Blogging from the Sapphire Princess

[PescadoAmarillo]

19 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Alfredo's/Gigi's did have the appetizers and dessert before, plus additional mains - at least on Royal Class ships.  Perhaps you were thinking of smaller ships where I understand the menu was pizza's only (I have forgotten that as not been in one of those for a long time).

 

One piece of good news is that the menu photo you posted indicated pizza's are $8.50 a la carte, which seems reasonable based on other for-fee casual dining menus.  The menu drafts that were posted in other thread(s) here in the this Forum indicated that a la carte pizza's were going to be $12.  So, it will be interesting to see if the charge is $12 on a Royal Class ship or $8.50.  I thought the $12 fee was on the high side.  There are two different Alfredo menus - the smaller scope one like yours with one App and one Dessert and the larger one with more Apps and Mains

 

 

You know, I’m not very familiar with Alfredo’s on the Royal Class ships and not at all familiar with Gigis. I thought $8:50 for the pizza wasn’t awful and, if paying, would definitely opt for just pizza instead the entire meal. In fact, we would probably split a pizza, as we seldom finish more than half each.
 

But I am a firm fan of Princess Plus for short cruises. I love the simplicity it and might even lean toward the Premium program just because I want to cruise with no limits. I really like the all inclusive concept. 
 

Actually, Princess has done exactly what I was hoping for, which is offer a higher priced mainstream cruise line product with more inclusive offerings, and stopping the fare race to the bottom, which was not in their long term best interest at all.
 

Of course, easy for me to say.  We’ve done our ten years and are now cruising more selectively. 

[Thrak]

I had to laugh when I saw the MTG cutoff line and realized we were well above that number of days. I don't think of us as particularly "well traveled" in comparison to many (many!) other folks. Only on an Alaska cruise would we ever make the cut.

 

@PescadoAmarillo Question: You have mentioned how much you love the double loungers. I've been trying to envision them but don't recall noticing them on our cruises. Can you please post a pic of the loungers? Inquiring minds want to know...

[PescadoAmarillo]

9 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I had to laugh when I saw the MTG cutoff line and realized we were well above that number of days. I don't think of us as particularly "well traveled" in comparison to many (many!) other folks. Only on an Alaska cruise would we ever make the cut.

 

@PescadoAmarillo Question: You have mentioned how much you love the double loungers. I've been trying to envision them but don't recall noticing them on our cruises. Can you please post a pic of the loungers? Inquiring minds want to know...

I will before we disembark. The rain finally found us today in Ketchikan so I’m hoping to get a pic when the cushions are on the loungers and they’re not wet with rain. 
 

When 2000 of fewer than 2500 guests are first time Princess cruisers, 159 days IS most traveled!

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

24 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I had to laugh when I saw the MTG cutoff line and realized we were well above that number of days. I don't think of us as particularly "well traveled" in comparison to many (many!) other folks. Only on an Alaska cruise would we ever make the cut.

 

@PescadoAmarillo Question: You have mentioned how much you love the double loungers. I've been trying to envision them but don't recall noticing them on our cruises. Can you please post a pic of the loungers? Inquiring minds want to know...

On the Crown

[Steelers36]

43 minutes ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

On the Crown

 

I don't recall ever seeing one of those before.  Just a double-wide in The Sanctuary in the past which we avoided because you can select your own recline level with single loungers.

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

3 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I don't recall ever seeing one of those before.  Just a double-wide in The Sanctuary in the past which we avoided because you can select your own recline level with single loungers.

There are three behind Adagio/Sabatini's, and one on each "wing" further aft.  I couldn't take pictures as they were all occupied except for the one I posted.

[CruzeQueen2]

I'm going to ask for the numbers that get you to the party -  at the Loyalty desk on Crown now. It doesn't look like I made the cut...for the MTG this time and I have more than 159 days. More, by one hundred and thirty days or so. LOL Just under 300 days, haven't looked for my exact number. Oh well! Not nearly enough - but I'll keep adding to my count. I have been invited twice previously. Both on Alaska sailings, of course.

[CruzeQueen2]

FYI The numbers for the MTG are NOT low. I found out from the Loyalty desk - 1900, 1800 and 800 for top three. Oh well. Sorry not exact numbers, just the ball park. Very high.

I post them here in pescadoamarillo's blog, since there was speculation about low number of days on Alaska cruises sometimes qualify for MTG invitations. NOT this time, on Crown.

Happy sailing, nevertheless. All good.

[ashpam]

5 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

I finally have the answer for you. Crab Shack is offered twice, on each of the two sea days of the Alaska cruises (the first and last full days) in the Savoy Dining Room from noon to 1:30pm. The cost is $29. 

Thank you so much for the info! May you always have calm seas and full glasses of wine!

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

Who wants to go to mtp party?  I have a guest spot available.  

[arizonaperson]

5 hours ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

On the Crown

Nice, I have never seen these. I guess I need a cruise.

[kiwimum]

10 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

Nice, I have never seen these. I guess I need a cruise.

The Sapphire had far better double loungers on our December cruises than the ones on the Crown.   Adjustable back rests.

[Thrak]

Wow. I've never noticed a lounger of that type. I'm sure I would have remembered it. It's always a bit of a struggle for me to get up and down on the dang things. I don't bend properly anymore.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Here you go @Thrak.  There are four of them on the aft decks on the Sapphire Princess. I loved the adjustable backrest. 

[GJCruiser]

41 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Here you go @Thrak.  There are four of them on the aft decks on the Sapphire Princess. I loved the adjustable backrest. 

 

Those are new since this past winter. We were on the Sapphire to Antarctica and they were not there. Though our weather was horrible so few were outside!

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Here you go @Thrak.  There are four of them on the aft decks on the Sapphire Princess. I loved the adjustable backrest. 

 

 

And, unlike the ones they had/have in The Sanctuary, each half of the back section moves independently.  I will be looking for these next time we might be on one of these ships.

 

I'd be happy with Sapphire if it is doing AK when we decide to go.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Steelers36

[kiwimum]

1 hour ago, GJCruiser said:

Those are new since this past winter. We were on the Sapphire to Antarctica and they were not there. Though our weather was horrible so few were outside!

They were definitely on the first leg of the December 1 Antarctica cruise last year.  Never had a reason to use them on the second leg as the weather was dreadful.

[GJCruiser]

34 minutes ago, kiwimum said:

They were definitely on the first leg of the December 1 Antarctica cruise last year.  Never had a reason to use them on the second leg as the weather was dreadful.

I guess I did not see them. Spent some time back there too. We were on the January loop from BA to Santiago.

Edited August 8, 2023 by GJCruiser

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Here you go @Thrak.  There are four of them on the aft decks on the Sapphire Princess. I loved the adjustable backrest. 

 

Amazing. I agree that the separate adjustable backrest feature makes it much better than if it was a single backrest. Never seen these before on any cruise (and my wife loves to hang out in the back pool area so I have tromped up and down and around the aft decks multiple times).

Edited August 8, 2023 by Thrak

[Alaska05]

We will be on the Sapphire next May doing the exact same 14 day itinerary.

 

Could u tell me what time the PES cocktail hour is and where it is being held. 
 

I’m making lots of notes from your daily blog.

 

Like u we have been to Alaska many times.  Don’t feel the need to load up on expensive excursions. We do like to do a whale watch in Juneau, but that’s about it.  We’ll take in the scenery and enjoy the ship.

 

Thanks for taking us along and safe journeys.

 

 

[dides]

On 8/7/2023 at 9:33 PM, Steelers36 said:

One piece of good news is that the menu photo you posted indicated pizza's are $8.50 a la carte, which seems reasonable based on other for-fee casual dining menus.  The menu drafts that were posted in other thread(s) here in the this Forum indicated that a la carte pizza's were going to be $12.  So, it will be interesting to see if the charge is $12 on a Royal Class ship or $8.50.  I thought the $12 fee was on the high side.  There are two different Alfredo menus - the smaller scope one like yours with one App and one Dessert and the larger one with more Apps and Mains

 

 

Interesting. Do you think they may have rushed out this menu out based on the $8.50 they started charging for pizzas on OceanNow and before they became aligned?  The $5.50 for appetizer and $4 for dessert does not match with any of the other published casual dining menus.

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by dides

[Steelers36]

10 hours ago, dides said:

Interesting. Do you think they may have rushed out this menu out based on the $8.50 they started charging for pizzas on OceanNow and before they became aligned?  The $5.50 for appetizer and $4 for dessert does not match with any of the other published casual dining menus.

 

YGIAGAM.  I think we will get additional clarity shortly after Aug 12 when a lot more ship come online with the changes and we get some live reports.

[CynCyn]

I hope the Internet went down and @PescadoAmarillo just can’t blog.  Has anyone heard anything? She hasn’t posted since the 7th.

[PescadoAmarillo]

9 minutes ago, CynCyn said:

I hope the Internet went down and @PescadoAmarillo just can’t blog.  Has anyone heard anything? She hasn’t posted since the 7th.

We just got home last night. I will get caught up today. Internet was a bit sporadic the last night of the cruise, probably because everyone was checking in for flights. 

[CynCyn]

56 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

We just got home last night. I will get caught up today. Internet was a bit sporadic the last night of the cruise, probably because everyone was checking in for flights. 

Thank goodness! Sending all of the love to you and your mom!