Live From The Sapphire Princess October 15, 2023 R/T to Hawaii

[Elua]

On 10/19/2023 at 10:30 AM, karatemom2 said:

They were a big part of why we enjoyed our LA to Hawaii cruises that we did for a number of years over the Christmas holidays. They still work with Princess and I believe they will be doing the Hawaii sailings on the Crown out of San Francisco this season. 

Yes, we are very much still part of the Princess ohana. We just returned from a great cruise on the Grand, and will be leaving for the Hawai'i season on the Crown in a week and a half. Looking forward to seeing lots of old friends and making a lot of new ones as well.

 

Tiki Dave

[FromIndy]

Bob,

 

My wife and I are going to be on the Sapphire for the 10/30 cruise to the South Pacific. Three questions for you and your wife:

 

1. We are thinking about doing our own laundry on board using the facilities. Do you know if we can use our medallion for pay or do we need cash or change to operate the machines?

 

2. Elegant dinner nights. I prefer to stay as casual and comfortable as possible wearing slacks and a dress shirt to dinner. Will this work for elegant nights? I read somewhere a jacket was required. Can you confirm? And how is the lobster?

 

3. USS Iowa. We want to try and tour it before we board the Sapphire. Maybe check our luggage at Sapphire then walk over to the USS Iowa and tour it for an hour or two. From what you have seen do you think this is feasible? Any issue your perceive with this plan?

 

Thank you, Mike and Shelley

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, FromIndy said:

Bob,

 

My wife and I are going to be on the Sapphire for the 10/30 cruise to the South Pacific. Three questions for you and your wife:

 

1. We are thinking about doing our own laundry on board using the facilities. Do you know if we can use our medallion for pay or do we need cash or change to operate the machines?

 

2. Elegant dinner nights. I prefer to stay as casual and comfortable as possible wearing slacks and a dress shirt to dinner. Will this work for elegant nights? I read somewhere a jacket was required. Can you confirm? And how is the lobster?

 

3. USS Iowa. We want to try and tour it before we board the Sapphire. Maybe check our luggage at Sapphire then walk over to the USS Iowa and tour it for an hour or two. From what you have seen do you think this is feasible? Any issue your perceive with this plan?

 

Thank you, Mike and Shelley

The Medallion allows you to get tokens from a machine in each laundry room.  Cost is $3.00 per token.  A token does either a wash cycle or a dry cycle.  You decide how many tokens to order.  If Elite you *might* be able to get some tokens free from GS desk.

 

There is no need to dress formally any longer if that is your preference.  What you describe is perfectly fine.

 

I will leave the last question to those who have done the tour.

[crusdiva]

5 hours ago, Sunviking said:

I don't want to hijack Bob's "Live from..." but I just wanted to say hi Sharon.  I hope you and Bruce and Jake are well. I've kind of lost touch.  Cheers.

Oh my goodness!

Hi Ann 😸 so great to find you here. All is well here, we’re both retired now (what?) and Jake is great. Sending hugs.

[phabric]

4 hours ago, Elua said:

Yes, we are very much still part of the Princess ohana. We just returned from a great cruise on the Grand, and will be leaving for the Hawai'i season on the Crown in a week and a half. Looking forward to seeing lots of old friends and making a lot of new ones as well.

 

Tiki Dave

I am wondering if you will be on the Rudy Sept 29, 2024 16 day cruise out of San Francisco?

[PacnGoNow]

3 hours ago, FromIndy said:

Bob,

 

My wife and I are going to be on the Sapphire for the 10/30 cruise to the South Pacific. Three questions for you and your wife:

 

1. We are thinking about doing our own laundry on board using the facilities. Do you know if we can use our medallion for pay or do we need cash or change to operate the machines?

 

2. Elegant dinner nights. I prefer to stay as casual and comfortable as possible wearing slacks and a dress shirt to dinner. Will this work for elegant nights? I read somewhere a jacket was required. Can you confirm? And how is the lobster?

 

3. USS Iowa. We want to try and tour it before we board the Sapphire. Maybe check our luggage at Sapphire then walk over to the USS Iowa and tour it for an hour or two. From what you have seen do you think this is feasible? Any issue your perceive with this plan?

 

Thank you, Mike and Shelley

Check the machine first, as some of the ships have been free. If not, scan your medallion for tokens in the laundrette.

 

The USS Iowa opens at 10 am and yes you could check your bag’s first.  We checked our bags at 0930 and went inside to checkin at 1000 and then to the lounge.  We boarded about 1050.

 

The tour takes about 2 hours or more, depends if you want to read everything.  We wouldn’t do that, because we like to board early, do the muster, eat lunch, etc. But that’s just us. 🥴

 

Lobster night is 2nd and 3rd formal night OB the Sapphire. Oct 24 & Oct 28.  So don’t know yet.

South Pacific cruises are more laid back than some other cruise areas.  Slacks and shirt NP.  

 

Women may need a sweater or wrap in the Piazza, as it’s a little chilly.  MDR not too bad.

 

 

[NikiPinkston]

Experienced cruiser but Princess newbie here. Do men ever wear (nice) Hawaiian shirts on formal nights on this cruise?

[PacnGoNow]

6 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

Experienced cruiser but Princess newbie here. Do men ever wear (nice) Hawaiian shirts on formal nights on this cruise?

Yes, I have seen that on Hawaiian and S Pacific cruises.  Most on this cruise have a nice shirt and slacks, some with Jackets.  But, aloha shirts or tropical shirts are considered dress shirts in Hawaii.

 

Just be comfortable and enjoy your cruise.

 

[c-boy]

28 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

Experienced cruiser but Princess newbie here. Do men ever wear (nice) Hawaiian shirts on formal nights on this cruise?

🖐️   question here , what's a nice Hawaiian shirt ?

[Carnevale]

Thanks so much for this thread Bob - I am getting lots of good info from you.  One question: how are the beds and pillows?  We are currently on Discovery and are missing the great bedding we’ve had before.  The beds are harder than the ones on Regal last year and the pillows are firm and thick.  Hope Sapphire has the better beds and pillows we have enjoyed in the past.

[Elua]

4 hours ago, phabric said:

I am wondering if you will be on the Rudy Sept 29, 2024 16 day cruise out of San Francisco?

At this point, I don't know. We really only know our schedule for one season at a time. As soon as we know our schedule, we will let everyone know here and on our social media.

 

Mahalo!
Tiki Dave

[Purplsmurf]

2 hours ago, Carnevale said:

Thanks so much for this thread Bob - I am getting lots of good info from you.  One question: how are the beds and pillows?  We are currently on Discovery and are missing the great bedding we’ve had before.  The beds are harder than the ones on Regal last year and the pillows are firm and thick.  Hope Sapphire has the better beds and pillows we have enjoyed in the past.

We are currently on board. I like a harder bed and soft pillow. I have the soft pillow, but the bed is too soft for me. My back is killing me

[LouChamp]

13 hours ago, Elua said:

Yes, we are very much still part of the Princess ohana. We just returned from a great cruise on the Grand, and will be leaving for the Hawai'i season on the Crown in a week and a half. Looking forward to seeing lots of old friends and making a lot of new ones as well.

 

Tiki Dave

Aloha.  Yes the Hawaii cruises are spectacular and we have been blessed to sail with princess since the 1980s. We divide our time between NY and Honolulu with frequent visits to the ninth island and as a resident of Nevada you certainly are ‘Ohana!

[nnzz]

2 hours ago, Purplsmurf said:

We are currently on board. I like a harder bed and soft pillow. I have the soft pillow, but the bed is too soft for me. My back is killing me

FYI - I have the same issue so the first thing I do is request that the soft topper be removed from the bed.  Room steward has always been happy to do so.

 

[cr8tiv1]

17 hours ago, FromIndy said:

Bob,

 

My wife and I are going to be on the Sapphire for the 10/30 cruise to the South Pacific. Three questions for you and your wife:

 

 

3. USS Iowa. We want to try and tour it before we board the Sapphire. Maybe check our luggage at Sapphire then walk over to the USS Iowa and tour it for an hour or two. From what you have seen do you think this is feasible? Any issue your perceive with this plan?

 

Thank you, Mike and Shelley

I understood there is a price break or free for cruisers. Check their site. 

[Woobstr112G]

Good morning from the beautiful Sapphire Princess. It is 0644 hours ship's time as I begin to type this. Today begins our first of five full sea days as we sail (motor) to our last port stop of Ensenada. I overslept a bit due to the combination of being under the weather plus we went through our first of three time changes (losing an hour) as we sail east. 

 

Yesterday we were in the port of Kona. We did not get off the ship as I continued to rest up to aid myself in getting over the cold I came down with. Kona is a tender port so Princess used a couple of their life boats as water taxi's. The tendering operations seemed to go pretty smooth. There was a short delay shortly after the operations began due to some mechanical issues. These issues were quickly dealt with and normal operations resumed shortley thereafter. The weather was absolutely gorgeous during a time in Kona. The Captain came over the PA system and advised that we supposed to get some rain. Luck was with us as we had great weather the entire day. After getting lhe last tender aboard, we set sail for Ensenada shortly after 1700.

 

I must say that I am really enjoying, despite the fact I got sick, this cruise. The ship is in great condition and every member of the crew I have interacted with is fantastic. Everyone of them (crew) goes above and beyond to ensure that each guest has the best voyage possible.

 

From a personal experience on this voyage, the crew goes to great lengths to address issues that are brought to their attention. Several days ago, I mentioned to our cabin steward that our bathroom shower had a slight issue with pressure and temperature. A maintenance man was quickly dispatched to our cabin He told me that a plumber would have to replace some parts. I told him not to worry about it because it really wasn't that big of a deal. The next day, a housekeeping supervisor came to our cabin and told me the repairs would be delayed due to certain parts, that were hard to find, had to be ordered. I told the supervisor it wasn't that big of a deal as it was still possible to use the shower, adding the only issue was a slightly lower water temp/pressure than I liked.

 

Now here's where it gets interesting. the next day I get a call from guest services and was informed that due to the inconvenience we experienced, Princess was going to give us a decent FCC towards a future cruise.  True to their word, the FCC was in my Captain's Circle Account the next day. I was totally blown away as I really thought it was not that big of a deal and in no way shape or form expected anything. I initially just wanted to let the cabin steward know about an issue with my shower.   

 

Tonight is our second of three formal nights. I am still a traditionalist and enjoy getting dressed up on formal nights. Holli has a hair appointment a little later this afternoon and we plan to dine in Sterlings Steakhouse. 

 

Today's entertainment options on board are the movie Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb on MUTS at 1000. Gravity will be performing at the Neptune pool at 1230. The movie Ad Astra will be shown in the Princess theater at 1300. The movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves will be screened on MUTS at 1500. Diamond Strings Duo will perform in the Piazza at 1600, 1745, and 1845. Pianist Janusz Bator will be in Crooners at 1700. Moondance Duo will be in the Wheelhouse bar at 1815 & 1915. The movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 will screen on MUTS at 1830 & 2115. Pianist Andy Morris will be in Crooners at 19330 & 2300. The Production Show "Do You Wanna Dance" will be in the Princess Theater at 1930 & 2130. The house band will play some jazz music in the Wheelhouse at 2115 & 2215. Gravity will con tinue wity their music in the Piazza at 2215.

 

Well that's all for now. Hope all are well.....

 

Bob 

[c-boy]

Bob, all I gotta say is ... karma .

[PescadoAmarillo]

35 minutes ago, Woobstr112G said:

Well that's all for now. Hope all are well.....

 

Bob 

Thanks for the update, and we hope YOU feel better soon. I’m glad you’re enjoying your cruise on the Sapphire so much. We thought the ship was very special, and it has become my favorite Princess ship, not least because of the excellent officers and crew. 

[pamps2801]

6 hours ago, Woobstr112G said:

Good morning from the beautiful Sapphire Princess. It is 0644 hours ship's time as I begin to type this. Today begins our first of five full sea days as we sail (motor) to our last port stop of Ensenada. I overslept a bit due to the combination of being under the weather plus we went through our first of three time changes (losing an hour) as we sail east. 

 

Yesterday we were in the port of Kona. We did not get off the ship as I continued to rest up to aid myself in getting over the cold I came down with. Kona is a tender port so Princess used a couple of their life boats as water taxi's. The tendering operations seemed to go pretty smooth. There was a short delay shortly after the operations began due to some mechanical issues. These issues were quickly dealt with and normal operations resumed shortley thereafter. The weather was absolutely gorgeous during a time in Kona. The Captain came over the PA system and advised that we supposed to get some rain. Luck was with us as we had great weather the entire day. After getting lhe last tender aboard, we set sail for Ensenada shortly after 1700.

 

I must say that I am really enjoying, despite the fact I got sick, this cruise. The ship is in great condition and every member of the crew I have interacted with is fantastic. Everyone of them (crew) goes above and beyond to ensure that each guest has the best voyage possible.

 

From a personal experience on this voyage, the crew goes to great lengths to address issues that are brought to their attention. Several days ago, I mentioned to our cabin steward that our bathroom shower had a slight issue with pressure and temperature. A maintenance man was quickly dispatched to our cabin He told me that a plumber would have to replace some parts. I told him not to worry about it because it really wasn't that big of a deal. The next day, a housekeeping supervisor came to our cabin and told me the repairs would be delayed due to certain parts, that were hard to find, had to be ordered. I told the supervisor it wasn't that big of a deal as it was still possible to use the shower, adding the only issue was a slightly lower water temp/pressure than I liked.

 

Now here's where it gets interesting. the next day I get a call from guest services and was informed that due to the inconvenience we experienced, Princess was going to give us a decent FCC towards a future cruise.  True to their word, the FCC was in my Captain's Circle Account the next day. I was totally blown away as I really thought it was not that big of a deal and in no way shape or form expected anything. I initially just wanted to let the cabin steward know about an issue with my shower.   

 

Tonight is our second of three formal nights. I am still a traditionalist and enjoy getting dressed up on formal nights. Holli has a hair appointment a little later this afternoon and we plan to dine in Sterlings Steakhouse. 

 

Today's entertainment options on board are the movie Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb on MUTS at 1000. Gravity will be performing at the Neptune pool at 1230. The movie Ad Astra will be shown in the Princess theater at 1300. The movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves will be screened on MUTS at 1500. Diamond Strings Duo will perform in the Piazza at 1600, 1745, and 1845. Pianist Janusz Bator will be in Crooners at 1700. Moondance Duo will be in the Wheelhouse bar at 1815 & 1915. The movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 will screen on MUTS at 1830 & 2115. Pianist Andy Morris will be in Crooners at 19330 & 2300. The Production Show "Do You Wanna Dance" will be in the Princess Theater at 1930 & 2130. The house band will play some jazz music in the Wheelhouse at 2115 & 2215. Gravity will con tinue wity their music in the Piazza at 2215.

 

Well that's all for now. Hope all are well.....

 

Bob 

Are you sure you don’t have Covid ? Sometimes we can have a False negative. Have you tested more than once ?

[Carnevale]

We are enjoying a CA coastal cruise on Discovery right now and this evening we had a terrific meal at the Salty Dog Gastro Pub - best food on this cruise to date.  Does the Sapphire have a Salty dog Gastro Pub?  

Edited October 25, 2023 by Carnevale

[PacnGoNow]

31 minutes ago, Carnevale said:

We are enjoying a CA coastal cruise on Discovery right now and this evening we had a terrific meal at the Salty Dog Gastro Pub - best food on this cruise to date.  Does the Sapphire have a Salty dog Gastro Pub?  

No there is not.

[abbydancer2003]

35 minutes ago, Carnevale said:

We are enjoying a CA coastal cruise on Discovery right now and this evening we had a terrific meal at the Salty Dog Gastro Pub - best food on this cruise to date.  Does the Sapphire have a Salty dog Gastro Pub?  

I think the Gastro Pub as it's own restaurant is only on Discovery.  Some ships, such as Crown, Ruby and Emerald (I think all three) have it as an option in the Wheelhouse bar at dinner time.

[Woobstr112G]

6 hours ago, pamps2801 said:

Are you sure you don’t have Covid ? Sometimes we can have a False negative. Have you tested more than once ?

Well I’ve now tested myself four times and all have been negative. Just because I caught a cold, doesn’t mean I have. COVID…..

 

Bob

[abbydancer2003]

11 minutes ago, Woobstr112G said:

Well I’ve now tested myself four times and all have been negative. Just because I caught a cold, doesn’t mean I have. COVID…..

 

Bob

That's good, glad to hear it.

[cr8tiv1]

On 10/23/2023 at 10:08 PM, c-boy said:

🖐️   question here , what's a nice Hawaiian shirt ?

A Reyn’s Schooner’s Hawaiian shirt is a “nice” shirt.  There are several other brands, but I can’t spell some of them (and no way to Google them easily at the time of this posting).