LIVE from the GRAND PRINCESS - FLL to Southampton 5/5/11

[Marmaduke]

Thanks for taking the time to report, if you can spare the time keep the information coming. Particularly interested in Alfredos and the International Cafe. Does the coffee card cover the special teas in the new Leaves venue? Looking forward to joining in Southampton in two weeks time.

[Shifra]

I am so excited to hear about your Grand experience. I have been away from the boards for awhile and now I will be glued to this thread, which I have been looking forward to. Great cruising to you, and thanks for sharing the new Grand Princess with us.

[west coast cruiser]

Pia,

Thank you so much for your "live from". I have been wondering how many glitches their would be coming right out of dry dock. Have a wonderful cruise.

I will be looking foward to hearing from you.

Nancy

[Pam in CA]

Pia, have a great cruise! Thanks for doing the "Live from" and answering all the questions people have. :)

[CTGirl]

Thanks for doing a live from. I look forward to all your comments. Could you please give some comments on the back end. Does it look like they chopped something out? Did they cap the side posts? I just can't imagine even though I watched all the videos. Also, where did they put that new nightclub?

 

Also big hello to San Diego Sue, Gloria.

 

I hope you all enjoy the cruise

[RickEk]

Pia, thanks for doing the "Live". How does the new club, the One5, look?

 

And did you get into any of Martyn's final video from yesterday? There were many passengers milling about the Piazza behind him.

[MandD]

Thanks for the "Live." We'll be on her in December. Couple of questions:

1- does Leaves serve coffee? (my doc doesn't want me to drink tea)

2- How is that person who was so upset at a one hour delay. Did he go into orbit over next morning sailaway?

3- Is Yankee swap what we did on the Coral in Dec., '09?

Have a wonderful cruise (know you will, don't you always?)

Mike & Dee

[Cruisegirl6]

Pia thank you so very much and keeping us informed, have a great cruise, I be checking in few times a day to see if you post more lol tu

[Jasperdo]

Thanks for this excellent "Live" post. You have answered many of the questions we had about this drydock.

[Jasperdo]

Question-since I know you were just on the Star as we were (we embarked the day you got off)...is the new pizzaria on the Grand in the same place in the atrium on the Star where they had a chocolate shop (Where I never saw them sell anything ;))??

Thx,

Carole

In checking the new deck plans for the Grand, it appears that Alfredo's Pizzeria was put in where Vines used to be. Vines was moved into the smaller area next to it, which would be where the Godiva's chocolates is on the Star.

[SwissDave]

I would like to add my thanks Pia for your 'live from'.

 

i just have one question, is Crooners open in the afternoons? (am arranging informal meet and greets with Al Frescos if it's dry and Crooners if wet)

 

many thanks

[socaljo]

Hi Pia,

 

Thanks from me too, and I'm glad you are "Live" even when the wi-fi doesn't cooperate! :D

 

We were on the Golden in Feb, and I've been trying to recreate the cold shrimp salad in the IC... but I'm missing something. I'm using fresh lemon, fresh chopped mint (& the shrimp for you smarty-pants CCers ;)).

 

It just occurred to me that perhaps "fresh" is contributing to the problem, maybe they use dried mint, bottled lemon juice. If you happen to find a friendly face to ask there at the IC, I'd really appreciate it. And so would DH! :p He is not so willing to try my experiments after a real sour one! Altho I only marinate 6 at a time to see if I've got it right or not, hate to waste the little buggers!!

 

Dreaming of having your itinerary someday...

 

[cruise6932]

Thanks for your great feedback.

 

Does the casino still have the same amount of slot machines, less or more?

 

Thanks

[Pia1913]

Back again and it’s still Friday. Our M & G had a huge turnout, but we did have almost 200 participants on it. The only member of the staff present was the CD; Martyn Moss. Quite sufficient. He spoke to us for ½ hour and answered any and all questions thrown at him. Very nice, friendly, personable guy. Lives in Wales; right down the road from the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (a/k/a William and Kate). The swap went well; was lots of fun. Several people stole what I had, but I ended up with a SD Chargers shirt for Mike, so we got the better of the prizes.

 

 

Went to dining room for lunch; ten of us. Lots of catching up to do with folks we had met on prior cruises. Trivia this afternoon was mobbed. Five way tie at 18. Our team was not one of them.

 

　

Just spoke to Chrissy the Capt. Circle Hostess. There will be 4 cocktail parties over a two day period and none on a formal night. There are 286 Elite on board and cutoff for most traveled luncheon is 301 days. Yes, we have gotten out of fourth place; we are number one. :o

 

 

Answers:

 

Carolyn: Only pizza in Alfredo's

 

Andrew: No sailaway party; no announcement. We just left.

 

Amy: No center staircase for passengers; crew only

 

Shoreham: Tiles new in our bathroom; new shower curtain too.

 

Leaves: No coffee card can be used

 

Rick: No video of me; didn't even know it was happening

 

Dee: No coffee in Leaves. He was a she and I don't know her. And someone please explain the Yankee Swap.

 

Dave: Crooners was open this afternoon.

　

 

Signing off for today. See you in the morning.

[melissa_bel]

Thanks for the "Live" Thread, Pia! My first cruise was on the Grand 9 years ago... almost a week from today so, it means a lot to me since I fell in love with cruising on this ship and I have been following the dry-dock very closely... just like I'll be following your cruise!

 

Happy sailing to you!

[cruzinchris]

DH and I are considering the Crown or Grand for our winter getaway, so your comments about the "new" Grand Princess are welcome and appreciated.

 

Throughout the drydock as I watched the transformation of public areas, I wondered if staterooms would also receive updates or improvements. I will look forward to any information that you can provide about the status of accommodations aboard the Grand Princess.

 

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience here at CC. Bon Voyage!

Chris

[coo359a2]

A big high five for being number 1:D Wish we were there to celebrate with ya'll. I would have even made the luncheon:)

[Wormy53]

Wish I could be there too!!! We had a wonderful cruise on the Grand in January - just think what she looks like today!!!! Thanks for doing this - I always love to tune-in to your LIVES!

[bellebaby]

DH and I are considering the Crown or Grand for our winter getaway, so your comments about the "new" Grand Princess are welcome and appreciated.

 

Throughout the drydock as I watched the transformation of public areas, I wondered if staterooms would also receive updates or improvements. I will look forward to any information that you can provide about the status of accommodations aboard the Grand Princess.

 

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience here at CC. Bon Voyage!

Chris

 

Hi, Pia

 

I hope you are enjoying your first day at sea! Thanks for taking the time to share your cruise with us.

 

I, too, am curious about the conditon of the staterooms. New soft goods? Carpeting? Mattresses? If not, are the existing items in good shape?

 

Thanks again.

 

B

[Carolyn R]

Pia, Did you bring your tiara with you just in case? Congratulations!

 

Thank you for letting us all follow along.

[-Lew-]

 

And someone please explain the Yankee Swap.

Can't be done! :rolleyes:

 

It's like a Brit trying to explain cricket to me in the MDR on a cruise a few years ago. It gave me a headache.

 

Cruise on...

 

Lew

[wineforhealth]

Pia

 

Thanks for the live updates.

 

Looks like you have your work cut out for you in Trivia

 

Congrates on being #1 in the most travel

 

Have great time on your TA cruise

[UpcountryTravelers]

Question: Is John, that wonderful Assistant Cruise Director we enjoyed so much in January, still aboard? He was hilarious, and great fun.

[cat-tav]

I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but it sounds like what we used to call a Chinese auction for some unknown reason. Everybody brings a wrapped gift of a value agreed on ahead of time. (Nothing over $20 or whatever.) The gift are numbered and each person draws a number. The person who gets #1 picks a gift and opens it. The #2 person can either "steal" #1's gift or choose a new one and open it. If they steal the gift, #1 gets to pick a new gift and open it. And so forth. At the end of the swap, person #1 has the opportunity to look over all the gifts and either stick with what they've got or steal something else. Is this the same thing that you did? Do I have it right? If not, somebody chime in and correct me.

 

Pia, we'll be on the June 15 Norway trip on the Grand. Thanks so much for the live posts letting me know what to expect!

[gatour]

cat-tav, yes that pretty much explains it no matter the name. Their are variants of the rules, but you got the gist correct.