Bimmer09 Christmas Cruise to Mexico on the Diamond

[Fairgarth]

19 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Did you enjoy sailing with HAL?

 

We did enjoy HAL, it was an excellent cruise.  It was over New Year's Eve - or more properly Hogmanay - so everybody got dressed up and made an occasion of it.  That was a few years ago so I can't make any claim for what HAL is like post-pandemic.

 

I notice that they still do parasailing off the beach at Puerto Vallarta but there is a dearth of first person reporting on such by your good self.  I did it.  Two guys, one in the speedboat and one on the beach, communicating by hand signals.  After a brief briefing, I was up, way up.  You are looking down on cruise ships and high rises well below you.  You can look a vulture in the eye.  "Yon vulture hath a lean and hungry look - such birds are dangerous".  As I came down and skimmed over the treetops I was afraid my voice might go up by two octaves but I need not have worried.  The guys were experts and I landed light as a feather on a sixpence.  Whatever that is.  I still sing baritone.

[Bimmer09]

9 minutes ago, Fairgarth said:

 

We did enjoy HAL, it was an excellent cruise.  It was over New Year's Eve - or more properly Hogmanay - so everybody got dressed up and made an occasion of it.  That was a few years ago so I can't make any claim for what HAL is like post-pandemic.

 

I notice that they still do parasailing off the beach at Puerto Vallarta but there is a dearth of first person reporting on such by your good self.  I did it.  Two guys, one in the speedboat and one on the beach, communicating by hand signals.  After a brief briefing, I was up, way up.  You are looking down on cruise ships and high rises well below you.  You can look a vulture in the eye.  "Yon vulture hath a lean and hungry look - such birds are dangerous".  As I came down and skimmed over the treetops I was afraid my voice might go up by two octaves but I need not have worried.  The guys were experts and I landed light as a feather on a sixpence.  Whatever that is.  I still sing baritone.

I haven't parasailed in many years but did a tandem ride with a friend in Key West over 20 years ago and a solo when I was working on Royal Caribbean's Song of Norway in 1985/6. I think that one was Cozumel or Grand Cayman. Fantastic fun!

Thanks for the comment on HAL!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

On deck 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have only ever sat in Crooners once-many years ago when there was a very funny pianist called David Moore playing. Haven't seen him since-or anyone like him.

 

The beautiful Grand Piazza

 

 

and a real wide promenade deck for walking and lounging. Where are they now?

 

 

Time for breakfast!

 

 

[XBGuy]

50 minutes ago, Fairgarth said:

 

"Yon vulture hath a lean and hungry look - such birds are dangerous".  

 

 

🤣

 

Was it the first full moon of March?

[XBGuy]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

I took one of the Cabo tenders back to the ship as it wasn't crowded and was ready to sail. It was much smaller than a  Princess tender and had no upper deck. During the short voyage a crew member came through with a Big Gulp cup to collect tips. Really? I declined but some folks dropped a dollar in the cup. I mentioned this egregious behavior on my Princess survey.

Norris

 

They're just trying to make a buck.  You declined, and they moved on.  What is egregious about that?

 

A couple weeks ago I was following a "Live From" thread on a HAL cruise.  When they stopped at Cabo San Lucas there were two other cruise ships anchored with them.  (Sound familiar?)  Their ship could only use its tenders, and, so, the process was quite lengthy.  A HAL board regular,  who, as a former HAL officer is very knowledgeable, posted that the "Cabo Tenders" are faster than the ship's rescue craft and speculated that those faster local craft had all been engaged by the other two cruise ships that were in port.  As a result, the HAL ship had to rely on its slower rescue craft.

 

I have taken those Cabo Tenders in the past.  If I'm not mistaken there is a sign at the forward end of the cabin that says, "No tipping."  I am positive that sign is there to keep the cruise lines happy.  I never had a crewman refuse a tip as I was leaving.

 

Who knows?  Maybe Princess will take your criticism to heart and discontinue use of these temders.  Problem solved.

 

 

[Fairgarth]

1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

 

Was it the first full moon of March?

 

Good question, but no.  It was January.  I don't know if Hogmanay has ides you should beware of, I'll have to google it.

[Papa Yoda]

36 minutes ago, Fairgarth said:

 

Good question, but no.  It was January.  I don't know if Hogmanay has ides you should beware of, I'll have to google it.

 

They might have Calends

[Fairgarth]

1 hour ago, Papa Yoda said:

 

They might have Calends

 

Well now, if the Romans didn't have January, they couldn't have calends.  Or could they?  These burning, philosophical, existential questions are beyond my ken and I leave it to greater minds to elucidate.

[Bimmer09]

Breakfast Christmas Day

 

I like the oatmeal, something I don't make at home

 

Our waiter this morning, was, like the ship, all at sea. He brought my pancakes and the warm syrup came in a bowl with a tea spoon for ladling. It was a change from a jug with a spout, I'll give him that.

 

Carol's Eggs Florentine 

 

This was the morning Carol's latte, requested before we had perused the menu, took 37 minutes to arrive.

[Bimmer09]

After breakfast I took some more shots from deck 7

 

Sabatini's where Suites breakfasts are served

 

Platinum gallery portraits booking stand

 

 

 

Ridwan, one of the night bartenders in Churchill's-setting up the Crooner's bar

 

Next-Santa gives out the Presents...

[Bimmer09]

Dear Santa...

Santa was also on this cruise and from 10 a.m to 11.30 he was giving out presents in the Piazza

 

 

 

 

The Great Man himself

 

 

 

Everyone, young or old who approached Santa got a wrapped gift 

Nice touch Princess!

[Bimmer09]

Around the ship

 

 

 

 

On most Princess ships that have this nightclub it is a quiet place to read during the day. Here the basketball court is on the roof so not so quiet as the ball thumping comes through loud and clear 

 

 

 

Looking forward

 

 

I step out of the back door

 

 

 

Shuffle-boarders

 

 

 

This tub is part of the Izumi complex-off limits unless you have paid

 

 

 

Kids clubs are back here

 

 

 

[hozelovr123]

Thanks SO much for this delightful journal. I leave on the Diamond on the 29th. This is FABULOUS!

I am reading and chuckling and making notes! 

[Bimmer09]

1 hour ago, hozelovr123 said:

Thanks SO much for this delightful journal. I leave on the Diamond on the 29th. This is FABULOUS!

I am reading and chuckling and making notes! 

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you are enjoying the read and the pics of your future new home!

Norris

[Deck Chair Queen]

20 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Breakfast Christmas Day

 

I like the oatmeal, something I don't make at home

 

Our waiter this morning, was, like the ship, all at sea. He brought my pancakes and the warm syrup came in a bowl with a tea spoon for ladling. It was a change from a jug with a spout, I'll give him that.

 

Carol's Eggs Florentine 

 

This was the morning Carol's latte, requested before we had perused the menu, took 37 minutes to arrive.

I got a real kick out of the families in matching Christmas jammies. My high school band mate’s daughter and son-in-law made the original Christmas jammies viral video, and I guess they really started something. We don’t do much for Christmas besides exchanging gifts and having a great meal, so it was so much fun participating in these happy rituals. Now I want to do a holiday cruise every year!

Edited January 10, 2023 by Deck Chair Queen
spelling

[voljeep]

20 minutes ago, Deck Chair Queen said:

I got a real kick out of the families in matching Christmas jammies. My high school band mate’s daughter and son-in-law made the original Christmas jammies viral video, and I guess they really started something. We don’t do much for Christmas besides exchanging gifts and having a great meal, so it was so much fun participating in these happy rituals. Now I want to do a holiday cruise every year!

 link? 2013 H family?

Edited January 10, 2023 by voljeep

[Bimmer09]

 

For lunch today I returned to the Trident Grill by the pool on deck 14

 

 

The line was short. I wasn't here for the nasty Hamburger 

 

 

The pounded chicken sandwich was excellent with tomato and cucumber

 

Good snack!

[Bimmer09]

I guess Christmas Day is a day for indulgence for it appears after a lunch by the pool I was back in our stateroom a few hours later having Afternoon Tea. 

 

The Room Service waiter forgot the sandwiches when he delivered but realized his mistake and returned soon after dropping this lot off. This "Snack" has NAP written all over it...

 

 

[Bimmer09]

We were looking forward to a Special Christmas Dinner tonight as we sailed to Ensenada

 

The tables in the International Dining Room were made festive with real burning wax candles. I ran the Muster Drill through in my head just in case the ship caught fire. The waiter filled up our water glasses but I saved mine for dousing a burning tablecloth and ordered a glass of Merlot to drink instead.

Very pretty

 

Carol's melon balls with pomegranate seeds

 

My lobster thermador

 

 

Carol described the turkey dinner as lukewarm. Desserts were raspberry sorbet for Carol and I ordered English Pudding which turned out to be a spiced cherry cake with sauce. Not a highlight.

We followed with a walk on the Promenade deck to admire the crescent moon and were soon in the Wheelhouse Bar for the only time this cruise to listen to Los Brilliantes who soon drew the dancers who seemed to follow them around.

The beautiful Wheelhouse Bar

 

 

 

The clocks went back an hour tonight. It was our 2nd and last Formal Night.

[Bimmer09]

Christmas Day Patter

 

[Bimmer09]

Last port today 

Monday, December 26 2022

First things first -coffee from the Calypso bar by the Conservatory Pool deck 14. Art is everywhere on the Diamond

 

 

Each morning at 6 there is a Medallion waiter there. he has a scanner that shows orders via the app. Now he has just got one from  a table in the buffet on the same deck. The order is immediately made 

 

2 of these to carry. He shows me on his scanner where the customers are sitting in the Horizon Court buffet. I ask him if he is going to deliver them without spilling? "That's the plan!" 

 

We weren't due to dock until noon so I had plenty of time to ease into the day.  No excursions booked but I would have to go ashore and walk around Ensenada.

 

Breakfast at 8.30 was the plan...

 

 

Predictable choices 

His

 

 

Hers

 

The Maitre 'd Jean Paul stops by to see how we are doing

 

 

Breakfast over-ready for the day ahead

[Bimmer09]

Land Ahoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

looks like a big sprawling city!

Up at Tradewinds

 

 

The art

 

 

 

People who kept me hydrated

 

 

[yoshi]

Ok Norris, I am enjoying an iced coffee with a little Sambuca while reading up on the latest Gentlemen's Seafaring Journal/Deck Chair Queen adventures. This episode is especially relevant because we just finished up a short 5 day Baja CA cruise on the Celebrity Solstice. Thank you for the pictures and reading material, already pining for my next cruise.☺️

[Bimmer09]

Heading to Port

 

 

The Pilot

 

 

 

Industrial port-our favorite!

 

 

 

Now THAT is a flag!

 

 

 

 

and we are moored

 

[Bimmer09]

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