Sky princess 28 March live

[aroussel2021]

Thanks - that worked. I was trying another route ("Explore Dining") FYI. Not the best App I've ever seen.

[aroussel2021]

Hi - my wife and I are fully vaccinated and joining the ship on Saturday - being tested Friday. We have our Covid passes also. Is the ship taking care of of our passenger location forms for each of the ports on your current cruise, or have you had to do that online when on board?

Any information gratefully received.

Thanks!

[db51]

They reminded us to do it on board before Lisbon and told us what to fill in. I did ours before we left home because it was within the 96 hours. It was all much easier than expected; to get off and on at Lisbon we just showed our medallions. 

[db51]

Madeira was gorgeous; we picked up a taxi as soon as we got off the ship- 20 euros to take 4 of us to the botanical gardens half way to the top of Funchal (which was cheap since the ship’s shuttle to the town cost 15 euros per person.) We also all got a taxi back down again for 10 euros.  The gardens were superb and the views of Funchal truly spectacular. 

[db51]

35 minutes ago, aroussel2021 said:

Hi - my wife and I are fully vaccinated and joining the ship on Saturday - being tested Friday. We have our Covid passes also. Is the ship taking care of of our passenger location forms for each of the ports on your current cruise, or have you had to do that online when on board?

Any information gratefully received.

Thanks!

Just realised that I didn’t answer the question . You have to do it yourself online but the ship reminds you via letter in cabin. Portugal needs one Spain doesn’t. WiFi on board ok

[Eglesbrech]

Beautiful sail away from Madeira which has been a lovely port, always love it.

 

Grumpy old woman alert - DJ Ron was playing on the lido deck and I could not hear myself think, the bar man could not hear the orders. It is an eardrum shattering noise!

 

Repaired back to my own balcony to avoid it. 
 

If you like loud (very, very loud, think loud then double it) music then you are in for a treat. If like me you don’t then avoid at all costs.

Edited April 5, 2022 by Eglesbrech

[phabric]

That I why I like a balcony cabin, I can escape to my balcony when it gets to noisy 

[db51]

The girls really didn’t like the buffet tonight - they said there was no choice. It was a bit weird, nothing seemed to go together - perfect if you fancy paella with a lamb chop with some chips and beans on the side!! Please DH let me go back to the nice Estrella club class restaurant!!

 

[db51]

On 4/4/2022 at 2:36 PM, Pink-belle said:

Is your Dyson Airwrap still working without issue?   
Glad you are making the most of the cruise after an awful embarkation. 

Just thought - if you use the desk socket you need an upside down uk/ European adapter else there is not room for the lead. I am attaching a photo so you can see what I mean. It is not a converter just a normal adapter. Some kind of extension lead would do the same.

[Pink-belle]

1 hour ago, db51 said:

Just thought - if you use the desk socket you need an upside down uk/ European adapter else there is not room for the lead. I am attaching a photo so you can see what I mean. It is not a converter just a normal adapter. Some kind of extension lead would do the same.

Perfect thank you.

I love the Club Class dining area, I would say, see you after dinner if my DH wanted to go to the buffet 🤣

Edited April 6, 2022 by Pink-belle

[Eglesbrech]

Well there are many lovely areas of this ship but we have avoided the areas near the casino at all costs as it just stinks. Even walking on the level next to it the smell comes out to meet you. It’s a really fowl overpowering smell over layered with a nasty air freshener - it permeates even through a mask.

 

We are not great gamblers but on most cruises go just once on a sea day to bet $20 on the slots. I suspect a lot of low level for fun gamblers like us have avoided the place because of the stink. Now I’m perfectly sure that Princess will not miss my $20 but if there are those who play more, they might miss out on them as well.

 

The rest of the ship (non smoking areas) is very fresh.

 

A word about entertainment, there is not that much of it on sea days. A lot of the talks are thinly disguised sales pitches and the more popular things are too busy with insufficient space (in fairness pre covid people would just have nudged up but right now we are all more cautious).
 

As the prom deck is not a wrap round all the walking and jogging takes place on the top deck and it’s like Sauchihall Street on a Saturday the week before Christmas.

The films on the big screen are fun and they also provide a good selection of films and TV programmes in the cabin as well.

 

At this point in the cruise I would say that for me:

 

1. The food in the main restaurants has been good, as is the pizza restaurant and the items from the international cafe. Better selection of vegetable content than on most ships which has been great.

 

2. The extra pay restaurants have been a bit of a mixed bag, not sure I would book them again as they are not elevated that much over the MDR experience.

 

3. Entertainment during the day pretty basic and predictable (but most lines are cutting back on this).

 

4. Staff and service - very good

 

5. Cabin - very comfortable and fairly spacious, the balcony is a bit on the small side but acceptable.

 

6. Princess plus- well worth the extra. The WiFi has not been perfect but not bad either. The app is a bit iffy. The drinks package offers a decent selection. And of course it covers the basic tips.

7. Last minute masking policy - annoying but I have complied with it. Masking while standing / walking around the ship is fine but not sip and cover which is draconian in my humble opinion (and just being ignored by almost everyone).

 

For those on next, you will have a lovely cruise, even with the odd set back and small annoyances a holiday is what you make of it to an extent.

 

Writing this enjoying fresh sea air and lovely view.

 

 

 

[insidecabin]

Love boat horns three times leaving Funchal.....

 

After saying the buffet has flambé fruit most nights last night  banana and  pineapple fritters.

 

Last night's theme was Portugal/Brazil the meat options were fine.

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, insidecabin said:

Love boat horns three times leaving Funchal.....

 

After saying the buffet has flambé fruit most nights last night  banana and  pineapple fritters.

 

Last night's theme was Portugal/Brazil the meat options were fine.

The sound of that horn never gets old does it. Brings out the child in me.

[Geoffa30]

We are on board and are generally having a great cruise. However the internet is the most frustrating thing ever. Social media is effectively a no go and we cannot access emails. In the past, we have been able to stream  4K video on Netflix etc. Our complaints have been met with varying excuses. Today we were told it is expected to get better once we get to San Francisco. Those of you parked at Southampton might want to make alternative travel arrangements!

 

The other issue we have is the buffet. The selections have been reduced and there aren’t enough people serving. The layout of the food doesn’t work either - one evening they had roast pork in the middle of the single section that was open, the accompanying veg was right at the end with Spanish tapas fare in between. I realise the serving issue is to reduce Covid risk but surely passing a plate of food to multiple servers who have also handled other people’s plates is just as risky? No trays either so you must juggle holding plates whilst getting food and finding a table. One of the head waiters said they haven’t had trays for six or seven years which isn’t true. Why lie?

 

More positively, last night’s production show, 5 Skies was amazing. Definitely the best show we have ever seen on a Princess cruise. Please persevere if you do go to see it. The people who left last night after the first few minutes missed a treat.

 

We are booked on Sky Princess’s 25 night Canada and New England cruise in September. I hope for better internet and a closer return to pre-Covid cruising.

[db51]

2 minutes ago, Geoffa30 said:

We are on board and are generally having a great cruise. However the internet is the most frustrating thing ever. Social media is effectively a no go and we cannot access emails. In the past, we have been able to stream  4K video on Netflix etc. Our complaints have been met with varying excuses. Today we were told it is expected to get better once we get to San Francisco. Those of you parked at Southampton might want to make alternative travel arrangements!

 

The other issue we have is the buffet. The selections have been reduced and there aren’t enough people serving. The layout of the food doesn’t work either - one evening they had roast pork in the middle of the single section that was open, the accompanying veg was right at the end with Spanish tapas fare in between. I realise the serving issue is to reduce Covid risk but surely passing a plate of food to multiple servers who have also handled other people’s plates is just as risky? No trays either so you must juggle holding plates whilst getting food and finding a table. One of the head waiters said they haven’t had trays for six or seven years which isn’t true. Why lie?

 

More positively, last night’s production show, 5 Skies was amazing. Definitely the best show we have ever seen on a Princess cruise. Please persevere if you do go to see it. The people who left last night after the first few minutes missed a treat.

 

We are booked on Sky Princess’s 25 night Canada and New England cruise in September. I hope for better internet and a closer return to pre-Covid cruising.

Totally agree about 5 skies; lots  of the evening shows have been average comedians but 5 Skies was very different and totally spectacular. Also agree about buffet; it seems very randomly arranged and not coordinated. It is hit and miss whether you can actually spot all the food available. 

[dickinson]

17 minutes ago, Geoffa30 said:

 One of the head waiters said they haven’t had trays for six or seven years which isn’t true. Why lie?

 

 

I don't remember ever seeing trays on Princess.  I have been cruising Princess since 2012.

[Geoffa30]

26 minutes ago, dickinson said:

I don't remember ever seeing trays on Princess.  I have been cruising Princess since 2012.

Thanks for this. I might be getting mixed up with other cruise lines but always thought they were given to you. I’ve started a poll to ask others on CC.

[insidecabin]

Buffet is a bit random, today was my planned sushi lunch at Ocean terrace(very good, and decent prices for a ship) OBC burn.

 

I had checked the buffet earlier around 12:00 by the time I got back there around 2pm to meet up with the OH they had magically added a sushi station.

 

My internet has be manageable the last couple of days high latency but stuff works and email is updating (on demand not auto).

 

Not a big fan of trays, one plate at a time repeat visit s work fine.

[insidecabin]

On adapters, all the EU schuco I have are reversible including the one provided in the cabin by princess

[Buckeye10640]

7 hours ago, Geoffa30 said:

Thanks for this. I might be getting mixed up with other cruise lines but always thought they were given to you. I’ve started a poll to ask others on CC.

i remember trays in the buffet but it was before i was sailing princess. so maybe carnival, ncl, or celebrity?

[Eglesbrech]

Just realised that the silver screens at either side of reception are for checking your account and printing a balance.

 

Put your  medallion against the reader, select and print. Out pops a print of your onboard account.

[aroussel2021]

12 hours ago, Buckeye10640 said:

i remember trays in the buffet but it was before i was sailing princess. so maybe carnival, ncl, or celebrity?

It was Celebrity - but they stopped quite a few years ago.

[db51]

Our time in Vigo: the plan was to get a taxi to the castle at the top of Vigo and then walk back to the town and do some shopping. The reality; DH picks up a map as we walk out of the port and tells us that the castle is ‘only a short walk.’ 200 million granite steps later ( maybe more) we eventually reached the park at the top of the town. The staircase didn’t end there - you had to face more stairs before you reached the top of the fort. Views were good but by the time I had got back to the town I had reached over 10000 steps and climbed 29 floors according to my phone. Town centre was pretty - oranges on trees. On getting back to the ship I grabbed a sandwich from the International cafe and then went to the buffet( via the lift). Many meals later I am beginning to recover. My advice for Vigo - ignore your DH - get a taxi!

[db51]

[Eglesbrech]

4 minutes ago, db51 said:

Our time in Vigo: the plan was to get a taxi to the castle at the top of Vigo and then walk back to the town and do some shopping. The reality; DH picks up a map as we walk out of the port and tells us that the castle is ‘only a short walk.’ 200 million granite steps later ( maybe more) we eventually reached the park at the top of the town. The staircase didn’t end there - you had to face more stairs before you reached the top of the fort. Views were good but by the time I had got back to the town I had reached over 10000 steps and climbed 29 floors according to my phone. Town centre was pretty - oranges on trees. On getting back to the ship I grabbed a sandwich from the International cafe and then went to the buffet( via the lift). Many meals later I am beginning to recover. My advice for Vigo - ignore your DH - get a taxi!

I take it you didn’t find the street escalators? . They are brand new and were not there the last time we visited Vigo. What a God send, cut out a lot of the heavy climbing. They are like the walking pavements you get at airports.
 

They are on the road up to El Cortes Inglis (the one with the fishermen pulling in the nets - silver statue). They go the whole way up the hill with seats at the side as well for a stop off in the way back down.

You must be shattered if your climbed the whole way.