Caribbean Princess, December 19 - January 2
14 Night Southern Caribbean Explorer RT San Juan
We're just getting settled down into routine after our trip, catching up with laundry, etc. I don't think I have to worry about ironing warm weather clothes at the moment since we had another three inches of snow here overnight! Thankfully, it appears to be melting fast. Also thankful we are not dealing with flights through the East and South at this point! All of our cruise flights, including the return, were more or less on time and uneventful.
We thoroughly enjoyed the cruises out of San Juan and the itinerary, and also liked the Caribbean Princess ship, although I miss the "indoor pool" which has been re-designed with stadium seating for the movies and sports shows. I found the sound level much too high and was thankful for the small but quieter surroundings of the "Adult only" terrace pool at the stern. (We're probably in the minority, but noise levels really bother us and we could care less about sports programs.) There is another large outdoor pool, but on the holiday cruises there are also lots of children! These are just small personal observations that did not in any way spoil the trip.
The ship's Atrium (called the Piazza on this ship) was beautifully decorated for the holidays and the planned events were very entertaining and well-organized. The food was excellent and we had great dinner companions, two Canadian couples - one from Vancouver) so we had a lot in common. We all looked forward to getting together each evening. The service level was also great, both in the dining room and other areas. With 3,000 passengers we thought the Horizon Court where we prefer to go for breakfast might be overcrowded. Not so, and there were always servers available (a la Holland America style!) to take our plate and find us a table in the spacious adjoining Cafe Caribe. We never had to wander around looking for a place to sit. In both locations, tables were well separated and there was no sense of crowding. Overall, it was a most pleasant experience.
We haven't any plans made for this year at the moment, but are currently poring over some brochures to see what catches our eye. We hope you are not experiencing too severe weather at the moment, and wish you a successful and healthy New Year.
Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel
