Caribbean princess: largest "love boat" in Princess Cruises' Grand Class is specially built for Caribbean cruising

Cruise Travel, May-June, 2005 by Theodore W. Scull

The Library has an excellent and well-organized selection of some 1,200 hardbacks and books-on-tape to listen to while seated in a comfy easy chair. Other amenities include an average-size card room; an Asian-style spa and fitness center with its own pool and sun deck; an internet center with 25 computer stations and, by cruise ship standards, moderate rates by the minute; a major casino with 260 slots that I paid no heed to; and a nest of shops on two levels along the atrium's perimeter.

The children's facilities, not at all taxed on our October cruise, included spaces for different age groups, and the use of two pools with adult supervision. The children and teenagers seemed to have a good time and were very well behaved. The Hearts & Minds Wedding Chapel only saw use for renewing vows on our cruise.

A most welcome concierge reservation service, available to all, helps deal with the additional passenger demand for dining arrangements, spa treatments, the reserved-seat outdoor movies, and the ScholarShip@Sea enrichment program. The latter's activities included photography, ceramics, dancing, wine-tasting, and computer classes. I took one of the latter, dealing with computer viruses and worms, a recent semi-disaster in our household, so 1 was happy to get some very good tips about my specific problems.

The Island Dining Room has traditional first and second seatings, which certainly work best for families and groups who want to eat together, as otherwise preferred times are not always available. We made reservations for the Palm Dining Room and enjoyed a quiet corner table with good food and service on two nights at 7:30 p.m.

On the first night leaving Fort Lauderdale, we had an informal dinner billed as a "Chilled Seafood Extravaganza" in the 24-hour Horizon Court, which we also used for breakfast and the occasional lunch. The Cafe Caribe, a space new to this ship, had themed nightly buffets with table settings and tablecloths. We found the German-style "October Fest" meal with suckling pig, various wursts, and German beer a great success. And for a spicy meal, the "Creole Cookery" satisfied our palates.

On the night we tried Sabatini's Trattoria, we limited our lunch intake--and a good thing that was, as the Italian feast is an almost endless, if delicious, onslaught of eight antipasti, pizza, zuppa, pasta, secondi piatti (main course), and tiramisu--not to mention bread sticks dipped in pure olive oil.

But most of all, as an ardent carnivore, I looked forward to the Sterling Steakhouse, a relatively new restaurant (and one that has now replaced the Tex-Mex restaurants on other Grand Class ships). The restaurant's setting is intimate and uncrowded. Diners are presented with six cuts of fresh, not frozen, beef such as filet mignon, rib eye, New York strip, prime rib, and a 22-ounce porterhouse--and it may be obvious by now that my choice was the last named. The open kitchen prepares everything from scratch.

The Caribbean Princess operates with two formal nights--ark suit or dinner jacket for men; evening gown, cocktail dress, or trouser suit for women--and is casual at other times. Those who came to the captain's atrium reception and to the Captain's Circle (repeaters) party complied on the formal nights.