We’ve reached the halfway point of this 10-day cruise through the Caribbean on Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess, and that’s always a bittersweet milestone. The countdown immediately shifts to “only 5 days left until it’s time to go home!” You know the feeling, admit it.
Today is also Christmas Eve, and I have a dining experience booked for tonight that I’ve been looking forward to since the moment I booked this cruise. So, a significant portion of today’s report will focus on that – it’s a LOT to “digest.”
But first, we’re spending the day before Christmas in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, where the Enchanted Princess docked around 8:00 AM. Guests immediately started heading to the gangway to explore on their own or meet up for their shore excursions.
St. Maarten is a favorite destination of mine because there’s so much to do and explore around the port area. Docked next to us today was one of Enchanted Princess’s “sister ships,” P&O’s Britannia. Both P&O and Princess are owned by Carnival Corporation. While it’s not uncommon for different brands to share the same class of ship, it doesn’t happen all that often.
In the case of the Royal-class ships, Carnival Corporation ordered seven of them, with the first entering service in 2013 for Princess as Royal Princess. Five additional ships were eventually delivered to Princess, and a single Royal-class ship, Britannia, was delivered to P&O in 2015.
Once P&O’s flagship, Britannia has the same layout as the Princess ships with slight modifications to the interiors but is essentially the same vessel.
History of St. Maarten
St. Maarten, a small island split between the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) and the French side (Saint-Martin), is a popular destination for cruises.
The Dutch side (Sint Maarten) is where most cruise ships dock, specifically in Philipsburg. This side is known for being the capital city, with a busy port area and duty-free shopping. A short 15-minute walk from the ship is the Boardwalk and Front Street. The Boardwalk is a beachfront shopping paradise filled with diverse shops, restaurants, and bars, many offering deals for food, drinks, and beach chairs at a very low price. Front Street lies opposite the Boardwalk and is a street lined with even more shops, bars, and restaurants.
The locals along both these streets can be pushy when trying to sell you taxi rides or beachfront access. If you’re not interested, simply keep moving, and a polite “no thanks” is all that’s needed.
The beach is free for anyone to use, but it’s important to note that the lounge chairs on the beach are not free, and you can usually haggle to get the best price.
The French side (Saint-Martin) offers a more relaxed and sophisticated vibe. The capital, Marigot, has a French flair with cobblestone streets, boutiques, and restaurants serving traditional French cuisine. You’ll also find beautiful beaches, including Orient Bay, a popular spot for watersports.
Important Note: While you can easily travel between the Dutch and French sides, it’s worth noting that currency and customs differ.
As usual when I’m here, I did some wandering around the Boardwalk and Front Street to see what was happening for the Christmas season… and not much! They didn’t do much decorating, which was pretty evident. Some shops on Front Street were closed or were closing early for Christmas Eve, but for the most part, it was business as usual here today.
360 Experience on Enchanted Princess
Back on board, I was getting ready to experience something special tonight for dinner: not just any cruise ship dinner, but dinner at 360. This is a premium dining option priced at $149 per person and has two seatings: 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM. I booked the 7:30 PM seating on Christmas Eve.
The 360 Dining Experience on Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess is not merely a meal; it’s a journey for the senses. This immersive culinary adventure transports a mere 20 guests on a virtual voyage through the Mediterranean, weaving together food, visuals, and storytelling.
The evening begins by gathering outside The Catch by Rudi on deck 5, starting at 7:15 PM. You check in with the show host, receive your first complimentary cocktail and seat number, and spend some time mingling with other guests.
Once 7:30 PM rolled around, we were walked through The Catch’s dining room and into another room where a trumpet and trombone player welcomed us with some musical fanfare as we were led to our seats in the circular dining room whose walls are giant video screens. Once seated, our names are projected onto the tabletops in front of us – how cool is that?
The 360 experience unfolds immediately within an intimate, circular dining room with floor-to-ceiling LED screens. These screens come alive with 4K cinematography, immersing diners in a visual spectacle that continues to unfold throughout the evening. As the journey progresses, the screens showcase the landscapes, cultures, and the stories behind the dishes and where they come from.
But that’s not all. The tabletops and even the plates all come alive with interactive graphics that are projected from above. For example, during one course based on Spanish wine and cuisine, bullfighters and flamenco dancers appeared on the tabletop – give them a tap, and the dance and movement begin.
The audio experience is equally impressive. A soundtrack accompanies the visuals, enhancing the mood and transporting diners deeper into the Mediterranean narrative. From the sounds of a bustling Italian market to the melodies of a Greek island, the audio adds another layer of depth and immersion to the experience.
While the video tells the story, we were guided through each scene, or course, by the host and restaurant manager, Georgi, who added more commentary and background on the wine and dishes that were presented.
The 360 experience extends beyond the food itself. Throughout the meal, engaging stories are woven into the narrative, providing insights into the history, culture, and people of the Mediterranean. These stories bring the journey to life, making the experience more than just a meal.
When food or drink is presented, it’s not just brought out and placed in front of you; it’s brought out in a carefully choreographed dance of the ever-attentive servers to be perfectly timed with the tabletop projections and the video.
Did I mention there are also Disney-like “smellitizers” that add a dose of fragrance to the air depending on the course or current theme?
A few minutes after Georgi kicked off the show, our first cocktail was presented along with our first course, which took us to Greece. As the tabletop turned into a blue and white checkerboard, a plate of olives, olive oil, tzatziki, and mini pita bread was served.
We stayed in Greece for a little while longer, as the second course magically appeared – chilled octopus.
A short while later, the tabletop and video screens transported us to Italy as fresh-made burrata and tomatoes were served.
It wasn’t long after that the scent of lemon began to fill the air, and fresh fruit became the focus of the next chapter in this culinary story. As our plates began to transform with images of lemons, we were told to wave our hands over them, and the lemons began to dance on the plate, much like an introduction to our next dish – spaghetti al limone. Al dente pasta with a rich, very lemony sauce that was full of zest. We all remarked at how incredible it was!
From Italy, we headed to Spain, where we were told the story of ElixSea wine, which is aged under the sea for 6 months. The vintage we were having tonight was from 2022 and was part of a batch of just 5,718 bottles that were aged at a depth of 26 meters.
With the first sip, you knew this wine was something special and unique. There was an ever-so-light hint of saltiness from being aged in the sea, but it was nothing short of spectacular, and probably one of the most unique wines one will ever experience.
Accompanying the wine was a small assortment of Spanish charcuterie and crusty bread.
Once this course was enjoyed, it was on to the main course, but not before a story about truffles and a hint about what might be on our plate next! As the story unfolded, the dance of the servers began again as plates with beef tenderloin, prawns, eggplant, and truffle butter were placed in front of us, and more of the ElixSea wine was offered.
But that’s not where it ends… suddenly things began to buzz in the room as honeybees began to appear in anticipation of our final course, dessert. As interactive honeycombs and bees appeared on our tabletops, a story unfolded around us in 360 as the scent of lavender filled the air.
It wasn’t long after we were noshing on a Lavender Honey Mousse dessert, the perfect end to an unforgettable experience.
Before we left, the room transported us to France, where fireworks and French Champagne were shared along with a toast to each other, our host, the incredible team of servers, chefs, and technical team who worked so hard to create such a memorable experience for us.
As we chatted and enjoyed the champagne, the walls around us turned into portraits of each of us from the pictures taken before the experience began outside the restaurant, appearing before our eyes as the room erupted in applause.
While the experience costs $149 per person, it is absolutely worth every penny. The quality of the food, the unique wine and cocktails, and the captivating show make the event truly priceless. There are many seasoned Princess cruisers who I talked to about 360, and they book it every single cruise. The guest I sat next to at dinner, booked it three times this journey.
While the menu is set, there are options that can be arranged for those with specific dietary needs or food allergies, and it’s best to discuss those prior rather than the night of your reservation.
With just two seatings a night and only 20 seats in the venue, it does book quickly, so if this is on your must-do list, make those reservations early to avoid disappointment.
With it being Christmas Eve and word spreading that good boys and girls should get to bed early, I took my full belly over to Crooner’s for one last drink before heading back to my room. Our next port of call is St. Johns in Antigua, which is on my list of “least favorite” ports in the Caribbean. More on that tomorrow!
As always, thanks for following along.
Princess Patter for Day 5:
