The Crown Princess continues Princess’ tradition of making you feel special onboard. The Piazza or atrium area is adorned with beautiful Italian motifs, columns and frescos. The Piazza is a central gathering spot that features the International Café offering tasty pastries and sandwiches. There is also Vines, a wine-tasting room complete with oak barrels and a rich wood décor. The beautiful circular staircase wrapped around the glass elevators provide an excellent vantage point to listen to a string quartet or just people watch.

 

Staterooms on this ship are typical of the Princess fleet, quite spacious, however, they could use an update to the finishes which don’t appear to have changed since the Grand Princess first sailed in 1998. Suite accommodations are more nicely appointed with a marble entry; granite counters and upgraded cabinetry. If you are a sun worshiper, you must reserve a stateroom with one of the cantilevered balconies. These open to above balconies are larger and generally provide more room for lounge chairs and a great private retreat.

 

Dining on the Crown Princess as on most Princess ships is a treat. Offering several venues from traditional, open seating, casual and specialty restaurants, you will have no problem finding exactly what you want. The 3 main dining rooms Michelango, Da Vinci and Boticelli feature beautifulmurals and etched-glass.Having 3 main dining roomsreduces the number of guests all dining at the same time and provides and more relaxed atmosphere. Traditional dining is available in the Botticelli dining room for either the 6:30pm or 8:30pm seatings. Open seating is available in the other 2 dining rooms anytime between 5:30 and midnight. If you are a lover of Italian cuisine, you must visit Sabatini’s Trattoria at least once during your cruise. This specialty restaurant pampers guests with a parade of traditional Italian delights one course after another. Delicious seafood offerings like lobster, scallops and tiger prawns and the array of homemade pastas are exquisite. Definitely keep some space for the Italian pastries as well. There is a charge of $20 per person and reservations are required.

 

The Crown Grill, features Angus beef and seafood specialties prepared in an open kitchen. Guests have a choice of traditional soup, salad, appetizers and main dish courses. Featured dishes include Maine lobster tail (available for an additional fee of $10), prime cuts, lamb, pork, veal and a selection of seafood including mussels, striped bass and tiger prawns. There is a charge of $25 per person and reservations are required.

 

The Horizon Court, open 24 hours per day, offers buffet style dining during the day and menu service at night. A section of the Horizon Court also serves as the Café Caribe offering Caribbean style dishes until the wee hours of the morning.

 

There are several location to enjoy entertainment while onboard the Crown Princess. Most notably is the Princess Theater. This space was designed with guest’s enjoyment in mind as the sightlines are great from just about every seat. Want a little popcorn by the pool? The Movies Under the Stars® outdoor theater is a spectacular outdoor movie theater showing first-run and classic movies every day and night they even broadcast special sporting events. Prime seating can be reserved shows and popcorn is free!

 

There are four swimming pools on Crown Princess. Neptune’s Reef and Calypso Reef, located on Lido Deck 15 are the largest pools offering ample space to sun or relax in the shallow beach areas of the pools. There is also a lap pool located near the Lotus Spa where you can swim against the current. The Lotus Spa features an extensive array of fitness equipment and an assortment of private treatment rooms for many special therapies and massages.

 

There is another special place just for adults called The Sanctuary. If you need even more pampering, how about a private Cabana where you can experience special spa treatments while you breathe in the fresh sea air? The Sanctuary also provides upgraded lounges in a unique garden-like setting for meeting new friends.

 

The Crown Princess offers variety for everyone at every age and is certain to provide a memorable experience. Itineraries include Canada/New England, the Caribbean and Europe.

 Posted by: C. Cardona
Cruise Specialist, Cruise Planners
www.BestCruiseDeals.com