I’ve Been Dating A Princess!

This has been long awaited however with the Emerald and Ruby Princess both calling Southampton their home port for 2014, I thought I’d better do my review on the Crown Princess which I was lucky enough to see last September.  I know that the Crown Princess is not in the UK anymore however, the Emerald, Ruby, Crown and Caribbean Princess are all sisters so almost identical.

One of the things you may also notice is that the layout of the Princess ships is identical to that on-board the Azura and the Ventura.

Crown Princess is part of the Grand Class of cruise ships.  She joined the Princess fleet in June 2006 although she still holds a very young, American and modern feel. At a total of 113,000 gross tonnes and holding just over 3,000 passengers she is a large ship offering endless opportunities for families or couples looking to escape the day to day grind of daily life, but don’t take my word for it, have a look for yourself…

So on arriving at Southampton, she was berthed in the Ocean Terminal. As those that read my reviews may have seen, the Ocean Terminal was recently refurbished and is one of the nicer terminals to board at.

We boarded on Deck 5. This is one of the lower decks and is the middle level of the main atrium. I was really surprised by the Atrium area.   Although the Princess ships are owned by an American company they have a very Italian feel.  The Atrium is made up of two very grand spiral staircases with a crystal effect dome light which completely covers the ceiling.  There are also 4 panoramic lifts that overlook this area.  It was stunning and shocking at the same time that Princess have been able to make an area look so classy and sophisticated, whereas P&O have gone for the more bland and modern look.

The Atrium is definitely one of the focal points – an area where you could meet and have a coffee.  The centre area was set up with comfy chairs and tables where you can relax and take it all in. They also have a grand piano situated between the lifts playing beautiful tunes for you to enjoy.

Deck 4, known as the Gala Deck is where you will find the medical centre so not much down here and most would not need to venture to this deck although it’s worth knowing that the medical centre is one of the most advanced at sea and the first to offer real-time teleconferencing support from a leading national cardiac care centre in the United States.  As you come up to Deck 5 you have Ocean view staterooms and these have a completely clear view. Something to note from talking to passengers who have cruised on the Azura is that this is a great place to be as its quiet and there is no vibration to be felt down here.  There are also some inside staterooms down here and as you walk from the front to the middle of the ship you pass ‘Princess Fine Arts Gallery’ which holds countless pieces of beautiful art. Other than that, it is just staterooms down here so this is one of the reasons it’s so quiet down here.

As you venture to the middle of this deck you hit the heart of the Atrium and this is where you can see it in all its glory with the two magnificent staircases which rise from this deck to deck 7.  As I said, down here you have the social area and you also have the ‘International Café’ which is open 24 hours a day and a quiet and relaxing area offering a choice of quick bites and light meals to pick from. In the morning you can venture here to the smell of freshly baked croissants and Danish pastries. In the afternoon you will find made to order grilled Panini’s, salads and sandwiches. In the evening if you don’t fancy a 3 course meal you can stop here for a salad or even skip that for a naughty calorie –heavy desert. Throughout the day you can try Princesses famous fresh-baked cookies, and for those that want a coffee you can pick from a selection of specialty coffees and teas.

On the Piazza deck you also have ‘Vines Wines’. This is for the wine connoisseur in us all and you can try a selection of new and old world classic and vintage wines along with gourmet delicacies.

Next to ‘Vine Wines’ you have ‘Escapes Travel Café’ and the future cruise sales office.  Other than that in this section you do have a large internet café for those that want to cruise the web whilst cruising!

Finally you have the Michelangelo Dining Room which is one of the main dining rooms. On the Crown Princess there are three separate dining rooms and again, after travelling on larger ships, I was a little surprised that the dining rooms are only one story where as some other ships have had one main lower level with the upper levels overlooking the bottom level so it’s tiered.  It has its pro’s and its cons as if it was one large restaurant you have an element of space as its open and 2 to 3 levels high, whereas with the way it is done on the Crown Princess it offers a more intimate form of dining. It depends if you want a big open ship such as the Independence of the Seas or if you want a large ship with lots of intimate spaces which is what the Crown Princess is all about.

Deck 6  is the second level of the main atrium area. On the very back of this deck you have the Botticelli Dining Room.

Toward the middle you have the third main dining venue which is the Da Vinci Dinning Room.

Toward the middle of the ship you’ll find the main atrium has a balcony effect which is overlooking the main lower level below. On the outskirts of the balcony you will find lots of different shops from jewellery, clothes, sweets and goodies to Princess branded goods.

Up here you also have the ‘Passenger Services’ desk and the ‘Circle Desk’ which is where you go for the information on the Shore Excursions.

On from here you have the ‘Gatsby’s Casino’ which is a large area dedicated to gambling.  On the Azura this was combined with a Sports Bar however on the Crown Princess the gambling is of a higher priority as the American’s love to gamble more than us Brits generally. There is a ‘Casino Bar’ for those who fancy a glass of wine whilst watching people having a flutter. This area in general is a darker area with not much natural light.

Adjoining on to the casino is ‘Speakeasy Cigar Lounge’ – one of the only places on board where you can purchase and enjoy a cigar.

At the very front of the ship you have the Princess Theater. This is the main show theatre onboard. This is where you will find the Broadway shows, cabaret shows and all other sorts of entertainment. The ‘Princess Theater’ is a large seating area which is two decks high. You will find two shows in here each evening, one after each dinner seating.

Directly behind the Princess Theater you have he Conference Centre which is a large conference room which can be hired out for private parties or conferences should you wish to hold one on board.

On Promenade deck the outside promenade almost wraps around the whole ship with the exception of the very front of the ship.

You also have the Shore Excursion Desk which is  surprising as it is so hidden away.

Next door you have the Wheelhouse Bar which is a great place to relax and socialize.  Its décor is lots of brown leather chairs and although rather dark, it’s been designed to have an informal atmosphere – somewhere you can come before dining for a tipple or for a night café.  They also have show cases in here displaying lots of different big ship models which I think is a little more interesting.

Next to the Wheelhouse Bar is the Library.  This is a small quaint and quiet area where you can choose from an array of books.  It’s not as big as some I have seen but big enough to give you lots to choose from.

Opposite to the Library is Facets and Essence which are shops selling a variety of gifts and treats. The décor is traditional and comfortable.

On from here, you have the Promenade Galleria which is the top of the main Atrium so you have a fantastic view over and down on to the main Atrium. Up here you have the Crooners Lounge and Bar which is a lovely little bar offering a place to sit and take it all in.

As you head towards the back you will come across the Explorers Lounge which is one of the larger bars offering a great place to meet up with friends and socialize.  It has cabaret style seating focused around a dance floor and a small stage and is where you will often find live music and standup comedy.

Next up we have the Crown Grill and this restaurant is one of the premium restaurants on board the Crown Princess and does come with a cover charge however offers premium seafood and beef.  You will also find special desserts and upscale appetizers. This restaurant has a concept of showplace eatery with an open, theater style kitchen, where chefs custom-prepare steamed shellfish such as lobsters, scallops and cooked to order steaks and chops.

The corridor outside this restaurant is extra wide and this is where you will find the Photo Gallery.

The largest and most popular place on this level is the ‘Club Fusion’.  This is a large entertainment venue which has a large dance floor and plenty of seating.

From Emerald Deck, Deck 8 up until Rivera Deck, Deck 14, this is completely dedicated to accomodation. The reason I have pinpointed the Riviera deck is as she has a hidden gem on this deck and although this is an accommodation deck, if you go to the back you have a terrace pool and this tends to be the quieter area.  If you are looking for a good place to pick a stateroom. I would aim to be near this as I have always found these area’s great for peace and quiet as many will opt to use the main pools.

As you go up the back another deck from Riviera to Lido you hit the main pool deck. Starting at the back you have a ‘Horizon terrace’ with the ‘Outrigger’ pool bar overlooking the terrace pool. As you leave the pool area which is also complimented with lots of seating you enter in to ‘Café Caribe’ and ‘Horizon Court’, these are the two Buffets offering 24 hours food, in a relaxed and casual atmosphere, both restaurants span the width of the ship with floor to ceiling windows with views out to sea and the colour scheme in here is lots of green’s and browns.

As you walk through the ‘Horizon Court’ restaurant you lead on out to the main pool deck.  Crown Princess has two main pools on the pool deck, one being called the ‘Calypso Reef and Pool’ which is the largest pool on board and has two whirlpools.

This is also home to the Sea Screen, Crown Princesses on board open air cinema. During the day they will have movies and shows on here for your enjoyment and in the evenings this turns into ‘Movies under the Stars’. This area is surrounded by lots of sun loungers on different levels to maximize the amount of seating without affecting peoples viewing experience – there is nothing worse than when you get someone right in front of you blocking the screen. They will also serve Popcorn up here in the evenings.

One of the other things to look of for is an industry first and exclusive to Princess, enjoy warm, fresh, soft-baked cookies and ice cold milk served to you daily on the open decks and in the Piazza.

There is also a large pool bar here stocking drinks and treats for you to enjoy during your movie. The two main pools are spilt into two different zones – the divider is part of the raised tier to allow more sun loungers for the Sea Screen.4

As you walk towards the back of the ship, on the left hand side you have the poolside pizza and ice cream parlour.  All pizza’s here are made freshly on board and ice cream is cold and soothing, just what you  would need on a hot day.

From here you have the ‘Neptune’s Reef and Pool’.  With a further two whirlpool spa’s, this is the quieter part of the pool deck – again plenty of sun loungers to sit and relax on. There is also the ‘Mermaids Tail’ bar here where you can grab a quick cocktail.

Next to the ‘Mermaids Tail’ bar you have the poolside grill, ‘Trident Grill’ which is an ideal place to come and grab a quick bite to eat from Burgers to hot dogs and other treats to wet your appetite.

Further forward on Lido deck are balcony staterooms.  You will also find the Thermal Suite for the ‘Lotus Spa’.  The Thermal Suite is made up of five hot beds and four separate saunas and there is also an array of rain fall showers in here making for a truly relaxing retreat. You will also find an array of aromatherapy essential oils such as eucalyptus or Lavender.

As we go up a deck to the Sun deck, you find the main part of the ‘Lotus Spa’ where you have a handful of treatment rooms, a large gymnasium and an aerobics center.  These are all on the front of the ship and have floor to ceiling views out to sea.

There is also a large salon on board for you to take advantage of whilst on your cruise. It is also worth noting that they will do reduced treatments in the salon and also in the spa on port days as many generally tend to get off. This is not always guaranteed but if you are docking somewhere you have been it might be worth staying on and having a couple treatments and taking advantage of the empty ship.

One of my favourite parts is the ‘Lotus Spa Pool’.  This is great and is sandwiched in between the Salon, Gym and Aerobics’ center to give people ultimate privacy whilst using this pool.  It is has two whirlpools and a built in wave machine.

It is also worth noting that access to the ‘Lotus Spa’ is at a cost of around £20pp per day.  It will be discounted should you wish to pay for access for the whole cruise, depending on how much you are likely to use it.

Now for the Crème de la Crème on Crown Princess.  She has ‘The Sanctuary’ and this is my favourite area located on the Sports deck (we have come up a deck for the moment). The very front of the ship is also dedicated just for Spa members and is completely covered. This is set up like a lawn club, with an array of cane furniture from sets of chairs to sun loungers, with oversized plant pots with trees in, hedges and plant pots full of lavender. This area is surrounded by floor to ceiling glass windows with outstanding views out to sea. There is also a private cabana up here for massages and spa treatments. Crown Princess is an amazing family ship but this proves that families and adults only will mix if done correctly.

This is an outstanding area of the Crown Princess and is certainly worth a day visit at least.

Back down to Sun deck on leaving the Spa you have the Hearts and Mind Wedding Chapel Suite and this is where they will perform weddings at sea. Just outside here you have the ‘Tradewinds’ a lovely little bar overlooking the pool deck below.

The middle of this deck is dedicated to open deck space giving space to relax and take in the sunshine.

On the back of Sun deck, you have Sabatini’s which is a specialty restaurant offering Italian cuisine vary from Pasta and Seafood specialties to fine cuts of meat, in a setting reminiscent of a Tuscan Villa.

As you come out of here you have Adagio which is a beautiful little bar, which feels more like upmarket London bar, from here you can access a small terrace overlooking the back of the ship and out to sea.

As we go back up to the Sports deck, the front we have covered and that is ‘The Sanctuary’, majority of the space on this deck is open sun terrace however the deck is split in to two keeping ‘The Sanctuary’ private meaning that you can’t get lost and end up there.

On the back part of the Sports deck although there is more open space up here for sun worshiping, the very back of this deck has been dedicated to the kids, this is where the ‘Teen Center’ and the ‘Youth Center’ can both be found, there is also a ‘Chill Out’ pool for the kids.

Decks 18 and 19, these are on the very back of the ship and other 180 degree views out to sea, Deck 18 has the ‘Sky Walkers Nightclub’ on, this is a modern area where if you want to come and party you can until your heart is content, during the day it’s a more relaxing bar area, a great place to be as leaving port in the evening.

Right up on Deck 19 and go here if you dare, this is the very top deck and located up with the funnel, there is ‘Center Court’ here which is an enclosed sports court for basketball or a game of footy, they is also the ‘Princess Links’ up here which is the Mini-golf. The deck although small has a running track all the way around. Finally there is the ‘Platinum Photo Studio’.

As normally I just want to run over the type of accommodation that can be found on the Crown Princess as there is such a wide choice.

The twin inside and Oceanview staterooms do range from approx 160 square feet.  They have a walk in closet whereas the single staterooms it’s all combined in to one, which is why I think there was a more open plan feel. The twin staterooms can be made up as a twin or king. These staterooms will have bathrooms with shower only.  Again the rest of the facilities are as standard in the staterooms. There is a desk with chair and a television should you wish for an early evening in your stateroom. Layout does vary.

The next type of stateroom is the standard Balcony.  These are the ones higher up with the lower grades of Balconies being on the front and back and the higher grade being the midship staterooms.  These are the ones that look down and overlook the Mini Suites.  The size of the standard Balcony staterooms ranges from 233 to 285 square feet including the balcony. These have a full bathroom again with a shower  and a walk in closet.  The bedroom area is also a fair bit bigger allowing space for a chair and cocktail table to be in the stateroom.  The balcony is found through the floor to ceiling glass door giving you the best of both worlds should the weather not be suitable for going outside you can always see the sea.

If you wanted to look at a slightly larger stateroom go with the Premium Balcony as this will get you the balcony staterooms are the 285 square feet in size, meaning a larger stateroom and Balcony.

One thing I wanted to flag up on is the Mini Suites staterooms.  These are fantastic as they are larger.  Located on D deck with a couple on E decks, the staterooms are longer.  The balcony staterooms that sit above on higher decks do look over the balconies so if you are after complete privacy, these may not be the best option for you. I do have pictures if you would like to see what I mean – please drop me an email or give me a call and I will be more than happy to send them across.

Suites found on the Crown Princess range from 461 to 687 square feet depending on what suite you go with. Each suite has a full ensuite bathroom with a full size whirlpool bathtub and separate shower and dual sink vanity unit. You have the separate living area with sofa, table and chairs and a master bedroom with a walk in closet. In the suite you will also find an iron, ironing board and trouser press in most suites.  There is a large balcony with table, chairs. In addition to this you will also receive a Butler which is inclusive but optional, complimentary mini bar, CD/DVD player with access to a complimentary DVD library, Fresh Flowers, Hut Tub in selected suites, pillow menu, complimentary cover charge for one of the specialty restaurants on embarkation evening (6 nights or more), afternoon tea in suite, exclusive suite breakfast served in Sabatini’s with a complimentary ‘Good Morning Mimosa’ each morning and so much more…

There are also two very special family staterooms on the front of D deck (D106 and D105).  These staterooms are capable of sleeping 6 people and there are two points of entry.  As you enter in to the main part of the stateroom, you have the master bedroom complete with walk in closet and full ensuite bathroom with whirlpool tub. There is also a separate large seating area and you also have a large balcony overlooking the front of the ship. As you walk round you have an internal stateroom within the main cabin. This also has its own bathroom with shower and a separate closet with its own door, so you could treat it as two separate staterooms and should the children be in bed you won’t disturb them as you have your own entrance. A great option for Gran and Granddad and the children in the internal and Mum and Dad in the main suite.