HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 'ROYAL PRINCESS'

Has it really been a year? (Credit: Princess)

Princess Cruises is celebrating the first birthday of Royal Princess, launched a year ago by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. Princess notes that "during the past 12 months Royal Princess has traveled 120,000 miles and carried 150,000 guests. The ship has set sail on 44 cruises, and visited 39 ports in 20 countries throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean." Pam and I spent a memorable week onboard last December -- our review is here. 

ROYAL PRINCESS: PART FIVE

Capt. Dino Sagani on the Bridge (Photo: Cruising Squared)

ABOARD ROYAL PRINCESS – Our last day at sea is here. By this time tomorrow we will be docked at Port Everglades. Hard to believe seven days can go by so fast. Outside our stateroom it’s gray and rainy, but there are prospects of better weather for the afternoon.

Just time for a few final thoughts and observations.

• BRIDGE TOUR. Today we were among a small group invited to tour the bridge. Our host is Captain Dino Sagani, who has commanded four ships in the Princess fleet. As you would expect, Royal Princess sports the latest state-of-the-art technology, and the ship’s control center resembles an airplane cockpit. And about that special “Love Boat” horn greeting – the Captain tells me it was specially built just for Princess.

• SHIP PHOTOS. One nice touch are the photos which line the stateroom corridors. They were all taken and donated by passengers from previous Princess cruises. Whets your appetite for more globe-trotting adventures.

• PRINCESS LIVE. This is a fully operational TV studio which hosts game shows, karaoke, lectures and other audience-participation programs. One event helped me learn about the “Top 10 Art Heists of All Time.”

• THINGS WE LIKED. There is much to like on this beautiful ship. Among them, the friendly staff and the food. From the Horizon Bistro on deck 16 to the main dining rooms, we found the food uniformly good. The specialty venues provide a lot of choice, from gelato to coffee to afternoon tea. Vines caters to wine lovers, and on our last day the Wheelhouse Bar became an English pub serving fish and chips. Not to mention The Pastry Shop in Horizon. Boy, you can gain weight just walking through that place.

• A FEW SUGGESTIONS. It may be just us, but we would like a few more dark and cozy venues to sip a cocktail and listen to jazz or Sinatra. Most of the bars are located along heavy traffic lanes, like Seaview, Vista Lounge and Wheelhouse. Club 6 could be good, but the hours are limited. And seriously, check the programming on those elevators.

• OVERALL: Princess invites passengers to “Escape Completely.” As first-timers, we spent an enjoyable seven days with an objective to do just that. Bottom line? When this “Love Boat” makes another run, we’ll be there. -- Pam and Gerry

ROYAL PRINCESS: PART FOUR

Docked in St. Thomas (Photos: Cruising Squared)

ABOARD ROYAL PRINCESS – We reach our next port of call, St.Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to a mix of sun and rain, typical of life in the tropics. For some it’s a chance to pour into Charlotte Amalie for a shopping blitz; for others, a nice time to relax on board minus the crowds. Having been to this destination numerous times before, we choose the latter.

And what better way to relax than a beautifully prepared cup of cappuccino from the International Café in a cozy window booth by the Piazza. Are they brewing coffee here or works or art?

Speaking of art, they are holding the art auction later, something with which we are very familiar. Several years ago we attended one on a lark as part of another cruise. Several glasses of champagne later, and after a bitter bidding war with another passenger, we found ourselves the proud owners of five new works of art. The cost? Don’t go there.

About the service on board – excellent. Everyone we’ve encountered has been uniformly friendly, helpful and smiling. Quite an accomplishment for a job that demands hard work, long hours and making 3,000-plus customers happy on a 24/7 basis. We did have to chuckle when the woman at the service desk inquired, “Which of the formal nights is more formal?”

In our quest to seek out a nice deck chair to watch the waves go by, we discover the Promenade on Deck 7. We have read that one of the complaints about how the ship was designed is the Promenade deck doesn’t extend continuously around the ship. That is reportedly going to be corrected on Royal’s sister ship, Regal Princess, and retro-fitted on this one at her first dry dock.

But we did find our chairs, albeit without cushions. Not as comfy as they could be, but nonetheless a fine place to watch the world go by.

The Seaview Bar

For the sail-away from St. Thomas, we took a seat at the Seaview Bar on deck 16 – the one that extends 28 feet over the edge of the ship. As the captain played the “Love Boat” theme on the ship’s horn, suddenly the bar patrons burst into singing the song from the 70s TV show. “The Love Boat … will be making another run … the Love Boat ….” It was decidedly off-key but still fun.

The next morning found us dockside in St. Maarten. Beside us was Allure of the Seas, along with Holland America’s Noordam. It was pouring rain, and passengers from all three ships were scurrying like ants waiting for their tours to start. The precip would come and go during the morning hours, but most of the afternoon was sunny and moisture-free.

The Water Taxi at St. Maarten

St. Maarten is actually one of our favorite ports in the Caribbean. A divided island – half Dutch and half French – we are on the Dutch side, at Philipsburg. We recommend catching the Water Taxi at the port. It’s a short ride to the heart of town and a ticket for an unlimited day pass is only $7. There’s even Christmas music to get you in the shopping mood.

A short walk from the pier and you’ll find everything right there: Shopping, restaurants, the beach, water sports. We make a stop for some coffee and free Wi-Fi, and a chance to enjoy the view of the amazing aquamarine waters.

Not to mention, it’s Thanksgiving. While in one sense we miss the traditional family get-together, this is pretty nice. And at dinner later, they have prepared a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings. The big plus is they are taking care of the dirty dishes.

This is our last port on this cruise, and we have two days at sea ahead. We’ll have one final dispatch and wrap-up before we reach Port Everglades. -- Pam and Gerry

ROYAL PRINCESS: PART THREE

The Sanctuary  (Photo: Cruising Squared)

ABOARD ROYAL PRINCESS – Today is a sea day. The skies have turned sunny and the seas bright blue. The only constant is the wind, which continues to rock us along even as the captain has plotted a course to shelter us as much as possible.

This morning we opted to choose room service for breakfast. It’s great to dine on your balcony. Our only suggestion would be expand the menu. Apart from the usual continental fare, the main event is an egg muffin sandwich. Still, 24/7 room service is nice.

On sea days, you expect the pools to be busy, and this day was no different. There is a regular pool, a kid pool and a splashy “Bellagio-style” fountain on Lido Deck 16. But we especially appreciate the adult-only pool area on Deck 17, which includes The Sanctuary, where you can rent a cabana or a pool chair for half or full days. The cabanas go for $80 for a half day, and include food and beverage service. But you have to act fast. 

The adults-only pool

Reservations are only taken the day before, starting at 8 a.m., and we were told the line is already 25-30 deep when they open. You can also rent deluxe pool chairs by the adult-only pool, as well as smaller cabanas. Also note there are free loungers by the adult pool as well.

If you want an alternative, try the Outrigger Bar at the back of the ship on Deck 16. You can grab one of the tables by the railing and enjoy scenic vistas and an umbrella-infused cocktail at the same time. You forego the pampering, but for $80 you can afford to pamper yourself.

For lunch we try Alfredo’s Pizzeria by the atrium. Here you have lots of choices for a hand-tossed pizza. Add a mixed green salad and finish it off with an apple tart and you are good to go. Delicious.

Bellini's Bar

Mid-afternoon finds us in Bellini's Bar, also by the atrium. A good bellini can rank right up there with a martini, and these were both good and in generous proportions (unlike the birthplace of the bellini – Harry’s Bar in Venice, where the portion is small and price large). Taking place below us was a cha-cha dance class. Pam tells me the cha-cha is so easy even I can learn to do it. One more bellini and I think she might be right.

The Lotus Spa on Deck 5 seemed to be doing a brisk business. While we typically forego spa treatments on cruises, if you are looking to be rejuvenated, reconditioned or revived, this is the place to do it.

For evening entertainment, the Princess Theater hosts a different show every night. This cruise featured a tribute to The Beatles, illusionist David Cats and the ship’s singers and dancers. Over in the Vista Lounge, it was rock and roll from the 50s and 60s. Then there’s “Movies Under the Stars” on the big screen poolside, featuring “World War Z” and “Man of Steel.”

We decide to pay a visit to the Princess Casino. Wish us luck. -- Pam and Gerry

ROYAL PRINCESS: PART TWO

ABOARD ROYAL PRINCESS – We are anchored off Princess Cays and the weather gods aren’t smiling on us. The view from our balcony is gray and rainy, and the forecast is more of the same. The wind isn’t helping matters, and our captain has cautioned we may have to abort this port.

After some deliberation, he decides to let the tenders go ashore, but advises everyone to be extra mindful. Having seen firsthand the hazards of boarding a bobbing tender, we know to take heed.

In the meantime, more time to explore and get to know this crown jewel in the Princess fleet.

Sabitini's, a specialty restaurant (Photo: Gerry)

Uppermost on the minds of every cruiser is food. And as you might expect, Royal Princess has plenty of options, including specialty venues like the Italian-inspired Sabatini’s and the Crown Grill, a steak and chophouse. Passengers have the option of choosing a set dining time, early or late, or anytime dining, which is nice. We opted for late dining in the Allegro.

There are two formal nights on this voyage – Tuesday and Friday. Time to dust off the old tux. It’s an option of course, but it’s nice to “put on the dog” and recapture some of the splendor of old school cruising.

Finding a dark corner for an after-dinner nightcap is something of a challenge. There are a number of bars aboard, but many are located in the brightly-lit areas. The Vista Lounge fits the bill, and also features different music theme nights. There’s also the Seaview Bar on deck 16, but the blow-me-down winds have waved us off so far.

Looks like we have a break in the weather, so we decide to take the tender over and see what the island is about. Unfortunately, by the time the tender arrives, the skies have gotten dark and the rains return. We all wait patiently for a departure, but 20 minutes later, we are still holding.

Well, maybe next time to see Princess Cays. Hopefully we’ll get a break as we make way to our next port, St. Thomas. Wish us luck. -- Gerry and Pam

CRUISE REVIEW: ROYAL PRINCESS

The atrium on Royal Princess (Photo: Gerry)

NOTE: Pam and I just returned from a cruise on the newest ship in the Princess fleet, Royal Princess. We blogged live on All Things Cruise, and now will share that coverage and more here.

ABOARD ROYAL PRINCESS – This cruise marks several firsts for us: Our first cruise on a Princess ship, and our first holiday voyage. We opted for a seven-day Eastern Caribbean excursion in lieu of the traditional Thanksgiving celebration. For once, we’ll relax and let someone else do the cooking and cleaning. Plus, a chance to experience the newest ship in the Princess fleet -- Royal Princess made her debut in June.

We boarded from Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale, and over the course of the next seven days we will visit Princess Cays, a private beach area on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

Some first impressions from Day One:

The Boarding Process. Smooth, thanks in part because we didn’t arrive until our designated time slot. Why fight the crowds to be first in line for lunch? A nice plus was the helpful crew who pointed us in the right direction all along the way. We also enjoyed the captain’s sounding a few bars from the “Love Boat” theme (remember the 70s TV show that put the Princess brand on the map?) on the ship’s horn as we made our departure.

Our stateroom. We have a balcony room almost all the way to the front of the ship on Deck 9 – designation Dolphin. It’s roomy enough, thanks to a nice layout that separates the bathroom/closet from the bed area. There’s a 37-inch flat screen TV hugging one wall. The color scheme is soothing neutral tones with the occasional splash of color. Very cozy-comfy.

The lights are activated by inserting your stateroom keycard in a slot by the door. It’s an energy-saving measure that takes a little getting used to and might up the chances of leaving your room without your card. And as with just about every ship we’ve been on, there’s a maddening lack of power outlets. Tip: Always pack an extension cord and if you have a lot of electronics, a six-power strip.

The standard balcony is fairly compact; there’s just enough room for two chairs and a small table. There’s a refrigerator, and the safe to hold your valuables is quite roomy.
Around the Ship: The ship is beautiful, with that still-new sparkle and “new car” fragrance. A lot of the on-board activity is centered on the piazza-style atrium, which exudes elegance, starting with the double spiral staircases. In the first 24 hours we’ve seen everything from rock and roll dancing to exercise classes to piano instrumentals. You can eat, drink and be merry without leaving the area.

We still haven’t figured out the elevators. Judging by the comments, a number of other passengers haven’t, either. The bank closest to us has four elevators and two sets of buttons, so you have to make it point to press both if you are trying to catch one. And more often than not, the ones going in your direction don’t stop but zip right past. Doubtless some start-up bugs still to be worked out.

The SeaWalk feature on Deck 16 is a cool addition, if only for the “wow” factor. It’s a glass-bottom walkway that extends 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship on either side (one side hosts a bar).

If you are reading this, it means they fixed the Internet. The long line at the Internet Café were passengers seeking refunds for the empty minutes online when no one knew the satellite was down. Technology – it’s great when it works.

Next: A stop at Princess Cays.

PRINCESS SETS 'TAILGATE AT SEA' PARTIES

Are you ready for some football? (Credit: Princess)

If you love football -- and who doesn't, right? -- Princess Cruises has some good news for you. How about a tailgate party at sea? Today Princess announced they'll be showing all Monday Night Football games on its "Movies Under the Stars" screens and throwing a tailgate party each week to celebrate. Since we will be sailing on Royal Princess soon, expect a first-hand account direct from the ship. (At least, from one of us. Pam may choose to visit the spa.) Here's more from their release:

"Passengers will now be 'ready for some football' while sailing through the balmy waters on a Caribbean cruise or enjoying cruising from the West Coast, with the game showing on a giant LED screen above the pool.

"Each Monday, ships are serving up the first-ever Tailgate at Sea parties, bringing the best of the American football experience on deck. Passengers can enjoy their favorite nibbles such as hot wings, burgers, hot dogs, chips and salsa, pizza (voted best pizza at sea by USA Today), and other party foods football fans would enjoy during a BBQ in a stadium parking lot or while hosting a football get-together. Beer buckets and team-inspired drink specials will add to the tailgate experience.

"Fans will also enjoy Princess’ exclusive in-game entertainment, including live commercial break commentary, Fantasy Football stat updates, onboard half-time show and fun-filled contests with prizes.

"Games will be shown on U.S.-based departures aboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, and Star Princess.

"The giant LED screens are more than 300 square feet in size, with a 69,000-watt sound system and have sufficient lighting power to be seen clearly at mid-day and heard even while the ship is moving at full speed – offering cruise passengers a movie experience comparable to the best shoreside movie theater."

WIN A CHRISTENING BOOK

Credit: Cruise.co.uk

UK cruise website, Cruise.co.uk, is celebrating the recent excitement over the debut of the Royal Princess with a contest. Five lucky winners will win a Limited Edition Aspinal of London Leather Notebook – "each handmade by genuine craftsmen for the Royal Princess Naming Celebrations." They note, "You only got one of these if you went to the Christening!" Enter through July 14 at Cruise.co.uk or Facebook. -- Gerry

PRINCESS PARTNERS FOR CUTTING EDGE TV

In this age of smart TVs and "24/7" digital, cruise ships have their share of cutting edge technology. Take for example the just-launched Royal Princess. In partnership with IEvolution, Inc., their Guest Evolution system "delivers the world’s first HTML5-based TV solution to passenger and crew TVs, as well as to digital signs throughout the ship."

It features a browser-based smart TV application on interactive TVs that can be extended to support innovative features such as:

-- Screen shifting live TV, movies and music to the passenger’s smartphone or tablet
-- On-board mapping and routing
-- Information on ship activities, shore excursions and port guides with the ability for
passengers to book from their in-cabin TV, smartphone or tablet
-- Restaurant and wine menus

Amazing. Now if only it could tell me the winning roulette numbers. -- Gerry

'ROYAL PRINCESS': WELCOME TO THE SEAS

Credit: Princess Cruises

In a ceremony June 13 in Southampton, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge named the new ship Royal Princess when she released a bottle of champagne that smashed against its hull. Standing on the naming platform with the ship’s Captain Tony Draper, The Duchess pronounced, “I name this ship Royal Princess. May God bless her and all who sail in her.” She then cut the rope that sent a giant bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne toward the ship. 

PRINCESS WILL LIVE STREAM EVENTS

When the Royal Princess makes her debut this week, the whole world will be watching. Here are the details from Princess:

Credit: Princess website

"When Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge christens Royal Princess on June 13, the nearly 2,000 invited guests in Southampton will not be the only ones to enjoy the festivities. Viewers around the world can also watch the celebrations as Princess Cruises will be streaming the ceremony live online at www.princess.com, so everyone can share in the spectacular event, which will formally welcome the new ship into the company’s fleet.

"The live streaming will begin at 11:15 am local time in Southampton, which will be 6:15 am EDT in the U.S. and 3:15 am PDT. Viewers can also choose to play back a recording of the ceremony soon after the event for viewing at their leisure. Social conversation on Twitter will also be featured with a direct feed on the naming page, and viewers can join in as they watch by using the #RoyalPrincess hashtag.

"In addition to the official breaking of the bottle of champagne against the ship by The Duchess, viewers will also be able to follow all the quay-side festivities – including performances by British pop singer and songwriter Natasha Bedingfield singing her hit, 'Unwritten,' British actress and 'the first lady of London’s West End' Kerry Ellis, and internationally renowned percussive orchestra Mass Ensemble. The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and The Pipe Band of 1st Battalion Irish Guards will open the event with the pomp and ceremony of British ship-naming traditions."

'ROYAL PRINCESS' GETS MUSICAL SALUTE

The Royal Princess (Credit: Princess Cruises)

Ceremonies are shifting into high gear for the inauguration of the new Princess ship, Royal Princess. She was welcomed into Southampton with a musical salute as part of a week-long series of special inaugural events. Princess reported that "British actor, director and writer Simon Callow orchestrated the Southampton University Brass Band to serenade the new Princess Cruises ship with a rendition of God Save The Queen as the vessel sailed into the harbor." In answer back, Royal Princess played the first notes of the theme song from "The Love Boat." Royal Princess will be officially named in Southampton June 13 by The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, and according to news accounts, it will be the last public appearance for the Duchess before the birth of her baby. -- Gerry

DUCHESS WILL NAME 'ROYAL PRINCESS'

The Duchess of Cambridge
(Credit: Princess)

Who better to name the new Royal Princess than a Royal? Princess announced that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will name the new ship at Southampton on June 13, culminating a week-long inaugural celebration. The traditional British ship-naming ceremony includes the blessing, a performance by the Royal Marines Band and the pipers of the Irish Guards. Royal Princess will arrive at the Ocean Terminal in Southampton on June 7, prior to her  maiden voyage on June 16. She will sail Grand Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the autumn. More information and video previews of the ship are available at www.princess.com/royalprincess.

ROYAL PRINCESS READY TO ENTERTAIN YOU

The soon-to-debut Royal Princess wants to make every guest has a great time, with plenty of options to choose from. “Royal Princess will feature the widest variety of entertainment we have ever offered at sea,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president in their press release. “No matter how passengers like to spend their evenings at sea, we’ll have an exceptional array of options to keep passengers entertained.” Some of those options are listed below, along with this company video:




Among the entertainment features of Royal Princess are:

SHARE YOUR STORY AND WIN A CRUISE

Princess Cruises is in a mood to celebrate. They have received "more than 1,000 stories, images and videos from passengers sharing memorable moments of how they escaped completely on a Princess Cruises vacation."  The cruise line has also surpassed 1,000,000 likes on Facebook. The celebration continues at www.princess.com/celebrations, where Princess passengers who have recently celebrated a special occasion on board can submit their own stories at www.princess.com/sharestory before March 31, 2013 for a chance to win a 7-day Caribbean cruise for two aboard the new Royal Princess. --Gerry

PRINCESS UNVEILS NEW YOUTH FEATURES

Increasingly, many cruise lines are catering to their younger passengers. It makes sense, since taking a cruise is one of the best family vacation options. Today, Princess Cruises unveiled the new features for kids and teens on their newest ship, Royal Princess, debuting next June. You can see more in this video:




Here are additional details from Princess: