As you’ll know from our blog updates last week, we recently spent 7 Nights on the beautiful “Crown Princess” enjoying a Southern Caribbean Cruise.
After 26 Cruises together in the past 8 years, we still feel sad every-time we have to say goodbye. 🙂
Taking a cruise is special! You really don’t have to do anything for yourself except shower… Seriously!
Each morning, a knock at the door delivers hot coffee and a light healthy breakfast to our bed
side while we scan the daily activities booklet, dining options and entertainment lineup for the entire day. With a pen, we’ll circle our favorites and carefully plan out our day so we can fit it all in.
No driving involved, we stroll from one venue to the other, making new friends from around the world, having a few laughs and enjoying the memorable moments.
On top of that we also spend some time on land, enjoying new ports of call, which we’ll tell you about in a moment, but first a couple of words about the Ship itself.
Having sailed lots of different ships with most of the major cruise lines, we can tell you there are many similarities from ship to ship but…
…we really enjoyed a couple of unique features on the “Crown Princess”.
First, they have a sensational Adults only area called “The Sanctuary”. It’s a private retreat away from the crowds with cushy loungers, signature beverages, light meals, a massage area, relaxing personal entertainment and of course, attentive service. For only $10 to enjoy a half day there, or $20 for the full day, it’s a great value!
The other thing we love on the Crown Princess is their outdoor “Movies Under the Stars”. Just as it suggests, you can lye back on a comfortable lounger and watch a movie while enjoying the warm Caribbean breeze and possibly catch a glimpse of a shooting star under the moonlight all at the same time. And if that wasn’t enough, you can do all this while snacking on free hot popcorn served to you along with your favorite beverage. No need to get up, just relax. 🙂
And during the day, besides movies, they play concerts and sporting events so you can participate in being a couch potato if that’s what you choose.
To keep a good balance of relaxation and exploration we told you we made a few stops during our cruise.
Here’s a little about them:
Princess Cays
Have you ever dreamed about spending a day on a private island in the Bahamas, doing nothing but walking the beach, playing in the pristine water or maybe a little beach volleyball? How about relaxing then in a tree hammock, having a bite to eat when you’re hungry and a cool tropical drink to quench your thirst and cool you down from the hot sun? Well, if so, “Princess Cays” is your place!
Throughout it’s 30 acres of beach you can do just
that.
A cool feature on the island is the 25 private bungalows for rent for those that want to relax in style and have some privacy. Along with that is a supervised play area for the kids, an area for beach massages, some shopping venues for those who love to “shop in the sun” and on top of all that they have multiple beachside restaurants & bars … it’s heaven on earth!
Curacao
Here we visited a town called Willemstad in Curacao, one of fewer than twenty UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Caribbean. Taking a stroll, we marveled at the hundreds of protected and preserved buildings and wondered what life was like back so many years ago. At the same time, enter a shop and modern and unique goods line the store for some good old “shopping to your hearts content” activity.
Another thing we found fascinating in town, and a first for us, was the swinging bridge (not a drawbridge but a swinging one like a huge gate) that is motorized for movement to accommodate the passing fishing and leisure boats. If you go to Curacao, have a look for it. Hopefully, as we did, you’ll have a chance to walk over it before they move it for a passing boat.
Aruba
Located close to the equator, Aruba is known also for it’s perfect beaches, incredibly clear aqua blue waters and year round hot weather. Combining these features alone, attracts visitors from all over the world to this desert-like paradise to relax and rejuvenate.
No worries if you get a sun burn either, cause Aruba is a world leader in aloe production. Rub a little of that and your good to go to the beach
the very next day!
To get away from the touristy shopping district (which many of our new friends said was incredible for deals) we thought we’d walk along the beach and peak in at some of the resorts lining the coast to keep in mind for a future return. We walked one direction for two hours straight, enjoying the crystal clear beaches and scenery and paid $2.50 total for a cab back to the ship. Safe. Cheap. = Perfect. 🙂
After meeting families who consistently come back here because they love it so much, we are convinced a return to Aruba is a smart decision. And after hearing about the “you have to try it” popular cocktail called “pink iguana” made of frozen strawberries, pineapple, rum and coconut cream, It makes it more enticing to return, don’t you think?
.
Well, cruise number 27 is around the corner in 9 days, and like this one, we’re sure we’ll have some great comments about it, more cruising tips and more exciting Caribbean ports to tell you about.
We Appreciate You,
Nancy & Shawn
Your Trusted Cruise Experts!