Just Off the Sapphire Coastal

[Princess Patches]

The cruise was great. Three of us were traveling in an Emerald Deck mini suite. We arrived at San Pedro at 11:00 a.m., our usual time. Check-in was open and there was no line. We got checked in and were through security in 15 minutes. We went to the preferred lounge, which had new furniture. The new furniture was uncomfortable. It did not have backs to the seats and the lounge was packed. So we sat in the regular lounge, just outside the preferred lounge. The regular lounge was empty and all the seats had backs. The bon voyagers boarded just after we got to the lounge, around 11:15 a.m. The preferred boarding started at 12:00 p.m. No staggered boarding on our sailing. We were in the main dining room eating lunch by 12:15 p.m. Boarding was smooth.

 

Dining- The food and dining service was excellent as always. They had us at a larger table in first seating traditional, but we wished to eat as a family so they moved us into anytime dining the first night and then a table for four cleared in traditional dining the second night and they moved us back. Our waiter, Jansen, was terrific.

 

Entertainment- The shows were good. They premiered a new show called Born to Be Wild on our sailing with a Route 66 theme and a large pink Cadillac center stage. It was a cute show. A comedian boarded in San Francisco who was very good, but I have forgotten his name. Indigo band was excellent too. MUTS played nightly but it was very cold on deck at night. We managed to last through only two movies at MUTS during the cruise by using 3 woolen blankets each.

 

Cruise Critic Party-It was heavily attended and we did a grab bag. 4 or 5 officers including the cruise director and the maitre d attended. It was very fun and it was great to meet people.

 

Most travelled luncheon- The cutoff was 318. We have about 250 days and did not make it. The most travelled passenger had in excess of 1100 days. The second most travelled had more than 1000 days.

 

Ports of Call- In San Diego we took the city and La Jolla tour. It went to Coronado Island, Balboa Park, La Jolla town and the Cove, and Mt. Soledad lookout point. This was a wonderful tour and I recommend it. In San Francisco we rented a car and did our own trip down memory lane because we used to live in the Bay Area. The car rental was easy. Enterprise is just a few blocks from the pier. Very hot, sunny day in SF. Pier 35 is also about two blocks from the activities at Pier 39. The docking pier was very conveniently located. We had to go through customs in SF, but we just filled out the form the day before and they were disembarking passengers shortly after 8:00 a.m. Very smooth at SF despite the recent horror stories there. Ensenada we did not get off the ship. We have been there before. In Santa Barbara we did a private tour of the gardens (Lotusland, Casa Del Herrero, and Mission gardens). It was fabulous.

 

Cabin- We had the new balcony furniture, just two chairs with foot stools (narrow, downward slant, and uncomfortable) and a table. The blue mats were still on the balcony floor. We asked for a third chair for the balcony and our cabin steward brought us a desk chair from somewhere. The desk chair was more comfortable than the new balcony furniture.

 

Disembarkation- was a breeze. We had to go through customs again, but no delays. They were letting people off by 8:00 a.m. We got off about 9:15 a.m. and we seemed to be about the last off the ship. No one in the elevators and we just sailed through.

[lovevacadays]

Thanks for the review. Sounds like you had a fantastic time.

[Princess Patches]

By the way, thanks to Lis for organizing the cruise critic party! I appreciated your efforts. It was a lot of fun.

[MicCanberra]

Sounds great, I am so jealous.:D

[iceleven]

I'm confused as to why you needed to go through customs in SF.

[caribill]

I'm confused as to why you needed to go through customs in SF.

 

Previous port was Ensenada in Mexico.

[Princess Patches]

I'm confused as to why you needed to go thro

ugh customs in SF.

 

I understand why we had to go through customs in SF (Ensenada was the previous port), but what I didn't understand was why we went through customs a second time in LA. The passenger desk stated we had been in international waters so they can make us go through customs again. That did not make sense to me because then we would have been going through customs at every port of call.

[iceleven]

I understand why we had to go through customs in SF (Ensenada was the previous port), but what I didn't understand was why we went through customs a second time in LA. The passenger desk stated we had been in international waters so they can make us go through customs again. That did not make sense to me because then we would have been going through customs at every port of call.

 

Exactly. And we don't have to go through customs in any Alaska port AFTER stopping in Victoria or Vancouver, do we? The last port should be the only one necessary. Why the redundancy?

[Princess Patches]

Exactly. And we don't have to go through customs in any Alaska port AFTER stopping in Victoria or Vancouver, do we? The last port should be the only one necessary. Why the redundancy?

 

Yes, you are right. The second customs form had me so confused I went down to passenger services to ask about it because I assumed it was a mistake. I got the vague reply about international waters and customs being able to do whatever they want. I don't recall ever going through customs twice on a cruise previously. It is a mystery to me.

[MicCanberra]

Customs can and will do whatever they want in regards to protecting the border, etc. It is the same in nearly every/any other country. I was touring in the US last year and the coach was pulled over twice in New Mexico. The tour guide (20 years experience) said that it had only happened twice in all those years, as it is a well known US tor company. He suggested that they may have been bored or that a boss was with them to watch them work. Such is life.:D

[laraja]

The customs in LA could have to do with the fact that while aboard ship (in international waters) you had the opportunity to purchase duty-free goods. There is a limit on duty-free, so a customs declaration would need to be made.

 

Just a guess...

[srpilo]

Thanks for your review

 

 

 

 

Srpilo

[fathercop]

Thank you for the review. It sounds like you had a fabulous little coastal get-a-way!

[caribill]

The customs in LA could have to do with the fact that while aboard ship (in international waters) you had the opportunity to purchase duty-free goods. There is a limit on duty-free, so a customs declaration would need to be made.

 

Just a guess...

 

One would think the same would apply to Alaskan cruises that end near Anchorage.

[iceleven]

Ahh, who knows. Perhaps nothing more than an additional attempt at gaining more tax $$. If it were for additional security, I am all for it.

[caribill]

If it were for additional security, I am all for it.

 

Customs has nothing to do with security in the safety sense. It does in the sense of keeping illegal items from fruit to drugs out of the country.

[MicCanberra]

Customs has nothing to do with security in the safety sense. It does in the sense of keeping illegal items from fruit to drugs out of the country.

 

I am sure it is also to be seen to be doing their job which helps enforce a culture of don't do illegal stuff as you may/will get caught eventually.:D