Sort of live from the Crown Princess

[abbydancer2003]

It's been a while since I've done a live from a Princess cruise, but this is unique for me so I'll try it.

 

This will be my third Alaska cruise of the season, and my 10th overall, mostly on Princess.  None of this years were first booked for 2022.  

 

In 2020, my mother, who was 88 or so at the time, was cleaning out papers in her home.  She found some stock she didn't know she had, so decided to take us all on vacation.  First thought was European river cruise, but she doesn't really have the mobility for that.  Next we thought about a week in Paris or Tel Aviv, but that would mean she'd sit in the apartment, the rest of us would tour and then we'd come back to the apartment for dinner.  My sister and I didn't like that, so we thought of an Alaska cruise.  We booked for July of 2021, but that didn't happen so we moved to September of 2022.

 

We chose Princess because of the itinerary.  We wanted Glacier Bay and Seattle so Crown Princess it was.  

 

We leave tomorrow (Thursday) for Seattle - we're coming in two days early because of Labor Day weekend, and the current flight situations.  There are 7 of us - my mom (Stephanie), me, DH (Glen), sister (Beth) and 3 nieces (Lily 29, Ellie 21, Beck 19 going on 20 - birthday day after cruise ends).

 

For us, it's been crazy as at the end of July, we tore out our entire 40 year old kitchen, so we've had workers here every day,   This morning, our contractors were working on grouting the backsplash, setting up the electrical in the kitchen, installing the cabinet knobs, and in the middle of this, the big appliances were delivered.  We live in a condo and have a small kitchen, so packing today involved dodging a lot of stuff. I think we'll have a functional kitchen when we get home.

 

After our contractors left we took a home covid test.  Tomorrow morning, we'll go to my mom's house, do our proctored test and help her with hers.  However, I don't want a surprise so we took a test tonight.  We're mostly packed, but up early as we're leaving here at 9a,m.

 

Good night

 

[geoherb]

Bon voyage! 

[geocruiser]

Have a great cruise.  Check out if you can still get the small (free) birthday cake for Beck.  They will also sing Happy birthday to her.  Her birthday does not have to fall on the cruise for her to get the cake.  You might be able to do it on line.  Or tell the head waiter too.

[JEH]

Make sure you've allowed enough  time to get to your return flight. Last Saturday it took us 45 minutes to get through the TSA line.

Have a great cruise !

 

[abbydancer2003]

1 hour ago, geocruiser said:

Have a great cruise.  Check out if you can still get the small (free) birthday cake for Beck.  They will also sing Happy birthday to her.  Her birthday does not have to fall on the cruise for her to get the cake.  You might be able to do it on line.  Or tell the head waiter too.

It's noted on the booking, but I don't they'll have the regular cake for her, since she has Celiac and is completely GF.  Maybe they'll do a GF something.

[Pluto_fan]

Looking forward to following along!  Have a wonderful trip!

[Firepath]

I’m so jealous! We were supposed to be on the Crown to Alaska the last week of May. But we took Covid test early like you and one person had it. So we didn’t go 😪. Have fun!

Edited September 1, 2022 by Firepath

[geocruiser]

2 hours ago, abbydancer said:

It's noted on the booking, but I don't they'll have the regular cake for her, since she has Celiac and is completely GF.  Maybe they'll do a GF something.

Sorry to hear that she has Celiac.  Maybe the could make some fancy fruit, if she can have that.

Edited September 1, 2022 by geocruiser

[Jersey42]

Please provide any updates when you get a chance.

 

SHIP	CAPTAIN	CRUISE DIRECTOR	ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR	DIR, RESTAURANT OP's
Crown Princess	Vincenzo Lembo	Olivia Guthrie	Kelvin Joy	????

[cruisingrob21]

The voyage has been waitlisted since early August - there was speculation that the engine issues could trigger a cancellation but I have a feeling its more related to staffing shortages.  If you find out how full the ship is could you please share?

[redtop101]

My wife and I, brother & SIL are doing the Crown Princess leaving Vancouver in 3 weeks  for a a 10 night Pacific Coastal from Vancouver back to Vancouver before she goes into dry dock for cosmetic surgery and more. I’ll be very interested and following along and particularly interested if the ship still has propulsion issues, has bad vibration issues at the stern of the ship, what the entertainment & food choices are and if all speciality restaurants are open now or just the Crown Grill & Salty Dog. Thank you for doing this. 

[abbydancer2003]

We made it to Seattle without incident for the most part.  We woke early and soon our contractors showed up to install the last of the appliances. An hour or so later, we headed to my mom's to wait for our ride and to take our covid tests.  

 

I'd given her one of our emeds to take and had set her up with a Navica and emed account earlier in the week.  First Glen did his on his ipad, which he had to hold for the entire 15 minute wait so it wouldn't fall over and invalidate the test.  Then I helped my mom do hers, as she had some hearing trouble and she has arthritis, so manipulating the reagent was hard.  We did get it done.

 

Then, when I did mine, my computer didn't recognize my camera.  I tried several times and ended up using my moms to get it done.  Our ride was here by the time I was done, and the big question was would all our luggage fit in the car.  Glen and have 26 inch suitcases, mom had a 22 and a softside and a full size slightly foldable walker.  Driver has a suburu hatchback and it just fits.  So off to the airport.

 

Flight was on time and short, my mom got a wheel chair and the assistant wheeled her all the way to waiting area for the hotel shuttle.  Very friendly and helpful.

We waited about 15 minutes for the hotel shuttle and checked it.  I went to the nearby Target for some water, and soon we'll go to dinner.

 

I'll try to check on things for people when I get on the ship.  We're off to dinner soon, and just got a text from Beth that they are all covid free and have landed.

 

[nini]

Thanks for sharing! Enjoy!

[abbydancer2003]

Last night, we had the shuttle take us to Outback for dinner.  We all had their 6 ounce sirloin, and it was really quite good.  My contractor sent me a movie of walking our kitchen - appliances are in and it looks great.  (Although Glen said you couldn't tell that the movie was in color, since it was all shades of gray and white).

 

Today started with breakfast and meeting up with my sister and nieces.  It maybe that I haven't seen them since December (nieces).

 

We went to a local breakfast place called Patty's Eggnest.  Generally good breakfast food, and they were able to make the nieces gluten free eggs and hashbrowns. 

 

Following that, we went to my mom's room and took care of cruise business.  Suggestion - do not try to do check in from start 24 hours before the cruise.  It doesn't quite work.  However we were all able to get ArriveCan done, so that was good.  I also gave them their luggage tags, as I'd printed them for everyone.  We use luggage tag holders, and I had those for them as well.

 

Now we're just waiting for the rest to be ready to go back to Target and some other stores and then a quick lunch break.

Sometimes it's like herding cats.

 

[abbydancer2003]

Crown D0

 

By the time everyone was ready to go it was close to 2pm.  The plan was to walk to Barnes and Noble and Target, and have lunch at some point (for us, if we have a late breakfast we might skip lunch but for sister and family not so much).

 

We decided to go to B&N first, then lunch then Target.  We’d  left a couple of games at home, so we were hoping to replace them at Target.  However, we found them at B&N.  I also discovered there was a new Star Wars book that I wanted to read, so I decided to get it for my Kindle when I got back to the room.  After about 45 minutes there, we found a nearby Mexican restaurant in the mall across the street and had a pretty good lunch.

 

I thought we were next going to Target but apparently Beth and co wanted to shop for some things they decided they needed, so we went straight to Target.  We needed a comb, a small roll of Tums, and a 2 oz bottle of Renu.  All they had was the comb.  So we got that, and a larger thing of Tums.  We were thinking maybe the hotel shuttle could take us to a drug store, but turns out they couldn’t.   So I called Beth and had her pick up a bigger one.  

 

I then bought the Star Wars book I wanted for the Kindle, but it turns out that I need wifi to download to Kindle.  I spent about 20 minutes try to get into the hotel internet from the Kindle, but couldn’t, so I tried to do a USB transfer and couldn’t get that to work either.  I then thought maybe the Starbucks internet would work since you don’t have to log in.  So Glen and I headed to Starbucks.

 

And it did.  I downloaded two books and we took our lattes and casually walked back.  Our next thing was the 7:30 shuttle to dinner.  We were planning to go to the Old Spaghetti Factory, since they have good GF pasta.  

 

At 7:30 Beth and co came down and asked if the shuttle could make a stop at Target so she could get Cheerios, but I didn’t think so, since I knew they had an airport run after us.  I suggested getting out at Target and walking, but she didn’t like that idea.

 

We got to the restaurant and they were quoting an hour wait.  So we put our name in and Beth, Glen, me,Lily and Ellie took a walk around the shopping area, but no other good choices were there, so we decided we had to wait.  The wait turned out to be about 25 minutes.  Dinner and service was good, and after we paid the check, I called the hotel.  They said it would be a little while, as they were doing an airport pick up.  So we leisurely left the table, and then, while in the restroom I got a call that the shuttle was stopping for us on the way back from the airport.  By the time I got to the front it was there.  

 

We got in and were back quickly.  We said good night, and agreed that we’d meet between 9-9:15 tomorrow morning for a light breakfast before heading to the ship.

 

Back to the room to pack and bed.

[abbydancer2003]

Crown D1

 

We woke up around 8, packed up our stuff and headed down to a somewhat crowded lobby.  I asked Glen to go back tip a check that we got everything.  In the meantime, and 6 people ordered breakfast.

 

It took him a while because apparently he went and got mom and her luggage.    We then all ordered bagels and coffee.  A few minutes later Beth came and got a luggage cart.  So it was not looking great fro a 10 am departure.  At about 9:40 I got a call from the driver of our private shuttle that je was 10 minutes out.  

 

At about 9:47 a shuttle came up and it was ours.  He and Glen loaded all the bags, and then he came in and said it was our private shuttle so take all the time we needed.  We did all finish our bagels (not very good), muffins (apparently better) and yogurt and loaded in right about 10 am.  We took off for the pier.

 

Midway through, our driver put on a headset and gave us information about everything we we were passing.  We did learn that Boing has gone from the largest employer to the third largest (anyone want guess which two became bigger?).  

 

At about 10:40 we arrived at the pier.  First stop was the wheelchair area, where Glen jumped out and got a guy with a wheelchair to follow him to where the van parked.  We (plus a port person) unloved, a porter came up and took all the bags, and my mom’s walker, and we headed in.  We all were first directed to the wheelchair line (actually we all just followed mom and her driver).  There were people there checking passports and medallions.  Unfortuately, the group two ahead were not par pared, and spent quite a while digging through backpacks.  It would have been faster in the regular line.  Oh well.  Eventually another person looked at our stuff and sent me and Liy through since we had medallions (Glen was with mom).  We headed upstairs and through security.  The rest were not far behind.   After that, we went to the Elite/Suite/Club class line (I think Club class is new there) and we’re quickly directed to an agent.  

 

I presented my medallion, but it didn’t load, so she used my name.  We presented our passports, vaccine cards, negative tests and 9first time) ArriveCan receipts.  After that, we were cleared to board.  At the exit to the building, we ran into the rest of the family and headed to the gangway entrance. We got separated from mom and Glen, but the rest of us stayed together and we were soon on the ship.

 

We dropped our backpacks in our rooms, and headed up to Moms room.  It was a standard suite, but wider than normal so it had a take with 4 chairs.  We hung out a bit, and I ordered afternoon tea for 7 for tomorrow, delivered there.  

 

Unlike usual, the dining room was not open for lunch, so we headed to the buffet.  We ran into a maitre’d and asked about gluten free, so he took Ellie and Beck to one of the chef’s apparently. Who helped them.  The servers were very friendly and helpful and we had a very nice lunch.

 

After lunch I went to the room to unpack and meet our room steward Arnel.  Apparently they also need the ArriveCan receipt number (3 previous cruises and nobody asked.  I also unpacked.

 

We spent much of the afternoon hanging out. Eventually, we headed back to our room so Glen could unpack.  After that we went to the Elite etc lounge and invited others to join us.  It was pretty empty.  The views were nice and all the food was prepackaged.

 

At 6:30 we met everyone except mom for trivia.  It was general trivia and we had 16/20 good enough for second place.  We would have won if we hadn’t changed two answers.  Because the winner was a solo, and the host had 6 or 7 Princess logo bags to give out, he gave us 3.  We took one for each room.  Nice.

 

There was a duo starting in the wheelhouse, so we went there and the rest went up to change for dinner.  We had an 8:10 reservation for the Crown Grill.

 

The duo was playing dance music at a decent volume, so we were happy with that.  Mostly it was rumba, so we did a couple of those, as well as a couple of other dances.  When they left we took a quick walk along the promenade deck.  Coming back we ran in to Mom and Lily heading to dinner, so we waited for the rest and went in.

 

This was Ellie and Becky’s first true experience with a restaurant on a cruise ship.  They brought them GF bread and explained what they could do.  Most things were either naturally GF or could be made that way, including their Black and Blue onion soup.  Everyone ordered that, and there was a brief discussion about whether or not the Jack Daniels in it was actually GF.  Turns out that it’s made with JD Black label, which is gluten free and how it gets it’s name.  (The black part of black and blue).

 

After dinner everyone went back to their rooms for the night.  We watched Encanto while I cleared email and wrote.  Everyone seemed pleased with the trip so far, which was good.

 

Before I forget, I was told there was both 1000 passengers and 1900 passengers.  While there are times when it seems like a lot of people, it’s not as crowded as I’ve seen.  I’ll try to get the exact number if I can.

 

I had some food pics, but can't get them uploaded.

 

 

[abbydancer2003]

CrownD2

 

We set the clocks back to Alaska time this morning, but I still managed to wake up too early.  When I got up I noticed something had been slipped under the door.  It was a card and it said this:

 

Picture coming later - Most traveled lunch invite.

 

Yup, us with our 200 something days at sea we made the cutoff for most traveled passengers lunch.  I’ve noticed walking around that most medallions that I’ve seen people wearing have been blue, and I’ve always said that our best chance of ever making it would be an Alaska cruise, but it was still a nice surprise.

 

I did try to sleep some more, but eventually new 8am rolled around and we got up to meet Beth and co for breakfast.  At about 8:40 we left the room and  ran into Arlan, our room steward.  Glen still hadn’t given him the ArriveCan number, so while he was putzing around with the phone I went to find the Captains Circle person to give her the RSVP card for the lunch.

 

When I found her there was a couple there, so I just handed her the card.  A women there screamed at me that they were talking to her and I had to wait.  Since I was just handing a card over, and breakfast was closing in 15 minutes and she was leaving in 15, I gave it to her and left.  

 

I then went to breakfast.  I met the host, told him I’d be a party of 1, two or 5.  Glen showed up around then, so we were seated at a table for 6.  They reminded us that they closed at 9.

 

At about 4 minutes to 9 Glen noticed Beth and co entering from the wrong side of the room.  They were quickly checked in, and then our dining room manager (formerly head waiter) introduced himself.  He explained the GF stuff to Ellie and Becky, and told them that starting tomorrow they’d have pastries made for them.  He also said that there would be choices and accommodations for them for food.

 

 

After breakfast, we sent Beth and co to the new Princess orientation.  We headed back up, and Arnel was in the room so we decided to go to the IC for coffee.  I sent Glen down while I went to the Shore Excursions desk to find out if we could get on the train (normally I don’t book cruise line tours, but that’s easy with my mom, and that’s the only way to do the train this season).  When it was my turn, the guy looked confused as it wasn’t sold out.  He looked at my booking and said that it was for the wheelchair car, and that’s very limited.  Since we don’t need one, he changed it to the regular one and we’re now set, and I have the tickets.  

 

I then joined Glen in the IC.  I procured a latte, but soon got a text from Lily that she was up in the suite and wanted company.  So I grabbed my latte and headed up.  Eventually, we all ended up there.  After Glen and the gang played a quick game of Exploding kittens, we all went to lunch.  That was mom and Lily’s first dining room experience.  We were at the same window table as for breakfast and the manager told us it would be our table for the duration.  

 

The menu was the standard first day menu.  For starters I had pea soup and then the chicken korma.  I like that they bring around a tray of condiments for the korma.  Most of us had the korma.  For dessert, I had the rice pudding. 

 

After lunch, we did more family time, until late afternoon when Glen and I got dressed for formal night and headed down to the wheelhouse to dance to the duo.  The lounge was somewhat crowded, so we ended up at the high tables at the side.  The band was somewhat louder tonight, so he had to use the earplugs that a guest services person on a previous cruise had given him.  Eventually Lily and Becky joined us.

 

After they finished, we had 15 minutes until dinner, so we headed towards the dining room.  We met Beth and Ellie, who said that mom wasn’t coming because she didn’t feel well.  For dinner had beef tornados.  

 

After dinner, Beth and went to guest services to fix something on her credit card, and for me to see our folio, since I’ve been unable to bring it up on the app.  Mine looked good, except Glen had a recent 30.00 internet charge.  I texted, and he’d just upgraded to 4 device.  So all good.

 

After that I went back to the room, but soon realized that I’d left my mouse in mom’s room.  I texted Lily, and it was there, so I went up to get it.  I stayed chatting for a bit, and after I realized that all mom had for dinner was a Sprite, I went down to the International Cafe for hopefully crackers.  No, they still had the dinner soup, salad, sandwiches, I asked if they had crackers for the soup.  They didn’t but did have rolls.  So. I got her a couple of those, brought them up and went to bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sueandkent]

I have a couple ship questions, I haven't been on a non Royal class ship in several cruises. Is the TV all on demand now? How are you finding the wifi (I know that can be subjective due to location but overall how is it in your room)? I hope you're having an amazing time. Alaska is great. 

[abbydancer2003]

fifth try at answer. 

 

Yes, they have the ondemand tv.  Although, we watched the second season of Bull on the Discovery in April.  Still there on Majestic in May, and on the Crown now.

 

Wifi is terrible on my laptop (see first paragraph) but I can read email on my phone.

 

Overall, we're having a great cruise.  You'll hear all about it in the coming days.

[MissP22]

12 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Yup, us with our 200 something days at sea we made the cutoff for most traveled passengers lunch.

That has got to be one of the lowest numbers I've heard of in a long time.

Enjoy. 

[PacnGoNow]

I’m really surprised the Davinci DR was not open for embarkation lunch.  Could it have been due to low passenger count?

 

 

[cruisingrob21]

@abbydancer I have a random request - can you ask if the next voyage (5 day alaska sampler) will take the seymour narrows/inside passage from Ketchikan to Vancouver next week?  If not, no worries.

[srpilo]

Has the Crown's engine problems been resolved ? Are you making full speed?

 

Have a great cruise

[mom says]

Out of curiosity,  are all 3 dining rooms open? Are they doing the Gastro pub at night?

 

We will be on the Crown in 2 months.

[abbydancer2003]

I was off the ship by the time of the last two posts (I'll have most of the rest on here sometime tomorrow), so I can't answer about the route.  And no, the engine problems were not fixed, as you'll find out when I post that we went to Icy Straight after Glacier Bay and not to Ketchican.

 

Hopefully they will be fixed in dry dock.