Good New Year's Cruise on Crown Princess

Fort Lauderdale-Princess Cays Bahamas-St. Thomas-Antigua-St.Lucia-Barbados-St.Kitts-Fort Lauderdale

Day 0: Stay-Park-Cruise Rodeway Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport and Cruise Port. Price of lodging and long-term parking just under the cost to park car at port terminal ($15 per day). Free shuttle to port provided with quick stop at a drug store. Planning this comes with a warning: when you return the Rodeway shuttle may keep you waiting hours (yes, HOURS) to pick you up to take you back to your car – many exasperated dawgs hired a taxi (4.3 miles/13 minutes travel via I-95, tax and tip: estimated $16.25 per dawg) back to Rodeway. But taxis were hard to find after 9:00 a.m.

Day 1: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale. We arrived at the port at about 11:15 a.m. Salty dawgs who packed only carry-ons can navigate around the luggage hounds asking for your luggage and a $10 tip. Just prepare that you may be one of the unlucky dawgs whose luggage arrives to their stateroom after dinner.

Our check-in was among the quickest and most efficient we have experienced. Yes, we had our travel docs, checked in online, presented the same credit card as we had booked and printed our boarding passes. We were given our cruise card: check name, ship, dates, cabin and dining for accuracy. Safeguard your cruise card: dawgs will have bar code scanned whenever they depart and re-board the ship and it is the onboard cash card. Be certain to obtain and sign an accurate receipt for expenses. By-pass the souvenir camera pointers (photos are not free nor mandatory) and trot across the gangway. Present cruise card and take ID mut shot. Our stateroom was ready to occupy when we boarded. Study the hallway carpet for a helpful navigational aid: our deck had red “berries” port side (even numbered staterooms) and blue “berries” starboard side.

Our cabin E322 midship obstructed ocean view was an upgrade from inside cabin. Only the lower portion of our window was blocked by a lifeboat. We concluded we had an acceptable view of the ocean and sky. A midship location is not as susceptible to up and down motion as cabins forward and aft. This small and dated cabin required some choreography for two to navigate simultaneously. Exercise caution when opening the lavatory door because partner dawg could be pinned against the closet. Our closet contained 32 wooden hangers.

Even at the coolest thermostat setting, our cabin felt warm. An inevitable topic of conversation among fellow cruise dawgs became the ship felt too warm, an issue the ventilation officer was unable or unwilling to rectify. We should be grateful it wasn’t summer! Incidentally, our cabin fridge stayed too warm, too. We kept a bucket of ice in the fridge to help cool it.

The venerable Crown Princess (2006) has limited electrical outlets that accommodate U.S. plugs, so I recommend packing a multiple outlet surge strip for multiple devices and chargers. We had a 40-inch flat screen TV, but major U.S. networks were not televised. Not even the BBC reported weather in the US. Prepare to be saturated with “The Love Boat”. Our shower was tight; most will not be able to squat to grasp dropped soap. I recommend packing your own favorite soap and shampoo. Pooches insisting on a bath tub should book a suite or investigate the Lotus Spa thermal suite day pass costs.

Once unpacked we went to lunch at the Horizon Court buffet. Food offerings were plentiful, international and seemed to meet most dietary choices and requirements. Gone are the drink stations. Unless dawgs purchased a soda card, the drink choices were coffee, tea, water and lemonade. It seems Princess has made things quite inconvenient for dawgs who do not purchase a soda or drink package. I wasn't the only dawg leaving my meal to get a refill. Dawgs might do well to pack single serve powdered drink mixes to add to their complimentary ice water. Long gone are the self-serve ice-cream dispensers. Paw sanitizers were at chow entrances, but guard dawgs weren’t monitoring use. Pampered pedigrees will probably discern enough to whine about with this mostly self-serve buffet. Contrary to persistent rumor, the buffet dinner menu differs from the usually superior restaurant dinner menu.

Seven short followed by one long horn blasts signals report to the muster station. Our dawgs only had to bring their ship card which crew dawgs scanned. Muts who miss this Coast Guard required muster earn a more thorough private muster later.

The weather was deteriorating as we departed. Strong winds and moderately rough seas kept dawgs off the upper decks, limited “Enchanted Evening” events and closed the pools and the promenade deck. As the conditions worsened, a moderate rise and fall, lurch and list began. Interior creaks and groans, some sounding like loose carts rolling across the deck, made sound snoozing difficult. I recommend packing ear plugs. For queasy dawgs, obtain prescription anti-motion sickness patches before boarding.

DAY 2: Princess Cays, Eleuthera, Bahamas. Few were surprised when the captain announced the wind and sea conditions were deemed too rough to tender to the island. This port stop was cancelled. An easy alternative would have been to cruise to the port of Nassau. One empty berth was available, but I'm guessing it was more a financial decision to make a slow cruise to St. Thomas.

Top Dawg might have charted a more sheltered course west of the Bahamas, instead he sailed into the open ocean east of the Bahamas and we enjoyed a day and night of rock ‘n’ roll. I would categorize the motion more a nuisance than severe, but landlubbers were becoming nauseous and sick bags were hung with care next to Christmas decorations. Entertainment scheduled a few more onboard activities and some profitable ventures for the cruise line.

Coffee and Cones (Ice Cream) and adjacent Slice (Pizza) port side between the main Neptune and Calypso pools offers a limited complimentary and a fee menu. The Salty Dog (formerly Trident) by the Neptune pool serves up hot dogs, burgers and fries in complimentary and fee menus. Adults should accompany their pups to these venues because it is easy to order from the fee menu.

Day 3: At Sea. Continuing wind and sea conditions kept the pools closed and cancelled all on-deck activities. By now it was obvious the ventilation system could not adequately recirculate the air or keep the sealed interior space comfortably cool. This only exacerbated motion sickness. To enhance our onboard experience, that night the hot water throughout the ship was turned off to permit scheduled maintenance. Decisions such as these cause me to question how much priority Princess places on passenger comfort.

On select sea days, the Crown Grill puts out their Union Jacks and serves a complimentary British-style pub lunch such as Fish and Chips, but no complimentary drinks. Be warned to double check which lunches are complimentary and which are not before ordering. We brought our own drinks to Pub Lunch from the Horizon Court. The Princess executive who approved this unpopular policy to save a few pennies should be terminated.

Day 4: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI. Most welcomed docking and stepping onto terra firma in the warm sunshine. But what are cruise itinerary planners thinking? Crown Princess, Norwegian Gem, Crystal Symphony, Celebrity Infinity and Queen Mary were all in port! Reminiscent of Santorini, shops and downtown were wall-to-wall dawg packs. Shore excursions and destinations were generally hosting more dawgs than ideal or customary. The ship offered a welcomed sanctuary even though a lot of maintenance was in progress.

Some high-end duty free shops await dawgs at the end of the pier. Savvy dawgs check the internet to make certain they are getting a bargain. Dawgs should remember they have an $800 tax free allowance. Left and past the tourist shops, dawgs may catch a $4 taxi to down town Charlotte Amalie. It is possible for fit dawgs to hike to downtown following a curvy and busy highway.

Most Caribbean ports are saturated with retailers like Diamonds International, Columbia Emeralds and Effy’s. Better prices are generally found further from the tourist enclave, but with that comes inferior quality and fakes. Dawgs will receive a fairly sketchy map of the tourist enclave from the cruise line. Smart dawgs know to search for a free, complete and accurate map from Tourist Information, usually located near the port entrance.

For dawgs considering booking a shore excursion through the cruise line; most are overpriced. The premium purchases insurance that the ship will wait for dawgs tardy due to their late returning shore excursion. Generally, the safety and quality of the cruise line excursion has earned the recommendation of the cruise line. Excursions offered by independents will beat the cruise line price because they aren’t paying a kickback to the cruise line. Savvy dawgs who do a little pre-cruise research should be able to sniff out reliable and less costly shore excursion operators that are used by other cruise lines, but not Princess.

Regardless of the island, most Caribbean shore excursions are snorkeling, diving, beach break lunches, coastal sailing, taxi/bus scenic island tour, historical site tour, swim with sea life and exploring geological sites. Princess features some Animal Planet and Discovery excursions worth considering.

Day 5: St. John’s, Antigua. The tourist enclave here is Heritage Quay. Just inside the gate, a pack of assertive dawgs thrust their island tour deals into our faces. My most effective response was to say (truthfully) that I had been to Antigua before. A glance at the street ahead revealed loaded tour wagons crawling through snarled traffic. Further up the street and to the right is a large indoor consignment stall market where some bargain souvenirs may be found and negotiated. Often shop owners, like midway hawkers, are enticing the unwary dawgs into their shops with promises of freebies. My experience is often the best deal is offered when you turn and walk away.

Day 6: Castries, St. Lucia. This island is a lush, mountainous paradise reminiscent of a South Seas island. We booked a well recommended day excursion with Joy’s Adventures and went by speedboat from Castries south along the scenic beaches and cliffs of the west coast to Soufriere. We took a van to the sulphur springs and mineral baths where totally sane muts took a mud bath. The water is hot, the mud is thick, and the area reeks of sulphur. Off to Toraille Falls for a chilly, high-pressured “power shower”. I guess most dawgs were finally presentable enough to have an authentic and less than delicious Caribbean lunch in a spacious basement of the tour owner’s home not far from Rainbow Falls. I sampled a small spoonful of everything, and I’m still here to tell the tale. Lo Mein was available for the less adventurous.

We were driven back to our speedboat and went further south for a beach break and snorkeling in the Coral Gardens located between the majestic Petit and Gros Pitons. The bar opened as we headed north along the west coast. We gawked at the yachts and homes of Marigot Bay and our boat was small enough and the seas calm enough to motor through a natural sea arch. All too soon, but well before departure time, we were back aboard the ship.

Day 7: Bridgetown, Barbados. The Carnival Fascination and Norwegian Dawn docked shortly after Crown Princess arrived. Barbados is a contrast to the lush, mountainous St. Lucia. This seems a good island to book a sailing or beach excursion. The crew runs noisy drills in the morning. The busy port complex and concrete dock is large. The cruise line provided complimentary shuttles to the terminal though fit dawgs had no trouble hiking there. Familiar cruise line shops await in the terminal stores. Taxi drivers who have paid cruise lines for terminal access and tour operators are just outside the terminal stores building. Taxi vans into Bridgetown are about $2. DIY beach day dawgs might discover it is much easier to get a taxi to a beach than from the beach back to the port. Warning: today the ship departs earlier than usual: at 3:30 p.m. Waiting just outside the port entrance gate are more tour operators and taxi drivers who do not have access to the port area. Many of these taxis are unmetered, some are even unlicensed, so exercise due caution and agree on the fare before hopping into the cab. Dawgs are advised to know their limitations and risk exposure well before starting the mile long walk into Bridgetown. I advise dawgs research and determine where they are going in Bridgetown and why before they pound the streets. The town is a commercial center and not very touristy.

Day 8: Basseterre, St. Kitts. This and Nevis are beautiful lush, mountainous islands. Crown Princess docked next to a similarly sized MSC Prezioso. We booked the Cruise to Nevis, Pinney’s Beach, Snorkel and Lunch 6-hour cruise line excursion. It proved a popular excursion. Though advertised for 40, about 70 dawgs were onboard the motor catamaran; not enough seats. We went through some rain squalls forcing dawgs to stand under the little canopy awhile. The crew unfurled the foresail, but only for show because we slowly motored the entire journey. We cruised from Basseterre about 3 miles along the Southeast Peninsula of St. Kitts and anchored near Buggs Hole for snorkeling. Getting mask, fins and vest was an exercise in patience, probably because so many were aboard. After snorkeling the bar was opened and lunch was served. We found the drinks strong and the lunch surprisingly good. Then we motored two miles across the straight to Nevis Island and the catamaran beached on Pinney’s Beach. We lounged in chairs and the crew brought a cooler from the boat. Then we climbed aboard and slowly motored back to the port. Smart dawgs brought towels, sunglasses, secure head covering and sunscreen. I believe the most comfortable spot on the catamaran is the trampoline, just know a wave may splash you there.

Day 9: At sea. Many dawgs have learned to wait to the end of a cruise to take advantage of Princess shop sales events. Savvy dawgs know to check the onboard sales price of items with what can be purchased on the internet. For some, a unique item or an item’s “souvenir” value is worth the premium. Today is a good day to check and settle shipboard accounts. An unexplained charge from Crown Grill appeared on our account. A visit to the customer service desk did not resolve the issue because no one in authority from the Crown Grill was available. Inexcusable! It took two days to straighten this error out.

Day 10: At Sea. A series of announcements herald the Princess campaign for dawgs’ final vacation dollars: up to 75% off onboard outlet sale; Effy blow-out sale up to 60% off; big bingo jackpot will be awarded today; don’t miss the huge art auction; pay for a future cruise; etc. It is possible to escape the distracting crass commercialism to experience reasons you booked this cruise for this one final day.

Day 11: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale. Again, what are cruise line itinerary planners thinking? Seven large ships docked (Crown Princess, Royal Princess, Celebrity Edge, RCCL Harmony o/t Seas, HAL Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam) and disgorged 25,000 cruise dawgs at the same time overtaxing transportation and security systems. Entering and exiting Port Everglades is increasingly stressful and difficult.

Crown Princess has three main dining rooms: Boticelli, Da Vinci and Michaelangelo. On this voyage, the main dining menu offered a left side fixed menu and a right side changing menu. The “Princess favorites” left side menu offered shrimp cocktail, ceasar salad, potato soup, fettucini, salmon, chicken and a burger. The changing “right side” menu featured, among others, Prime rib, salmon, lamb, red snapper, trout, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, lobster tail, pheasant, duck, jerk chicken, turkey, pork and chateaubriand just to start an impressive list.

Disappointed dawgs who couldn’t get a reservation at the premium ($29 cover charge) Crown Grill may find consolation in the main dining room. Their menus list steak offerings for a price. With a little menu comparison, savvy dawgs can order a steak for $19 in the main dining room that dawgs pay $29 to eat in the premium Crown Grill. Surf and Turf ordered for $29 comes out of the same galley that dawgs pay $10 in addition to Crown Grill’s $29 cover charge.

There were two formal nights, but I saw more dress shirt and ties than suits or tuxes; more dresses than gowns.

Face it, better entertainers have more lucrative performance opportunities than a venerable cruise ship during the holidays. Princess Theater shows were nonetheless enjoyable and impressive. Crown Princess booked a variety of live musicians to perform in venues on deck. Those live musicians attentive to the preferences of their audience enjoyed popularity; the clueless generally performed to nearly empty venues. There were some opportunities to dance, but often held on the small dance floor in the Wheelhouse Bar.

For $20 half day/$40 full day/$200 full cruise, dawgs can access the extra padded lounges and tranquility of the Sanctuary. Located far forward, the sail cloth awning provides little protection from less favorable weather and wind.

For the Princess VIP treatment, book a full suite. Pedigrees will be treated to a host of extras such as luxury bedding, complimentary laundry service, exclusive Club Class dining, complimentary Lotus Spa thermal suite access and priority services.

This cruise satisfied our goals: we wanted an escape from the cold, we wanted to have a good time, we wanted to toast in the New Year in style, and we wanted to enjoy some great dining. We would not hesitate to repeat this cruise.

Sea Dawg

Embarkation

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

Onboard Activities

Entertainment

Service and Staff

Ship Quality

Cabin / Stateroom

Ports of call

Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island) Did not visit port

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

St. John's, Antigua

Castries, St. Lucia

Bridgetown, Barbados

Basseterre, St. Kitts

Disembarkation

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