World Cruise 2023 - Occasionally Live from the Island Princess

[Tyskie]

@We_like_to_cruise

Thank you for taking us along on your travels - enjoyed !

Safe home

[GonzoWCS]

19 minutes ago, Tyskie said:

@Teechur

 

We bring the LED tea lights with us - take virtually no room - we bring 2 for 10-14 day cruises (turn off during the day to save battery life)  Can get at Dollar Tree and Amazon.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Brigle-Battery-Powered-Flameless-Decoration-Christmas/dp/B09LCHJD9S/ref=asc_df_B09LCHJD9S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=563717045018&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13379667869912228886&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051981&hvtargid=pla-1659968389637&th=1

Brilliant!

 

Cheers

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 4/27/2023 at 7:31 AM, Denali2003 said:

Hello.  For those who are currently on the Island Princess -- does it have full crew or are they still at 50-60%?  We will be boarding the Island in 2 weeks 🙂

 

We had a full crew after we left from LA back in January.  The segment from FLL to LA was definitely less crew but not 50%. 

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 4/28/2023 at 3:28 PM, Protirees said:

The electrical outlet (razor only) does not switch off when the overhead light is switched off--at least not in our cabin on the Island. That said, I have tried a small night light in the outlet and it doesn't work well at all, as it is not the same power. My small night light fits but flickers up and down so much that I took it out and just use a very small LED flashlight hanging from the shelf instead. Maybe others have had better luck than I have and it may depend on the type of night light ... not sure.

Yes, I agree.

 

We used this very successfully -

 

https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Brightness-Rechargeable-Magnetic-Wardrobe/dp/B09YPT2DGV/ref=sr_1_24?crid=25B6AC24NMK1O&keywords=hanging+battery+powered+motion+detector+night+light&qid=1673649856&sprefix=hangingbattery+powered+motion+detector+night+light%2Caps%2C1685&sr=8-24

[We_like_to_cruise]

On 4/27/2023 at 9:07 AM, wowzz said:

 

It is an electric kettle - used throughout the civilised world !

 

You reminded me of a story.  Many years ago we were on a cruise and shared a table with an Australian veterinarian.  Somehow the topic of electric kettles came up and I was clueless.

 

She explained it to me and then asked "But if you don't have a kettle, how on earth do you boil water?"

 

I replied "In a pot on the stove."

 

She was astonished and said "Well, I always thought the United States was the most advanced country in the world, but now ..."

 

Hoping to avoid an international incident I promptly purchased a kettle once we returned home.

 

And, yes, although we are not tea drinkers, that kettle heats up water very very quickly!

[We_like_to_cruise]

Home Sweet Home !

 

Back for a couple of days now and have gone food shopping, read the mail, caught up on emails, and resumed life off the ship.  (😥)

 

Disembarkation from ship to shore was straightforward and well organized by Princess.

 

But, when we went to get our luggage, although it was in the correct Green category, the numbers (1-7) were all mixed and jumbled up.  No organization at all, so it took over 40 minutes to find our luggage.  In the past we have disembarked and all of the (eg.) Green1 were together and separate from Green2, Green3, etc.

 

We were able to get a porter to assist and bring everything out to the rental car shuttle.  There was no way we could manage all of those bags on our own!  As you can imagine many people had lots of luggage for the 111 day journey.

 

Online pic attached that is pretty accurate.

 

The ride home was uneventful, except for the occasional blurring of my vision.  DW wanted to know if I was teary-eyed now that the trip was over.   It was probably an errant eyelash or something like that...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[catgirl411]

Thanks for your wonderful reports. I will miss reading almost daily about your exploits. I suspect it will take you a while to get used to life on land again!

[Denali2003]

@We_like_to_cruise  We went to a B&B last September.  They have an electric kettle.  I thought it was the coolest thing.  Yes, it heats the water up FAST.  So, when we got home, I ordered one from Amazon.  I LOVE IT!!!  Love that it shuts off immediately once the water is boiled.  It takes longer for the tea to steep than it does for the water to heat up 😉

[catgirl411]

OMG, this electric kettle discussion is so funny. As a Canadian, I had no idea that Americans don’t use them. The only time we boil water in a pot on a stove is to cook something in water, like pasta or veggies. We use the kettle for everything else. It is faster but it also has a spout which makes it easy to pour. 

[sjde]

I still prefer the microwave for heating water! 

[erber]

2 hours ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Yes, I agree.

 

We used this very successfully -

 

https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Brightness-Rechargeable-Magnetic-Wardrobe/dp/B09YPT2DGV/ref=sr_1_24?crid=25B6AC24NMK1O&keywords=hanging+battery+powered+motion+detector+night+light&qid=1673649856&sprefix=hangingbattery+powered+motion+detector+night+light%2Caps%2C1685&sr=8-24

I guess this means the Island Princess does not have the motion sensor lighting installed in the cabins yet. We will be on the Transatlantic departing Ft. Lauderdale on May 26, so we have time to purchase your suggested night light. Thank you for this link. 

[wowzz]

42 minutes ago, sjde said:

I still prefer the microwave for heating water! 

For one mug, possibly, but not if you want to boil enough water for a teapot.

And the water has to be boiling hot - not that easy getting a container full of boiling hot water out of a microwave.

Edited April 30, 2023 by wowzz

[trinitygirl]

3 hours ago, catgirl411 said:

OMG, this electric kettle discussion is so funny. As a Canadian, I had no idea that Americans don’t use them. The only time we boil water in a pot on a stove is to cook something in water, like pasta or veggies. We use the kettle for everything else. It is faster but it also has a spout which makes it easy to pour. 

I have been thinking the same thing!  I had no idea Americans didn’t have kettles. In NZ and Australia, a kettle is the first appliance anyone ever buys/is given when they leave home.

[chefestelle]

4 hours ago, catgirl411 said:

OMG, this electric kettle discussion is so funny. As a Canadian, I had no idea that Americans don’t use them. The only time we boil water in a pot on a stove is to cook something in water, like pasta or veggies. We use the kettle for everything else. It is faster but it also has a spout which makes it easy to pour. 

Exactly! It has to be a rolling boil. And for tea, the pot has to have hot water in it while the water boils in the kettle. Nothing else tastes as good! - Another Canadian

[loerie]

Iam x South African living in the USA.You can buy electric kettles here.I have 3 in reserve! And educated all my married kids and grandkids to this “hi tech” gadget.

[1emerald1]

7 hours ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Home Sweet Home !

 

Back for a couple of days now and have gone food shopping, read the mail, caught up on emails, and resumed life off the ship.  (😥)

 

Disembarkation from ship to shore was straightforward and well organized by Princess.

 

But, when we went to get our luggage, although it was in the correct Green category, the numbers (1-7) were all mixed and jumbled up.  No organization at all, so it took over 40 minutes to find our luggage.  In the past we have disembarked and all of the (eg.) Green1 were together and separate from Green2, Green3, etc.

 

We were able to get a porter to assist and bring everything out to the rental car shuttle.  There was no way we could manage all of those bags on our own!  As you can imagine many people had lots of luggage for the 111 day journey.

 

Online pic attached that is pretty accurate.

 

The ride home was uneventful, except for the occasional blurring of my vision.  DW wanted to know if I was teary-eyed now that the trip was over.   It was probably an errant eyelash or something like that...

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so sorry your cruise is over!  Thanks to your wonderful review and photos, I saw parts of the world that I will never see!

[KKB]

Have loved your posts--looking forward to your final thoughts!

[MaineYachtClub]

7 hours ago, trinitygirl said:

I have been thinking the same thing!  I had no idea Americans didn’t have kettles. In NZ and Australia, a kettle is the first appliance anyone ever buys/is given when they leave home.

There really is a quite simple explanation why Americans don't have kettles.  We drink coffee, real coffee, not instant.  So, we may not have a kettle, but it would be a rare kitchen that doesn't have a percolator, drip, or Koerig.  We have a percolator, a single cup drip and an expresso machine.

Edited April 30, 2023 by MaineYachtClub

[trinitygirl]

2 hours ago, MaineYachtClub said:

There really is a quite simple explanation why Americans don't have kettles.  We drink coffee, real coffee, not instant.  So, we may not have a kettle, but it would be a rare kitchen that doesn't have a percolator, drip, or Koerig.  We have a percolator, a single cup drip and an expresso machine.

LOL.  You will not find many Aussies or Kiwis who agree that Americans drink real coffee.  No disrespect intended (I don't drink coffee, but literally everyone I know does, and whenever they find a decent cup of coffee in the US it ends up on social media, they are so amazed and eager to share the find).  It's all so funny.  I don't think anyone drinks instant coffee anymore, but kettles are necessities for making tea so I think that's why we have them. 

[GonzoWCS]

Is there such a thing as "fake" coffee?  Asking for a friend.

 

Cheers

[MaineYachtClub]

15 minutes ago, GonzoWCS said:

Is there such a thing as "fake" coffee?  Asking for a friend.

 

Cheers

It seems American coffee is, according to trinitygirl 😁

[sjde]

What’s wrong with American coffee? 

[Steelers36]

4 minutes ago, sjde said:

What’s wrong with American coffee? 

The only American coffee comes from Hawaii (pretty much all from the island of Hawaii I believe with maybe some from Maui now??) and it is quite good.  I believe coffee plantations in Puerto Rico, but I don't know much about that coffee - although there are quite good purveyors it would appear. 

 

But I think I know what you are really referring to.

[GonzoWCS]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

The only American coffee comes from Hawaii (pretty much all from the island of Hawaii I believe with maybe some from Maui now??) and it is quite good.  I believe coffee plantations in Puerto Rico, but I don't know much about that coffee - although there are quite good purveyors it would appear. 

 

But I think I know what you are really referring to.

Spot on.

 

Cheers

[sjde]

Oh- I thought you were referring to the way Americans brew coffee.

 

True,  the only American coffee is from the Big Island/ Hawaii , Kona coffee,  and it’s very pricey.