Crown Review 1/25-2/1 Part 3 Conclusion

[Trish Traveler]

Thanks for sticking with me. Sorry it's so long. I probably should have linked these all together somehow, but I wasn't sure exactly how to do that. So here are the links to parts 1 & 2.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=920975

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=921345

 

Part 3 Crown Review 1/25-2/1

 

Crown Entertainment

 

For first time cruisers – your daily schedule of all shipboard activities is in a newsletter called the Princess Patter (I affectionately called it my “Pitter-Patter”;)) and is delivered by your room steward to the mail slot outside your cabin door each evening for the next day. Read it thoroughly so you don’t miss anything and bring a highlighter to indicate the activities you are interested in attending; and carry it with you thru the day. There is a plethora of information packed in these and I found the set up a little more confusing than other cruise lines. Always check through all the “mail” they leave, because some important items (such as time change notices, debarkation & immigration forms and surveys) are amidst the various shopping/spa/art gallery flyers that are included daily. Now the most important thing to remember is that a cruise is as much or as little activity as you make it. Everybody’s idea of vacation is different and that’s why they offer such a variety of options. My group loves packing in a lot of activities and flitting from place to place. And although I am an avid reader at home, I admire all the people I see on the ship leisurely reading, because I always bring along a book, but have never yet cracked a page while sailing.:D I actually felt that this Princess Cruise offered more evening entertainment choices than any other ship I have been on previously. Just so you know, I am cheating using my Patters to recall most of this info. My scanner function is broke, so unfortunately I can’t scan them.

 

I will begin with the evening shows in the main Princess Theatre. These shows are offered twice nightly, but times vary, so check your Patter. Sunday, Welcome Aboard Showtime – we arrived late, but saw that it gave you a preview of the various shows that would be offered during the week. Monday, Musical Comedy Showtime starring Kimika – Unusual act consisting of a British couple, he’s a very talented guitarist and she does the comedy – turned out to be very entertaining for a one time viewing – we were glad we checked it out.

All the big production song & dance numbers were excellent: Tuesday, Destination Anywhere; Thursday, Motor City (Motown Tribute); Saturday, What A Swell Party (Cole Porter era). The costumes were amazing, as well as the energy of the singers & dancers. I really could appreciate the work of putting on a production like this in a small, rocking space after taking the “Princess Theater Backstage Tour” which is offered on the last sea day. We missed the other main shows, but I know one was an illusionist. They occasionally also show movies in this theatre.

 

The Explorer’s Lounge also offers some excellent evening entertainment. There was a good dance band MIT that played often in there; and on our sailing we had a group of about 300 swing dancers – so although we are not big dancers, it was very entertaining to actually watch people dancing who knew what they were doing :). There was a hilarious comedian, Scott Wyler, but he was leaving the ship after his performance (maybe others can catch him on another ship). We had a blast playing the TV Theme Song Trivia game two nights. We also enjoyed watching as others played “The Majority Rules Gameshow” and “Peer Factor”.

 

In Club Fusion we caught a Karaoke show one night and the finale of Princess Pop Star (like American Idol) on the last night of the cruise. There were some excellent amateur singers on our sailing. Lots more was offered in here that we didn’t attend such as: Bingo, Dance Parties, Dance Class, 50’s Trivia and Sock Hop, Country Trivia and Hoe Down Party.

 

Skywalkers Nightclub is where the late night music goes on, but we didn’t really check that out. During the day, the view is beautiful from up there. Our Cruise Critic Roll Call met up there on the first sea day and it was fun to meet other CCer’s.

 

In the Piazza, our favorite entertainment was the steel drum player, Wilson Jean Baptiste, who played often. We also enjoyed the classical quartet Quadri. This is a great central location where much goes on all day long. You could enjoy music/shows while shopping nearby or waiting for dinner reservations. After dinner Tuesday evening, we were just in time to hear Captain Andy Proctor’s speech and grab a free drink at the Captain’s Gala Cocktail Party. We also stopped in to see the Champagne Waterfall (they serve free champagne) on Thursday night, which was neat to see but all 3 levels surrounding the Piazza were packed with people. We could only see the waterfall by riding the see-through elevators located there.

 

Bars – Our favorite was Crooners Martini Bar which overlooks the Piazza, because we could hear the music from down below while sipping martinis waiting for dinner. They have more than 50 martinis they can make, and they sell a cute deck of cards ($5) “Tee Many Martooni’s” with all the recipes. The waiters shake the martinis at your table. Adagio Bar is a nice quiet out of the way bar on deck 16 adjacent to Sabitini’s restaurant. We enjoyed a pianist performing there one evening. We passed thru the Wheelhouse Bar a few times where a guitarist was playing, but it seemed smoky to us non-smokers. One in our group enjoyed a cigar in the Speakeasy Cigar Lounge which is near the Gatsby’s Casino – we are not gamblers, so we can’t comment on that. There were various other entertainers throughout the ship during the week. You will also find several bars located by the pools outside.

 

MUTS – Movies Under The Stars. It was our first time experiencing MUTS – what a great idea. It is awesome up there at night if the weather is nice. Personally, I think it is rather annoying to hear the movies playing during the day by the Calypso Pool, but some people seemed to be watching and other pools are available. We were mostly busy doing other things, so we never saw a full movie, but many people were, especially the Mama Mia showing which was a full house. Be sure to get your popcorn.

 

At the Neptune Pool we enjoyed the Caribbean themed band Mozaic who played often during the day, kicking off the week with the Ja’maican Me Crazy Sailaway Party on Sunday. They also performed at the Tropical Island Night Deck Party on Wednesday. It was a beautiful night and a fun time. The Patter said music from 9:45pm – then at 10:30pm the party starts – but when we arrived at 10:30pm the party was well under way, so be sure to arrive earlier.

 

Daytime Activities – To start the day, our favorite activity was getting up early for sunrise and to enjoy the peaceful empty ship with a cup of coffee. Besides lounging poolside, here are some activities we tried: Had great fun/frustration playing Trivia several times in Adagio, DH loved the Library, Bar Wars poolside was entertaining and BIL won a drink, caught the end of the Wacky Pool Games, Passenger Feud Game Show. Signed up for the Scavenger Hunt which you do at your leisure throughout the week, and although I had good intentions, I didn’t get very far with it so I didn’t return to the check in at the end of the week. As stated above, I enjoyed the Princess Theatre Behind the Scenes Tour. Our only disappointment was the Afternoon Tea in DaVinci dining room :confused: they served already brewed Lipton tea, which was odd because I had seen at breakfast in the buffet a wooden box with an assortment of tea bags to choose from. A small ham sandwich was passed out (no choice of tea sandwiches) and a scone with whipped cream and jam, which was good. We had a much better experience with afternoon tea on a Carnival ship several years ago, so this was mostly a waste of time, except that we were seated with some lovely ladies.

Here is a sampling of some of the activities we didn’t get to try: dance lessons, ping-pong, Nintendo Wii, bridge, golf putting, water volleyball, basketball, art auctions, Bingo, chess, cyber-golf, galley tour, ice carving demo, pictionary, On Deck for the Cure Walk, fitness center, wooden horse racing, chess, outburst…see anything that interests you? Princess also offers Scholarship@Sea courses for a fee, with a few being complimentary. Some choices included Ceramic Painting, Photoshop, Maitre D’s Wine Club, Scrapbooking and more.

 

Another popular activity is onboard shopping. The various shops had your basic souvenirs, liquor, clothing, perfume, jewelry, etc., with tables outside for daily “specials” of jewelry or T-shirts. But the shopping highlight was something I had never seen on a ship, which I lovingly dubbed the Princess “flea market” :D. On Friday and Saturday mornings for 3 hours they set up the tables in the Michelangelo Dining Room with merchandise. The Friday sale was all $10 items like watches, jewelry, evening bags, pashminas, ties etc. I bought several clip on watches for myself, and the people taking in my mail and shoveling my snow. The second day was more of the $10 stuff and “outlet” items including discounted Princess clothing and souvenir items from other itineraries. These sales were quite a hit. Of course, there will also be plenty of Princess photographs for you to purchase if you desire. It is always fun to browse the photo gallery to see how these came out. They do some really nice photos on Formal Night. However, this cruise, we didn’t purchase any of our photos.

 

Misc. & Conclusion

On your cabin TV there are various movie/news stations and several that have useful Princess info: Channel 21 Morning Show w/Cruise Director, Ch. 22 The Love Boat reruns at various times, Ch. 46 for the ship’s web cam, which is very helpful in inside cabins to check the weather/location, Ch. 47 Ship’s Log where we checked our location and the condition of the seas. One day we learned we had near gale force winds. Although sunny on Saturday, it was very windy with some high seas but “nothing untoward” as the Captain assured us. Despite some of the reports here previously on CC, I felt the ship was very stable and the movement was not excessive considering the wind, compared to other ships I have sailed. The stabilizers were doing their job. I love being lulled to sleep by gentle rocking at sea ;).

Debarkation – Mid-week you will receive a form to complete with departure info or whether you want the express walk off option. Later in the week, you will receive colored luggage tags and a time to gather to proceed off the ship. You need to put your luggage outside of your stateroom the evening before. We had a later flight, so we wanted to stay onboard as long as possible. Our time was 9:10am and when we arrived in the dining room at 9:20am, our group was already gone, so we just proceeded off the ship which was moving along very well. We quickly claimed our luggage, short wait thru customs and then to get a cab which was about a 10 minute wait. Ft. Lauderdale Airport is very busy when all the ships disembark, so be sure to allow enough time. We waited outside for 45 minutes to check in with SW, which was fine with us as the sun was shining and the weather was pleasant. Once inside security moved pretty quick.

We loved the Crown and our first experience with Princess. The service was very good, with friendly, eager to please staff. The ship was beautiful. The Crown has a lot to offer, and I loved exploring all week, but I know I personally would not want to sail on a ship any larger than this size. I would not hesitate to book another Princess cruise. Thanks again to all the CC members here and to our Roll Call for making this another memorable cruise.

[rianvi]

Thank you for all of your hard work. All I can say is "Well Done". Breaking it down in three parts was a great idea.

 

Now I have a question....do you recall the post excursions that Princess offered in Ft. Lauderdale for those with late flight times?

 

Thanks again....Anna:)

[BillyBoat]

Trish, Thanks for the wonderful review of your cruise ! I've been reading these boards for years and your eloquent writing style made your cruise description one of my all time favorites ! Do you write professionally ? We will be on the Crown in three weeks and your review was most helpful . Thank you SOOO much !!

Bill

[shark_bait]

Trish- That might be the most detailed and well written report I have ever read. GOOD JOB!!!!:)

[debgirl]

Thank you Trish. Your report made my decision the right one.

 

Debbi

[Host CJSKIDS]

Thank you Trish for all of your hard work. It's was really enjoyable reading your entire trip report. Sounds like you had a great time of it and that you would be a lot of fun to travel with.

[TwinCruiserMom]

Thank you so much for your review! I have enjoyed reading all three parts. I appreciate the time you have taken to write all the detailed information. You have us all so excited about our future cruise on the Crown :)

[cricketgal]

Having been on the same cruise on the same week, I can attest to the fact that Trishtraveler's review was "bang on". Only difference is that we did Traditional dining, late seating. If anybody has any questions regarding that or anything else, I am happy to answer them for you.

 

So that was YOU we saw riding up and down the elevators watching the champagne waterfall....lol.

 

One interesting story that I can add to your review is what we observed somewhat "behind the scenes" at the Finale of the Princess Pop Idol. We were seated to the far left of Club Fusion where the Cruise Staff were located to run the event. The staff member hosting the event (I think her name might have been Elaine) was very animated and bubbly while on stage introducing the contestants. What most did not see however was the fact that she was suffering from a severe migraine when not onstage. Kudos to her for her strength and professionalism in not letting that show while on stage and her dedication to "the show must go on"....we were very impressed. All the cruise entertainment staff did a great job. Brett, the Deputy Cruise Director was a lot of fun and we got to chat with him the day after the "Crew Show" to laugh with him about his interesting outfit that he wore during "If I were Not Upon the Sea"....Hilarious show as well as showcasing the talented crew..... be sure not to miss it! Brett should be promoted to the Cruise Director position.

 

Our favourite spot on the ship was Vines, the Wine Bar. Herve is very knowledgeable about wines and will take great care of you. He is also wonderful singing Besame Mucho in the Crew Show.

 

Great job on the review, nice to see one done with such a positive attitude and lots of useful information.

[Northender]

Loved the review, Trish. I read every word.

Well done.:):)

[willycruise]

We leave in 5 long weeks, and can't wait to go. Your review just helps build the anticipation even more. We've been on several cruises, and all have been great. We seem to keep coming back to Princess though. Our March sailing will be our 7th with Princess!!

 

Thanks again for the very detailed review!!!

 

BK

[sherman931]

Thanks for an excellent, interesting and comprehensive review.

[caribill]

. There was a hilarious comedian, Scott Wyler, but he was leaving the ship after his performance (maybe others can catch him on another ship).

 

 

Thanks for your reviews. Glad that you had a great time on your first Princess cruise.

 

Performers like Scott Wyler often come on board for one night of shows and then get off at the next port to join a different ship for a night or two. Then repeat.

[Trish Traveler]

Thank you for all of your hard work. All I can say is "Well Done". Breaking it down in three parts was a great idea.

 

Now I have a question....do you recall the post excursions that Princess offered in Ft. Lauderdale for those with late flight times?

 

Thanks again....Anna:)

You're welcome. I do have the Ft. Lauderdale info here - sure wish my scanner worked. I'll try to give you the basics:

All tours depart at 9AM

 

3 Tours that end at Ft. Lauderdale Airport:

 

FLL by Land & Sea $49, 3.5 hours, for flts. after 2:30pm FLL

Beach/city tour & paddle wheel cruise along Intercoastal

 

Everglades Airboat Ride $39, 2.15 hrs., for flts. after 1pm FLL

 

Everglades Airboat Ride & Flamingo Gardens Wildlife Sanctuary $59, 3.5 hrs. flts. after 2:30pm FLL

 

3 Tours that end at Miami Airport:

 

FLL by Land & Sea $59, 4.5 hours, for flts. after 4pm MIA

Beach/city tour & paddle wheel cruise along Intercoastal

 

Everglades Airboat Ride $49, 3 hrs., for flts. after 2:30pm MIA

 

Everglades Airboat Ride & Flamingo Gardens Wildlife Sanctuary $69, 4.5 hrs. flts. after 4pm MIA

[lv2teach]

Having been on the same cruise on the same week, I can attest to the fact that Trishtraveler's review was "bang on". Only difference is that we did Traditional dining, late seating. If anybody has any questions regarding that or anything else, I am happy to answer them for you.

 

.

 

We have the exact same dining on are cruise in April. What did you think of the traditional dining room? Did you feel you were able to go to shows too?

[Trish Traveler]

Trish, Thanks for the wonderful review of your cruise ! I've been reading these boards for years and your eloquent writing style made your cruise description one of my all time favorites ! Do you write professionally ? We will be on the Crown in three weeks and your review was most helpful . Thank you SOOO much !!

Bill

Thanks to everyone for all your kind words. No, I don't write professionally, but I would love it if someone would pay me to travel and write about it :D. I love to relive my trip by writing the review quickly afterwards (so I can remember details), which also then serves as my personal journal of the trip. I always have good intentions of journaling along the way; and I even bring a mini-spiral; but it gets tossed to the side after day one. Who wants to be staring at a piece of paper, when I could be having fun and enjoying the beauty of the Caribbean? ;) Writing the review also helps combat the post-cruise depression syndrome :(.

You will love the Crown. She is fabulous.

[cricketgal]

We have the exact same dining on are cruise in April. What did you think of the traditional dining room? Did you feel you were able to go to shows too?

 

We really enjoy the traditional dining, especially late seating, and have always done it. I know some prefer Anytime/Personal Choice Dining and while I understand their reasons for prefering to go whenever you want and it is nice to have that option, we prefer to get to know our servers and tablemates and have that familiarity and continuity throughout the cruise.

 

Yes, making the shows was certainly never a problem on Princess and you can always let your servers know if there is a particular showtime that you wish to go to and they are very accomodating at making sure that you are done in time to make it. For ourselves, and this is just a personal preference, we like to take our time over dinner and fit the show/entertainment time to the time that we finish dinner and choose according to that, since we have cruised many times and prefer to have the flexibility of doing it that way now. However in our early days of cruising, we really liked to go to the "big"shows in the main theatre and usually planned our dinner timing around that.

 

I agree with Trishtraveler, you will LOVE this ship! :)

[jemy70]

Thanks for the review! We are on the Crown at the end of March, and I am very excited as it's our first cruise. I am sorry the afternoon tea was a disappointment, since that was something I was looking forward to. Now I know to just buy a specialty coffee and enjoy that instead!

 

Jennifer

[Cindylu2001]

As we are sailing on the Crown in 8 short days, I have been reading tons of reviews and yours, by far, has been the most informative. Thank you so much!

[rianvi]

Thank you for the post cruise info. It is greatly appreciated as you can't access the info until you are on ship.

 

Anna:)

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the great review.