Occasionally live from the Island Princess

[Level six]

1 minute ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

 

Well we did book as two different voyages at two different times.  We did like the benefit of the doubled cruise credit and shareholder credit.  However when we booked the second voyage our awesome Princess CVP (finally got a real winner after going through three others!) advised me he would merge the voyages together.  Not really sure what that means.  However, since day one of the cruise all of our info on medallion indicated we were on until the end of the month with the same booking number ??

So, I cannot really answer that.

Thanks.  We usually book two cruises also to get shareholder benefit and bar set up.  Oh well, it looks like you got a negative test, enjoy the rest of your cruise!!

[We_like_to_cruise]

Well, my entire post disappeared from CC. 

 

Anyway, this is what "occcasionally" means when posting onboard!

 

Yes, we tested negative for COVID.  We were asked to make our way to one of the lounges at 8am and were swabbed by a member of the medical staff.  Then told to return to our room and if we did not hear back from them withing 20 minutes we were free to go on our way.

 

Twenty minutes later we were on our way to breakfast and planning the rest of the day,

[We_like_to_cruise]

There are hand washing stations set up outside of the Horizon Court buffet and all are asked to wash up before eating.

[We_like_to_cruise]

Someone asked about masking.

 

They are pretty diligent about that on this ship.  After you wash up before entering the buffet, a crew member hands you a plate and silverware.  You are reminded that masks are required.  If you do not have one with you they give you one on the spot and ask you to put it on.  There is signage that states masks are required.

 

In the Princess Theater announcements are made pre-performance that masks are mandatory.  Crew members stand outside the doors and hand out masks if you forgot one.  Also, they do walk up and down the aisles requesting those without masks to put them on and providing one if needed.

 

Additionally masks are required inside on the tenders and while walking through the dining rooms and lounges.  Of course you take them off for eating and drinking!

 

Regardless of one's personal feelings, it appears the Captain of this ship has decided that mask wearing is essential.  We signed the contract so we comply.

[We_like_to_cruise]

I have some lovely pictures of the last two ports, but am having difficulty uploading them.

 

So, that will have to wait for another day.

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

I have some lovely pictures of the last two ports, but am having difficulty uploading them.

 

So, that will have to wait for another day.

did you make it to On The Bayou?

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 8/10/2022 at 6:53 AM, Steelers36 said:

I would offer that that small mobile case was pretty sad back in 2018 when the branding was still Patisserie.  There were sometimes some decent small bites, but it wasn't much.

 

I did head over to the Good Spirits bar at 6:30am the other day.  "Sad" is being generous.  There was an empty display case.  Perhaps it was too early.  There was an attendant by the specialty coffee machine, but I just went to my go-to barista on 14. 

[We_like_to_cruise]

5 hours ago, voljeep said:

did you make it to On The Bayou?

 

Yes, my post #112 described that if you missed the post.

 

It was a fantastic show - the best on the ship!

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Someone asked about masking.

 

They are pretty diligent about that on this ship.  After you wash up before entering the buffet, a crew member hands you a plate and silverware.  You are reminded that masks are required.  If you do not have one with you they give you one on the spot and ask you to put it on.  There is signage that states masks are required.

 

In the Princess Theater announcements are made pre-performance that masks are mandatory.  Crew members stand outside the doors and hand out masks if you forgot one.  Also, they do walk up and down the aisles requesting those without masks to put them on and providing one if needed.

 

Additionally masks are required inside on the tenders and while walking through the dining rooms and lounges.  Of course you take them off for eating and drinking!

 

Regardless of one's personal feelings, it appears the Captain of this ship has decided that mask wearing is essential.  We signed the contract so we comply.

It's nice that they are handing out masks and if they are going to have a rule, it makes sense to enforce it.  It seems like reports from other ships imply no real enforcement.  Still, just passing thru from A to B doesn't make huge sense to me.  What do they say about the various corridors and Atrium?

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Someone asked about masking.

 

They are pretty diligent about that on this ship.  After you wash up before entering the buffet, a crew member hands you a plate and silverware.  You are reminded that masks are required.  If you do not have one with you they give you one on the spot and ask you to put it on.  There is signage that states masks are required.

 

In the Princess Theater announcements are made pre-performance that masks are mandatory.  Crew members stand outside the doors and hand out masks if you forgot one.  Also, they do walk up and down the aisles requesting those without masks to put them on and providing one if needed.

 

Additionally masks are required inside on the tenders and while walking through the dining rooms and lounges.  Of course you take them off for eating and drinking!

 

Regardless of one's personal feelings, it appears the Captain of this ship has decided that mask wearing is essential.  We signed the contract so we comply.

That’s good they are enforcing the rules. Are the covid cases high, or do you have an idea?  Seems that is when the mask mandate comes down.

 

[gvre]

We will be on the Island September 27^th. I just tried booking the Bayou Steak house for the 3 at sea days and only reservations are 8:30 or 9.

Are they that full on the sea days and can you rebook them on the ship for an earlier time?

Thanks

[Loveh2ofl]

23 hours ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Someone asked about masking.

 

They are pretty diligent about that on this ship.  After you wash up before entering the buffet, a crew member hands you a plate and silverware.  You are reminded that masks are required.  If you do not have one with you they give you one on the spot and ask you to put it on.  There is signage that states masks are required.

 

In the Princess Theater announcements are made pre-performance that masks are mandatory.  Crew members stand outside the doors and hand out masks if you forgot one.  Also, they do walk up and down the aisles requesting those without masks to put them on and providing one if needed.

 

Additionally masks are required inside on the tenders and while walking through the dining rooms and lounges.  Of course you take them off for eating and drinking!

 

Regardless of one's personal feelings, it appears the Captain of this ship has decided that mask wearing is essential.  We signed the contract so we comply.

@We Like 2 Cruise is the masking in response to a particular outbreak (like the one several weeks ago?  Or just the  Captain's position on masking?

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 8/11/2022 at 8:11 PM, teacherplus said:

I’m trying to decide whether to buy a picture package as I know I want a picture of my DH and I on formal night. Could you please tell me what a single 8X10 costs onboard? Thank you!

 

I asked last night and was told one 8x10 is $21.99.

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 8/13/2022 at 12:34 PM, Steelers36 said:

It's nice that they are handing out masks and if they are going to have a rule, it makes sense to enforce it.  It seems like reports from other ships imply no real enforcement.  Still, just passing thru from A to B doesn't make huge sense to me.  What do they say about the various corridors and Atrium?

 

No specific mention of masking in corridors or Atrium although many do routinely.  Primarily the Princess Theater and the buffet area.

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 8/13/2022 at 12:58 PM, PacnGoNow said:

That’s good they are enforcing the rules. Are the covid cases high, or do you have an idea?  Seems that is when the mask mandate comes down.

 

 

As you would expect there is no public knowledge of onboard cases.  When I asked some of the crew members they could not answer.  I only know of one confirmed case - as she stated so on our Roll Call.  She said there were others in the quarantine area with her, but numbers - who knows???

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 8/13/2022 at 1:57 PM, gvre said:

We will be on the Island September 27^th. I just tried booking the Bayou Steak house for the 3 at sea days and only reservations are 8:30 or 9.

Are they that full on the sea days and can you rebook them on the ship for an earlier time?

Thanks

 

We did not book in advance.  We have lots of onboard credit and wanted to use part of it for the specialty dining.  If we had booked on the app we would have had to pay with a credit card and ask for a refund onboard and hope to use the onboard credit to pay for it instead.  We have done this in the past.  However, some recent posts here on CC indicated that may no longer be possible - that may depend on the ship (?) 

 

So, instead, at embarkation we went over to Sabatini's and booked an early reservation for it on one day and the Bayou Steakhouse another day.  It was pretty easy and they were accommodating.  However, it might also depend on how many people have already booked and how many have the vouchers from purchasing the 'Premium" package.  We have the regular Plus package.

 

I will note that on our voyage on Sky back in April using the above technique we could not get a specialty dining reservation.  Unless we wanted to eat at 9 pm, not for us. 

 

So, it is a bit of a gamble. 

 

And of course sea days are the most popular days to book - perhaps reconsider to a port day when you are pretty sure you might be back earlier?  Both of our reservations were on port days to ports we had visited before.

 

Good luck!

[We_like_to_cruise]

The following posts will be about some of our recent ports.

 

Dover, UK.

 

Lovely entry into the port - the white cliffs!  After docking we walked about 1 1/2 miles to the Dover Priory train station and took the train to Canterbury.  We had never been and wanted to visit the cathedral.  The ride was about 20 minutes and we lucked out with another gorgeous day.

 

There were some beautiful parks we walked through and we sat and watched punting service on the River Stour.

 

They were doing some construction on the cathedral.  Also when you pay to get in you are in an enclosed area so it is difficult to get a full view picture of the cathedral.  We chatted with a Royal Mail employee on the street and he recommended we take a picture from the elevated City Wall which is what is posted here.

 

 

[We_like_to_cruise]

Portland (Weymouth) UK

 

A lovely seaside town first popularized by King George III in the 1700s.  Today was hot - 80F - and everyone was out enjoying the sun and sand.  The beach is large and families with children were frolicking in the waves.  We walked along the long esplanade and had a marvelous time.

 

There was a free shuttle bus from the port into Weymouth which took 15-20 minutes. 

 

When the ship left port in the evening we were presented with a cannon salute (it was very loud lol)

right on the dock adjacent to the ship by some of the Weymouth citizens. 

 

What a nice ending to a nice day!

 

[We_like_to_cruise]

Our next day was turnaround day.

 

Our ship returned to Southampton to disembark passengers for this cruise. 

 

We will stay on for another 16 days for the Iceland /Greenland cruise.

 

More tomorrow !

 

 

[Loveh2ofl]

24 minutes ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Our next day was turnaround day.

 

Our ship returned to Southampton to disembark passengers for this cruise. 

 

We will stay on for another 16 days for the Iceland /Greenland cruise.

 

More tomorrow !

 

 

Let us know if any change in mask protocol.  And enjoy!

[gvre]

Thanks for the photos and information!

I am not sure if you mentioned this but how full is the ship?

[We_like_to_cruise]

Turnaround day in Southampton.  We were surprised to learn we did not necessarily have to leave the ship.  (Thought they needed a zero count, is that not done anymore?) 

 

For the next voyage we would be moving down the block (same deck) to a midship BA covered balcony.  We had booked as two separate voyages and unfortunately could not get a similar balcony cabin for both.

 

We went to breakfast and then came back to our cabin to pack up some of our belongings.  Around 9am or so we were notified that the new cabin was cleaned and available.  Two staff members transported our luggage and all of the hanging clothes into our new home.  It was nice, but the mirror image of our previous cabin, so a bit of juggling to get comfy again.  Interestingly, although this was a larger size cabin we felt the storage options were better in the interior cabin.  But we made it work.

 

After getting settled we walked into town, probably a mile or so.  We have done the touristy things in Southampton before.  This was mostly a combination of exercise and shopping expedition.  So we stopped into both Asda (UK Walmart) and Primark department stores for sundries.  We had a pleasant walk along the High Street / QE2 Mile as again the weather was great.  After a walk through East Park and West Park we had a nice lunch.

 

Returning to the port we told staff we were "in transit" and were directed right onto the ship and did not have to wait in line with those embarking for the first time.  (Their line was not too long though).

 

We spent the next hour doing laundry that had piled up for the last two weeks!

 

That evening at the show we were informed there were 1700 passengers onboard.  A bit more than the last voyage, and again the majority were from the US.

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by We_like_to_cruise
edit

[We_like_to_cruise]

Falmouth UK

 

Walked off the ship and headed in one direction into town and the Maritime Museum.  Then we walked in the opposite direction to Pendennis Castle and Pendennis Point.  The weather continues to be lovely.

And had to enjoy some traditional Cornish pasty.

[teacherplus]

Someone posted on Facebook that the Island Princess was having electrical problems. Did it last long?

 

 

[chamima]

18 minutes ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Turnaround day in Southampton.  We were surprised to learn we did not necessarily have to leave the ship.  (Thought they needed a zero count, is that not done anymore?) 

 

 

 

Zeroing out the count is a US requirement. (Along with some other countries)

It's nice not losing those couple of hours we always have to wait for the one couple they can't find. 😄