back to the islands

I’m disappointed there was no deck party. Did anyone go to Magdalena bay to see the gray whales on this cruise or snorkel with the sea lions? 
Thank you all for keeping us updated! Great job! Sorry your cruise is coming to an end.

Was there a deck party any night? On Enchanted at Christmas we had one on night 6. Hoping we have one on the next Baja cruise.

3 hours ago, SLC1954 said:

We did the Sunset Sail yesterday here in Cabo, it was a fantastic time. I saw the “green flash” for the first time as the sun went below the horizon.  We had an added bonus of being with the whales too. With the overnight in Cabo, there were fireworks on the shore. Not sure what the celebration was.

 

I have already booked my excursions, but might want to change to this instead of the luxury sail and snorkel. The water is going to be cold & I don't think they provide wetsuits AND everyone always says the snorkeling on the Pacific coast of Mexico isn't that good. I have seen the green flash 3 x, twice near Hawaii and in the south Caribbean once. That is awesome! It's quick! Thanks to you, @OccasionalSanta, and @jondfkfor the information. Keep it coming! I'm hoping this cruise will be as much fun as my Christmas one was! How is the music? Is there a good dance band for sail away, deck parties, etc? Is the trio a string trio? I like some old rock, motown, & crooner music, too. Princess usually gets this right.

The snorkeling on Dominica was just ok to me except for the champagne bubbles which is only a very small part of the reef. The reef was much healthier in Bonaire and there were lots more fish. We did take a princess tour on a boat in Bonaire due to my covid fears in December, but lots of people rave about the drift snorkel on Klein Bonaire from its beach or the golf carts. In Dominica we had to do a ship's tour. I snorkel everywhere I get the chance and signed up for the champagne snorkel. It was canceled so I went with the all day tour with wacky rollers through the ship. It was a very long day, but I loved seeing so much of the island. It is gorgeous from high on the mountains looking out to sea. We visited Trafalgar Falls (my husband said it was the widow maker hike and I was trying to kill him after his hip surgery 90 days prior 😂), Titou Gorge (very cool, swim in a cold water river in a cave where part of Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed), Emerald Falls (just ok), lunch at a small B&B, and snorkeling the champagne reef. I do not like all day tours, but I did enjoy it. There are other tours there and English is their primary language if you decide to walk around AND covid restrictions are removed. 

I'm curious to know how the weather is day 1 at sea and also in Cabo, La Paz and Loreto. Is it warm enough for the beach/shorts or cooler? I'm doing this later in the month and it will help me pack. Lol I'm also curious to hear about excursions taken in the ports and if anyone does one in the water snorkeling if wetsuits are provided. I have booked a couple of excursions and I'm worried about the cold. Thanks so much!

I had no idea you could get extra pillows. I was wanting to buy a bigger suitcase to take one from home. I can't sleep on most hotel pillows and the Princess ones on the past cruise were not comfortable. I like a not too full foam pillow. 

@slidergirl, is the sundancer hat the one that hangs down and protects your neck? 

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

In 30 years of trying I've yet to find a hat I like. I hate wearing them. They flop around, make my head hot, and just do not look like "me".  I've bought and given away so many, including several Tilley's and a Helen Kaminski.  My head is a larger size (my son says it is to hold my "gigantic brain" 😉), so I usually can't wear a cheaper "one size fits all" hat. Blaaggh. I have given up and now have just one really light baseball cap with a good brim and one floppy canvas bucket hat, either one of which can be worn in the water (or rain) and are good for places where there is no shade, like archaeological sites. I just don't wear one in the city -- nothing I have ever tried looks or feels right.

 

This! Hats aren't "me", but I am learning that I need to wear them anyway. Funny thing is I wore a hat when I got married and loved it, but that was a long time ago... 

@slidergirl, I like that hat! What size brim? Did you buy it in a hat store? I’d have to drive into Dallas and I hate fighting the traffic, but have asked my hubby to take me to one. We haven’t made it yet. My daddy died of melanoma, so even though I have hated hats since I got fluffier, I do wear them now. I swim daily in the summer and wear my Tilley in the pool. I had an early melanoma removed last summer and lots of squamous and basal cell carcinomas in the past 5 years. I’m learning to be more careful. It’s the fair skin. I love to be outdoors in warm weather, though! I love the feel of the sunshine in the winter. I’m like a lizard! Lol

Thank you, @pcur. I have bought so many hats and they all look terrible on me! lol I inherited my daddy's very thick neck as I have aged. If I don't hate it, my husband says it doesn't look good. He likes the Tilley and I do, too, but I would like a dressier, more feminine hat. I like the feminine touch, as well! I will keep my eyes open. Thanks so much.

On 1/21/2022 at 2:37 PM, mips said:

I loved my Sunday Afternoon Sundancer  hat and was so sad that I lost it and it wasnt turned in.  packable light and though expensive would highly recomend, Im short and fluffy too but I got lots of compliments on it.  I will be buying another. 

Which hat did you have mips? The vineyard like 57redbird or a different style? @57redbird I notice the brim curls up. Can it be worn flat, without the curl or not?  Thank y’all so much! I have a Tilley & a visor type cap, but would like something that doesn’t look like a fishing hat! Lol

Thank you!

@GlobetrotterD, in Loreto, do you know if wetsuits were provided for rental for the day? I can order one for the cruise, but worry I won't have room for it... 1st world problems, but I'm trying to figure out if the tours through princess offer them. Thank you!

@Hlitner, would you recommend Las Caletas over the Yelapa/Majahuitas? I tend to like less crowds. Thanks so much for your input! Do you have any knowledge if the tours in the Sea of Cortez and Cabo offer wetsuits? I know that water will be too cold for me. Wondering if I need to try and buy one and then find room for it. Yikes! Enjoy your balcony and the beautiful whales!

BTW, those angled balconies were wonderful! I asked for footstools so we could really get comfortable out there!

6 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

 

 

This says CDC operational…surely, their not using the Dolphin deck for quarantine?  Were you in an Aft cabin?

 

We were in one of the Dolphin deck angled balconies at Christmas, starboard side. They were using port side for the quarantine area. From what I've read it sounds like they have expanded it to both sides, but I don't know for sure. I have also read they were using part of Caribe. That is a LOT of quarantine rooms!

I love to snorkel, but hear it isn't great on the Pacific side of Mexico so looking for the best tour to enjoy on the water even if the snorkeling isn't great. Hubby would be fine if he never snorkeled again! lol I'm leaning toward the Yelapa and Majahuitas tour. Anyone know how it is or have other suggestions. We did whale watching last time and loved it, but I am already doing that in Magdalena Bay and Cabo. Also, how cold is the water in PV in early March? Do they provide wet suits or are they needed? 

5 hours ago, raharris200 said:

I have been following this thread and reviewing the Patters.  I would appear that there have not been any production shows in Princess Theatre.  But when I reviewed the Patters from the Live From Enchanted Princess thread for the 11/10 sailing, they did show the Rock Opera production number.

 

Perhaps the cast has been depleted by quarantining since then?  Does anyone have any insight on this?

There were production shows on the Christmas cruise.

7 hours ago, diane.in.ny said:

I have heard that people really like the extended balconies. What did you think?

We loved ours! There was room for footstools! 

My derma surgeon told me I need to be using a mineral sunscreen daily and my dermatologist recommended Blue Lizard Sensitive 50. I have had a lot of skin cancers and my dad died from melanoma. I actually switched to mineral sunscreen years ago because of sensitivity and I love the undersea life so much I wanted to do my part.  I have used many different ones and the Blue Lizard doesn't make me as white as most of the others I've tried.  

Thank you! I moved from C518 because it said no end table and I couldn't imagine so moved further down & across the hall to C607. My understanding was the balconies were bigger on Caribe deck, but wanted to be sure! I love a big balcony! 

We are in a Caribe deck deluxe balcony (B2) on Grand Princess. Are they larger than other decks? We are mid aft and there is a crew area across the hall. Is that noisy or does it have odors? I moved from one with insides across the hall because I read the rooms didn't have nightstands which seemed kind of different. Anyone stayed specifically in C607? I moved from C518. Thank you!

13 hours ago, smbt1 said:

You cannot order from the bars directly. The bars all have closed signs, including the international cafe. You have to order from wait staff or use app.

 

I must admit not what I expected  after following the last cruise.

Do the  bars are still having entertainment, for instance in Crooners? It was so nice over Christmas cruising, but we could dance (masked inside) and listen to music indoors while having drinks. I really enjoy listening to music on our cruises.

We did a whale watching tour with Ocean Friendly in PV a few years ago and it was amazing. We saw a minimum of 20 whales. One even went under our boat and hung out awhile. It was an amazing day. Whales don't get that close to the big ships. If you look carefully you can see them blow from the ship, but don't know that you will see much more. You definitely want to book a whale watching tour. Oscar at Ocean Friendly did a fantastic job!

I hope all of you who got sick get well quickly! Can y'all tell me about the weather? How cool was it in the Sea of Cortez? During the day was it shorts or pants weather? I know it gets chilly into and out of LA the first day, at least cool to me. I know it will be cooler than the Caribbean this time of year.

Melisstress, so sorry you got sick. We were on Enchanted for Christmas and had such fun I booked the sea of Cortez on the Grand for end of Feb Friday. Now im second guessing….