Live from the Sapphire - March 24-31

[gocalfan]

We are sailing April 28 and can't wait to see the new Sapphire. We loved your weekly menu for the special drinks at Skywalker's. Of course we want you to enjoy your cruise, but is there anyway you can post the daily dinner menus? Planning to make a couple of specialty dinner reservations and don't want to miss something we might like in the dining room. Are the formal nights the 2nd and next to the last nights or the two days at sea? Sorry you have rain, but it sounds like it won't spoil your trip. Stay safe and enjoy!!!!!

[flourpot]

When you say a 'big' flatscreen.... What size is it?

 

Have fun on your cruise.

 

It's larger than any tv I've seen on a ship. It's a Viewsonic monitor and I would guess a 19-21".

[flourpot]

thanks for checking in and will be looking forward to your reports as the week goes on

if possible could post the daily papers on line when you get home. I know we are going to have a new C.D. also what are the movies now?

 

Sure, I'll hold onto them.

 

The MUTS are The Adventures of TinTin, I don't how she does it, and The Artist for today.

[flourpot]

We are sailing April 28 and can't wait to see the new Sapphire. We loved your weekly menu for the special drinks at Skywalker's. Of course we want you to enjoy your cruise, but is there anyway you can post the daily dinner menus? Planning to make a couple of specialty dinner reservations and don't want to miss something we might like in the dining room. Are the formal nights the 2nd and next to the last nights or the two days at sea? Sorry you have rain, but it sounds like it won't spoil your trip. Stay safe and enjoy!!!!!

 

Formal nights are Monday and Wednesday (before and after San Francisco). I'll start taking pics of the menus today (yesterday was the typical sail away with prime rib, Hawaiian pork, vegetable ragout, barramundi, and crayfish). The special in the Pacific Moon was the stirfry noodles with scallops and shrimp (oversalted IMHO). I've had it in the past and loved it and couldn't take more than a bite (and I'm an eater). :-P

[audrey]

thanks for the wonderful information sorry you are having rain

keep it coming continue to have a great cruise

[flourpot]

 

[sassyredhat]

Yes~~~thanx for helping us ~~:)

We are sailing April 14th. We board as disabled. Will we be able to board when we arrive, or will we have to wait until 2pm ??

Thanks again.

Pat

[grandmaa]

We are on this cruise too

Ship is lovely and Horizon Court is sparkling!

Like the separation of the desserts from main food for lunch and in my walk through at breakfast the breads and sweet rolls were out of the main food area

We had lunch at International Cafe when we boarded and even though we had a 2:30 boarding time we boarded at 1. We are elite and rally did not see there being a problem with boarding with the staggered times

Had dinner in Sterlings last night. Do not like all the confusion in the dining rooms on first night so this has become our ritual plus it was Saturday night!

I am posting from my iPhone no problems but using the iPad for Internet needed to go to settings to reconfigure to ships Internet

[flourpot]

Last night we went to the platinum/elite snacks in Skywalkers. It was much better than we anticipated. This being our first cruise as platinum, we have been very impressed with the perks so far.

 

After visiting Skywalkers, we went to dinner in the Pacific Moon. I had the spring rolls, mushroom soup, and the special for the restaurant: a seafood and noodle stirfry with shrimp, scallops, and veggies. The spring rolls were awesome, as usual, but the mushroom soup and special dish were oversalted, IMHO. The soup and special have always been my favorites, so I was sad that they were so salty this time. It was no problem though because the ice cream parlor is open until 10:00pm now.

 

After dinner, we went to the show in the theater. It was very good. It opened with a song by Rhianna, which was refreshing to hear something contemporary in a show. Dave Cole is CD and is doing a great job. Bex is deputy CD. Carlos Oscar is the comedian and is very good.

 

After the show, we went to Trivia. It looks like all the trivia will be in Club Fusion. We weren't winners, but it's still fun. The prizes are ridiculous, as usual. ;-)

 

It is pouring rain today in Santa Barbara and it seems like most people are staying on the ship. It is a tender into port and rough seas to get to the beach. We ate at the international cafe for breakfast (yogurt parfait and a egg, cheese, and canadian bacon muffin).

 

We also walked through the casino to find the "empty" area now filled with chairs and tables to give the smokers another place to go.

 

Here's a picture of it:

 

 

I'll post a bar menu and then be off for now. Remember, if you have any questions, ask! I have been getting great cell reception from the ship (not roaming).

[flourpot]

Yes~~~thanx for helping us ~~:)

We are sailing April 14th. We board as disabled. Will we be able to board when we arrive, or will we have to wait until 2pm ??

Thanks again.

Pat

 

I don't know about that. There were two people being escorted ahead of the crowds by Princess staff, so I would assume it would be the same for you. Don't quote me on that though. :-)

[flourpot]

 

 

 

 

 

[Ella2]

Thank you so much for all the pictures and details! I am on the same itinerary on 4/28.

 

I do have one question for you for your San Francisco day regarding debarkation times. We are debating doing an independent wine country excursion that would require us to be off the ship around 8:15 or so. Can you let us know the earliest debarkation time for San Francisco when you hit that day in the itinerary?

 

Thanks so much, and hope the rain is gone now. It's heading for So Cal at this point, we're supposed to get it today. Enjoy the cruise! :)

[tiller]

Thank you for posting the drink menus. It's nice to see that the coffee prices are very reasonable--actually less than Starbucks.

[ihermdar]

Thanks for the information on boarding. When I called princess they said there was no special boarding. Do you mind explaining how it worked...where did you go when you arrived that they let you go ahead of people. Was it the usual place up the escalator to the checkin? How did they let you pass? What time did you get there & were there lines already? Anything else you can think of that may help...Thanks so much. You can also email the info to me as I am not sure I can find this again ihermdar1@yahoo.com...Thanks, Darlene

[audrey]

I was thinking about if it is raining and I am going to stay aboard also. Thanks again for all the wonderful information that you are posting.

[grandmaa]

Just got back from Santa Barbara

Trips in the tender bouncy as a storm just went through here late last night and early this morning. We walked to State St and took the electric bus for 25 cents one way

And then we walked all the way back window shopping along the way. Going to International Cafe for lunch and then to Princess Theater to see "my week with Marilyn "

And by the way since this is spring break for some school districts there are many families on board

[flourpot]

Thanks for the information on boarding. When I called princess they said there was no special boarding. Do you mind explaining how it worked...where did you go when you arrived that they let you go ahead of people. Was it the usual place up the escalator to the checkin? How did they let you pass? What time did you get there & were there lines already? Anything else you can think of that may help...Thanks so much. You can also email the info to me as I am not sure I can find this again ihermdar1@yahoo.com...Thanks, Darlene

 

When we first entered the terminal from our Princess Transfer from the airport, the staff asked to see our boarding pass. The top of our pass was green and said Priority (it may have said preferred...I don't remember) Boarding on it. We were then sent through priority boarding lines that had labeled signs. There were always 2 lines, one for first timers and gold members and the other for platinum on up. They were right next to each other the whole way through. The preferred line just moved faster. After the xray machine for bags, those with platinum, elite, or suite cards were allowed on the ship while blue and gold card holders were asked to sit down in the terminal and wait for their alloted time to board. We arrived at the port from the airport at about 12:40pm and were on the ship by 1:15pm.

 

Hope this helps.

[lovevacadays]

I'm enjoying reading about your trip. If you get the chance could you post a couple of pictures of the sanctuary.

 

Thanks

[Boomer46]

Gee thanks flour pot...we r on the same cruise beginning next sat. Mar 31. We r also platinum...where do u go to embark priority...is a specially marked lane? Also we hane 150 Internet min. Is it wi-fi...meaning can I use my iPad in my cabin? What about elsewhere on the ship?

[Boomer46]

Whoops...sorry flour pot...just noticed u already answered my first question. Thanks.

[Coral]

Thanks for checking on the table and chairs on the mini suites! I appreciate it :)

 

Have a great rest of your cruise.

[flourpot]

Gee thanks flour pot...we r on the same cruise beginning next sat. Mar 31. We r also platinum...where do u go to embark priority...is a specially marked lane? Also we hane 150 Internet min. Is it wi-fi...meaning can I use my iPad in my cabin? What about elsewhere on the ship?

 

We have the free internet as well. Yesterday, we went to the internet cafe and signed on to get the minutes activated. You just need to know your name and cabin # to do it. It is really easy. We haven't needed to use the ship's internet at all so far. I'm currently posting from my cell phone in my cabin and have 3 bars and a great 3G connection. I've found a wifi connection available all over the ship with my phone, so no problems there. If your iPad has 3G, you should turn your wifi off and just use the 3G connection. We've heard from others that they use their minutes to print their airplane boarding passes on the last day.

[flourpot]

It's larger than any tv I've seen on a ship. It's a Viewsonic monitor and I would guess a 19-21".

 

We just "measured" the tv with an 11" x 8 1/2" piece of paper and got about 26" on the diagonal for the tv. It's huge compared to the old one.

 

Here's a picture I just took:

 

[kmtoner]

Thanks for the great posts. We sail on the Sapphire this Saturday, 3/31.

 

Your Internet and cell phone comments remind me to ask whether one can be certain when connecting an iPhone or iPad through 3G or WiFi included in a mobile data plan and not connecting and using cabin minutes purchased through Princess. For a California Coastal, I'd prefer to use Verizon cell minutes and data throughout the trip and just avoid paying extra to Princess. Years ago I was burned to the tune of several hundred dollars. As the ship cruised near Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, I thought I had a land-based connection. Instead, I was roaming through the ship's cell phone relay. Both AT&T and Princess told me that was just tough luck since my Blackberry didn't display that I was roaming.

 

Safe travels this week!

[flourpot]

We just took the tender into Santa Barbara and boy was it a rocky ride! We anchored a couple miles from shore.

 

Here's a picture:

 

 

When we got off the tender, we walked to the end of the pier and got on a 25 cent trolley that took us into downtown. We stopped at a cupcake shop and ordered a cupcake before catching the trolley back (another 25 cents).

 

I'm sure you want to see a picture of the cupcake, so here it is :-P :