LIVE from the Pacific Princess - 31 days from Athens to Ft. Lauderdale

[Kruznut]

I hope you have plenty of sunny days and a wonderful cruise experience. Oh, I'm really jealous too.

[GarySuzy]

Hi.

 

Just checking to see if anyone on this cruise has run into a couple from Wilmington, DL N and B N just retired and this is their dream cruise. They got on on Nov 15 or 16. Great people - if you see them say hi from Gary and Suzy.

 

Thanks

[treesah]

Pia, it seems you're finally on the mend. It was high time. Enjoy the rest of your cruise and keep on winning those trivia trinkets. Thanks for keeping us up date.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

On their way to Motril.

A new port I believe for this cruise ,

and for Princess.

 

Glad to hear you are on the mend Pia.

I have missed a few days of this cruise

as I had my own Medivac,

so its great catching up.

 

Will you be going to the Alhambra from Motril ?

 

 

[Pia1913]

New day and finally one at sea. It’s Friday, December 2nd and nice to have a day without a port. For me, there have been lots of days without ports. A few things you need to know. Or not. If you recall, I mentioned that the Elite, Suite, Platinum lounge drinks had been reduced from $3.99 to $2.99. Not so the Power Hour. They are still $3.99. If you need a reminder, they are:

 

Cocktails:

Blue Margarita

Long Island Ice Tea

Pina Colada

Singapore Sling

Strawberry Daiquiri

 

House Spirits:

Bourbon

Gin

Rum

Scotch

Tequila

Vodka

 

For those of you who followed me on the Ocean LIVE, it’s pretty funny that the Sling here is $3.99 and in Singapore at Raffles it was $26.00.

 

 

　

We attended the folkloric show last night, which consisted of one singer (I’m being polite here), a guitarist and 4 dancers. A completely disjointed presentation with pauses while they discussed among themselves what came next. We’ve seen many interesting folkloric performances in the past, but this one takes the prize for worst.

 

　

Inasmuch as we’ve had only port days, today is our first official Meet and Greet. Not at a great time though. 1:00 PM in Sabatini’s. On the morning agenda is a lecture at 9:00 “Investing in the 21st Century” - the world of stocks, bonds and more. Also a port talk on Motril (our port for tomorrow), a fruit and veggie demo and a pub luncheon.

　

 

Afternoon brings us the signup for Princess Choir (conflicts with M & G), Naked Hynosis; David Knight tells us the secrets of hypnosis (us is not me), wine tasting, and another lecture; “Spain’s Legendary Heroes” - from Columbus to Don Quixote.

 

　

Tonight’s offerings (it’s formal night with the first Gala Cocktail Party) is the production show “Cinematastic” followed by Broadway Music Trivia at 10:00. We are opting out of this first of three fomal nights. I know I have to at least attend the last one because we scored again in the top three.

 

　

See you later. Breakfast prevails. It’s also freezing outside. Sun is just rising and high is only supposed to be in the 50’s.

 

Answers: Susan's asst is Colette and no David, we've been to Alhambra before. Hope you are OK.

[ibfern]

Barcelona

 

We visited La Sagrada Familia yesterday and noticed some work had been completed since our last visit a few year ago. The Pope visited last year and this fueled the construction, especially the ceiling, which was finally covered so that it would not rain anymore inside.

 

This is a magnificent structure. In 1882 the first foundation stone was laid and conceived by an architect Francisco Pillar and a year later it was taken over by Antoni Gaudi who re-created the original project seeking a more organic composition. Although this church is slated to be finished in 2026, many believe it will never be completed! We enjoyed seeing the variety of artistic styles that are represented in this structure, the most recent work renders more Star Wars/Terminator type figures with the Roman soldiers looking like Storm troopers.

 

Last year year the church was dedicated and declared a Basilica by the Pope and it was finally opened for worship. Construction is more than halfway completed with 4500 square meters of space where 8000 people can worship. I can't imagine this ever getting completed but if it is finished by 2026 I might be able to actually see it! That would be awesome.

 

When it is finished, there will be a park across the street where today there are many stores and apartments. People who own property here know that someday they will have to move. Meanwhile they seem to be profiting from their location and since they all have free bathrooms at the back of their stores, so do the visitors.

 

After visiting the church and taking a short city drive, we were dropped off at the shuttle buses where we learned they are gouging us by charging $8 per person each way! Also, if you order drinks on the ship while we are ported here in Barcelona they are charging an extra 8 percent tax. What?

[Pia1913]

Just checking in with not much to say. Our M and G turned out well; lots of cruisers, but no officers or any staff for that matter. We discussed having a group lunch; no definite date set. We also discussed doing a slot pull, but casino manager vetoed it. Can’t understand her logic. We probably should not have asked permission.

 

　

Not sure whether or not I will attend production show later. Last night was pretty bad pain wise, so might try to grab some extra zzzzzzzz’s. Tomorrow is Motril with nothing planned. Alhambra is the biggie and we’ve been there.

[Dorinda]

Pia - thinking about you and wishing you well! NOW!

Hugs, D & J

[Maryandi]

Thanks for continuing to post even with all your misery. We appreciate it.

 

What reason did the casino manager give for not having the slot pull ? We had not told the CMgr. on the Crown and he couldn't have been more helpful after he saw 30 of us walk in and start the pull.

 

Just don't tell them first !!!

 

Continued improvement - MaryAnn

 

Hi Amelia, good adventures to you, too.

[caribill]

Also, if you order drinks on the ship while we are ported here in Barcelona they are charging an extra 8 percent tax. What?

 

 

From my report from the Star Princess in May:

 

Each time we were docked at a Spanish port, there was a notice in the Patter that any onboard food and beverage purchases while in port would be subject to an 8% Value Added Tax. Hopefully this is not an idea which will spread to other countries.

[lovevacadays]

Just checking in with not much to say. Our M and G turned out well; lots of cruisers, but no officers or any staff for that matter. We discussed having a group lunch; no definite date set. We also discussed doing a slot pull, but casino manager vetoed it. Can’t understand her logic. We probably should not have asked permission.

 

　

Not sure whether or not I will attend production show later. Last night was pretty bad pain wise, so might try to grab some extra zzzzzzzz’s. Tomorrow is Motril with nothing planned. Alhambra is the biggie and we’ve been there.

 

That's strange. I wonder why she vetoes the slot pull. It seems these happen all the time on ships. Hope you are getting better and better each day!

[Pia1913]

Hello from Motril, gateway to Granada and advertised as being more than twice the size of Oregon. I don’t understand why the descriptor chose Oregon, but perhaps Oregonians will know. There were only 3 tours offered, but we are here until 7:00 PM. Most likely because the visit to Alhambra is not around the corner.

　

Me? I’m a mess. Getting worse and may need a wheelchair. I could hardly walk yesterday and haven’t even tried yet today. There’s a free shuttle service to downtown,but no way can I make a decision at this time.

　

Anyhow, it’s hard to keep you entertained, so I’ll just give you a quick rundown of today on board. Nothing. Morning has zero and afternoon has the movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes. If that doesn’t excite you, tonight’s showtime is a female violinist.

　

Will return when I can. RE: slot mgr. She said she can't control it.

what the H does she have to control? Mistake was asking; not my suggestion. :rolleyes:

[Quizmaster78]

I also think that Fabrizio is great as we had him drive us around Pisa and Florence on our world cruise earlier this year....

 

Mama Mia.... I loved his shoes.....

 

I loved those shoes also - How Fun - Trust the Italians.

[coo359a2]

Hello from Motril, gateway to Granada and advertised as being more than twice the size of Oregon. I don’t understand why the descriptor chose Oregon, but perhaps Oregonians will know. There were only 3 tours offered, but we are here until 7:00 PM. Most likely because the visit to Alhambra is not around the corner.

　

Me? I’m a mess. Getting worse and may need a wheelchair. I could hardly walk yesterday and haven’t even tried yet today. There’s a free shuttle service to downtown,but no way can I make a decision at this time.

　

Anyhow, it’s hard to keep you entertained, so I’ll just give you a quick rundown of today on board. Nothing. Morning has zero and afternoon has the movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes. If that doesn’t excite you, tonight’s showtime is a female violinist.

　

Will return when I can. RE: slot mgr. She said she can't control it.

what the H does she have to control? Mistake was asking; not my suggestion. :rolleyes:

 

Gee Pia, thought you were getting better till I got your card. Sure hate that pain is getting worse.:( Fingers crossed for some improvement.

[jajohnson]

....snip.....

Me? I’m a mess. Getting worse and may need a wheelchair. I could hardly walk yesterday and haven’t even tried yet today. There’s a free shuttle service to downtown,but no way can I make a decision at this time.

　

......snip. :rolleyes:

Pia

 

Thinking of you.....wishing you a quick and full recovery....will light a few candles.........

 

Rita and John

[Pia1913]

OK. Couldn’t resist. Had to take the free shuttle into town just in case I would miss something. Got a cane, hobbled off ship, got on bus, went to town, Got off bus, walked two blocks, back to bus and back to ship. Would I have missed anything had I not gone? Not from the scuttlebutt I heard. And this, dear readers, is my total Motril experience. Tomorrow is Gibraltar, place we have visited three times. I swear I’m not going to move a muscle except from hand to mouth. Tuesday is Morocco and I’m going; come H*** or high water.

 

　

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but Christmas decorations have been popping up the past two days. Just trees, scattered about - ie. entrance to Panorama, Casino, atrium outside the shops, etc. Nothing else on walls or ceilings.

 

Signing off until tomorrow. Thank you Rita and John.

[paul929207]

I sure hope you start feeling better soon. Morocco is a wonderful place.

[CruzinNoony]

Hi Pia, I'm so sorry that you are in such pain. I have problems with my hip that seem to be agravated by too much walking and it's no fun. Have you gotten a diagnosis?:confused:

[san diego sue]

Pia,

Got the ecard.

So sorry.Hope recovery happens soon.

G

[ibfern]

Granada & The Alhambra

 

We took a Princess tour to visit The Alhambra and the Church in Granada, there were 8 or more buses full of us and we descended on these places en masse! This is the worst part of taking tours from the ship. At one point I grabbed my husbands arm and started talking to him when I realized it was a stranger, with his wife. Oops.

 

Granada is 2000 feel above sea level and today there was snow covering the Sierra Nevada's, it was cold. The city is very clean and uncrowded, except where we were, and I was surprised by its beauty.

 

We visited the Alhambra first, and it was amazing. Our guide Pablo was brilliant in his knowledge of the Muslim influences and he painted beautiful verbal pictures of the various palaces and gardens we visited. Although the tour touted only 5 steps, there were really hundreds and hundreds and we went slow because we needed to help quite a few folks using canes, good thing there was nobody in wheelchairs because it would have been impossible for them. Most folks were prepared to walk several miles, but after the complete tour of both the Alhambra and the beautiful chapel in Granada, one girl's pedometer indicated that we had all walked over 7 miles! It was exhausting but really fun and totally worth it!

 

Our tour was quite reasonable. For $79 we got a long full day of touring and a full lunch including bottled water and wine. It was so-so food but we got to sit down and rest our aching feet and break bread with friends, and we all needed to rest. So much so that inspire of giving us plenty of extra time to shop, almost nobody did anything more that sit and rest!

 

After lunch we went into Granada, with it's cobbled streets and narrow passages, and visited the fantastic church which is the buried place of the kings and queens of Spain, at least Isabel and Ferdinand. This gothic church has quite an art collection, as well as some important remains such as the arm of St Paul. Apparently there are four different churches in the world who claim to have this same arm, who knows what is really In there! As they added to the church the style evolved into Baroque, then Rococo as it got more and more ornate and guided. It was a beautiful place and I am glad I saw it, rather than go to the bathroom! We had To few pit stops, but there was so much to see and our guide was trying to cover as much as possible. This place is definitely worth going back to see at a more relaxed pace, definitely a be-back.

 

We got back to the ship just in time for dinner, no time (or energy) to change out of our jeans so we just went as we were. It seems to be a general trend, at least on this ship.

 

Dinner was nice and Caryn and I were able to plan our CC lunch where they are making a special pasta and dessert for all of us. A shutout to Maryann here, she showed me that these kinds of luncheons can be easy to organize. Thanks Maryann, I miss you here on the Pacific this year but I got lots of news about our World Cruise friends to share with you later. You will laugh.

 

Our friend Pia is having a bummer of a time, let's all think healing thoughts for her so she can get over this pain in her ass! I think the sea days will do her good.

 

Tomorrow the weather is Gibraltar is supposed to be sunny and in the 60's, as I expect we will have prefect weather for the entire cruise. I am getting pooped from daily ports and can't wait for the sea days, of course I plan on continuing to do it all until those sea days!

[DonahCBrown]

Pia - hope you are feeling better. Got the ecard - you will be happy to know that you are now back on the Pacific Princess and startled to know that you are in the Caribbean...obviously they have a ways to go with this ecard business...anyway, hope your gimpy-ness subsides and you enjoy Morocco. Maybe you should go ahead and get the wheelchair?!...:eek:

[lovevacadays]

OK. Couldn’t resist. Had to take the free shuttle into town just in case I would miss something. Got a cane, hobbled off ship, got on bus, went to town, Got off bus, walked two blocks, back to bus and back to ship. Would I have missed anything had I not gone? Not from the scuttlebutt I heard. And this, dear readers, is my total Motril experience. Tomorrow is Gibraltar, place we have visited three times. I swear I’m not going to move a muscle except from hand to mouth. Tuesday is Morocco and I’m going; come H*** or high water.

 

　

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but Christmas decorations have been popping up the past two days. Just trees, scattered about - ie. entrance to Panorama, Casino, atrium outside the shops, etc. Nothing else on walls or ceilings.

 

Signing off until tomorrow. Thank you Rita and John.

 

Take it easy tomorrow so you can make Morocco. Sounds like a place you really like. I have a friend that does extensive traveling. A few months ago when I was at his house for dinner I asked him some of his favorite places and he mentioned Morocco. I hope you can enjoy your day there.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

Thanks for the report on your day at Motril. How fantastic to visit the Alhambra,

a must see, if you have not been before.

It's history will link in with your call at Morocco.

 

All the best Pia.

[Maryandi]

Amelia - I told you that people love these lunches !! So glad you went ahead and set them up. I have the Holland America South America cruise coming up and the lunches are popular. Glad you are enjoying the whole trip.

 

Let me know about the World Cruise items - I'm ready to hear - are you going on a segment or 2 or all ?

 

We'll miss you but if you have a blog, please send the address.

 

Have a great time - and - tell Pia to get well soon, too.

 

All the best, MaryAnn

touralura@gmail.com

[caribill]

RE: slot mgr. She said she can't control it.

what the H does she have to control? Mistake was asking; not my suggestion. :rolleyes:

 

It was a bigger ship with a bigger casino, but on the Star Princess in May the casino manager was enthusiastic about setting up two slot pulls for the CC group. He picked which machines were to be used each time and even gave every participant a free bingo card for the jackpot game that day.