This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises.
Even though I’ve now been on three Caribbean cruises, every cruise and every ship is different and I still find new experiences to savor on each trip with Princess. Can you believe this was my first time attending a show or visiting Skywalkers Nightclub? I had no idea what I was missing out on all these years, and want to make sure you aren’t either on your next Princess trip. Exciting as Skywalkers and the Princess Theater are, the biggest new thing about sailing with Princess is exclusively on Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess, with many more ships to come: the MedallionClass experience! Below are five tips to make sure you live your best #ComeBackNew life onboard featuring OceanMedallion.
Point Your OceanCompass Toward New Eats
Princess is known for its world-class dining, but not every ship has all the same dining options. It was my first time on the Caribbean Princess, and my first time enjoying a meal at seafood restaurant Steamers on deck 17. Since I live in Seattle and that makes me kind of a seafood nut, I was in heaven when I got to order a basket of seafood onto which you can add crab and lobster…no other word to put here beyond “wow.”
Another new thing I love to try while cruising is new tropical drinks. Mai Tais or Monkey Lalas aren’t very common to drink in the Pacific Northwest, and since Princess’ bartenders can whip up just about anything you like, it’s the perfect time to spice up your routine. There’s nothing better than kicking your feet up in your stateroom with a cold drink and flicking on a new episode of The Voyager™ with Josh Garcia on OceanView!
Keep Active
I’ve always known there was a ton of stuff to do on board, but this time—I actually did it. We discovered the elusive location of the Sports Court—deck 19, reachable from an exterior staircase on deck 17—and played a very friendly game of PIG on the basketball court, which I’m obliged to tell you that I won with a left-handed layup. There are ping-pong tables just off the Terrace Pool at the back of the ship as well.
Don’t forget the fitness center and group workout classes! If you can’t stop working on your fitness even on vacation, there are a ton of ways to stay active at sea while sailing away on Caribbean Princess. Ever wanted to work out with the endless blue ocean and horizon line in front of you? You can do that! Even I’m tempted to jump on a treadmill in the middle of that gorgeous ocean blue.
New Technology
Checking in and boarding a cruise has gone from what some might call a practice in patience to a picnic in the park thanks to the OceanReady® app. All you need to do is tap the wearable Medallion device with all of your pre-loaded boarding information—you don’t even need to wait for your stateroom keys, because your OceanMedallion unlocks your door as soon as you walk up to it. Cruising is more interactive and more personal on Princess, whether ordering a drink to your lounge chair or stateroom, playing Games Under the Stars, or adding your fellow cruisers as Shipmates on the OceanCompass app. You even get to create one of the new friends you’ll make—your Tagalong! Michele and I had so much fun designing our sea animal avatars (and let’s be honest…naming them) and seeing them swim around on the technology portals that are scattered around the ship.
Connect with New Friendly Faces
On every cruise itinerary, it’s natural to form a bond with your stateroom steward, your favorite bartenders, the waiter at your usual table or the band whose music you dance to every night, but every ship has new people to meet and OceanMedallion makes it even easier to meet them. If you’re in the area, bartenders are able to see your face and information on their tablets to get to know you and help with whatever you need faster than ever. Princess crewmembers are such interesting people from countries all over the world—some you may have never even heard of—and are full of fascinating stories about life at sea. Broaden your horizons by saying hi to people; you never know who you’ll meet onboard. Making small talk with fellow passengers is incredibly easy since you’re all bonded by the simple fact that you’re out in the middle of nowhere on a gigantic ship. Don’t “come back new” alone…come back new with some new pals!
Relax: “OceanNow” or Never
Allow me to set the scene. You’re relaxing in your lounge chair in poolside bliss, wind whipping through your hair. The (male) winner of the “best legs” competition has just been announced on the Lido Deck and they’re back to blasting your favorite classic rock tunes. Everyone’s singing along, you’re finally getting some color under that SPF 50, and that’s when it strikes—the lunchtime stomach grumble. But your friend is in the bathroom and you don’t want to have to pack up all your stuff just to go grab a hamburger. That’s when the best OceanMedallion app comes into play—OceanNow. Just like UberEats or Postmates back on land, with a few taps you can have a couple slices of pizza and a fresh, icy margarita on their way to you in minutes. Don’t let hunger interrupt your sunny afternoon of relaxation!
Princess always ensures that I come back from a cruise thoroughly rejuvenated. As I always say, there is something onboard for everyone even if you may think cruising isn’t for you. Even I wasn’t sure how I would feel about cruising before I went for the first time. But, if a shy and reserved homebody like me (who normally just likes to read alone for fun) can #ComeBackNew, you can too, and you can do it in MedallionClass style.
Bon voyage!
