LIVE from the Grand Princess - 49 days from FLL thru South America to SFO

[Two Escape]

Pia,

 

Thanks for taking us along on your 49 day adventure on the Grand. We all appreciate your time and effort. I have two aunts and two uncles on the cruise with you. We were all with you on the Ruby for a transatlantic FLL to Venice, I think it was 2010. I actually found a photo with you in it, Istanbul, Turkey. And, no it will not be published :).

 

Have a great cruise and THANKS from Boca Raton, FL.

[FritzG]

We'll be sailing on the Grand next month. Do you know which brand of premium tea they serve in the coffee bar by the IC?

 

Thanks for taking the time to do the Live From--it's such fun to follow you on your journeys.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We'll be sailing on the Grand next month. Do you know which brand of premium tea they serve in the coffee bar by the IC?

 

Thanks for taking the time to do the Live From--it's such fun to follow you on your journeys.

 

In December they had Mighty Leaf Tea in the International Cafe, the vanilla flavour was very good.

[bcnvcanada]

Thank you for taking us along with you. We always look forward to your reports and enjoy greatly cruising along with you. Have a safe journey home and we will be watching for our next cruise along with you. Thanks to you we have been to most of the world of the past few years.

[Northwest Couple]

Pia, can you find out if Maxtone-Graham will be on the Hawaiian cruise leaving SF on March 16th. Thanks Linda

[Astro Flyer]

Hey Cugino, where have you been?

Hey Cugina, I've been reading your enjoyable posts since the beginning. Guess I take after my rather quiet dad who would say well, someone has to listen. :p You're so generous with your time that I don't like to waste any of it unless I have something important to say. ;)

 

What side of the ship are you on? If you haven't already sailed past my portion of the coast maybe I can go out there and wave to you? :p

 

Next month we're meeting Pam and also Judy (volvodoll) at the Hawaiian restaurant in Torrance we enjoyed with you & Mike the last time you were here & hope that we can do it again in the future. If you were going to Maui again Helena is there now & could've picked you up again. :)

 

Ciao...Cugino Franco

[trbarton]

Anybody know if the layout of the Sapphire is similar to the Grand?

 

Tom :)

[IECalCruiser]

Anybody know if the layout of the Sapphire is similar to the Grand?

 

Tom :)

A few significant differences, especially after the Grand's "Skywalkersectomy". Other that Club One 5 verses Skywalkers, on the Sapphire, the Wheelhouse Bar is forward on Promenade deck and much larger than the Grand's. The Casino is on Fiesta deck on the Sapphire and Promenade deck on the Grand. Sapphire has no Crown Grill but uses a portion of the HC for a Sterling Steakhouse at night. The two larger anytime DRs on the Grand are cut in half for four smaller anytime DRs on the Sapphire. The Sapphire's Promenade deck is several feet wider and has real recliner style deck chairs.

[Pepes Pal]

A few significant differences,......... The Casino is on Fiesta deck on the Sapphire and Promenade deck on the Grand.

 

I believe that on the Grand the Casino is also on the Fiesta deck 6 and located right behind the Passengers Service Desk.

[Pia1913]

Good Tuesday morning as we sail towards Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. As mentioned two days ago, we will arrive here today instead of tomorrow due to our loss of Nicaragua. Anticipated arrival time is 5:00 PM and tendering will begin as soon as we have clearance. Tenders will run often until 11:00 PM with limited service thereafter. Full service will begin at 7:00 AM tomorrow morning. Weather is good, seas are good, internet is still intermittent. Let’s see what happens here when it’s time to post.

　

Last night they held the Captain’s Circle party up at the Neptune pool. We just passed through, took 2 glasses of wine and went back to the cabin. We were dressed smartly casual; Mike in shorts and me in capris.

　

Nothing of real value going in today other than spa and boutiques pushing their wares. All that’s offered in the morning is the engineering staff presenting information titled Technical at Sea. Afternoon offers a repeat of S.S. Norway lecture, movie Life of Pi on MUTS and movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower in the theater. Tonight is a definite BLAH with a double billing of the harmonica player and the awful “comedian/impressionist” in the theater and the same magiician again (he must be on thru the next cruise) in Vista. We will make our own entertainment. We will definitely not be traipsing around Mexico at night.

 

　

We are now on Pacific time, having gained another hour of sleep last night. Internet has no signal at all, so we are again in copy and paste mode. It is now a little past 9 and we are planning to go to the technical presentation at 10. Will try again later.

Just past lunch. Still no service and we are now pretty close to Cabo.

　

It’s 5 PM. Tender tix are being distributed and 4 tenders are in the water. Internet just came alive. Don't know for how long.

Frank: we're on Starboard. Have a chicken salad for me. :)

Belle: yes, closet has shelves. We preferred Skywalkers; One5 not really big enuf.

OK guys Gonna' try and get this on line.

[IECalCruiser]

I believe that on the Grand the Casino is also on the Fiesta deck 6 and located right behind the Passengers Service Desk.

You are correct! They didn't move the Casino up to Promenade deck when they added the Window Suites on Fiesta deck but just made the Casino smaller. Looks like I had a Senior Moment. Only the Golden and the CB had the Casino moved to the Promenade deck.

[Belle]

Glad for the shelves.

 

I really like Skywalkers

sorry there isn't one. There

is suppose be a room with more

windows next to One 5. Did

you go there? Like it?

 

Thanks again for taking the time

to post.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Anybody know if the layout of the Sapphire is similar to the Grand?

 

Tom :)

 

Think of the Sapphire as the twin to the Diamond. They were built at the same time and in the same shipyard.

 

I believe that the Grand and the Golden are almost twins -- but even less similar now that the Grand's top side has been altered.

[Pepes Pal]

You are correct! They didn't move the Casino up to Promenade deck when they added the Window Suites on Fiesta deck but just made the Casino smaller. Looks like I had a Senior Moment. Only the Golden and the CB had the Casino moved to the Promenade deck.

 

Hi Brian - wasn't trying to be correct!!! ;). Just remembering that the Casino was right next to our stateroom corridor. The Casino was indeed much smaller than other Princess Casinos but I had feared that some smoke still might be smelled in our staterooms & the hallways. It wasn't a problem at all & proved to be an unnecessary worry.

[trbarton]

I believe that on the Grand the Casino is also on the Fiesta deck 6 and located right behind the Passengers Service Desk.

 

I looked at the deck layout of the Grand and yes the casino is on deck 6 where you mentioned.

 

I'm new to Princess and when I saw all those nice pictures taken on the Sapphire I thought perhaps the grand might look similar.

 

Thanks for everyone's help. Perhaps the photos of a balcony stateroom taken on the Caribe deck will look similar to mine as this is the first time that I have had a balcony so I'm excited.

 

Tom:)

[Belle]

They were built in this order..

Grand..Golden..Star. (will be a question of the day on these ships)

 

They were mostly the same, now after

Skywalkers taken off the Grand and some

remodeling on the ships there's some more

differences now.

[IECalCruiser]

They were built in this order..

Grand..Golden..Star. (will be a question of the day on these ships)

 

They were mostly the same, now after

Skywalkers taken off the Grand and some

remodeling on the ships there's some more

differences now.

On the Golden, Princess increased the closet space in balcony cabins and lower and the midship stairway was made available for passenger use. On the Star, the Youth Center was moved aft and a Thermal Suite was added. Other than that they were mostly twins until the Golden's drydock in 2009, the Grand's in 2011 and Star's in 2012. They now are more like cousins.

[Pia1913]

I can’t say good morning because it isn’t. It is 9:25 Tuesday night and the internet went out when I posted earlier and hasn’t yet come back. So since we are overnighting in Cabo, let’s pretend it’s Wednesday. I have the new Patter so will tell you what’s going on and will copy and paste when I can.

　

There’s very little on board in the morning (actually nothing), and in the afternoon the movie in the theater will be The Twilight Saga: Breaking Down - Part 2. Last tender will leave shore at 4:30.

Evening entertainment will have a clash again. A comedian Doug Funk is in the theater and the movie Silver Linings Playbook is in Vista. The only way to see both is by seeing the comic either at 7:00 or 8:30 and the movie at 9:45. I can’t do a 2 hour movie that late. MUTS has Chasing Mavericks and the International Crew Show is at 10:00.

　

We are off shortly to go whale watching. Catch you later (whatever that means). Hopefully on the correct day.

OK. Now I'm really LIVE. It's almost 7:30 and I've been trying to get on line since 6. Who knows how long this will last. So happy Wed and I'll be back when it lets me.

Belle: this is my 7th cruise on the Grand w/ the One5. I never go there.

[san diego sue]

Hi Pia,

Lew says hi to you and Mike. Also to Tina and Ken.

He asked me yesterday"Are they still on that ship"? Couldn't believe you are still sailing. Seems like so much time and events in our lives have occurred since we said goodbye to you in Florida.

Let me know if there are whales out there today. We leave in three weeks for Mexico cruise and wondered if we should sign up for whale watching. I know the whales will be heading up the coast soon (past us in San Diego) and on to Alaska.

Have fun today.

Gloria and Lew:D:D

[burm]

Pia, are there zumba classes every sea day? If so, what time are they usually held?

[CruzinNoony]

Hi Pia, Bob and I go whale watching every chance we get. Love it!! Let us know how many sightings you had. :D

[bdjam]

As an aside, there was a nice article in Cruise Travel this month about Grand Princess -

http://www.cruisetravelmag.com/ctravel_tableofcontents.php

[trbarton]

As an aside, there was a nice article in Cruise Travel this month about Grand Princess -

 

http://www.cruisetravelmag.com/ctravel_tableofcontents.php

 

I used your link. How do I find the article without subscribing to the magazine?

[MilliesMom]

I used your link. How do I find the article without subscribing to the magazine?

 

Check your local library to see if they have a copy in stock.

 

Barnes & Noble carries this magazine - single issue. $6 (I just picked up a copy today).

 

https://itunes.apple.com/app/cruise-travel-magazine/id463445869?mt=8

App to view on your iPhone etc.

Available subscriptions are:

3 back-issue bundle: £8.99/ US$12.99

6 months: £8.99/ US$12.99 (3 issues)

12 months: £16.99/ US$23.99 (6 issues)

 

They are on Facebook, but don't see the article there:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cruise-Travel-Magazine/216679438374417?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

Subscription: Cruise Travel Magazine

PO Box 433072

Palm Coast FL 32143-3072

(published bi-monthly, $44.95 a year ... :eek: )

[Kiwi Kruzer]