Live from the Caribbean Princess, Dec. 27-Jan. 3

[geoherb]

We made it home this morning after a long day of driving yesterday. We stopped for the night at 11:30 in South Carolina. The traffic on I-95 was a parking lot through most of Georgia heading into South Carolina. We finally took a detour off the Interstate and went on some back roads. It did not help that we had to stop in Palm Coast and have a tire patched while we ate lunch. That took a couple of hours. Including the stops, it was 14 hours down to Fort Lauderdale and 18 hours coming back, mostly due to the slow traffic. The tire repair added an extra hour compared to the stop we made for lunch on the way down. Taking the detour route only added about 10 miles to the trip.

 

The Ultimate Balcony Dinner was nice again. I was disappointed that they did not make the flourless chocolate cake I requested. The girl who took our reservation said she would check to see if it was possible. They served us the regular dessert that comes with the UBD instead. The Horizon Court had a delicious flourless chocolate cake the day before that was better than the UBD dessert. Our servers for the UBD timed everything perfectly.

 

DH stayed up to go to the show, Born to Be Wild, and Phil Tag’s R-rated show. Apparently there are some parents who thought it was OK to bring young children to that.

 

Getting off the ship did not take too long. We were in the first walk-off group. I think they should check to make sure passengers are in that group before they let them into the meeting location. I know that many people snuck into the first group. We waited about 15 minutes in the dining room before they started letting passengers disembark. It took about 10 minutes for us to get to do so, then another 10 minutes to go through Customs and Immigration. We were lucky that we parked in the deck right beside the terminal. The people who had embarked on Tuesday, doing just the 4-day cruise instead of the two cruises like we did, had to catch a shuttle to the deck near Terminal 2.

[geoherb]

I brought back all the Patters and will try to answer any questions.

[DaveyCaper]

Any names of cruise staff you can remember? (e.g. assistant Cruise Director, Deputy Cruise Director). We are on the ship in March and I am curiuosif anyone we have sailed with might be on this one.

[geoherb]

Any names of cruise staff you can remember? (e.g. assistant Cruise Director, Deputy Cruise Director). We are on the ship in March and I am curiuosif anyone we have sailed with might be on this one.

I never saw the morning show, so I'm not sure who the deputy cruise director was. The names I remember are Theo (pronounced Tayo--with a long "a" sound), Harry, Patricio, and Cory.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for taking the time to do the live and welcome home. :)

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

I'm glad they brought back a late night "R" rated show. There were some people who were offended by the material a while back from the UK & I haven't seen one since, even on the CB last Sept.

 

Do you happen to know who the Captain Circle Host was? They change so quickly lately.;)

[geoherb]

Do you happen to know who the Captain Circle Host was? They change so quickly lately.;)

It was Karina from Mexico. I spoke to her a couple of times during the cruise to get answers to questions people asked. She was very nice. I did not see anyone else waiting to see her when I went down during her regular office hours.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

It was Karina from Mexico. I spoke to her a couple of times during the cruise to get answers to questions people asked. She was very nice. I did not see anyone else waiting to see her when I went down during her regular office hours.

 

She's new to the CB. Boy do they change fast.;)

They have such short office hours they usually always busy.

[Dudleydog73]

It was Karina from Mexico. I spoke to her a couple of times during the cruise to get answers to questions people asked. She was very nice. I did not see anyone else waiting to see her when I went down during her regular office hours.

 

Interesting... The email we got for our Jan 17 cruise on the CB lists a Yuki Matsuura as the Circle Host. Did you get a sense Karina was leaving after your cruise?

[geoherb]

Interesting... The email we got for our Jan 17 cruise on the CB lists a Yuki Matsuura as the Circle Host. Did you get a sense Karina was leaving after your cruise?

She did not say. I received several emails before our cruises, but none listed who the Captain's Circle host would be. I've learned to take these emails with a grain of salt after being surprised a couple of times last year with different captain on one cruise and a different cruise director on another.

 

Speaking of captains, I never saw Captain Pomata during either cruise.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Does anyone happen to know if they serve Cappuccino or even the regular dripped coffee at either of the bars (Calypso or Blackbeard's) by the pools on deck 15. I'm assuming that the Horizon waiters get their Cappuccino from the bartenders. :confused:

[Dudleydog73]

She did not say. I received several emails before our cruises, but none listed who the Captain's Circle host would be. I've learned to take these emails with a grain of salt after being surprised a couple of times last year with different captain on one cruise and a different cruise director on another.

 

Speaking of captains, I never saw Captain Pomata during either cruise.

 

I guess we shall see once we board. It was the usual 2 week out email we usually get from the CD that instead had the Circle Host introduced to us. I thought that was odd, but it doesnt really matter one way or the other.

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

geoherb,

Thanks for the review. We will be on the CB in 81 days (but who's counting). One of the people on our roll call questioned whether the All Inclusive Beverage Packages are available on the shorter getaway cruises. Can you confirm that they were selling the packages on the short legs of your B2B? Thanks.

[geoherb]

geoherb,

Thanks for the review. We will be on the CB in 81 days (but who's counting). One of the people on our roll call questioned whether the All Inclusive Beverage Packages are available on the shorter getaway cruises. Can you confirm that they were selling the packages on the short legs of your B2B? Thanks.

They were. I saw several different places on the ship set up on our embarkation days selling them as well as the soda packages.

[SraLiz]

I appreciate your review. I will be along with Hoosier the end of March and have a couple of questions please. 1. Are the in cabin safes activated with a magnetic card or a key pad? 2. How about the lights and air, do you need to insert a card to operate? 3. Can one person in the cabin buy a Beverage Package and not the other?

Thanks so much!!

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

I appreciate your review. I will be along with Hoosier the end of March and have a couple of questions please. 1. Are the in cabin safes activated with a magnetic card or a key pad? 2. How about the lights and air, do you need to insert a card to operate? 3. Can one person in the cabin buy a Beverage Package and not the other?

Thanks so much!!

 

From my cruise on the Caribbean Princess 6 months ago.

1) Safes are keypad activated

2) Lights and are do not require a keycard to activate.

3) Beverage packages can be bought by only one person in a cabin.

[SraLiz]

Thanks so much! I look forward to meeting you soon!

[geoherb]

We never had any problems with the temperature of our cabins. I tend to like it on the warm side and set the thermostat slight above the midpoint. Some people we met complained that theirs was too cold. When I suggested they open their balcony door, they said they had not thought of that. It definitely was always warmer outside than in.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

From my cruise on the Caribbean Princess 6 months ago.

1) Safes are keypad activated

2) Lights and are do not require a keycard to activate.

3) Beverage packages can be bought by only one person in a cabin.

 

I never understood the idea behind the card to activate the lights when any card will work (Royal & Regal). If it could only be activated only by your specific card then they would have a energy saving system.

Maybe it's in the works for the future.;)