Live From the Grand - Greek Isles

Live from the Golden!!

Hi there future Greek Isle Cruisers.

Can I preface this message with the comment that I will endeavour to answer any questions you have, but to bear with me if I don’t respond immediately. Recently bereaved (my mother died just 10 days ago) I have taken this trip with the purpose of trying to stop and ‘smell the roses’. That said, if I can help anyone out with any queries they might have, that would be great too.

As background, we are a party of 8 (3 generations) with ages ranging from 13 through to 75. Our trip began in England flying from Gatwick on Easyjet. The flight itself was uneventful other than we departed at a point when the heavens had opened. As a Brit I am accustomed to carrying my brolly, but never have I seen a downpour like it!! We arrived in Venice to be greeted by more rain. Luckily it cleared quickly and the sun has shone since.

We arrived at about noon where there were long queues awaiting check-in. It was painless enough and after about 40 minutes we were aboard and in our Cabin (C627). Security was tighter than I have witnessed before. Innumerable checks of passports and hand luggage etc. BTW our passports were retained at the pier. Our main suitcases arrived within about an hour and a half. Our stewards Leo and Mario are great and immediately attended to the couple of additional requests we had i.e. bath robes and a sun lounge chair for the balcony.

Our first impressions of the Grand are of a very happy ship. I have been greeted by smiles everywhere we go. Many of the staff this time appear to be from Eastern Europe and since the ship has been relatively quiet onboard since we arrived they have been keen to chat. The Grand is looking a little tired in places, but nothing that would detract from anyone’s overall enjoyment of the ship. Ongoing refurbishment is in evidence and since yesterday the carpeting around the pools has been replaced.

Last night we ate in the Michelangelo Restaurant (Personal Choice). Our waiter (I can’t remember his name sorry) was very attentive… brilliant in fact. In case anyone is interested we had Table 35 and we’ve pre-booked it again this evening. The restaurant (indeed the whole ship) was very quiet. Jeans and shorts were in evidence in the dining room – indeed most were casually dressed. Having changed for dinner I will admit to feeling ‘over dressed’!! We had no complaints about the selection of food offered and we each chose something different. Everything served was delivered piping hot (with the exception of desserts … LOL).

We retired quite early having been up since 3 a.m. to catch our flight to Venice.

Of general interest, no reservations have been required for MUTS. It would appear seats are offered on a first come, first served basis. I am not sure whether I will attend any film showings but I will certainly check out how well they are attended and report back. I notice that on the patter that the 1984 film ‘Splash’ is being shown tonight.

Our first formal night is not until Friday. I was expecting it to be tonight for some reason. I made a hair appointment for my mother-in-law shortly after we got on the ship. I believe there are no spaces left. Suggest if anyone wants their hair doing, the moral would be to book early.

Some comments specifically for any Brits reading this:-

Our steward is having some difficulty in locating additional adaptors for our UK electrical appliances. I would suggest you bring as many as you think you will need from home.

British back bacon can no longer be requested and cooked to order from the grill at Horizon Court. They say it will be offered on one day during the sailing, but at all other times the only other bacon available is the US crispy sort. My father-in-law however managed to order it from the dining room.

I went to have both my US and UK Captain’s Circle details combined for the purpose of the trip. Our tally is now 5 cruises with Princess, but we were down as first timers. Details were taken, but I was asked how I had managed to secure a booking via the USA and did I have an American address!! Perhaps I am feeling a little vulnerable at the moment, but it made me feel really uncomfortable.

Well, that’s it from me… muster drill beckons shortly… and then sailaway. Having sailed from Venice twice before, I know it is an experience not to be missed.

I will try and send periodic updates, but in the meantime if you would like any ‘ship specific’ questions answered fire away. I’m not sure what we will be doing at each port which is why I won’t volunteer for those sort queries.

Laura

Dinner tonight was a far busier affair. The Michelangelo dining room was heaving and there were queues of people waiting to be seated at around 9 pm. From what I could see the queues did clear quite quickly. Once again we sat at Table 35. Our waiter’s name was Valdemaras. A nice touch was that the wait staff remembered I had had a cappuccino the night before and brought me another (unasked) this evening. I didn’t see anyone wearing jeans or dressed casually tonight. As my mother would have said “we all scrubbed up nicely”.

We finished dinner relatively late and headed for the Princess Theatre for Showtime. Arriving with 10 mins to spare there were plenty of seats. For those arriving late they were having to stand at the back. There are 30 different nationalities of passenger on board. What a friendly crowd we are… smiles abound.

There are also 900 under 18’s on the ship. HOWEVER, Princess is conducting a new trial. There are temporary members of staff on board with TEEN SECURITY emblazoned on the shirts. Typically, High School teachers they are charged with patrolling the ship day and night, primarily to control unruly youngsters. Hopefully their presence will pre-empt any potential problems and nip them in the bud before they become an issue. They are in evidence around the pools, along the corridors at night (to stop the kiddies running up and down), in the theatres to enforce the ‘no kids in the first 3 rows’ and in Skywalkers manning the entrance. Initial reports would suggest it has been a resounding success.

I also got to meet some of those on my roll-call today. What lovely people and we have made tentative arrangements to meet up again later on this week.

Laura

Day 3!! I’m typing this listening to the morning show. Janet Edwards is our cruise director. Ireally like what I’ve seen of her. She has just said that she finishes her tour with us i.e. she will be getting off in Rome. I don’t know therefore who future cruisers will have.

Some hours later…

Have just returned from a brief trip in Dubrovnik. The city itself is steeped in history, but I am a little tired today (perhaps recent events have caught up with me) so anything I write here will hardly do justice to what is on offer. It was also extremely hot (32C) and even the locals were struggling with the heat. I couldn’t even contemplate walking the wall and I take my hat off to those tourists that were venturing up the staircase to do so.

Princess are offering a shuttle service into town for $10 return per person. We instead chose to travel by taxi (they are waiting as you disembark the ship) and the cost was $10 each way for 4 of us.

Be warned the stone floor of the main placa is well worn and can be slippery. As you walk down you will be constantly accosted by people encouraging you to eat at their restaurant. They were all very pleasant but it can be a bit wearing, as it felt as if you were approached every couple of yards. One of our cruise critic friends had recommended Ragusa 2 which is about half way down the placa on the left hand side, up some steps. For no other reason than we were thirsty we stopped instead at Konoba Mediterano where we had a lovely meal of shelled king prawns in tomatoes, olive oil and garlic. A bit messy, but very nice!! I would certainly recommend it as somewhere to eat if you were in the area. If I remember correctly you exit the main placa at the end under an arch. This brings you to the harbour area. Turn right and follow the wall until you come to the next opening. The restaurant was on the left. Aside from visiting Saint Blaise church, where I lit some candles, we did nothing else other than wander the streets. I would definitely like to come back here one day to see more of Dubrovnik itself and the surrounding coastline. It is beautiful.

Well that’s me for a bit. I will try and send another update in a couple of days.

Bye for now.

Laura

Sounds like a great trip, Laura. You are helping set the mood for me and our upcoming cruise.

Very sorry for your family's loss, Laura.

Thanks so much for posting this! We're hoping to take a nearly identical itinerary (Monte Carlo and Livorno instead of Rhodes and Dubrovnik--otherwise the same) next year on the Golden. Really enjoying following your adventures.

Dear Laura- I lost my beloved mother last Oct. She lived with us from the time my father died 2 years before. She was a war bride and of course I was born in the UK. We had planned a cruise and while we were going to be gone my 30 year old son was to care her along with Hospice care. She seemed to be doing so well but on the 2nd of Oct became ill and passed on to the heavens in my arms. I didn't want to go on the trip but everyone said it would have been her wish as she had told me herself. We took her ashes back to England as had been her wish. You are doing the right thing being on holiday with your family. This is where we all comforted eachother. I still miss her every day, but time heals. God bless you and always remember she is with you daily in Spirit.

Love to all of your family- Susan-USA

Very sorry for your family's loss, Laura.

 

Thanks so much for posting this! We're hoping to take a nearly identical itinerary (Monte Carlo and Livorno instead of Rhodes and Dubrovnik--otherwise the same) next year on the Golden. Really enjoying following your adventures.

Hi Susan,My wife and I are booked on Golden 06/03/06 for 12 days...when are you going?

Patrick

Laura,

Thanks for the wonderful journal on your adventures. We do the Grand-Greek Isles 5/4/06 for our 25th wedding anniversary. So I look forward to all your reports.

Fishy

Our condolences on the loss of your mother, hope that this trip will help heal your heart.

Counting the days to our Grand Princess cruise to the Greek isles June 9, 2006 to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

Hi Laura,

It's wonderful to hear your reports as you go along. We hope to do that cruise one day,but who knows when? Your descriptions are happily received, and we see you all in our mind's eye, exploring the Med.

Thank you, and hope you continue to have a wonderful, and healing time.

Hi Laura

Your report is certainly bringing back memories of our cruise on the Star last year.

Maureen's Mum passed on two years ago; fortunately we were able to book

Oceana in the Caribbean leaving just ten days after the funeral.

We found the cruise very healing, and enabled us to set some space between the sad loss, and to celebrate her wonderful life. On arriving home we felt better able to cope with our sorrow.

Ray

Laura - I loved reading your reports! Did I read that correctly, 900 kids! Oh my! Glad it is going smoothly. When you return, you will have to share with me what type of bacon you guys eat in the UK.

Take care and enjoy the rest of the trip.

Theresa

We were on the Golden last November from Barcelona to Miami and loved her. Actually we are sailing on the Diamond on Sept. 24 from Seattle to Osaka. Was this question directed to us?

Laura, thanks for sharing your wonderful cruise with us. Anxiously awaiting more reports.

Thanks for taking time to post your reports, Laura. Tell Janet that Brett Siborne’s friend Brian from Pleasant Hill says “hi.” If she give you a peculiar look, apologize!!

Now go get a massage!!

Laura, thank you for sharing your cruise with all of us. I am sorry to hear of your mother. I agree that she would want you to be on this cruise. If you run into Catherine (board name Tania) who is traveling with her daughter Tania on your cruise, please tell her hello. We will be sailing with her In January. Continue having a wonderful time with your family!

Diane

Hi Laura

Delighted to hear that you have made such a great start. Make sure you look after the Grand for us for when we embark after you.

I am sure that everybody will welcome the additional ''security'' measures for the teens etc. This is an idea taken from P & O cruises (Princess' British sister company) where it is VERY successful.

I hope you got my email Laura...sent to your hotmail account. If possible, could you outline how you dealt with the query re your US booking. As you know, my circumstances are similar and I need to ensure platinum cc status.

Please let us know if you find out who our CD will be.

Have a really relaxing time

C

PS...Theresa, our bacon is quite similar to Canadian back bacon...hope this may answer your query.

Very sorry for your family's loss, Laura.

 

Thanks so much for posting this! We're hoping to take a nearly identical itinerary (Monte Carlo and Livorno instead of Rhodes and Dubrovnik--otherwise the same) next year on the Golden. Really enjoying following your adventures.

My wife and I are booked 06/03/06 on Golden... when are you going?

Patrick

Sorry, Susan, I meant to send that comment to droopysails, but thanks for your reply!

Hi Laura

Enjoying reading your reports. Agree with Ray you will feel the benefit of this cruise when you get back and you feel you can cope I know I did.

Take care

Julie

Hi Laura,

Glad to see a fellow Brit posting, we are on the same trip right at end of season! Our first time with Princess so will be comparing with Celeb, at least they provide free shuttles in ports! Several from our roll call will be watching for more posts. As regards bacon...no surprise to us, the only decent bacon we have ever had on a cruise ship was on Cunard & they had the burnt up stuff as well

Day 4.

BIG WHOOPS! Just realised that I started these posts with Live from the Golden! DOH… I’m on the GRAND!

Anyway, we left Dubrovnik yesterday evening only to see about 10 minutes from leaving port two pairs of dolphins swimming alongside. Fairly insignificant to some perhaps, but certainly a small highlight for me and many others stood on their balcony. Naturally, I didn’t have my camera to hand when I needed it.

Dinner last night was a somewhat muted affair. We were unable to secure a table in the PC dining room (in any combination i.e. 8, 6, 4 or 2) until 9.45 pm., which was too late for us. We had forgotten to ring first thing to reserve a table and this was the consequence. Unwilling to wait that long, some of us opted to eat in Horizon Court, while others chose to order off of the room service menu. We weren’t allowed to order from the dining room menu in case anyone is wondering.

All my teens have now met up with others of their own age, but it is not until today that Princess are officially organising anything for the 18 to 21 year olds. This has not been a problem for us, but for those in that age group travelling without siblings I think it would have been a nice idea to have held a get together before now.

After having watched Princess Idol last night and briefly listening to Oasys (the resident band – who I thought were very good and quickly had folk up and dancing), I purposely went to check out MUTS. When I say I went, I didn’t go to sit and watch… more to have a ‘nose’. Certainly at the 10.30 pm showing of ‘In Good Company’ with Dennis Quaid there were very few people there (probably 30 passengers at most). You wouldn’t have encountered a problem getting a seat. It seems they cover the pads on the loungers with a superior material (with built in head rest by the looks of things). I suppose it is worth bearing in mind this is a very port intensive itinerary and many passengers will be headed to bed quite early. Even so, IMHO, it is not worth the money undoubtedly invested by Princess as an alternative entertainment venue. Perhaps if they featured more current films that might help!!

Before heading for bed we paid a visit to Horizon Court for a late night snack. Whilst the selection on offer was more than adequate, I did note that the choice on this trip was less than that previously offered in 2003 and 2001. Then you found an array of hot offerings (probably what was left over from the dining room). This was not the case last night. Please don’t take this as a negative comment – more an observation. Nobody is going to starve on this ship that’s for certain.

The seas have been so calm, like a mill pond. I hope I’ve got that right… mill ponds are smooth aren’t they? You can barely perceive you are sailing at all ~ you almost have to go and physically look over the side to see that you are moving at all.

Today we have been in Corfu. I didn’t go ashore having been here before on a land based vacation in the past. It is hot (circa 87F) and at 2 o’clock the pool areas were filling up. Let the fights begin as the Chair Hogs emerge (LOL). Actually, it all seemed very civilised when I looked.

I have managed to secure a reservation in Michelangelo for this evening, but it seems someone has already beaten me to the table I wanted. I suspect it will be guns at dawn if “they” secure that table again for formal night tomorrow. I want it!! Wish me luck.

Post script. It is very late (11.30) and we have had no internet connection today. I will endeavour to answer specific questions raised tomorrow.

Colin ~ haven't had chance to check hotmail.

Have met Catherine and hope to see her again tomorrow. Will pass on the 'hello' etc.

Till tomorrow... night night

Laura,

So sorry for your loss. Cannot think of a better way for healing to take place for you.

I will be doing this cruise July 2006. Cannot wait. Really appreciate your posts.

Take Care & Enjoy your cruise

Laura,

Thank you for the posts and all the info about the Grand and this itinerary. I won't be able to read all of your posts as we are on the August 6 sailing and leaving a few days early for some extra time in Rome, but until we leave, rest assured that I will be checking your progress every day.

Is it always difficult to get seating in the PC dining rooms? We are waitlisted for second seating, so I am afraid that we will be put in PC. I was under the impression that they would just go ahead and seat you when you arrived. It looks like you have to make reservations every morning or risk waiting for hours on end. Lori

Day 5. Greetings from sunny Katakolon where the temperatures today have been around 100F!! For those of us on board, some refuge from the searing heat could be found by the aft pool where a stiff breeze was blowing. If fact it was so windy that periodically random articles of clothing and pages from books were periodically sent flying into oblivion. Luckily I managed to keep tight hold of my cocktail so any disaster there was averted.

This morning I treated myself to a scalp, neck and shoulder massage with Daniel in the Steiner hair salon. It was very relaxing, but the verdict was I was very tense. Well they say if you don’t succeed, try again… so I’ve booked a session for tomorrow where I am going to try out reflexology, a facial and a back massage. I don’t think I’ve ever been so self indulgent.

Just a couple of comments from yesterday:-

There was no internet access in Corfu. I don’t know whether this would be the case all the time, but bear it in mind if you need to remain in constant contact with home. Those with their own wi-fi connections via lap tops faired better, but the connection was very slow I believe. As soon as we left Corfu a general internet connection was re-established, but there were huge queues afterwards as people clamoured to get on a PC. This remained the case all evening.

One of the bar staff (from the Wheelhouse) mentioned he had been to the water park in Corfu. I know that some of those on the next sailing (6 Aug) are planning on making a trip there. He said that the taxi was 20 Euros each way and it was well worth going. He said 3 or 4 of the water rides where very scary… the rest quite tame.

In 4 previous cruises I have never taken Afternoon Tea. Yesterday, was the day therefore when I went to rectify this anomaly. Richard and I chose to sit by ourselves, but most people were sat with other passengers as and when they arrived at the Dining Room. I had expected dainty sandwiches. Instead we were offered mini savoury filled rolls, a selection of biscuits and pastries and freshly baked warm scones with whipped cream and jam. Add to this a plentiful supply of ‘properly’ brewed tea and I was a very happy bunny indeed.

Last night’s dinner was Greek themed. Everyone chose something different to eat and there were no complaints from anyone. We skipped dessert since we were running late for our date with Uber Rossi (an acrobat and physical comedian) in the Princess Theatre. The other act was Billy Vader who we have seen twice before and we didn’t particularly wish to repeat the experience. With hindsight we now wished we’d stayed for dessert.

Lori – in answer to your query ….

You don’t HAVE to pre-book a table in the Personal Dining rooms, but I think it is a good idea to do so if you remember. At peak times I have seen those you haven’t pre-booked being given a bleeper and told to come back 30 or 45 minutes later. It depends, I suppose, on whether or not you mind waiting.

On the subject of dinner reservations….yesterday at our afternoon tea we heard a party (of 8 or 10) talking to the waiter about moving from Traditional to Personal Choice – not sure whether it was for a particular meal or for the remainder of the cruise. The waiter suggested that it wasn’t a problem and they should just call – or turn up. No doubt this adds to the difficulties of the maitre d.

English bacon makes a come-back. We managed today to get our bacon in Horizon Court. Please note: Be careful what you wish for!! We were given enough bacon to feed a dozen people. The phrase “you can have too much of a good thing” springs to mind.

MUTS – more populated last night than before (noticed that passengers also got blankets for when it gets a bit chilly). Showing The Aviator tonight (a recent ‘blockbuster’) so it will be interesting to see how that fares. During the day today they did utilise the Big Screen to show, live, the Demonstration Nation event i.e. fruit ‘n’ veg carving, flower arranging and martini demonstration – giving a much bigger audience the chance to see this without having to venture away from the pool.

So it’s the first formal night tonight…tie your own bow ties for my men….to look cool untied after dinner (but do they know how to TIE them beforehand? Methinks not).

The hairdresser beckons………….bye for now

Laura