January 28, 2022 Panama Canal Full Transit - Live From Emerald Princess

[NSWP]

On 2/5/2022 at 3:12 AM, coo359a2 said:

Crew got  approved for shore leave today at Puntarenas. They are so happy. Our steward has his leave in Puerto Vallarta and is heading to Walmart for chips

The crew love to get their snacks when they get ashore.  Walmart is great.  We sometimes used to bring back chips etc for our cabin steward.  Follow the crew they will always lead you to cheap internet and the supermarket, lol.

[LACruiser88]

How long is Elite laundry taking to be returned?  Thank you...  This will help determine how many workout clothes to bring next week.

Edited February 5, 2022 by LACruiser88

[coo359a2]

29 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

How long is Elite laundry taking to be returned?  Thank you...  This will help determine how many workout clothes to bring next week.

Have only sent out a small amount once and it came back the next evening. Don’t know if this is the norm or not. 

[weedpindle]

38 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Have only sent out a small amount once and it came back the next evening. Don’t know if this is the norm or not. 

We send a bag every day and get it back the next night. Ther will be about the same number of pass next cruise as this (1650  approx)

[jeno]

We are coming up to Covid testing day for the 2/12 Emerald cruise.  We can book at the Walgreens site tomorrow.   The Rapid Antigen test is not available within 2.5 hours of here.  
Did any of you use the Rapid Diagnostic test (ID Now)?  Wondering if Princess will accept that. 
Thanks for any help on this. 
 

[capriccio]

7 minutes ago, jeno said:

We are coming up to Covid testing day for the 2/12 Emerald cruise.  We can book at the Walgreens site tomorrow.   The Rapid Antigen test is not available within 2.5 hours of here.  
Did any of you use the Rapid Diagnostic test (ID Now)?  Wondering if Princess will accept that. 
Thanks for any help on this. 
 

We had no problems whatsoever using the ID Now test at the beginning of January and we plan to do the same for a Princess cruise next month.  Friends had no issue using it for a HAL cruise too.

[K.T.B.]

On every other cruise I've taken where I didn't rent a tux, the moment I get in the room I send out my dress jacket and shirts to be pressed.  I've always gotten them back the next day in plenty of time for dinner.  Can I assume this will be the case for Ruby as well?

[coo359a2]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

We had no problems whatsoever using the ID Now test at the beginning of January and we plan to do the same for a Princess cruise next month.  Friends had no issue using it for a HAL cruise too.

The ID NOW test falls under the NAAT type test which is listed as approved in the FAQs health  protocols 

[gardenbunny]

1 hour ago, coo359a2 said:

The ID NOW test falls under the NAAT type test which is listed as approved in the FAQs health  protocols 

I got the government free tests and received the Abbot BinaxNOW.  How do I find out if they are approved for cruising?  Thought I have read on some CC posts that people are using those.  I have Emerald Panama Canal coming up March 13.  Would be nice to use them vs. CVS.

Thanks

[iamaqt2]

4 minutes ago, gardenbunny said:

I got the government free tests and received the Abbot BinaxNOW.  How do I find out if they are approved for cruising?  Thought I have read on some CC posts that people are using those.  I have Emerald Panama Canal coming up March 13.  Would be nice to use them vs. CVS.

Thanks

Home tests that aren't proctored are ineligible for precruise testing.  If the BinaxNow is the one you registered for, then that will qualify. 

[Shelly97060]

9 minutes ago, gardenbunny said:

I got the government free tests and received the Abbot BinaxNOW.  How do I find out if they are approved for cruising?  Thought I have read on some CC posts that people are using those.  I have Emerald Panama Canal coming up March 13.  Would be nice to use them vs. CVS.

Thanks

The free tests sent by government and the over the counter BinaxNow tests aren’t accepted.  
 

The Binaxnow that you order online  ( the telemedicine Rx version) and testing is observed by a proctor/guide are accepted. 

[gardenbunny]

8 minutes ago, iamaqt2 said:

Home tests that aren't proctored are ineligible for precruise testing.  If the BinaxNow is the one you registered for, then that will qualify. 

It does not have anything in instructions to call for telehealth so I believe it is just home self test.  Thanjs

[coo359a2]

Daughter had Covid and tested positive at Walgreens twice and then followed those with 3 negative tests. SIL and grandson tested positive a few  days after my daughter’s first positive test  and had 2 positive tests at Walgreens. For their official tests to board another Princess ship they tested again at Walgreens. SIL now tested negative while grandson was still positive and daughter someway went  from a negative test to now positive. She and grandson went to an Urgent Care Clinic and both tested negative.  All had the ID NOW test at Walgreens. We have used Walgreens quite a bit and always have tested negative with the ID NOW test. 

[Shelly97060]

Up until yesterday our main menu on the stateroom TV had a category called “dining” and you could open that to see the various dining rooms and within the dining room you could see the days various menus and hours. This was really nice.  
 

Yesterday they updated the stateroom app and now instead of “dining” under the main menu it says “medallion class”  and you can use that to create reservations just as you would in the app but the menus don’t appear to be available ( hopefully they will update that).  
 

I did find that once on board if you go into Dine My Way on your device and click “explore options” you can get to a link for the dining room menu.  It’s a bit clumsy though.

 

I really hope they bring the menus back to the stateroom TV.  It was nice to see breakfast, lunch and dinner all in the same place on a screen that was easy to read!

[iamaqt2]

Shelly, have you noticed if they are doing Carnaval de Panama on the ship?  Princess advertises it under the Festivals of the World program.

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/onboard-experience/activities/festivals-of-the-world/

[LACruiser88]

Anyone invited to the MTG Luncheon?  If so, any idea as to the cutoff days?

[Shelly97060]

1 hour ago, iamaqt2 said:

Shelly, have you noticed if they are doing Carnaval de Panama on the ship?  Princess advertises it under the Festivals of the World program.

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/onboard-experience/activities/festivals-of-the-world/

I haven’t seen anything related to this so far.

[coo359a2]

2 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Anyone invited to the MTG Luncheon?  If so, any idea as to the cutoff days?

Answered but it didn't post so this time will be short answer.  Numbers weren't announced at the luncheon, officers introduced at the beginning of the luncheon and then left, had 2 cocktails to choose from when you were first seated, each lady received a long stem red rose from EFFY, two CC Parties on the 9th at 5pm and 7pm, top 3 will meet with Captain before the doors are opened and stand at their chairs when introduced during the Party.  No going forward to stand with Hostess and Captain for a picture.

[iamaqt2]

2 hours ago, Shelly97060 said:

I haven’t seen anything related to this so far.

Thank you for replying.. it's probably on pause like so many other things right now.

 

[coo359a2]

We have Hutch as our port lecturer and he provided all day commentary going through the Canal. Also, had a speaker on cruising and other topics. Seemed like art and crafts sessions most days 

[Shelly97060]

For live music on this cruise we have had:

 

guitarist/ vocalist -Johan Narsjo  

guitarist/vocalist - James Naldo

pianist - Robert Deans

Lado Strings

Symphonyee  

2 Cool Duo 

Jazz played by the House band 

 

Since music is subjective I will hold off on my commentary other than to say that if you like Jazz the house band is excellent!

 

 

 

[Shelly97060]

Our Movies Under the Stars so far this cruise:

• The Sound of Music
• Gifted
• Black Widow
• Star Wars - The Last Jedi
• Big
• Edward Scissorhands
• Jungle Cruise
• The Devil Wears Prada
• The Personal History of David Copperfield
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Avatar
• Free Guy
• Dumplin
• Ford vs Ferrari
• In The Heights
• The Greatest Showman
• The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• Cruella
• The Call of The Wild
• F9 The Fast Saga
• Godzilla vs King Kong
• The Martian

we still have several days left but this will give you an idea of what’s playing. 

 

 

[weedpindle]

1 hour ago, Shelly97060 said:

For live music on this cruise we have had:

 

guitarist/ vocalist -Johan Narsjo  

guitarist/vocalist - James Naldo

pianist - Robert Deans

Lado Strings

Symphonyee  

2 Cool Duo 

Jazz played by the House band 

 

Since music is subjective I will hold off on my commentary other than to say that if you like Jazz the house band is excellent!

 

 

 

LADO Strings -Fantastic

[LBBLovestoCruise]

13 hours ago, gardenbunny said:

I got the government free tests and received the Abbot BinaxNOW.  How do I find out if they are approved for cruising?  Thought I have read on some CC posts that people are using those.  I have Emerald Panama Canal coming up March 13.  Would be nice to use them vs. CVS.

Thanks

They have to be proctored to be accepted.  

[LBBLovestoCruise]

Curious what the nightlife has been like on your journey thus far.  Is Skywalkers or any other bars open late? I figure with so many sea days coming up on my Feb 12th journey I can stay up later.  Thanks!