What I Love About Cruising/What I Love About Princess

[karatemom2]

With all of the hot debates that have been raging on this board it seems that we sometimes forget why we are really here. We are here because we love to cruise and these boards are a great place to share the excitement of planning for our trips, get information, share our cruise experiences and meet fellow cruise passengers.

 

I would love to see a thread devoted to the positives of why we love this form of travel and why we enjoy Princess. So I will start and I hope others will follow!

 

What I Love About Cruising:

 

I love being rocked to sleep at night in my cozy cabin to wake up the next morning in a new port and be filled with anticipation about the exciting discoveries to come.

 

I love being able to put the real world aside for a week or two while I enjoy being served wonderful food, participating in fun activities, meeting new people and seeing new places all with unpacking only once.

 

I love spending time with my family on a vacation where we can enjoy experiences together and have time for individual activities that interest us as well.

 

I love seeing my teenage son dressed in his suit and tie exclaiming how much he loves escargot.

 

I love gazing at the ocean anytime of day or night while I wonder at it's vast wild beauty and realize how lucky I am to see it this way.

 

What I love about Princess:

 

I love that our Steward left us a plate of cookies every night.

 

I love Afternoon Tea.

 

I love playing Trivia with the new friends I have met onboard.

 

I love painting ceramics with my daughter.

 

I love the photographers who took the best pictures of my family that we have had on any of our 6 cruises.

 

I love the Champagne Fountain.

 

OK, this is just a start, I could go on and on, but you all get the idea.

 

Who's next?

[ck53]

I love having my husbands attention all the time! He is not squirreled away up in his office! (can't really complain, it helps pay for all our cruises)

 

I love having a room steward to clean and make the bed.

 

We love meeting new people and seeing new ports.

 

At night,I love hearing the ocean rush by on our aft balcony.

 

I can catch uo on my reading list!

[helpmesailaway]

I love ALL of the above and so much more - I could be here all day listing my favorite things.

 

Nice thread to focus on what we enjoy!!!!!:)

[rdsqrl]

I love being able to just sit and soak up the sun and read endlessly, knowing that meanwhile I'm accomplishing something because, after all, the ship is on its way somewhere, and there's nothing I can do until it gets there but relax.

I love being completely cut off: no phones, no email, no news. I also love laughing (internally, of course -- I'm not a boor) at people who spend their time indoors on the computer: more lounge chairs outside for me to use!

I love working my way through the entire bar menu of sometimes-bizarre martini creations . . . and no worries about driving home after!

I love love love being at sea. Should have gone to the Merchant Marine Academy instead of that doctoral program. Oh well....

[quincytoo]

I love the wonderul people we met

I love the great service

I love the charming staff :)

I love dressing up for dinner

I loved seeing our 14 year old son dressing up with my husband

I love that our son is demanding a tux for the next cruise

I loved the family time we had

I especially loved the Chocolate haagen daz coke floats that I had at the Ice Cream Bar by the pool.....they were a great hangover cure on day!!

 

this list could go on and on and on

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Woops, I just tried to do the same thing! I didnt see your thread, BRAVO!

[mii]

I love all of the above stated but I think one of the best forums on this site is the Roll Call Board. You truly get to chit-chat with people for maybe a year or less or more and really get to know each other. By the time you finally meet it is like meeting a long lost friend. I have made some special relationships through these roll calls and we still sail together, do things together outside of cruising. Now most of the time we just meet them on our current roll call and never see each other again. But it sure makes my cruises very special while the time that I am on the ship.

 

Marilyn

[rdsqrl]

II especially loved the Chocolate haagen daz coke floats that I had at the Ice Cream Bar by the pool.....they were a great hangover cure one day!!

 

Yummmy!!! How I wish I had known those existed . . . Quincytoo, why didn't you tell me about them? Here I was, thinking we were friends, comrades, buddies, united forever in our love for Princess and cruising, and it turns out you've been keeping such a secret from me. Am I the only one in the entire world who didn't know there were floats at the ice cream bar? I thought it was just, well, you know, ice cream. Oh, the missed opportunities. . .

[huskerdan25]

I have always loved being out on the ocean (as you can see, I served in the Navy :)) and after a lot of research, I decided to make our first cruise a cruise with Princess. I loved the experience on the Sapphire and I see no reason to cruise with another line at this point. I also love the Princess product and look forward to many more cruises with Princess!

 

As for loving cruising, I just love that I can do absolutely nothing but relax or I can participate in as many of the onboard activities as possible. I get pampered for 7+ days and I have never been more relaxed during a vacation than on a cruise! To me, the cruise-ship is the vacation destination so I always select itineraries with more sea days than port days (even the Alaska cruise I booked has more sea days than port days).

 

There are so many more things I love about cruising but one last thing is I love being rocked to sleep for 7 nights. It doesn't get any better than that! :)

[juliejoe]

I love the friends we've made.

I love the places we've been.

I love that we can eat dinner, be entertained and sleep, then wake up in a new place the next day.

I love sea days when we can participate in whatever is offered - or choose not to participate and do our own thing or nothing.

I love the planning and anticipation of our next cruise.

I love to read the tips for ports, touring, packing, insurance, cabin location and so much more that I can find here at cruisecritic.

I love to sometimes dress up and sometimes not.

I love to go to the dining room, or the buffet, or just eat cookies and icecream for a meal.

I love the smiles and greetings we exchange with crew and other passengers as we pass in the hallways and share elevators.

I love to "people watch".

I love that all these nice things and more happen for us on any cruiseship we've sailed on

 

I love the itineraries Princess offers.

I love the benefits we receive for being Platinum - Elite next cruise!:D

I love the self service laundry being available.

I love the fresh water pools.

[zalusky]

I love being in a cocoon where strangers are not afraid to talk to you and share their experiences.

 

I like being able to sit with conservatives and liberals and not discussing politics or any of the problems from back home that we want a vacation from.

[karatemom2]

II especially loved the Chocolate haagen daz coke floats that I had at the Ice Cream Bar by the pool.....they were a great hangover cure one day!!

 

Yummmy!!! How I wish I had known those existed . . . Quincytoo, why didn't you tell me about them? Here I was, thinking we were friends, comrades, buddies, united forever in our love for Princess and cruising, and it turns out you've been keeping such a secret from me. Am I the only one in the entire world who didn't know there were floats at the ice cream bar? I thought it was just, well, you know, ice cream. Oh, the missed opportunities. . .

 

Oh I knew I was forgetting something. I LOVED the ice cream. Princess has the best ice cream!

[paul929207]

Amen to all the above!!!

 

I especially enjoy relaxing with my wife as we travel to new places.

 

And I love that cruising makes me aprreciate all that we have.

[quincytoo]

II especially loved the Chocolate haagen daz coke floats that I had at the Ice Cream Bar by the pool.....they were a great hangover cure one day!!

 

Yummmy!!! How I wish I had known those existed . . . Quincytoo, why didn't you tell me about them? Here I was, thinking we were friends, comrades, buddies, united forever in our love for Princess and cruising, and it turns out you've been keeping such a secret from me. Am I the only one in the entire world who didn't know there were floats at the ice cream bar? I thought it was just, well, you know, ice cream. Oh, the missed opportunities. . .

 

Chocolate Haagendaz coke floats rock!! Next cruise...YUMO

[dbdave]

I love the anticipation as embarkation day nears!

I love the way people become friendlier than they normally are the minute they step on a cruise ship!

I love the total attention my wife and I can give each other with none of the distractions of everyday life!

[ggprincess2004]

All of the above, and most of all-

 

I love seeing my husband totally relaxing and at peace, with the look of a happy kid on his face because he has left the rest of the world behind. His hard work makes our cruising possible, so I delight in watching him just kick back and really take it easy!

[jamscckmc]

I love just watching the endless sea and cruising into and out of ports. I love to come back early from an excursion and having an empty ship. I love being at sea and no loud rude cell phone users! I didn't like being in San Juan for the day on my recent cruise because out came all the cell phones! I love sea days when you can sleep when you want eat when you want(and as much as you want!)

[coiran]

Princess - It's where we belong - It's good to see a refreshing, positive thread for a change.

 

We just love cruising and love doing it on a Princess ship!!!!

 

Ron

[chefim]

As a chef, I love that someone else cooks for me the entire time I am on a cruise.

 

Did I mention that someone else does the cooking:D

 

I love to be out on the ocean

I love to have my morning coffee looking at the ocean

I love only having to unpack once the entire vacation

I love that there is so much to do if you want to do it

I love that I don't have to do anything if I don't want to

I love the roll calls, and love meeting new people

 

Did I mention that someone else cooks for me:p

 

Regards,

 

Chef

 

 

Regards,

 

Chef

[gooch47]

What a wonderful thread.

 

I love sleeping on a rocking ship. I sleep like a log.

 

I love sleeping with the door open :o with the sound of the water rushing by.

 

I love just doing next to nothing. Sitting on our balcony watching the water or reading a book.

 

I love seeing things I'd never dreamed I'd ever see. The Great Wall of China, Pompeii, Tahiti, Great Barrier Reef.

 

I love it that perfect strangers will strike up a conversation with you.

 

I love the attitude of the staff. I know they are trained to do it but I love the eye contact and the cheerful greetings.

 

I love the physical aspects of the tours we choose. The only exercise I get.

 

I love unpacking and packing only once. Well, not so much the packing!

 

I'm sure I'll love the Chocolate Haagendaz Coke Floats if I ever get to try one!

 

I love the scones with jam and cream.

 

I love our free laundry and free (sorta) internet. We only use it to stay in touch with family and friends.

[Ethel5]

I love relaxing and not being at work.

I love that most people around me are in a good mood.

I love sea days.

I love that Princess makes the best pasta.

[quincytoo]

I love relaxing and not being at work.

I love that most people around me are in a good mood.

I love sea days.

I love that Princess makes the best pasta.

Princess does make the best pasta so much so that yesterday I wrote requesing their Fettuccine Alfredo recipe....our son and I LOVED it!!

 

I don't remember the ham or chicken through???

 

Hope all my fellow CC's enjoy this until their next cruise :)

 

 

Fettuccine all’Alfredo

Serves 4

1 pound egg noodles

¼ pound ham strips

¼ pound white turkey or chicken strips

4 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Blend the egg yolks and cream together.

Place butter in pan and melt. Add the turkey and ham and brown lightly. Add the noodles and heat thorough. Gently add the egg yolk/cream mixture.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and serve.

 

[AliceS]

Never had turkey or ham in my fettuccini, but it is the best. Love it when served in a parmesan bowl. Yum.

 

I love this thread! What's not to love about being on a Princess Cruise, 24 and counting.

[lakegirl16]

I love cruising! It's the only vacation where I feel like I really check out! No cell phone, no blackberry, no computer (okay maybe, an occasional email)!

Nothing better than laying in the sun by the pool reading a book, feeling the breeze while cruising!

All of the wonderful food!!

Having a glass on wine on the balcony before dinner!

I could go on and on!

 

Great post! Thanks everyone!

[karatemom2]

Never had turkey or ham in my fettuccini, but it is the best. Love it when served in a parmesan bowl. Yum.

 

I love this thread! What's not to love about being on a Princess Cruise, 24 and counting.

 

At the cooking demonstration the chef showed how they make the parmesan bowl by melting the parmesan cheese in a teflon skillet and then molding it over an upside down bowl. He made it look so easy.

 

I'm determined to try it one of these days!