Live From the Golden...YVR...LA...HI

[ccrain]

I am really enjoying your posts!!! We are going on this same cruise next year so I am loving your write-ups. Has Judy tried eating green applies for her sea sickness. My friend swears by this remedy and has tried it and it worked for her. Keep those posts coming...would love to see some room pictures to if you can. We booked C330 on the Caribe deck because of everyone here saying the balconies are larger. Would love to see one. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your "Busy schedule" to do these posts.

 

 

Dramamine, ginger and sea bands. She hasn't tried green apples yet.

 

There are probably many photos of caribe balconies. On the grand class they are all identical and the balcony cabin interiors are all the same as well. I'm sure someone can paste a link.

 

Yes they are large balconies, but they are half covered as well. The Doplhin deck balconies are fully uncovered, but large, the Caribe half covered and large, the Aloha and Baja balconies a bit smaller, but completely covered. (Emerald is a very mixed bag.)

 

You will enjoy it, I'm sure.

[Solara]

There are some areas of the ship that are under the A/C vents, in the theatre or in the Explorer's lounge, that are very cool and Judy brings a coverup with her when she wears a strappy, flimsy, dress thingy ( too early in the morning for technical fashion terms).

 

When we are dancing in the explorers, these vents are a godsend. But there is no real cold place. The Atrium area got real hot last night during the champagne waterfall because of all the bodies around.

 

A light coverup for formal nights would be recommended.

Hi Ccrain,

 

Thanks for the info. Is Judy wearing capris & short sleeves during the day or is it too cool for them?

 

I'm really enjoying reading about your cruise, it's just making me more excited than I already am. Can't wait to board her on the 11th.

[jdm]

Hi - Ccrain -

 

I booked as a guarantee and just received my cabin assignment this morning for our Oct 11 cruise. Could you please verify, when you have a chance, the space outside the front of Aloha deck cabins. I believe it is the narrow balcony area just under the bridge. Our cabin is very close to that. Hard to see on my picture of the ship. Hope it is. I like that little secret place. Thank you for checking.

[NotWthOutablcony]

I know its an empty hope, but I wish David Cole was our CD on the Sapphire Hawaii sailings, he's a great CD!!!

Hey Ccrain, up until today, were you able to use your balcony? Or was it too cold and windy? We sail in Feb. so I know the weather will differ quite a bit, just hoping to get a good idea.

[Double Nickel]

Just wanted to add my thanks for keeping us posted on your trip.

We are on the Oct 11 sailing.

Safe travels, thanks again!

[TorontoTL]

Loving your live thread ccrain. It so reminds me of our Hawaii cruise a couple of years ago, I so wish I was there with you guys.

[Tina G]

Hi, Charles. Doug and I were on a Mexican cruise several years ago with you and Judy. "The Dawn-er Party". Since then, we moved to Grand Junction, and I have endured a year of chemo and radiation fighting advanced breast cancer. We are celebrating my release on Feb. 14. Thanks for your comments. We have never been to Hawaii before, and we are looking forward to it. Say "hi!" to Judy for me.:D

[lovevacadays]

I'm really enjoying your posts. I live in Southern California and have thought about doing the Hawaii cruises since no flying involved. You are making it quite enticing.

 

It sounds like your waiters are getting you specialty pasta dishes that aren't on the menu. How did you accomplish this?

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Waimea'sMom]

Thanks for your posts, I'm doing this trip on 10/25 (our third time doing this itinerary as it is our fave on Princess). I'm really glad to see Elua and David Cole are on the ship, as they helped make my trip last time. I'm also glad to see they are still doing ukulele classes. Last November, I caught the ukulele bug on this cruise from those classes. Private lessons and three ukuleles later, I'm a fanatic. :)

 

Keep up the great posts, you're helping to get me into the Mahalo spirit!

[cormike1]

Hey there Waiema's Mom...you are on the Golden next year for the Oct. 27 sailing it looks like. We are on that also. Might be a gang of about 10-12 of us. Looking forward to it already. My first huge cruise and DH's 1st one totally. We've done 3 river cruises also. It looks like it is going to be so much fun if it goes anything like ccrain's posts!

[Sailkeywest]

Happy Belated B-day :) I really enjoy your posts, I am drooling over your UBD tale!

[Nancyquilts]

Hi, Charles. Doug and I were on a Mexican cruise several years ago with you and Judy. "The Dawn-er Party". Since then, we moved to Grand Junction, and I have endured a year of chemo and radiation fighting advanced breast cancer. We are celebrating my release on Feb. 14. Thanks for your comments. We have never been to Hawaii before, and we are looking forward to it. Say "hi!" to Judy for me.:D

Tina - Sorry to hear about your health problems.:( Nancy

[horsefeathers75]

Hi CCrain,

 

Thank you so very much for your daily updates. I was very sad to hear about the tsumani and the loss of life. I am glad that your cruise is sunny and bright.

 

I will be on the October 11 sailing and was wondering when you say the balconies are fully covered that doesn't mean my view is obstructed does it? I guess that means I won't get any sun, huh?

 

Have you seen a game room on board? My dh and I love to play video games.

 

Thanks again for taking time to let us know about your cruise and our future cruise.

 

Hope your wife is feeling better.

 

God Bless,

 

Debi

[Guffey Gal]

Hi ccrain! I checked out your Ghost Mine Ranch link and it looks like we are neighbors! My DH and I are a bit north of you in Guffey, CO. We are enjoying some beautiful aspen color right now, but when it is done, we'll be ready to board the Golden for our 10/25 cruise. Really love hearing about your experiences on this cruise; thanks for the great posts!

[ccrain]

Hi Ccrain,

 

Thanks for the info. Is Judy wearing capris & short sleeves during the day or is it too cool for them?

 

I'm really enjoying reading about your cruise, it's just making me more excited than I already am. Can't wait to board her on the 11th.

 

 

Its plenty warm during the day. Yesterday the sun bathers were out in force, we had some sun. The temperature has been in the 80's on deck for the past few days.

 

We only packed one pair of hiking pants each, with the zip off legs, for hiking in HI and then able to go to shorts when it gets really hot. Shorts on the ship during the day, and casual pants at night. Judy's been doing skirts and blouses and skorts at night. Formal is a cocktail dress and I'm wearing my dark brown business suit.

[ccrain]

Hi - Ccrain -

 

I booked as a guarantee and just received my cabin assignment this morning for our Oct 11 cruise. Could you please verify, when you have a chance, the space outside the front of Aloha deck cabins. I believe it is the narrow balcony area just under the bridge. Our cabin is very close to that. Hard to see on my picture of the ship. Hope it is. I like that little secret place. Thank you for checking.

 

 

Can you give me a little more detail where to look. Be happy to.

[ccrain]

I know its an empty hope, but I wish David Cole was our CD on the Sapphire Hawaii sailings, he's a great CD!!!

Hey Ccrain, up until today, were you able to use your balcony? Or was it too cold and windy? We sail in Feb. so I know the weather will differ quite a bit, just hoping to get a good idea.

 

Keith has been napping on his during the day and we've been using ours for entertaining every day. We are on the starboard side, which means we are shaded for most of the day. On the way back, we will be in the sun, so it will get hot.

 

This morning we woke up to a beautiful rain squall off the balcony. The hissing of the rain hitting the water, light thunder from above and the whisper of the ship through the sea - love that balcony. We do sleep with the door open every night as well.

[ccrain]

Hi, Charles. Doug and I were on a Mexican cruise several years ago with you and Judy. "The Dawn-er Party". Since then, we moved to Grand Junction, and I have endured a year of chemo and radiation fighting advanced breast cancer. We are celebrating my release on Feb. 14. Thanks for your comments. We have never been to Hawaii before, and we are looking forward to it. Say "hi!" to Judy for me.:D

 

I'll tell her and we both wish you the best. I imagine its starting to get cold in Grand Junction. I won't be surprised to fly back over snow capped Rockies in a few weeks.

[LARGIN]

Thanks for the updates. We are getting antsy now. Cannot wait until the 25th when we get to board.

[ccrain]

I'm really enjoying your posts. I live in Southern California and have thought about doing the Hawaii cruises since no flying involved. You are making it quite enticing.

 

It sounds like your waiters are getting you specialty pasta dishes that aren't on the menu. How did you accomplish this?

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Any of you who have read my previous reviews and "live froms.." know that we interact with the staff and the crew from day one. Its one of the most enjoyable things we do on a cruise. Last night, for example, we had drinks with Vian and his fiance, Jane, in the wheelhouse for an hour. Paul and Elizabeth, along with Elizabeth's mother "Mom", sat and chatted about how they met, how they got into dancing, their life on a rose farm in South Africa, what they plan to do in the future, shipboard life, you name it, we talked about it. One of the most enjoyable conversations we've had in weeks.

 

When we left Vancouver, I hunted up the Head Waiters and talked to Mario about Albuquerque on the Star. Quite frankly we wanted to know if he was on this ship. JP knows Albuquerque and one of the other head waiters knows him, but not Mario. So the conversation turned to loving pasta and Albuquerque's special pasta. At which time Mario asked if we wanted some special pasta the next night and standing reservations for a particular table and it just went from there.

 

Its hard to describe in words, but these people are professional hosts. They would not be head waiters, which takes years of apprenticeship, specialized training and a great resume, without enjoying their jobs. Just like I get satisfaction from solving an engineering or project issue, they get satisfaction from interaction with happy customers and showing off their trade.

 

Last night, for example, Mario ordered the seafood pasta for us, but the chef used red sauce instead of olive oil. (Judy just doesn't like sea food in red sauce, it just doesn't settle properly on her stomach.) Mario apologized up and down for the error. Diana, Keith and I enjoyed it, but Mario felt really bad about it.

 

We're not the only ones being treated this way. There are several different tables in the dining room that Mario is frequenting and plying with specialized treats. He's making more escargot tonight for a table next door.

 

But it all starts with interactions, talking to head waiters, the matre de, the wait staff. Does it work everytime? No. We didn't get special pasta on the Grand, even though Bruno, the matre de, would stop by and see us almost every night. It really depends on the head waiter and Mario is one of those special head waiters that just really goes out of his way to make you feel special.

 

Its great...

[ccrain]

Hi CCrain,

 

Thank you so very much for your daily updates. I was very sad to hear about the tsumani and the loss of life. I am glad that your cruise is sunny and bright.

 

I will be on the October 11 sailing and was wondering when you say the balconies are fully covered that doesn't mean my view is obstructed does it? I guess that means I won't get any sun, huh?

 

Have you seen a game room on board? My dh and I love to play video games.

 

Thanks again for taking time to let us know about your cruise and our future cruise.

 

Hope your wife is feeling better.

 

God Bless,

 

Debi

 

Only if you look up is your view obstructed. The Aloha and Baja balconies are covered by the deck 15 overhang. The Caribe balconies are half covered by the baja balconies and protected by the deck overhang as well. I went out to the rail and did not get very wet because of this protection.

 

The ship is currently sailing SW, which means the deck 15 overhang puts us in shade most of the day. When going home and sailing NE, we will be in almost full sun, except were towards the back so we will get shade from the aft end of the ship.

[ccrain]

Hi CCrain,

 

Thank you so very much for your daily updates. I was very sad to hear about the tsumani and the loss of life. I am glad that your cruise is sunny and bright.

 

I will be on the October 11 sailing and was wondering when you say the balconies are fully covered that doesn't mean my view is obstructed does it? I guess that means I won't get any sun, huh?

 

Have you seen a game room on board? My dh and I love to play video games.

 

Thanks again for taking time to let us know about your cruise and our future cruise.

 

Hope your wife is feeling better.

 

God Bless,

 

Debi

 

I will check it out today..

[ccrain]

Hi ccrain! I checked out your Ghost Mine Ranch link and it looks like we are neighbors! My DH and I are a bit north of you in Guffey, CO. We are enjoying some beautiful aspen color right now, but when it is done, we'll be ready to board the Golden for our 10/25 cruise. Really love hearing about your experiences on this cruise; thanks for the great posts!

 

 

Small world isn't it!

 

Actually we live in COS, but have a cabin in Ghost Mine. Quiet place to retreat to.

[mycruz]

ccrain, still holding on to your live from thread and glad to hear the starboard side will be in the shade going over. I'm planning on 4 sea days filled with naps on the balcony to get totally unwound!

 

I'm also glad to hear about the sarong class, I've had one that my sister brought me from Hawaii and have never really learned how to tie it. I'm going to make sure I bring it with me.

 

thanks again for all your updates!

[ccrain]

Yesterday was a fun day at sea. Its amazing how much stuff Dave is piling into the activities. Ballroom with Vian (Diana learned the cha-cha really fast), line dancing with Marti (the other Dave is doing something else - us line dancers are tickled with Marti), Hula classes with LeiAloha, survivor tribe selection, pool games started, no way to do it all.

 

BTW, if you plan on using the ellipticals or treadmills, they are the precor's with the individual tv screens. Bring a set of earphones that you are comfortable with so you can hear the sound while running. Standard mini jack that almost all MP3 players use.

 

And tomorrow we land on the big island and do the volcano hike. Cold is getting better, able to pop my ears this morning. Judy's motion sickness is under control, although there are no waves to speak of.

 

I just don't know how to fit this all in and still get some sleep. Yeah I know, life's tough all over.

 

Last night was French-Mediteranean menu - yep, with frog legs and snails. Snails were as good as ever, wish my taste buds were behaving better. Duck al'orange was good as well.

Already talked about the pasta mixup. Keith really likes the cheesecake, and I mean really likes the cheesecake.

 

Afterwards we danced to Equinox in the wheelhouse, then hopped over to the baby dolls for an other 11 minute cha-cha, then back to the wheelhouse for an hour long conversation over cocktails with Vian and Jane. That for us was the highlight of the evening. We'd seen Kevin Jordan on the last cruise so keith and diana headed for his show while we had drinks.

 

Nothing else was going on until 1030, so we just turned in early.

 

Today and tonight is going to be a lot of stuff. We can't do it all, so we'll probably split up, since Hula dancing is not my forte. I can do the Huki-Lau, but that's about it.

 

So if I don't get back to this thread for a while, its because we're pretty busy. Volcano hike on Hawaii, hike to wakiki in HNL for some sushi, a waterfall hike in Maui and a cave hike in Kuai.

 

I'll have plenty of time on the way back...I think...See ya all later...