This was my first back to back cruise and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great ship and crew, fantastic ports of call, good quizzes, (mostly) pleasant and friendly fellow passengers and overall a great experience. Highly recommended.
Great ship, great crew, fantastic ports. Really enjoyable
Embarkation
5 out of 5
I had been staying at the nearby Hilton Marina hotel and took their shuttle bus ($8 per person) for the 5 minute journey to the port. We arrived about 10am and there were already hundreds of fellow passengers waiting. However the luggage drop off was excellent and the queue started moving on schedule at 10.15am. It was a bit slow getting thru the port- side security scanners but the process to pick up the medallion (let’s hope that Princess can extend their postal service to UK soon) was smooth and quick. I had priority due to loyalty status and had perfect timing as access to the ship was granted just as I got thru the check-in process so I was actually on board and drinking my first cocktail by 11am.
As an “in transit” passenger for the second leg of the back to back, I had to join the hundreds of new passengers to go thru the port-side security screening again but otherwise it was quick and I was on board within 25 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
I ate in Botticelli MDR every evening for dinner. Very good food and excellent staff all round. The menu was repeated for the second 10 days of the back-to-back but that was ok as it was so good. I especially liked the Fettuccine Alfredo, the beef wellington and most of the desserts. I used the buffet for breakfast and lunch most days. The food was always good and always the same (I guess there is only so much variety you can have in breakfast!). The staff were always on hand to get you coffee, water or whatever. Despite the size of the ship (c3100 passengers), there was never any issue with getting a seat inside (even for a solo traveller) and there was always the overflow areas (Steamers and Crab Shack dining areas as they don’t open in the daytime) or even out on deck. The place was kept very clean too. I didn’t use Speciality Dining.
Adagio
4 out of 5
Great little bar tucked away on Deck 16 (I think) right next to Sabbatini. It had really comfortable seating, a good outlook and was always quiet
Skywalkers Nightclub
4 out of 5
I had a nightcap here most evenings. The staff were great and quickly recognised me and had my drink ready within a minute of arrival - without me ordering, after the first night. The music was good - generally and seemed quite lively (for a Princess ship!). Very enjoyable
Dining Room
5 out of 5
I ate in Botticelli and had pre-booked a Table for 1. After a night the lady on the door assigning you a table recognised me by name and directed me to my table. The assigned restaurant manager was always on hand and quickly recognised returning passengers each evening. He took time to visit every table with a quick word - that was a really nice touch. The wait staff were all excellent and friendly. The food was always good.
International Café
5 out of 5
Fantastic to have this facility open 24/7. Always prompt and pleasant service (often by the same staff member at breakfast and also at 11pm for a late night snack). Good selection of pastries and light bites.
Wheelhouse Bar
4 out of 5
One of the more quiet venues on board, it had a good number of very comfy chairs which you could use even when the bar was closed.
Vines Wine Bar
4 out of 5
Small venue specialising in wines. Good and friendly service throughout. Nice little venue and the seating was often used as overflow for International Cafe
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Really enjoyed the trivia and game shows. I even took part in the Jenga Trivia (guests against officers) and enjoyed one of the board game based events on a sea day. I appreciated the outside games courts (though never actually used them) including the putting green. I visited the casino three or four times and managed to come out only marginally down at the roulette wheel. Friendly staff and enjoyable (even when losing).
Casino
4 out of 5
Good selection of slots and table games. I focus on roulette which I played on three or four occasions over 20 days onboard. It’s a “smoking permitted” venue and it was quite smelly at times but not horrendous. Friendly staff
Terrace Pool
4 out of 5
Great area for views from the back of the ship as well as a nice bar area. Tended to be quite quiet
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The ship’s Entertainment staff, led by Lloyd, were excellent. I especially enjoyed the trivia, quizzes and game shows they put on (mainly in Explorers lounge). The DJ’s (there were a couple on board) were good and the bits I heard from the resident bands were very good. The guest comedians were a bit hit and miss for me. I enjoyed Magic to Do and Rock Opera - well-performed by a good cast. I would definitely go to more of these sort of shows if they were available as I preferred these to one-off guest artists but I guess that you can’t produce these sort of shows nightly (although they did seem to many years ago).
Explorers Lounge
5 out of 5
Mostly held quizzes as well as a different game show each evening. Great venue with good capacity. The bar staff were very good. It was the venue I visited most and I never had a problem in getting a drink. Minor issue is that some of the tables were still a bit sticky first thing in the morning (when we were playing Sudoku) and they never seemed to be wiped throughout the day.
Princess Theater
4 out of 5
Decent sized theatre which never seemed totally full even for the main production shows. The seats mostly had good viewing and were quite comfortable.
Club Fusion
5 out of 5
Lots of decent seating and with TV screens so that you can see the small stage area from wherever you are seated. No such thing as a bad seat!! Sound level was good (not too loud) and good bar staff.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All of the staff were great in terms of friendliness, approachability and helpfulness. My room steward kept my room clean (I regard it as being my job to keep it fairly tidy) and always had a friendly greeting. The bar and restaurant staff were always helpful and engaging. The ships personnel were very visible including Entertainment staff as well as those wearing the white uniforms of various grades. Everyone said “Good morning” and smiled - that’s not always easy, but always appreciated.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Emerald is identical to other Princess ships I have travelled on - especially Ruby Princess. I like the layout which seems logical (even Botticelli MDR which you can access from the back of the ship because the galley is in the way!!) and familiar. The areas were all generally very clean with regular signs of minor maintenance and/or cleaning ongoing throughout. I did notice that some of the tables in Explorers Lounge could be in need of a wipe from time to time (which I would have expected to be done more regularly).
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Being a Solo traveller (and therefore already paying a huge supplement) I tend to opt for Inside Cabins unless otherwise warranted. This was an Inside Cabin and on a lower deck than I usually select. It was absolutely ideally situated being a short walk to midship stairs and elevators and surrounded by cabins on all sides. I tended to use the stairs as I was only 3 -4 decks away from the buffet upstairs and the entertainment/ MDR downstairs. The cabin was exactly as expected. The bathroom is small and the shower is quite tight for me (6 ft 2 in and 200lbs) but not unbearable. One of the advantages of travelling alone is that the room seems a comfortable size - that would feel different with 2 (or more) sharing. The cabin was always clean.
Ship tip
Try to experience as much as you can and most of all enjoy the whole time.
Beaches, sun-bathing, snorkelling etc - it’s all,there and looks good. It’s not my thing at all but I can appreciate when it’s well done. I took the tender to shore and walked thru the Princess controlled part of the island enjoying the scenery as well as a few drinks ( included with your Plus or Premier Package) and some (free) food. The water with its various shades of blue is well worth seeing as you travel from ship to shore.
I took a Princess excursion to a giant ski lift which takes you to a mountain overlooking the city and port. It was a short drive of about 15 minutes. The ski lift comprised a 3-4 seater sofa suspended from by wire on a rotating chain. It’s a lot safer than I have described it!! The journey up is stunning as you climb toward the top. Once on top, there are many photo points to capture pictures of the ship in port, the city and the gorgeous housing throughout the island. You can also see the marina and the stunning coastline. There is a bar at the top too (of course). To get back Disney you can chose between going back on the ski lift or - for an additional $25 - you can take the zip line. Don’t be like and have regrets - pay the extra money and be a daredevil!! I was sorely tempted but also wanted to take more photos on the way fish (impossible from the zip line). At the bottom is a small museum, a gift shop and a restaurant. Very enjoyable.
Good port. I took a Princess excursion which was a City drive and a visit to Trafalgar Falls. The city looked quite typical of a Caribbean island. The scenery was stunning as always and I found it remarkable just how green the island was. Trafalgar Falls was impressive, you follow a rough path about 5 minutes to arrive at the twin falls. Very picturesque. The roads are quite narrow and -at points- very steep. Friendly people and a nice visit. The ship docked outside of town, so it’s a walk of about 20 minutes (I would estimate) and as always there are taxis. No hard sell at the port from locals which is appreciated. Remember no camouflage to be worn.
I stayed here for 2 nights pre-cruise so I managed to do bit of site-seeing before embarking. That being the case, and having done a debark excursion on a recent previous cruise in Fort Lauderdale, I did not take a separate excursion. I did enjoy the water taxi as a means of getting around - it was very well-placed for my hotel. Downtown Fort Lauderdale - Los Olas - was well worth a visit.
I had been so looking forward to this port. My research had shown it to be safe and easily walkable so I did a self-tour. Although I knew that the local currency was the Euro, I had read that many vendors accept dollars - that was absolutely not the experience that I (and others I spoke to on the ship) had. Although a number of shops had signage in English, the acceptance of the dollar was very limited - and often done reluctantly. Even the Catholic Cathedral insisted on Euro payment to light a candle!! I found the locals to be particularly unfriendly too. It’s sad because it was a pretty port and within a 5 minute from the ship. But if they don’t treat tourists right, then they won’t have a tourist trade. It’s the only island on this itinerary to which I would not want to return.
The ship docks right in town, so it’s very convenient. I was here twice on my 20 day itinerary. On my first visit I did a Princess excursion to Nelson Dockyards which included a short stop at the ruins of a fort with amazing views over the rocky coastline and sea. The Dockyards were interesting although the visit was quite short. The town looked a bit rundown and I wasn’t entirely convinced about how safe it was (I had read varying reports on that), however on my second visit, I ventured out on my own and found it to be absolutely safe (sticking to the tourist routes of course) and friendly enough locals.
I visited her twice over the 20 days. It’s a very safe and walkable place. The locals were friendly and helpful. The walk to downtown, with all,the usual tourist shops, is about 30 mins each way and there are plenty of taxis if that’s too long. The Skyride to Paradise Point is a 5 minute walk from the ship and I took it fairly early when there was no queue. Fantastic views and definitely enjoy the Bailey’s Bushwhacker at the top - just drink it slowly as it’s very alcoholic.
Another great island with fantastic views, safe and picturesque. I took a Princess tour which included a visit to a fabric place (apparently very well known but not to me ) and an old fort at Brimstone Hill. The drive was great with fantastic local knowledge being given throughout. The whole place looks great (I was immediately tempted when I discovered that there were twice weekly direct flights from the UK!!). I took a short walk around the port area too. Very enjoyable
Another nice port. I took a catamaran excursion which allowed for around 45 minutes of swimming from the catamaran in the sea near a small beach, before taking us to see (from the water) The Pitons. All very impressive with a good and cheerful crew on the Queen of the Carnival catamaran. There was reggae music on the way out and rock/pop music on the way back, served with rum punch and some snack-type food. Very enjoyable. I didn’t see much of the town otherwise but the scenery from the catamaran was great, including various resorts and local housing.
I really liked this stop. I did a Princess excursion which included an island drive to the highest point on the island, a short stop in Cane Garden Bay (with access to the beach and water), as well as Pussers Bay (a marina). Everywhere you went the scenery was gorgeous but especially so on the drive. The only caveat I would have is that the tour was conducted on an open truck-like bus with no windows which could be a rough ride (so avoid if you have back trouble etc). Also the standard of driving throughout was scary - overtaking on blind corners, speeding etc. I also walked a bit into town before the excursion and that was very safe with fantastic looking houses in town and especially on the hills overlooking the port. I would very happily return here.
Research had indicated a need to be wary here, but I found it to be a friendly and pleasant visit. I self toured visiting several gift shops before heading to Starbucks for a coffee. I also made a short visit to the government house and generally walked thru town. There were. 2 other large cruise ships in port so it was quite busy but not oppressively so. The ship docks right alongside the town so it’s a 5-10 minute walk mostly thru stalls selling all sorts. I enjoyed the stop.
Fairly speedy and well organised until actually off the ship. I had a transfer to Miami airport and didn’t actually see any signage or staff directing passengers at the port. I only had to ask one of the port staff to know where to go (it wasn’t that difficult). Altogether smooth, including going thru Customs.
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