Hello from Cheznandy Live on the Emerald Princess

Hi Jim:) thanks for joining in.

 

I am sure I heard 341 Elite or 431 cos I am bad with numbers, there were lots more Platinum though.

 

Yes, the most travelled couple have lots of days up, didnt look that old either!!

 

We were not invited either hahaha!

 

Although Andy and I both agreed that we don't think we would enjoy those dinners, geez it was bad enough going to the Elite/Platinum party......lots of dressed up people there checking everyone else out!!

 

We enjoy the perks but not the other stuff;)

We skipped all of the events. Not our thing...

I got the count of elite passengers and the number of days to get the invitation for the most travelled event from the Captain's Circle hostess. I was down there on the last day to change our disembarkation time, so I asked.

Always trust your onboard Elf .... quote from the Patter.

 

Most Travelled Passengers

 

Mr Steven & Mrs Sylvia Lewandowski (Aussies) 1530 days

Cheers.:D

We skipped all of the events. Not our thing...

 

I got the count of elite passengers and the number of days to get the invitation for the most travelled event from the Captain's Circle hostess. I was down there on the last day to change our disembarkation time, so I asked.

Thanks for the information.:D

I have EVERY piece of meaningful and meaning less paper that was dropped into our stateroom mailbox ... ask me another question ... go on ... go on ... just ask....

bloody cruise addiction *mutter* *mutter* *nutter*

:p:p:p

I have EVERY piece of meaningful and meaning less paper that was dropped into our stateroom mailbox ... ask me another question ... go on ... go on ... just ask....

 

bloody cruise addiction *mutter* *mutter* *nutter*

 

:p:p:p

How much was the art auction prize? What time was the botox seminar held?:p

I have EVERY piece of meaningful and meaning less paper that was dropped into our stateroom mailbox ... ask me another question ... go on ... go on ... just ask....

 

bloody cruise addiction *mutter* *mutter* *nutter*

 

:p:p:p

I knew elves were compulsive, but I had no idea how bad it was. [emoji79]

How much was the art auction prize? What time was the botox seminar held?:p

Sorry you got me - I can't answer my lips and eye lids are joined together following the botox seminar.

I was blinded by the artwork and astounded by what the artsy fartsies paid for finger painting

...... I do need to pay more attention to detail about YARTS and less to the 'kini chicks around the pool ...... maybe not :D

I am really disappointed that they (all the cruise lines) seem to peddle the art on the cruises. It is as if it is so totally normal that people would go on a cruise just to buy art (prints).

In future, whenever I want a cruise, I will approach the nearest art gallery.

I didn't use the interwebz on board enough to be live on the Emerald, so here I am on delayed telecast! Boy, this is a long thread. I will have to catch up on it later!

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Just adding some final thoughts and I have unlimited internet:)

EMBARKATION

Dropped our bags at around 8.30am, returned to board at about 12.30pm, easy and quick.....our suggested boarding time was 4pm.

Cabins were available as per usual on Princess.

Carried on 12 bottles of wine, was directed to a small table before boarding, paid corkage on 10, they didnt even look into the small wheelie bag I had them in, just gave me 10 Princess stickers to put on them and charged my cruise card $150, easy.

CABIN

We had R515, a larger inside cabin on Riviera deck. Love these insides, great location not quite midship, next to the lifts/stairs between the two pools. We were directly under a hot spa......no noise at all. Our friends were directly across the a hall in a balcony and they had constant noise above them when sitting on their balcony, decks chairs and scraping noises.

MDR

We had Anytime dining, dined in Michelangelo which is dedicated Anytime.

We have found that Anytime is handled differently on each ship. We were unable to book the table we wanted, but when we turned up they checked in the area we preferred to see what was available.

Food was hot, menu not the most varied we have had, and as stated previous the Always available has changed since the Emerald has come to Austalia.

We prefer to dine alone and no trouble gettin a table for two

HORIZON COURT

Had breakfast, lunch and Dinner here, always busy, food area small and not geared up for over 3000 passengers.

Alot of people didnt realise the Caribe Cafe opened for breakfast every day, it is at the end of both buffets near the doors that lead outside aft. Less choice but everything we needed. On sea days it opened for lunch with a different themed menu. It was also opened as the Crab Shack on a sea day night, surcharge applied, think it was $19.

Wonderful service in the buffet, table service for tea/coffee/water/juice, table cleaned quickly and you can't beat those lovely floor to ceiling windows for ocean views. Also seating outside aft, no sunlounges on that level, just tables and chairs.

SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS

Crown Grill we ate at once $29 p/p surcharge, great food, service and intimate atmosphere, large servings.

Share we ate at once, $39 p/p surcharge. 6 small courses, lovely setting, great service. Food modern cuisine, lots of different flavoursome light food.

INTERNATIONAL CAFE

Coffee spot and changeable food items 24 hrs. Always crowded, in the mornings tables were set up with cloths all around the Piazza and Vines Wine bar. Most mornings we grabbed a takeaway and enjoyed it in a quiet lounge.

Didnt try the Salty dog, but friends had the pub lunch in the Wheelhouse bar, they loved it, it was held twice during the cruise on a sea day.

Did not order room service this cruise.

BAR/PUBLIC LOUNGES

Love the Adagio lounge, opposite Share on deck 16, dark, quiet and comfortable lounges.

Everytime we walked passed Crooners it was packed, we usually like Crooners on Princess but couldnt get a seat this time.

Wheelhouse was busiest at Happy Hour 3-4pm, buy one get one for $1.

Explorers Lounge was where they had entertainers when not performing in the Princess theatre, and some trivia or games, always packed if you didnt get there early.

We frequentd Skywalkers for the PES drinks everynight, really enjoyed it up there, great service, snacks and $7 cocktails with great views. Always met up with fellow cruisers for a chat.

ENTERTAINMENT

We went to one show, Magic to do and walked out......saw a comedian, he was ok, I really cant justify getting to a lounge an hour early to get a seat for a mediorce show. We did a few morning trivias, Majority rules and listened to some music. Not many movies in the showlounge on sea days, MUTS didnt have much on either. Luckily we dont cruise for the entertainment. Royal and Celebrity have much better entertainment and guest entertainers.

ELITE BENEFITS

Prioroty boarding worked well. Mini bar set up in cabin, we called Food and beverage to have it changed out and they were there in 15 minutes.

Laundry returned the next evening.

Toiletry gold gift bag was on the vanity on arrival.

Priority tendering was a bit hit and miss, usually we are directed to just join the present line on its way to a tender, on the Emerald we were told to take a ticket and wait in the lounge to be called, first time no one called, next time we were called first with Suites and lots of not so impressed looks from those waiting!!! Next couple of times we just waited with friends.

MARE

tender port

Took the local transfer to the beach, thought it was $15AUD, but $18.95p/p showed on our card, nice beach but way over priced to get there, there is not much at the tender area. I would not be looking at a cruise that stops there in the future, they should reduce the transfer cost or offer it free.

VILA

I had pre organised a private group with JJ Manple tours, 18 person, two vans. $100p/p AUD all inclusive.

We have been to Vila many times so thought of doing something different...very unorganised service, we only had a driver no guide, and they had no clue how long our stops were or what was next. Never saw JJ but I think his wife was in another bus following along.....things changed a little after I spoke with her. The places we visited were beautiful, Blue Lagoon, lunch on a beach with a string band playing, a cultural dance under a huge old Banyan tree, Survivor beach.....a bit disappointing, all in all a much better price than Princess.

PORT DENARU

Tender port

We did the mud pools organised by someone on our Rollcall with Viti $95 FJD luckily our van only had 7 of us and we had a ball, a great driver and guide, ending at Smugglers Cove for lunch and a beer.

SUVA

Another tour with Viti, with our CC group but 22 of us this time. Tour went the I Colo rainforest and swimming pool. A little bit disappointing, we had some not so able walkers and the walk there was way further than we were told, and our itinerary changed to a market to taste fruit, a long way out of Suva and not the Museum......they told us the museum was closed but we later found out that others had been to the museum. Anyway, been there done that now.

We are not big group tour people, so know what we will do next time.

A big thanks to Anne for organising both tours, we had a great time with your self and Terry:)

SAVU SAVU

Tender port

Love this little place, walked around the town, bought a few souvenirs, walked up a hill behind the shops for a great lookout over town and beyond, then back down and though an alleyway to the Hot Springs, then up the hill to the Hot Springs hotel for a well earned beer.

DRAVUNI

Tender port

Beautiful island, Andy had a massage and we took a boat ride around the island $5AUD, another couple on the boat were not happy, boat going too fast and bumping around, she yelled at the driver to slow down.....we were having fun!! probably shouldn't have told them we have no luck in boats as the last one over turned on Kitava!!

NOUMEA

I gave into my husband and we had a nice leisurely sea day.

Overall a good cruise, hot weather in Fiji, seas smooth and calm except for a day on the way back.

Ship has a Mediteranean feel and decor, very dark in some places.

I noticed the overcrowding in relation to the extra deck compared to the Diamond/Sapphire in the public areas. The Diamond/Sapphire are actually heavier tonnage but carry 700 less passengers and that really shows at full capacity. I was hoping the Emerald would become my favourite Princess ship as I believe it is returning to Australia, but the Diamond/Sapphire still win, Sapphire a little ahead due to it having the IC, Alfredo's and TV on demand, no wonder the US want them back......think we need to go to Asia again for a cruise.

Many thanks Chez, interesting review. Re Alfredos, had that on Island Princess recently, they held it lunchtime at Sabatinis, very popular.

I read you rate Sapphire highly? Good, just booked a B2B on her in May/June 2018, Scandanavia/Baltic.

Thanks again.

Great review Chez. Thanks for taking the time to do it. You were obviously with my friends Lisa and Ian 'out' of the boat in New guinea😃

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Great review Chez. Thanks for taking the time to do it. You were obviously with my friends Lisa and Ian 'out' of the boat in New guinea😃

 

Sent from my HTC_0P9O2 using Forums mobile app

Yes, Jenny, Lisa and Ian, Denise and Michael and Andy and I were definately out of the boat ......bruises and pictures to prove it:p

Have done a few cruises with Lisa but this that one was the most memorable!!