'LIVE' from the CB..02/24

[San10s]

Greetings Fellow Cruise Critic Peeps!

 

Just a quick post before I head off to my cabin to prepare myself for the CHEF'S TABLE tonight!! WooHoo! We were the first folks to get on board (other than the intransits of course) on Sunday and we ran to our cabin to call for Chef's Table reservations.....but no one picked up the phone! :eek: So a couple of us grabbed our friends cruise cards and took off towards the dining room. On the way there, we arn into a "white-coated" headwaiter.....and asked him where we could finr the Maitre d'.....explaining our mission. Nicholi George stated HE would take care of our request personally. He took down the names and cabin numbers for the 8 of us wishing to go and he assured us he would immediatley notify 'Georgio' of our interest....our passionate plea to be seated at the Chef's Table!

 

And....it worked!! :D Sunday night we had a note delivered to our cabin and last night we met with the fabulous Georgio! We were found "good to go" and notified of the rules....and at 7 PM tonight....we will begin our wonderful evening of food, wine and good company both sitting at the table and with the ones hosting us!

 

I will post a menu when we get home next week!

 

The CB is so nice with the new Piazza and Vines area. The food for the first 2 days has been FAB! I have been using the stairs to counter the menu items I choose....I think the cramps in my calves are finally going away! LOL!

 

This is a pretty port intensive cruise but I will check in tomorrow as we have a short day in Bonaire.

 

Thanks to everyone who gave their reviews and shared their experiences with the Chef's Table. Your descriptions have really made me so excited for what is to come tonight!! :D

 

:D

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for posting. Enjoy!!!

[Bibi]

Thanks for posting San10s!!! Hope you have a great time tonight. Looking forward to further posts.

[Croptop]

Enjoy the dinner. Be sure to post a full review when you can. I'm thinking that on our next cruise, I may sign my wife and I up for this.

[CruisingWChrist]

Thanks, for the update. I don't sail until May 3, but I'm just about done packing. Let us no the good and the bad. Could you post a daily capers?

 

[zacc]

My wife and I did the Chefs Table on the Crown in '08. It is truly fantastic....enjoy and thanks for posting!! We board the CB March 8th and may very well try to do it again with friends we are travelling with.

[Clutterlady]

Enjoy your dinner and hope you enjoy the CB as much as we did:)

[CherylsCaribbeanTravel]

Thanks for posting live. So much fun. I"m sending you positive energy!!! :) :) :).

 

If you get a moment and think about it, can you look at the hours of the international cafe? How early can I get coffee if I'm an early riser? And finally, what are the hours for the greek salads and such.

 

Thanks!

 

Cheryl :)

[ModelDoc]

Thanks for posting! I've got my eye on nabbing a reservation to Chef's Table on my upcoming cruise! Let us know how it goes :D

 

Angela

[San10s]

Good Morning from the Lovely CB Princess! :D

 

We are docked in Bonaire and it looks to be a lovely day. The waters between us and Klein Bonaire look absolutely calm. Yesterday in Aruba (and here as well) the forecast is for about 80 and possible scattered showers. I must say that6 the temps have been about 5 - 10 degrees cooler than past visits but I think it feels even cooler because the humidity is so low! I like it but the some of the locals find it cool.

 

We are getting ready to head off on the Woodwind for a drift snorkel so this post will be brief. I will try to get back on latertoday and answer some questions.

 

Well.....all I can say about last night's Chef's Table is WOW...WOW....and OMG! I don't think I will be able to eat until I get back home next week! Although I had read various posts about this experience, it was far beyond the most glowing reports! Excellent! :D The Executive Chef Antonio and Maitre D' Georgio and the staff of the entire kitchen and dining room couldn't have been more pleasant! Not one person passed us in their busy work space without a big smiling 'hello'. There were some surprises throughout the evening and the 3.5 hours from start to finish was an incredible culinary and dining experience. The evening ended with Ciro...a Head Waiter...seranading us at our table with 4 or 5 Italian songs while almost all the waiters in the dining room came and sang back up.....along with us at the table.....Antonio and Georgio! What a treat that was. Our waiter Edgar was fabulous....and it was his first time serving the Chef's Table.

 

Okay....sorry....but I have to go. More to come.....I promise!

 

Have a great day folks! :D

[Clutterlady]

Great to hear you had a wonderful experience last night!! Would love to hear more about it. Enjoy your day today:)

[mew1]

Look forward to this thread!!!

mew1

[Colo Cruiser]

If you get a chance could you ask the dining room staff if

asst MD Robert Balla is still onboard?

Thanks. :)

[San10s]

5:15 PM Greetings! :D

 

I thought I would try and recap since Sunday's embarkation before I head off to get ready for dinner....Italian night tonight!

 

My DH Frank and I are cruising with 7 other couples from NH. We all arrived in San Juan starting as early as Thursday before the cruise. We arrived on Friday and stayed at the Caribe Hilton (obtained through Priceline) for the 2 pre-cruise nights. I have been to San Juan many, many times and I found the Hilton to be wonderful...although quite pricey for their food and drinks. Having Starbucks in the lobby...a Subway around the corner and a small grocerette nearby made things just fine. We did enjoy some drinks but every Pina Colada was $13.00!! :eek:

 

On Sunday morning, all 16 of us headed off to the ship at 10 AM. I like being on board ASAP so I have no problems standing and waiting for embarkation to begin. There were 4 in front of us when we arrived. I also wanted to be opn board ASAP so I could get reservations for the Chef's Table right away. There was some sort of issue where all passengers in-transit had to leave the ship and re-enter so we did not even get into the terminal building until close to noon. We sat in the chairs provided and waited another 15 minutes while the passengers got back on board. While waiting, I went to the Duty Free shop and bought some soda and a couple of bottles of alcohol. By the time I got back to my front row seat, we were told to grab our stuff and head to the check-in stands. Our check-in was VERY quick and we were off to the screeners before anyone else. We were the first of the new passengers to get on board.

 

We stepped on board and knew where to go to get to our cabin and walked in the door by 12:15 PM. Our balcony cabin is at the aft on the port side on the Baja deck....B714! Our cabin stewardess is Carmen...a wonderful....very upbeat woman who is doing everything we need....and more!!

 

We left early (20 minutes maybe) from San Juan's Pan American pier so I am assuming everyone was on board and accounted for. While in San Juan pre-cruise, I was surprised to see the seas so rough and was thinking it may be a bumpy first night....but it was fine. I have found the ship to feel like every other Princess (and not Princess) ship as far as the motion I am feeling. It is really not something I think about and is so slight that I can't imagine anyone finding it unusual ......afterall we ARE on the seas!

 

Sunday night we ate in the Island Dining Room and had a very good meal. I am afraid I don't recall the selections but I know I had a nice endcut of Prime Rib. For dessert I had the "Floating Island" which was quite sweet and delicious. We did not go to any shows but did stay up and play in the Casino for a while at the low table rates of $3.00 minimum bets. That was enjoyable but then it was time for me to go to bed!

 

I will have to stop for now and start a detail review of Monday later this evening or early tomorrow. I will try to catch up to "real time" then.

 

Have a lovely evening. :D

[jbrambach]

Hi San10s,

Thanks for the great review so far. I was wondering, could you try and post what kinds of Champagne & Sparkling Wines are available in Vines & the diningroom.

 

Also, did you get to keep your alcohol purchases when boarding in SJ?

 

Thanks have a great cruise.

[San10s]

Hi San10s,

Thanks for the great review so far. I was wondering, could you try and post what kinds of Champagne & Sparkling Wines are available in Vines & the diningroom.

 

Also, did you get to keep your alcohol purchases when boarding in SJ?

 

Thanks have a great cruise.

 

 

 

Yes! :D You just have to carry any alcohol purchased at the Duty Free store inside another carry-on bag. Those folks that simply carried the plastic bag with their purchase so it was seen had the bags confiscated at the entrance to the ship and it will be given back on Saturday night. The soda, wine and champagne that you purchase can be carried on openly however....just don't bring more than a couple of bottles per person.

 

I will take a look at the Vines and DR listings as you requested. I do not drink too much so I have not really looked at those items as of yet.

[San10s]

Enjoy the dinner. Be sure to post a full review when you can. I'm thinking that on our next cruise, I may sign my wife and I up for this.

 

Hi John

 

Definitely try for it!

 

My husband was not interested in "doing" the Chef's Table and thought it would be food he wouldn't eat. At the end of it all and even the next morning when he could move again....he was SO glad he did it and raved about it to everyone he met.

:D

[San10s]

Thanks, for the update. I don't sail until May 3, but I'm just about done packing. Let us no the good and the bad. Could you post a daily capers?

 

No "bad" here! Nothing but good. I can't even think of anything little to point out as an issue. :D The new Piazza area, Vines and the International Cafe look great. I don't think the "shop" area in Vines is the best use of the space as I have not seen hardly anyone there. Entertainment in the Piazza has been great. :D

[San10s]

Thanks for posting live. So much fun. I"m sending you positive energy!!! :) :) :).

 

If you get a moment and think about it, can you look at the hours of the international cafe? How early can I get coffee if I'm an early riser? And finally, what are the hours for the greek salads and such.

 

Thanks!

 

Cheryl :)

 

I got coffee one morning as early as 5:30 AM but I think he was really not open until 6 AM. They are very nice and accomedate any request they can. By the way....12 oz. coffee is $1.00......16 oz. coffee is $1.25.

 

I drink coffee at the buffet as well as buy a few cups. I really have found the coffee upstairs to be very good.

[KrysyGT]

I'm so jealous! Wish I could go back! :)

[TorontoTL]

I'll be sailing on the CB in the fall doing the Canada New England route. I have cruised on the CB years ago and I'm very interested to see the new changes to her. Are you able to take photos from the new areas and post them here? I would be very grateful.:)

[telefonclockdesk]

Hey Judy-

 

Thanks so much for the very detailed reports! I have been enjoying reading about your trip and it is getting me amped for ours (in about 2 weeks)!!

 

No questions for you...for now!

 

-Chad

[notentirelynormal]

Hi. I've got a question that I hope, since you are on board, you can find out the answer for me.

 

The Ultimate Card for kids.... my DD has a question. My grandson is only 4. If we bought him the card (because he does like his strawberry margaritas and hot chocolate) does he have to go to the bar each time or can dad go without him? It would be a hassle to have to bring him each time but since it would be a minor's card that the sticker is affixed to, would that be ok or does the kid have to go each time. I'd buy it if dad could just go, but if we have to drag him to the bar each time it might be a hassle.

[crusdiva]

San10s,

Thank you so much for posting live - it sounds like you're having a great time. I can't wait to here more.

You mentioned the Executive Chef and Maitre'd and I was hoping that you could tell me the names of the Captain and CD when you get a chance.

Thanks again.

[bzap]

We will be going on the CB for a B2B cruise beginning March 1. Has the Crown Grill opened?

 

Thanks.

 

Bill