Live From The Royal Princess

[Dragonqueen]

Many thanks Shogun for your helpful reply

[#1winelover]

Are we going to see you at lunch on the 17th? And you too, Barb?

 

Pia! I'm only signed up for one lunch on Oct. 31st (sponsored by Florida Library Lady), nothing on the 17th of anything. I sail on 10/29 on the Maiden and again on 11/3 for the B2B, but depart the ship on 11/10 and head back up I-95 to home. :(

[#1winelover]

Firstly, let me apologise for not posting enough. There are two reasons for this and they are the unreliability of the onboard wifi and me being too lazy.

 

Visited the Princess Theatre on Friday evening for the first time to see the comedian. He was very good and didn't swear which meant that children could go along although they may not get all of the jokes. We also took part in the trivia quiz and, I am proud to say, we are now the owners of four Princess wall clips. They are magnetic so they stick on the cabin wall and you can store your Patter or tour tickets off of any surfaces.

 

Yesterday was Rome. What a fantastic city. Way too much too see in one day but we gave it a good go. We used a private company called "Can't be missed" and they were excellent. We met up with Peter (Pietro) at the station, which was a very easy 10 minute walk from the port, at 8.15am and then joined the 8.41am train to Rome for the 55 minute journey.

 

We arrived in Rome and met up with Michaela (sp?) where we split into two separate groups. We joined the subway for a couple of stops and exited the station to be met with the view of the Colosseum. Some people went inside and some people walked around the outside taking pictures and listening to the detailed and informative commentary from Michaela via the radios and ear plugs that were handed out at the train station. It would appear that one of the requirements for a visit to Rome is a bladder the size of a small country. There was one ladies restroom inside the Colosseum and one outside. The queues were huge everywhere we went so don't drink too much in the morning.

 

There is not enough room (or Internet minutes) to post all of the details but suffice to say that we saw a lot of Rome in a short amount of time. Sites included The Pantheon, The Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain and many others. We were back on the ship for 5.30pm, with aching limbs and feet, ready for the sail away at 6.30pm.

 

We visited the theatre for the Colours of the World show, were really impressed by some on the singers and thoroughly enjoyed the show.

 

Today was Naples but after the exertions of Rome we decided to stay aboard and relax. I am very glad as some people coming back from trips were saying that it was too much walking over the two days and that they had aching calfs, blisters, etc. The heat does make the walking uncomfortable after a while.

 

Breakfast in the HC has more than enough choice to satisfy all tastes and, with little changes each day, seems very popular. The ship is full to capacity but even so you never fail to find a table or be offered drinks, etc. We haven't really bothered with lunch too much but with The Trident Grill offering burgers, hot dogs, chicken, etc, the pizza available and the HC choice it would be easy to pile on the pounds quite quickly.

 

Tomorrow will be a sea day and we will be enjoying the pub lunch in the Wheelhouse Bar followed by pizza at Alfredo's. one of the waiters tried to tell me that it was the best pizza in Italy until I pointed out that we were actually in France (Toulon) at the time!

 

I promised my daughter a porterhouse steak on the cruise and we will be enjoying that on the following night.

 

The cabin is very comfortable and we are being well looked after by our steward with the chocolates on the pillow every evening and the room being kept nice and tidy. There is lots of hanging space with plenty of hangers (if you need more just ask and they will appear), a small cupboard with 4 shelfs that also houses the safe, a refrigerator, shoe storage and suitcases sit on floor under the hanging space. The balcony is not massive but it is still lovely to sit out there just before bed listening to the sound of the ship pushing through the waves. Definitely enough room for two to sit and eat and enjoy each others company.

 

I have to say that as a newbie I feel that I have been missing out these past years. I never thought it could be good holiday with young children so waited until they were adults before taking the plunge. Stupid mistake on my part. Every child you see, of all ages, has a smile on their face. They enjoy the pool and fountains as well as having their own clubs.

 

At sea day tomorrow so plenty of time to relax before getting the walking shoes on again for Mykonos.

 

Finally, I will read through the thread when I get home and try to answer any questions that may have been posted. The minutes are too precious (and expensive) to read through the thread onboard.

 

for someone that does not post very often, you really, REALLY do a great job of it when you DO POST!! ;) A most interesting post and a great point of view, which I appreciate. We need to pressure Princess in giving CC members free minutes for all posts about the ship/trip!!! :D

[#1winelover]

Karen! Well put!!! As long as there is no personal "bashing" of others and their "bad choices," voicing an opinion is what it's all about!! Folks "out there" want to know what's going on aboard the new ship....so what else do we have to offer but personal opinions and perhaps some pictures (the focal point of which will ALSO be a personal choice!)

[#1winelover]

Winelover, I totally have Barb's back on the Gators of Gainesville. (I live nearby and became a huge fan in my dotage, but that is another tale).

 

I've said this before on CC and will say it again...

 

What makes or breaks a cruise has little to do with the size of your cabin, the bumpiness of the seas, a missed tour or port....it is all about the people on board and the new friends you make. We often sail with friends, but lately have been on our own and found it even more fun. We're open to sitting with anyone at all meals and have had all our stereotypes busted. On the last cruise one "lonely, very elderly lady" turned out to be a famous physician with an incredible career and story. Another dinner companion was very close to the First Lady's family. Two very humble looking people turned out to be folks planning to live full-time on Princess ships. At the same table were some more polished folks, but it turned out the guy with the backwoods accent was the most educated of the bunch--a complex story of him out engineering talk the other engineers. We met a couple with whom I'd gone to high school and we had mutual friends and found others with close degrees of separation. There are few social situations where so many nationalities and cultures mingle on an equal footing. We ARE all in the same boat for the voyage. Lifelong friends are made, you hear of different lifestyles, philosophies, cultures. And you find so many commonalities about health, children, sorrows, and dreams. A chocolate on a pillow is gone in seconds, what lingers is the connections you make around the globe.

 

Extremely well put!!! I think you have hit the nail squarely on the head! As for the Gators, I like/love ALL Florida teams, college and pro! It's when they play each OTHER that I have trouble taking sides. My $$ went to Tallahassee, but my heart covers the entire state!

[TorontoTL]

Thanks for the update Lynn and Rob.:)

[#1winelover]

CONGRATULATIONS to the Royal's Godmother, Duchess Kate, who just a few hours ago gave birth to a "royal" son!! 8 lbs 6 oz!

[Northender]

Winelover, I totally have Barb's back on the Gators of Gainesville. (I live nearby and became a huge fan in my dotage, but that is another tale).

 

I've said this before on CC and will say it again...

 

What makes or breaks a cruise has little to do with the size of your cabin, the bumpiness of the seas, a missed tour or port....it is all about the people on board and the new friends you make. We often sail with friends, but lately have been on our own and found it even more fun. We're open to sitting with anyone at all meals and have had all our stereotypes busted. On the last cruise one "lonely, very elderly lady" turned out to be a famous physician with an incredible career and story. Another dinner companion was very close to the First Lady's family. Two very humble looking people turned out to be folks planning to live full-time on Princess ships. At the same table were some more polished folks, but it turned out the guy with the backwoods accent was the most educated of the bunch--a complex story of him out engineering talk the other engineers. We met a couple with whom I'd gone to high school and we had mutual friends and found others with close degrees of separation. There are few social situations where so many nationalities and cultures mingle on an equal footing. We ARE all in the same boat for the voyage. Lifelong friends are made, you hear of different lifestyles, philosophies, cultures. And you find so many commonalities about health, children, sorrows, and dreams. A chocolate on a pillow is gone in seconds, what lingers is the connections you make around the globe.

 

I love this post. On a cruise (at least 6 years ago) our rollcall friends were sitting in Crooners the last evening and just discussing the cruise and many other fun things. One of the ladies there had a good old Boston accent and I asked here where she was from. She was from just outside of Boston and the conversation quickly accelerated to did she go to BHS and yes, she did. Then the question - what year did you graduate. She graduated with my sister. :eek: So, you just never know who you will meet and when. Now, there are a number of us who get together every two years on a cruise, including my sis' former classmate.:D:):D

[CQG67]

Dave I want to adopt you! I wish I was going to be on your cruise. I would love to meet you. You are something else and I suspect quite a gentleman.

 

Egret32 - yea Gator fans. So how do you think we'll do this year? last year shocked me as I thought fir sure we'd be 5 and 7. i pick that for this year. SEC is strong.

 

Wine lover - I actually went to FSU but finished at Fla Atlantic which didn't have a football team back in the late 60s. Forida got tuition money from us though for our sons and my sister. Besides I live in Gainesville. It kind of grows on you and you become a fan before you know what is happening. Actually I love college football period. Alabama has a lock on things for another year or two I do believe.

 

That said - I love the posts from Benny Dorm and lyn and rob - people on the ship who are experiencing it all. Great!

 

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't coming across like some of the other folks on other posts. Some of them give negative a new meaning. Different strokes for different folks.

 

Barb

[sashas_mom]

Winelover, I totally have Barb's back on the Gators of Gainesville. (I live nearby and became a huge fan in my dotage, but that is another tale).

 

I've said this before on CC and will say it again...

 

What makes or breaks a cruise has little to do with the size of your cabin, the bumpiness of the seas, a missed tour or port....it is all about the people on board and the new friends you make. We often sail with friends, but lately have been on our own and found it even more fun. We're open to sitting with anyone at all meals and have had all our stereotypes busted. On the last cruise one "lonely, very elderly lady" turned out to be a famous physician with an incredible career and story. Another dinner companion was very close to the First Lady's family. Two very humble looking people turned out to be folks planning to live full-time on Princess ships. At the same table were some more polished folks, but it turned out the guy with the backwoods accent was the most educated of the bunch--a complex story of him out engineering talk the other engineers. We met a couple with whom I'd gone to high school and we had mutual friends and found others with close degrees of separation. There are few social situations where so many nationalities and cultures mingle on an equal footing. We ARE all in the same boat for the voyage. Lifelong friends are made, you hear of different lifestyles, philosophies, cultures. And you find so many commonalities about health, children, sorrows, and dreams. A chocolate on a pillow is gone in seconds, what lingers is the connections you make around the globe.

 

I couldn't agree more. We love Anytime dining for this reason. We've met so many wonderful people from all around the world. On one cruise we heard a great story. Our cabin steward mentioned to a gentlemen down the hall from where he had just been cleaning a cabin that he looked a lot like this other man. In fact they had the same last name. It wasn't given much thought until the two gentlemen ran into each other as they were heading to their respective cabins a few days later and realized they did look a lot alike. After discussing where there parents lived growing up, and a few relatives names, they discovered they were cousins who never met. They spent the rest of the cruise getting to know each other.

 

We also love the roll calls. We have many friends we've met on a cruise and have kept in touch and cruised together again. We love cruising!

[dmwnc1959]

First Bingo was held in Princess Live due to a special art event in the Vista Lounge (This cruise is a special "Art Connoisseur Cruise" with some special artists on board and art events being held.) Crew handed out clip boards to use for the bingo cards. Note that in the back of Princess Live there is a row of bar height chairs and a long, foot deep table that runs behind two of the three sides of seating.

 

Lynn and Rob

 

 

Another GREAT report! And CONGRAT's on all your winnings. :D

 

Here is the back of Princess Live! that you mentioned....

 

(Credit Peter Knego, Maritime Matters)

[dmwnc1959]

Dave I want to adopt you! I wish I was going to be on your cruise. I would love to meet you. You are something else and I suspect quite a gentleman.

 

I'm sure some of the folks on the December 1st and 8th sailings that I'm on will have some feedback for you. I just hope I don't make too poor of a showing! ;)

 

 

That said - I love the posts from Benny Dorm and lyn and rob - people on the ship who are experiencing it all. Great!

 

Barb

 

Indeed. And from Carole too! Having so many LIVE feedback reports coming in at the same time is really wonderful! Hopefully we'll get many more as the summer drags on. Not much longer and we'll be reading the Maiden Transatlantic thread as Royal Princess makes her way to Fort Lauderdale. Only 78 more days until she leaves Venice for the final time! :D

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I'm sure some of the folks on the December 1st and 8th sailings that I'm on will have some feedback for you. I just hope I don't make too poor of a showing! ;)

 

 

 

 

Indeed. And from Carole too! Having so many LIVE feedback reports coming in at the same time is really wonderful! Hopefully we'll get many more as the summer drags on. Not much longer and we'll be reading the Maiden Transatlantic thread as Royal Princess makes her way to Fort Lauderdale. Only 78 more days until she leaves Venice for the final time! :D

 

Can't wait to board her in 78 days - so excited:D

[chamima]

Another GREAT report! And CONGRAT's on all your winnings. :D

 

Here is the back of Princess Live! that you mentioned....

 

(Credit Peter Knego, Maritime Matters)

 

 

Does this remind anyone else of Comedy Central on the Celebrity Solstice class?

[Lynda90]

Can't wait to board her in 78 days - so excited:D

Me too! Can't wait! See you guys in Venice! Woohoo!:p

[redtogo]

I'm sure some of the folks on the December 1st and 8th sailings that I'm on will have some feedback for you. I just hope I don't make too poor of a showing! ;)

 

 

 

 

Indeed. And from Carole too! Having so many LIVE feedback reports coming in at the same time is really wonderful! Hopefully we'll get many more as the summer drags on. Not much longer and we'll be reading the Maiden Transatlantic thread as Royal Princess makes her way to Fort Lauderdale. Only 78 more days until she leaves Venice for the final time! :D

 

 

How do you do the "double quote" and comment on two different posts. Thanks for sharing the process.

[dchip]

How do you do the "double quote" and comment on two different posts. Thanks for sharing the process.

 

Next to the word Quote there is a symbol " with a + sign, use that for quoting more than one quote.

 

Cheers, Denise

[Pia1913]

Next to the word Quote there is a symbol " with a + sign, use that for quoting more than one quote.

 

Cheers, Denise

 

It's not a + plus sign, it's a quote " sign and when you touch it, it says multiquote.

[redtogo]

Next to the word Quote there is a symbol " with a + sign, use that for quoting more than one quote.

 

Cheers, Denise

Thanks, I think I have it now. I do see a teensy tiny + sign when I click on the (" mark). I had never noticed that before. Thanks for opening my eyes.

 

It's not a + plus sign, it's a quote " sign and when you touch it, it says multiquote.

 

Thanks for your help. I would have never figured it out without both of you helping me. Thanks again.

[-Lew-]

 

It's not a + plus sign, it's a quote " sign and when you touch it, it says multiquote.

Pia... There's a large quotation mark (") and a tiny plus (+) sign. You're right, when you hover your mouse over the icon, Multi-Quote This Message appears.

 

Lew

 

[Arya3]

I've been enjoying this live thread since the beginning! Thanks to the current bloggers - lynn and rob, and benny dorm for your time!

Just wondering if you can tell me if there are many gowns and tuxes on formal nights?

We are going to be on our first ever cruise on the August 10th sailing so any info is much appreciated,:)

Linda

[dmwnc1959]

A pair of nice evening pictures of Royal Princess as she departed Toulon back on July 18th...

 

 

(Credit pictures to Julien Imbert)

[lfk60]

Thanks for the great pictures, Dave! :)

[TorontoTL]

Sweet photos Dave, thanks.:)

[Pia1913]

Pia... There's a large quotation mark (") and a tiny plus (+) sign. You're right, when you hover your mouse over the icon, Multi-Quote This Message appears.

 

Lew

 

 

Thanks, I think I have it now. I do see a teensy tiny + sign when I click on the (" mark). I had never noticed that before. Thanks for opening my eyes.

 

 

 

Thanks for your help. I would have never figured it out without both of you helping me. Thanks again.

 

Mea Culpa. I never noticed that teeny plus sign. :o