rwstout Posted December 20, 2014 #1 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Day O on the Grand to Hawaii. I am going to try and do a live from. It was easy getting in board and our room is all in packed. Lunch was good and services was even better. Safety briefing done. We are setting sail just a little late but supposed to dock in Hilo on time. We'll hope I help some. But just know I will post good and any bad if there is any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimer Posted December 20, 2014 #2 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Looking forward to your daily reviews. We are considering Grand to Hawaii next year. I do have one question for you to check out, if it's not too much trouble. At the Deck 14, Sundaes Ice Cream Bar, please find out if they serve 'Hot Fudge Sundaes" ? Thanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working 2 Cruise Posted December 20, 2014 #3 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I haven't heard of hot fudge sundaes served there... your best bet for this would be the dining room. OP, thanks for the live and enjoy your cruise, it's a great one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 20, 2014 #4 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Yeah, was watching the bridge cam and noticed your late departure... we just got off the Grand today... hope we left some alcohol for you ;-))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willtravel8090 Posted December 20, 2014 #5 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Can't wait to travel with you. It makes waiting for my cruise so much easier! .... 72 days to go 😃 Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cr8tiv1 Posted December 20, 2014 #6 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I haven't heard of hot fudge sundaes served there... your best bet for this would be the dining room. OP, thanks for the live and enjoy your cruise, it's a great one! No hot fudge at Sundaes or the MDR. If you request a Volcano dessert (from children's menu) you will get chocolate syrup. They are beginning to sort of have sundaes in the MDR. Volcanos are more fun with bananas and sprinkles. I am interested in hearing what Hawaiiana lectures are on your cruise over and back (without Dave Cole/CD). I know ELUA are on board and will provide you with excellent entertainment. Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou Displaced local girl waiting for her turn on the Grand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeptuneSeas Posted December 20, 2014 #7 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Thank you for the Live From Grand. Could you please advise who the current Maitre D' is (was Guiseppe Franchina back iin July) We like to keep the Maitre D' thread up to date. Bon Voyage, Bon Apetit & Season's Greetings. Mario & Rose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Junky Posted December 20, 2014 #8 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Meet you over there, we fly out this morning :). Enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyjones Posted December 20, 2014 #9 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I'm on this cruise too - don't get too excited about 'live' - the internet is much worse than usual, I hope it improves. The Maitre d' is still Guiseppe Franchina. Weather overcast and cool but not chilly. Sea has big, long, slow swells, not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 20, 2014 #10 Share Posted December 20, 2014 (edited) Wait about two days... those swells will increase .... LOVED THAT PART !!! Oh, and the internet? It will NOT improve... hope you brought an air card/hotspot with you... it'll work great in Honolulu and semi-great in Maui and Hilo.....otherwise, keep it packed. Edited December 20, 2014 by Pig1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 20, 2014 #11 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Oh, and I didn't realize we sold Hawaii to Mexico... the Princess.com bridge cam says you guys are underway towards Hilo, Mexico LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 20, 2014 #12 Share Posted December 20, 2014 New Mexican territory.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyjones Posted December 21, 2014 #13 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Actually, the internet has improved considerably and is back to working at usual satellite speed. I’ve cruised the Pacific a number of times and usually had adequate internet speed. The swells are no worse, I’m quite comfortable with them, but I have seen a couple of people being seasick around the ship. The HC is, nausea notwithstanding, as full as usual. I haven’t noticed any deterioration in the quality of the food in the HC altho’ perhaps the variety on offer is slightly less - the raw salad bar in particular seems to be a bit skimpy. I’m afraid I don’t do the casino, spa, gym, art auctions (amazingly, we haven’t actually had one yet), zumba, line dancing, acupuncture or shopping shows, nor do I ever go to the MDR - maybe the OP will comment. The naturalist and port lecturer is Gary Shahan - I have cruised with him before and I found his two lectures today to be up to his regular interesting and amusing standard, I will make an effort to go to the rest. The enrichment lecture today by Shelly Bonus was entitled ‘What’s new in the Cosmos? Shellys (sic) Galactic Update! Black Holes! Exploding Stars! Exoplanets and More!’ - potentially interesting but too many exclamation marks for me, plus it clashed with one of Gary’s lectures. The CD is Mike Witte who I haven’t met before - he has the patter absolutely packed with activities - probably a good idea as the first sea days out of LA are a bit cold to be at the pool - but it does lead to conflicts of timing with multiple events at the same time; difficult to choose. This evening I’ll take a look in at Garry Carson, a magician in the Vista lounge, I probably won’t stay long, I’m just interested to see if the ship movement upsets his sleight of hand. There’s a pianist, Derek Floyd, in the main theatre for those who might be interested, and Elua in the Piazza at 8.15pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeptuneSeas Posted December 21, 2014 #14 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I'm on this cruise too - don't get too excited about 'live' - the internet is much worse than usual, I hope it improves. The Maitre d' is still Guiseppe Franchina. Weather overcast and cool but not chilly. Sea has big, long, slow swells, not too bad. Thank you for kindly posting. We wish you Bon Voyage, Bon Apetit & Seasons' Greetings. Cheers! Mario & Rose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working 2 Cruise Posted December 21, 2014 #15 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Jollyjones, it's too bad you never go to the dining room, they offer really delicious meals! Enjoy your cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PathfinderEss Posted December 21, 2014 #16 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Looking forward to your 'live' report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyjones Posted December 21, 2014 #17 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Jollyjones, it's too bad you never go to the dining room, they offer really delicious meals! Enjoy your cruise! "Delicious' they may be, but food is subjective and I prefer to choose my own meal composition with far more vegetables and much less starch. Plus patience was never my strong point, I'm generally not interested in taking an hour or more for a meal. That said, I have been to Sabatini's and Grown Grill on many cruises and I may well go again for a change, but with HC, IC and Alfredo's, I'm not short of choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 21, 2014 #18 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Funny you mention more veggies and less starch.... we ate 2nd seating dinner in Botticelli at a fantastic table with even better service. My wife and I do not eat bread, potatoes, or rice. We had to tell the waiter/assistant ONCE the first night of this and never had to mention it again and they got it right every time. Try that with "Anytime Dining".... you'd have to do that same spiel at EVERY meal..... you're missing out not being on fixed dining, ESPECIALLY since you eat the same way we do. Just sayin'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyjones Posted December 21, 2014 #19 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) Funny you mention more veggies and less starch.... we ate 2nd seating dinner in Botticelli at a fantastic table with even better service. My wife and I do not eat bread, potatoes, or rice. We had to tell the waiter/assistant ONCE the first night of this and never had to mention it again and they got it right every time. Try that with "Anytime Dining".... you'd have to do that same spiel at EVERY meal..... you're missing out not being on fixed dining, ESPECIALLY since you eat the same way we do. Just sayin'.... Sorry, I never, ever do fixed dining - the idea of eating at a set time is completely at odds with my unstructured cruise style (ditto in my life style). And I'm not terribly keen on being served my food, I prefer to get it myself as much as possible. I absolutely do not understand able-bodied people in the HC sitting a few yards away from the drink counter and asking a waiter to get them tea/coffee/water etc. Edited December 21, 2014 by jollyjones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyjones Posted December 21, 2014 #20 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) One little frustration this morning is that the scan display doesn’t show the outside temperature (it’s N/A) so I have to get dressed to go out and find out what I need to get dressed in ... Sunday, still at sea of course, still bouncing a bit, the first formal night tonight, then we gain an hour. And it’s the Captain’s Welcome Aboard party too - the Patter says ‘Our photographers will be there for this once in a lifetime event’ - well, there’s a surprise, but since this is my eighteenth once in a lifetime event (with Princess), maybe I’ll contain my excitement. Once again, Mr Witte serves us a fully stuffed Platter. A selection of the offerings: 9am - Knitters and Natters, or Zumba, or Ping Pong Doubles, or Lei making 9.30am - Trivia or a Spa infomercial (Happy Hands and Feet) 10am - Ballroom dance class or Golf putting or Chocolate recipe demo or the $10 sale (3 hours only!!!) or American sport on MUTS 11am - Lahaina port talk (actually it says Lahaina, Oahu, I hope the Captain knows where we’re going) or an infomercial for designer watches, or a free (!) tutorial on slot machine playing or the Gingerbread House competition or a martini demo in the Piazza or Texas hold’em in the casino 11.15am - Chess or crepe paper flower making 11.30 - Advanced photography seminar or a fat-burning fitness infomercial or ukulele class Noon - Enrichment lecture - The Sun! The Moon! The Terrestrial Planets: Mercury! Venus! & Earth! Still with the !!! but at least not clashing with Lahaina, Oahu. 1pm - Gary lecturing on Earthquakes and Tsunamis or a magician show in Wheelhouse (caught some of his show last night, long on patter, light on tricks) or a weight loss infomercial 1.15pm - Pop choir rehearsal 1.30pm - Wrinkle remedy infomercial or the Princess singers and dancers in the Piazza or the movie Non-Stop in the theatre or the champagne art auction (knew that was coming, didn’t you) 2pm - Hula lesson or Tahitian pearl infomercial or spa pampering infomercial or ribbon lei class or bridge and mahjong ... And on and on it goes all busy afternoon and evening, you get the idea, I’m exhausted just typing it, I don’t know how people do it all! Now time for a brisk promenade on the Promenade deck - what were they thinking of with the Royal/Regal, this is one of the best parts of cruising - hopefully blowing enough cobwebs away so I can string a couple of neurones together for morning trivia. I did quite well yesterday, lost it on a tie-breaker - the question was ‘how many people are killed each year by vending machine accidents?’ (See next installment for the answer.) Aha! The scan display is finally telling me that it is 65 degrees outside with a brisk wind coming in from the starboard bow. So maybe not the swimsuit yet. Edited December 21, 2014 by jollyjones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 21, 2014 #21 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Merry Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusintwosome Posted December 21, 2014 #22 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Can anyone currently on Grand tell me if there was lunch served in dining room on embarkation day??? If so, which dining room was open??? Thank you. Sailing on Grand in January and was curious!!!! Crusintwosome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig1959 Posted December 21, 2014 #23 Share Posted December 21, 2014 December 4th, we had lunch in the dining room. I understand that this December 19th cruise left late, and my assumption for the reason is that they probably had the Princess Cruises corporate Christmas party on board, and I bet that lunch was NOT served in the dining room. I also imagine that in January, they'll be back to serving lunch in the DR on Embarkation Day. Merry Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyjones Posted December 22, 2014 #24 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Lunch was served in the Da Vinci dining room on embarkation day from noon till 1.30pm according to the Patter - I to looked in to check (since it seems to be such a contentious issue) and it was definitely being served to pax and a small BVE group. No sign of any Corporate bods. Our sailing was delayed according to Captain Wilson by slow bunkering, the fuel barge did not go away until about 4.40pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabsinTX Posted December 22, 2014 #25 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Day O on the Grand to Hawaii. I am going to try and do a live from. It was easy getting in board and our room is all in packed. Lunch was good and services was even better. Safety briefing done. We are setting sail just a little late but supposed to dock in Hilo on time. We'll hope I help some. But just know I will post good and any bad if there is any. I'm so glad you're doing this. We'll be on the Grand to Hawaii on 2/2/15, our first cruise on Princess (we're platinum on NCL). So your comments, pro and con, will be much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now