Live from the island princess -sept 27 to oct 12

[SandyAtSea]

 

I have a question for seasoned Princess cruisers, we are signing up for “EZCheck” baggage transfer in Ft Lauderdale. We are flying Southwest and have paid for the “Early Bird” boarding pass option. Part of the EZCheck program is that Princess prints out your boarding passes for you. My question is; Is and does the boarding pass printed by Princess know we are on the Southwest early bird boarding program?

 

This doesn't have anything to do with Princess. I haven't yet sailed on Princess (61 days and counting) but I fly SWA a lot and you are automatically given a boarding position by SWA 36 hours out - earlier than people who check in manually at 24 hours, but behind business select of course. Whoever checks you in, whether it be Princess, yourself, or someone you instructed to check you in at home, and whenever you check in (24 hrs, 12 hrs or just a couple of hours before your flight), that boarding pass is going to show the same position.

[kenmerloo]

Is it necessary to make reservations for breakfast and lunch ?

[partybarbie]

Is it necessary to make reservations for breakfast and lunch ?

 

Thank goodness, no.:)

[Jasperdo]

What is the Crab Shack? I don't remember seeing that on the ship's information.

The Crab Shack is fairly new to Princess. It is a Specialty Restaurant that is set up in a corner of the Horizon Court Buffet on certain days. Check your Princess Patter for exact times and location. Here's the menu:

 

Star Princess - Hawaii Cruise by Jasperdo, on Flickr

[Kybabe]

I am having a great time today sailing thru the locks via the webcam on the Island Princess. Looking forward to being on the Island myself next week!

[MTJSR]

 

 

Hello Again!

 

 

Tonights MDR Dinner menu: “Princess Dinner”

 

Horizon Courts “Indoor” Theme Today: “Panama Canal Buffet”

 

Dress Code is: Smart Casual

 

Today on Muts at 5:00am:Bridge Cam as we transit the Panama Canal” 7:15pm and 9:30pm Movie: Transcendence”

 

Today we did a full transit of the Panama Canal. This was my very first time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In the morning around 5am, I ran down to get a cup of real coffee at the La Patisserie, only to be reminded it opens at 6:30 am. I then ran up to the Horizon Court, only to be reminded that it opens at 5:30. Needless to say, on canal days, I think Princess needs to open the morning venues earlier.

 

I hung out on the deck 10’s front lookout area for the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. I was somewhat amused at the locals running and driving to the shore or coming out of their homes to snap pictures of this huge white cruise ship coming up the channel. I assumed this was very ordinary in this part of the world. Even the Mule drivers and lock workers were snapping pictures.

 

The locks were just awesome and a wonder of century old engineering. The beauty of Gatun lake and jungle islands made for some fantastic pictures. As we proceeded thru the lake, it was raining pretty heavy, but I slapped on my swim suit and just got soaked on the balcony. I was not going to miss a minute. Over 300 pictures later I now have the task of picking the keepers.

 

So for those of you who have not yet sailed thru the Canal, I am saving the fun details, that I’d love to share, for your own eyes to enjoy.

 

Tomorrow is Cartagena, Columbia. We are only here till 1:30pm, so i’m not yet sure what shore explore we might try yet.

 

FYI: We are currently experiencing a diesel fuel odor in the ships drinking/shower water. Yes you heard that correct. I have a water bottle full of stinky diesel water that came out of my faucet in the bathroom. Now it comes and goes and it started right after our delay out of Puntarenas due to “Technical Difficulties” connected? not certain. I encourage those boarding in Ft Lauderdale to just be aware (not freaked out). I did bring a case of bottled water on board and for me, a none issue. However, if you can get bottled water before boarding and then slap a luggage tag on it, id probably do it.

 

Did you know?

You can send an E-card/email message for free to any email address in the world? Just stop by the Internet Cafe.

 

 

Out for now

[Astro Flyer]

You can also do those e-cards from any Wi-Fi enabled device for free & also access the Princess website to search for another cruise.

[MTJSR]

 

 

Hello Again!

 

 

Tonights MDR Dinner menu: “Princess Dinner”

 

Horizon Courts “Outdoor” Theme Today: “Indian Buffet”

 

Dress Code is: Smart Casual

 

Today on Muts at 6:00m:Movie: “Teens Wii” 7:00pm and 9:30pm Movie: X-Men: Days of Future Past”

 

Today was Cartagena, Columbia. Wow!! what a fantastic port. I will want to do a land vacation here. There are some beautiful hotels on the beach and the historic sites would take a year to enjoy.

 

We decided to just grab a cab and negotiate our own port experience. First we asked for a round trip price to Old Town and back. The cab driver quoted $40.00 and he would wait for us while we explored Old Town. I then said $30.00 and you got a deal and he took it. The Information shack on the dock said the price was $15.00 if you negotiated. I was concerned the driver might drop us and leave, so I asked him to go to lunch with us. He agreed and as a result, we got a private tour of Old Town while we waited for the restaurant to open at noon. We saw every square inch and having him with us kept the peddlers from bothering us too much. As it turned out, most of the other Princess tour busses (we counted 48) on the dock were at Old Town at the same time, but because we had a cab we could escape quicker for heading back to the ship.

 

The drinking water issue seems to have passed. Water tastes just fine!

 

 

Did you know?

 

1. In Old Town, you will be offered Cigarettes and Cuban “Cohiba" cigars by the peddlers. WORD OF WARNING! hey are not real, the cigarettes are low quality brand replicas and the boxes of Cuban cigars are just junk tobacco.

2. The stores WILL rip you off on the dollar exchange. Use Pesos if you can.

3. There is a free shuttle bus from the ship to the Cruise Terminals main building.

4. Free Wi-Fi, outdoor shaded seating, cocktails, burgers, juice and duty free shops are at the Cruise Terminal building.

5. There are beautiful Macaw’s, parrots and other species of birds flying wild in the outdoor jungle that surrounds the Cruise Terminal

6. Drugs is not the number one export, it’s coffee! (Per our cab driver)

7. They use the gallon system for buying gasoline

8. Current price per gallon is $8.52 (even with Venezuela next door)

9. Approximate exchange rate is 1900 pesos to the dollar

10. Sales Tax is 6% in Columbia

 

Out for now

[Seafoam Green]

Thank you for the Cartagena port info. We're still trying to decide what to do there.

 

Your posts are great - looking forward to more!

 

:D

[MTJSR]

Hello Again!

 

 

As we close in on the end of this cruise, this will be my all time favorite cruise, due to the awesome Ports of Call. I hope those cruising this season on the Island will have just as good of a time, as we did.

 

With very little thread activity, and this late into the cruise, I am going to discontinue my postings and go sit by the pool. :D

 

Happy Sailing!

 

Mark

 

P.S. Seafoam Green, any questions? please ask

[sue2go]

As a future Island Canal cruiser... thank you for sharing!! I've looked forward to each and every post.

[pompeii]

Thank you for the Cartagena port info. We're still trying to decide what to do there.

 

Your posts are great - looking forward to more!

 

:D

 

We had a lot of fun on the Segway tour of old town when we were in Cartagena last spring. The Segways were very easy to ride and I think we saw more than if we were just walking. It is only 2 hours though so you'll have time to look around more if you want. And the little wildlife part by the cruise terminal is very nice!

[jeeper2]

Thank you so much, Mark, for taking the time to do this wonderful thread. We did our first Panama Canal cruise on the Island in March and look forward to doing it again. The ship, and itinerary are wonderful!

 

Enjoy the rest of your sailing! Oh, did you see "On the Bayou?"

[clan]

Thanks for sharing your journey. We'll be on the Island Princess at the end of this month. Can't wait!

[Cruzn ELM]

Mark, sorry to see this come to an end. Since you left me behind :( I've enjoyed traveling along with you this way. I would love to do this cruise again, just say when and I'll go with you.

 

Aunt Judy

(Tell your mother she has mail)

[MTJSR]

Mark, sorry to see this come to an end. Since you left me behind :( I've enjoyed traveling along with you this way. I would love to do this cruise again, just say when and I'll go with you.

 

Aunt Judy

(Tell your mother she has mail)

 

 

Any and I mean any time!

 

Just in from walking around and taking the trolly in Aruba. The lady in Yellow "Again" is flat on her back doing suduko. I will tell her she has mail. Hot and I mean hot here. On too Florida and a ships tour there until our flight back to Oakland. See you soon!

[MTJSR]

To aunt Judy, don't see anything from you in her Yahoo mailbox. Oooops!

[TW6cruiser]

Thank you for your review and information. We are scheduled to be on a partial Panama transit at the end of October. We are getting concerned about the reports on the state department website and the CDC site about the mosquitos and chikungunya virus in the caribbean and central america. We became more concerned today when a pop up warning about it came up on the cruise personalized site.

[MTJSR]

Thank you for your review and information. We are scheduled to be on a partial Panama transit at the end of October. We are getting concerned about the reports on the state department website and the CDC site about the mosquitos and chikungunya virus in the caribbean and central america. We became more concerned today when a pop up warning about it came up on the cruise personalized site.

 

We experienced NO mosquitos, now having said that, we were also advised to apply a repellant in certain ports. I would just be aware and take every precaution....Obviously!

 

INTERESTING NOTE: In Aruba yesterday and berthed right next to us was the FREEWIND. It is the Church Of Scientologies private cruise ship that one former member said he was held hostage on. Interesting people onboard!

[GandG331]

Thanks for all your helpful comments! We are on the Nov. 11th Island Princess out of Los Angeles--our first Princess cruise (and our 6th cruise in total)--and we're looking forward to it even more after reading your helpful reviews. Thanks again!

[Seafoam Green]

INTERESTING NOTE: In Aruba yesterday and berthed right next to us was the FREEWIND. It is the Church Of Scientologies private cruise ship that one former member said he was held hostage on. Interesting people onboard!

 

Sometimes it's not the ports or excursions, it's the people!

 

I hope you are enjoying poolside. Is there anything in Cartagena that you wished you had done? What did you do in Aruba?

[MTJSR]

Sometimes it's not the ports or excursions, it's the people!

 

I hope you are enjoying poolside. Is there anything in Cartagena that you wished you had done? What did you do in Aruba?

 

Cartagena was great, we found the taxi man and made him our private tour guide. We saw a great deal of it, would go back and maybe do the newer areas next time.

 

Aruba is a pretty desolate island, away from the beachfront it is like the moon, Utah or Nevada. I heard great reviews about the beach. We took the free trolly downtown shopping. Somewhat surprised how cruddy it felt here. Not kept up very well and the people are kinda chilly. Think beach here!

Edited October 11, 2014 by MTJSR

[JimAOk1945]

Just in from walking around and taking the trolly in Aruba.

 

We would love to take the trolley in Aruba when we are there is December. Where can we board the trolley in relation to where the Island Princess is docked?

 

Thanks!

[jammen]

 

One day to go and we all board the Island Princess in San Francisco. First stop is Manzanillo, Mexico. I will report on anything and everything of interest. Questions? just ask!

 

.

 

Glad Princess is going to Manzanillo..

[MTJSR]

We would love to take the trolley in Aruba when we are there is December. Where can we board the trolley in relation to where the Island Princess is docked?

 

Thanks!

 

When you exit the secure area, it's right there. Or turn right and walk that blvd of shopping as well. Enjoy!