This cruise liner from Princess Cruises entered service in spring 2006 and her sister ship,
Emerald Princess, followed a year later. Built by Fincantieri, the Italian shipyard, she measures 113,000 tons, is 951 ft long and cruises at 21.5 knots. The double occupancy capacity of 3,080 passengers is looked after by 1,200 international crewmembers. Officers are British and Italian. She cruises from San Juan to the Caribbean in winter and from New York to the Caribbean and New England and Canada in warmer months. During the 2009-2010 season, she will stop at Roatan, Honduras, instead of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on her Caribbean itinerary.
Princess Cruises' rapidly growing fleet, in number and size, now includes eight ships over 100,000 gross tons and all but one completed in the 21st century. They share similar characteristics with most differences in the public room and specialty dining arrangements.
The line draws all ages especially during the summer and school holidays. While most are Americans, a modicum of British will also be aboard for fly-cruise packages from San Juan and to enjoy the fall foliage in the northeastern United States. A US$10 per person per day gratuity charge is added to passengers' accounts.
Summer and fall itineraries are based in New York at the Red Hook terminal in Brooklyn with New England and Canada and the Caribbean the primary destinations. Then, as the weather turns cool, the ship repositions to San Juan. Cruises last from 7 to 9 days.
Embarkation leads to La Piazza, the three story atrium and the pulsating heart of the ship giving access from three levels to many of the public rooms and restaurants. The lowest level (Deck 5) is encircled by the International Cafe for specialty coffees (a charge), pastries in the morning, crepes in the afternoon and tapas before dinner; Vines, a wine bar that hosts wine tasting; and the Internet Cafe. Wi-Fi access for personal computers is available at the same rates. Two decks above, Crooners offer martinis and cabaret, and popular entertainers have the audience spilling back into La Piazza. Just forward on the same deck, the Wheelhouse Bar, a clubby pub with a maritime theme is found on all Grand Class ships as is the Explorers Lounge, aft of the atrium for a dance band. The main entertainment takes place in the forward in the two-deck-high Princess Theater and aft in Cafe Fusion, the latter for game shows, bingo and cabaret entertainment. A sports bar includes two billiards tables.
For outdoor activities, there's a paddle-tennis/basketball court, golf putting green, two golf simulators, a jogging track and outdoor movies with the skies and stars. Deck chairs are rearranged and popcorn, cookies and milk are provided at night. The Lotus Spa features a new service called The Sanctuary, where for a half-day session fee, adults can enjoy peace and quiet and be served drinks and snacks and given massages. Besides the spa pool, adults have their own all the way aft in a secluded spot. Two more pools plus hot tubs are found on the Lido deck. With a wedding chapel and a Bermuda registry, the captain performs marriages and renewal of wedding vows. Children have a full program of activities designed for several age categories, indoor and outdoor spaces, a pool, hot tub, games, video arcade and disco.
Dining choices are "Anytime Dining" from 6 to 10 pm in two of the three main restaurants, Michelangelo and Da Vinci, and traditional two-sitting dining in Botticelli. Menus are the same in all three with international cuisine plus French and Italian nights. Alternate dining venues are the Crown Grill ($25 per person) with a theater-style kitchen for preparation of shellfish and steaks and Sabatini's ($20) for an Italian tasting menu with a choice of soup and entree. Both carry charges. Horizon Court is the all-day, all-night buffet with a section called Cafe Caribe, dressed up with tablecloths at night, for a bistro-buffet type experience. For the most romantic dining experience for those with a balcony cabin, the Ultimate Balcony Dinner, costing $50 per person, provides private stewards bringing a four-course meal plus wines and mineral water. On this 15-deck ship, three stair towers and 15 elevators see a lot of use.
The 1,538 cabins are spread over eight decks, of which 1,102 are outside and 80% of those have private balconies. The 436 insides measure 163 sq ft, the 222 outsides 158-182 sq ft, and the balcony cabins 233-285 sq ft including balcony. In addition, there are larger mini-suites, suites and family suites. All feature twin or queen beds with duvets, refrigerators, safes, hair dryers, phones and TVs with remote control. Mini-suites and up have tub and shower, two flat-screen TVs, separate sitting area, and better quality linens and towels plus a choice of pillow types.
While the Crown Princess is a huge 15-deck ship with often over 3,000 passengers aboard, public room spaces offer a wide range of atmospheres from bustling and energetic to laid-back and serene. Once you get to know the ship, everyone should be able to find their place. Often, however, the itineraries are so intense that one hardly gets to truly relax and enjoy even a fraction of the amenities.
