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LIVE from the Grand Princess - 49 days from FLL thru South America to SFO

Pia1913

By Pia1913,
in Princess Cruises

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oma16

oma16

Posted
Posted

Fallowing your posts , love them all .Hot & sticky there ,send some of the heat

could use it here as we are digging out from a major blizzard (29 inches ) living just a little bit away from Boston ..Hope Mike is O.K. ???? Keep the posts coming

we'll enjoy reading them...hello from cold Massachusetts ~~~oma16~~~

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jodylorri

jodylorri

Posted
Posted

Pia,

Thank you so much for your thread. I am truly enjoying following you. I will be going on the grand from SF to Hawaii on March 16, 2013. I have cruised many many times but my first on Princess. My husband, 2 children (10,11) and I are very excited about this trip.

 

IECalCruiser is running a thread and a tally for many cruisers about which ships have the new wine package available. Silver and gold packages. Could you please check and see if the "Grand" has these packages available? If you could find out, I will post it on the thread for other cruisers. I had planned to bring a lot of Calif Cabernets on board as we will arrive in SF a few days early, but the new policy is confusing at this time. Therefore, I am following the thread about which ships have the new wine packages available on board. Thank you so much for your time on this.

Lorri

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trbarton "Live from...." Rare

trbarton

Posted
Posted
Pia,

Thank you so much for your thread. I am truly enjoying following you. I will be going on the grand from SF to Hawaii on March 16, 2013. I have cruised many many times but my first on Princess. My husband, 2 children (10,11) and I are very excited about this trip.

 

IECalCruiser is running a thread and a tally for many cruisers about which ships have the new wine package available. Silver and gold packages. Could you please check and see if the "Grand" has these packages available? If you could find out, I will post it on the thread for other cruisers. I had planned to bring a lot of Calif Cabernets on board as we will arrive in SF a few days early, but the new policy is confusing at this time. Therefore, I am following the thread about which ships have the new wine packages available on board. Thank you so much for your time on this.

Lorri

 

Lorri:

 

Can you post a link to the thread fromIECalCruiser?

 

Thanks!

 

Tom:)

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Shadavi

Shadavi

Posted
Posted

Hi, Pia,

Really feeling for you trying to deal with the humidity on top of everything else. We are booked on the 49 day Crown trip next year. Can you tell me if princess offers any tours to the carnival? Hope you were able to get your nails done on your 2nd day in Rio.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted
Pia,

Thank you so much for your thread. I am truly enjoying following you. I will be going on the grand from SF to Hawaii on March 16, 2013. I have cruised many many times but my first on Princess. My husband, 2 children (10,11) and I are very excited about this trip.

 

IECalCruiser is running a thread and a tally for many cruisers about which ships have the new wine package available. Silver and gold packages. Could you please check and see if the "Grand" has these packages available? If you could find out, I will post it on the thread for other cruisers. I had planned to bring a lot of Calif Cabernets on board as we will arrive in SF a few days early, but the new policy is confusing at this time. Therefore, I am following the thread about which ships have the new wine packages available on board. Thank you so much for your time on this.

Lorri

Pia already responded that it was a no for the first leg of her 49 day journey.
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Pia1913

Pia1913

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Good Morning, as we begin our 2nd day in Rio. Lots of groups (private tours) have already departed, since with weekday work traffic added to Carnaval traffic, things may be a but crowded. I hope to get an early start so as not to be out during the high heat of the day.

　

Last night’s folkloric show was……………….eh. Very loud, though. That’s my entire comment.

　

Today on board there’s more or less the same nothing as yesterday. All aboard is at 4:30 and all there is, is Hunger Games on MUTS at 1:00. Tonight’s offerings is the violinist again in Vista, a tenor (Aaron Shaw) in the theater and The Avengers (2012) on MUTS. A Passenger who is an astronomer will present The Night Sky on Deck at 8:30 at the Sea Breeze bar. It’s listed as; “trace the constellations, view star clusters, double stars and maybe even see the Southern Cross.

Meredith: DR tables OK. Just the HC.

Shadavi: Princess had 170 going to Sambadrome last night. Cost: $749.00 per person

　

Wish me luck on my quest for Diet Pepsi and to get my nails done. Over and out until I have something to say.

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bellasorella

bellasorella

Posted
Posted
Good Morning, as we begin our 2nd day in Rio. Lots of groups (private tours) have already departed, since with weekday work traffic added to Carnaval traffic, things may be a but crowded. I hope to get an early start so as not to be out during the high heat of the day.

 

 

　

 

Shadavi: Princess had 170 going to Sambadrome last night. Cost: $749.00 per person

 

　

ARE YOU KIDDING?????

And they got 170 people to pay that???

Talk about highway robbery! Apparently one doesn't have to go out on the streets to get "mugged" in Rio!!!

We were supposed to be on the SA cruise last year departing during Carnaval. I must say I am happy to be going this year, and missing Rio altogether.

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MilliesMom

MilliesMom

Posted
Posted

I had no idea what the Sambadome was so looked it up:

 

At Carnival time the Sambadrome is the heartbeat of Rio de Janiero. A 3,000ft (700m) stretch of road designed as a 90,000 capacity parade area with stadium seating rising on each side of the road.

 

Samba schools have 80 minutes to parade through the center of the Sambadrome performing their samba school anthem impressing the crowd with their music, dancing and floats. it is an incredible spectacle; seven teams compete each night in a concert that lasts over ten hours.

During the rest of the year the Sambadrome hosts the occasional music concerts. Some of the more famous names to play include the Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Eric Clapton and Coldplay.

 

If its not Carnival and there's no concert then the Sambadrome can be very empty and quiet but it is still a fascinating piece of Rio’s culture and there is a small museum that showcases its history.

 

http://www.viator.com/Rio-de-Janeiro-attractions/Sambadrome/d712-a1331

 

The photos on google images are great too.

 

Personally, I wouldn't pay that much for an excursion. However, I can also see it as a once in a lifetime event for many and not wanting to miss out. It's kind of like the plane and helicopter excursions in Alaska that run $300 to $400 a person. There are always people who want to do them. I even told my hubby that if he wanted to do the seaplane or helicopter this coming cruise in Alaska that he could. We would rearrange the budget so that he could take the excursion. Again, once in a lifetime and something he has wanted to do. He has opted not to go, but at least he had the choice.

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Pia1913

Pia1913

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Mission accomplished. Nails will have to be done on board, but success with all other shopping. I left the ship (alone) at 8:45 and picked up the H. Stern shuttle. Had to walk to the terminal because no shuttle from ship in sight. Waited about 15 minutes for the Stern shuttle and then stayed there for more than an hour fighting unbelievable traffic. So many stops just to let the floats pass by. Got to the jewelry shop, used their facilities and left immediately (w/o doing a jewelry tour or looking at anything other than coffee in their gift shop to get an idea of price). Found the supermarket and bought my diet Pepsi, water, coffee and dark chocolate for Mike. Then across the street to the pharmacy to get the eye drops I couldn’t find yesterday and I was ready to return. Got back to the ship shortly past noon. Most of my 3+ hours was spent sitting in a van in traffic. Supermarket had lots of wine. Didn’t really look; just glanced. I could have bought cans of beer, since it would have looked like soda going thru the belt, but nobody looked at anything that I or anyone else was carrying. We have a tour in Buenos Aires, and if possible,

will attempt to buy wine at that port. It’s a private tour with only eight, so will see what the others want to do.

　

That’s about it for this exciting day. The weather remains hot and humid, but fortunately not as hot as yesterday. The sun did me a favor and stayed hidden. We leave here in about an hour. Two more ships arrived today, but I can’t identify them from my view. Azamara and Fortuna are supposed to leave today, but Maasdam will be here for a third day.

　

See you tomorrow.

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Julia’s Journey’s

Julia’s Journey’s

Posted
Posted
Fallowing your posts , love them all .Hot & sticky there ,send some of the heat

could use it here as we are digging out from a major blizzard (29 inches ) living just a little bit away from Boston ..Hope Mike is O.K. ???? Keep the posts coming

we'll enjoy reading them...hello from cold Massachusetts ~~~oma16~~~

 

Saw pics of a table on the deck with about 25 inches of snow on it - be safe there and keep warm.:eek:

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Julia’s Journey’s

Julia’s Journey’s

Posted
Posted

 

 

 

Meredith: DR tables OK. Just the HC.

 

Shadavi: Princess had 170 going to Sambadrome last night. Cost: $749.00 per person

 

　

Wish me luck on my quest for Diet Pepsi and to get my nails done. Over and out until I have something to say.

 

Hope you had fun getting your nails done and lucked out with finding your diet Pepsi:):)

Doesn't seem like they are offering much in new entertainment on board - same old movies etc.

Wow at that price I'm surprised they found 170 people for the excursion to the Sambadrome:eek:

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Julia’s Journey’s

Julia’s Journey’s

Posted
Posted
Good Morning, as we begin our 2nd day in Rio. Lots of groups (private tours) have already departed, since with weekday work traffic added to Carnaval traffic, things may be a but crowded. I hope to get an early start so as not to be out during the high heat of the day.

 

 

　

 

 

Shadavi: Princess had 170 going to Sambadrome last night. Cost: $749.00 per person

 

　

ARE YOU KIDDING?????

And they got 170 people to pay that???

Talk about highway robbery! Apparently one doesn't have to go out on the streets to get "mugged" in Rio!!!

We were supposed to be on the SA cruise last year departing during Carnaval. I must say I am happy to be going this year, and missing Rio altogether.

 

LOL, my thoughs exactly - guess some people have way way way toooooooo much money!!! I could cruise for a week on that!!!

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted
$749 for a show? must have very rich people on board.

i would never pay that for a show . Could take another cruise for that cost.

Thanks for all the Live reports. we leave on Saturday to pick up the Star and sail from BA to LA.

 

While I must agree with you that the $750. value was surprising, just think of it this way; these 170 people got to see something that none of those who stayed behind will ever see. They will likely not pass this way again and will not be presented with the opportunity to do what these people did. One's life is the total of all our experiences and although we may not be able to go out into space to see the stars, they could have experienced the once in a lifetime Sambadrome had $750. not taken precedence. Just saying.

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2 to cruise

2 to cruise

Posted
Posted
While I must agree with you that the $750. value was surprising, just think of it this way; these 170 people got to see something that none of those who stayed behind will ever see. They will likely not pass this way again and will not be presented with the opportunity to do what these people did. One's life is the total of all our experiences and although we may not be able to go out into space to see the stars, they could have experienced the once in a lifetime Sambadrome had $750. not taken precedence. Just saying.

 

 

Could not have said this better myself! My husband always says "are we coming back tomorrow." No, we are not, probably not ever again, so go for it. We also have a friend that passed away last July and his saying was, "it only costs a couple of bucks more to go first class." So true, so true!

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