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Discovered the Pistachio Pudding on Caribbean Princess!

On 9/1/2019 at 2:35 PM, MissP22 said:

What did you think about the WFM? Not the layout but the food.

I thought the Lido food was very comparable to our last Caribbean Princess cruise (British Isles in 2017). A new feature was the bowl of potato chips alongside the prepared sandwiches. The PB&J (peanut butter & jelly sandwich) station has been removed since 2017. (I didn't partake of it, but I'm sure there were those who did.) On the Coral Princess in March, a different type of sausage was offered at breakfast each day. On the Caribbean Princess, only link sausage was offered. (Not complaining. May have to do with the food manager's preference or availability of provisions.) We rarely have dinner on the Lido, preferring the MDR, but on the last night out the individual glasses of gazpacho and the pork vindaloo with basmati rice were irresistible! Delicious!

21 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Ok here is my follow-up.  We disembarked the ship this morning and witnessed a sad situation at the Red Hook terminal where there were simply not enough CBP staff to handle to crowd (this has nothing to do with Princess).    After talking with many other fellow cruisers (we love to share large tables at Anytime dining) there was universal agreement that none of us had ever experienced the main theater situation we had on this cruise.  Since we did attend some (not all) of the early shows (at 6:30) we were always able to find two seats together if we arrived an hour before showtime.  Apparently the situation was worse for those going to the 8:30 show.  

 

I do want to say that the crew on the CB was excellent (more then we can say for too many rude passengers) at every venue.  Bar tenders were terrific, our cabin steward was perfect, and the different waiters we had in the MDR were superb..   After 16 days we have nothing but praise for every crew member :).  The ship was also in pretty good shape and kudos go to those responsible for the continued maintenance.  

 

The crowding on this ship was strange (other frequent cruisers we met also said the same) and perhaps it had something to do with the passengers who generally stayed inside the ship (even in good weather).  This was the first cruise (out of far more than a hundred) where a passenger berated me for saving DW's seat in the atrium (near the IC) while my wife was in the rest room!  We also had to be very careful not to be run over by a few wild scooter drivers (a problem on too many cruises).

 

Some interesting things happened on this cruise.  The ship started running out of basic items around day 12 of a 16 day cruise.  Tomatoes and bananas disappeared as did potato chips.  By day 13 many wines were out of stock.  On night 15 I tried to order a Pinot Noir and our waiter had to tell us to "hold on" while he went off to find out what was left.  Out of about a dozen wine list items there were only 2 left (neither was one of the better options) at any price.  One of our favorite bar tenders told us she was actually hoarding wines so that she had some for her bar customers.   We also noticed that "custard" donuts disappeared after day 13....perhaps caused by a shortage in cream (to make the custard).  

 

During the cruise we decided to have dinner (one evening) at the Crown Grill.  We have avoided this venue on many Princess cruises because of previous failings.  But on the CB we thought the Crown Grill was quite good in terms of both food and service.  

 

We were very unhappy with the situation in Crooners.  On our cruise we had an excellent piano player/comedian who could only be enjoyed by about 40 souls since none of the speakers were functioning at the far end near the bar.  We did mention this to the pianist (who said he had no clue but would mention it to the  "sound man") but it was never corrected during our 16 day journey.  There were also some issues about the temperature in the Wheelhouse (either freezing or very hot) but this is just one of those things long time cruisers tolerate.  It does seem like every ship has a temperature problem somewhere...and on the CB the Wheelhouse go the prize.

 

As we were disembarking this morning, DW chatted with 2 other couples (who we had never met on the ship) who expressed our sentiment that "they will never cruise on the CB again."  Perhaps we are being a bit harsh and it was just a combination of a few factors (including the passengers) but it is unlikely that I would ever get DW to agree on a return to the CB.  

 

Hank

The provisioning was not a surprise. We attended the interesting lecture by the senior officers of each department who described the year-long logistical planning for this cruise, Princess' first to Greenland. Between Sydney, NS and the return to St. John's, Newfoundland, there was no place to provision or fuel the ship. That was a least nine days with no possibility to reprovision. I imagine some foodstuffs had to be held in reserve for planned menus or for emergencies.

On 9/1/2019 at 1:39 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I totally agree with the transfers (and non replacements) of the Grand Class ships.  It is truly a disappointment and (in my humble opinion) demise of sailing a decent size ship.  Going to really miss my window suites.

 

I was booked on this Greenland voyage.  I canceled when I realized that all three ports would have to be tendered in.  Did some research to find that the villages were very small with limited harbor capabilities.  I would be extremely interested if someone would comment on their time in Greenland (prices, things to do, excursions, money, etc).

Visiting Greenland was a fantastic experience! Beautiful and rugged landscapes and charming and colorful communities. The weather was fantastic! The most interesting spot in each port was its museum. (Admission USD 5, USD accepted.) The Greenlanders are proud of their Inuit heritage. We simply walked around each of the three ports. Nuuk is a small city but large enough that there was a shuttle bus from the pier to the town center (USD 20, tickets purchased onboard as a Princess excursion.). Qaqortoq and Nanortalik are villages. In each port we visited the grocery store (as we do on all our trips) to see what is available to the local people, what they like to buy and the prices. We went into the Lutheran church at Nanortalik where the organist was rehearsing. A bonus! Also met some delightful ladies outside the senior center who were selling their Inuit beadwork.

Nuuk, Greenland, is not a tender port. The city is large enough to have a dock that can accommodate Caribbean Princess. Qaqortoq and Nanortalik are tender ports as they are much smaller communities. We received a Greenland Cruise certificate that noted Caribbean Princess is the largest cruise ship to have visited each of these ports.

Carnival Paradise at Havana.

On 3/23/2019 at 12:00 PM, GloriaF said:

I'm relieved to hear the general layout was not changed!  Coral is my favorite ship, and I would absolutely hate to hear they did to her what they did to sister ship Island. 

From what I've read of changes to the Island Princess, these were not made to Coral Princess. (We were on the March 2-17 sailing.) Coral Princess retains the wraparound rear promenade deck, rear show lounge (there was a special New Orleans themed show designed for it), and the International Cafe. I believe some cabins were added. A Carnival Corporation IT crew was on board working with the Internet, I believe. It was the perfect ship for a Panama Canal transit.

We were on Caribbean Princess this past August for the British Isles cruise. I really liked the ship. It has features I like: a fully wraparound promenade deck and quiet nooks to read among them. Very beautifully decorated, too. I liked it over the larger Regal Princess we were on last year in the Baltic. Easier to navigate around in. The Marketplace buffet is smoothly expanded into two speciality restaurants in the morning for breakfast. (That's where the omelette station is.)

I did not notice any problems with the propulsion. We were in a northern clime, so I don't know what the ship would be like in the warmer Caribbean.

How to take a good shot of Big Ben :D

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40929709

The composition with the Winston Churchill statue facing Big Ben is an excellent idea!

On the Regal Princess last year, they held Photography workshops in the Platinum Studio. I always enjoy a photography class or workshop and attended. (As has been mentioned, it is a speciality portrait photography studio emphasizing black and white.) There was some good information about portrait photography and unusual compositions and subject positioning. The Platinum Studio photographers really like portraits shot at an angle.

A similar worksop was not offered on the Caribbean Princess this year.

I use my Fitbit to track steps and calories consumed and expended. My Fitbit always goes crazy on cruises. Flying to London for our recent British Isles cruise caused it loose a whole day. It is constantly trying to seek to synch via Bluetooth and thus the battery is used up much faster than when at home. I only have the Internet on a very limited amount of time a day and so the ability to search for and add new foods is nearly impossible. You have to go with what is already stored in your device. Water intake can be kept up. Steps are usually recorded but it may take a while for the device to synch them. I do my best with traveling abroad with my Fitbit, but I pretty much have to wait until returning home before it acts completely normally again.

If you plan to use the Internet on board, then it is best to purchase a package before the cruise. You will receive some extra minutes.

We're just off the Caribbean Princess (British Isles). I purchased the 200 minute package before the cruise just as I did last year on Regal Princess. There are 40 bonus minutes added to this package (Note: You must claim the bonus minutes at the Internet cafe.) Internet service on board can be slow. It is best later at night or early in the morning when fewer passengers are using it. I sat directly under routers a few times.

I recall many of the points raised by other long-time cruisers. When I cruised with my parents in the 1960s, keys were used for the cabins. There were few extras to pay for, aside from drinks (including soft drinks). Drinks and items from the store were paid in cash or traveler's checks. That was even a bit early for credit cards to be in general use. All meals were included. No steakhouse or casino patronize.

On the Matson Mariposa in 1961 and P&O Oriana in 1965, a steward showed passengers to their cabins. I don't recall any checks on reboarding at port calls. Visitors were welcome on the ships when in port, and the lines used this as advertising. I recall we visited other ships in port, such as the Lurline in Honolulu and Oronsay in Long Beach.

We were booked into the Grange Tower for our upcoming British Isles cruise on Caribbean on August 5. Received notice two days ago that we have been switched to Grange Holborn. (Princess is providing a $50 per person onboard credit as a result.) We booked through Princess as we like the idea of included transfers and a Princess representative at the hotel. We did the same last year in Copenhagen for our Baltic cruise on Regal. There, the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel was great! We had a corner room overlooking Tivoli. The Princess representative was very helpful, so we are hoping for the same in London.

I wear the same polo shirt on the first day of each cruise. It's the only time I ever wear it.

I also lament the disappearance of the full wraparound promenade deck. But all contemporary cruise ships are unfortunately like that. The only modern ones I can think of where one can walk around the whole ship on an open deck is the Carnival Spirit class. (Even then you have to cross inside at one point.) Regal Princess is a beautiful ship, but I fear it seems less like you are on a ship. The exterior promenade area is relatively small. I want to hear the ocean and feel the sea breeze at close range! Caribbean Princess is upcoming this summer, so I shall have to see how it addresses promenading. :)

Natural Bridge is now no longer!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruba_Natural_Bridge

The ruins of the larger Natural Bridge on Aruba are there and make for an interesting scenic photo. The smaller Natural Bridge still exists.

Five hours is plenty of time to do an island tour in Aruba. There is much to see. It is a desert sort of island with cacti and bent divi divi trees rather than a tropical one with palm trees. Local use cacti to construct living fences. The rock formations are very interesting, especially at Natural Bridge on the coast and Casibari Park inland. There is also a lighthouse to see and take in the scenic view from its location.

Oranjestad is close to the port. It can be reached by walking. Or, there is a free tram (streetcar) that runs from the cruise terminal to downtown.

We've been to the Steakhouses on the Pride, Valor and Sunshine. I always order the Filet Mignon and my wife the Lobster Tails. An appetizer and a soup or salad are also included as is dessert. I've enjoyed it each time and will plan to go again. A nice atmosphere in which to dine, too. Worth the $35 per person upcharge as others have said. A similar steak dinner at home would cost more than that.

We were just in Grand Turk aboard Carnival Sunshine. We booked Carnival's "Historical Homes, Town and Museum Tour". It was about 3 hours by minibus. We drove though Cockburn Town to see the colonial era houses from the bus. Stops in town were at St. Mary's Anglican Church and the Turks and Caicos National Museum. Other tour stops were at the lighthouse, the Friendship 7 spalshdown monument, and a former saltworks. Along the way were scenic views, other colonial era churches and lots of wild donkeys. It was a very enjoyable tour, but on another visit, I'd like to walk though Cockburn Town to see the houses at ground level. Every one has a historical marker on it.

The independent tour operator said he would run the same tour later in the day for an arriving Princess ship. Many cruise lines must offer this tour or similar.

We are just back from our first Princess cruise. So, I can only compare the Regal Princes buffet with those on other cruise lines.

The Regal buffet did have great variety. At breakfast, there was a good assortment of omelet ingredient choices and the buffet offered both American and English bacon every day. Sausage servings varied from turkey or pork link sausage to chorizo to English bangers. At lunch and dinner, there were always two or more soups. A big plus from soup loving me! Shrimp and cocktail sauce were out for the taking. Not too much on the Asian food front, however, I fear. Reuben, panini and other prepared sandwiches are warmed for you. The server asked me if I wanted one, two, three or four Reubens! One is just fine. :) The salad bar was very good, but there were different ingredients to be found at each salad bar station. (The ingredients kept changing, too. I like olives on my salad and sometimes there were olives put out and sometimes not.)

A drawback was that one has to go all over the place to look over, find and then assemble what one wants to eat. (No Russian or Thousand Island dressing for the Reuben and I did not see any mustard except far away at the poolside hot dog station. But there was Tabasco sauce and salsa for the eggs.)

I like a two or three cups of nice strong, black, coffee in the morning. (I don't drink coffee at other times--then it is hot or iced tea--and do not drink specialty coffees.) My latest cruise was my first experience with Princess. I found the coffee fine. Typical restaurant coffee, it is similar to the coffee I buy from the snack bar at work. I thought the Princess coffee quite similar to that found on other lines.

We were just on Regal Princess for the recent Baltic cruise. (Fantastic, BTW.) We like to go to dinner around 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. On Regal Princess, the Symphony dining room is always Anytime. Concerto is scheduled to be Anytime after 8:15 p.m., but it would often open for Anytime earlier than that. (Sometimes we were sent, along with others, from the Symphony queue to Concerto only to be told to go back to Symphony. Finally a Maitre d' went along and told Concerto to seat all of us who had been sent there.)

At times, the Symphony line was long, at other times not that bad. One can make a reservation for a specified time. Usually it will be faster if you agree to share, but not always.

Dining later gives you more options between Symphony and Concerto after the latter has opened for Anytime. Also note that Alfredo's is a great alternative if you are in the mood for pizza or pasta for dinner.

Good information. We'll be on Regal Princess in August. I plan to purchase one of the Internet packages and use my iPhone on board. Any experience or advice using apps other than email with a smartphone?

A much as I like the port calls, I enjoy sea days, too. Relaxing. Here is what I like to do.

Walking for exercise.

Taking photos of the ship.

Reading.

Playing Trivia.

Afternoon Tea.

On our latest cruise, I tried a Men's Spa treatment on the last sea day. I think I'll add that to the routine!

OMG!:eek: Talk about plugged in overload:rolleyes::D!

 

It's vacay time, dude! unplug a little and chill. You won't miss a thing if you don't have that Bing!:D:D

LOL! But I earned my Mexico badge on Yelp! Connection was a bit faster, too, so I could post photos on Facebook each day. Also, could keep up with the BBC News app! Fitbit keeps me in line and away from the desserts. ;)