latebloomer56

8 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

FYI to me this is false advertising - the website reflects fresh juices and smoothies.  I’m aboard the grand and neither exists.  The  smoothies are not a thing and the only juices are concentrated sugar water from a Lara powdered juice machine.

 

 

So sad no real juice on the Grand. Thanks for sharing.

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

Major bummer. Last October/November we sailed 63 days on Grand Princess. They had the juicer at the aft bar and I had 2 juices pretty much every morning. I tried almost all of them (didn't do the last two on the list as they were simply "blender drinks") and there were 2 I really liked a lot so I had one of each most mornings. I would go to the aft bar and order 1 Immune Booster, 1 Cleanser, and 1 Shot of Bulleit Bourbon. Then I would have breakfast. Ahhhh... It was a great way to start the day. Being onboard for that long the bartenders were quite used to me getting my morning fix. They cleaned the juicer really often which was great. (The prices on the list below are US pricing. When we sailed on Grand Princess the prices were higher as it was in AUD but still included with Plus.)

 

Hope they don't switch before Oct. Didn't look on the Sapphire, totally forgot about it to tell the truth. Well maybe somebody on the Sept. Cruise will fill us in.

Thanks

Wow was looking forward to the juice bar on the Grand this year. Never bothered but was thinking instead of a third latte this would be a swap for me in the morning 😞.

8 hours ago, psuboater said:

Here’s my running list:

 

 

1) Din Tai Fung/Dough Zone  ($$)- I like both - they are excellent choices for dumplings and noodles. Din Tai Fung is a global chain where Dough Zone is more local, but you can't go wrong with either. These two places are where I'd miss if we left Seattle.

 

2) Sushi ($$$) -Momji Sushi in Capitol Hill is PHENOMENAL. There are a lot of good sushi places, but this is a standout for me.

 

3) Salt and Straw ($) - technically a Portland import and growing nationally, but the best ice cream in the country, hands down.

 

4) Canon ($$$) - expensive, but their craft cocktails are theatre in itself. On the drink menu, the icon next to the drink description is what it will be served in. Some examples - a glass apple, a metal canon, an IV bag, a Nintendo Cartridge....and more!

 

5) Rhein Haus ($)  is a cozy traditional beer hall with great appetizers.

 

6) Butcher's Table ($$$$) - is our favorite steak place in the city. I love the ambiance and their steak flights are worth it.

 

7) Bateau ($$$$) - They were just featured in the NY Times - they pride themselves on using all cuts of meat of the cow - so you'll get cuts that you won't see on most menus. The earlier you can make a reservation in the night, the better- when a cut is gone, it's gone for the evening.

 

8.  Starbucks Reserve Roastery ($)  -- skip the "original" Starbucks at Pike Place and go to the Roastery and Reserve room in Capitol Hill. It's a Willy Wonka of coffee - with giant copper roasters, artesian sandwiches, craft cocktails and unique Starbucks gifts for the Starbucks obsessed. The proscuitto, parm, and argula on croissant seems like it can be made anywhere but it is so heavenly. 

 

9. Another Starbucks trick - the Starbucks in Columbia Tower on Floor 40. It's free to go in, and you get views of the city higher than the Space Needle.

 

10. Craft Beer - We have some of the best craft beer in the country because most hops are grown in Yakima Valley, WA. Be sure to try Reuben's Brews, Fremont Brewing, Cloudburst and Holy Mountain.

 

11. Some Random Bar ($$) - In Belltown, used to be my go to for Happy Hour. Try the crab nachos and the house made pina colada (for real - wouldn't think Seattle = Pina Colada, but yes, awesome)

 

12. Dino's Tomato Pie  ($)- If you're missing East Coast pizza, this is the closest thing to it. It's owned by a ex-Jersey guy, and we would happily pay out the nose for delivery to get this pizza. I almost brought it home on the train with me.

 

13. The Pink Door ($$) - Views of the Sound from Pike Place Market - excellent Italian food, and sometimes there's circus-like acts of entertainment.

 

14. Quick bites at the Market: Grabbing a Grilled Cheese at Beechers ($) - then walking through the market where the arts and crafts are on the top floor - you'll come to an outdoor patio with views of the sound that's kind of hidden away, and therefore, not as crowded. For a less touristy selection at the market -  Farvahar Persian Cafe ($) is a family run stand that is so good.

 

15. Copperworks Distillery  ($$) - Located right near the touristy pier, the building is amazing and their spirits are good enough to take home.  

 

(Still Seattle, but not downtown but worth an Uber):

 

12. Windy City Pie (Greenlake) ($) - really intereting Chicago style pies

 

13. Cafe Munir (Ballard/Crownhill)  ($$) - Our favorite local joint in Ballard for Lebanese food - I miss their hummus and garlic sauce so much.

 

14. Pestle Rock (Ballard) ($$) - This is Northern Thai food - so beyond a Pad Thai and a Curry Chicken - really interesting dishes.

 

15.  Ray's Boathouse (Ballard) ($$$) - a Seattle staple that's on the water and great seafood.

 

16.  The Masonry (Fremont)  ($$) - Great coal fired pies and an amazing craft beer selection, with outdoor seating/fire pits.

Being from Seattle, question on on number 10. Are any of these listed down a very long set of stairs with taps covering an entire wall? I can't find the notes from our Alaska cruise pre covid. I had a lovey fish dinner and my husband thought the tartar sauce was the best. This was made in house and they gave me the recipe, so nice. The stairs were a killer after trying a few very nice beers on tap.

Thanks

1 hour ago, daydreamer16 said:

Yes, the Grand has the juice bar as part of the aft bar on the same deck as the buffet. We were just aboard in April & got juice a few times. It's the same menu as was posted above. A lot of people aren't aware because it's a regular bar, they just have the fruits & veggies in the morning until around 2pm. Also, the juice is not cold, we had to add ice.

Thank you good to hear this.

Anybody know if there is a juice bar on the Grand? If yes where would I find this? Would like to try a couple of the items on the posted menu but not if it's the carton stuff.

Thanks

Just now, KeepCalmBearOn said:

 

PS I was "with you" on the Hawaii trip where we could not get off at Maui for hours because not enough workers showed up at the port to work security. It didn't matter much to me, our only plans were to go to Foodland Kaahumanu and buy some favorite groceries, which we did anyway.

Thought I recognized your signature, but your always so helpful figured that was why.

2 hours ago, KeepCalmBearOn said:

 

If you can swing it, my favorite place in all the islands is Kuhio Grill in Hilo, Home of the 1 Pound LauLau.

 

https://www.kuhiogrille.com/

 

My second favorite place is Young's Fish Market in Honolulu.

 

https://www.youngsfishmarket.com/pdf/YoungsFishMarketmenu.pdf

I looked up menus maybe Honolulu would fit for me so many choices. But if we miss this would do Hilo.

Now another reason to be excited. This will possibly be my last trip to Hawaii want to do and try different things this trip.

2 hours ago, KeepCalmBearOn said:

 

If you can swing it, my favorite place in all the islands is Kuhio Grill in Hilo, Home of the 1 Pound LauLau.

 

https://www.kuhiogrille.com/

 

My second favorite place is Young's Fish Market in Honolulu.

 

https://www.youngsfishmarket.com/pdf/YoungsFishMarketmenu.pdf

Thanks I will keep these in my note (yes I'm one of those people 😊). We will have 4 hours free after a tour in Hilo and 8 hours after one in Honolulu, unless we opt for the Luau near the clock tower.

35 minutes ago, Mike & Zen said:

Currently sailing in Grand Princess.  The Lotus pool is for adults only, and it is accessed from the outside or through the spa.

Thank you

On 2/29/2024 at 4:57 AM, KeepCalmBearOn said:

 

Hilo - I'd call Volcano National Park a 'must do', if you've never been before.

Honolulu - Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial would be a 'must do' for me (for a first time visitor), maybe spend some time in Waikiki; it really depends on your interests.

Kauai - Waimea Canyon or the Napili Coast (opposite directions).

Maui - In winter, whale watching trip would be a must do to me.

 

 

On my Hawaii cruises, I beeline to my favorite local spots, Hamura Saimin on Kauai, Kuhio Grille in Hilo, Halekulani (The House Without A Key or Orchids) and Young's Fish Market (for a plate lunch) in Honolulu.

 

On Maui, when we've docked in Kahului, I head for Sam Sato's. My favorite place in Lahaina, Nagasko Okazu-ya, burned down in the tragic fire.

 

 

Sorry, I think it is incredibly disrespectful. The USS Arizona Memorial is a sacred place in America's annals. It only takes around 90 minutes, if that.

 

 

Here is something from TripAdvisor's Oahu Forum. It only applies to Oahu in the places named, but is a general idea about local food.

 

My favorite thing about Oahu, having grown up there, is the unique food culture.

 

I love places like Young's Fish Market, Helena's Hawaiian Food, Haili's Hawaiian Food, St. Louis Deli, Ethel’s Grill and a few others for "Plate Lunch".

 

If you don't know what a "Plate Lunch" is, do a quick search online. It is a uniquely Hawaiian thing, what might be the Hawaiian equivalent of Street Food. It developed out of the idea of the bento box that Japanese immigrants introduced to Hawaii.

 

There are other uniquely Hawaiian "eats" as mentioned by AlandRoberta, like saimin (Hawaiian version of ramen) and manapua (Hawaiian version of Chinese char sui bao, but Hawaiian sized). Good old school saimin is found at Shiro’s Saimin or Palace Saimin; good manapua is found at Royal Kitchen and Chun Wah Kam Noodle Factory. I've never been able to find saimin anyplace else in the world, other than Hawaii. It is a distinct flavor. Portuguese Sausage is another unique, local item. Just about any restaurant serving breakfast in Hawaii has Portuguese Sausage on the menu as an alternative to bacon and rice or fried rice instead of potatoes.

 

The Natsunoya Tea House has been around since 1921 and the Waioli Tea Room since 1922; both are very special in their own way. One or the other (or both) would make a "must go" list from me.

 

Local food includes items like lau lau, lomilomi salmon, poke, Kalua pig, poi, chicken luau, pipikaula and chicken long rice. Foods made famous by Hawaii include spam musubi and loco moco.

I have been to the Islands only three times and haven't found lau lau really would love to find this dish. You have been posting on the Oct. roll call not sure if coming with us or just being nice answering questions. Where would you recommend my trying lau lau? Oh and I get spam musubi whenever I can 😁. Have had a few plate lunches and each one was just a little different, most I enjoyed. We tend to book excursions with lunch but never seems to be any of the foods you have listed so we sometimes wonder and buys something on our own. Like my first shave ice with the milk yummy.

Thanks as always.

4 hours ago, Nikulai said:

The GastroPub is hosted in Crown Grill on sea days as I recall.

Would try that fingers crossed it would be new for us.

3 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Unfortunately, we didn't take part in any of the Casual Dining venues while we were on the Grand. We tried Vines for lunch when we were recently on the Sapphire and subsequently determined Casual Dining venues weren't so "casual". Basically, the one time we went for lunch there on a port day, there were just too many people, all presumably with the Plus or Premium package, returning from their shore excursions with only two servers to deal with all of the 3-course meals at various stages being ordered. For us after that it was just easier to head to the buffet if we were back on the ship around lunch time.

We have ten sea days so maybe there will be more than cold cut with cheese or pizza. I like both but can get my own meat and cheese plate in the buffet and I like the pizza on Lido deck. 

Thanks

Just saw recent listing of casual dining. Question is it true to say only two places on the Grand, Vines and Alfredos?

Thanks

We have use EZ air many times. Generally for international flights and transfers plus hotels. I have liked no real issues except once they booked us on two different flights but it was fixed easily. Don't usually use this in the states except in 2022 just after things were starting to get going again.

Our TA said this needs to be done once on board. We tried several time but only enjoyed this once on the Grand in 2010 with the lovely Chef Alfredo Marzi. Tried last time we were in a suite for the Lumiere  on the Regal no luck.

Fingers crossed for this Oct. on the Grand once again. Understand no books anymore which is fine less to carry but do hope for a copy of the menu. We will purchase the picture if they still do this as well.

We needed to have our 14 year old added, not an issue. Could have waited until we boarded. He does like soda, juice and bottled water. This way tips are done, two casual dinners (it would be a charge otherwise), and most importantly WiFi 😀. His parents spent a small fortune on NCL last time when he was 13.

We tried rebooking a few years ago. It wasn't worth the grief we got the same answer, but we did get some OBC that time small amount but was a nice gesture this was after final payment. Before final we had no issue we cancelled and re joked the cabin we originally wanted that was not available at the time of booking.

Was only for new bookings, which I think they have all gone to.

14 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I’m a bit confused by the question. My comment was that the Beekman products are a big upgrade from what used to be provided. The picture I posted is definitely what used to be provided. I never suggested that that was current. My most recent cruise was exactly one year ago and the picture I posted represents what we had then. Hope that clears things up. 

We had the same in 2022. Day two my hairs like straw, husband and son not an issue.

On 6/9/2024 at 10:47 PM, Knickearth said:

Yes.  Do you also know about the princess Visa card points for shipboard credits - if they are refundable?

Yes we received a check for the balance last cruise. They took our non refundable OBC first so what was left after week one was our OBC from the Visa. It was nice to see this twos after we got home.

Do they have bellinis? Or just mimosas.

It sets out my hair so I bring my own also bring bar soap.

1 minute ago, wallyj said:

@latebloomer56, I believe the ‘chefs table’ menu is being standardized across the fleet. I believe in the past, the on board chef had many more options.

 

Try and search to see if the standardized menu will be acceptable for your tastes.

 

I agree suite breakfast is worth the visit, but some may value sleeping in more of a priority.

 

I also heard Princess was supposed to be creating a ‘new’ book, but I have heard no news regarding this, so I believe no book will be given.

Thanks, no book is fine less to carry and I have lots of cooking books. I will check you tube maybe something there.

1 minute ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Yes, it is worth it!  On sea days, they are open till 10:30. Plenty of things for him to choose from. 

Thanks, I love my breakfast. Sometimes I make a full one with eggs Benny for dinner.

Hello again I have a few more questions for anybody who has walked on the Grand in a suite this year 2024 or even late 2023. 

I want to put in for Chef's Table this trip, it has been a long time since we have done this. Anybody who has what did you think? We went to the galley and had more food than I could eat but was nice to try differently prepared foods and wines. Still remember the poached pear with stilton cheese. It's in the book we received.

My husband isn't a big breakfast person, but he does take me a few days during a cruise. This year is another trip to Hawaii so I expect at least for mornings. Question is Sabtinis breakfast worth him getting up early? He generally sleeps until 8:00 and I bring him some fruit a croissant maybe juice each day. Yes I know room service but I'm out walking by 5:30 most days so I like doing this.

Thanks as always for any guidance only been in a suite once on the Regal years ago.