 Expert Review |  | | | | |
| | | | | Overview
Editor's Note: Caribbean Princess emerged in early February 2009 from an extensive dry-dock. The massive refurb included additions of now-popular features found on Princess' newest ships, including the Crown Grill steak and seafood venue, and the adults-only Sanctuary. The ship's atrium was also transformed into the now-signature Piazza, an energetic space that blends colorful entertainment, on-site bakery, Internet cafe, and wine and sushi bar. In terms of accommodations, seven new suites were added to Deck 6. It's fair to say that Caribbean Princess, the fourth in Princess Cruises' Grand-class series of ships, should be categorized along with the line's Grand, Golden and Star vessels of relative yesteryear. It's equally fair to say that this ship, while designed to roughly adhere to the same now decade-old plan as its predecessors in class, represents an evolution for Princess Cruises that breaks through walls into another dimension. The Grand class, whose original ship Grand Princess was launched in 1998, was at that time considered an innovator for the cruise line -- not to mention for the entire cruise industry. These ships were the biggest ever at a time when that designation really meant a leap from Panamax-sized vessels that could circumnavigate the world to ships so wide and long that they couldn't pass through the Panama Canal, thus limiting their geographic range. Grand-class vessels were also chock-full of contemporary amenities and revolutionary launching grounds for programs like Princess' "Personal Choice Dining," that offered the option of restaurant-like mealtimes along with traditional "same table, set time" experiences. Fast-forward, then, to Caribbean Princess. It was built at the same shipyard -- Fincantieri's Monfalcone -- as its earlier brethren, featuring design specifications established (and then tweaked) by Grand, Golden and Star Princess. But Brian Langston-Carter, the company's design maestro (he retired in June 2004), couldn't resist the impulse to take advantage of new evolutions in ship architecture and technology. As such, the result is a ship that feels mostly like its Grand siblings but offers some new (and mostly good) surprises. Among our favorites? It's the first modern cruise ship to ever replicate a drive-in movie scenario (a concept which has since been copied on ships near and wide, from Grand Princess to Carnival Liberty). And let us just say that Caribbean Princess' execution is top-notch -- from a fantastic screen that's clear as day during, well, daytime, to the way it sets up the outdoor cinema, complete with special lounge chair covers, wool throw rugs, and at-chair service of drinks and movie snacks. We also loved the variety of flicks; there were the second-run evening films, 6 p.m. shows for families, and even wacky events, like a sing-along to "The Wizard of Oz." Cafe Caribe occupies a niche of the Horizon Court lido area, and each night offers Caribbean-inspired buffet fare at linen-topped tables (waiters serve drinks and clear tables). Beyond design and technological changes, there's one other area in which Caribbean Princess is a genuine standout. Designed and built to sail the Caribbean on a year-round basis (that's one reason why there's no magradome-covered pool), the ship blends culture, cuisine and art from the region into the onboard -- as well as in-port -- experience. On the down side? The jury still remains out on some Caribbean Princess features. We're not crazy about the protruding, totally uncovered balconies on Dolphin Deck (there's absolutely no privacy -- you are in view of the entire side of the ship). And thanks to new ship-building technology, which permitted builders to use lighter materials, Princess added 500 additional cabins (basically a full deck, called Riviera) -- but no extra public space to absorb the additional passengers. However, it must be said that aside from embarkation and disembarkation (still a work in progress?) and an occasional wait at the "Personal Choice Dining" rooms for a table at prime times, the presence of those extra passengers wasn't terribly noticeable. Club Fusion is a new twist on the line's traditional Vista show lounge -- it tries very hard to be a hip, multi-tasking facility, with numerous dark spaces, a disco floor, and in-table slots. Most nights, sadly, it was rather empty. Ultimately, the ship represents a marvelous blend of innovation and tradition and, for that reason, is a standout, not only within the Princess fleet but also amongst other 21st-century new-builds. | | |  top | | | | Dining
The most ho-hum aspect to Princess' dining setup -- and aren't we spoiled now? -- is its main dining setup. On our trip, there were three traditional-style cruise dining rooms: one was set aside for those who'd requested a "set tablemate, same time" experience and two others were "open seating." The system generally worked well, though open seating diners should know that, as with any popular neighborhood restaurant, peak times may require a wait to be seated. In the open-seating restaurants of Coral and Island the food was well prepared, service brisk and efficient (and occasionally very personable), and the menus occasionally took pains to incorporate Caribbean cuisine into the menu (particularly on Caribbean night, where dishes ranged from a St. Thomas chicken liver empanada to a St. Barth's pork chop). The Coral dining room serves breakfast and lunch -- standard, non-surprising fare. What's more exciting, though, is the ship's alterative eateries. We loved Cafe Caribe. Tucked between the Horizon Court and the ship's tiered decks aft, this evening buffet regularly featured Caribbean-influenced specialties. It's a perfect choice for a casual dinner. Wine and beer service is available (and, indeed, lobster is available here even more than the "one time per cruise" lobster night in the main dining rooms). While not a new concept, Sterling Steakhouse offers an interesting Mortons of Chicago-type steakhouse experience. The steaks and prime rib were delicious though we experienced better side dishes -- corn casserole, and creamed spinach among them -- in other cruise lines' steakhouses. And we still can't figure out why mashed potatoes are not available but French fries are. There's a $10 per person charge to eat at Sterlings. Note: the restaurant has a lovely bar (and you don't have to pay a cover to sip a cocktail). One discordant note about Sterling is that its ambiance was chirpy cheerful, but we like our steakhouse to reflect a darker elegance. Sabatini's Trattoria is also recreated on Caribbean Princess and, like the other Sabatini's in the fleet, offers an awesome seven course dining experience. Theoretically, you only need to order a main course -- your server will bring bite-sized samplers of everything else on the menu, from appetizers (hot and cold) to salad and soup to pasta and pizza and then a hot entree. It was all so irresistible that we couldn't hold back, and so we tried it all. Twenty-four hours later, we still couldn't face a meal. Let us offer a tip to the faint of heart (or stomach): You can request just a course or two. The fee was $20 per person (whichever option you choose) and the service and atmosphere were top notch. Note: Best nights for primetime booking are on the first two evenings of your cruise; otherwise plan ahead and make reservations. The place generally is sold out through most of the voyage. Another note: Sabatini's is open for lunch on sea days -- and it's nearly deserted! We enjoyed a marvelously romantic and decadent lunch there. The Horizon Court, a Princess Cruises' mainstay, serves as the lido buffet. Breakfasts are serviceable but unimaginative (let's be honest, by day four of a seven-night cruise, the same day-by-day array was boring). Lunch, too, is pretty staid -- though menu items typically mirror that which is served in the dining room. Other options include a pizzeria (quite outstanding pizza, thin crust and crispy) and a burger-bar, with hot dogs and french fries. Scoops sells ice cream. Room service at breakfast offers a mix of hot and cold items. In-cabin lunch and dinner feature the rest-of-the-day selection, pretty simple but satisfying with items ranging from tuna sandwiches to burgers. There's no charge; it is recommended, however, that passengers tip the wait-crew member who delivers their order. Caribbean Princess does offer an "ultimate" in-cabin dinner service. For $50 per person (and only available to passengers whose cabins have verandahs), staffers will serve a lobster dinner for two, complete with a bottle of champagne, flowers and a photo by one of the ship's photographers. No doubt it's a splurge -- but it was most romantic (and that's even though our dinner, alas, was rained out and we enjoyed it in our cabin). | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
What's interesting about the 750-seat Princess Theater -- and it's only two decks high -- is that there's nary a pillar to block anyone's view, even in such a big ship. The theater is elegantly simple (far more complex is the operation of the backstage area, scenery, and stage!). Many of Princess' lounge mainstays are recreated in predictable fashion here. That would include Skywalkers, the ship-top disco (which you ascend via the famous "shopping cart" feature), the Wheelhouse Bar, and Explorers Lounge. We loved the evolution of Churchills Lounge, the one-time sports bar. Tucked away behind the casino, it is cozy and elegant (in fact, the sports paraphernalia that still remains is oddly jarring), with mahogany-like paneling. And the cigar smoke didn't bother us a bit. Club Fusion, which we mentioned earlier, is a new concept for Princess (it's on Diamond Princess and will be featured on Sapphire Princess). Replacing the Vista Lounge, Club Fusion is a multi-purpose area with a lovely curved bar, secondary stage for activities like 50s night (there's room for dancing), in-table slots, and high-tech lights and sound for more rambunctious entertainment. Other key Princess public areas include the three-deck-high atrium, the main destination for all "administrative" functions (shore excursions, purser's desk, and shops that didn't offer anything even remotely tempting). Three standouts in this area are the small-but-cozy library -- good selection of books, a handful of Internet-connected terminals, and those fabulous leather chairs with audio units inside. And we loved Crooners -- which was a pleasant spot for people watching (and sea watching) during the day and at night the absolute liveliest place on board, thanks to its fabulous entertainer-pianist. The coffee bar is also a pleasant, laid-back place for a cappuccino or glass of wine. What's most impressive about the Grand Casino is that the casino designers kept the needs in mind of passengers with disabilities -- and have included lower-than-usual games tables. The Internet center was a big disappointment. Tucked away behind the atrium, it was an airless (occasionally completely non-air-conditioned) room filled with rows of terminals. The price is right -- at 35 cents per minute, Princess offers the best bargain in cruisedom -- but the connection worked so slowly, if at all, that it wound up costing more money rather than less. Another negative: there was no Princess-assigned "expert" to handle inquires, answer questions or solve problems. Poorly done. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
In this area, expect no fancy evolution from Grand-class ships. Cabins come in all the usual categories. Start off with the Grand Suite (1,279 square ft.) and Suites (461 - 689 square ft.) -- these come with separate living and sleeping rooms. Mini-suites (324 square feet) are spacious with sleeping and living areas separated by an archway. All have two television sets, roomy closets, vanity areas and balconies with upgraded furnishings (such as a table suitable for dining). Bathrooms range from gargantuan to (merely) wonderful -- all come with various shower and tub configurations. In these staterooms, passengers receive toiletries from the Lotus Spa in designer containers. Standard balcony (233 square ft.), outside (158 square ft.) and inside (163 square ft.) cabins are cozy sizewise, but well equipped and laid out. Some have seating areas. Bathrooms are pretty compact, with shower only (and while toiletries are the same Lotus Spa-designed products, they come in recyclable paper containers rather than cute bottles). All cabins are equipped with mini-fridges (ours was empty to load up with our own juices and sodas), and television with a variety of movie channels and CNN. One note: verandahs on the ship's Dolphin Deck jut out of the superstructure and have no roofs -- which renders them little privacy. Those on Caribe deck have balconies that are half-covered. The rest are typical style verandahs. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
Princess has spent a lot of time, not to mention money, to develop Caribbean-centric entertainment for this Caribbean-centric ship. In the main theater, one new stage show is "Caribbean Caliente," designed just for this vessel, which features music from the Caribbean islands. One evening per cruise there's "Island Nights," a pool-deck sailaway bash that will feature food, music and special cocktails; we say, "will feature," because on our cruise it was a pretty lame affair with very little in the way of Caribbean-influenced fun beyond music for dancing. One nice traditional touch Princess has maintained is its once-a-cruise Champagne Waterfall. Typically held on the last formal night close to midnight, the waterfall is set up in the atrium -- amidst a pyramid of champagne glasses. Everyone present is offered a complimentary glass o' bubbly. Princess has extended its ScholarShip@Sea Program to the ship; among offerings include daytime cookery demonstrations and subjects including photography, computers, pottery making and personal finance. Extra fees usually apply and do vary. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
We have to start with this ship's Lotus Spa because it was so different from that on any other ship. In a nutshell: while it was obvious that staffers there were still finding their way (we cruised on the vessel's second voyage), we loved it -- and would return to this ship if only because of the spa. As noted earlier, this spa is the first to be managed and run by Princess itself and the difference is not only superficial. The fabulous costumes (we hesitate to say uniforms) worn by all the staffers were created by L.A. designer Sue Wong and they're distinctly Asian -- so gorgeous we only wish they were sold in the boutique. Service was wonderful and personal and whether you indulge in one treatment or a week's worth you'll feel pampered and special. The treatment menus were unique, and include numerous offerings geared solely to men (a new concept in the cruise industry) as well as to teens (yet another idea borrowed from land-based spas). Prices -- and this is another plus -- were significantly lower than those we've paid on Steiner-operated spas on other contemporary ships. A relatively new trend we've only seen on a handful of ships (from several different lines) is lower pricing for port-day treatments replacing daily discounts -- and that applies here. Finally, one other standout feature is that Princess, with this spa, is offering advance-cruise spa bookings via its Web site -- the first time ever in the industry. We highly recommend utilizing that option. The spa facility itself is similar to that of other Grand-class ships; it's wrapped around a thalassotherapy pool (with wave current machine) and features a completely separate beauty salon, plus waiting area for treatment rooms. Use of the aromatic steam room is included when you purchase a spa treatment. The facilities area has been somewhat expanded so it's larger than those on the Grand-class ships. It features floor-to-ceiling windows, plenty of equipment, and a nice big exercise area. Beyond the spa pool, there are three main pool areas. Neptune's Reef is the main pool area and home to silly pool games and live music. Calypso Pool, overlooked by the movie screen, is a bit more low-key. And, finally, tucked away aft under Skywalkers, is another small pool area -- this is a particularly good choice for folks looking for shady spots. Each of the pool areas comes with whirlpools. Other recreational opportunities can be found totally forward in a dedicated-sports area; here you can play basketball, paddle tennis and ping-pong. The ship also has a Princess Links mini-golf facility. | | | | top | | | | Family
Princess' Kids Club facility offers separate rooms for four different age groups: 3 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 13, and teens, all supervised by a trained staff. Princess offers group babysitting services only. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
During school holiday periods, the ship rocks with families. Other times of the year, expect a broad-based age range of passengers -- there is truly something for every age to appeal. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
On these seven-night cruises, the itinerary includes two formal nights. While people did dress appropriately for the most part, we didn't see too many super-formal outfits (and tuxes); more like cocktail party fare, with suits for the men. Otherwise, attire was country-club casual. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Princess assesses a charge $9.95 per person per day -- and adds it to the client's account automatically. Go to the purser's desk if you want to make adjustments. --by Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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