Live From the Golden...YVR...LA...HI

[laughing husky]

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed your "live from the Golden" stream....We also met Mario....on a different ship last year and he was also wonderful. He made special pastas for our table almost every night. As my Mother was from northern Italy, I did my best to up the pastas.....and he never failed except one time when the ship had no guanciale on board....He was sad....and we both laughed our heads off. He is a wonderful man. Also met Cristiana and her pastry chef husband awhile ago on the Golden......He made us a special desert and came up and shared a glass of wine with us for a couple of minutes after dinner with the Head Chef's permission. I believe they had been married only a short while at that time.....A nice love story with very nice people......I am glad that you had a great time. I wish Mario would be on the Ocean when she goes to Asia......

[h20 4 me]

I'll try and post tonight sometime. We will probably get to bed early or at least earlier than 2am.

 

More later, hopefully, its time to pack...

.

 

 

Well Charles, if you've done one thing with your posts, it's convinced me to TRY A SHOW from the front row. I am a show-phobe....seems I always leave midway through or don't go at all. We'll try it from the front and see!

Thanks for all the posts, very giving of your time. Bet you can't wait to see those 2 babies in your picture with the frisbee. I've got one of those at my feet right now. We will miss him for the next 2 weeks.

 

Can't wait to hit the balcony and just relax!

 

Have a safe flight home, and we'll look for your next trip.....Antartica is MY DREAM!

[Roses2]

Mario is absolutely the most attentive head waiter we have had on 13 Princess Cruises. He visited with us at least twice each nght.

 

He met our every culinary need or want on our recent Vancouver - LA cruise.

 

Along with those fantastic "special" pasta dishes, he ginned up fabulous bruschetta as a nightly starter. It was yummy good and there was no chance we would fall prey to vampires because garlic keeps them at bay.

 

Our wait staff of Roberto and Dominique were also top notch on this cruise at our table for two by the window.

[ccrain]

Just talked to JP. He's here next cruise, but gone the day you arrive. I told him you have pictures of him from 1991. He's sad he's going to miss you.

[ccrain]

Mario, Konrad and the rest of the team is moving back down to the Deck 5 dining room, just can't remember the name, so those of you on the 10/11 cruise should look him up, tell him you are my long lost cousin and are starving for some good italian pasta.

 

I guarantee he will take good care of you. But he is leaving the following cruise for a vacation, then on to the Sapphire apparently.

[ccrain]

The worst part of a 21 day cruise is leaving the people you have become amazingly close to in a such a short time - both passengers and crew.

 

Such a wonderful bunch of people work for Princess - Mario, Konrad, Maria, Inry, JP, Christiana, Vandolph, Monica, Karen, Kenyata and the boys, and most especially Vian and Jane. People make Princess the line it is.

 

And a great bunch of fellow passengers. We've probably made new life long friends in Paul and Elizabeth, if they will have us. Paul has made me rethink working myself to death. Early retirement sounds pretty good to us right now.

 

This was not so much a cruise as it was a journey around the world exploring other peoples cultures through their memories, life experiences and food. Italy, South Africa, Ukraine, Great Britain, Brazil, Romania, Germany, Phillipines and a host of others.

 

It was fun, relaxing and carefree with great food, entertainment and service.

 

What more can you ask for?

 

Thanks for riding along. Hope you all enjoyed it.

[TLC535]

Ccrain - THANK YOU for taking us along....FABULOUS Live from, really really enjoyed it :D:D:D can't wait to do this one....

[LARGIN]

CC.. Thanks for a great "Live From".. Too bad on JP.. We will be on the Golden doing a b2b May 22nd and again on September 18th. Perhaps we will be lucky to run into him there..

[mii]

Again I want to thank you for your very interesting "Live" from as I will be on the golden Oct. 25. Two weeks from today. Yippee.

 

Marilyn

[MSBerliner]

Hello CC, I also much enjoyed your excellent reports and especially your smoothly flowing writing style.

 

When you get the chance will you please answer an easy (I hope) question for me (we sail the Golden in November)? The Golden has three dining rooms. Are all three open for breakfast and lunch each day? Can an "anytime" diner eat breakfast and lunch in any of the three dining rooms (assuming that they're serving)?

 

Many thanks,

[morriscats]

Hello CC, I also much enjoyed your excellent reports and especially your smoothly flowing writing style.

 

When you get the chance will you please answer an easy (I hope) question for me (we sail the Golden in November)? The Golden has three dining rooms. Are all three open for breakfast and lunch each day? Can an "anytime" diner eat breakfast and lunch in any of the three dining rooms (assuming that they're serving)?

 

Many thanks,

Am not CC but maybe I can answer your question. If memory serves me, only 1 dining room is open for breakfast and lunch. And yes, an anytime diner can go for both. We just didn't eat there often because the buffet was so good.

[macusr]

I'm very interested Charles in hearing your opinion about whether a first-time visitor to Hawaii (which we'd be) should do a fly/land-based vs. cruise. Been weighing what we think might be pros vs. cons of each approach, but I'm really wanting to hear from people who have done both.

 

Sorry you have to return to the real world now...

[Chesterpeake]

I'm very interested Charles in hearing your opinion about whether a first-time visitor to Hawaii (which we'd be) should do a fly/land-based vs. cruise. Been weighing what we think might be pros vs. cons of each approach, but I'm really wanting to hear from people who have done both.

 

Sorry you have to return to the real world now...

 

I guess I'll chime in as I have done both. Two Hawaii cruises completed with another coming at the end of January, and seven or eight land based vacations. The base was always Maui with the exception of the first time which was to Honolulu. But it won't help you if I say, and I can honestly do so, that each has its advantages.

 

Each of the islands is different, and in my opinion you should visit them all. The best way to do so is the cruise. You will get a flavor of them and decide whether or not you'd like to return and where. I suppose the cruise is also the way to go if going to Hawaii is a one time adventure. Another plus of the cruise is that you are in Oahu only one day. Sorry, but in my opinion once to Honolulu is enough. I know others will disagree, but its my opinion. And, of course, the cruise is pretty much all inclusive save for excursions.

 

Twice I flew with guests from Maui to Honolulu as a day trip as they had never been there. They were completely happy with the one day.

 

The Maui based vacations were more relaxing and I could pace the activities I enjoy: snorkeling, whale watching, bicycling, time at the pool with a book, dining, etc.

 

Whichever you choose, have a great time!

[morriscats]

We have done both as well. My DH is Hawaiian so we started with land based vacations. John is right. Each one is uniquely different. DH was from Kona but we have visited each and stayed for a least 3 days. A cruise will give you a sense of each island and then you can make up your mind which one (or all) to visit later. That is just my opinion though. Plus we love the sea days it takes to get there and back. So relaxing. Two more weeks are we are off again.

[ccrain]

Am not CC but maybe I can answer your question. If memory serves me, only 1 dining room is open for breakfast and lunch. And yes, an anytime diner can go for both. We just didn't eat there often because the buffet was so good.

 

Only one open for breakfast and lunch. The two central dining rooms on 5 and 6 are anytime, the rear one on deck 6 is traditional.

 

Please note there is only one way into traditional. Rear elevators or stairway - and only the two outside elevators.

 

Probably the poorest design aspect of the Grand Class ships as those two elevators are completely insufficient for the number of walkers, wheelchairs and scooters. Its a madhouse each and every day.

[ccrain]

I'm very interested Charles in hearing your opinion about whether a first-time visitor to Hawaii (which we'd be) should do a fly/land-based vs. cruise. Been weighing what we think might be pros vs. cons of each approach, but I'm really wanting to hear from people who have done both.

 

Sorry you have to return to the real world now...

 

 

Do the Princess cruise first. It will give you a taste and a flavor and the lay of the land, plus all the culturally related information and Dave's island talks are priceless.

 

Then plan your land vacation from that. We are seriously considering a trip to Kuai'i, Hawaii and Maui, but I just can't get past the thought of packing and unpacking at each new hotel. Not to mention the cost.

 

The cost of my quick trip to HNL last month on business was over $250 per day. That's with no rental car, a cheap hotel in Wakiki and no air fare.

 

You should be easily able to beat that on the Golden.

 

Cruising has definitely spoiled us.

[macusr]

You've given us some good food for thought on the land vs. cruise for first-time Hawaii visit.

[MSBerliner]

Many thanks to those of you who answered my question about breakfast and lunch venues. I am mystified, however as to how Princess feeds 2600 people for a meal in only 50% of their dining space?

[ccrain]

Many thanks to those of you who answered my question about breakfast and lunch venues. I am mystified, however as to how Princess feeds 2600 people for a meal in only 50% of their dining space?

 

They have two dinner seatings in traditional, and probably flip each table once in anytime. The buffet takes care of the rest.

[chamima]

Many thanks to those of you who answered my question about breakfast and lunch venues. I am mystified, however as to how Princess feeds 2600 people for a meal in only 50% of their dining space?

 

It really is 33% of their dining space. (The traditional dining room isn't open) There are so many choices for breakfast and lunch (room service, pizza, grill, buffet and now International Cafe) and the turnover is MUCH quicker than dinner.

[MSBerliner]

Again, a great big thank you for helping me understand how breakfast and lunch is handled. Very much looking forward to our Hawaiian cruise in November on the Golden.

[ccrain]

Really, really busy the next couple of days and probably won't get to the patters until this weekend, but I promise we will.

[Glassespro]

Charles, we met you on the Island Princess in Feb, 08 through the canal. You were interesting then, and nothing has changed. Thanks so much for getting us ready for our 10/25 on the Golden. We are sooooooo ready. Hopefully, we'll meet up again sometime.

 

Jim & Gayle

[trapezemom]

I am just catching up on these posts and read about Cinemastique. My 9 year old is a trapeze artist and performs a very complicated hoop routine. She would be thrilled to see hoop on the cruise. We are traveling March 28th. Do you know

if the show will still be on at that time? Is there anyway to find out?

Thanks for all of your information.

The Trapeze Artist's Mom

[Texwell]

Judy:

We are thinking of the March 2010 HI cruise. I'm wondering about rough seas at that time of year in the Pacific. I have a tendency toward motion sickness and fear a ruined vacation. Your experience would be helpful to me.

 

Thanks.