Romance on the Seas (Part 3)

As a guest on the Crown Princess two weeks ago, I discovered many fantastic pluses about cruising. First, it’s so easy…it’s like an all-inclusive at sea where once you’re onboard, you really don’t have to worry about anything—it’s all taken care of for you. Of course, there are extra things you’ll need to pay for such as spa treatments, drinks and excursions on shore, so make sure you’re fully aware of what’s covered and what’s not. The crew and staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. They didn’t hesitate to ask if we needed assistance especially during one of the many times we stood there looking dazed and confused trying to find a particular restaurant or lounge area (we got better by the end of the week!). The attention and special treatment was addictive and definitely one of the highlights of the cruise. And, as honeymooners, you’ll love so many of the amenities offered like a private dinner for two on your stateroom balcony (five courses with wine or champagne), Movies Under the Stars, the adults-only pool and The Sanctuary, couples’ massages and so much more. For additional information about Princess Cruises, visit their website at princess.com or call 1-800-PRINCESS.

I also loved the stops at the different islands we visited along the way such as Grand Cayman; Roatan, Honduras; Cozumel, Mexico and Princess Cay in the Bahamas. How else can you experience the beauty and diversity of each island in just one week? Also, take advantage of shore excursions. We signed up for the Sting Ray swim in Grand Cayman and the Dolphin swim in Cozumel…both are well worth it! Others we spoke to also enjoyed their excursions—from touring Maya ruins in Mexico to snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing and a myriad of other activities.

Another tip: Read everything that’s delivered to your cabin. We received daily newsletters each day outlining the activities planned and the locations, the entertainment, as well as special seminars and classes being offered. You can choose to participate or just chill on a lounge chair. But you’ll never be bored. We also discovered EZ Check-Out: For $20, your luggage will be picked up outside your door the night before you leave and taken right to the airline. The next morning you’ll have your boarding pass under your door and you don’t have to drag your luggage from the port to the airport or check in at the airline terminal! It was fantastic. And do tune in to the ship’s channel on the TV in your room. (We had a spacious mini-suite with two flat-screen TVs, a separate sitting area with a coffee table, chair and sofa bed, a full bath, plenty of closet and shelf space and a private balcony. The bedding and pillows were super-luxe, too.) We watched “The Wake Show” each morning featuring Cruise Director Lisa Ball and Deputy Cruise Director, Brett Siborne. They spoke about what activities were in store for the day and gave tips on where to go, what to see and how to get there.

Here are a few shots of our activities and the islands we visited:

The Vow Renewal kicked off the “Romance Summit” cruise as 542 couples renewed their vows before Captain Andrew Proctor:

Next, we all headed to the Princess Theater where the Department of Romance panel (Anna Post, Trista and Ryan Sutter, Dee Frazier, Lisa Light and Kevin Hughes) offered tips on dating, relationships and marriage.

The next day (after an amazing Valentine’s Day formal dinner the night before), we set anchor in Grand Cayman and welcomed the blue skies and warm weather:

We set out on our Sting Ray excursion aboard the Allura catamaran, about a 30 to 40 minute relaxing ride to the sand bar where other boats were docked as vacationers mingled with these graceful creatures. I was a bit nervous at first, but figured since everyone else seemed to be laughing and having a good time, how bad could it be? Well, it was really fantastic and my fears evaporated as I stood in amazement watching the Sting Rays swim all around us and eat the food that we offered. (They suck it right out of your hand like a mini vacuum cleaner—don’t worry, no one lost a finger.) We even kissed one for good luck (I kissed him two times for twice the luck!):

On day four of our cruise, we arrived at Roatan, Honduras. It was a cloudy but warm day and quite comfortable. Roatan is a green oasis dotted with colorful buildings where you can shop for jewelry, clothing, crafts and food products indigenous to the island. There’s also a scenic beach there with plenty of chairs to rest on and fun places to eat. The beach is accessible by a bridge or chair lifts! There are plenty of excursions available but on this day we chose to just meander and enjoy the island:

Day 5: Cozumel, Mexico, a festive, vibrant and lively destination where you can enjoy warm hospitality, delicious food, great shopping and a number of terrific excursions such as our Swim with the Dolphins. We went to Chankanaab National Park, a beautiful botanical garden with a lagoon, beach and swimming area for the Dolphins where we also got to swim with two Manatees (the only two in the world allowed to have interaction with humans). It was a thrill and a dream come true to experience the beauty and power and sweet natures of the Dolphins and Manatees. Here are a few shots from Cozumel:

Back on board the ship we were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Princess Theater productions. Members of the production staff and cast described what went into each show and took us backstage to see their dressing area. I was amazed to learn that there are no understudies and if a performer gets ill, they simply reconfigure the show. Rehearsals are constant and it takes two years to design a show—from idea to performance. On our cruise, the theater was packed at every show we attended and the production numbers were terrific. Here’s the Princess Theater and a look at the dressing room:

On another tour, I visited the Hearts and Minds Wedding Chapel, a very pretty, intimate room where couples can either marry or renew their vows:

Princess’ “Tie the Knot” program offers couples several options: They can marry on the ship, harborside in embarkation ports or have a wedding ashore in certain ports. Princess Cruises’ wedding planners will work with you on all the details (flowers, musicians, photographers, food) so you can marry and honeymoon with ease.

Our final leg of the cruise was a day at Princess Cay, Bahamas, Princess’ private island in the Caribbean. The weather was perfect: warm and sunny, the ideal beach day. So, with suits on and sunscreen in hand we climbed aboard the tender that ferried passengers back and forth to the island all day (a mere 5-minute ride). A steel-drum band greeted us and we leisurely strolled around the island before settling into one of hundreds of beach chairs. I could have stayed there for days listening to the surf and relaxing. We also enjoyed a barbecue lunch (mmm great hot dogs!) before heading back to the ship and our last night on the Crown Princess. Many thanks to the crew and staff, our attentive Steward, Ariel, and especially to our gracious hosts: Julie Benson, Princess Cruises’ VP of Public Relations and Erin Barrier and Nicole Okoneski of Golin Harris whose warmth, wit, hard work and hospitality made this such a delightful voyage. And if you haven’t yet decided where you want to marry or honeymoon, definitely consider a cruise. It’s an unforgettable experience and I can’t wait to sail away on another Princess cruise some day soon myself!

In the meantime, here’s a look at Princess Cay, a little taste of paradise just waiting for you!

Posted by Diane at 12:10 p.m.