Romance on the Seas (Part 2)

Well, after a whirlwind week of sailing on the Crown Princess in the Caribbean, I am back at my desk hard at work on our next issue but still dreaming of the wonderful time I had on this fantastic cruise. In fact, at this time last week, I was strolling on the lush island of Roatan in the Honduras…it sure beats strolling in the freezing rain we’re having here in NYC today.

So, if you read my last blog, you know that I was a guest of Princess Cruises to experience their first-ever “Romance Summit” to coincide with their Valentine’s week cruise from February 13th to 20th. This summit was created to not only celebrate the many aspects of cruising but to also offer passengers some insight on how to incorporate romance into their lives each and every day. In fact, did you know that Princess Cruises was the first to have an onboard wedding back in 1998? Today, there are wedding chapels on all Princess Cruises ships with about 1,000 weddings taking place each year. As I mentioned in my previous blog, along with the vow renewal on this cruise, there were five couples on board that tied the knot. Plus, Princess Cruises was the inspiration for the 1970s hit TV show “The Love Boat.” So fitting!

For this particular Princess cruise, a Department of Romance was created whose members gave seminars on various topics throughout the 7-day trip. First up were Trista and Ryan Sutter of “The Bachelorette” fame. (Yes, they’re still adorable and still very much in love with their two gorgeous kids, Max and Blakesley, in tow along with Ryan’s charming parents.) They spoke about their relationship and how their lives have evolved as a married couple far from the daily onslaught of reality TV cameras. Next, book author and coach, Deanna (Dee) Frazier, talked about how to find love at any age (it’s never too late!). A few days later, Anna Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and author of Emily Post’s Wedding Parties and Do I Have To Wear White? spoke about romance etiquette while Lisa Light, a noted wedding planner and founder of DestinationBride.com gave pointers on how to plan a wedding away. Both offered smart, practical tips and ideas. Another great speaker was Kevin Hughes, the ship’s entertainer who has a Masters in Psychology and whose talk on the “rules of attraction” was fascinating. (Scientists are still trying to figure out why we are drawn to certain people but I don’t believe there are any clear-cut answers. Don’t you wonder sometimes why so and so is dating/married to so and so?)

Anyway, all were excellent and I had the pleasure of meeting each one individually over the course of the trip. We all agreed that cruises are tailor-made for romance so before I sign off on today’s blog, I’ll show you a few reasons why. Take a look at the beauty of the Crown Princess and some of its incredible amenities:

 

Here’s a look at one of the four pools (there is a adults-only pool for all you lovebirds as well as additional pools for children):

 

And the Promenade deck (I saw lots of joggers running off all those meals we were enjoying):

 

The interior of the ship was breathtaking. It was beautifully decorated and every restaurant, hallway and deck was picturesque. I loved the Piazza-style atrium with its sweeping staircase and glittering golden hues:

And there was a multitude of lounges and restaurants. The ship has three main dining rooms, two specialty restaurants, a café, wine bar, Caribbean buffet, a buffet restaurant, poolside pizza, a hamburger and hot dog grill, ice cream bar and of course, 24-hour room service! There are also 12 lounges/bars for dancing, drinks and entertainment. I know…it is mind boggling…but so much fun! And don’t worry about packing on the pounds. We were so active and I did more walking and swimming and moving around in one day than I probably do in a week. Hence, I ate to my heart’s content and didn’t feel like a beached whale at the end of the trip.

Here’s one of my favorite restaurants, the Italian trattoria, Sabatini’s, where every morning, my friend Bibiana and I would indulge in fresh fruit, coffee and the most delicious French toast! We also enjoyed a fab dinner there one night and got to sample at least 15 different dishes on the menu. Magnifico!

 

I also loved the steak and seafood Crown Grill where I had the most delicious shrimp and lobster and filet mignon…

 

This is one of the bar/lounge areas, Adagio’s, where we attended a cocktail party on our first night:

 

…and Vines Wine Bar where we had our farewell cocktail party the last night…

 

I should also mention two of my all-time favorite spots on the ship: One is the Lotus Spa, a tranquil Asian-inspired environment where guests can enjoy anything from a facial to steam and sauna facilities to a variety of massages and more. They also feature hair and nail services for those who want an extra dose of pampering. You can reserve your treatment prior to the cruise or wait until you’re on board. But don’t wait too long…they quickly book up! I was in heaven during my 75-minute Swedish massage as I felt the tension and stress just melt away. There are one-way windows in the treatment rooms that look out onto the Promenade Deck and the sea beyond…aahhh everyone should pamper themselves with a massage! And, the couples’ massages are wonderful for an added dose of romance. The Lotus Spa also offers a fitness program and has a terrific fitness space with state-of-the-art exercise machines and lots of group classes. So, you can eat all you want…just visit the Lotus fitness room to stay in shape!

My other favorite find on the ship was The Sanctuary, an adults-only outdoor area and a virtual oasis featuring plush chaises, “Serenity Stewards” (ours were wonderful and they fussed over us bringing light refreshments, extra towels, pillows and a Bose headphone and iPod downloaded with all types of music). It was pure bliss and soooo relaxing! The two cabanas featured in the photo are where you can have your couples’ massage:

 

That’s it for today. Next week I’ll take you on our cruise through the Caribbean as we ventured to Grand Cayman, Honduras, Cozumel and the Bahamas. Each was magical and offered lots to see and do including a ton of different excursions and all types of fun activities. I’ll also give you a few tips on what I learned about cruising. Bon Voyage!

Posted by Diane at 3:39 p.m.