pkt1976

It was after. They were announcing just the buffet and o’sheehans were open. I checked anyway but neither were open

Awesome, I’ll have a look 😁👍

Howdy! I do have the unlimited wifi package but already had some connectivity issues so will see how the live goes. I’ve cruised many times, this is my 5th NCL cruise. I’ve cruised mostly on Princess (26ish times) and a few times on Carnival as well. I cruised on the Jade in 2012 in the Mediterranean. I like the action packed ships but also the small ship ambiance sometimes. I’m cruising NCL, Carnival and Princess this year so looking forward to seeing the differences and what I like about each. This is my first time sailing from Orlando. Prior to the cruise I was in Houston for a week for work and then Orlando for a few days. I had the opportunity to go to Epcot and then spend the night in Cocoa Beach the night prior to boarding the ship. I was planning to Uber from the hotel to the ship but another Cruiser I met at the hotel told me about Cocoa Beach transfer so I called them and booked a shuttle from the hotel to the pier. They told me that they were charged $10 each, however I was charge $20 as a solo, even though the transfer was already coming to pick them up at the same hotel. 😑 I Arrived to the port around 1030 and checked in. I got boarding group 12 and they began boarding around 1130 I think. Once on board, I found that there were no dining rooms open for lunch (I went and checked both) so I eat at O’Sheehans. muster was easy, a quick check in at my station and all done ! I booked the thermal spa package for the cruise which I enjoy. For the first several Cruises I went on, I never got the thermal spa package. I didn’t think I would be interested. However, once I did, I was 💯hooked 😅🤷🏼‍♀️. In 2020 I was on the NCL Pearl and their spa area was beautiful. I prefer the layout of the Pearl versus this ship but it’s still a very nice area to enjoy. Before sailaway there was a rocket launch and we had a great view!!! So very cool and not something I’d ever seen. Lots of excited cruisers on deck watching and enjoying. I was up on deck dancing for the sailaway party. I Always love going to those and dancing my cares away as my vacation begins. The single and solo meet up with at 6 PM so I didn’t leave much time to get cleaned up. We had about 15 people at a solo meet up and a group of us are going to share a cabana tomorrow at great stirrup cay. I feel like I’m new to Norwegian, because so much has changed since last time I saw it in 2020. I’m learning the app and where to find things, and still have some things left to figure out. With my free at sea, I booked Cagneys for tonight at 8 PM. I found out once I was onboard that I didn’t really have to do that and I could’ve booked while I was here. Unfortunately I did not have a great experience at Cagneys. I was very much looking forward to it but the experience just wasn’t what I was hoping for. I’d hope that it wasn’t because I was there solo, but the service level was not what it should’ve been. It took 15 minutes after I was seated to even be acknowledged. The other large tables near me received great service. I’m Not the type to be demanding or aggressive but I was getting pretty frustrated as waiters walked by me repeatedly with no acknowledgment for so long. I was seated in a high traffic area across from large tables but Couples came in after me and got window seats and were being acknowledged and served right away. Frankly I was starting to think about just leaving. A bit later the head waiter came over and apologize for the delay. That was very much appreciated as I understand things happen, however that wasn’t the only issue with the dinner service. I left very frustrated with the service level I received versus what other customers did. If they were busy and everyone had the same delays and others issues I’d 💯 understand. I was thinking about buying a dining package but I’ll pass. The food was good but not amazing. The dessert (cheesecake) wasn’t good and was actually warm. The cheesecakes I’ve had have been cool or cold, so not sure if thats how it should be, but I ate 2 bites. I know I could have asked for a different dessert but I was just done. I hope others have a great experience there, the filet mignon was very good. I have an inside cabin this cruise, I LOVE the glass shower enclosure I. NCL ships, so much better than the clingy fabric ones 👏 I have to meet at 7:15 am tomorrow 😬 to tender to the private island so early to bed. I’m looking forward to some beach time 🏖️

In the evening I took the trolley tour. Our whole group had planned to go but the youngest in our party was having a hard time with her medical issues and her parents needed to stay onboard as well. We had rented her a wheelchair at the zoo hoping that would allow her to feel well enough for the trolley. sadly that wasn’t the case. She had a rough time at the zoo and some tears, mostly frustration but pain too. She loves flamingos so I’ll use 🦩 when referring to her 😉 the tour was ok, they were about 20 mins late. The night light views were nice but I think i would have preferred a day tour to be able to see more. we were out for a few hours seeing the city. Do you see that bridge though? I hate bridges anyway but I’ll be happy to never go on that one again 😅it’s long and we were on the edge with a low barrier and all I could think was we were in this trolley vehicle with no seat belts and a plastic flap keeping us in. I know I’m dramatic 😅but I hate going on bridges I was so sad 🦩wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t come but the tour guide mentioned there was a French bakery in one area we stopped and 🦩LOVES macaroons. I decided to get her some so she could have something she could enjoy. I knew it would cheer her up and I got multiple flavors with visions of enjoying them all together with our full group of 8. I texted her a picture and she was sooo happy to see what I was bringing to her. she’s had such hard path the last few years and it means a lot to see her have joy. My friends planned to be on the balcony waving as I was coming back and we planned to take photos of each other. I was happily walking through the port terminal carrying Them… and did not realize it wasn’t a sealed box. The inner box slid out of the outer box and all but 2 macarons fell to the ground. My heart sank. I know it probably sounds like something small but she’s had such. Hard time and seeing them on the ground just hurt. I got onboard and went up and told them what happened 😞and gave her the two I still had. this story doesn’t end there though… and it turns into something beautiful

The San Diego zoo was a quick and easy ride from the port. We took Uber and had to walk about 1/2 block to meet it, or it’s easy to catch a cab just outside the gate.

Have fun and great to see your name ❤️

I know, the weather was very cool and not normal. 😬 Oh right yeah I forgot, the app canceled all of my dining reservations at some point 🤦🏼‍♀️we ate, Didn’t starve so all good 😅

I do promise I’ll finish 😆I’m a special needs foster for a cat rescue and had two critical kitties this weekend I’m working with…..

Thank you! I’ll try to finish up this weekend. Lol I’ll never think of “have a nice cruise” the same 😅it’s all about the tone now hehehe yeah I saw it 🙄I have opinions …. Which I kept to myself….on that thread… though the urge to tell the guy to …. have a nice cruise 😜 was there. Armando is a good, honest and genuine person. He’s learning, but he will find his way to be the CD he wants to be. There are so many new CDs with Princess, they will all make their way and learn what works for them.

Food porn post 🫶 i enjoyed most of the food onboard. There are new offerings ,.., hello passion fruit mousse 😍 as well as the dishes we are accustomed to. One friend had the fettuccine Alfredo… every. Single. Night. I guess if you like it you like it and that was enough adventure for him 😆 I’m a big fan of most of the cold soups and salads. It may sound like blasphemy… but I don’t like the pub lunch offerings 😳 they had the pub lunch offerings in the mdr for lunch one sea day, and that was about it. I did have the Indian Curry dish off the menu and asked for… a salad, lettuce and tomatoes and I was happy, thankfully the chef didn’t come out looking for the traitor who didn’t want British pub food. I made proper use of the drink package as well and made recommendations to the teenager for non alcoholic mock tails I thought she’d like.

I wanted to post Quick review of a quick 5 day Comedy Cruise on the Royal Princess I will post some photos but I didnt take too many as I’ve been on this ship before. We will start with some photos of the sail away from San Francisco. we live about an hours drive from the port and it was lovely not having to fly. The area that was a night club is now part of the casino with part being a lounge. The DJ was in the piazza some nights since there isn’t a night club anymore I guess. The bar in there was closed the couple times I was in there. This was a short cruise for me, I usually take 7 days at least, but one I’ll always remember. It was my close friend and her family’s first cruise ever. After booking the cruise another friend and I figured out they were also on this cruise, and only a few doors down! The comics were great and there was something I’d never seen in a Princess cruise … late night adult comedy shows. They were still tame versus comedy shows I’ve seen on other lines, and they were packed with guests so I’d say that is something a lot of cruisers want. I’ll be curious to see if that continues. I met cruise director Armando (Arrrrmando) from Mexico 10 years ago and we’ve become friends. I saw him last year as a temporary CD, and now as an official CD. He’s a great person and has worked very hard for this opportunity. He’s a new CD and finding his way with the new responsibilities while still doing the parts of his job he enjoys, engaging and having fun with the passengers. Lucky him to also be the face more passengers complain to and about 🙄 To be clear… My words, not his. I always feel for customer service, shore ex and the cruise directors for the amount of asinine complaints they have the privilege of listening to and dealing with overgrown toddlers. Most passengers are respectful, supportive and appreciative… then there are the others. As one comedian said sometimes all you can say is “have a nice cruise” …. It’s Like “bless your heart” … it’s means what it means 😉 Princess asks a lot of their crew, be they the entertainment team bar and wait staff, hotel staff etc. Passengers ask a lot as well. The crew all work very hard and there are still a lot of new folks working on board, it’s nice to see that most passengers give them grace and respect. Anyway, Armando and his team hosted lots of great events like trivia, game shows, and activities. It’s great to see so much of the pre Covid activities back. Since this was a 5 day a lot of the “big” game show were packed in two a night. We also had two production shows. I finally got to see Secret Silk, I thought it was a beautiful show. The weather was cool throughout but we got a bit of hot tub Time. We found ourselves amidst a training issue in the hot tub. We ordered drinks in the app and less than two minutes later we were handed drinks. I was amazed, until I realized they weren’t the drinks we ordered…. And they were in glass. There were other things this trip that were different than the past (like being served soda In cans in the dining room) so I wasn’t sure what to think. I was telling my first time cruiser friend as we had a sip I was surprised they were in glass when a deck manager came up and said we couldn’t have glass there. I told him that’s what I thought too and I was surprised we were served the drinks in glass …. And I told him I didn’t think they were our drinks either. Just then I spied a wandering waiter with two drinks desperately seeking his prey on lido …. In plastic cups …. With what looked like our drinks. I told him this and he had the waiter bring the …. More adult drinks … to us. He did figure out who the original waiter was and counseled him accordingly. Like I said, new crew, more training opportunities come up. Unfortunately the youngest in our travel party has some medical issues and while it made this trip more challenging, her and her family are now hooked on cruising, yes another three bite the dust and are falling down the cruising rabbit hole with the lot of us. They loved the cruise, loved the ship and loved the Princess hospitality this cruise. This begins another story, which In the end gave the crew of the Royal Princess an opportunity to shock me and bring me to tears…. But you will need to keep reading for that story. 😉

Forgot the photos… 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️😅

I’ll catch up….eventually 😅 I went to the Bayou restaurant again because the first dinner was so incredibly good. I really wanted incredibly good again.. Tonight though, it was all bad. 😞tough chewy meat, pulverized salad, overcooked sides … I was starting to think they hate me 😅🤦🏼‍♀️ the service was a bit rough too, but they were understaffed and have clearly new people. Everyone has a bad day sometimes so I didn’t send it back or anything and certainly wasn’t mean to the servers, but I’m disappointed … especially as it’s an up charge restaurant. i Was actually thinking about getting up and leaving after the first two courses. 😬 Other than tonight the food and service have been outstanding. The head waiter did come up to me when he saw I wasn’t eating much … and was probably glaring at the difficult piece of steak. 😅He said he’d bring me something else but I declined. The peach pie dessert was very good though. Hard to believe there was such a huge difference between the first night and tonight. The meat with the fries is alligator rib meat. I didn’t take pics of the salad, rice, fried “green” tomatoes or potatoes. Ah well, I’m not starving 🤷🏼‍♀️😅

Here are some photos from the Getsami and walled city walking tour through Princess. It was quite a lot of walking but lots of interesting architecture, community areas and murals to see. it is a lot of walking but that’s the best way to see the areas covered.

Here are some photos from On The Bayou production show, only on the Island and Coral. I really enjoyed it, great talent and beautiful costumes. I was sitting /rocking in my seat as the seas were a bit rough very impressed with the whole crew.