| Lorraine |
Mar 9th, 2002 04:16 AM |
Just back from Grand Princess
We had a great time on the Grand Princess 2/24/02 Western Caribbean cruise and have come away feeling relaxed and indulged, which was a pleasant surprise as we're not avid cruisers (last cruised in 1993).<BR><BR>Cruising has certainly improved. Our stateroom on the Grand resembled a small room at a good hotel, with a safe, refrigerator, large closet, CNN, and decent shower with thermostatically controlled water that always comes out at the temperature you set. But the highlight of our cabin was the balcony, which held a table and 4 chairs. Not only did it extend the living area, it allowed us to hear the ocean and check the weather. <BR><BR>The onboard experience is a pleasure. The ship is huge but is so well designed that it didn't feel huge and it certainly didn't feel like there were 4,000 people on board. The space was divided so well that on the last day I was still discovering new areas of the ship. The crew was numerous, friendly and helpful, and my mother-in-law was pleased to find two $3 blackjack tables with dealers who seemed to want you to win (she didn't--and don't even mention the tight slots).<BR><BR>The food was excellent, attractive and bountiful and we thought Personal Choice dining worked well. Because we ate dinner early we never waited for a table, although people who came around 7:30 probably weren't seated immediately. The four of us were pleased with the variety of offerings at the 24-hour buffet and generally went there for breakfast and lunch. We also liked the new system of tips going onto your shipboard account.<BR><BR>We were blessed with good weather six days out of seven, and fairly calm seas except the first night out. The ports of call were perfect for us, as we wanted to snorkel, and the two days at sea were restful. The ship provides informative sheets about each port. The first stop, Princess Cays (part of Eleuthera in the Bahamas), is a lovely stretch of beach with loads of lounge chairs, lunch and fruit buffets, covered eating areas, entertainment, equipment rentals, etc.<BR><BR>At Grand Cayman we took a 3-hour trip with Captain Marvin to Stingray City and two snorkeling stops that we had arranged through the internet. There were about 30 on board so it didn't feel crowded, and the boat had easy access to the water and a helpful crew. At each stop our snorkeling guide pointed out highlights and even held onto a nurse shark so we could get a close look. At Stingry City he provided us with squid and feeding instructions, and also let each of us hold a ray by its wings. <BR><BR>The two ports in Mexico are vastly different. Costa Maya (Mahajual) is a stretch of beach abutting endless jungle that is just beginning to be developed. They have built a pier ("build it and they will come") and a plaza of typical Mexican stores and a large swimming pool. The day was overcast and cool, but if we had had better weather we would have enjoyed the beach and snorkeling. We walked around the plaza, and although the shopkeepers are friendly, we were turned off by their persistence. <BR><BR>At Cozumel we went to Chankanaab Park for a Swim with the Dolphins excursion. Groups of 6 are in the water with 2 dolphins for about 30 minutes. The highlights were the "rides," first by holding onto their dorsal fins and then by being pushed from behind. We remained at Chankanaab for snorkeling, which is now restricted to the outside edge of the reef.<BR><BR>The Grand has a kiddie pool, two main pools and two adults-only pools, all freshwater and open 24 hours a day. Finding lounge chairs wasn't that difficult, as people would move in order to follow the sun or shade (plus there are numerous lounge areas on the decks above the pool level).<BR><BR>Negatives of the cruise included its constant hawking (art auctions, spa treatments, drinks, boutiques, photos, future cruises, excursions, bingo, you name it), and not enough seating in their two main theaters.
|
