Grand Princess 10-Day Mexican Riviera Cruise - Photo Review - Jan 9-19th, 2016

[!David!]

His reviews are worth waiting for. I am sure that now he is home, he is busy with work and other obligations. Please don"t make him mad. We want to see the rest of his reviews.

WCC

 

 

 

I for juan don't mind waiting. I'm sure Mrs. Winks keeps him hopping.

 

:cool::cool:

[Cruise Raider]

Great review and pictures, we will be on the Grand in Sept, doing the same cruise, you can only do the Caribbean so many times in a row.

 

How did you get from the Airport to your Hotel/then to the ship? Taxi, Uber, BART? We are from Seattle, my wife is from the Bay area, so we could have her sister pick us up from the airport, just curious.

 

We cruise out of SF as often as possible....and as your wife can probably tell you, they have excellent public transport available. BART goes directly to both the Oakland airport and the San Francisco airport. From there, you can go directly to a hotel in downtown SF or somewhere in the east bay. They have hotels right near some of the BART stations.

We are in the east bay and either get a ride from a family member or take BART and walk or cab it from there. BART does take you within a mile of the pier and the terrain is flat in between the two. Usually, we like to take our wine and pay the corkage so try to get a ride then. Our load is lightened on the way home so usually take BART in that direction.

[rp23g7]

We cruise out of SF as often as possible....and as your wife can probably tell you, they have excellent public transport available. BART goes directly to both the Oakland airport and the San Francisco airport. From there, you can go directly to a hotel in downtown SF or somewhere in the east bay. They have hotels right near some of the BART stations.

We are in the east bay and either get a ride from a family member or take BART and walk or cab it from there. BART does take you within a mile of the pier and the terrain is flat in between the two. Usually, we like to take our wine and pay the corkage so try to get a ride then. Our load is lightened on the way home so usually take BART in that direction.

 

thanks for the reply, neither of us have been to San Francisco since 2000 or so, we are going to stay at the World Mark on Bush and Stockton.

 

I looked on Google but not really sure what a good site is for all the transportation options,

[Cruise Raider]

thanks for the reply, neither of us have been to San Francisco since 2000 or so, we are going to stay at the World Mark on Bush and Stockton.

 

I looked on Google but not really sure what a good site is for all the transportation options,

 

Try this site....we use it all the time:

 

http://tripplanner.transit.511.org/mtc/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

 

Also, don't forget to check out Groupon for discounts in the city....some for restaurants and a lot for attractions.

One more thing ... if you are planning on going to Alcatraz, probably no discount tickets but be sure to get them early as they will be completely sold out if you wait until you get to bay area.

[WinksCruises]

 

Let’s get it straight, before we even leave the ship. Cabo is out-of-control crazy. It’s a party town - thanks largely to the entertainment news industry that continuously paints this Baja port as a sun-drenched, tequila-soaked, haven for rakehells, like infamous celebrity bad-boy Sammy Hagar and his “I Can’t Drive 55” illicit lifestyle. Hagar, former lead-singer of mega-rock-band Van Halen, loved Cabo San Lucas so much, he blended his own brand of blue agave tequila here, named it Cabo Wabo, and then opened a successful franchise of nightclubs - just in case anyone was missing the point that he loves tequila.

 

So yes. People get drunk here (more on that later) and yet, surprisingly, it’s a port-of-call where cruise ships still need to transport their passengers to-and-from shore by means of a tender boat. Probably the least safe way for an inebriated person to travel! I mean, how much sense does that really make? I look at Cabo San Lucas (and to a lesser extent, Georgetown, Grand Cayman) and ask why? These are two hugely popular and profitable ports. Wouldn’t it make sound, commercial sense to invest in a pier? Given the heavy cruise-ship traffic that these busy ports indulge? And the increasing number of opportunistic law firms popping up that focus on cruise-line liability? You know these sharks are just waiting for one (or more) of us drunks to take a tumble into the drink while tendering!

 

But enough of these first world cruiser problems. Let’s focus on our own little visit to Cabo land.

 

 

In the end, it’s pretty funny. Our shore excursion to Cabo never needed to happen at all. See, Mrs. Winks doesn’t enjoy the tendering process. The cattle call, and ensuing crowds, the having to be seen on Deck 2 (shudder), the waiting in a bobbing watercraft knee-to-knee with the guy who leered at you over the bacon tray at the buffet that morning. It can be quite the nightmare!

 

So visiting a port like this is always a perfect opportunity for me to run my now famous “let’s stay onboard the ship for the day” shtick. And yet, ironically, when I see the steady parade of tiny, orange, escape crafts making their bee-line for the distant shore, I can’t help but think they’re off to a better way of life. And so, I want to follow them. Call it herd mentality, for tender boats. But I’m a sucker for it for some inexplicable reason.

 

So instead of following my dream of spending a carefree day onboard the Grand, enjoying free run of the ship, and stealing books from the library, I dashed it all, caved and buckled, and told Mrs. Winks we could venture off to shore - just to take a “look-see.”

 

Of course, a generous offer like this came with a few Mr. Winks stipulations and several binding legal clauses (thank goodness for the ship’s Voom internet service and a quick visit to the Legal Zoom page). I quickly drew up a contract that clearly indicated that, during our time ashore, there was to be no sardine crammed cab rides to faraway hotel resorts, no snorkeling catamaran beach breaks or yo-ho-ho pirate ship booze-cruises, no visits to turtle farms or butterfly sanctuaries, no ATV adventures or Segway tours, no swimming with the dolphins or suckling with the sting rays. No zip lining or deep-sea fishing. No mopeds, paddleboards or panga boats of any size. And we have seen the Arch and been to Honeymoon Beach already, thank you, so no, just no. All I wanted was a pressure-free stroll around the faux town, maybe a little people watching, a little harassing the vendors (haggling the price up, asking them if they’d like to buy my watch), a little harassing of other cruise passengers (giving them wrong directions to the Hard Rock, then claiming Jon Bon Jovi was over at the bar at Squid Roe doing an acoustic show) etc. etc.

 

A fan of such hijinks, Mrs. Winks invariably agreed it was a fairly decent day-plan. For this, she would brave the indignities of tender travel and an appearance on Deck 2. So, signed contract in hand, we made our way down to the departure lounge and waited for the next tender ashore.

 

 

The trip to Cabo went relatively smoothly, chiefly because our Suite Guest status afforded us an opportunity to “cut the cue” and board the next available tender. And the next tender just happened to be one of those contracted boats from the local Cabo tendering service and not one of the Grand’s more claustrophobic lifeboats, so we lucked out with a more humane transport. On top of this, the Grand has an interesting design feature in which a portion of the ship’s superstructure folds out over the water, creating a makeshift dock, which made the boarding process a little more secure. So once past the poisonous glares of those patiently waiting in line, we grabbed seats on a bench in the very aft of the tender craft, and a few minutes later, enjoyed the scenic 10-minute trip over to the town’s marina. It was a bright blue sunny day and we were open to the air.

 

It’s true, there’s a bit of a gauntlet you run once you disembark in Cabo. Vendors on the dock are pushing deep-sea fishing trips, mostly, but also the occasional jewelry and cocaine offers. I would explain I was in recovery - but furtively looking for a cheap bender (for tuna that is) and then listen to their sales pitches and after feigning interest blame Mrs. Winks for not letting me go cause “she needs to get to a bar.” Yeah, it’s pretty obnoxious; but it makes for a cheap shore excursion.

 

 

After walking around the marina a bit, watching sea lions and pelicans flopping around the boat slips, we eventually stumbled into a nameless bar that was offering lunch, cheap drinks and the Patriots playoff game, though we were way too early to watch that. We sidled up to a sidebar that overlooked the promenade and fishing boats which allowed us a chance to people-watch while we checked-in with the real world making use of the bar’s free Wi-Fi. Pina Coladas were the drink of the day.

 

Once we got a nice buzz on, we decided to head back to the ship before the afternoon tender rush. That said, we still ended up taking our sweet time reaching the boarding area, stopping at a tent bazaar to pick up a silver bracelet for our cat sitter back home and then tipsily browsing for other bargains and finding other excuses to stop along the way.

 

Plopping down outside the Hard Rock, I browsed through some postcard purchases while waiting on Mrs. Winks to return from the facilities. Then, suddenly, three uniformed agents appeared out of nowhere and went racing by! Finally! I gloated. I was going to see my first Mexican drug cartel takedown! Of course, I never imagined it would take place in Cabo (and sure, I was a little disappointed by that). But no big deal; it was some real action I could finally blog about… so I grabbed my camera and followed.

 

Well, unfortunately, there was no gangland gun battle or even the slightest bloodshed. Turns out some light weight at the Hard Rock indulged in a little too much tequila, and as the old song goes: one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor. And in this case, the floor happened to be the cobblestone piazza just outside the bar. The paramedic team whisked in (apparently they’re always on standby around the pier) and revived the poor, embarrassed woman and got her back on her feet. The stretcher went unused much to everyone's disappointment.

 

 

Mrs. Winks returned, confused a bit by all the paramedic activity. I explained to her what had happened and how let down, in retrospect, I was that I didn’t get to witness a real Mexican DEA style drug cartel shootout. In a bid to console me, Mrs. Winks ranted about her own adventure in the bathroom where they tried to shake her down for toilet paper and she successfully conned them by slipping a Canadian nickel into the matron's cup, claiming it was a new fangled US quarter. Good one! But it just wasn’t the same.

 

After the stricken woman rehydrated herself and the crowd dispersed, we decided to get back to the ship for reals. We hung out at the edge of the boarding area, waiting for an orange lifeboat tender to fill, and then jumped on the cue when we saw the next boat was a Cabo tender.

 

And to my point earlier in this post, several people, myself included, nearly fell while boarding the rocking vessels. Fortunately, there were several crew members, circling us like those center thumper bumpers in a pinball machine, bouncing us around until we were back on our feet. Once seated, the trip back to the ship was beautiful if uneventful. A silly and stress-free day in Cabo.

 

 

Next up: the voyage back to San Fran, the rough seas and rainy disembarkation, plus Mrs. Winks reviews the Sanctuary. When (and if) "the worst review ever" continues….

Edited March 2, 2016 by WinksCruises

[raider23]

Worth the wait! Thank you for this entertaining chapter, I look forward to the next installment. :D

[fairsky1984]

Me too. Great review, re-living our Mexico cruises.

[Luvmyrotti]

This has to b one of the worst reviews ever. Nothing like having to wait a week for the next day that happened back in January. Why even bother starting this if you aren't going to finish it?

 

Then you should not come back to the thread. Don't spoil it for the rest of us. I personally think it's a wonderful review.

[BLJBLJ]

Do the ports take American $$ or do I need to get some Pesos before I leave on my cruise to Mexico ??

[jmelnick]

Do the ports take American $$ or do I need to get some Pesos before I leave on my cruise to Mexico ??

 

They'll gladly take Dollars, but you'll probably get change in Pesos.

You might have better luck bargaining if you have Pesos.

[Cruise Raider]

Then you should not come back to the thread. Don't spoil it for the rest of us. I personally think it's a wonderful review.

 

Well said!! I am enjoying it and it has been worth the wait.

[west coast cruiser]

 

Let’s get it straight, before we even leave the ship. Cabo is out-of-control crazy. It’s a party town - thanks largely to the entertainment news industry that continuously paints this Baja port as a sun-drenched, tequila-soaked, haven for rakehells, like infamous celebrity bad-boy Sammy Hagar and his “I Can’t Drive 55” illicit lifestyle. Hagar, former lead-singer of mega-rock-band Van Halen, loved Cabo San Lucas so much, he blended his own brand of blue agave tequila here, named it Cabo Wabo, and then opened a successful franchise of nightclubs - just in case anyone was missing the point that he loves tequila.

 

So yes. People get drunk here (more on that later) and yet, surprisingly, it’s a port-of-call where cruise ships still need to transport their passengers to-and-from shore by means of a tender boat. Probably the least safe way for an inebriated person to travel! I mean, how much sense does that really make? I look at Cabo San Lucas (and to a lesser extent, Georgetown, Grand Cayman) and ask why? These are two hugely popular and profitable ports. Wouldn’t it make sound, commercial sense to invest in a pier? Given the heavy cruise-ship traffic that these busy ports indulge? And the increasing number of opportunistic law firms popping up that focus on cruise-line liability? You know these sharks are just waiting for one (or more) of us drunks to take a tumble into the drink while tendering!

 

But enough of these first world cruiser problems. Let’s focus on our own little visit to Cabo land.

 

 

In the end, it’s pretty funny. Our shore excursion to Cabo never needed to happen at all. See, Mrs. Winks doesn’t enjoy the tendering process. The cattle call, and ensuing crowds, the having to be seen on Deck 2 (shudder), the waiting in a bobbing watercraft knee-to-knee with the guy who leered at you over the bacon tray at the buffet that morning. It can be quite the nightmare!

 

So visiting a port like this is always a perfect opportunity for me to run my now famous “let’s stay onboard the ship for the day” shtick. And yet, ironically, when I see the steady parade of tiny, orange, escape crafts making their bee-line for the distant shore, I can’t help but think they’re off to a better way of life. And so, I want to follow them. Call it herd mentality, for tender boats. But I’m a sucker for it for some inexplicable reason.

 

So instead of following my dream of spending a carefree day onboard the Grand, enjoying free run of the ship, and stealing books from the library, I dashed it all, caved and buckled, and told Mrs. Winks we could venture off to shore - just to take a “look-see.”

 

Of course, a generous offer like this came with a few Mr. Winks stipulations and several binding legal clauses (thank goodness for the ship’s Voom internet service and a quick visit to the Legal Zoom page). I quickly drew up a contract that clearly indicated that, during our time ashore, there was to be no sardine crammed cab rides to faraway hotel resorts, no snorkeling catamaran beach breaks or yo-ho-ho pirate ship booze-cruises, no visits to turtle farms or butterfly sanctuaries, no ATV adventures or Segway tours, no swimming with the dolphins or suckling with the sting rays. No zip lining or deep-sea fishing. No mopeds, paddleboards or panga boats of any size. And we have seen the Arch and been to Honeymoon Beach already, thank you, so no, just no. All I wanted was a pressure-free stroll around the faux town, maybe a little people watching, a little harassing the vendors (haggling the price up, asking them if they’d like to buy my watch), a little harassing of other cruise passengers (giving them wrong directions to the Hard Rock, then claiming Jon Bon Jovi was over at the bar at Squid Roe doing an acoustic show) etc. etc.

 

A fan of such hijinks, Mrs. Winks invariably agreed it was a fairly decent day-plan. For this, she would brave the indignities of tender travel and an appearance on Deck 2. So, signed contract in hand, we made our way down to the departure lounge and waited for the next tender ashore.

 

 

The trip to Cabo went relatively smoothly, chiefly because our Suite Guest status afforded us an opportunity to “cut the cue” and board the next available tender. And the next tender just happened to be one of those contracted boats from the local Cabo tendering service and not one of the Grand’s more claustrophobic lifeboats, so we lucked out with a more humane transport. On top of this, the Grand has an interesting design feature in which a portion of the ship’s superstructure folds out over the water, creating a makeshift dock, which made the boarding process a little more secure. So once past the poisonous glares of those patiently waiting in line, we grabbed seats on a bench in the very aft of the tender craft, and a few minutes later, enjoyed the scenic 10-minute trip over to the town’s marina. It was a bright blue sunny day and we were open to the air.

 

It’s true, there’s a bit of a gauntlet you run once you disembark in Cabo. Vendors on the dock are pushing deep-sea fishing trips, mostly, but also the occasional jewelry and cocaine offers. I would explain I was in recovery - but furtively looking for a cheap bender (for tuna that is) and then listen to their sales pitches and after feigning interest blame Mrs. Winks for not letting me go cause “she needs to get to a bar.” Yeah, it’s pretty obnoxious; but it makes for a cheap shore excursion.

 

 

After walking around the marina a bit, watching sea lions and pelicans flopping around the boat slips, we eventually stumbled into a nameless bar that was offering lunch, cheap drinks and the Patriots playoff game, though we were way too early to watch that. We sidled up to a sidebar that overlooked the promenade and fishing boats which allowed us a chance to people-watch while we checked-in with the real world making use of the bar’s free Wi-Fi. Pina Coladas were the drink of the day.

 

Once we got a nice buzz on, we decided to head back to the ship before the afternoon tender rush. That said, we still ended up taking our sweet time reaching the boarding area, stopping at a tent bazaar to pick up a silver bracelet for our cat sitter back home and then tipsily browsing for other bargains and finding other excuses to stop along the way.

 

Plopping down outside the Hard Rock, I browsed through some postcard purchases while waiting on Mrs. Winks to return from the facilities. Then, suddenly, three uniformed agents appeared out of nowhere and went racing by! Finally! I gloated. I was going to see my first Mexican drug cartel takedown! Of course, I never imagined it would take place in Cabo (and sure, I was a little disappointed by that). But no big deal; it was some real action I could finally blog about… so I grabbed my camera and followed.

 

Well, unfortunately, there was no gangland gun battle or even the slightest bloodshed. Turns out some light weight at the Hard Rock indulged in a little too much tequila, and as the old song goes: one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor. And in this case, the floor happened to be the cobblestone piazza just outside the bar. The paramedic team whisked in (apparently they’re always on standby around the pier) and revived the poor, embarrassed woman and got her back on her feet. The stretcher went unused much to everyone's disappointment.

 

 

Mrs. Winks returned, confused a bit by all the paramedic activity. I explained to her what had happened and how let down, in retrospect, I was that I didn’t get to witness a real Mexican DEA style drug cartel shootout. In a bid to console me, Mrs. Winks ranted about her own adventure in the bathroom where they tried to shake her down for toilet paper and she successfully conned them by slipping a Canadian nickel into the matron's cup, claiming it was a new fangled US quarter. Good one! But it just wasn’t the same.

 

After the stricken woman rehydrated herself and the crowd dispersed, we decided to get back to the ship for reals. We hung out at the edge of the boarding area, waiting for an orange lifeboat tender to fill, and then jumped on the cue when we saw the next boat was a Cabo tender.

 

And to my point earlier in this post, several people, myself included, nearly fell while boarding the rocking vessels. Fortunately, there were several crew members, circling us like those center thumper bumpers in a pinball machine, bouncing us around until we were back on our feet. Once seated, the trip back to the ship was beautiful if uneventful. A silly and stress-free day in Cabo.

 

 

Next up: the voyage back to San Fran, the rough seas and rainy disembarkation, plus Mrs. Winks reviews the Sanctuary. When (and if) "the worst review ever" continues….

Welcome back. Your reviews are so much fun. Can't wait for the next one.

WCC

[rocklinmom]

Fabulous as always! Thanks for the laughs Winks! You are freakin hilarious. :D Can't wait for your cruise wrap-up. Ignore the impatient one...you are by far the best review ever!!

[rp23g7]

Try this site....we use it all the time:

 

http://tripplanner.transit.511.org/mtc/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

 

Also, don't forget to check out Groupon for discounts in the city....some for restaurants and a lot for attractions.

One more thing ... if you are planning on going to Alcatraz, probably no discount tickets but be sure to get them early as they will be completely sold out if you wait until you get to bay area.

 

Thanks, neat site, Alcatraz, been there a few times. One thing that we did around 2000 (Pre 2001), we were with my wifes sister, she had business in the city so we stayed with her for a week in the Pan Pacific.

 

We were bored one day so we went to the Drake to see if we could have lunch at the place at the top. It was closed, so we went down a floor to the suites, nothing going on there....so we went through a exit door, into a concrete hallway, around a corner, and there was the buildings airshaft, COOL, big fan at the top, and a long way down in the dark, (shades of Die Hard).

 

We went through the door at the other end, and there we were on the fire porch, where all the water standpipes are, on the side of the building, AWSOME View, 21 stories straight down, I didn't have my camera with me though.

[Jasperdo]

Do the ports take American $$ or do I need to get some Pesos before I leave on my cruise to Mexico ??

I like to carry a supply of $1's and $5's when I'm onshore in Mexico. That way I always have the correct amount for tips and purchases. The Passenger Services Desk will have small bills if you need them. I usually exchange a twenty for two fives and ten ones.

[scuba diver]

Very good entertaining review. If you have time can you post the rest of the menus.

[WinksCruises]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up: Sea Days back to San Fran and Disembark

[warthog2608]

We had the same impression of Manzanillo as the OP. Makes me wonder where the people who said it is their favorite went? We hired a cab to take us on a long ride to the Las Hadas resort but they wouldn't let us in. Guess we looked like gringo riff-raff? The cab driver was mad and said he was going to report them to the tourist bureau. We love the other ports on this cruise and we've spent many a week on numerous occasions over the past couple decades in each of the other 3. This was our only time in Manzanillo. Next time here probably just enjoy a less busy day onboard.

[DarkCrystal]

We had the same impression of Manzanillo as the OP. Makes me wonder where the people who said it is their favorite went? We hired a cab to take us on a long ride to the Las Hadas resort but they wouldn't let us in. Guess we looked like gringo riff-raff? The cab driver was mad and said he was going to report them to the tourist bureau. We love the other ports on this cruise and we've spent many a week on numerous occasions over the past couple decades in each of the other 3. This was our only time in Manzanillo. Next time here probably just enjoy a less busy day onboard.

 

We felt the same way too. We started to walk in to town, but decided we didn't like the look (or feel) of the place. Had a perfectly nice day back on board the ship.

[raider23]

Welcome back. Your reviews are so much fun. Can't wait for the next one.

WCC

 

What is the purpose of reposting all the pictures when you quote?

[Cruise Raider]

We had the same impression of Manzanillo as the OP. Makes me wonder where the people who said it is their favorite went? We hired a cab to take us on a long ride to the Las Hadas resort but they wouldn't let us in. Guess we looked like gringo riff-raff? The cab driver was mad and said he was going to report them to the tourist bureau. We love the other ports on this cruise and we've spent many a week on numerous occasions over the past couple decades in each of the other 3. This was our only time in Manzanillo. Next time here probably just enjoy a less busy day onboard.

 

I am one that books a cruise based on Manzanillo. It is one of my favorite ports and have stayed down there as well as sailed there on a cruise several times.

We have gone to Las Hadas -- too bad you missed that. It is a very lovely resort! We've done other all inclusives there, none of which were as nice as Las Hadas but there is a Barceló there that was completely booked when we were there, which is supposed to be even nicer than Las Hadas.

We've walked into town and had a great time poking in all the little local shops. The people there were all fabulous and didn't ever feel my safety was at risk. We even stopped at a local hotel that was simply wonderful and had drinks and a snack. It was so hot that day so this was just such a welcome little spot for our respite. Again, really wonderful people and they allowed us to tour the hotel....not a tourist hotel by any means but a taste of real Mexico. It was absolutely magnificent!

Our last time there was my favorite of all. We tour a tour to the Turtle Sanctuary and took part in the release program. I did get eaten alive by mosquitoes or sand fleas there but is was worth it. I know better and will slather on the DEET next time around. We also stopped at the salt museum, which I thought was pretty interesting and then for a most fabulous lunch and ice cold beers at one of the local restaurants before returning to the ship.

The colorful statues of dogs on the pier actually have a significance. Ask one of the locals down there about it one time. Very interesting.

 

On the other had, I don't care to EVER get off the ship in Mazatlán, have very little interest in Puerto Vallarta and even less in Cabo. Loreto or Ixtapa / Zihautanejo are right up there with Manzanillo in my book -- so if not one, then definitely one of the others needs to be on my itinerary for me to be interested in going to Mexico.

[WinksCruises]

Welcome back my friends to the review that never ends! We're closing in on the home-stretch now, so thank you for your patience and stamina in hanging in there. As several of you have pointed out, after the cruise, real life has a noxious way of consuming all your free time - to the extent that finding time to write and sort through photos becomes a lot less doable. That said, here's the next installment of our adventure:

 

Just as the sun began to set on Cabo, the Grand Princess gracefully glided past the jagged array of sentinel granite rock formations, basking in the magical beauty that is the Baja Peninsula at twilight. And that’s when grim reality set in; the next port, San Francisco, would be the voyage’s last. The final destination.

 

As the ship drifted out to sea, Mrs. Winks left me on the balcony to go ready herself for the evening’s festivities, at which point I sat back in the lounger with a glass of Cabernet and thought about the interesting woman I’d read about earlier in the day. I’d stumbled upon her story in a OneNote clipping I’d randomly dropped in my cruise notebook weeks earlier and never got around to reading. It was a USA Today article profiling a wealthy widow, Lee Wachtstetter, 86, who’d spent that last 8-years of her solitary retirement occupying a stateroom cabin aboard the Crystal Serenity as a permanent passenger.

 

Reflecting on our own circumstances, we had just spent a modest 9, more-or-less fun days on a vacation junket (granted, I could have dealt without the ports) and freely admitted we’d eagerly embrace an opportunity to continue our journey with a back-to-back booking (or even a brief travel delay because of fog) - if we could only afford the time. I chuckled to myself and thought, this time, we’d do it right and even purchase one of Gustavo’s damn premium coffee cards!

 

But, after further pondering Ms. Wachstetter’s unique situation, I had to wonder if we would genuinely be all that happy continuing on… in perpetuity… as she does. Would you? Cruising forever?

 

 

If you’re interested, you can read more about Crystal Cruise Line’s favorite passenger Mrs. Wachstetter and her never-ending life on the high-seas HERE, but for those of us less-affluent peons wrapping up our measly 10-day on the Grand, it was time to suck-it-up and make the most of the fleeting-time we had left on our pint-sized sojourn. Fortunately, our generous itinerary bestowed upon us a full two days-at-sea before having to deal with dreaded disembarkation in Fog City. But nonetheless, the ole doomsday clock was a-ticking. And there was little solace to be found in hiding in denial… although we eagerly sought shelter there, regardless.

 

First up, we finally scheduled our long-overdue specialty dining experience at Sabatini’s with the waitstaff we’d enjoyed at every morning’s breakfast. Over the course of those mimosa-soaked meals, they half-joked with us that we must not really like them since we never chose to partake in their dinner service. And truth be told, we were a little apprehensive about making a dinner reservation there, since every time we passed the venue (which was often - since it was en route to the rear elevators that transported us to our aft cabin) there was never a blessed soul in the joint! So obviously, gut-wrenching visions of ptomaine and listeria poisoning (or just bad bar service) plagued our overactive imaginations.

 

Why were no other passengers dining at Sabatini’s? Was it the food quality? Ambiance? Tired branding? Or were our co-cruisers really just so cheap they couldn’t stomach springing for the modest upcharge? Whatever the reason, Sabatini’s wasn’t doing much of a business on this trip, so we were a little concerned - for our safety.

 

Still, Milosh, Tetiana, and their SPWR Florin were such a delightful team, always kick-starting our days with humor, deep insights, and helpful information, that we decided to place our gastrointestinal health at risk and honor their heartfelt requests to indulge in Sabatini’s for dinner.

 

Interestingly enough, the dinner at Sabatini’s went just fine, ultimately responsible for neither an unexpected trip to the head or the Deck 2 medical department. It was an enjoyable time, if maybe nothing to write home about, but it was undoubtedly better than dealing with the main dining room bum's rush. And it was fun cavorting with our morning crew friends - even if we had to somewhat restrain our antics due to the more formal and refined atmosphere Sabatini's commands in the evening. But in the end, we were happy to see several other large parties were dining that night as well. So maybe our predictions of Sabatani's demise were a bit premature.

 

 

The next day, our first of two at sea, Mrs. Winks ran off to enjoy The Sanctuary, making use of a reservation she had made much earlier in the cruise. Now, as a special treat for her many CC fans, here’s her review of her experience there:

 

I have always wanted to treat myself to a day at a Princess Sanctuary, but something (usually aggressive passengers scooping up all the desirable time-slots early on Day 1) always got in the way. Not this time! While touring the ship on embarkation day, I made a bee-line to The Sanctuary - located on Sports Deck 16 in the front of the ship - to scope out the amenities and reserve a lounge chair. After determining there were still some decent time-slots available (at least on the return leg of the voyage), I was told that the cost for a full day would be $40 - or $20 for a half a day. Since we had a large OBC to burn through and the prospect of spending some quality time with myself (by Day 9 this would represent a much-deserved break away from Winks) I chose to reserve a half-day.

 

The Sanctuary host who took my reservation suggested I book this afternoon of our first return day at sea - since that tends to be the last warm weather day. I immediately took him up on his suggestion and picked a chair that the host indicated would be located in a sunny area that day.

 

Sure enough, the weather on that day was sunny and much warmer than our trip south down to Mexico. So after lunch, I gathered my mp3 player, Women’s Health magazine, camera, and sunscreen and made my way up to Deck 16. The chair I reserved more than a week earlier was already prepared with towels and a comfy pillow - awaiting my arrival. I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon being pampered by the Sanctuary staff. They offered a special spa menu with clean eats, cool towels, fresh fruit and lemon and cucumber water. For the most part, it was a lovely afternoon. My only complaint is that you could hear the festivities happening at the main pool. I do enjoy the cheers at the belly-flop contest as much as the next chick - but not when I am trying to get my Zen on. All in all, it was a relaxing experience and well worth the $20 for the personal attention.

 

 

While Mrs. Winks was off wasting $20 of our hard-earned OBC for a deck chair with a pillow and some lemon water she could have just as easily scored at Horizon Court, I wandered about the ship like a lost puppy trying to identify a secure space I might realistically have a shot at stowing away in come disembarkation day. Figuring that there might be a suitably large space in the pantry of the ship’s galley, I made my way to the main dining room… only to find I had stumbled upon the infamous Princess flea market at sea.

 

The flea market at sea is comprised of merchandise they drag up from the bowels of the ship, cartons of crap they have left over from their European or Alaskan itineraries, that they try pawning off on the passengers in a bid to lessen the ship’s drag.

 

I’m sure this appeals to some people, judging from the non-stop stream of customers the sale attracted, but the entire selection just weirded me out. Couldn’t get into the gold-nugget panning sets or t-shirts in University font that heralded a visit to Geiranger Fjord, Norway. In the end, I spent the few final dollars of our OBC on a handful of discounted postcards. Believe it or not, in the postcard world, there are collectors who covet cruise-line produced postcard images. But in the end, this was just overstock handbags and totem poles.

 

 

Rummaging through the flea market didn’t take much time off the clock, so I poked about the ship in a quest for some additional mindless distractions when I wandered into the Princess Theater where a "Meet the Cast" session was in full swing. I plopped down in a chair and sat spellbound during this Bravo-esque “Watch What Happens Live” tell-all detailing what it was like to be an entertainer on a cruise ship.

 

Up on stage was a veritable chorus line of ship entertainers, explaining the sordid ins-and-outs of their non-stop, rigorous rehearsal schedules and their non-entertainment duties. It was refreshing to see them "let their hair down", so to speak, and in the end, they all came off as vibrant, inspired young people.

 

The session was humorous and candid… and I’m sure if the Princess suits back at the home office caught wind of what was discussed, they’d put an end to the activity immediately! It was provocative and entertaining to watch the team of performers ably tackle a barrage of rather personal questions from the audience… everything from performance challenges during rough seas to backstage romances to crew input on choreography and scripting (spoiler alert: the show must go on, actors like to fornicate like bunnies and hell no, you don’t have input on the dance sequences; stick to the script!)

 

 

As much as we tried to fill our day with activities and alcohol, the minutes flew by, especially at sea, and as the evening drew down, the weather turned a bit more cloudy, the winds picked up enough to bring a chill to the air on deck, and the ship seemed to pick up speed as we realized that we were heading into our final day – and chores like packing, filling out custom forms and reading through the stateroom credit were all inevitable now.

 

In a feeble attempt at a last hurrah, the atrium was decked out with a balloon drop to celebrate Princess’s 50th anniversary. But even this was a stretch, as most of us knew, they’d been pushing this anniversary for several years now! And like the passengers on this cruise, it had overstayed its welcome. And as it is with all last days on board… the call of “Get Off Our Ship!” permeated our every move. It was all finally coming to a close.

 

 

Coming up next: Our final day at sea and saying goodbye to the Grand Princess.

Edited March 10, 2016 by WinksCruises

[Croptop]

Thanks for the latest post on "the worst review ever". I enjoyed it immensely. I, for one, am thankful that you are drawing this review out in this way. My next cruise isn't scheduled until late January of 2017 and in the meantime, I'm having to cruise vicariously through reviews like these. So the longer that they go on, the closer I am to embarkation day.

[WinksCruises]

Sorry about that; the link to the USA Today article on permanent cruiser Mrs. Wachstette was broken during the last entry's posting process. Here's a working link to that article:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2015/01/19/woman-pays-164k-per-year-to-live-on-luxury-cruise-ship/22030011/

[west coast cruiser]

Thanks for your latest review. It will be sad when the last one arrives. But I can't wait to see it.