LIVE from Caribbean Princess Sept 25-Oct5,2012

[remydiva]

Live from Caribbean Princess Sept 25-Oct 5, 2013

 

This is just a snapshot of the cruise so far.

1. First and foremost on most cruisers mind is ‘how is the weather?’ In a word BEAUTIFUL! We have been blessed with sunny skies and highs of 20C (close to 70F I think) and mild evenings.

 

2. Fall foliage tours require turning leaves…good news is that they are turning about one week earlier than usual. We saw a couple of trees turned in New York City last week and yesterday in Boston, saw several huge oak trees completely turned to orange in Lexington and Concord. Good news for anyone cruising next week.

 

3. Oct 1, 2013 Bad news for our Bar Harbour, Maine stop today. Thanks to the government ‘shutdown’ all National Parks, including Acadia National Park are CLOSED. So all the shore excursions are cancelled if they included Acadia National Park. The PA announced this info this morning at 7 am. Our accounts will be automatically credited so Princess taking care of their end. The only ship shore excursions still running are the walking tours of Bar Harbour and the Whale Watching one. This is a tender port so we will just tender in and walk around town.

 

4. CD is Neil Roberts from Aussie. Captain is Giorgio Pomata and Maitre d’Hotel is Mario Propato.

 

5. I find the ‘new’ menu to be excellent. All the meals in the MDR have had so many choices I can’t decide. In fact last nite, I ordered the ‘Surf and Turf’ which was a filet with Jumbo shrimp AND asked our very accommodating waiter ‘Mo…from Thailand made in China” if I could have part of another option, the skewer of salmon, prawn, scallop and halibut put on top of the filet (instead of having an entire second meal as well). He did and it was perfect.

 

6. Entertainment seems skimpy. It seems the Patter is filled with mostly ‘complimentary seminars’ about acupuncture, face lifts using restalyne, flatter tummies and a lot of trivia contests. Comedian was good and we were late getting to ‘Do you Wanna Dance’ so only stood for 10 mins then left, but from what we saw and heard, it was just ok. The days have been full of visiting the ports so that’s ok..early to the room is welcomed some nites.

 

7. My big ‘complaint’ is they have MOVED THE CASINO TO DECK 7. Since when? The only advantage to the casino fans is that now they have windows where before the casino was dark and dingy. I was on the Caribbean Princess 5 years ago so I was shocked to do my usual route to the back of the ship and run into a smoked filled casino where the ?Crown Grill and Shore Excursion desk used to be. The Shore excursion desk area is now huge and lovely with the Future Cruise Sales on the other side. In the middle is the Crown Grill.

[TorontoTL]

Sounds like you're having a great time so far. Hopefully the weather will hold out for you. Sorry you missed Acadia National Park though.

[tteettimes]

so sorry Acadia is closed for you....such a beautiful place......but you can still have some lobsta' and Blueberry pie.....

 

I looked for the webcam again this morning...wonder why it's not working ??

[cnd crsr]

Sounds like great weather. Have a fantastic cruise.

[Irene cruiser]

Sailed on Caribbean about a half dozen times. Although we were usually pleased with service on the ship the service on this cruise was exceptional.

The main dining room, the buffet, the room steward-everyone looked to make our cruise memorable.

However, lunch is no longer available in the main dining room. This is definitely an unwelcome cutback. Hope this is not a permanent change.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[geocruiser]

Enjoy your cruise from 9/28/13 to 10/5/13. By the way, if you have MTD table 321 is great. Great staff serving dinner.

[remydiva]

More updates live from Caribbean Princess

On our last formal nite, (Formal nites are Newport RI and St. John NB port days), they held the Captain Circle get together. Unlike previous ones we have attended, this one was held at 730 pm which was after dinner for us (I recall them being held before dinner). It was in the Club Fusion with a great band playing dance music while the TV monitors flashed up trivia questions as well as things like ‘wave if you are a Platinum Member’ to keep the crowd engaged. The captain announced that of the 3100 on board, there were 1700 or so returning guests and of those 130 were Elite. The most travelled passenger this trip was Jutta Skeide from Germany with a whopping 581 days with Princess!

 

This cruise has been truly blessed with fabulous weather. Highs every day of at least 20C or close to 70F. they are forecasting highs tomorrow in New York when we dock of 26C or 76F with a chance of showers…depending on Tropical Storm Karen’s influence I guess. In Halifax yesterday they told us that the Emerald had visited just two days prior in pouring rain.

 

We had a fabulous day at Peggy’s Cove and I took so many pics that are postcard perfect (except for all those darn cruise ship people scampering over the rocks!). The sky was cloudless bright blue, sun was shining and although the temps were high, the wind was cool so glad I took my windbreaker. Our guide Joe McSweeney was knowledgeable and a great speaker. He gently tried to emphasize the similarities between the US and Canada while explaining the differences such as currency, speed limits, price of gas and of course, healthcare. Nicely done without being preachy.

 

Our day in Saint John NB was also perfect weather. There is not a lot of tourist attractions per se in Saint John but I don’t agree with the comedian who said ‘I wasn’t expecting much from Saint John and I was still disappointed’. Unfair. Our guide was dressed in traditional Acadian dress and entertained us with lots of anecdotal stories and folklore that was truly entertaining and informative. Our tour took us to see the Reversing Falls twice..at high tide in the morning where the falls run backwards upstream and later in the day at low tide when they run downstream toward the ocean. I took short video clips of both.

 

Our stop for lunch at the Cave Restaurant outside of the little village of St. Martins was a culinary highlight. If you go, make sure you have the seafood chowder. It is made right there as well as the home made buttermilk biscuits and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. The chowder was filled with lobster, scallops and haddock…to die for. The other options of this included lunch in the Bay of Fundy shore excursion through Princess, was a vegetable soup or crispy chicken fingers and chips which were also delicious.

 

The only thing I find somewhat lacking on this cruise is the entertainment. The Crooners bar is overflowing every nite with AJ Clarke at the piano ..they have put up folding chairs on the outside of the glass half walls so more can sit and listen..maybe they should have moved him to a larger venue? Unless you like trivia or ‘complimentary beauty seminars’ there seems to be less offered.

 

The production shows seem not as fancy, not the elaborate sets or set changes and costume changes I have grown accustomed to. Yesterday, in Halifax the RCMP Pipe and Drum Band came on board for a 45 min show which was great for those who aren’t from Canada and hadn’t seen it before (mind you the elderly couple beside me immediately fell asleep as soon as the lights dimmed and snored the whole way through it!) Last nite a magic act ‘Hawly Magic’ was very Las Vegas like in the flash, lights and music and the illusions were amazing. They were featured on ‘Americas Got Talent’ and made the final cut the Patter said. Tonite, the show is the ‘Piano Man’ which has been around for several years and while it is good, I don’t know I need to see it again for the fourth time.

 

I find the ‘new menu’ to be excellent but I still hear people complaining or coming up to look at the menu outside the dining room and turning around and leaving. My favourite Twice Baked Goat Cheese appetizer was last night so I’m happy! Wine prices are the same.

[Liz54]

Thanks for the report. We live part time on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The comment from the comedian (!) about St. John was mean. The city has some wonderfully restored heritage buildings, a great market and great antique shopping. I does not (thankfully) have a port full of tourist traps and Diamonds International!! Fine by me.

Another reviewer commented that he did not go ashore because there was nothing to see on the "island". That got me going!!