PrincessE

We always request a table for two and if necessary, will wait for it.

We love the Southern Caribbean. Our two favorites are Grenada and Bonaire. The underwater sculpture garden in Grenada is fantastic as is Grand Anse beach. So much fun! And the snorkeling in Bonaire - it cannot be beat. Gorgeous!

On our last cruise we were standing there waiting for the elevators. The way it was set up there was about four elevators - two panoramic and two further back. We were waiting with this elderly woman who appeared to have mobility issues. Each time she tried to hurry to an elevator the stampede would rush by her and she'd end up left behind. This happened a couple of times. I told my husband to follow my lead and as the next elevator arrived I held the door as it emptied, so as to position myself for what I planned on doing. As the crush of humanity tried to board the elevator, my big brut of a husband told everyone in a booming voice to "stand back!" I held my arm out like some school crossing guard and said to the woman, "It's your turn now". She was so relieved. People kept trying to push and I just got louder and firmer. She was so small and easily overlooked; she was just lost in the masses. My mom used to tell me that as you age you become invisible; she said it's heartbreaking. I've always tried to notice others, especially the elderly. I think if we look out for each other, just extending a little kindness life would be so much sweeter and easier.

I just disembarked a back to back on the Royal Princess 3/30-4/13. When we were on our way off the ship, walking by the closed gift shops, etc., a crew member was standing there with a small tablet. I didn't think anything of it. As I'm passing by he says, "Have a safe journey home, Erica". I wasn't expecting it and therefore didn't hear it, but my husband did. He tells me as we've passed by - that crew member knew your name. It kind of freaked me out. LOL And it wasn't a bar tender or another member of the wait staff that might have gotten to know me during our two weeks onboard. So there's that!

I realize I'm a bit late in replying, but just in case you haven't left yet or there are others who are interested in an opinion, I'll share it here. The Marietas Island shore ex we took with Princess Cruises was the WAY too choppy. Nothing against the cruise line (we love PCL) or the vendor - their boat was clean and we felt safe - but the water was crazy choppy and I got so very seasick. Snorkeling was impossible and I don't think one person got off the boat. This was in 2013. Last October we were sailing Mexico again and chatting with a lovely couple. They mentioned snorkeling at Marietas Island on that cruise and I asked about it. They said it was awful - SO choppy - everyone was seasick and they were miserable. So that kind of sealed the deal for me. We'd wanted to give Marietas another try, but I think we'll pass from now on.

We're Elite as well. We used to book Anytime and we've gone back to Traditional. For Anytime we would always get a table for two - no problem. We're always willing to wait for one. As for Traditional, I think we've been assigned a table for two only a handful of times. The rest we've gone to the Maitre d and asked for a table for two. Thankfully we've always been granted our requests.

I read this great article on beaches in St Thomas by a guy I follow on Facebook called RumShopRyan. Here's a link to the blog. Very informative and detailed. https://www.rumshopryan.com/2015/12/02/top-5-beaches-on-st-thomas/

I live in Seattle, so here are my suggestions for what it's worth. Go in knowing Seattle is super expensive - our food prices have gone off the rails. It's obnoxious! Fun things to do with kids - the aquarium down on the waterfront. Take a ferry ride - even if you don't get off, the Bremerton run is about an hour to and then back. It's always fun to be out on the water. The Children's Museum, Pacific Science Center and Chihuly Museum are great. There's also the Olympic Sculpture Park near the waterfront and it's free. You'd need a car or you could take a Uber/Lyft to the Hiram Chittenden Locks, which is great. You can watch all the boats going through the locks, watch the fish at the fish ladder and there is a beautiful park you can walk through too. There are nice restaurants nearby. The Woodland Park Zoo is a great option - world class zoo. There's also a rose garden (it's free) right next to the zoo and it's beautiful. Great paths to walk, park benches and fountains. A hidden treasure in the city. The Asian Art Museum on Capitol Hill and the Seattle Art Museum are treasures. The MOHAI - Museum of HIstory and Industry is a great visit. The International District is fun and stopping at the awesome Asian grocery store and gift market Uwajimaya's is a blast. Great food and reasonable too! As for eating out, Ballard and Fremont have a lot of food trucks and those can be quite reasonable. Depending on where you're staying, you can always pick up some groceries at a grocery store. Enjoy your stay in the Emerald City!

Hello everyone - I'm a plus sized girl and I have a difficult time finding bathing suits that I think look good on me. I went to JCPenney for the first time to shop (EVER) this weekend. I found a selection of suits that was 1. reasonable and 2. super cute. Just thought I'd mention it. We all probably have a JCP in our area and it's worth taking a look if you're in need of a bathing suit.