Bon Voyage Dave (DMWNC1959)!!!

[Dragonqueen]

Can anybody make out Dave, there was a gentleman waving just by Royal Princess's name plate but I wasn't quick enough to get a photoshot of him.

 

[lynwar]

I watched the sail away, too. I noticed several on balconies. There was a fellow in a bright outfit kind of waving on the "Promenade Deck" outside deck.

How do you like that back area, Dave? I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it and walked through it. We ate supper out there a couple of times, too.

Have an excellent week!

 

Lynne

[TracieABD]

I hope your cruise is as awesome as this thread is turning out to be!

 

I am really happy for you!:)

[Dragonqueen]

This is the best I can get of the photo of the outrigger bar from the webcam.

 

 

Hope you have a fantabulous cruise Dave & I'm sure that Royal will live up to all your expectations.:D

[SurelyUcantBeSerious]

Fantastic pictures, Dave!

 

Have a wonderful cruise and look forward to hearing about your adventure.

.

:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

Let the adventure begin!! :D

[TorontoTL]

Darn, I missed the cam, have a great time Dave and everyone else on the Royal Princess. Wish I was on that ship with you all.:D

[lynwar]

Dragonqueen,

That's a great picture of the Outrigger Bar area. I had never seen it from that direction or vantage point. It looked like it might have been overcast or misting down there for sail away so this was a perfect place to be. Thank you.

I'd looked out from it but not into it!

 

Lynne

[dmwnc1959]

After sail away I dropped off a couple of things at my cabin and headed for Sabatini's for my 5:30pm dinner reservation.

 

The meal started off with an appetizer of tapas from Vines, then I ordered off of the menu the Burrata alla Panna, spaghetti carbonara, Gamberi alla Caprese, and for desert the Sinfonia di Sapori with a cappuccino. The meal was, hands down, the best I have ever had on Princess.

 

I checked out the photo galley to locate the gift left by Larry (#1Winelover) and all of the Roll Call members from the 10/29 cruise and was told that it would be delivered to my cabin. Can't wait to check it out! Thanks everyone!!! I'm honored.

 

After that I initialized my internet account and since I'm Platinum get 150 complimentary minutes, but it offered an additional 100 minutes for only $25 more so I opted for that package. I downloaded 12 pictures to Flickr in less than 4 minutes and it seems to be working exceptionally fast tonight.

 

Right now Duo Push is performing in the Piazza and they're quite the pair.

 

Ryan is the Deputy Cruise Director and will be on until April. He is amazing and has quite a loyal fan club, myself among them.

 

Lots going on tonight and the dancing in the atrium has been contagious and energetic.

 

So far this first day has been everything I could have hoped for and more. And there's 13 more days to go.

 

Wow. Just, wow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2013 by dmwnc1959

[dmwnc1959]

We sat in Crooners one afternoon and watched person after person trip over that small riser the piano sits on. Even after watching people trip on it, I did the exact same thing as we were leaving :eek:. They need to put a railing around it to stop everyone from tripping.

 

That's exactly where it happened this afternoon.

[TorontoTL]

Wow, that meal looks delicious Dave. One of these days I'll need to try Sabatini's.

[pjrockman]

Sorry that I am late to the party, Dave. My Thanksgiving company left today. I join with everyone else in wishing you a great trip. All of your pics so far have been fabulous. I love the food pictures.

 

Enjoy your trip and thanks again for taking your time to post. Please save a Bellini or two for my DW!!

 

All the best, Paul

[Kenosha Cruiser]

Dave, my same words when I stepped onboard the Royal - WOW!!!! Really enjoying your feedback and pictures. Have a super time!!!!

 

Cheers - Ken & Darlene

[missymerv]

Duo Push was with us on the Ruby. What nice guys. Will they be around next week? What party band is on board? Your dinner looked delish. I was thinking of passing on Sabatinis this time but now maybe not. So happy aboùt Ryan definately will have a fun time.

 

Sent from my SM-T210R using Forums mobile app

[dmwnc1959]

Mondays Patters just delivered to my stateroom. Hope you can read them OK? P.S. The Christmas decorations are not up yet. :(

 

 

 

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

Yes, I can read the patters!!

 

Wow..hope the decorations go up soon! And I Love the photos!

 

And so glad the ship was WOW for you...it was for us too!

Edited December 2, 2013 by sunsetbeachgal

[hubofhockey]

Dave, I'm also glad that you're enjoying the ship. Hopefully things dry up once you get into the Caribbean Sea. Hard to believe you have more days at sea on your Caribbean 7-day itinerary than I do on my 11-day Baltic cruise. Your itinerary looks relaxing. Enjoy!

[dmwnc1959]

The Piazza was simply amazing this evening with the party band 'The Speakers', so much energy with the main floor hopping and everyone dancing. It was so much fun to watch, and the singers were very good! I took some video with my iPhone which I'll have to download and post later.

 

Ray Coussins in the Wheelhouse Bar played to a packed house and was also quite excellent.

 

After the dance party ended Crooners was up next and it was also completely filled with folks enjoying the evening.

 

So much entertainment it's hard to keep up, and I should have already been asleep long ago, but I don't want to miss anything.

 

Alas, I've been awake for almost 21 hours and it is time to get some rest before we arrive at Princess Cays. No plans other than to stay on the ship, enjoy myself, and relax. May even sleep in, for once!

 

More to come tomorrow...

 

:D

[Bimmer09]

The Piazza was simply amazing this evening with the party band 'The Speakers', so much energy with the main floor hopping and everyone dancing. It was so much fun to watch, and the singers were very good! I took some video with my iPhone which I'll have to download and post later.

 

Ray Coussins in the Wheelhouse Bar played to a packed house and was also quite excellent.

 

After the dance party ended Crooners was up next and it was also completely filled with folks enjoying the evening.

 

So much entertainment it's hard to keep up, and I should have already been asleep long ago, but I don't want to miss anything.

 

Alas, I've been awake for almost 21 hours and it is time to get some rest before we arrive at Princess Cays. No plans other than to stay on the ship, enjoy myself, and relax. May even sleep in, for once!

 

More to come tomorrow...

 

:D

 

Dave-staying onboard at PC sounds like a good move and a great opportunity to explore the ship more and take some more photos (hint!). I loved your photos of the Crown and Royal as they berthed-really worth getting up early in P.E as the ships are stunning when lit. Thanks for those gems.

 

I hope you enjoy every minute on board-been a long time coming!

 

I imagine you are on sensory overload. Relax and savor. Eat a lot of good food and enjoy the good company you will meet along the way.

 

We all cruise for a reason-because there is nothing quite like the cruise experience....

 

Goodnight from Chicago!

 

Norris

[macusr]

Yum....

 

 

Hah - glad to see you've already tried the amazing chile & lime crab margarita!

[Bimmer09]

After sail away I dropped off a couple of things at my cabin and headed for Sabatini's for my 5:30pm dinner reservation.

 

The meal started off with an appetizer of tapas from Vines, then I ordered off of the menu the Burrata alla Panna, spaghetti carbonara, Gamberi alla Caprese, and for desert the Sinfonia di Sapori with a cappuccino. The meal was, hands down, the best I have ever had on Princess.

 

I checked out the photo galley to locate the gift left by Larry (#1Winelover) and all of the Roll Call members from the 10/29 cruise and was told that it would be delivered to my cabin. Can't wait to check it out! Thanks everyone!!! I'm honored.

 

After that I initialized my internet account and since I'm Platinum get 150 complimentary minutes, but it offered an additional 100 minutes for only $25 more so I opted for that package. I downloaded 12 pictures to Flickr in less than 4 minutes and it seems to be working exceptionally fast tonight.

 

Right now Duo Push is performing in the Piazza and they're quite the pair.

 

Ryan is the Deputy Cruise Director and will be on until April. He is amazing and has quite a loyal fan club, myself among them.

 

Lots going on tonight and the dancing in the atrium has been contagious and energetic.

 

So far this first day has been everything I could have hoped for and more. And there's 13 more days to go.

 

Wow. Just, wow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dave- so far I see two of my favorite things on this ship-spaghetti a la carbonara and Capt. Dino Sagani, the coolest, most enthusiastic (and generous with his time) Captain I have met so far on a Princess (or any other) ship.

 

Plus Ryan, whom I met on the Ruby as ACD...shaping up already.

 

Norris

[dmwnc1959]

Today we visit Princess Cay, but I'll be staying on the ship. We are expected to arrive in about and hour.

 

I woke up at 5am, the first time since I started my vacation where

I actually slept in. The beds and linens are very comfortable, and I really like the shower with the removable head. Water pressure and temperature were fine, as was the a/c (got nice and cold), and the internet connection from my room.

 

Again, the internet seems to be working at very acceptable speeds.

 

The interactive TV is wonderful, and the selection of movies, programs, channels, and shows are enough that you could never leave your room. It took a moment to get the feel of how the (very simple) remote works, but once you get the hang of it you can zip through the options and settle in for the evening if you choose.

 

Sunrise was great, the weather superb, and the seas relatively calm. There is a Holland-America ship trailing us very close astern on the port side.

 

The breakfast selection and variety in the Horizon Court/Bistro and Pastry Shop is simply mind boggling, and I though the quality very good. The service was also very good, prompt, and the staff all polite and gracious.

 

I forgot to mention that last nights dinner in Sabatini's took roughly two hours, there were quite a few tables occupied, and the service excellent.

 

There are still parts of the ship I had not seen yet, mostly because the rain yesterday in Fort Lauderdale made it difficult to get topside. So this morning I ventured up to The Retreat which is a lovely area, albeit a tad on the windy side, but it's a very nice breeze.

 

The fake palm trees were of course removed and replaced with fake column towers of foliage that are much nicer and give the pool deck area a nice elegant appearance, and the groupings of casual seating furniture under the Sun Deck overhang are nice.

 

I did 'SeaWalk' for the first time, waking forward to aft, and it was a bit unnerving. I actually felt like I had to hold on to the railing because the sense of relative motion threw me off kilter. The views from the top deck above SeaWalk and the SeaView Bar looking forward past the bridge and to the horizon are amazing, as were the views aft.

 

The jogging track was not too windy and the Fitness Center was busy first thing this morning. I need to try and hit that today, and not just to take pictures.

 

More later...

 

Pictures from this morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

Dave,

 

Loving your report and photos. When I sailed on the HAL Eurodam two weeks ago we sailed near the Royal for the first day...HAL's Half Moon Cay must be close to Princess cay.

 

Can't wait to hear more!

 

Carole

Edited December 2, 2013 by sunsetbeachgal

[Guest arowe6]

Hi Dave,

 

Glad to see the internet is working better. Enjoy your vacation

 

-Andrew :)

[S'villeGals]

Good morning Dave,

 

Glad you were able to sleep in and still catch some of the beautiful early AM skies.

 

Hope you enjoy your first day of ship-exploring.

 

I want to add my thanks for all the excellent photos you are posting - many of them will be added to my cruise album, with proper credits of course!!

 

Have a marvelous Monday.

 

Kay