Caribbean Princess

Launched in 2004, Caribbean Princess is the 6th Grand-class Princess Cruises ship, together with Crown, Diamond, Golden, Grand, Emerald, Ruby, Star and Sapphire.

History - construction and ownership

Princess Cruises is a US cruise company headquartered in Beverly Hills CA. A former subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises (founded 1977), in 2003, the company merged with Carnival Corporation - world's largest passenger shipping company. Among Princess Cruises assets is the Caribbean private island resort Princess Cays (on Bahamas Eleuthera Island's southern end), located approx 80 km (50 ml) Nassau.

The 112,894-ton, 2,600-passenger cruise ship Caribbean Princess underwent a major drydock refit in early 2009 when were added facilities available on the younger fleet mates Crown, Emerald and Ruby. Now passengers spend hours sitting in the cosy, patio-style seating places, sipping coffee, reading, playing board games and watching occasional performers, ranging from a Cirque-type cube-spinner to a BMX biker. The new Piazza-Vines Wine Bar is the place to try over thirty wines by the glass while snacking on artisan cheeses, sushi and tapas. Of the changes, the most remarkable and appreciated, is the transformation of the former atrium into a new 3-deck-high, street-cafe-style Piazza - home to the International Cafe (a combination bakery, deli and coffee shop), Vines Wine & Seafood Bar, the Internet Cafe & Library, and an amusement zone.

Cruise itinerary program

Caribbean Princess itinerary program is based on cruises in Europe sailing out of Southampton and Caribbean voyages from Houston and Fort Lauderdale.

Cabins

Most Caribbean Princess staterooms are 170-sq.foot balcony rooms (675). Almost 80% of ship's outside accommodations have private balcony views. There are a total of 1556 staterooms in 34 categories. 25 are the wheelchair accessible rooms. The largest aboard Caribbean Princess is the Grand Suite (615 ft2).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Caribbean Princess features three dining rooms, all with twinkling lights on their ceilings and tasteful, Caribbean-themed menu. The Palm is for fixed-seating dining, while Island and Coral are for passengers who have chosen "Anytime Dining". Reservations are available but are not required. Coral also welcomes guests for waiter-service breakfast and lunch. Rotating menu options include soups, appetizers, mains and desserts. There are also signature pasta and choices like Caesar salad and salmon. The healthy Lotus Spa selections are low in sodium and fat. Cafe Caribe and Horizon Court look identical and are open all day long. The Horizon section serves as a lido buffet restaurant and features breakfast buffets. Lunch choices may include unusual dishes like peanut butter sandwiches and fried banana. 

Follows the complete list of Caribbean Princess restaurants and food bars.

• Island Restaurant (ship's aft Dining Room; dinner only - offers “Anytime Dining” between 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m.)
• Crown Grill (160-seat steakhouse/seafood restaurant, reservations recommended; on select days serves British Pub Lunch, complimentary)
• Coral Restaurant (ship's forward Dining Room for Breakfast 7-9 a.m., Lunch 12-1:30 p.m., Afternoon Tea 3:30-4:30 p.m.; features “Anytime Dining” for Dinner between 5:30-8 p.m. or 8-10 p.m.)
• Palm Restaurant (dinner only aft Dining Room; with 2 fixed seatings at 6 p.m. or 8:15 p.m.)
• Sabatini’s Restaurant (Italian speciality restaurant; reservations recommended)
• The Salty Dog Grill (replacing Trident Grill, self-service, complimentary fast food bar)
• World Fresh Marketplace (replacing Horizon Court, self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary)
• Planks BBQ and Steamers Seafood (replacing Cafe Caribe, aft self-service buffet restaurant)
• Slice (formerly Pizzeria, with west and east coast offerings, classic Neapolitan-style pizza)
• Coffee & Cones (formerly Scoops, offers free ice cream cones, treats of gourmet ice cream sandwiches, speciality coffee).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Princess Theater is the main venue on Caribbean Princess for comedy acts and production shows with a variety of music and selections appealing to a broad mix of ages. Each of the ship's venues has a different offering. Crooners feature music trivia contests and a pianist. Explorer's Lounge hosts events for everything from Wii sports tournaments to art auctions, plus comedy shows and magicians. The Piazza offers various demonstrations, circus-lite acts and musical performances throughout the day. Club Fusion is a part game show, part nightclub venue. Skywalker Nightclub, Princess' trademark, hosts the 70's-, the 80's- and the 90's-inspired nights and a few nights with a variety of modern music. For low-key dancing, head to the Wheelhouse Bar, which hosts combos playing standards and soft rock.

Follows the complete list of Caribbean Princess lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• The Piazza Atrium (3-deck open floor area; features live performances entertainment and lobby Bar Piazza)
• Princess Fine Arts Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop; Platinum Studio
• International Cafe (24-hour speciality coffee bar and patisserie)
• Vines Bar (wine/seafood/sushi bar)
• Library (with Internet stations); Internet Cafe (24-hour)
• Princess Caribbean Theatre (2-level musical and show productions; hosts workshops, seminars, game shows)
• Churchill Lounge & Bar (smoking lounge and sports bar)
• Calypso Cove Shop; Essence Shop; Limelight Shop; Meridian Bay Shop; Facets Shop
• Princess Caribbean Grand Casino
• Crooners Lounge & Bar (live music; also used for seminars)
• Explorers Lounge & Bar (disco/show lounge; hosts karaoke, comedy, game shows and art auctions)
• Wheelhouse Bar (piano bar during the day and an English pub nightly).
• Club Fusion Lounge (hosts dance classes and quizzes, after 7:30 p.m. becomes Disco & Nightclub)
• Scoops Bar (Sundaes Ice Cream Bar, complimentary)
• Outrigger Bar (poolside bar); Tradewinds Bar
• Caribbean’s Lotus Spa complex; Beauty Salon; Fitness Center (with Aerobics Studio)
• Hearts & Minds (Wedding Chapel)
• Movies Under the Stars (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• Video Games Arcade; Teen Center; Youth Center with Paddling Pool and outdoor playing areas
• The Sanctuary (adult-only open-air area)
• Camp Discovery (Youth Center)
• Calypso Reef & Pool area; Neptune’s Reef & Pool area; Pirate’s View Pool area (served by Morgan’s Bar)
• The Skywalker (Jogging Track); Sports Court (volleyball, basketball, European football); Princess Links mini golf course, Cybergolf simulator
• Skywalkers Disco & Nightclub

Reef Splash Zone (kids aquapark / without waterslides) was added during drydock refurb 2019. Read more in the following Wiki section.

Princess Cruises Caribbean ship belongs to company's Grand-class liners, with (same-designed) sisterships Crown and Emerald. The ship is slightly bigger than the other (similarly-designed) Grand-Class liners Star, Golden and Grand. The reason for this is the additional cabin deck (Riviera Deck). The vessel also has no sliding roof to cover the swimming pool area as this liner was planned for exclusively Caribbean itineraries.

Ship's christening ceremony was on April 2, 2004, held in Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida), from where also started the inaugural cruise (maiden voyage). Ship's godmother was Jill Whelan - US actress, best known for her role of Vicki Stubing in the 80's TV series "The Love Boat". The vessel was the biggest one in the fleet right until June 2013, when Royal Princess entered into service.

Fun fact: Caribbean Princess is the first cruise vessel to have an open-air theatre/ outdoor movie screen (named "Movies under the Stars").

Ship's European maiden season was based on homeport Southampton England. Then, it was repositioned to NYC New York to operate Fall Foliage cruises to New England, then relocated back to Fort Lauderdale for roundtrip Caribbean itineraries. In April 2013, the liner was deployed back to Europe for the British Isles and various Northern European itineraries in Baltic Sea.

In early-September 2018, Caribbean Princess became fleet's first vessel with installed Carnival Corporation's OceanMedallion technology (wearable devices allowing passengers access to "virtual concierge" services and amenities, as well as interactive entertainment). The new technology also includes the MedallionNet - Wi-Fi connectivity via access points installed in every stateroom. Passengers on MedallionClass cruise liners experience land-like connection quality allowing streaming of movies, music, videos, video phone calls, real-time sharing on social media platforms.

Panama Canal cruise itineraries 2017

In 2017, Caribbean Princess made her maiden season of Panama Canal transition cruises through the new locks. The ship operated on the 10-day itinerary (with partial transits through the new Agua Clara locks) on roundtrips from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida). The ship's first ever transit was on October 26, 2017. Prices started from USD 1250 pp (double occupancy). This voyage also celebrated Princess Cruises' 50th anniversary of the 1967 crossing (world's first ever on passenger ship).

The fleet mates Coral and Island continued to transit the canal through the 3 old locks (Pedro Miguel, Miraflores, Gatun). The new locks were officially inaugurated on June 26, 2016. They are the result of a 9-year (USD 5,2 billion) construction project.

USA to Greenland itinerary 2019

A new Greenland cruise roundtrip from USA (NYC New York ) was revealed in January 2018 for the Princess Cruises Caribbean ship.

• The cruise departure was scheduled for August 19, 2019.
• The 16-days long itinerary's ports of call were in Greenland (Nanortalik, Nuuk, Qaqortoq) and Canada (Halifax, Sydney, St Johns).
• Cruise prices started from USD 2,500 pp (double occupancy Inside Cabin rate) plus additional USD 220 in Gov taxes and port fees.

Caribbean Princess refurbishment 2019 review

During drydock 2019 refurbishment (in June, done in Freeport Bahamas) on the ship was installed fleet's first-ever waterpark - Reef Splash Zone (without waterslides!). Located aft-portside on Deck 17/Sports Deck (beneath the ramp leading to Skywalkers Nightclub on Deck 18), the water park was added as a new section to the original aft swimming pool (Pirate's View). The redesigned area now includes a large-sized Splashpad (outdoor water playground) fitted with splash pool, water cannons, water sprays, showers, interactive whale-like structure (with a "raining" fluke). The surrounding lounging area (designed for families with kids) was updated with new patio furniture (comfortable sectionals, chairs, sunloungers, padded garden couches with tables), new fixtures and finishes. The existing swimming pool, whirlpool hot tub (large outdoor Jacuzzi) and poolside bar (Morgan's Bar) were also renovated.

The newly-added Game Zone hosts family fun competitions and features oversized backyard games (the likes of Jenga, Cornhole, Connect Four). At Morgan's Bar (kids-friendly) parents can enjoy mocktails and cocktails. The surrounding lounge area is furnished with comfortable sectionals. The water-park is protected by wind panels (throughout the area) while its Shade Canopy (aft-starboard) is a sun-protected seating area covered with canvas canopies. The music system and lighting were upgraded (to the steps and swimming pool) and new wall lighting was installed for the evening open-deck parties, activities (including stargazing and educational kids programs) and themed events.

On Deck 16, the Spa complex (forward) was renovated, redesigned and updated with contemporary artworks and signage. On Deck 16 aft, at Camp Discovery Youth Center (kids-only complex for children 3-12 yo), the Outdoor Play Area was upgraded with an interactive water table for current itinerary/destination-themed fun activities.

Caribbean Princess refurbishment 2017 review

During the ship's 2017 drydock refurbishment (March 25 - April 5, done in Freeport Bahamas) resulted in the following deckplan changes:

• New kids area ("Camp Discovery" / kids and teen center) was added aft on deck 17.
• Pool deck's MUTS screen ("Movies Under the Stars" / 850-seat outdoor movie theatre) was upgraded.
• The number of interconnecting cabins (for families) was increased with an additional 87 pairs.
• (Lido Deck 15) "Horizon Court" was replaced by "World Fresh Marketplace". The ship's new buffet restaurant now has new decor, improved layout and more food options. Breakfast includes 24-hour cereal station, designer pancake station, hot cereal choices (like shrimp & grits and polenta porridge). Lunch includes hand-crafted sandwiches, regionally-inspired soups, a wide selection of meats (sausages, hams, roasted). Dinner includes family comfort foods, PB&J bar ("Peanut Butter and Jelly").  Nighttime buffet offerings include live-action cooking station (stir-fry, customized pasta, salads).
• (Lido Deck 15) the ship now has 2 casual specialty restaurants formed from the old "Cafe Caribe". Both restaurants are designed for families with kids. The first at-fee restaurant ("Planks BBQ") serves family-style meat planks (ribs, beef, sausages, chicken) plus sides (fries, chili, coleslaw, charred toast, dill pickles).  Dinner here is served and costs USD 12 pp.  Free buffet-style breakfast and lunch here include customizable breakfast bowls, signature soup, fresh-made salads, fork & knife sandwiches. The second at-fee restaurant ("Steamers Seafood" offers steamers with regionally sourced seafood (Black and Blue Mussels, Scallops and Sausage, Classic Clams, Crab-stuffed Flounder).  Dinner is served and costs USD 12 pp.  Free buffet-style breakfast and lunch choices include egg dishes and ramen bowls.
• Following the 2017 refurbishment, the ship's pool deck (15) offers 4 outdoor dining options. "The Salty Dog Grill" (formerly "Trident Grill") offers “The Ernesto” burger (best at sea), other specialty beef burgers (with handmade patties and buns), also Street Tacos (with grilled chipotle-lime chicken or roasted sweet potato, corn tortillas), fries and classic hot dogs. "Slice Pizzeria" (formerly "Prego Pizzeria") offers Neapolitan-style pizzas, Deep Dish Focaccia (with marinara, meatballs, cheese), California Artisanal Toast, Sliced Stromboli (calzone filled with deli meats and cheese). "Coffee & Cones" (formerly "Scoops Bar") offers gourmet ice cream sandwiches, free ice cream cones, specialty coffees and teas. "THE MIX" (formerly "Blackbeard’s Bar") / poolside drinks bar) was updated and redesigned.
• The specialty Italian Trattoria restaurant Sabatini’s (formerly "SHARE by Curtis Stone", on Promenade Deck 7) was redesigned, debuting a new menu with antipasti and handmade pasta dishes by celebrity chef Angelo Auriana, Sabatini’s new menu was implemented fleetwide in 2017. Angelo Auriana is an Executive Chef and partner in the Los Angeles' Italian restaurants "The Factory Kitchen" and "Officine BRERA". Chef Auriana's dishes are based on using old-world grains (like buckwheat and durum wheat) giving them the protein strength necessary to keep the house-made pasta's shape. He also uses numerous non-traditional herbs (like mints and marjoram).
• All stateroom beds (a total of 3200 units) were replaced with the company's signature "Princess Luxury Beds”.

Carnival's Ocean Medallion technology was installed in September 2018.