MTJSR

Many of us familiar with passenger processing at San Pedro, L.A. know that you immediately enter the building and escalate upstairs to a huge open area with chairs. I was somewhat shocked to see all these people (many of them seniors) lined up outside this giant new building, that has chairs inside. One of the porters outside said it was pure chaos all day.

I just don't understand poor planning, that took years to plan for!

I took a look around the new cruise terminal today. The Star Princess was in port. Here are some pics.

I walked around the new San Francisco Cruise Terminal today. The Star Princess has not left yet. It's 9:40 and it was supposed to leave at 4pm. Anyone have any idea whats the delay?

Does anyone know the current price of the soda package? I'm about to take a 15 day cruise. Thanks!

Remember, the ship is actually longer than the Grand-class ships but is narrower so it doesn't have the same tonnage which gives the impression that it's a "small" ship. It really isn't. Plus, you're sailing with 1,970 passengers vs. 2,600-3,200 passengers. This means that the ship is less crowded.

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Ahh very interesting, good information! Thanks Pam.

Thanks everyone!

I do have a question about the Horizon Court. Is seating an issue with it being upfront? is it the daytime hangout? I did the BVE on the Sea Princess in San Francisco and the buffet was insane during embarkation. Is the Island any different?

Is the Bayou Cafe any good?

We are on Caribe deck starboard side aft, any issues in this location I should know?

The Panama Canal season is about to start again and I have no clue what to expect on the Island Princess. I am sure there are lots of hints that might make for an easier time adjusting? Like will I need my coffee cards since there is not an International Cafe? Any other ideas, suggestions, advise or must do information?

Any help will be much appreciated, especially those of us on the first sailing out of San Francisco, September 27th.

Once onboard, I will post "Live Updates" along the way.

Mark

No large corporate business is going to take a risk like that. Managing the deception would be harder than just conducting day to day business. Think about it, one employee films the watering down process, goes public and the brand is damaged indefinitely or one passenger goes on a campaign and the damage is done as well. The risk of 2600 passengers finding out on the same cruise? mass refunding? The risk vs reward is just not there for me. Now if I find out they water down my diet coke, I will go 5150 :D

Perhaps the handling times are much longer on a cruise and therefore the ice melts quicker?

I learn so much every day, like never talking politics with a crowd of strangers, never salting your bacon or not debating religion with drunks. But today I learned, that some folks get bothered by service carts on cruise ships. :D

Hi All

I get the feeling what Princess signed up for is not what the producers were ever going to produce.

No way can this show be described as in depth look at behind the scenes type of documentary

 

Yours Shogun.

I totally agree and especially after reading the Princess Press releases BILLCO posted.

Princess promoted it as a four-part documentary that would show "unprecedented behind-the-scenes footage of crew and passengers" and would give an "insight into what life is really like on board for the 1,600 crew members and how they work together to give guests a first-class customer service." IMO, the show has certainly done that.

I am guessing the word "Documentary" was used with their tongues firmly in cheek?

I am shocked that so many claim they are put off by this show and won't be sailing Princess. I am further shocked at the Princess loyals, that see this as trash. You mean the original Love Boat drove you too Princess? With passengers bringing their monkeys onboard? and every crew member falling in love with passengers? Come on, this TV show is fun and if anything, I will sail more often now that I know the ship won't be full of grumpy people. :D

Just a thought, and unless I watched an entirely different show, it wasn't that bad or any different than half the campy immature shows on tv anyway. The overly critical and nearly unanimous negative take on this piece, makes me wonder if it was really meant for another age group.

Princess has an old fogie reputation and at some point, they have to use tv and other media to help drive new cruisers to the brand. We may not approve, but we will stop traveling someday.

Thank you all!

As I read your responses, I just realized that with all the international cafe's I have walked past on previous cruises, I have had maybe a dozen cookies and 1 sandwich in total. I guess I won't miss it all that much after all.

First time sailing on the Island and I was wondering if you even need a coffee card, without an International Cafe? Where would you get brewed coffees? Patisserie? Bar?

Does the Patisserie serve International Cafe style foods?

Thanks, Mark

Just watched the show as well. I was more interested in the behind the scenes stuff than the sheepish vet husband and his mouthy obnoxious wife. It was ok, kinda overly edited but I will watch the rest of the series.

BTW, the "SurfEasy" stick works perfectly for world internet surfing. I just chose United Kingdom as my location and the video played right away.

No cruise is long enough to share with its passengers, an awareness of all our best charitable causes. However, I can't think of one other that has the fastest and most immediate affect on society, like organ and tissue donations.

As a kidney transplant recipient, I would encourage people as they write checks to their favorite charities, they also sign up to be an organ donor. It costs nothing and it will save a life!

Just a thought, as Princess thinks of ways to cleverly suck more money out of our pockets, how about concentrating on ways to give us fair value for what we pay now. Example, I'm paying 3600.00 for the Island thru the Panama canal. Thats 240.00 a day and I still have to pay extra for a decent cup of coffee.

Great thread! I am on this trip in late September, so the timing was perfect. Thanks for taking the time to report as you go, I know its a lot of work.

We are lucky to have yourself, Pia, CCrain and others here to take us along.

Mark

:) Book it so we can be cabin neighbors again.

Side note, I thought this thread might bring out all sorts of stories of star sightings from other peoples cruises. I guess only those threads about Early disembarkation, subjective food reviews or mattress toppers get the interest:D

It will be interesting to hear some reports from on board to see if they get out much.

I am a tiny bit surprised that a cruise with this many sea days has not had any reports yet. Everyone seems to enjoy reading them. Perhaps the internet is impossible in the middle of nowhere.

Very neat! Was it your aunt that went with your mom this time? I hope they both are having a great cruise to some very unique places! Thanks for the info. Anything else they want to report on the cruise would be interesting too. Stars don't impress me but the cruise itself does! :D

Hi, yes it is my mom and aunt this time. I had to work, next time.

My family is on the Sapphire Princess and apparently they have some celebrity passengers joining them. See article and video attached.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44290:gvb-cruise-ship-qsapphire-princessq-arrives-on-guam-with-actor-bruce-willis-and-singer-rod-stewart-aboard&catid=45:guam-news&Itemid=156

Living in the area, I have never seen a cruise ship do a donut on its way out the gate like this before, I caught the Grand after flipping the U'ie and heading back around Alcatraz towards the Bay bridge.

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