CruzeQueen2

44 minutes ago, billco said:

Dismantling a dessert at Sabatinis.

Thanks for sharing! Looked like a deconstruction...would you recommend this dessert?

@LawDog61 Question here. What time are the two shows in the Princess theater? Late show at 9:30? or...???

There are several threads postings LIVE from Sapphire and Discovery this week. I happened to find this page posted today. Page from Vines, I think. See previous post where I copied it.

16 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

The problem is, living in Florida, winter clothes must be ordered online.  And will not have future usefulness.  I’ll be packing lots of layers and probably no shorts.  I have lightweight golf pants that take up virtually no room in a suitcase. Long socks underneath might provide some additional warmth.

See how it goes. You can always purchase a layer or two on board,  if you need to. Or in towns. In September the stores right at the dock often have good discounts. Wait and see what the weather is like st the time. Have fun!

@LawDog61 Didn't mean to sabotage your thread! Back on track...what productions shows are being presented?

Thank you for your LIVE thread.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

6 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

So, you’re saying I shouldn’t bother packing shorts for my September Alaska cruise on the Sapphire?

This is May. September can be very different...AND in Alaska when predicting the weather- anything is possible. LOL @BamaVol I've worn shorts AND down jackets in AK, many times! Come prepared. All good.

34 minutes ago, Forevercrusing said:

We are boarding the Majestic in Vancouver on Friday for the eight day Alaska return.  What time does your schedule show that you arrive in Vancouver on Friday?  The website shows 1:00 pm but our boarding time is 1:00 pm so that seems tight.  The Port of Vancouver Cruise Ship schedule shows that you arrive at 7:00 am so there seems to be conflicting times. Thanks!

@Forevercrusing Confusing info out there for sure! I have been trying to pin down the right information as well. I found two different ship calendars that list different times for the Majestic that day. Here is my understanding. The ship arrives at 1:00 pm from Victoria and sets sail at 10:45 pm. I am pretty certain that our time for departure is correct.

The arrival groups were listed starting at 1:00, then 1:30, 2:00 etc.  Further, on my travel summary it states that boarding time will be at 4:30 pm. This makes the most sense, since I am sure that the ship will have to disembark passengers that came up from LA. Staff will need time to ready the cabins. Sadly, no lunches on board for us this time.

It is my hope that with the Crown sailing out at 4:30 that same day, we should have the most success with our embarkation process, with just one ship being processed, by arriving closest to the 4:30 boarding time. Arriving earlier would just mean more time will be spent in lines and sitting and waiting. JMHO

For those of us who sail frequently from this port, we know that the maze of Canada Place can be quite challenging with two or three ships in town. I am crossing my fingers for a smooth "slide" through the process with only one ship to process in the mid-afternoon. 

@DrdarkknightThank you for all the detailed information! I am enjoying your comprehensive reporting. Last night I was thinking about the Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay (SRSRC) and couldn't quite get the name into my brain, and VOILA, your report gave me what I needed. I appreciate that you shared the fine wine tasting list with us ( as well as the list from Vines). Preference for reds myself, I like that particular Chardonnay as well as the Caymus, of course! Happy sipping...

Three days to boarding a ship for me. Hoping you have a clear day of viewing Hubbard - the BIG one! Here's a photo from last May.

1 hour ago, CruzeQueen2 said:

@EDVM96 Congrats! Well-done. Curious to know, how many ships in port today? Bon voyage to everyone!

One ship in town today, lucky you! 

14 hours ago, Drdarkknight said:

So fun fact - I am a management consultant and I was just assigned a new client NINE business days before I left for our cruise. So that has been a fun thing to navigate. My husband and I also just bought a house and are taking possession June 1 so when it rains (all good things) it definitely pours. And by that I mean my poor husband basically has been packing by himself. So while I’ve been frantically getting onboarded and getting all my ducks in a row he’s been doing that. Bless him. We have managed to pack everything into one large suitcase and one carry on suitcase, though we did have to check our carry on since it was a sold out flight. We also have a backpack to use during our excursions. We are wearing some of our heavier clothes on our flight to save space/weight. 

 

Our flight left today (we had the exit row!) at 9:30am and landed in Vancouver at 10am. Everything ran on time and it was a smooth flight. I’ve only been to Vancouver three times and I was so young I don’t remember the first. The second two times I came with my best friend and we drove the first (that was terrifying) and took a cab from the airport the second time (also terrifying). We had intended on taking the SkyTrain but by the time we landed and got our luggage we were so hot and decided to just grab a taxi. It wasn’t too bad - $38 CAD as a fixed rate fee. 

 

My husband and I had debated booking a hotel near the airport or near the cruise terminal and he ultimately decided cruise terminal so we settled on the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel. The price was expensive (as most places on the waterfront will be) but not as bad as others and was still a reputable hotel and walking distance from both the SkyTrain and the cruise terminal. We were so excited when we arrived at 11am to find out we could check in early! Not only that we had been given a corner King unit with waterfront views! 

 

We took a few minutes to refresh and charge our phones before heading out again. We walked to Waterfront station but took the ‘long’ way (which wasn’t very long) so we could see the waterfront. We were able to see the Olympic torch, a Lego orca, our restaurant for dinner tonight and the cruise terminal! Definitely walking distance. Finding the correct train inside the station was another story but if you follow the signs you will eventually locate it. We took it to Yaletown-Roundhouse station and walked to the Yaletown Dock to catch the ferry to Granville Island. I was nervous in advance about how the ferry would work but it was a piece of cake. We stood on the dock for maybe two minutes when False Creek Ferries showed up and we hopped aboard. We bought two return tickets to Granville Island for $9 per person. The driver of the boat was really funny and told us lots of random, possibly true, facts on the 15 minute journey. 

 

I’ve been to Vancouver but it’s always been for concerts so my trips have mostly focused on downtown but I’ve always wanted to visit Granville Island. My sister had been there a week earlier and recommended a restaurant called The Sandbar. I had made reservations for lunch. It’s a little tucked away but the space is absolutely massive. The staff was so nice and the food was delicious. We split a fantastic bottle of 2021 Mission Hill Rosé the crab and artichoke dip. My husband had the Arctic char for his main, which he really enjoyed, and I had the linguine vongole. No dessert for us - we were stuffed! 

 

Following our meal we headed to Granville Island Brewery, which is a fairly well-known brewery in Canada. It looked packed but we actually were seated immediately. They had an option called the Full Map which we could share, which was ten 5 ounce beers so we selected that. My favourite was the Sunshine Coast Hefeweizen. So much so that I got my own pint of it before we left. 

 

We then took the ferry bus back to Yaletown which was incredibly organized and we barely waited and grabbed the train back to our hotel where we changed for dinner. We were ahead of schedule but also so hot that if we rested we’d probably fall asleep. So we headed to the hotel bar, Preston’s Restaurant and Lounge. It wasn’t very busy but the staff was friendly. We plan on coming back for breakfast tomorrow as I received a 20% off coupon at checkin. 

 

This dinner  was going to be a huge treat. I’m a big foodie and in my research had found a restaurant called ‘The Botanist’. I immediately made reservations but I knew it was quite expensive. This isn’t unusual for us but we weren’t typically coming home and immediately buying a house so the circumstances were a tad different. We had seriously debated cancelling and doing something else but my husband had told me a couple weeks ago that he wanted to treat me to dinner there for my birthday. Works for me!  

 

We had an amazing eight course dinner with wine pairings and had a great time. The ambiance was great and we were surprised by the size of the restaurant. Even heading to the bathroom - which was a bit of a jaunt - was super cool as you walked through a bit of an art gallery. 

 

After dinner it was right in time for sunset - my absolute favourite time of day. We went for a walk along the waterfront and got some amazing views before heading back to our hotel. We went back to Preston’s for a nightcap and now we’re back in the room ready to absolutely die in this super comfortable bed and wake up for our cruise tomorrow!

Great start so far @Drdarkknight. Thanks for taking us along. Nice to hear about your visit to Vancouver. You chose wisely! Bon Voyage.

6 minutes ago, EDVM96 said:

Embarkation went very smooth. 10 minutes from baggage drop-off to the cabin.

@EDVM96 Congrats! Well-done. Curious to know, how many ships in port today? Bon voyage to everyone!

3 minutes ago, lion1956 said:

I have seen some photos of the menus for dinner on Princess and you always have Princess favorites listed after the main evening listing, under the favorites there is a section that says make the evening special and they list things like a lobster tail etc.  My question are the items listed in this section included in the Plus or Premier packages or are they an extra charge?

Those items come with an extra charge. Not included in the Plus or Premier packages

39 minutes ago, pkt1976 said:

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 

 

 

@pkt1976 I can't wait to hear the beautiful ending to your story. I could feel those macarons plop onto the ground, along with your heart! Such a kind-hearted gesture from you, for your friends and the person who needed the pick-me-up - literally! 

Just now, pkt1976 said:

Have fun and great to see your name ❤️

@pkt1976 Looking forward to your story about the staff. Does the staff member's name end with O, begin with C? 😉 Dining room? 

@pkt1976 Nice to find you here, sharing your latest cruise. Thank you for taking the time. I enjoy reading your reports and the food pics as well, of course! Reading about the newest food offerings is helpful - sailing in less than two weeks. On Majestic.

@gah_cruise I had the premier package in September 2022 on Royal. I asked for a flashdrive with the photos downloaded onto it. We tried to download the files (JPG) onto the tablet I had with me, but it was not possible. I checked with the tech people and it was confirmed; not able to download my photos.

Upon request, they gave me the flashdrive. I'm thinking of taking this flashdrive with me on my upcoming sailing, as I am getting the  premier package once again.

We had a chance to view all the photos that they took, maybe around 20 or so...The photographers obliged our requests whenever we asked for photos to be taken, e.g., with formal backgrounds, with glacier backgrounds - REAL ones outside, and on deck as we docked into Juneau. There didn't appear to be a limit to the number of photos that could be taken. Photographers were to be commended for their abilities to set the "poses" in the formal photos. I was very pleased with the results.

We were allowed to choose three hard copy photos. I chose one of Mendenhall Glacier that was displayed. 

Only one odd thing happened, that someone has already noted here. I saw the photos for our embarkation when I was previewing all the photos onboard. Yet, when I got home, I noticed that the photos from embarkation were not loaded onto my flash drive! I am going to watch for this photo this time, and request that I get this. Fingers crossed.

For those of you who are curious as to why anyone would get the premier package...it was a promo offered last fall, included in our fare. This time, with the changes of the wines that are offered in the PLUS, the premier makes more sense to suit my preferences. Also cruising with long-time friends, I am looking forward to getting good photos of this occasion. 

TMI - but I have tried to address some of the earlier comments and queries.

The Catch is listed to open on May 5 on the Majestic. We shall see about that! I'll report back.

2 hours ago, Torfamm said:

I’d factor in the nuisance and cost of getting the wine to last a whole cruise to the ship when a passenger flies, Either renting a car or Ubering to a liquor store at the embarkation port or paying to ship cases of wine would negate any benefit to me. If you can drive it would be well worth it

Thanks for sharing your insights and thoughts. @Torfamm Don't bother asking about the 18% added; it's sure to be the case. Understood.

Believe it or not...I will be jumping in with both feet, getting the Premiere package. Sailing with friends this time, this will be the best choice for us. Thanks again! Hope you are enjoying your cruise. 

@Torfamm Sorry to bug you! BUT, since you have come through with the information that I have been looking for, I would like to ask this. Would the cost of these packages have 18% gratuity added, additionally? Or, is this the all-in price?

Thanks for passing this forward. 

I agree that these wines are nothing special. Just average. Understood. 

4 hours ago, Torfamm said:

Wine packages are available on the Caribbean Princess this week. Can’t say they look too exciting 

Thank you @Torfamm Now we know!

It is new. Different from before. Confirmed by a head waiter friend. I am trying to get more info. I have not purchased Plus, nor Premier for my next voyage in May. With the new wine offerings in Plus, I'm not interested in that level of wine. Will probably purchase bottles that I already know. Will report back. Stay tuned!

My contact says that in the new program, you don't get the flexibility to switch out the wines that are included. Now I want to know which wines are in the program. 

Wine cards in the past were not offered for purchase pre-cruise. They were offered on the first night of the cruise for sailings longer than 7 days. Wonderful program! Too bad they got rid of it.

A new wine card option was mentioned briefly about a month ago. It is very different from the GOLD and SILVER wine cards of pre-covid days. If anyone is currently onboard and/or has tried out this new option, please share your experiences here. I heard that there are limitations. I'm wondering if the wines offered are considered high-end, medium or low. Examples of the wines would also be appreciated.

Thanks for contributing to this thread.

Would love to hear what is offered and served at the Balcony breakfast. Couldn't find any information on the website. Has anyone had this lately?

TIA 

5 hours ago, memoak said:

We are currently on the Emerald 15 day canal cruise. We used home tests on day 6 on general principles even though we had no symptoms. I tested positive and my wife negative. She is still testing negative one day later. Rules are I must isolate for 5 days my wife can come and go but must take her meals in the room. They say she does not need to test anymore unless she has symptoms. I am free to leave after 5 days with no more tests. I have a slight stuffy nose and that is about it. Though people might want to know the current situation. We both had covid in August and all of our boosters. It is much better service now than when we quarantined on the Royal

Thank you for posting. Hope you feel better soon @memoak