The New ‘Crown Princess’ Makes Her Regal Entry
By P W Mooney
Princess Cruises’ newest addition to the fleet—the 3,080 passenger Crown Princess—gracefully sailed up New York Harbor in June to her new homeport at the Brooklyn Ocean Cruise Terminal where she would be christened by lifestyle doyenne Martha Stewart in a naming ceremony on June 14 before setting off on her series of Bermuda and Caribbean cruises during the summer and early fall. I was invited on a two-day preview cruise prior to her christening and despite the brevity of the cruise, I came away with a positive feeling about the vessel.
The gleaming white ship is, indeed, a handsome new addition to the Princess fleet and she is the second vessel to bear that name for the cruise line. The original Crown Princess was transferred in 2002 to Aida Cruises, another Carnival unit, where she now sails as the A’Rosa Blu for the German market.
Striking Innovative Changes
The 113,000-ton Crown Princess, built at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Malfalcone, Italy to the cost of around $500 million is a sister ship to the Caribbean Princess and like her sister is designed for Caribbean cruising. However, Crown Princess offers several new design evolutions, including an Italian- piazza-style atrium, new dining venues, redesigned public spaces and an adults-only Sanctuary. Sabatini’s Italian trattoria was moved to an upper deck and has been enhanced with a piano lounge—Adagio—placed just across from the restaurant. The Crown Grill with an open kitchen is a new restaurant addition on a Princess ship. The children’s facilities have been expanded; and new entertainment introduced. The many hallmark features that define the Princess experience—the Movies Under the Stars poolside movie screen; the Lotus Spa fitness center; the children and teen’s center; and the 100-person wedding chapel with an Internet wedding cam—are still there but embellished. And yes, the ship has nearly 900 staterooms with private balconies—one of the highest percentages of balcony cabins in the industry.
One of the major highlights of the ship—The Sanctuary—an adults-only retreat located on Crown Princess’ Deck 17 forward and accessible through the signature Lotus Spa and the spa’s swim-against-the-current lap pool. This tented retreat sports plush cushioned chairs and chaise lounges, two cabanas for private massages and piped in soft music amid lots of semitropical greenery. Stewards serve guests light foods and beverages and provide chilled face towels. Available for rent are personal MP3 players with noise canceling headphones, loaded with themed play lists focused on relaxation for those who want to escape with music. The two private cabanas feature Lotus Spa Services including a full body Lotus Massage for couples. During my trip there was no charge to use the Sanctuary, but the retreat has proved so popular that Princess now charges a $15 usage fee to prevent overcrowding.
Dining As You Will
Crown Princess offers three main dining rooms—Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli—that are similar in décor and size and where guests are pre-assigned a table at one of two seatings. The rooms and table settings are well appointed. Service is efficient and the food is tasty, based on my one lunch in the Da Vinci dining room. (Breakfast and lunch are open shared seating and if you wish not to share a table with other passengers, you must request it.)
But guests also have a choice of other dining venues that allow them to eat when they wish or with whom they wish during the dinner hours. Their dinner options include the informal 312-seat Horizon Court that also serves breakfast and lunch at the top of the ship on Deck 15. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide stunning sea views and the comfortable furnishings are pleasing. Adjacent is the smaller Café Caribe that provides a themed Caribbean buffet with regional specialties such as grilled Caribbean rock lobster, spicy shrimp and a variety of Asian dishes such as a Rijstafel Rice Table Buffet. Sporting colorful Caribbean décor and live music, the space features an open kitchen where passengers can order their meals cooked to their specifications.
After, perhaps, a heavy lunch, passengers may prefer to eat a light supper down on Deck 5 in the three-deck Atrium area named La Piazza. Here, Princess has introduced the International Café that carries the 24-hour dining concept further with a changing menu of à la carte items served in the Italian village setting. The International Café menu features both complimentary and modestly priced items such as freshly baked croissants or beignets in the morning, pannini sandwiches at lunchtime, tea in the late afternoon or pre-dinner mini-selections in the evening. The café is also open for late-night bistro dining option with a selection of sandwiches, salads and soups.
Close by is an Italian gelateria serving a choice of ice creams as well as freshly made pastries to go along with the variety of specialty coffee drinks made from a selection of six different coffee beans.
Steps away is Vines, an open bistro that offers samplings of wines by the glass from 26 vintages. A selection of chilled seafood appetizers including sushi, gravlax or other treats from the sea are also available. There is a charge for the wines and the
seafood appetizers served. And as you indulge in the food delights of the Piazza’s food venues, “street performers”— jugglers, magicians, an a cappella group and other musical presentations—will entertain you.
For a special evening, the new 160-seat Crown Grill offers a menu of premium beef and seafood entrées. This cozy showplace eatery with its rich brown colors and leathery décor imparts a “New York steakhouse feel.” An open, theater-style kitchen where chefs custom-prepare steamed shellfish and cooked-to-order steaks and chops takes center stage. Passengers can choose to sit at the kitchen’s eat-up counter and watch the chefs as they dine, or settle into a comfortable booth with for a four course dinner. When I ate there, my entrée was a freshly steamed two-pound lobster. The Crown Grill also sports a dedicated cocktail bar that boasts a new signature 16-ounce Crown Grill Margarita concoction. A $25 fee per person applies for dinner, although some items may carry an additional charge.
The popular Sabatini’s trattoria found on Princess vessels has a new top-deck location on Deck 16 to offer fine dining with a view. The restaurant has a grand entrance that leads to a three-sided windowed venue. There is also a small area on deck for al fresco dining. An all-new multi-course menu is offered; custom-made fine china and new stemware are evident; and dinner can take as long as two or three hours. Dinner costs $20 per person.
The new Adagio Lounge across the way offers a cozy venue for Sabatini’s diners to enjoy a pre-or post-dinner Italian-inspired cocktail or have their after-dinner dessert as they listen to the pop/jazz pianist playing his tunes.
During the daytime, guests can enjoy lunch at the Trident Grill by the pool—the perfect place for hungry passengers to get freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs. Or they might want to opt for The Pizza & Ice Cream Bar located nearby for a tasty treat.
Guests can also opt to “stay in” for the evening and there is 24-hour room service for a fee available for those wishing to dine in their cabins. Special room-service-only offerings include an elegant three-course Ultimate Lobster Balcony Dinner featuring a choice of lobster or grilled beef tenderloin accompanied by a half bottle of champagne, canapés, a bouquet of flowers, and an 8-by-10 photo taken at dinner ($100 per couple). At breakfast time, a special Champagne Balcony Breakfast ($25 per couple) can be ordered.
As a tip of the hat to Brooklyn, Princess introduced the Brooklyn Balcony Nosh that is offered passengers on embarkation day. The Nosh—an authentic Nathan’s Hot Dog with all the trimmings, an iced bottle of Brooklyn Brewery’s Premium Lager Beer, and a generous slice of Brooklyn’s famous Junior’s Cheesecake—is presented to passengers on embarkation day in their cabin as a tribute to Crown Princess’s first homeport in Brooklyn. There is a $7 fee for the Nosh selections.
The Public Areas and Entertainment
The ship retains the many hallmark features that define the Princess experience, including the dramatic Movies Under the Stars poolside movie screen, multiple entertainment options, a Lotus Spa fitness center, an extensive children and teen’s center, and a wedding chapel. On this vessel, there are three main show lounges (both theater and cabaret style) and 12 lounges or bars for refreshments, entertainment, or dancing. In addition, there is the Gatsby Casino for those wishing to try their luck, and an Internet Café with 25 computer stations located just off the Piazza.
In the Princess Theater, several new stage shows were presented: “What a Swell Party,” a compilation of Cole Porter tunes and other music from the Great Gatsby era; “Destination Anywhere” which takes the audience on a round-the-world musical journey and “Motor City” with its lively selection of Motown music.
Three new fun competition events have also made their debut on Crown Princess. The first, Ballroom Blitz, usually held in the New York nightclub-style Club Fusion on Deck 7, offers participants the opportunity to learn a variety of basic ballroom dances at lessons throughout the cruise and can then show off their moves in a series of evening competitions inspired by the recent popularity of ballroom dancing on television. In the Princess Peer Factor—Friends, Family or Foe?—two teams of peers square off in fun events where they can try out their skills at a variety of interesting shipboard tasks, such as pizza making, casino dealing, ice carving, cocktail mixing or trying to keep up with the ship’s entertainers.
The third is the Spelling Bee at Sea, a two-day competition for both youths and adults, held in the Princess Theater. Popularized by the Broadway hit musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the public’s fascination with spelling contests has grown. On board, passengers can test their spelling acumen with the winners receiving a special dictionary autographed by the ship’s captain. Bee finalists will also enjoy a larger audience for their 15 minutes of fame when the final rounds of the spelling competition are shown on the giant Movies Under the Stars.
Kids Are In
The Princess Kids program has been enhanced on the Crown Princess with a new Junior Chef program offering an industry-first opportunity to get hands-on food preparation instruction right in the ship’s kitchen galley. The young participants—suited up in mini toques and chef uniforms—can learn to make a number of no-cooking-required” dishes, such as a fruit pizza, sushi rolls, or cake decorating. At the end their “culinary course” each participant receives a special certificate of achievement and photo touting their culinary achievements. Parents are encouraged to attend with their children as well and take notes.
Another enhancement is the personal makeover sessions designed for teens in the Lotus Spa. Here, a beautician provides a personal consultation on the secrets of skin care and makeup application for a new look. In addition, teens (16 and older) will find a selection of spa-treatment options tailored for them, or they may want to spend some bonding time with a Mother and Daughter Paradise Massage, or a Father and Son Chill Out Massage.
Two youth programs have also been renamed on this vessel and will be introduced fleetwide. Kids and teens traveling aboard Princess ships in recent months were given the opportunity to vote for new names that they felt best represented their age group. After polling a variety of junior passengers, the kids and teens chose two new names: Shockwaves (ages 8-12) and Remix (ages 13-17). The program for the youngest children will continue to be known as Princess Pelicans (ages 3-7).
The extensive indoor/outdoor youth center features separate rooms for the different age groups, including a dedicated teen center. Children from 3 to 12 during a cruise will be entertained with art corners, game tables, splash pools, ping pong tables, juke boxes and the latest PlayStation2 video games. Activities include arts and crafts, edutainment events, T-shirt coloring, sports activities, scavenger hunts, PSP game rentals, deck parties, afternoon ice cream, pizza fests, video games, movies and cartoons.
The Remix teen center includes a whirlpool spa, big-screen television, Internet access, PlayStation2 video games, karaoke machines, ping pong and air hockey tables and other facilities specifically geared to the teenage crowd. Participants also enjoy events teens-only deck parties, casino nights, karaoke, teen formals, DJ workshops, talent shows, pizza parties and midnight movies on the Movies Under the Stars screen.
Fitness and Workouts.
First introduced aboard Golden Princess in 2001, the Lotus Spa concept is featured in state-of-the-art facilities designed to give both female and male passengers the opportunity to renew mind, body and spirit. The Asian-influenced spas offer a full range of body and facial treatments, relaxing steam and sauna facilities, and a salon featuring hair and nail services. Unique is the spa’s hand- and foot-soothing therapies such as an Exotic Hand Ritual or a Sole Delight Foot Treatment and paraffin wax dips. Lotus Spa treatments may be reserved prior to the cruise
As the Lotus Spa was moved forward on this ship, the windowed fitness center was expanded with the latest cardio and weight machines. Other fitness activities include a variety of classes for body conditioning such as Step Xpress, aerobics and power walks as well as, for a fee, Pilates, pulse cycling and KickBoXpress. Personal trainers are on hand and a series of health and nutrition seminars also scheduled during a cruise.
Out on deck is a wonderful miniature golf course. Adjacent, you can practice your golf swings at one of two golf simulators. Other sports activities include basketball on the top-of-the-ship basketball court, shuffleboard and paddle tennis.
Engagement Under The Stars
As an extension of Princess’s signature Wedding at Sea celebrations—where couples can be married in the ship’s chapel by the Captain*—Princess unveiled on the Crown Princess a new Engagement Under the Stars package that gives couples who become engaged during their cruise instant star status. A male suitor can propose to his unsuspecting significant other while being secretly taped and the video is shown on the ship’s giant outdoor movies screen. After she says “yes,” Princess continues that magic moment throughout the rest of the cruise with a special romantic dinner, amenities, and the creation of keepsake items to remember the occasion long after the cruise. The package costs $695 and includes a private session for the proposer with the ship’s videographer to create a personalized on-screen proposal; a ten percent discount off fine jewelry in the shipboard boutiques just in case the groom didn’t bring a ring; an engagement portrait session with 8x10 engagement photo; a couple’s massage in the Lotus Spa’; and a $100 credit towards a wedding-at-sea package on a future voyage. The Engagement Under the Stars” package will be rolled out to all Princess ships that feature Movies Under the Stars, including Caribbean Princess, Grand Princess, and Sea Princess this year. More information about the “Engagement Under the Stars” package is available by calling The Wedding Experience at 1-866-444-8820 (US).
*Because the Princess fleet is registered in Bermuda, ship captains are permitted to marry couples at sea unlike other cruise lines.
Accommodations
My accommodation was a deluxe balconied stateroom. It had a small sitting area, a walk-in closet with a small safe and more room than usual for storing luggage and clothes, a mini refrigerator and a small desk/vanity. There is a small CRT television that shows popular stateside news programs and other entertainment channels as well as movies. Luxury mattresses—Simmons' Beautyrest® Luxury Firm were on the bed covered with European style duvets and fine bed linens.
In the minisuites, of which there are 178, all feature a separate sitting area with a sofa bed, a choice of feather or therapeutic pillows for the bed, two televisions and a bathroom with a tub and shower.
Tweny-six suites feature a walk-in closet, bath with whirlpool tub and shower, combined DVD/CD players; massage shower heads and a one-time complimentary setup of the minibar.
Surprisingly, there are only two family suites. Each suite contains two self-contained staterooms with a bath that connect via a living room. With the children and teen programs taking center stage on this ship, I wondered why there were not more family suites on board.
There are 25 wheelchair accessible cabins on board ranging from 234 to 396 square footage. Sixteen staterooms come with a balcony, four are ocean view and five are inside cabins.
It was interesting to note that Princess has installed sprinklers and other fire-retardant materials on the balconies of this vessel, and will be fleetwide by the end of this year.
Overall Assessment
The seventh in the Grand Class series of eight* ships, the Crown Princess features a lot of new innovations not seen on her sister ships. Despite being a ship with a nearly 3,100 passenger maximum capacity, the ship had almost a small feel to her and for the most part, one never finds the public areas overcrowded.
Embarkation went smoothly at the Brooklyn Ocean Terminal and it was just an easy walk to the ship’s gangway. At boarding, white-gloved stewards greet passengers, take their carryons and escort them to their respective cabins. It’s a nice touch. The Brooklyn Nosh is another since it beats fighting the buffet lines on embarkation day.
On board the ship’s décor was of a high quality, even fresh flowers could be found in the public areas. Bouquets of fresh flowers could also be ordered for your cabin. Service was of a high caliber. The boat drill was the best my husband and I we have had in a long time—extremely thorough and informative. And, to my relief, the PA system with its incessant jarring announcements was not evident as is the case on many other cruise ships
As for activities, the entertainment staff has planned so many events that on a sea day, one could be busy from morning to late night. Anything but ho hum. This is truly a lovely ship—and one I would not hesitate to recommend to either the first-time cruiser or the more seasoned one.
**The eighth Grand Class vessel—Emerald Princess—will make her debut in 2007.
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Ship Statistics
2006/07 Itineraries
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