Quickie review of a quickie 5 day Comedy Cruise on the Royal Princess / April 11 2023

[pkt1976]

I wanted to post Quick review of a quick 5 day Comedy Cruise on the Royal Princess

 

I will post some photos but I didnt take too many as I’ve been on this ship before. 

We will start with some photos of the sail away from San Francisco. we live about an hours drive from the port and it was lovely not having to fly.
 

The area that was a night club is now part of the casino with part being a lounge. The DJ was in the piazza some nights since there isn’t a night club anymore I guess. The bar in there was closed the couple times I was in there. 

 

This was a short cruise for me, I usually take 7 days at least, but one I’ll always remember. It was my close friend and her family’s first cruise ever. After booking the cruise another friend and I figured out they were also on this cruise, and only a few doors down! 

 

The comics were great and there was something I’d never seen in a Princess cruise … late night adult comedy shows. They were still tame versus comedy shows I’ve seen on other lines, and they were packed with guests so I’d say that is something a lot of cruisers want. I’ll be curious to see if that continues. 

 

I met cruise director Armando (Arrrrmando) from Mexico 10 years ago and we’ve become friends. I saw him last year as a temporary CD, and now as an official CD. He’s a great person and has worked very hard for this opportunity. He’s a new CD and finding his way with the new responsibilities while still doing the parts of his job he enjoys, engaging and having fun with the passengers. Lucky him to also be the face more passengers complain to and about 🙄 To be clear… My words, not his. I always feel for customer service, shore ex and the cruise directors for the amount of asinine complaints they have the privilege of listening to and dealing with overgrown toddlers. Most passengers are respectful, supportive and appreciative… then there are the others. As one comedian said sometimes all you can say is “have a nice cruise” …. It’s Like “bless your heart” … it’s means what it means 😉 

 

Princess asks a lot of their crew, be they the entertainment team bar and wait staff, hotel staff etc. Passengers ask a lot as well. The crew all work very hard and there are still a lot of new folks working on board, it’s nice to see that most passengers give them grace and respect. 

 

Anyway, Armando and his team hosted lots of great events like trivia, game shows, and activities.  It’s great to see so much of the pre Covid activities back. Since this was a 5 day a lot of the “big” game show were packed in two a night. We also had two production shows. I finally got to see Secret Silk, I thought it was a beautiful show. 

 

The weather was cool throughout but we got a bit of hot tub Time. We found ourselves amidst a training issue in the hot tub. We ordered drinks in the app and less than two minutes later we were handed drinks. I was amazed, until I realized they weren’t the drinks we ordered…. And they were in glass. There were other things this trip that were different than the past (like being served soda In cans in the dining room) so I wasn’t sure what to think. I was telling my first time cruiser friend as we had a sip I was surprised they were in glass when a deck manager came up and said we couldn’t have glass there. I told him that’s what I thought too and I was surprised we were served the drinks in glass …. And I told him I didn’t think they were our drinks either. Just then I spied a wandering waiter with two drinks desperately seeking his prey on lido …. In plastic cups …. With what looked like our drinks. I told him this and he had the waiter bring the …. More adult drinks … to us. He did figure out who the original waiter was and counseled him accordingly. Like I said, new crew, more training opportunities come up. 

 

Unfortunately the youngest in our travel party has some medical issues and while it made this trip more challenging, her and her family are now hooked on cruising, yes another three bite the dust and are falling  down the cruising rabbit hole with the lot of us. They loved the cruise, loved the ship and loved the Princess hospitality this cruise. This begins another story, which In the end gave the crew of the Royal Princess an opportunity to shock me and bring me to tears…. But you will need to keep reading for that story. 😉 

 

[pkt1976]

Food porn post 🫶

 

i enjoyed most of the food onboard. There are new offerings ,.., hello passion fruit mousse 😍 as well as the dishes we are accustomed to. One friend had the fettuccine Alfredo… every. Single. Night. I guess if you like it you like it and that was enough adventure for him 😆 

 

I’m a big fan of most of the cold soups and salads. It may sound like blasphemy… but I don’t like the pub lunch offerings 😳 they had the pub lunch offerings in the mdr for lunch one sea day, and that was about it. I did have the Indian Curry dish off the menu and asked for… a salad, lettuce and tomatoes and I was happy, thankfully the chef didn’t come out looking for the traitor who didn’t want British pub food. 
 

I made proper use of the drink package as well and made recommendations to the teenager for non alcoholic mock tails I thought she’d like. 

[Honolulu Blue]

@pkt1976: Thanks for sharing your views on this special comedy themed cruise. Nice pictures. I'm glad you and your party had a nice cruise. 😁 I mean it sincerely and not in any way as a backhanded slam. I'll have to add it to my verbal arsenal and be careful how I use it from now on.

 

Our 80s themed cruise that ran concurrently with yours didn't have any late night comedy, but did have a comic (Ralph Harris) who had two nights of shows in the main theater - one of which was 18+. BTW, his show wasn't especially 80s themed.

 

I wonder if the person who commented about not liking Armando in the other review thread (can't link it, sorry) will comment here. Unlikely, because that's not the way thing work around here.

 

I'm glad your cruising party seem to be converted to cruise addicts! We had lots of n00bs on our cruise and some did speak favorably of Princess.

[pkt1976]

3 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

@pkt1976: Thanks for sharing your views on this special comedy themed cruise. Nice pictures. I'm glad you and your party had a nice cruise. 😁 I mean it sincerely and not in any way as a backhanded slam. I'll have to add it to my verbal arsenal and be careful how I use it from now on.

 

Our 80s themed cruise that ran concurrently with yours didn't have any late night comedy, but did have a comic (Ralph Harris) who had two nights of shows in the main theater - one of which was 18+. BTW, his show wasn't especially 80s themed.

 

I wonder if the person who commented about not liking Armando in the other review thread (can't link it, sorry) will comment here. Unlikely, because that's not the way thing work around here.

 

I'm glad your cruising party seem to be converted to cruise addicts! We had lots of n00bs on our cruise and some did speak favorably of Princess.

Thank you! I’ll try to finish up this weekend. Lol I’ll never think of “have a nice cruise” the same 😅it’s all about the tone now hehehe
 

yeah I saw it 🙄I have opinions …. Which I kept to myself….on that thread… though the urge to tell the guy to …. have a nice cruise 😜  was there.

 

Armando is a good, honest  and genuine person. He’s learning, but he will find his way to be the CD he wants to be. There are so many new CDs with Princess, they will all make their way and learn what works for them.

[pkt1976]

I do promise I’ll finish 😆I’m a special needs foster for a cat rescue and had two critical kitties this weekend I’m working with….. 

[CruzeQueen2]

@pkt1976 Nice to find you here, sharing your latest cruise. Thank you for taking the time. I enjoy reading your reports and the food pics as well, of course! Reading about the newest food offerings is helpful - sailing in less than two weeks. On Majestic.

Edited April 24, 2023 by CruzeQueen2
word added

[KLM3164]

@pkt1976Thanks for sharing your review and photos from your cruise. 

 

Good luck with your foster kitties!

[iamaqt2]

Thanks for sharing.   I was also on this cruise.  Didn't make it to any of the late night comedy shows, but did see Carlos Oscar and The Secret Silk which was absolutely fantastic.

I previously cruised with Arrrrrmondo on the Discovery and he's fantastic. I found all the food to be delicious but I was a little let down by the weather.  It was unseasonably cool this particular week.

And the snafu with losing all the first night Dinner reservations created havoc in the dining rooms.. the lines were loooong that first night.

Overall it was a nice little cruise I enjoyed very much.

[iamaqt2]

1 hour ago, CruzeQueen2 said:

@pkt1976 Nice to find you here, sharing your latest cruise. Thank you for taking the time. I enjoy reading your reports and the food pics as well, of course! Reading about the newest food offerings is helpful - sailing in less than two weeks. On Majestic.

I believe I may be joining you on the Majestic.  May 5 sailing?

[pkt1976]

1 hour ago, iamaqt2 said:

Thanks for sharing.   I was also on this cruise.  Didn't make it to any of the late night comedy shows, but did see Carlos Oscar and The Secret Silk which was absolutely fantastic.

I previously cruised with Arrrrrmondo on the Discovery and he's fantastic. I found all the food to be delicious but I was a little let down by the weather.  It was unseasonably cool this particular week.

And the snafu with losing all the first night Dinner reservations created havoc in the dining rooms.. the lines were loooong that first night.

Overall it was a nice little cruise I enjoyed very much.

I know, the weather was very cool and not normal. 😬 

 

Oh right yeah I forgot, the app canceled all of my dining reservations at some point 🤦🏼‍♀️we ate, Didn’t starve so all good 😅

[pkt1976]

1 hour ago, CruzeQueen2 said:

@pkt1976 Nice to find you here, sharing your latest cruise. Thank you for taking the time. I enjoy reading your reports and the food pics as well, of course! Reading about the newest food offerings is helpful - sailing in less than two weeks. On Majestic.

Have fun and great to see your name ❤️

[CruzeQueen2]

Just now, pkt1976 said:

Have fun and great to see your name ❤️

@pkt1976 Looking forward to your story about the staff. Does the staff member's name end with O, begin with C? 😉 Dining room? 

[pkt1976]

The San Diego zoo was a quick and easy ride from the port. We took Uber and had to walk about 1/2 block to meet it, or it’s easy to catch a cab just outside the gate. 

[pkt1976]

In the evening I took the trolley tour. Our whole group had planned to go but the youngest in our party was having a hard time with her medical issues and her parents needed to stay onboard as well. 
We had rented her a wheelchair at the zoo hoping that would allow her to feel well enough for the trolley. sadly that wasn’t the case. She had a rough time at the zoo and some tears,  mostly frustration but pain too.
 

She loves flamingos so I’ll use  🦩 when referring to her 😉 
 

the tour was ok, they were about 20 mins late. The night light views were nice but I think i would have preferred a day tour to be able to see more. 
 

we were out for a few hours seeing the city. Do you see that bridge though? I hate bridges anyway but I’ll be happy to never go on that one again 😅it’s long and we were on the edge with a low barrier and all I could think was we were in this trolley vehicle with no seat belts and a plastic flap keeping us in. I know I’m dramatic 😅but I hate going on bridges 

I was so sad 🦩wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t come but the tour guide mentioned there was a French bakery in one area we stopped and 🦩LOVES macaroons. I decided to get her some so she could have something she could enjoy. I knew it would cheer her up and I got multiple flavors with visions of enjoying them all together with our full group of 8. I texted her a picture and she was sooo happy to see what I was bringing to her. she’s had such hard path the last few years and it means a lot to see her have joy. 
 

My friends planned to be on the balcony waving as I was coming back and we planned to take photos of each other. I was happily walking through the port terminal carrying Them… and did not realize it wasn’t a sealed box. The inner box slid out of the outer box and all but 2 macarons fell to the ground. My heart sank. I know it probably sounds like something small but she’s had such. Hard time and seeing them on the ground just hurt. I got onboard and went up and told them what happened 😞and gave her the two I still had. 
 

this story doesn’t end there though… and it turns into something beautiful 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by pkt1976

[CruzeQueen2]

39 minutes ago, pkt1976 said:

In the evening I took the trolley tour. Our whole group had planned to go but the youngest in our party was having a hard time with her medical issues and her parents needed to stay onboard as well. 
We had rented her a wheelchair at the zoo hoping that would allow her to feel well enough for the trolley. sadly that wasn’t the case. She had a rough time at the zoo and some tears,  mostly frustration but pain too.
 

She loves flamingos so I’ll use  🦩 when referring to her 😉 
 

the tour was ok, they were about 20 mins late. The night light views were nice but I think i would have preferred a day tour to be able to see more. 
 

we were out for a few hours seeing the city. Do you see that bridge though? I hate bridges anyway but I’ll be happy to never go on that one again 😅it’s long and we were on the edge with a low barrier and all I could think was we were in this trolley vehicle with no seat belts and a plastic flap keeping us in. I know I’m dramatic 😅but I hate going on bridges 

I was so sad 🦩wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t come but the tour guide mentioned there was a French bakery in one area we stopped and 🦩LOVES macaroons. I decided to get her some so she could have something she could enjoy. I knew it would cheer her up and I got multiple flavors with visions of enjoying them all together with our full group of 8. I texted her a picture and she was sooo happy to see what I was bringing to her. she’s had such hard path the last few years and it means a lot to see her have joy. 
 

My friends planned to be on the balcony waving as I was coming back and we planned to take photos of each other. I was happily walking through the port terminal carrying Them… and did not realize it wasn’t a sealed box. The inner box slid out of the outer box and all but 2 macarons fell to the ground. My heart sank. I know it probably sounds like something small but she’s had such. Hard time and seeing them on the ground just hurt. I got onboard and went up and told them what happened 😞and gave her the two I still had. 
 

this story doesn’t end there though… and it turns into something beautiful 

 

 

@pkt1976 I can't wait to hear the beautiful ending to your story. I could feel those macarons plop onto the ground, along with your heart! Such a kind-hearted gesture from you, for your friends and the person who needed the pick-me-up - literally! 

[nini]

@pkt1976 Thanks so much for sharing! What a great idea for a comedy cruise. We have also enjoyed Carlos Oscar and hope to again. I love that your friends are now also loving cruising.