Long Grand Princess Review: March 22-March 29, 2008

[rin1]

A few weeks back to real life with my suitcase not fully unpacked, I've decided it's high time I wrote a review of our cruise. I traveled with my parents (late 50s), my brother (low 20s) and my DH (late 20s). DH and I had an OV on Plaza, my brother and parents were on Caribe with an inside and balcony, respectively. We had only sailed once on Carnival, parents had sailed twice on HAL and my brother was a newbie.

 

PRE-CRUISE HOTEL (Days Inn Airport/Cruiseport, "Downtown" Ft. Lauderdale.:

 

We booked on our own and (stupidly) decided to go with the cheapest hotel that would provide us with transportation from the airport (FLL) and to the cruiseport (Port Everglades). We stayed at the Days Inn Airport/Cruiseport. Prices were really jacked up for Spring Break and it was in no way worth it. It advertises being a mile away from Las Olas. While that may have been true *trust me* you don't want to walk along that sketchy street, past the police station, thrift store, etc. to get there. Your door will likely not close completely and, if you stayed in my parents room, you may need to turn off the lamp by unscrewing the bulb. If that is not the way you want to begin your cruise, I high suggest booking elsewhere, as I will in the future.

 

EMBARKATION/FIRST DAY:

 

Even though check-out was at 11 we, decided to drop our bags and travel by cab to Las Olas for a leisurely lunch (my family does not enjoy lines). We went to Mangoes (very tasty, would recommend their salads) and found our way back to the port around 2:30. So speedy and efficient!

 

Sailaway party got rained out. :( It was nobody's fault, but it was still a bummer, especially since I was set to meet up with CC people at one of the outdoor bars. Next time I'll definitely set an alternative location in case of rain. ;)

 

Despite this inauspicious beginning, the cruise really picked up. Good food, good opening set from the first comedian (Tom Briscoe).

 

SEA DAYS:

 

They kind of blend together so I thought I'd review them together. I appreciated how tea was served every day, not just on sea days, and I think I only missed one. My parents played bridge, DH and I took a dance class, we hit the gym and the adults only pool/hot tubs nearby and otherwise we basically filled times between meals. :)

 

One highlight was the culinary demo/galley tour. I really enjoyed watching them cook onstage and they were entertaining to boot. I was disappointed while I was waiting to walk through the kitchen and I heard the girl in front of me talking about how she was currently saving 15 chairs on deck. Jerks. :rolleyes:

 

There seemed to be a good variety of activities every day at sea. I really enjoyed them. I didn't even mind when we skipped Grand Cayman because I had been wishing for more sea days to break up the port days and I didn't think that my stomach could handle the waves on our planned snorkel excursion.

 

OCHOS RIOS, JAMAICA:

 

Signed up for Dunn's Falls/Stingrays at Dolphin's Cove. DH and I were confused when the van dropped us off at...Dolphin's Cove first. Ok, no big deal, we can roll with the punches. "Swam" with stingrays (stood in water for 5 minutes) and then had an extended snorkel with the guide. Got back and ordered a picture. Word to the wise: Unless you have a lot of time DO NOT GET A PHOTO. It took us about an hour start to finish, as each place they sent us claimed that they needed "another 20 minutes". By the time we caught a van it was (yikes!) almost 2. We hustled down to the base of the falls, grabbed onto the first group we saw (a friendly group of UK nationals from the Ocean Village) and began to climb. At 3:00, less than halfway up the falls, we found a way out to make the ship.

 

Now I had a decent time on this excursion, but I got back to the ship and saw row after row of pictures from Dunn's falls. This means that some of the groups had a guide that stayed with them and made sure that they got to do all that they paid for. I do not think that this problem is exclusive to Princess, as a friend had a strikingly similar experience on RCI, but I do think that Princess needs to re-examine their vendors if people are not getting what they paid for (including a guide to inform the ship if the tour runs late. NOBODY would have known if we were late, and we were paying for this service. :( ).

 

COZUMEL, MEXICO:

 

Rented a car with the whole family (through Avis, in advance) and drove to San Gervasio. There were more ruins there than I had been lead to believe. Make sure you wear sturdy shoes.

 

After the ruins, we drove around the eastern coast of the island to the south and came back along the western side. My dad thought we'd find a hotel to eat at somewhere along the way, but there are precious few places on the eastern shore and no hotels that I spotted. You probably want to grab a bite in San Miguel. We ended up at Alberto's Beach Bar on the western coast. It's pretty much tables in the sand under a canopy, but it was tasty and the host was amiable.

 

A few tips on Avis: A Chevy Optra is a compact, pretty much the size of a Focus. Don't let the word "intermediate" fool you there. Also, the rental place (really more of a stand) is closed between 2-4, so plan accordingly.

 

PRINCESS CAYS:

 

Beautiful little beach. I loved all the different colors in the water and I took a lot of pictures. Chair hogging was, of course, rampant, but we managed to find a chair for me to lie back and enjoy the sounds of the ocean. My parents rented a few different boats and my brother and DH snorkeled for the bulk of the time. A very nice beach day and cold water from the coolers was very nice, as well.

 

OVERALL NOTES:

 

The bad: The bed - ouch! Even with the eggshell, it was comically bad. My dad and I had back pain starting on day 2. I would have assumed it was just part of cruising if Carnival's bedding hadn't been so comfortable. Time for an update, Princess!

 

The good: I appreciated that there were both darkening blinds and sheers in the room. The sheers were a great compromise between light and privacy. The showers were small, but efficient. I liked ordering fruit for the room. Tea time pastries were quite tasty. The food overall were great. I have a few nights when I might go to an alternative restaurant, but that's just because I'm a super picky eater (not a fan of lobster, red meat etc.). The youth security patrol did a great job keeping the kids in line/the kids were well-behaved/the parents were parenting or some combination of the 3. There was a reason that I met so many fellow teacher on this line during Spring Break and so few on Carnival. I don't wish to escape kids entirely, I just don't want to feel like I need to step into teacher mode during break, and I never felt the need here.

 

I liked the comedians; Rolling Jay Moore was a highlight. MUTS was fine, although I do suggest wearing warm clothes in addition to the blanket. The popcorn is ok - I suggest grabbing a plate from Horizon and tea to stay warm.

 

One thing that was AMAZING to me: The last night of the cruise, 11 PM at night, the lettuce in the salad bar was crisp and fresh. I've been to restaurants that can't do that during lunch rush at their salad bar, much less late and night when few people are eating.

 

DISEMBARKATION:

 

A little confusing because we were ushered out before our assigned time. Guess that means they were efficient! We ended up at the airport HOURS before we needed to leave.

 

Overall it was a great cruise experience. Would definitely sail Princess again and, although we want to try other ships, would not hesitate to book the Grand.

[dforeigner]

Thank you for taking time to write a review.

[psbtrvlr]

Hi Rin! Ed and I were just talking about how much we enjoyed meeting you and Matt. He asked if I was still in touch with you.

 

We too had a great time! Hope to see you again some time!

 

Pam

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review. :)

[rin1]

You're welcome. :-)

 

Pam - I'm really glad that we made it out to Skywalker's. It was nice to see familiar faces around. :-)

 

Totally jealous that you have a cruise in less than a month. :-) Has your daughter nailed down more wedding plans? Did she like her hair?

[Chesie]

Thanks for the review. We are sailing her in October.

 

Chesie

[Cosmic Rays]

A few weeks back to real life with my suitcase not fully unpacked, I've decided it's high time I wrote a review of our cruise. I traveled with my parents (late 50s), my brother (low 20s) and my DH (late 20s). DH and I had an OV on Plaza, my brother and parents were on Caribe with an inside and balcony, respectively. We had only sailed once on Carnival, parents had sailed twice on HAL and my brother was a newbie.

 

Overall it was a great cruise experience. Would definitely sail Princess again and, although we want to try other ships, would not hesitate to book the Grand.

 

 

So, we've nothing to fear when she comes across the pond soon to take us to Norway and the Fjords? Is she as 'tired' as some make out?

 

Colin:) :)

[psbtrvlr]

You're welcome. :-)

 

Pam - I'm really glad that we made it out to Skywalker's. It was nice to see familiar faces around. :-)

 

Totally jealous that you have a cruise in less than a month. :-) Has your daughter nailed down more wedding plans? Did she like her hair?

 

Yes, most of the plans are made. We'll have another rush of wedding planning activity in a couple of months, and then not much until we sail. She did like her hair, and is planning on utilizing the spa salon for her wedding hair.

 

The cruise next month is just with my sister and my mother. We've never done anything together without the spouses and kids before. I can't wait!

[rin1]

Colin - I didn't think she showed a lot of wear, but I didn't see her when she was shiny and new, either. Can't make any guarantees on the food, as the head chef was changing vessels pretty shortly after our cruise.

 

Pam - Sounds great! You'll have to let me know how everything turns out with the wedding. I've always been curious as to what it's like to get married onboard. A ladies' cruise sounds like a great Mother's Day retreat. :)

[hightownCO]

Rin, good review. Sorry we didn't get to meet. I really wasn't disappointed in missing Grand Cayman either. I love sea days!

 

I didn't think the Grand seem tired at all and think the staff was top notch! I personally like the Caribbean Princess better because of some things but just personal taste.

 

Am looking for what to do next. I booked the Crown for over New Years but it was sort of impulsive. There was only one covered mini left and price is way over the CB last New Years. So don't know if I'll keep this or change or cancel. Also looking for next spring break and again, I like the Crown's iteniary best. (3/22)

 

Pam, did Desiree stay in her youth group or did she change to the other teens? Callie had an good time.

 

Hope to see you ladies around the boards or better yet--on a future cruise!

 

Take care! Sharon

[psbtrvlr]

Rin, good review. Sorry we didn't get to meet. I really wasn't disappointed in missing Grand Cayman either. I love sea days!

 

I didn't think the Grand seem tired at all and think the staff was top notch! I personally like the Caribbean Princess better because of some things but just personal taste.

 

Am looking for what to do next. I booked the Crown for over New Years but it was sort of impulsive. There was only one covered mini left and price is way over the CB last New Years. So don't know if I'll keep this or change or cancel. Also looking for next spring break and again, I like the Crown's iteniary best. (3/22)

 

Pam, did Desiree stay in her youth group or did she change to the other teens? Callie had an good time.

 

Hope to see you ladies around the boards or better yet--on a future cruise!

 

Take care! Sharon

 

She changed to the teens. I knew she would. She was so looking forward to being in the teen group for the first time!

[scejas]

Thanks for the review -- do you have any pictures of the ship ? what condition she was in etc?

[rin1]

I want to book something...for sometime...but I have to see how broke we are after we close on our house.

 

The ship looked good overall. I'm lacking internal pictures, but I have a few of the outside.

 

Some wear was apparent around the waterline, which is to be expected.

[jgeorge89502]

You are getting your hair done too right? I need to talk to Angel about doing my makeup!

[psbtrvlr]

You are getting your hair done too right? I need to talk to Angel about doing my makeup!

 

I don't know. Probably. I'll decide later.