Last month Mr. C.T. and I cruised the Eastern Caribbean on the Crown Princess with my best friend from 4th grade, Deb, and her husband, Bruce. I chose this itinerary since it included several islands we had not visited on previous destination trips to the Caribbean. We set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for Antigua, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Thomas/St. John, Turks and Caicos on this 8-day cruise.

Can you tell we are just a bit excited at the Sail Away party on the top deck?

Though I've booked a number of luxurious looking cruises for my travel clients, I've only been on one cruise prior to this one. Mr. C.T. and I were never "cruise people" preferring to plant ourselves at a beach resort on some tropical island. We were hesitant to give up our early morning sunrise on the balcony, sunsets on the beach, a midnight stroll after a luxurious 2-hour dinner, and feeling like a local for that moment in time. The last thing we want on vacation is a rigorous schedule and too much structure.

As you can see, a cruise can be pretty chill, as it turns out. The island stops and excursions were sublime. Though we didn't have any overnighters on the islands, we did have beach time at Jolly Beach, Antigua, on Pinney Beach, Nevis and on magical Trunk Bay on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands.

I felt those sublime moments of pure relaxation, as I floated in the aqua waters of the Caribbean watching the clouds go by above me.

The most surprising thing about a cruise vacation is just how much I enjoyed Time on this luxurious ship.

Princess has blended a refined, elegant, yet modern approach to cruising. Voted the 'Best Large-Ship' by Fodor's and housing just over 3,000 guests I can imagine how it could feel claustrophobic, yet Princess has gone to great lengths to assure you never feel like one of the herd. With dining in elegant, full-service restaurants, specialty restaurants, like classic Italian at Sabatinos, and the Piazza with quick bites and wine tastings, the dining options are extensive. I've reconfirmed that I'm not a huge fan of dining buffet style (especially during flu season) but there are so many dining options that you never need to enter a buffet unless you choose. Even with buffet dining Princess has created intimate dining spaces and wait service so the experience is more refined than most. We had two formal nights on the cruise and it was fun to invite Bruce and Deb to our stateroom for canapes and sips, all dressed up, before our dinner reservation.

The Crown Princess itinerary included three days of, as we soon discovered, blissful days at sea. These days could be packed full of activities, from art auctions (the highest bid I heard was $40,000 for an original Peter Max!), singing competitions, drum lessons, on board book club meetings, wine tastings OR you could luxuriate on the balcony of your stateroom and finish that book you've been reading. Room service lunch? A spot of tea or a glass of wine? It's all at the touch of a button for those that enjoy stateroom time.

Wellness and relaxation is also a theme from Princess with the promise to "Come Back New". The Sanctuary offers adult guests a relaxing, intimate space to enjoy the serenity of the sea as well as a wide-range of spa treatments.

Our stateroom felt like a cozy cocoon with luxurious linens, a dreamy bed, an extra large balcony, spacious closet and dressing area with expansive sea views from our spacious triangular shaped balcony (one of three on the ship). We are not prone to motion sickness and found the rhythm of the waves rocked us to a deep sleep each night. It was not lost on me that you could order room service 24-hours a day without ever getting out of bed if you choose.

Our butler, Jacqueline, spoiled us with top-notch service and extra amenities. Due to my travel adviser status, and being a member of the 'Commodore Club' Captain's Circle, we received priority embarkation lounges, upgraded linens and towels, free daily laundry and dry cleaning, free WiFi, canapes before dinner, cocktails with Captain Vincenzo Lubrano and more. As expected, it is wonderful to visit 6 distinct islands without having to unpack more than once.

On this cruise, I was reassured that whether by beach resort, cruise ship or sailboat, the Caribbean remains a magical destination. As it turns out, I am a fan of cruising and can hardly wait to book our next one. We are thinking perhaps a group river cruise in Europe is next. Want to join us?

Thank you to Princess Cruises for making this a wonderful travel experience. Learn more about Princess Cruises here and the Caribbean Itineraries. Contact me to book an unforgettable cruise or inspiring getaway for you.

Ciao!

Let's Get Started!