timtrek

On the Grand Class Ships go as far forward on the Lido Deck as you can. there are doors on both sides of the ship that lead to a great viewing area at the front of the ship on top of the Ship's Bridge. If the second door is locked its most likely due to weather issues, but normally in good weather you have access. We found out about this area when we were in one of the Oceanview cabins that look out onto it. There are also two Suites with the balcony areas right there, so you might meet a new friend or two. It is one of my favorite spots to take sunrise and sunset pictures!

Hi All

Booked D732 on Emerald. Read some old threads that said it was supposed to be an accessible but had too small a door, so was sold as a Mini but still had the bathroom and beds of an accessible. Does anyone know if the room has been changed to a regular mini suite with the tub/shower combo and beds that can be moved together. There was no mention of the beds and no tub when I booked, but just wanted to see if anyone had recently been in the cabin.

Thanks for your help! Happy Cruising

Tim

While I was on a cruise to Hawaii a while back I met a woman who was asking everyone to sign a petition asking Princess to do an Alaska cruise out of Los Angeles. I signed and thought it sounded great, but doubted that Princess would ever do this. WELL..... Princess must have listened! There is a 12 night Alaska cruise sailing April 27, 2018 on the Emerald Princess. Bookings just opened today. I'm posting this for people who like to sail out of Southern CA. I don't want you all to miss this opportunity. I'm guessing this is a test by Princess to see how well it sells. BTW, it follows the 28 day Tahiti, Somoa, Hawaii cruise. That would be an awesome B2B!!

Just booked it yesterday as soon as I saw it. Couldnt believe how many Balconies were already booked. But it was a great excuse for booking a Mini Suite :) Really looking forward to this cruise - NO AIRFARE! Sweet!

Once you exit the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the body of water between Vancouver Island and Washington state, the ship will be 25 or more miles off the coast so you will see no land at all .... except perhaps an hour or so before you enter or leave whatever ports you are calling at.

We just did a 4 day LA to Vancouver and there were 10-15 foot swells the first 2 days but very smooth day 3 and 4. Even with the swells the ship handled it well and it was not that noticeable except at the front or the aft areas of the ship. We have done many Coastal runs and normally there has been a day or two of swells.

I would choose the Grand as well. She is my favorite Princess ship. Alfredos is a big plus.

Just got off the Ruby on Saturday. The Princess Theater got pretty warm during the shows - lots of people in there - and the casino was on the warm side when full. Other than those rooms the rest of the ship was fairly cool. A light sweater should fit the bill.

Continued.....

We went to the Horizon Court once for lunch and found the food to be cold and unappetizing. The HC was themed on Cinco de Mayo (the day we went) and had tacos, fajitas and other Mexican items, but the lines were long and the crowd a bit unruly as people were cutting in and out of line at will and seemed to never have been at a Buffet before. I normally stopped by right after the 6:00 AM opening for breakfast and found the food at that time to be hot and well prepared. Also not so crowded.

The IC was selling the new coffee cards, but were actually cutting them in half and selling them for $16.00. There were 8 punches available on the card. I was told it was due to the cruise being so short. I traded in our Elite Bar Setup for two cards, but did not use them as we had the AIBP.

I saw that the Chocolate Journeys creations were available in one of the glass cases at the IC and saw many people asking for one, only to say No Thank You when they were told it would be $3.00. I tried one and it was delicious, but I didn’t buy any more as the other free items were almost as good, and free.

My wife and I both had the AIBP and it worked well for us due to more sea than port days. Even during the port day we made full use of it and were not worried about the cost.

ENTERTAINMENT

My son and I went to the new Magic To Do show, and it was very well done! We went to the late show and were able to get good seats. There were several announcements asking for cruisers to not save seats, but that seemed to fall on deaf ears for the most part.

MUTS was well attended even though it was cold, and I remember that Star Wars, Inside Out, Bridge of Spies and several concerts were shown.

ROOM

We were in a Mini Suite and our room steward Mark was exceptional. The new bedding and mattress were a great change from the last few cruises we were on. Between the rocking of the ship and the great beds, I had some very restful nights. We had no issues with the plumbing or the AC.

Overall it was a great cruise and my family and I have some great memories.

Hi all. Just off the Ruby on Saturday and thought I would do a short review of the cruise. It was my first cruise after reaching Elite with Captain’s Circle and also my first time on the Ruby. My family loves to cruise on the Grand Class ships and the Ruby did not disappoint!

My wife, two adult sons, Mother-in-Law and I arrived at San Pedro at 10:45 AM and the terminal and parking lot were pretty much empty. I guess disembarkation went very well that morning. Ruby was the only ship in port.

My wife and I had a Mini Suite booked, as did my sons, and MIL had an interior. There was no line for Priority check in and we were all in the waiting area by 11:00. At 11:30 a larger group started boarding, but I had not heard any announcements, so I spoke to a Princess Rep standing near me. She said there was a large group from Corporate on the cruise and they were all boarding. Not a real big deal, as it was still very early, but this would pop up again in a short while.

We had received a note that stated rooms might not be ready until 1:00 PM when we checked in. That did not really matter as we were planning on going to the MDR lunch, as we try to do each time we board Princess. At 11:50 our group was called and we boarded. Once on board we were told that the rooms were ready, so we dropped off our carry on items and went to the Da Vinci Dining Room.

Overall, Embarkation was a breeze - one of the easiest and best organized I have experienced. Guides were moving everyone along and keeping the lines well organized.

The MDR lunch did not disappoint. It never got very crowded, and we had a beautiful and relaxing lunch. Afterwards, we got MIL set in her cabin, and my wife, sons and I went to our cabins. We had D404 and D406 and both rooms were in great shape. The beds were sporting the new mattress and bedding and were very comfortable.

I decided to run up to the Crown Grill to get reservations for Wednesday evening around 7 PM. When I arrived no one was there to talk to. I waited a bit, but decided to call the dining line. After a 10-minute hold, I was told there were no reservations available as a large group had reserved the CG every evening. I asked how that could be and was told it was a Princess Corporate group. The representative then told me that she actually did have a few spots open for reservation, but only at 9 PM each evening. That is much later than we like to dine, but we took one as we really look forward to the Crown Grill. The representative also told me that Share was completely booked up each night, as well, but Salty Dog was available. As I had eaten at the Salty Dog in February, I understood why it was available each night, as even Corporate didn’t want to eat there. (OK, I did love the burger, but that was about it)

The Muster Drill was at 3:15 PM. It went quickly and we were heading out of port at 4:20 PM.

It was overcast and a bit cold, so we did not spend too long at the Outrigger after sail away, and went up to Skywalker’s for the Elite, Suite and Platinum get together. I was very excited to run into Vickie and Bernie who had been on the roll call. I did not recognize her but when I spoke to her I quickly realized who she was. I have to say Vickie and Bernie were two of the friendliest cruisers we have met in a while. I always looked forward to seeing them around the ship and she was very kind to my wife and sons.

Tuesday and Wednesday were mostly cold and windy and there were times we had some good sized swells.

Thursday cleared up towards the afternoon but was still cold. Friday was beautiful and sunny and a wonderful day to be in Victoria. We explored on our own while my sons took their Grandmother to Butchart Gardens on a Princess Tour. After returning to the ship we hung out at the Wheelhouse bar as it was one of the few bars open while in port. We were in port until midnight and then set sail for a 7 AM arrival in Vancouver. We had a race with the HAL Nieuw Amsterdam to see who could dock first. We won.

Disembarkation went amazingly smooth. Perhaps the most orderly and well run disembarkation ever. For the most part everyone was where they were supposed to be and there was hardly any people clogging up the hallways and public areas around the gangways. It is so nice when people listen and follow the plan.

FOOD

We at in the MDR three of the four days for dinner, and one night at the Crown Grill. We were walking by the Grill at 8:30 PM and saw that about half of the tables were empty, so we walked up and were seated early. Our waiter verified that the majority of the reservations for the entire trip were held for a group event, but would not say anything else, which was the proper thing for him to do.

The Grill was wonderful. I don’t know if a higher quality of meat was brought on for this cruise due to the group that was on board (I hope not) but the steaks were much better than the last time I ate there. The sides were plentiful and two large platters of lobster tails was brought for us all to share.

The MDR was good but there was one thing that had changed, at least for this cruise. We had anytime dining but made a standing reservation for 7:30 PM and the table was always ready for us. I don’t know if this is permanent but the Parmesan Basket was not available with the Fettuccine Alfredo. Our waiter (Richard from the Philippines) told us each night that it might be available in the future but he was not sure.

Richard really was a great waiter and made our time in the dining room a blast. The food came at the appropriate temperatures and tasted great. The Shrimp Cocktail was still on the menu and was enjoyed by all. Richard always gave us his recommendations and was also able to help us chose a good wine to pair with our entrees.

To be continued........

There has been no smoking in the Oceanview Bar aft on deck 10. No smoking in the casino. The only smoking area on the ship is on one side corner on the pool deck and a small area on deck 4 outside.

Great - thanks for the information. Have a great cruise

Hope you are having a great cruise!

We are in 1138 above the Oceanview Bar on an upcoming cruise. Could you check the bar area and tell me which side has ashtrays on the tables, if they still do have ashtrays. I read some threads that mentioned issues with secondhand smoke coming up from the bar at times. I would think it would only be an issue in port, as while sailing I cant see the smoke making it up to the balcony area.

Thanks in advance!

Thank you for the informative review!

Nice try. ;)

As soon as I read "Kardashian" the gig was up. :D

Ditto Good gag!

Just my two cents -

If your finances allow, at least look at a Vista Suite - There can be quite a jump in price, but the extra living space really makes a huge difference.

You will have a Queen bed (or 2 twins) in a room separated by a curtain, the sleeper sofa in the "living room" and a two room bathroom area with the toilet and sink in one section and the large jetted tub and glass enclosed shower in the other. Also, a much larger balcony. Not to mention Breakfast at Sabatinis (yum) and the other perks associated with a suite that you do not get with a mini-suite.

When my two adult sons and I cruise together we have done the Mini suite, and it does work out, but we always try to go with a suite, weather as an up-sell if offered or, if able, as our original reservation.

The extra room is nice when hanging out in the room/balcony, and especially when getting ready for dinner.

Whatever you choose, I am sure you will love it and have a great vacation!

We are booked in 1138 on the Infinity in Sept 2017. If you haven't seen this thread yet take a look....

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1629443

That is the post that sold us on the Aft Aquaclass cabins. Truth be told, it wasn't a hard sell :D.

Have a great cruise!

You know you are killing me. My first Celebrity cruise is not until Sept 2017 :(. But thanks for the great posts! Cant wait to see the rest!

Aloha No,

We do not know right now what our remaining 2016-17 schedule will be past October. We are scheduled to do the Star in late October, but after that, we do not know. We have requested the Star for the remainder of the season, but probably will not be confirmed or a little while yet.

 

As soon as we are informed, we will post here, and also on our FB page, which is http://www.facebook.com/eluamusic We have our fingers crossed and would love to see as many of our CC ohana on our cruises as possible.

 

Malama Pono,

Tiki Dave

(of Elua)

http://www.facebook.com/eluamusic

http://www.tikidavemusic.com

I am pulling for the Star! We are booked on the Dec 20th sailing. Looking forward to Christmas and New Years with EULA.

Please, does anyone know which bar on the Golden Princess would have the Martini Recipe playing cards? I read Crooners have them, searched the deckplan and cannot find Crooners on the Golden Princess.

 

TIA. I always learn something when I come on Cruise Critic.

We bought them in Crooners in February. Everyone wants to play cards with me so they can get the great recipes. I think they were $5.00.

Just ask a waiter or waitress.

Coral is my favorite ship in the fleet, too. Have great memories of our Alaska Cruise and all the fun we had. Cant wait for the chance to go on her again!

how do you book with the cruise line and then transfer?

GO to the Already Booked tab, then scroll to FAQ, and there is a link to the transfer page where you put in your name, booking number and TA phone number

Two weeks ago I booked a Sept 2017 cruise and today I transferred the booking to a TA and will be receiving another $350 OBC. That will make it total OBC of $650.00. Nice deal.

I'll second that.

We boarded in San Pedro for our last 2 cruises and received the same email. You can still arrive when you want and you will be boarded pretty much in the order of your arrival and check in. Both my last cruises boarding began at about noon with the wedding parties and Suites and Elites. Then platinum followed by general boarding

When you check in you will be given a boarding group number and shown where to sit. When that group is called off you go, so earlier you check in earlier you board. If you want the MDR lunch I suggest you get to the port between 1030 and 1100.

We were on the Crown in February and ate at the Salty Dog. No reservation and walked right in at 6:30 PM. The staff were all friendly and energetic, and gave us great recommendations on the food. It was actually too much for us to finish, but we did our best. I personally think it would be a good idea to skip the french fry appetizer and would do so if we eat there again.

I would have to say besides the Burger, the lemon dessert was the most outstanding dish. My wife told me the Lobster Mac and Cheese was not very good and I could see the cheese appeared to be much more runny than one would expect. There were two very small pieces of lobster in the dish. The Grilled Cheese was very comforting and was full of melty goodness. The Short Rib was delicious and melted in my mouth. If that dish was offered in the Crown Grill I expect it would sell out quickly every night. The pork belly and polenta was OK but nothing special. I did not like the beets, but I have never really been a fan of them anyway, but they were highly recommended.

The music from the stage area of the Wheelhouse was not so loud that my wife and I could not talk and it actually was enjoyable. There were still plenty of the seats and tables from the Wheelhouse and probably more people in the bar then were eating in the Salty Dog. I also saw some of the Wheelhouse patrons eating the very delicious bread stick and fondue appetizer at their tables and will definitely go back to the Wheelhouse and try to score that and enjoy it with some of the Bourbon choices in the bar.

Overview of Restaurant

French Fries Appetizer and Salad

Grilled Cheese and Short Rib

Best Burger Ever

Donut Dessert

This is my first time inserting pictures, and they were taken with a smart phone, but you get the idea.

My wife would probably not go back because she is not much of an adventurist when it comes to food, but I plan on returning the next time I am on the Crown.

Final Thoughts

 

 

These aft cabins do have pro's and con's.

 

In the end was this cabin the right choice???

 

Now that I am back home I can reflect on my time on the Summit. I have another four or five paragraphs in my head, but instead, how about this for my final thought about whether we made the right choice...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your review. Celebrity should throw you a bone as your pics/review led to my booking of 1138 - bet I wasn't the only one!

Is Celebrity sure they want to target millennials?

My thoughts exactly.