LIVE from the Grand Princess: RT LA to Hawaii 4/4/22 - 4/19/22

[HBCcruiser]

Welcome aboard this LIVE  from the Grand Princess thread. We will be sailing RT from LA to Hawaii. This has been a long-awaited cruise for my mom, brother and SIL. We had originally booked a B2B out of LA on the Royal in April 2020, but we all know how that turned out. 🙄.  Numerous cancellations and rebooks later, and FCCs coming out of the woodwork, here we are. 

 

Although I have sailed on 5 cruises since the pandemic, the rest of our group have not cruised since 2019 or before. So much has changed with cruising since COVID - the health protocols, Medallion App (don’t get me started) testing, medallions... - it is no wonder many people struggle just trying to get checked in. Be thankful we have access to fellow CCers and can learn from each other’s’ experiences. Luckily, I was able to assist the family in completing all required tasks, even though it was often like herding cats at times.

 

My DH and I live in Hermosa beach, CA which is close to the Port of LA. My Bro and SIL live about 20 minutes away from us. Mom and dad, on the other hand, live in the Las Vegas area. My DH is not a fan of sea days, and my dad does not travel well these days, so just the 4 of us are on this cruise. Two of my most recent cruises were on the Grand back in October/November when there were like 700 passengers on board. This cruise is expected to have 2236 passengers on board. Wow! That is my largest pax count post-COVID. This should be interesting. 

 

Mom and I love cruising so try to do so whenever my work schedule allows. Of course, now that my two daughters are adults, they are beginning to compete with mom for my cruise vacation time. I think I created two cruise addicts. 😜

 

The plan for this cruise included my DD and I driving out to Las Vegas Friday (yesterday), doing our COVID tests and some final shopping at the outlets today (Saturday), then driving back to LA Sunday.  Flying is too much of a hassle for mom, well, me too, right now. Plus, with the possibility of flight cancellations, not worth it IMO. This was the easiest way to get her and her luggage to our house by Sunday night, so we can get to the port for our assigned boarding time of 11:00 AM on Monday. 

 

Currently, I am in Vegas with mom, dad, and DD. This morning, 2 days before embarkation, we used the Optum BinaxNOW eMed tests. Mom said that there was no way she would be able to cruise without me – too many steps and technology required. Between the testing and the App, I totally understand what she was saying.  They should really make things simpler IMO. Luckily, I have done this online test before. Not to mention, this is the exact same brand of test that we use at work. (I work in a school district and we test employees and students frequently)

 

We both tested NEGATIVE! Time to PAHHHHTAY! 🥳.  Actually, we hit the outlets to get some final things before the cruise – t-shirts and coverups.  Tonight, we are going to one of my favorite steakhouses – Anthony’s in the “M”. Got to do a pre-cruise dinner with my dad! I’ll post pics. 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by HBCcruiser

[Sunwanabe]

10 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Welcome aboard this LIVE  from the Grand Princess thread. We will be sailing RT from LA to Hawaii. This has been a long-awaited cruise for my mom, brother and SIL. We had originally booked a B2B out of LA on the Royal in April 2020, but we all know how that turned out. 🙄.  Numerous cancellations and rebooks later, and FCCs coming out of the woodwork, here we are. 

 

Although I have sailed on 5 cruises since the pandemic, the rest of our group have not cruised since 2019 or before. So much has changed with cruising since COVID - the health protocols, Medallion App (don’t get me started) testing, medallions... - it is no wonder many people struggle just trying to get checked in. Be thankful we have access to fellow CCers and can learn from each other’s’ experiences. Luckily, I was able to assist the family in completing all required tasks, even though it was often like herding cats at times.

 

My DH and I live in Hermosa beach, CA which is close to the Port of LA. My Bro and SIL live about 20 minutes away from us. Mom and dad, on the other hand, live in the Las Vegas area. My DH is not a fan of sea days, and my dad does not travel well these days, so just the 4 of us are on this cruise. Two of my most recent cruises were on the Grand back in October/November when there were like 700 passengers on board. This cruise is expected to have 2236 passengers on board. Wow! That is my largest pax count post-COVID. This should be interesting. 

 

Mom and I love cruising so try to do so whenever my work schedule allows. Of course, now that my two daughters are adults, they are beginning to compete with mom for my cruise vacation time. I think I created two cruise addicts. 😜

 

The plan for this cruise included my DD and I driving out to Las Vegas Friday (yesterday), doing our COVID tests and some final shopping at the outlets today (Saturday), then driving back to LA Sunday.  Flying is too much of a hassle for mom, well, me too, right now. Plus, with the possibility of flight cancellations, not worth it IMO. This was the easiest way to get her and her luggage to our house by Sunday night, so we can get to the port for our assigned boarding time of 11:00 AM on Monday. 

 

Currently, I am in Vegas with mom, dad, and DD. This morning, 2 days before embarkation, we used the Optum BinaxNOW eMed tests. Mom said that there was no way she would be able to cruise without me – too many steps and technology required. Between the testing and the App, I totally understand what she was saying.  They should really make things simpler IMO. Luckily, I have done this online test before. Not to mention, this is the exact same brand of test that we use at work. (I work in a school district and we test employees and students frequently)

 

We both tested NEGATIVE! Time to PAHHHHTAY! 🥳.  Actually, we hit the outlets to get some final things before the cruise – t-shirts and coverups.  Tonight, we are going to one of my favorite steakhouses – Anthony’s in the “M”. Got to do a pre-cruise dinner with my dad! I’ll post pics. 

 

Look forward to your updates along the way. Definitely exciting for you all. 

[HBCcruiser]

Anyone on this cruise is welcome to attend out Meet and Greet. There are some FB folks attending as well. It should be fun!

Day 2 (Tuesday) in the One5 Nightclub from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. 

[croozer]

Best Meet and Greet invitation ever!  I'm looking forward to receiving mine and attending,  What a great souvenir.

 

[Sunset329]

We are looking forward to your live cruise commentary. We are scheduled for the same itinerary on the Sapphire Princess in October.

 

 

 

[HBCcruiser]

7 minutes ago, croozer said:

Best Meet and Greet invitation ever!  I'm looking forward to receiving mine and attending,  What a great souvenir.

 

I’ll make sure you get yours then! 😃 If you change cabins let me know.

1 minute ago, Sunset329 said:

We are looking forward to your live cruise commentary. We are scheduled for the same itinerary on the Sapphire Princess in October.

 

 

 

Let me know if there is anything in particular you are interested in seeing/knowing. I’ll do my best. 

[HBCcruiser]

Masks ready. Masks are still not required but we are bringing them.

 

[Kay.redmann]

1 hour ago, HBCcruiser said:

Welcome aboard this LIVE  from the Grand Princess thread. We will be sailing RT from LA to Hawaii. This has been a long-awaited cruise for my mom, brother and SIL. We had originally booked a B2B out of LA on the Royal in April 2020, but we all know how that turned out. 🙄.  Numerous cancellations and rebooks later, and FCCs coming out of the woodwork, here we are. 

 

Although I have sailed on 5 cruises since the pandemic, the rest of our group have not cruised since 2019 or before. So much has changed with cruising since COVID - the health protocols, Medallion App (don’t get me started) testing, medallions... - it is no wonder many people struggle just trying to get checked in. Be thankful we have access to fellow CCers and can learn from each other’s’ experiences. Luckily, I was able to assist the family in completing all required tasks, even though it was often like herding cats at times.

 

My DH and I live in Hermosa beach, CA which is close to the Port of LA. My Bro and SIL live about 20 minutes away from us. Mom and dad, on the other hand, live in the Las Vegas area. My DH is not a fan of sea days, and my dad does not travel well these days, so just the 4 of us are on this cruise. Two of my most recent cruises were on the Grand back in October/November when there were like 700 passengers on board. This cruise is expected to have 2236 passengers on board. Wow! That is my largest pax count post-COVID. This should be interesting. 

 

Mom and I love cruising so try to do so whenever my work schedule allows. Of course, now that my two daughters are adults, they are beginning to compete with mom for my cruise vacation time. I think I created two cruise addicts. 😜

 

The plan for this cruise included my DD and I driving out to Las Vegas Friday (yesterday), doing our COVID tests and some final shopping at the outlets today (Saturday), then driving back to LA Sunday.  Flying is too much of a hassle for mom, well, me too, right now. Plus, with the possibility of flight cancellations, not worth it IMO. This was the easiest way to get her and her luggage to our house by Sunday night, so we can get to the port for our assigned boarding time of 11:00 AM on Monday. 

 

Currently, I am in Vegas with mom, dad, and DD. This morning, 2 days before embarkation, we used the Optum BinaxNOW eMed tests. Mom said that there was no way she would be able to cruise without me – too many steps and technology required. Between the testing and the App, I totally understand what she was saying.  They should really make things simpler IMO. Luckily, I have done this online test before. Not to mention, this is the exact same brand of test that we use at work. (I work in a school district and we test employees and students frequently)

 

We both tested NEGATIVE! Time to PAHHHHTAY! 🥳.  Actually, we hit the outlets to get some final things before the cruise – t-shirts and coverups.  Tonight, we are going to one of my favorite steakhouses – Anthony’s in the “M”. Got to do a pre-cruise dinner with my dad! I’ll post pics. 

 

I live in vegas and the drive from Vegas to Cali is miserable on a Sunday. I suggest you try to leave early and avoid the traffic jam. I am excited for the cruise to get here and I am looking forward to the meet and greet 

[Papa Yoda]

1 hour ago, HBCcruiser said:

Masks ready. Masks are still not required but we are bringing them.

 

Very tropical! We are bringing boring old N95 and surgical masks.

[HBCcruiser]

2 hours ago, Kay.redmann said:

I live in vegas and the drive from Vegas to Cali is miserable on a Sunday. I suggest you try to leave early and avoid the traffic jam. I am excited for the cruise to get here and I am looking forward to the meet and greet 

Yes I’ve done it many times. We are leaving early. Thx!

[HBCcruiser]

Dinner was 10 out of 10 forks! Anthony’s Steak House in the M Resort. One of my favs and 7 min from my parents’ house. 
Dinner:

Caesar salad - I’ve not yet found better. They put the salad on top of a parmigiana cheese crust bowl, add parmigiana cheese flakes and mix in the dressing, which is amazing. I get it without the fish. 11 out of 10 forks!!;

 

The filet was perfect. I had medium. The added sautéed mushrooms made the dish. 10 out of 10 forks.;

 

[greenie082756]

Good morning, all! We are heading out this morning for the Crowne Plaza hotel.

 

Looking so forward to this as it has been 27 months since we last got off from a cruise. Not expecting like it was because there have been so many changes, some of them good.

 

Making new friends, eating something I did not cook, watching movies, gazing at the sea, etc.,...ah yes!

 

[HBCcruiser]

3 minutes ago, greenie082756 said:

Good morning, all! We are heading out this morning for the Crowne Plaza hotel.

 

Looking so forward to this as it has been 27 months since we last got off from a cruise. Not expecting like it was because there have been so many changes, some of them good.

 

Making new friends, eating something I did not cook, watching movies, gazing at the sea, etc.,...ah yes!

 

And no cleaning! Safe travels. See you tomorrow! 

[HBCcruiser]

The weather tomorrow should pretty nice. I’ll take it!

[milolii]

What cabin(s) did you  book? Did I miss that or will you post tomorrow?

[HBCcruiser]

We made it to LA in 4 hours. Me, speeding? Naaaah😎 All repacked and ready to board tomorrow! We are meeting up with friends tonight at the Cart House for dinner. ONE MORE SLEEP!

[MJSailors]

    I am not intending to write this post as a Debby Downer, but I would like to give you a heads up regarding a post on this forum entitled , Blogging From the Ruby Princess. It is written by Pescado Amarillo, a long time customer of Princess Cruises. She and her DH, for many Winter seasons,have sailed on various Princess ships and she has written blogs about their adventures.

      She was on a recent Hawaiian cruise where her husband tested positive for Covid. The subsequent experience of him being quarantined on the trip and her decision to leave the ship in Hawaii and fly home is detailed in her postings. 

       You may want to read the thread as it may give you insights as to what could happen on your cruise. I did not realize some of the things that occurred for both Pescado Amarillo and her husband. My DH and I were considering a cruise this Fall. After reading the posts, we are,most likely ,not going to be taking such a vacation. The thought of one of us being put in a quarantine cabin due to a positive Covid test while the other,who tests negative, remains in the original cabin is something we would not want to experience.

        I do hope that you enjoy a wonderful cruise. I understand this is something that your mother has been looking forward to for awhile.

        MJ

 PS The masks that you indicated that you were packing for the cruise are very cute. However, KN95 orN95 are supposedly more effective to wear .They are boring colors though.

 

[HBCcruiser]

15 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

    I am not intending to write this post as a Debby Downer, but I would like to give you a heads up regarding a post on this forum entitled , Blogging From the Ruby Princess. It is written by Pescado Amarillo, a long time customer of Princess Cruises. She and her DH, for many Winter seasons,have sailed on various Princess ships and she has written blogs about their adventures.

      She was on a recent Hawaiian cruise where her husband tested positive for Covid. The subsequent experience of him being quarantined on the trip and her decision to leave the ship in Hawaii and fly home is detailed in her postings. 

       You may want to read the thread as it may give you insights as to what could happen on your cruise. I did not realize some of the things that occurred for both Pescado Amarillo and her husband. My DH and I were considering a cruise this Fall. After reading the posts, we are,most likely ,not going to be taking such a vacation. The thought of one of us being put in a quarantine cabin due to a positive Covid test while the other,who tests negative, remains in the original cabin is something we would not want to experience.

        I do hope that you enjoy a wonderful cruise. I understand this is something that your mother has been looking forward to for awhile.

        MJ

 PS The masks that you indicated that you were packing for the cruise are very cute. However, KN95 orN95 are supposedly more effective to wear .They are boring colors though.

 

Yes, I have read that thread. I also have N95s if I feel they are needed. Still going. Thanks for your positive thoughts. Whatever happens,  I’ll post about it. 

[Cruzingal#9]

We're doing the Hawaii cruise in July on the Sapphire.  Am looking forward to reading your experiences!

[HBCcruiser]

I don’t know about you but I can NEVER sleep in on cruise day! Too excited! I’m up having coffee before the sun rises. I have to get up at 4:30 AM every day for work, so I guess 5 AM is a little later for me. 
 

I hope everyone from our roll call made it to LA safely and without hassles. My brother and SIL still have not gotten their medallions. According to USPS they were supposed to arrive last week, then yesterday. They have traveled to every other state but CA! I’m not sure why the medallions don’t just ship faster. I know they can get them at the port, but ugh! 
 

Soon enough we will be relaxing onboard. 🥂

[HBCcruiser]

Oh, so dinner last night was fun. We walked down to the Chart House and met up with some friends and my brother and SIL. Food was good but they forgot to cook  my brother’s salmon, and my order was never placed. I guess they figured I’d be eating enough on the cruise. 😂😂 It finally came and was good. 
 

Coconut shrimp- 10 out of 10 forks;

 

The uncooked salmon before they sent it back to be cooked (He said it was good after that);

 

The shrimp and scallops. It was good but not great. I gave it 8 out of 10 forks;

 

Menu;

Edited April 4, 2022 by HBCcruiser

[HBCcruiser]

FYI - I am noticing that CC is being picky about posting photos in regards to the direction of your photos. If you try to post long photos they wind up posting sideways so you have to square them up before posting. This is new. 

[HBCcruiser]

[ceilidh1]

Please give Andrew The Canadian (assistant cruise director) a great big hug from me when you see him!

 

Safe travels and have a great cruise! 

[HBCcruiser]

Everyone showed up to the terminal early. One thing Princess does that is a bugger is group suite pax with Elites. There are tons of elites on this cruise. NCL does it best with the Haven.