Caribbean Princess 8/12 review

[lakegirl16]

Answering questions:

 

Lakegirl: Most of the better "casual" restaurants here in LV are more towards the outlying residential areas and away from the strip, so it depends on if you'd like to drive a bit. If you head west on either Tropicana or Flamingo for about 10-15 minutes, you'll come across many local pubs and restaurants, and nearly all will have gaming. One of the oldest places in LV is an Italian restaurant on Trop called Capos. We also like the Foothill Lodge on Trop, and Sapporo on Flamingo near the 215.

 

Our favorite for fine dining on the Strip is outdoors at Paris called Mon Ami Gabi... the food is excellent, and the view across to the fountains of Bellagio is really nice.

 

Judy: Thanks so much for the restaurant recommendations. I am already looking forward to your future Alaska review. We're going to book Alaska for 2009.

[motherchic]

I am considering booking a cruise for next Feb on the CB.When clicking on the Princess site your review was the first I read.

If i were cruising with my Dh, i would not hesitate to try Princess, but on this cruise I will be cruising with my Aunt. She is quite an adventurous senior at 79. My daughter lovingly gave her the title of "adventure babe". I mention this so you dont think she is stuffy.

She is a delight and our trips together are always a pleasure. Anyway.......all our cruises have been on the Celebrity Millennium class ships. We both have loved cruising with celebrity.

What i would like though for this cruise is just a "change". I think so much of the fun of cruising is exploring and getting to know a ship. Love the food on celebrity , dislike their lack of activities. Bingo and napkin folding can only hold you for so long. I dont need hairy chest contests but a variety would be nice. I also like a big ship ( more to explore )

The CB offers a 14 day southern caribbean that caught my attention....

Ok heres my big question: for my aunts sake i would continue with traditional dining ( is it available and good? ) How would you personally rate the food?

cabins: i see you suggest the Caribe balconies. How are the Baja aft bacony cabins? Also is there a "concierge class" (well that what they called it on celebrity )?

noise:where you traveling during vacation time, that their where more children? ( for the door banging?)

We would be going in Feb.

Any other info you or others could give me, on CB or in comparison to Celebrity would be appreciated.

Like I said the 3 things my aunt really loved was traditional dining, good food and the wonderful service. So I would still like to find a cruise line with these but have the larger ships with more activities for me

Thanks

Nadine

[janetz]

I am considering booking a cruise for next Feb on the CB.When clicking on the Princess site your review was the first I read.

If i were cruising with my Dh, i would not hesitate to try Princess, but on this cruise I will be cruising with my Aunt. She is quite an adventurous senior at 79. My daughter lovingly gave her the title of "adventure babe". I mention this so you dont think she is stuffy.

She is a delight and our trips together are always a pleasure. Anyway.......all our cruises have been on the Celebrity Millennium class ships. We both have loved cruising with celebrity.

What i would like though for this cruise is just a "change". I think so much of the fun of cruising is exploring and getting to know a ship. Love the food on celebrity , dislike their lack of activities. Bingo and napkin folding can only hold you for so long. I dont need hairy chest contests but a variety would be nice. I also like a big ship ( more to explore )

The CB offers a 14 day southern caribbean that caught my attention....

Ok heres my big question: for my aunts sake i would continue with traditional dining ( is it available and good? ) How would you personally rate the food?

cabins: i see you suggest the Caribe balconies. How are the Baja aft bacony cabins? Also is there a "concierge class" (well that what they called it on celebrity )?

noise:where you traveling during vacation time, that their where more children? ( for the door banging?)

We would be going in Feb.

Any other info you or others could give me, on CB or in comparison to Celebrity would be appreciated.

Like I said the 3 things my aunt really loved was traditional dining, good food and the wonderful service. So I would still like to find a cruise line with these but have the larger ships with more activities for me

Thanks

Nadine

 

 

We have done two Celebrity cruises and one on the Carribean Princess. Carnival, we have forgotten about. We are currently booked for next May on the CB again.

We feel Princess food is just about up to par with Celebrity. Celebrity has been for us, excellent in all aspects. Princess offers the traditional seating and "anytime" We find the food, presentation and service to be very good. The CB is very large and has many things of interest to do. We enjoy Mutts, the fresh water pools, open late. There are many things to keep you busy during the day and at night. They offer different "classes at sea". We found Celebrity to be more "sedate". Princess does not offer anything such as concierge class. Mid Feb and later you are looking at school vacation time but a cruise of 14 days will most likely have many less children. We cruised the CB during Feb vacation and the ship was full but we did not notice too many children as the ship is, so big. I think you would enjoy the CB. :D

 

 

http://www.cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com/

[julia]

Vmom.. my doctor "prescribed" mecklazine for me. It was the pharmacist that told me I could get the very same thing over the counter for $3 instead of my $20 co-pay. It is bonine. Bonine is the generic. (Unless of course they've changed things since 2003.. been buying bonine ever since).

 

Karen

 

Hi Karen:

 

Respectfully disagreeing here.... "Bonine" (and Dramamine) are brand names for "generic meclazine". They cost twice as much because they are "brand names" that one recognizes. OTC meclazine is sold at any pharmacy and is quite inexpensive, as others have noted here.

 

For new cruisers... if you think you may be prone to sea-sickness, my advice is to start your prevention early, and come prepared with various forms of help (meclazine, wrist bands, ginger pills, etc). IE: Begin taking meclazine a few days before your cruise. Take it at night, as it will help you sleep, and will get into your system. Although I have no problems while onboard, I take some meclazine before and after my cruise, because I get really bad "land legs" once I'm home. The movement of the ship is fine with me.... but my HOUSE moving when I get home tends to make me green. (That's why thay call it the 7-day vacation that lasts for 10 days!)

[julia]

The CB offers a 14 day southern caribbean that caught my attention....

Ok heres my big question: for my aunts sake i would continue with traditional dining ( is it available and good? ) How would you personally rate the food?

cabins: i see you suggest the Caribe balconies. How are the Baja aft bacony cabins? Also is there a "concierge class" (well that what they called it on celebrity )?

noise:where you traveling during vacation time, that their where more children? ( for the door banging?)

We would be going in Feb.

Any other info you or others could give me, on CB or in comparison to Celebrity would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Nadine

 

 

Hi Nadine:

 

Janet's information was really true and I think you and your Aunt would very much enjoy the Caribbean Princess.

 

Let me just add that, along with a myriad of activities to enjoy, the fact that you are considering a 14-day trip will pretty much eliminate any fears of lots of children onboard. Most families cruise on 7 days or shorter and during school breaks.

 

You asked about the aft Baja balconies, and I believe they are the standard size. Only the Caribe deck balconies are oversized at 9x9.

 

While we have not sailed on Celebrity, we've heard nothing but great comments from fellow cruisers about them over the years. Most notably has always been the food. We found the food on the CB to be quite good... can't say it was over-the-top, but it was fine with us. Yes, you can definitely do traditional dining.

 

My advice? Try it.... you will never know unless you do! I know we will definitely try Celebrity one of these days!

[marne001]

I loved your charmed and magical description of DIYUBD.

Julia, your description of your diyubd brought tears to my eyes. How very romantic along with original. You are one heck of a lady.

Kay

[julia]

Cruise/ship observations and final thoughts:

 

 

 

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our week on board the Caribbean Princess. The ship itself is really quite nice and has some beautiful artwork throughout. We felt the staff was outgoing and pleasant, and there seem to be a lot of fun daytime and nighttime activities. The food was quite good in our opinion, with plenty of choices in the two buffets, and nice presentation in the dining rooms. We like the choices of traditional and anytime dining. We enjoyed our itinerary and the three ports of the Eastern Caribbean, and we were so fortunate to have had great weather despite being in the heart of hurricane season. Another huge plus on this intinerary was the fact that we were the only ship in each of the three ports… I can only imagine how crowded it would have been with double or triple the number of people!

 

There were a few negative aspects though (there’s always one or two!) As with several of our previous cruises, we again had items go missing from our cabin. Let me clarify that we are extremely neat and organized, and do not typically “misplace” things. And while I’m not making any accusations or allegations here, I am ticked off about it. Previously missing items have not been anything large or of great value, but seriously, size 13 tennis shoes and a bag of five bracelets just don’t “disappear” from a cabin. When last seen (to our recollection) the tennies were on the closet floor, and I had put the bag of bracelets in a desk drawer (after trying one on before dinner and taking it right back off because they were gifts!) We do use the safe, (size 13’s however, will not fit in the safe unless chopped in half!) and we don’t travel with valuables. So, just as a word of caution, please be aware of your belongings.

 

Another somewhat negative item that we noticed on this ship was the lack of nice dining tables for two in the various venues, including Sabatini. While we typically enjoy the larger tables, not everyone feels comfortable sharing a table, and there are times you may prefer to dine by yourselves. So please note, the tables for two are few and mostly are poorly placed.

 

So, would we do this cruise again? Yes, for sure.... we loved the Caribbean! Would we do it on the CB? Probably not. The sheer size of this ship is just a bit too large for us and we’d prefer something smaller. Also, there were times when this ship felt quite crowded, and as mentioned, it was pretty noisy at other times. That can get to you after a while, and we were glad to have the quietness of our balcony to retreat to.

 

We do like Princess though, and feel they provide a nice blend of several other lines. We’ve grown away from RCI and their massive ships (and higher prices), and while we really liked our HAL cruise, it was a bit sedate for our taste (but we would definitely sail them again). We appreciate that Princess allows wine and champagne to be brought aboard. That is not something to take for granted, and I would hate to see that ever go by the wayside as cruise lines seek to maximize profits. We have already booked another Princess cruise for next year, and would soon like to try Celebrity after continually hearing good things about them.

 

So..... for all of the excited cruisers out there who are anticipating your upcoming time onboard, I wish you lots of fun times, fair skies and smooth seas. Enjoy the planning, learning all about your ship, studying the deck plans, viewing the cabin photos and booking the perfect excursions!

 

Please don't forget to share your adventures with Cruise Critics when you get back though (especially the Scarlett Harlots!) because good, bad, or ugly, inquiring minds want to know!! :)

 

 

Thanks everyone for your nice feedback – it was fun to read your notes!

[cruzkitty]

Encore!! Encore!!!!

 

(From one of the Scarlotte Harlots)

 

Great Job, Julia!

[judyjbest]

Bravo, Bravo, Julia,

 

Did you meet a wonderful server named Shane in Crooners? We're certainly hoping to see him again!

 

Judy

[Mommy40]

Cruise/ship observations and final thoughts:

 

 

 

 

There were a few negative aspects though (there’s always one or two!) As with several of our previous cruises, we again had items go missing from our cabin. Let me clarify that we are extremely neat and organized, and do not typically “misplace” things. And while I’m not making any accusations or allegations here, I am ticked off about it. Previously missing items have not been anything large or of great value, but seriously, size 13 tennis shoes and a bag of five bracelets just don’t “disappear” from a cabin. When last seen (to our recollection) the tennies were on the closet floor, and I had put the bag of bracelets in a desk drawer (after trying one on before dinner and taking it right back off because they were gifts!) We do use the safe, (size 13’s however, will not fit in the safe unless chopped in half!) and we don’t travel with valuables. So, just as a word of caution, please be aware of your belongings.

 

Julia, Thanks again for the wonderful review, you really do have talent! One question did you mention to anyone on the ship or since you have gotten back about your missing items? I am curious as I have never heard of this happening to anyone before on a cruise (I have at hotels and five star at that) I understand that they werent of great value but I would think if this has happened before maybe they have a problem with this?

[vmom]

Vmom.. my doctor "prescribed" mecklazine for me. It was the pharmacist that told me I could get the very same thing over the counter for $3 instead of my $20 co-pay. It is bonine. Bonine is the generic. (Unless of course they've changed things since 2003.. been buying bonine ever since).

 

Karen

 

As a previous poster stated so well before me, Bonine is a name brand, NOT the generic form. The generic name is Meclizine. I bought a bottle of 100 tablets of Meclizine at the Costco pharmacy for $6.

 

Jusst like Tylenol is the brand name for Acetaminophen...Bonine and non-drowsy Dramamine are brand name for Meclizine.

 

Your pharmacist will verify this. Check your bottle of Bonine under active ingredients and it will state meclizine.

[marshabear]

for those of you having a hard time finding meclizine...try asking the pharmacist...around here, it is usually kept behind the pharmacy counter...you don't need a prescription, but you have to ask for it....

 

 

BTW, I LOVED your review, Julia!! :)

 

 

 

Marsha

[SoSueMe]

Newbie cruiser here. I've got a prescription for a patch -- but haven't filled it. Am I better off just sticking with the OTC oral meds? (I've never had motion sickness before, but...)

 

Hey Julia. Is there a reward for those size 13 shoes? Perhaps I'll have my people call your people... :D Seriously, though, that just stinks! I agree with the earlier poster that you should report it to Princess, in case they are having some [cough] crew problems.

[sunneesmile]

Newbie cruiser here. I've got a prescription for a patch -- but haven't filled it. Am I better off just sticking with the OTC oral meds? (I've never had motion sickness before, but...)

 

Hey Julia. Is there a reward for those size 13 shoes? Perhaps I'll have my people call your people... :D Seriously, though, that just stinks! I agree with the earlier poster that you should report it to Princess, in case they are having some [cough] crew problems.

 

I use the transdermal patches too. I have had good luck with them. Actually, when you use them you may feel a slight "buzz", which can be a good thing!

[sunneesmile]

Julia, I agree that you might want to report the missing sneaks. Size 13 is not average size for most of the people who work on the ships. The bracelets would be much harder to discover.

[alexspepaw]

absolutely the best review thread ever...thanks so much for taking the time and effort to write it.

 

So tell me - what name do you publish under? Please tell me there is somewhere I can read more of your writing!

 

We are going on the CB 9-30, and you have really ramped up the anticipation.

[sherman931]

One of the bestr eviews I have ever read. Great sense of humor ! If all the cruisers had your attitude and outlook it would be one wild party on the high seas. All too often people are too focused on whatever negative aspects they find when cruising.

 

I spent nine years in the Navy, five of which were on a destroyer. You want negative aspects of cruising try doing that. I haven't been on a bad cruise yet because I am too busy having a good time with everything that is available. Bars on a ship....what else do you need?:D

 

Thanks for entertaining us Julia

[KLLund]

Julia !!!!

 

You did it .. you got me through Wednesday ... Thank you soooooo much .. this is a totally fabulous review ..

 

If you click on that link below .. there should be Scarlet Harlots pictures up by the day after our first formal night ( so Tuesay is the day after I think)

We maintain that site as we go .. mostly for family to follow us .. but it has its benefits :)

 

Back to packing for early AM departure .

[scotandtamcruzn4fun]

Applause-Julia you get a standing ovation. I stopped reading long enough to nuke some popcorn and crack open a cold one. Can't wait for May. I think I may try my own DIYUBD

[marne001]

Key points to remember:

1. The patch works for a limited amount of time 24 or 48 hours. Some people put the patch on day one and 'reap placebo benefits' through day seven with the same patch.

2. Wash your hand IMMEDIATELY after applying the patch. Innocently touching your face, especially your eye will cause unpleasant side effects. For example, touch your eye and that pupil will dialate. This causes 'unbalanced' signals to be sent to your brain and you may wind up with scopolamine induced nausea/vomiting.

 

Good side of the patch, little if any drowsiness.

Happy sailing...

I use the transdermal patches too. I have had good luck with them. Actually, when you use them you may feel a slight "buzz", which can be a good thing!

[roking]

If you have only two weeks to go, you might want to consider practicing the rum drinks too!!!! You don't want to look like an amateur!!!

[rjmcrm]

Thanks sooo much for taking the time and energy to write your AWESOME review of the CB. DH and I will be sailing 9/23 and this will be our fourth CB cruise/ 10th with Princess / 25+ total to date. We are ADDICTS. You were RIGHT ON with all of your information including the benefits (:) ) of having a balcony AND we might just plan our own private formal night balcony dinner after reading about yours !!!

 

Wanted to let you know that we have sailed twice in Alaska - once on the Sun Princess and once on the Diamond Princess; both round-trip from Seattle and it was perfect. Both cruises were in early June - beautiful weather (jeans and sweat shirt) with very little rain. We saw lots and lots of wildlife (you HAVE to get a balcony for this cruise !!) eagles, seals w/ baby seals right out on the ice, whales - it was GREAT. We did not extend the trip with a post-trip tour, but are talking about doing that in the next year or two. Any information I can help with, please ask.

 

Just wanted to say HI and thanks tons for your review. I feel like we are friends already . . . . .

[roking]

I am doing Carib.Princess in January, Can you tell me how to get in touch with Rumbaba to book. Thanks for your help. roking

[gracie65]

Julia: Did you ever find the bracelets? My inquring mind wanted to know if they turned up when you got home.

[SoSueMe]

Thanks sunneesmile and marne001 for the patch suggestions/information.

 

That Rum practice sounds like a great idea, too. :D

 

rjmcrm -- I wanted to go Alaska this time, but DH wanted to try the Caribbean for our first cruise. If this cruise is as great as I think it's gonna be (we've got a balcony:) ), Alaska will follow! It sounds wonderful.