LIVE from the Island Princess

Arrived at the pier on Sunday around 11 AM. There were problems debarking the previous passengers. All of us had to stand outside in line with our luggage, the porters couldn't take it until they got all of the other luggage out. Got on the ship around 1. Our cabin is E625, a balcony cabin on Emerald deck, Cat BE. The balcony is about 9 feet by 8 feet, large square table, 2 chairs, a little footrest. The cabin is fine, we're a little disappointed in the cabinet space--very little in the bathroom, no shelves around the mirror, no drawer under the desk top. It has a refrigerator, a desk chair, and a small side chair. We have traditional dining, late seating. Service the first night was BAD!!!!! We were really worried, but last night she was much better. It is her assistant's first time, so we can expect a few problems I think. Our table is a table for 8 by a window, very nice. Desertnurse and I met here on the boards and made arrangements to be seated together. We are all having a blast at dinner. Everyone gets along and we are having some good conversations. Our first day at sea (yesterday), was very rocky and cold. Luckily we don't get seasick but there were a lot of people visiting the doctor for shots. I went to the indoor adult only Lotus pool. It was even cold in there because everytime someone came in from the outside pool an Arctic wind would blow through!! The pool was closed, one jacuzzi was open, and I stayed there and read for a while. We had our CC get together yesterday at 2 in the Crooners bar. EVERYBODY showed up!! It was a lot of fun meeting everyone. We have a really good group. They're all coming to my cabin on Thursday for a wine tasting. I think we'll have a lot of people sitting on the bed.....Last night was formal night and Captains party. They held it in the atrium, everybody just milling around. The captain said hello and welcome and that was about it. Dinner was better last night as was the service. She seems to be trying a lot harder. We were still the last table out of the dining room. I went to bed, husband went to see the comedian, he said he wasn't very funny. Today is a bit warmer, walked 3 miles around the Promenade deck this morning. The seas are calmer today. Yesterday we took a cha cha lesson and it was pretty funny because the floor kept rising and falling and we'd misstep a lot (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!) This morning we went to the Horizon Court for buffet breakfast (made to order omelets are good). Husband went to a lecture on whales and dolphins. I'm going to head to the indoor pool, then the wine tasting is at 3. They had a big production show last night. We're not into those, so didn't go, but they are repeating it this afternoon at 1 which I thought was a great idea for people that didn't get a chance to go. I'm off to the Lotus pool, I'll try to check back periodically!!

Hi Dobie.

Glad to see you finally made it onto the Island Princess. That Pacific Ocean is very undependable it seems almost at any time of year. I'm sure, as happened to us, the weather will get warmer and the sea smoother as you approach Hawaii.

Thanks for this and we look forward to more reports as your cruise continues.

What's your overall impression of the Island Princess? To us, it ranks right up there as one of the nicest ships we have been on.

Take care

Gerry

Gerry, she is beautiful!! The staff is very friendly and everyone is smiling all of the time. The ship is very clean and decorating is really nice. Very elegant. OK, I am off to the pool now for sure!!

The following is from a recent post from a party that was on the January sailing - Is the food and service really that bad or did they get a completely new crew??

Ron

I too sailed aboard the Island Princess in January, 2005. We were extremley disappointed with the quality of the food. This was our 5th sailing with Princess-we have been aboard the Dawn-twice, the Sun, the Golden and were satisfied with these ships. The Island while being beautiful is also lacking in friendliness and quality of food. We went to the Captain's welcome party-we were unable to even secure a glass of wine. Most nites, especially the first week ----the food was inedible. It was Horrible!! It picked up a bit in the second week-lobster twice and crab. We went to Sabatini's for dinner one nite. It was good but not worth the 80 dollars for 4 extra!! Loved the ship but the food needs to be improved.

r

Just got off the Island on March 20. I have to disagree with the poster 'corian' talked about in January. Food good, service excellent, and plenty of Manhattans at the three formal gatherings. Of course we usually slip the waiter a fin after the first one. This assures fast service and doubles.

Forgot to mention that four people held up immigration on the 20th. I know some people missed their flights. We were in the fifth group off, and got through security at the LAX 55 minutes before our 12:30 flight.

Just to clarify my position - we have sailed non 15 Princess cruises since 1996 and have seen absolutely no deterioration in the food quality in the dining rooms. I can't speak for the Horizon Court as we never eat meals there, just an occasional snack. Goes to show you how peoples tastes vary.

Ron

Dobie,

Thanks so much for posting!!! I love reading about your cruise. I am on the April 19th sailing so can't wait to hear more!!

Have a GREAT time!! :D :D

Jamie

We were on the Feb. 18th cruise and had early seating. Overall the food was quite good. Individual tastes do play a big part in evaluating. We had breakfasts and lunches in either the Horizon Court, dining room, or Grill. No complaints from us on any of them. I felt that on one of the nights my main entree was not as I had expected, but that happens in the best of restaurants. Our waiter was more than willing to bring another choice. Our waiter, Vasco, was the best we have had on all Princess cruises. In fact, he left when we did to have a little break at home in Portugal and then on to a promotion on the Sea Princess as Food and Beverage Director. All the Princess staff was very cordial and helpful. Cruise Director Richard Joseph and Deputy Dir. Susan Rawlings were wonderful to our CC group. Our only complaint was 15 days was not long enough on the Island Princess.

Our cruise director is David Cole. The food has been fine. It was only the service that was bad, but it improved last night, so we'll see tonight!! I guess the immigration story they told us as we were standing in line was true!! Off to the wine tasting....

dobie,

What a stroke of luck for me to catch your post. We will be on the Island Princess next December for the Hawaii cruise. It just so happens that we will be in E 625 too. We were booked in e 624 but decided to move to the starboard side because the views as you cruise the islands is much better.

Please get some good pictures of the cabin and balcony if you have the time. I would love to see them. If you can post them somewhere it would be appreciated. Drop me a line when you return. My email is ssantowNOSPAM@verizon.net (just take out the nospam)

My sincerest thanks and best wishes for a wonderful cruise.

Stan

I have a friend from work who just returned from the previous sailing on the Island. I stopped her in the parking lot this morning her first day back and asked how her cruise was. She replied "GREAT". I'm asked her if there were any problems? She said no, I then asked what about the food, to which replied (eyes lighting up) it was delicious!!! She again stated it was a great cruise and not a single complaint.

I explained to her then that I had been reading some negative reviews regarding Island Princess and she did not have a sinlge negative thing to say and kind of looked at me like I was nuts!! :)

She was on her honeymoon so I am so glad she had a great time and hope this helps relieve some of the uneasy feelings that some people are having about sailing on Island.

Stan, I'll be glad to take some pictures. I actually sat out on the balcony this afternoon for about 3 hours after the wine tasting. It was very peaceful and I actualy saw another boat!!! Also 2 BIG BIRDS!! We are so far out I didn't expect birds....dinner this evening was good. Our waitress gets better every night, I think her handicap is having a new assistant. She actually had another assistant helping her this evening while hers was down getting main dishes. And our head waiter was filling water glasses, etc. The wine tasting was kind of like an infomercial for buying the more expensive wine tasting. I would not recommend it. I got it for free but I would have been upset to pay $7.50 to sit and listen to them trying to sell me 4 bottles of wine for the bargain price of $200. Very little tasting, lots of listening--The martini demonstration was very good and free, and they gave out prizes. I am heading off to bed, shall check in tomorrow (my birthday!!!!)

OK, I lied, I didn't go to bed, I just read the thread Not the Princess I remember. I agree and disagree. Our food has been just fine, as has the service. We have had a lot of people trying to sell us stuff. We must have had (and I am not exagerrating) at least 12 crew members try to sell us tickets to the wine tasting--even one this afternoon while we were sitting in lounge chairs by the pool!! Ours were free so we declined. Every time we are in the Horizon Court they come ask if we want to buy cappuccino or wine or bloody marys, but nobody ever comes to refill your iced tea or water, you need to get it yourself. I am NOT complaining...I don't mind getting my own drinks, but I do think that people who are commenting on the nickel and diming have a point. Cruising is a lot cheaper today than it was when we took our first cruise over 20 years ago, so they have to make up that revenue somewhere....onboard services is it. The embarkation picture sells for $20!!!! And the formal pics are $22! But we are paying less to cruise. And I am still having a great time, there is no land based resort where you can get what we are currently enjoying!! I'm sitting here in the Internet Cafe and the music from downstairs at Crooners is floating up, I can hear the piano and the singer....doesn't get much better than this!!

Dobie,

Thanks for taking the time to post. We will be getting on April 4th when you get back. Our CC group would like to buy a horse. Have you been to the horse races and if so do you know how much they are being auctioned off for? Our group has really gotten excited about this so if you could give us an idea of what they are going for on your cruise we could budget a little better.

Also have you been to any of the specialty restaurants and if so how are they.

Thanks

Ho

Dobie.. Sometime during the cruise they are going to have a contest in the pool involving "sailing" a 12 pack of beer in a homemade boat. Can you provide the rules? I am interested if the boat is small just to hold the 12 pack or it is big to hold one passenger holding the 12 pack? Thanks..

On the March 5 sailing, the horses went for about $110 each. This seemed pretty low to me. It was also done pretty early in the trip, before hitting the first port.

I'll chime in here too. Also onboard the Island right now. Yes they had a build your own "ship" to carry a case of beer across the pool contest. Started yesterday (the building) and will progress throughout the cruise. Yuo can win the case of beer. Didn't do it, but saw it in the Patter.

As for service, we have personal choice and had no problems. First waiter was okay, assitstant great., Second night both terrific and we'll go back to their station. Last night we did the Horizon court, just to take a night off and relax. Our room steward is okay. He does everything he's supossed to, but isn't very friendly. No complaints though. It was rocky the first day, but the purser's desk expalined to me that it is very typical of the first day or two. Apparently it is like that on all trips, the weather is not the problem, but we are passing over the continential shelf where the water is shallow into the deeper ocean and as the shallow water collids with the deep water the currents are extreemely strong. He said it won't be as bad coming back, because we'll be going with the currents. Public spaces were not crowded the first two days, probabally becasue of the rocking and cool weather. Already this moring, day 3, I can see a difference in teh number of people out and about.

I did see the production show - Broadway, new show, very good. First comidean, Kevin, good, second comedian, Glenn, not so good, musical comedian, Duncan, last night, entertaining.

My husband was worried about so many sea days, but so far, even without hanging out by the pool (too cool), ther days are going by fast, (too fast for me).

Well off to see if the kids are up yet. Any questions, I'll be happy to help out too.

Love the Island, a beautiful ship. We are fans of the Sun class, but this is like a upgraded Sun. I'll check back soon.

Gerry, she is beautiful!! The staff is very friendly and everyone is smiling all of the time. The ship is very clean and decorating is really nice. Very elegant. OK, I am off to the pool now for sure!!

Dobie - Glad you are having such a great cruise on the Island! We did 15 days to Hawaii on the Regal Princess in 2003 and loved it.

Is the violinist Alex Karpenko entertaining on the Island now?

We just loved him on the Regal, and all those sea days to and from Hawaii make for lots of music enjoyment time!

Have a wonderful time, and thanks for sharing your cruise with us!

Lonny

Dobie and others - We are following this thread with much interest as we shall be on the 4/19 trip - thanks for all the info it's much appreciated.

I'll now put my hard hat on and ask who the Captain is (?) - only because the captain on our last three cruises (3 different ships) was Capt Giorgio Pomato!!!

Peter

I'll chime in here too. Also onboard the Island right now. Yes they had a build your own "ship" to carry a case of beer across the pool contest. Started yesterday (the building) and will progress throughout the cruise. Yuo can win the case of beer. Didn't do it, but saw it in the Patter.

QUOTE]

 

I am interested in the size of the "Ship" Is it to be small to just carry the beer or large to carry person and the beer. Would appreciate knowing this info and what kind of ship won.. Thanks..

Largn, it's to carry the beer 2 times across the Lotus pool. When they do it I'll check it out and let you know.

We're going to the Bayou cafe for lunch today for my birthday. I'll let you know how it is. Sabatini's is only open for dinner.

Captain is Andrea somebody.

Haven't seen that violinist yet.

Haven't been to a horse race. If I see somebody carrying one around I'll ask how much they paid.

I'm off to shower and go to lunch, will check back!!

We WON the "scrapheap boat" contest on our Island Princess cruise in Dec. The boat only has to be big enough to carry the case of beer. But here are a couple of hints. The race is on a sea day and the pool had a lot of motion so a small boat is a little hard control. One of your team members gets in the pool and pushes the boat the length of the pool twice (up and back) We did not know about the race before we got on the ship but we did bring a case of wine with the styrofoam inserts. This turned out to be quite fortunate for us. Some people used a kick board.

The contest was a lot of fun, to win you need to get the crowd cheering for your boat so come up with some kind of a gimmick/theme that's fun!

Good Luck.

Dobie.. Sometime during the cruise they are going to have a contest in the pool involving "sailing" a 12 pack of beer in a homemade boat. Can you provide the rules? I am interested if the boat is small just to hold the 12 pack or it is big to hold one passenger holding the 12 pack? Thanks..

NO CHEATING LARRY!!!!!!

Dobie glad your having a good time. Remember don't let those little things spoil your trip.

Is Richard Joseph gone for good from the Cruise Director spot now???

Great that you are both posting!

Here are some questions:

Are there many children onboard?

I am interested in the ISLAND NIGHT party. (what day)

Also interested in the (luau?) onboard during the Oahu stop. (evening)

thanks! :)