G
gettingaway4ever
Guest
We left out of Atlantic City, NJ, to Fort Lauderdale, Fl, day before sailing. We stayed at the Ramada Inn, close to airport. Only complaint is you cannot walk anywhere. Need either a rental car or a taxi. Taxi's are overpriced. It cost us $30. for two from the hotel to a 5 min. ride to KMart.
Embarkation: Got the shuttle from the hotel to the port. The line was quite long, but moved quite quickly. We got there around 11:45 a.m. and was on the ship and in our room by 1 pm. The Princess Port Staff was quite efficient and very friendly. We were on Caribe deck, with a balcony. The balconies on this deck only are larger and have a overhang, which gives some nice privacy. The deck had four chairs, two that were able to recline and a nice table. The rooms on the Emerald have the closets set up quite nicely, no big doors to open to the closet. Sailed to Aruba, Grenada, Dominica, Bonaire, St. Thomas and Princess Cays.
Aruba we shopped and went to the Renaissance Hotel, walking distance from ship and sat around the pool area and then went up to the casino for a little and then visited a local bar not far from the hotel.
Weather was warm, but nice breeze all day.
Bonaire - we walked into town, not a far walk. Came back to the ship and then went out to the right of the ship and was able to use the beach, beach chairs and given two drinks of fruit punch for $10. person. We didn't know kyou had to pay, and we just went on the beach. Beautiful, so relaxing, and saw some beautiful fish and tons of coral in the water. Only wished we could have stayed longer, but had to be back on the ship by 1:30 p.m.
Dominica - didn't get off the ship, as we were there before, and didn't book a tour.
Grenada - I stayed on the ship and my husband walked into the market area.
St. Thomas - Shopped and visited the new stores near the Havensight area. Its called the Yacht Club and you can walk throught that area if you want to walk to town and not have to be on the road. Its beautiful and breathtaking. The size of the yachts are unbelievable. One was bigger than the next. There were two great bars on the water and the stores are quite upscaled.
Princess Cays: Beautiful as ever.
Ship was huge. My husband and I like the smaller ships of the Princess Line. We are in are 50's and enjoy walking the full deck of the ship for at least 3 miles, but on the Emerald you couldn't walk around the full ship without going up two flights of stairs on each side of the ship. This was quite difficult on a really windy day, as the sea spray gets the stairs quite wet and slippery.
Food was fantastic. The first night no one should miss the Seafood Extravaganza at the Caribe Cafe at the end of the Horizon Court. It was great - lobster claws, shrimp, and King Crab Legs, plus all the other food items. Breakfast at the Horizon Court was great. The staff sets you up with your utensils and hot/cold beverages. So now you don't have to juggle a drink and your plate, or stand in a line to get a drink. The staff is very helpful and any request you have, they go out of their way to accommodate you. I like grapefruit and some mornings they didn't have it out, but I asked and they would bring me out either a half or the two halves. One women asked for blueberries and they gave her a whole container washed and in a bowl. I ate so much fruit each day. They have an omelet station, everyone kind of cereal, oatmeal, danish, muffins, etc.
Instead of buying ice cream, the Horizon Court serves it free from about 3pm-3:30p.m. on to around 4:15p.m. They have two different flavors everyday.
Entertainment was great. They had the same comedian from another Princess Ship, Billy Vader. We left during his routine, as we saw him last year on the Sun Princess, and didn't change his routine. Scott Wylie was funny and at least he mixed up his routine with new jokes. The Princess Theater gets so many at the 8:30 p.m. show, but if you wait and to to the 10:30 p.m. show there is no problem getting seats.
Pool - of course there are the ones who put down towels on 5-10 seats, but the deck staff did come around and remove some of the towels, if no one was using the chairs by 40-50 minutes. We had no problem getting chairs on the sea days. They have quite a variety of pools. The sanctuary is beautiful, but I refused to pay $20. for 4 hours. Didn't use the spa services either. Spoke to a few ladies who did, and they said the spa staff then tried to sell them alot of products amounting over $100. or more.
The movies under the stars is nice. They give you a blanket, popcorn, etc.
Casino: Lay out is not great. They have all the quarter slots bunched up in one area and hard to get around. Smoke is terrible and two nights was smoke free, which was nice, as your clothes and hair didn't smell. Alot of the seniors sure do smoke alot!!
Ships layout is cut up, esp. the traditional dining area. You can only get down to that dining room by one set of elevators in the rear of the ship or the rear stairs.
We used the anytime seating and had no problem with getting a table to share or one night a table for two.
We like sharing a table with people, as you get to meet alot of nice folks and have interesting conversations. Food was great in the dining room, but menus were quite limited.
We didn't book any tours, as we wanted to just have a relaxing cruise and not feel pressured to meet a tour and watch the clock.
We booked another cruise for next year about the same time to the Panama Canal. Its great to book with Princess, as you have four years to decide where you like to go next and you get $100. ship board credit for each person and if you can't decide by the end of the four years, they will refund your deposit. You can book with Princess and then use your own travel agent to make the other arrangements.
We are faithful Princess customers and are always pleased with all of our trips. Wish they just could go on a little longer. One day I would love to do a back-to-back cruise. Mary B.,
Embarkation: Got the shuttle from the hotel to the port. The line was quite long, but moved quite quickly. We got there around 11:45 a.m. and was on the ship and in our room by 1 pm. The Princess Port Staff was quite efficient and very friendly. We were on Caribe deck, with a balcony. The balconies on this deck only are larger and have a overhang, which gives some nice privacy. The deck had four chairs, two that were able to recline and a nice table. The rooms on the Emerald have the closets set up quite nicely, no big doors to open to the closet. Sailed to Aruba, Grenada, Dominica, Bonaire, St. Thomas and Princess Cays.
Aruba we shopped and went to the Renaissance Hotel, walking distance from ship and sat around the pool area and then went up to the casino for a little and then visited a local bar not far from the hotel.
Weather was warm, but nice breeze all day.
Bonaire - we walked into town, not a far walk. Came back to the ship and then went out to the right of the ship and was able to use the beach, beach chairs and given two drinks of fruit punch for $10. person. We didn't know kyou had to pay, and we just went on the beach. Beautiful, so relaxing, and saw some beautiful fish and tons of coral in the water. Only wished we could have stayed longer, but had to be back on the ship by 1:30 p.m.
Dominica - didn't get off the ship, as we were there before, and didn't book a tour.
Grenada - I stayed on the ship and my husband walked into the market area.
St. Thomas - Shopped and visited the new stores near the Havensight area. Its called the Yacht Club and you can walk throught that area if you want to walk to town and not have to be on the road. Its beautiful and breathtaking. The size of the yachts are unbelievable. One was bigger than the next. There were two great bars on the water and the stores are quite upscaled.
Princess Cays: Beautiful as ever.
Ship was huge. My husband and I like the smaller ships of the Princess Line. We are in are 50's and enjoy walking the full deck of the ship for at least 3 miles, but on the Emerald you couldn't walk around the full ship without going up two flights of stairs on each side of the ship. This was quite difficult on a really windy day, as the sea spray gets the stairs quite wet and slippery.
Food was fantastic. The first night no one should miss the Seafood Extravaganza at the Caribe Cafe at the end of the Horizon Court. It was great - lobster claws, shrimp, and King Crab Legs, plus all the other food items. Breakfast at the Horizon Court was great. The staff sets you up with your utensils and hot/cold beverages. So now you don't have to juggle a drink and your plate, or stand in a line to get a drink. The staff is very helpful and any request you have, they go out of their way to accommodate you. I like grapefruit and some mornings they didn't have it out, but I asked and they would bring me out either a half or the two halves. One women asked for blueberries and they gave her a whole container washed and in a bowl. I ate so much fruit each day. They have an omelet station, everyone kind of cereal, oatmeal, danish, muffins, etc.
Instead of buying ice cream, the Horizon Court serves it free from about 3pm-3:30p.m. on to around 4:15p.m. They have two different flavors everyday.
Entertainment was great. They had the same comedian from another Princess Ship, Billy Vader. We left during his routine, as we saw him last year on the Sun Princess, and didn't change his routine. Scott Wylie was funny and at least he mixed up his routine with new jokes. The Princess Theater gets so many at the 8:30 p.m. show, but if you wait and to to the 10:30 p.m. show there is no problem getting seats.
Pool - of course there are the ones who put down towels on 5-10 seats, but the deck staff did come around and remove some of the towels, if no one was using the chairs by 40-50 minutes. We had no problem getting chairs on the sea days. They have quite a variety of pools. The sanctuary is beautiful, but I refused to pay $20. for 4 hours. Didn't use the spa services either. Spoke to a few ladies who did, and they said the spa staff then tried to sell them alot of products amounting over $100. or more.
The movies under the stars is nice. They give you a blanket, popcorn, etc.
Casino: Lay out is not great. They have all the quarter slots bunched up in one area and hard to get around. Smoke is terrible and two nights was smoke free, which was nice, as your clothes and hair didn't smell. Alot of the seniors sure do smoke alot!!
Ships layout is cut up, esp. the traditional dining area. You can only get down to that dining room by one set of elevators in the rear of the ship or the rear stairs.
We used the anytime seating and had no problem with getting a table to share or one night a table for two.
We like sharing a table with people, as you get to meet alot of nice folks and have interesting conversations. Food was great in the dining room, but menus were quite limited.
We didn't book any tours, as we wanted to just have a relaxing cruise and not feel pressured to meet a tour and watch the clock.
We booked another cruise for next year about the same time to the Panama Canal. Its great to book with Princess, as you have four years to decide where you like to go next and you get $100. ship board credit for each person and if you can't decide by the end of the four years, they will refund your deposit. You can book with Princess and then use your own travel agent to make the other arrangements.
We are faithful Princess customers and are always pleased with all of our trips. Wish they just could go on a little longer. One day I would love to do a back-to-back cruise. Mary B.,
