot on the starboard (right) of the ship, for sailaway & the statue. Of course, you'll have to deal with muster first, and maybe a tour of the ship (happens before muster, as I recall, if you want to join it).

7. Where is the best location to be for the departure-to see the Statue of Liberty?

See above - starboard (right), somewhere on one of the open decks. Promenade is good for a little more quiet, Pool deck for music & fun. Find the top deck open to the air for going under the bridge!:)

8. Are there any certain days that offer spa discounts?

Perhaps port days. Keep an eye out. Also, booking on-line often gives a 10% discount.

[-Lew-]

1. Can you dine in the main dining room if you have anytime dining?

The two anytime dining rooms are considered main dining rooms. If you're asking whether you can dine in the traditional dining room, the answer is most probably no.

2. Is there any difference in Michelangelos and daVinci dining rooms-food, decor etc..?

None at all.

3. For this New England/Canada sailing what night would you recommend that we make reservations for Sabatinis? Dont want to miss either formel night

 

4. Is there anyone to speak to when you get on board about an upgrade?

The best place to inquire would be when you check in at the port.

5. How early can you get on the ship in Brooklyn?

I've heard of boarding as early at 11:30, but on 8/10 we disembarked at 11:30 and there were still many more waiting to get off. Personally, I would recommend 1:00pm to be safe.

6. Suggestions for must dos as soon as you get on ship...I.e. purser

Bring carry on luggage to your cabin. Meet with your cabin steward. Then head up to Horizon Court for lunch.

7. Where is the best location to be for the departure-to see the Statue of Liberty?

Deck 16 forward on the starboard side.

8. Are there any certain days that offer spa discounts?

Discounts are usually offered on port days.

Enjoy your cruise...

 

Lew

[rdsqrl]

Sailing on 9/29. Havent cruised in quite some time:

 

1. Can you dine in the main dining room if you have anytime dining?

I'm not sure what you mean by "main" dining room? Botticelli is the "traditional" dining room, and you can't dine there if you have Anytime Dining, but you can dine in either Michelangelo or DaVinci. All three restaurants have identical menus/theme nights.

 

2. Is there any difference in Michelangelos and daVinci dining rooms-food, decor etc..?

Nope, completely identical (except for the staff, of course!).

 

3. For this New England/Canada sailing what night would you recommend that we make reservations for Sabatinis? Dont want to miss either formel night

Don't know since I did the Caribbean itinerary, but my guess is that the first formal night will be the second night out -- it usually is. You can check with the maitre d' when you board; he can tell you what night is what. Most people ditch Caribbean Night, although I have to say I thought the new menu was much better for that night than it's been in the past. But, if you're going to miss one night in the dining room, that would be the one.

 

4. Is there anyone to speak to when you get on board about an upgrade?

I've never heard of anyone getting an upgrade on board, but the Purser's Desk (Passenger Services) would be the place to ask.

5. How early can you get on the ship in Brooklyn?

Based on the experience I've heard about from others, I wouldn't try to get there much earlier than 11; boarding can commence as early as 11:30 or noon.

6. Suggestions for must dos as soon as you get on ship...I.e. purser

See the maitre d' for reservations at Sabatini's. The Princess Patter which will be in your cabin when you board will tell you where/when he'll have a table set up to take reservations for the specialty restaurants. I personally immediately buy my coffee card, so I can feed my mocha habit, but that's not nearly as time-sensitive as ensuring you get your Sabatini's reservation on the night you want it!

 

7. Where is the best location to be for the departure-to see the Statue of Liberty?

I thought the views from Outrigger's Bar at the aft pool were fantastic of the Statue and of Manhattan Island.

 

8. Are there any certain days that offer spa discounts?

Days in port.

 

Thanks so much! Judy and Jack

 

Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask me anything else -- I was just on the Crown 23 July, so the details are still relatively fresh!

[jrw]

Sailing on 9/29. Havent cruised in quite some time:

 

1. Can you dine in the main dining room if you have anytime dining?

You could get lucky when some opt to go to Crown Grill or Sabatini's; get on the waitlist for main dining room.

From Princess site: The Maître d'hôtel will have a list of those passengers who are waitlisted for each dining seating. Should seats become available, he will contact waitlisted passengers onboard as appropriate.

 

 

2. Is there any difference in Michelangelos and daVinci dining rooms-food, decor etc..?

Check out member cruise reviews for Crown Princess and threads on the Princess board. Also, join your Roll Call if you have not yet done so...here is the link for your sailing: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=474312

 

3. For this New England/Canada sailing what night would you recommend that we make reservations for Sabatinis? Dont want to miss either formel night

I am not sure when the formal nights are, but this should be on the Princess Patter (in your mailbox) when you board.

 

4. Is there anyone to speak to when you get on board about an upgrade?

I would check with Purser, however it is very unlikely. Upgrades typically occur prior to sailing. If you selected a specific cabin, it may be marked as "no upgrade" (some choose a cabin and don't want to risk an upgrade to a location they do not like). I just checked the Princess site, and all Oceanview, Balcony, Mini-Suite, and Suite categories are "waitlist only"...so the odds are this cruise will be fully booked and unlikely to get a last-minute upgrade.

 

5. How early can you get on the ship in Brooklyn?

Your boarding pass (docs are online) will show this:

Check In Fm 1:00pm-3:00pm

Arrive After 2:00pm

For A Faster Check In

 

6. Suggestions for must dos as soon as you get on ship...I.e. purser

Not sure...

 

7. Where is the best location to be for the departure-to see the Statue of Liberty?

Not sure...but have seen references on the boards here...

 

8. Are there any certain days that offer spa discounts?

Not sure...

 

Thanks so much! Judy and Jack

 

Sorry I could not answer all your Q's, and surely there are many who can provide more insight. Enjoy your cruise, we will be on the one right behind you (Oct 6)! :)

[C&F]

All of the posters gave great answers, so I won't answer questions that already were. However, one slight difference in the 2 dining rooms: we always found there to be a slightly longer wait for the DaVinci dining room than for the MichaelAngelo. I don't know why this is, but if DaVinci has a line outside, go down one flight and check if there is a line there. There usually isn't.

Also, we stayed around the band area for the beginning of the sailaway party, but then we went up to the mini golf area, which is the highest passenger point on the ship. As you go under the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge, it feels as if you can almost touch the bottom of the bridge. It is VERY windy up there though.

[billet]

C&F - I will second everything you said! My thoughts exactly.