Conference abbott::cruise_travel

448.0. "Trip Report "Crown Princess"" by DNEAST::MCLAUGHLIN_P () Thu May 27 1993 14:04

	Crown Princess Cruise Report 

        This was our first experience with Princess Lines but the second
        Crown Princess cruise for the couple who were with us.  We both
        had cabins on the Baja deck with balconies and loved them.  
        Although we did not spend a lot of time in the cabin, the time
        we did was spent on the balcony from early morning coffee to
        a night cap in the evenings. The sound of the sea rushing by
        on the side of the ship was incredible to listen to while lying 
        in bed with the balcony door open.

        The Crown Princess was a beautiful ship.  It was huge and had so 
        much to do.  We spent a lot of afternoons in the "Pizzaria" (as if 
        we needed a between-meal-snack!) and "Characters"(a unique place to 
        try exotic drinks) after our ballroom dance lessons and a hundred
        other activities.  

        I think the larger ships like the Crown offer better entertainment
        than the smaller ships.  The musical productions on the Crown were 
        great with shows that included scenes from "Phantom of the Opera", 
        "Cats", etc.  The comedian was very funny and poked good-naturedly 
        at the Italian and English crew.  The casino offered the best views 
        (windows wrapped all the way around the casino) and we made friends 
        with the two-man band who quickly learned the music we loved to 
        dance to.  

        I really liked the way Princess books their shore excursions - no 
        standing in long lines.  We filled out a form and dropped it in a 
        box and that evening our tickets were left in our cabin.  Our first 
        stop was a beach day at Princess Cays.  My husband and I lay in a 
        hammock and sipped Pina Coladas.  The shore excursions offered a 
        beginner's scuba diving experience which we took advantage of.  
        It did not require any certification which we were told is a 
        recent change.  It was an exciting adventure but those tanks are 
        heavy until you get in the water!  Our trip to Tulum and Xel-Ha 
        (near Cozumel) to visit the Mayan ruins was an experience of a 
        life-time for me.  I was amazed at how many structures were 
        still standing. The city was built on a cliff overlooking the sea 
        and the views were breathtaking.  We took one other excursion to a 
        small beach resort called Mahogany Inn in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
        They served lunch of local cruisine which included King fish.
        It was so hot and spicy it brought tears to our eyes!

        Last year we went on an 11-night cruise with RCCL on the Song of
        Norway and loved every minute of it.  We had heard that the food
        on Princess cruises was not as good as RCCL and I must agree.        
        We had the second seating with a table for four.  Our waiter and 
        assistant waiter were friendly, pleasant and were as attentive as 
        they could be with as many tables as they were assigned.  
        The maitre d' and the Table Captain stopped by nightly to chat 
        with us and tell us stories about their life in Italy.  We enjoyed 
        the "pasta of the night" very much but found the cuisine, although 
        for the most part good, does not compare to RCCL. 
        Dining was an experience on the Song of Norway...elegant, delicious 
        and served attentively by waiters that made dining an event.  
        
        I think my husband and I prefer the smaller, more intimate ships like 
        the Song of Norway but would not hesitate to cruise on the Crown 
        Princess again.  Each cruise is different and offers wonderful
        experiences.  We are planning a longer cruise through the Panama 
        Canal for next year and our travel agent has been sending us 
        information already!          

        Looking forward to the next cruise,

        Patty

    Thanks for the report.  I love reading about other's cruise
    experiences.  It's always fun to compare.
    
    I found that Princess had a little better food that we had on the
    Soveriegn, but that is a monster ship and maybe was not up to the
    standards of a smaller ship like the Song of Norway.  We found that we
    much prefer a smaller ship.  Even if there is less to do, we enjoy the
    human interaction which seems to occur more easily with 1200 passengers
    than it does with 2500.
    
    Again, thanks for the report.  It makes me want to book a cruise today!
    
    -Jeri

    Patty,
    
    
    I hate to be so bold, but I was wondering what kind of a rate did you 
    get on your Princess cruise?  
    
    Did you get any special discounts?  If so, did your travel agent find 
    these for you or did you book the cruise because you saw an advertised 
    special?
     
    We have never cruised before, but will hopefully go later this year or
    in the spring of 1994.  I bought a video on Princess cruises and liked
    the look of the ships and the ports, so we were going to consider them.
    The Princess brochure also indicated that their rooms were larger than
    other cruise lines.
    
    I have heard so many times that the rates vary so much, even for the 
    same accomodations, I am concerned about when/how to book to get a good 
    rate.
    
    I would appreciate any advice you might have in this area.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Bobbie J. Pratts
    dtn:  592-4325
    CSC32::b_pratts

	Bobbie,

        I believe the price was around $1400.pp.  This included an 
        additional night in Florida at a very nice hotel, port charges,
        airfare and that great balcony cabin.  You can subtract approx.
        $200. for the additional night we spent.  I have seen one-week
        cruises on the Crown Princess and Regal Princess advertised as 
        low as $850 plus air.  Also, many lines advertise pay full fare
        for the first person and the second is half-fare.

        I think the key is to shop around for a travel agent.  They all 
        seem to have access to going prices and good deals but you need 
        to find an agent who will make the effort to find that cruise
        that matches your tastes and at the best price.  When my husband
        and I first considered a cruise, we went to several travel agencies.
        We told them a little about our likes and dislikes and what we 
        expected from a cruise.  We found someone who understands the
        type of cruise experience we want and she send us information
        regularly on cruises she thinks we might find of interest.  
        Having a regular agent we deal with has worked well for us but
        I know many people shop around and find great deals advertised 
        in the newspapers, etc.  I guess it's whatever works for you.
        
        We generally book many months in advance and are bumped up
        several categories as the ship fills up.  The Crown Princess
        cruise we took was a special offer because of a cancellation
        of a block of cabins that were reserved for IBM and then they
        cancelled. I have met people on cruises who booked at the last
        minute and were sailing for less than half what we paid.  The
        cruise lines want all their cabins occupied and usually a 
        week or two before a cruise will offer last minute specials.
        Usually the cabins aren't in the best locations, but it is 
        true, little time is spent in them.

        Hope my information is helpful and I'm sure there's some 
        old-time cruisers in notes that could give you much more 
        information and advice.  Also, read some of the old cruise 
        notes, there a wealth of information in them and pick up a 
        copy of Cruise Travel magazine (see note 436).

        Good Luck, Patty