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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: JAN STEPHEN SUMNER
Email: DRJSSGOLF@AOL.COM
Age: 51
Occupation: CHIROPRACTOR
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Crown
SailingDate: 12/23/99
Itinerary: WESTERN CARRIBEAN
Cabin: C-149
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Jan 2000
Time: 10:54:30
Remote Name: spider-we034.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
My 15-year old son and I went on the Crown Princess for a Xmas cruise this year, 1999. On-line, I read the mixed bag
of reviews on this ship but I went anyway because of the itinerary and the dates of this cruise. The Crown was waiting
for us in sunny Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 23. Embarkation was smooth as silk as was our shuttle from Miami International
Airport where we were met at the GATE by a Princess rep. Our steward(ess) Amanda was as beautiful as she was
efficient. Our room was very comfortable and much to my amazement, the shower could fit two and one half people in
it! The Crown had been refurbished about seven months ago and it was evident. The rugs, murals, mirrors and
everything that could be replaced looked like it had been. The two areas that were very impressive were the dining
room and the casino/lounge areas. We were fortunate to sit by the many gigantic windows in the dining area. The food
and service was impeccable. The casino was on the 14th floor and was surrounded by high ceilings and mood lights
and a great entertainer with her accompanyist. This ship is ten years old and it vibrates a bit but of the nine upscale
ships that I have been on, this one ranks in the top three.
Our itinerary was the western carribean and I'll quickly give you the high points: Princess Cay is beautiful and we took
the wave runners and they were great. We golfed in Jamaica and the Sandals course was top notch and I am a nine
handicap. ( the course in Grand Cayman was not as nice and much too windy and water hazards for lost balls.) The
highlight of our cruise for me was the catamaran trip in Grand Cayman for the sting ray snorkle!! We also went
beaching and snorkling in Cozumel at their local park Chacanubah which was a lot of fun.
My 15 year old met a young beautiful lady from England on our first morning while he was doing his 2 mile run and
they were inseparable for the entire cruise. They are still e-mailing each other daily and hope to visit each other this
summer! THE LOVE BOAT LIVES!!!
Name: James W. Moore
Email: jwmoore1@erols.com
Age: 57
Occupation: Retired Military
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: 03-11-2000
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: B427/I
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 65
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Mar 2000
Time: 18:53:48
Remote Name: 207-172-133-81.s81.tnt6.col.md.dialup.rcn.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our second Princess cruise, and our very first inside cabin sailing, and we were very pleased
with our cabin selection, as we did not have any feeling of claustrophobia. Also, there was a camera
mounted high above the ship that provides a fore or aft view on the local TV channel.
The route is called 'Southern Caribbean Voyager' which departs San Juan on a Saturday, and has a day
at sea before port calls at Curacao, Isla Margarite (off Venezuela), St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, and
back to San Juan. At the end of the cruise, passengers are provided a log of the cruise listing times,
places, and distances travelled, which makes a nice scrap book add-on. For the interested, the total
distance travelled was 1,532 Nautical Miles for the 7 day cruise.
We enjoyed the itinerary, as we had never been to Isla Margarite, St. Vincent, nor St. Kitts during our
previous voyages. All but St. Vincent were quality ports of call - not much to see in downtown St Vincent,
as we opted to explore by ourselves and not take a local tour. Isla Margarita is also a fairly new stop, and
we enjoyed the Historic Margarita and Porlamar bus tour. It lasted 5 hours and covered a lot of the island
high-spots, although the shopping tour in Porlamar is primarily for Venezuelans coming over from the
mainland for tax-free items and not well suited for foreigners to find bargains.
We've been to Curacao several times and see some progess made on the new pier outside of the old
town and passage through the canal and under the beautiful Queen Wilhelmina Bridge. We went on the
Hato Caves tour, which was also and enjoyable (and inexpensive) short tour around the countryside.
The highlight of our cruise (as always) was the catamaran sail on St Kitts to snorkel, picnic, and sail to
Nevis. This is a must tour for folks who want to get away for a whole day under the sun and sparkling
waters of the Caribbean. Very well planned and executed!
As for the OCEAN PRINCESS shipboard life - well, my wife and I usually sail Royal Caribbean, and we find
Princess lacking in the hiring of local Caribbean employees, and this comes across especially in life
around the pool and bar service. Most of the help comes from Europe (a lot from Eastern Europe), and,
well, they just do not come across as folks who like to party. If you like a refined and 'serious' crew,
Princess is up your alley.
The ship is really well laid out and quite comfortable in all areas on deck. We were able to find deck
chairs and space in all areas to sit under the sun. The best locations are aft near the splash pool on the
Riviera deck, with another good location on the Lido deck by the Oasis bar. It's away from the activities
(and steel band) by the main pool, but has good access to sun all day.
Dining service was excellent, however, the menu selection was not outstanding - fish, chicken, and beef
dishes every day and 2 other related sea or land animals. I found the beef to be a bit on the fatty side on
both occasions I selected a beef dish. On the other hand, the informal dining for breakfast, lunch, and
one dinner meal was outstanding on all counts. One should also visit Fabio's Pizzeria for one lunch, as it
was very well laid out on the Dolphin Deck and had a fairly good pizza selection.
Entertainment was top quality by the cruise staff with good voices and dancing skills by the shipboard
performers. Since we do not stay up past the early shows, we did not sample the other nighttime
activities. We contribuited our usual ten dollars worth of quarters to a slot machine one evening, but that
was all we remember about the casino - however, it appeared smaller than casinos we've seen on RCCL.
Overall, a good cruise for us with one minor exception: the air travel from San Juan back to Baltimore was
via New York, and did not meet our expectations. I won't dwell on this, as there can always be problems
trying to get passengers from 3 giant cruise ships out of a small airport over the course of several hours.
If you can afford it, try to spend an extra day or two in San Juan to avoid the weekend crowds, or, make
your own airline connections (do a cruise only booking) well in advance of your sailing.
Name: Caryn Erdberg
Email: ssbeagle@yahoo.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Civil Service
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Crown
SailingDate: 03-26-00
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: B140
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 97
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 00
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 94
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 60
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 70
PrivateIsland: 00
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 89
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 87
EntertainmentLounges: 96
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 87
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram: 00
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 93
EmbarkDisembark: 97
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Apr 2000
Time: 21:01:08
Remote Name: thirtysix.cyou.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our second cruise on the Crown Princess, our first being to Alaska. She is a very well-appointed ship
with all the amenities you could wish for. The public rooms were beautifully done and access to everything was
very easy. If you sat on the bottom floor of the show lounge you had excellent views of the stage; the second
level you had to look through glass and a bar across the top of it. The Crown also has a well-stocked library
and a fair sized paperback exchange section. The cinema was very comfortable and we enjoyed several
movies that had been released within the past year.
Ports of call included Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Limon/Cost Rica, and Cartagena/Colombia. The tours were
very well done and reasonably priced. In Cozumel we went to the San Gervasio ruins and a folkloric show;
Grand Cayman was snorkeling and swimming with the stingrays. Costa Rica was a canal trip with lots of wildlife
to be seen; and a city tour in Cartagena was thoroughly enjoyed. The buses (except in Grand Cayman) were
air-conditioned.
This was our 7th cruise with Princess and we were a little disappointed in the service on board the ship.
Princess has cut corners in many ways over the past years. They used to provide free transportation to and
from the pier wherever the ship docked into the ports visited and to/from the airport and
embarkation/debarkation; now they charge pretty hefty prices. We found it was cheaper for the two of us to
take a taxi from the port to the airport in Fort Lauderdale than to use transportation through Princess. Dining
room service has been cut also. Wine stewards are no longer available (the table waiters do that now). The
selection of food items in the Cafe Cabana on the Lido deck was poor as was the quality. We preferred to eat
most of our meals in the dining room the best were dinner as we had a wonderful waiter (Victor) and assistant
waiter (Artur from Poland). Considering the extra duties required of them, they served us promptly and
happily. Anything we wanted all we had to do was ask. Artur made the best hot chocolate...... Amenities in the
cabins have been cut (less fresh soap unless you asked for it, no pens to write with). There were also less
passenger activities during sea days.
However, we did enjoy our trip on the Crown as she is a beautiful ship. The crew does an excellent job of
keeping everything clean and shiny. The cruise director and staff truly work hard and do an excellent job of
keeping the passengers happy and entertained. Our cabin steward was very good and provided everything
we asked for and kept our cabin spotless. The medical staff were excellent and really helped me out on the
day I was very ill and had to miss the tour in Costa Rica. The staff in the shops were very friendly and helpful
for the most part. The pizzeria had delicious pizza, too.
However, because of the cuts/changes Princess has made we are seriously considering trying another cruise
line for our next trip. We truly miss the days of cruising before the "grand" class ships.
Name: Brad McLellan
Email: Andawaytheygo90@hotmail.com
Age: 43
Occupation: T.V. News Assignment Editor
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Crown
SailingDate: 3/26/00
Itinerary: Western Carribean/Panama Canal
Cabin: B289
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 89
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 87
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 82
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 86
Casino: 87
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 93
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 92
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 93
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 May 2000
Time: 05:41:40
Remote Name: 15.san-diego-06-07rs.ca.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was my second cruise on Princess and once again I wasn't disappointed. For those of you who are
worrying about sailing on the 10 year old Crown Princess, forget about it. The ship is in excellent shape.
Granted it doesn't have a 10 story lobby with glass elevators or flashing neon lights, but it's still very
glamorous.
I selected the 10-day Western Carribean itinerary because I think seven day cruises are too short. This trip
has the perfect combination of four days at sea and five days in port. Let me tell you a little bit about the ports
of call.
Our first stop was at Cozumel Mexico. This was my fourth visit to island, and I never get tired of it. In my
opinion there are three things to do in Cozumel. If you like to shop check out the downtown area. There are a
lot of stores, but you can see them all in a couple of hours. They're located in a 5 to 6 block area. The stores
carry all types of Mexican souvenirs. If you're not much of a shopper but you love the beach then consider
taking the half-day Fury catamaran trip. The first thing you'll do is stop at a decent snorkeling site. You'll have
about 45 minutes to check out the coral and tropical fish. If you have never snorkeled before this is a good
place to learn. The crew does a good job showing you what you need to know to feel safe and have a good
time. After your snorkeling adventure the Fury sets sail for a private beach about 10 minutes from the
snorkeling area. Once you've waded on shore you'll get a chance to play volleyball, paddle a kayak or just
relax in the sun. After about an hour the Fury sails back to the Crown Princess. Sometimes the return trip
gets a little wild. The crew makes sure everyone gets enough to drink. All in all it's a delightful day and you
really should do it because it's one of the main reasons you came to the Carribean in the first place. The third
thing you should think about doing in Cozumel is visiting the Mayan city of Tulum. I have to admit I wasn't
really excited about going but I'm glad I did. First you take a short ferry ride to Playa del Carmen. Next you
board a bus for a 45 minute ride to Tulum. The ruins are fascinating. Many of the structures are still standing.
If you get a bad guide just walk over to another group. There are probably 20 guides taking people around
the ruins at the same time. Sooner or later you'll find one who really knows what they're talking about. My tour
also included a stop at Xel-Ha Lagoon. I can't say enough about it. It's a beautiful Mexican resort. The ship
should offer a one day tour to Xel-Ha. The area is lush and tropical and has excellent snorkeling. At Xel-Ha
you can also swim with the Dolphins. I didn't do it but another passenger did and she said it was well worth the
50 bucks. You can be as active as you want at the resort or you can just relax and soak up the sun.
Our second stop was Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is one of the best islands in the Carribean. I put it right
at the top with St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Once again I think there are three things to do on Grand
Cayman. First, I would recommend the the half day snorkeling trip in the harbor area. You'll get to explore a
shipwreck and one other site. Grand Cayman has some of the best snorkeling in the Carribean. The harbor
area is very calm and it's a great place for beginners. My second recommendation is to take the trip to
Stingray City. I have never done it, but I hear nothing but good things about it. You actually get to wade out
into the water while Stingrays swim all around you. You can feed them or pet them. They're wild animals, but
they're friendly. I've been stung by a stingray before so I've never wanted to explore Stingray city, but others
have told me it's safe and an exhilarating experience. Without a doubt the best thing to do in Grand Cayman
is to spend the day at Seven Mile Beach. When you get into town take a taxi to the Royal Palms resort. It will
cost you about four bucks. You probably won't want to stay at the resort. The beach is crowded, and the
drinks are expensive. Instead just walk through the small resort area. When you hit the beach turn right and
walk about a half mile. You'll have spectacular Seven Mile Beach all to yourself. The water is warm and
incredibly clear. The people who own property next to the beach have hired guards to keep you out of their
area. Just sit near the water and they won't bother you. If you like the beach you have to go. I promise you
won't be disappointed.
After a day at sea our third stop was at Limon Costa Rica. One of the reasons I took this trip was to see the
rain forest. I'm glad I did. You'll have a lot of daytrip choices in Costa Rica. I can only tell you about the
Tortugeuero Canals Eco Tour. After an hour ride through the countryside we made our way to the rain forest.
We boarded a small boat for a two hour trip. There are a lot of things to see and the guides are
knowledgeable. If you're lucky you'll get to see sloths, monkeys and crocodiles. I always pictured the rain
forest as some dense jungle with snakes hanging out of the trees. This tour doesn't take you through that
kind of place. The area is wide open and you won't have to worry about a poisonous snake dropping into
your boat.
Of course another reason for taking this trip is to see the Panama Canal. I had heard a lot about it, but you
can't appreciate it until you've been through it. Unforunately I over slept and missed the trip going into the
canal. I made sure I saw everything on the way out. I would recommend going to the front the ship for first half
of the transit. Then I would go to the back of the ship for the last two locks. You'll have plenty of chances to
take pictures.
Our last stop was Cartagena Columbia. Cartagena is an interesting city. I hired a taxi driver to take me on a
three hour tour. We went to quite a few historic places, but I have to warn you. The minute you get out of the
cab about four or five people will try to sell you something. The people are just trying to make a living, but
after a while it becomes annoying. In general I found the Columbian people to be warm and friendly. They're
very proud of their country.
There are just a few other things you should know about this trip. If you're between 20 and 30 and you're
looking to party look somewhere else. I'd say 85% of the passengers are senior citizens. They're great, but
they don't hang out in the disco. On most nights almost everyone was in bed by 11:30. The disco was always
deserted by 12:30. On some ships the entertainers and younger crew members mingle with the younger
passengers but not on this trip.
For those of you who don't like crowds around the pool head to the back of B deck. You'll find plenty of
lounge chairs and a very relaxing spot to soak up the sun or to read in the shade. If you insist on sitting by
the pool check it out after 4:00. A lot of people leave to get ready for dinner and the place is usually wide
open late in the day.
Princess is a very good cruise line. Unlike Carnival they don't try to sell you something every time you turn
around. I think you'll definitely like the Crown Princess and it's 10-day Western Carribean itinerary. Feel free
to e-mail me if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help.
Name: Miki Krakauer
Email: rmkrakauer@home.com
Age: 50
Occupation: Transportation planner
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Crown
SailingDate: 7/30/00
Itinerary: Baltic - Scandinavia
Cabin: D 119
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Aug 2000
Time: 21:39:46
Remote Name: cc879853-a.ewndsr1.nj.home.com
Remote User:
Comments
The Crown Princess is a lovely ship with a very modern, almost austere decor. The ship is a nice
size, and easy to navigate (food aft, entertainment forward). There was never any sense of
crowding; the only lines were those days when everyone came back from tours at the same time
hungry. Some quibbles with the design is that the walking/jogging track is on the top of the ship
and the gym is windowless, deep in the ship. Our cabin was comfortable, although I thought the
layout was a little odd, with the closet forming a "hallway." We also had some problems with our air
conditioner, although others in our party did not.
The food was generally good to very good and occasionally excellent in the dining room. The
kitchen is on the floor below. The waiters take an escalator, which may explain why it took a little
while for an extra order to appear. Breakfast and lunch in the dining room were usually open
seating. The buffet breakfasts and lunch were good, but the variety could have been better. Light
snacks were available all afternoon, including a sandwich bar which I enjoyed. There is no midnight
buffet, instead, the Lido restaurant becomes a sit down restaurant for dinner or snacks. The
pizzeria was good, and the hours were adequate, although it closed at 11 or 12 which might be
early for a night owl. Most importantly, on a port intensive cruise such as this, there was always
food available when we got back to the ship tired and hungry.
The passengers were mostly Americans, but a number of other nationalities as well. The largest
age group appeared to be 45-65. There were a number of three generation groups. The ship had
two events for college- aged through- 20 somethings.
As with all other Princess cruises I've been on, the organization was excellent. The cruise director
bears special mention. In addition to dispatching the normal functions, he produced an excellent
series of talks on Russia and the Romanoffs. He also gave highly informative port talks with
directions on how to see the cities without taking the ship's tours, although AFTER the closing time
for cancelling tours. The ship's tours were generally very good. The brochure bears careful
reading to insure that passengers select the right tour (some with limited mobility signed up for
tours with heavy walking).
The ports (Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallin, Gdansk and Oslo) ranged
from interesting to fascinating, and the short time that a ship could spend in a town was somewhat
frustrating. We felt particularly rushed in Oslo, and wished we had an hour or two more in Tallin
and Stockholm. (The Crown Princess docked about an hour outside Stockholm and Gdansk, the
cruise director explained how to take trains into town after time to cancel tours.) One other minor
disappointment was that the food and entertainment (except for one night) were standard cruise
fare, not related to the places we visited. (Caviar was on formal night - not when we were in
Russia).
In total - some minor flaws, but an overall great experience.
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