Crown Princess Entertainment
I really hate to say that our fellow passengers were sometimes more entertaining than the professionals on board this particular ship. Listening to excessive whining and complaining became de rigeur. In addition,there seemed to be several passengers who didn’t realize that there was a shower with hot water and even soap in their stateroom. It was truly an odd mix of passengers.
We enjoyed the string quartet, piano player, the juggler, acrobats and even the silver statues on the Plaza. The first two we enjoyed regularly, but the last of the group got repetitious, although they always seemed to draw a crowd.
We tried participating in trivia, but didn’t realize that it would be such a cutthroat competition. We heard that some people cheat using their Blackberries, all to win a plastic key chain or some other prize. And speaking of that, when we reached St. John Newfoundland, a few people from tourism came on board to disperse information about their fair city. But, what they also dispersed were pins. There was a damn pin frenzy with several passengers pushing to the front of the line to stick their hands into the basket and to retrieve a fistful of pins. That wasn’t enough for them as they returned for seconds and thirds. That scene simultaneously entertained and disgusted. I wish that I had had my video at the ready to record the chaos. We barely escaped with our lives and a map of town and walking directions to our destination.
One of the best lecturers that we have encountered on board, was Captain William Wells, a pilot on the River Thames. We enjoyed his lectures on all things related to piloting and the sea. We even enjoyed dinner with him on several occasions. Watch for a podcast that features an interview with him and gives some insight into his life as a pilot.
If the spa could be considered entertainment, then I should mention here that there were some interesting events there. First, I won a drawing – a shave. Well, I am not that hirsute yet, although my body seems to be striving toward that designation. The person in charge of the drawing put me on the spot and instead of giving me another service, gave me a discount coupon that was given to any other person attending the drawing. I felt a bit slighted and spoke with the spa manager a few days later, who reluctantly let me have a mini-facial instead of $50 off certain very expensive treatments.
A few days into the cruise, there was another spa giveaway announced. I attended only to find that it was not a giveaway as advertised, but the chance to get yet another discount off of services. Well, the audience protested about this being a seriously false advertisement, so the spa did offer just one prize. Although it is certainly fine for the spa to offer discounts, it creates ill-will when they entice takers with the chance to win free services.
To the credit of the spa, they offer regular stretching and mini-massages free on a daily basis. I was shocked at how few people took advantage of these complimentary services and indulged in them several times. Yes, I had to listen to how tense and lumpy my muscles were and when I was stretched, that somehow led into a hard sell for teeth whitening, but it wasn’t that unbearable.
Few people watched the big screen Movies Under the Stars because it was a very cool crossing. I decided that I don’t particularly care for this feature. If you really want to use the upper decks to enjoy the sun or the breeze, you are subjected to the noise from the movie, which on this occasion was very violent with many explosions. In spite of the cold and the pool that became a tsunami because of the rough crossing, one intrepid person took in all in stride.
Front row seats.
Whether you enjoy traditional forms of entertainment or prefer to make your own entertainment, you will find something to occupy your time on the Crown Princess.
Sail Away