Live - Island Princess Oktoberfest cruise Sept. 27 - Oct. 7

[Rick&Jeannie]

I debated starting this thread...then decided "why not!" Others seem to enjoy reading "live" threads as I do.  

 

This is actually a bit late getting started,  we're already 3 days into our cruise. Internet is not as bad as I expected...it's not great but it's usable (mostly).

 

I was a bit surprised by the mask requirement in the buffet.  They seem to be very serious in enforcing this. The first night in the theater it was implied that masks were required but then the CD slipped in a statement that "if you felt the need to wear a mask feel free to do so".  Most are not doing so now.

 

Will post more as time permits. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

We had a great Meet & Greet Wednesday thanks to @Bosslady52 and her planning! We had almost 40 participants and everyone seemed to have a good time. 

 

Today (Thursday) is Hamburg! We are headed to Berlin and really looking forward to this new city for us. We've been in Munich before during Oktoberfestbut this was way back in 2014, so really hoping for a good day!

[Rick&Jeannie]

This post "catches up" to where we are right now. 2nd sea day, day after Hamburg.

 

We had an amazing experience on the "Best of Berlin" excursion yesterday! It was quite a long train ride (almost 3 hours each way) which really cut into our time in Berlin  but most took the time to get better acquainted with their traveling companions, so it wasn't really bad. Berlin is such a historically rich city...it's hard to put it in a category. Of course there is so much involving WW2 that most people tend to think of it only from that aspect. We were fortunate enough to have a German born girl that had emigrated to California and since moved back to Berlin as our guide so there was no language or accent barrier.  She  was a great guide! She really knew her history about Berlin.

 

It was a very long day (yesterday)...we didn't get back on the ship until about 10:00pm! Looking forward to a nice relaxing sea day to "recover"!

[Rick&Jeannie]

Sadly, as we were leaving the train in Hamburg to return to the ship a lady fell on the train platform and we found out later that she was taken to the hospital.  We don't know what injuries she sustained.  That's a terrible way to start out a 10 day cruise.  We hope all is well with her and that she was not too badly hurt. 

[eng58]

Rick & Jeannie,

 

Looking forward to reading your posts, we are doing this cruise next year, how as the weather been?

 

Lori

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, eng58 said:

Rick & Jeannie,

 

Looking forward to reading your posts, we are doing this cruise next year, how as the weather been?

 

Lori

 

Weather (so far) has been great. A bit chilly, but that's to be expected being this far north. Tomorrow I understand there's an 80% chance of rain for Gothenburg,  Sweden. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Entertainment on board (so far) has been mixed. The first sea day we had a comedian that really needs to consider another line of work. I won't go into too much detail here other than to say that I saw at least 20 people walk out of the main theater before we did ourselves. Worst show I've ever seen on a ship of any cruise line. (Sorry...I don't even remember his name.)

 

The next night more than made up for this, however.  It was an English chapter who did a tribute to John Denver. This guy was amazing! He sounded EXACTLY like John Denver! This was a really good show.

 

Tonight there is a production show that I have not heard of before. "On the Bayou". I don't know anything about this one. Has anybody seen this one?

[coo359a2]

Will be interested in your thoughts on the production show - On The Bayou.  We have seen it several times and thought it very good.  Don't know where the Island will have it as originally it was performed on a revolving stage which was removed when they added all the cabins in the rear of the ship.  Thankfully, the Coral Princess still has the Universal Lounge with the revolving stage for the show .  It was neat to see how the singers and dancers performed on the revolving stage and they  are so close to the audience you feel like you are a part of the show..

Edited September 30, 2022 by coo359a2

[Rick&Jeannie]

This is our first time on the Island...we're used to either Grand or Royal class ship's, so it's taken longer than usual to get accustomed to where everything is on this layout!

 

We really miss the International Cafe! 

Alfredos is only operating as a "pop-up" style restaurant in Sabatini's on sea days. We generally go to Alfredo's for dinner at least once or twice on any given cruise. Oh well...

[capriccio]

15 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Will be interested in your thoughts on the production show - On The Bayou.  We have seen it several times and thought it very good.  Don't know where the Island will have it as originally it was performed on a revolving stage which was removed when they added all the cabins in the rear of the ship.  Thankfully, the Coral Princess still has the Universal Lounge with the revolving stage for the show .  It was neat to see how the singers and dancers performed on the revolving stage and they  are so close to the audience you feel like you are a part of the show..

I agree with this comment 100%.  We've seen it once on the Island before the additional cabins meant the end of the Universe Lounge and twice on the Coral Princess (2007 and 2012) and look forward to seeing it again in 2023.  It is our favorite Princess production.  I can't imagine that they can recreate its original magic on the Island Princess' regular stage. 

[phabric]

I will be on the Island next year.  Interested on any information you have.

 

What time are the shows?

 

How is the service in the dining room?

[Level six]

3 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I was a bit surprised by the mask requirement in the buffet.  They seem to be very serious in enforcing this. The first night in the theater it was implied that masks were required but then the CD slipped in a statement that "if you felt the need to wear a mask feel free to do so".  Most are not doing so now.

I'm shocked it is not being enforced in all indoor spaces because by the end of the cruise before yours(we got off on the 27th) there was ALOT of covid onboard.  The captain came on a few days before the cruise ended and announced, into people's rooms, and said everyone should wear masks indoors at all times and even outdoors if in close contact with others.  Then a letter came to our rooms stating the same thing.  The bar stools were marked with X every other one.  Lots of regular crew disappeared. 

In our hall at least 1/2 had tables outside of them.  It was so bad, that the last day we just stayed in our cabin and told steward not to service to try and avoid it.

I would wear a mask if I were you.  But, maybe they figure that most people who get it will get off the ship soon.  I think I heard 300 or 500 were staying on for the this cruise too. Our cruise was 30 days. 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Level six

[PacnGoNow]

1 minute ago, Level six said:

I'm shocked it is not being enforced in all indoor spaces because by the end of the cruise before yours(we got off on the 27th) there was ALOT of covid onboard.  The captain came on a few days before the cruise ended and announced, into people's rooms, and said everyone should wear masks indoors at all times and even outdoors if in close contact with others.  Then a letter came to our rooms stating the same thing.  The bar stools were marked with X every other one.  Lots of regular crew disappeared. 

In our hall at least 1/2 had tables outside of them.  It was so bad, that the last day we just stayed in our cabin and told steward not to service to try and avoid it.

I would wear a mask if I were you.  But, maybe they figure that most people who get it will get off the ship soon.  Our cruise was 30 days. 

Did they use the covid deck and the guest rooms for isolation?

[Level six]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

Did they use the covid deck and the guest rooms for isolation?

Covid deck was full.  I didn't get covid but I heard that passengers were given the choice before it was full to stay in their room or go to covid deck.  But, that is just second hand information. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

What deck is (was) the Island using for quarantine?

[Sarnia 432]

They were using Emerald, port, aft on the last few sailings

[Level six]

6 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

What deck is (was) the Island using for quarantine?

Deck 8.  That's what I heard.  I never saw or looked for it.  The person I know who got covid on the cruise said covid area full so she had to stay in her original cabin and then her husband got it a few days later.  She wanted to separate from him but couldn't.  

[Paula_MacFan]

Following this as we will be on same trip in 2023. We were booked for 2020 & 2021 which were both cancelled, then this cruise which we decided to push back to next year for the original itinerary with Paris & Arhus.

 

Thanks for the thread and your perspectives of the ship & trip!

 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

6 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

Will be interested in your thoughts on the production show - On The Bayou.

Ok, we just got out of this show. Here are my thoughts:

 

It was entertaining and lively, obviously a very talented group of performers.  That being said,  it really wasn't anything special (in my opinion). The "set" was a facade of a swamp shack and a bar. The cast had no interaction with anything on the stage except for each other. As is the case with most cruise line "shows" these days it is basically a showcase for the singers and dancers (which were very good) to present familiar/popular songs. Most (not all) of the selections either were literally about New Orleans and/or "cajun" life or simply mentioned a passing line involving such. There were a couple that I really don't understand why they were included. 

 

Don't get me wrong here...it is an entertaining show but I somewhat associate the term "production show" with a show that has more substance and the set plays an integral part. 

 

As with all shows on most cruise lines it was presented by a very talented troupe. 

[coo359a2]

4 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Ok, we just got out of this show. Here are my thoughts:

 

It was entertaining and lively, obviously a very talented group of performers.  That being said,  it really wasn't anything special (in my opinion). The "set" was a facade of a swamp shack and a bar. The cast had no interaction with anything on the stage except for each other. As is the case with most cruise line "shows" these days it is basically a showcase for the singers and dancers (which were very good) to present familiar/popular songs. Most (not all) of the selections either were literally about New Orleans and/or "cajun" life or simply mentioned a passing line involving such. There were a couple that I really don't understand why they were included. 

 

Don't get me wrong here...it is an entertaining show but I somewhat associate the term "production show" with a show that has more substance and the set plays an integral part. 

 

As with all shows on most cruise lines it was presented by a very talented troupe. 

It is about at one time what could have been a typical New Orleans Cajun blues/jazz funeral with a little boating on the  bayou and voodoo thrown in.  On the Coral we sat in the front row and you were at stage level and very close to the stage.  They had their version of a funeral parade at the end where the cast walked through the audience seating area to outside of  the Universe Lounge.  I think (not sure) the cast also did their "parade" coming into the Lounge to start the show..  Probably lacked a lot by not being on a revolving stage.

[NownZen]

3 hours ago, Level six said:

Deck 8.  That's what I heard.  I never saw or looked for it.  The person I know who got covid on the cruise said covid area full so she had to stay in her original cabin and then her husband got it a few days later.  She wanted to separate from him but couldn't.  

We were on the Island earlier and they used up all the deck tables and were using the round glass top tables in front of the rooms.  The real question to me is what the severity level of the cases was and whether the commotion level is justified. It seemed like everyone was coughing but still going on with normal life.  The people here who are reporting from quarantine have talked about procedural issues and not much about health issues.

The other interesting points are what happens when everyone has had this version and what effect the new bivalent booster has.  We were sick before the vaccine was available and it was miserable for a month. This summer it went through our family in two states and it was from two to four days of being tired.  For me, the difference in the side effects of covid and the booster was that with covid my arm did not hurt.

[venussuz]

4 hours ago, Level six said:

Deck 8.  That's what I heard.  I never saw or looked for it.  The person I know who got covid on the cruise said covid area full so she had to stay in her original cabin and then her husband got it a few days later.  She wanted to separate from him but couldn't.  

I got Covid on the Island TA May to June. The first person of four from our group to get Covid was relocated to another cabin. The two others and I weren't relocated because there weren't cabins available.

 

 

Luckily there was a sofa in another cabin for patient 3 (tested positive two days later) and my cabin mate to move to. One caught Covid, the other didn't. 

 

 

The same thing happened with our cruise, captain notifying everyone of now mandatory masking but no enforcement that I saw. I only went to the buffet a few times and was masked 90% of the time during the cruise.

 

 

FWIW I loved the Island Princess, particularly the bars and lounging areas scattered around the ship. We enjoyed On the Bayou but understand it's quite different than what it was pre renovation. A definite advantage to not having experienced the ship before. 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by venussuz

[NownZen]

33 minutes ago, venussuz said:

I got Covid on the Island TA May to June. The first person of four from our group to get Covid was relocated to another cabin. The two others and I weren't relocated because there weren't cabins available.

 

 

Luckily there was a sofa in another cabin for patient 3 (tested positive two days later) and my cabin mate to move to. One caught Covid, the other didn't. 

 

 

The same thing happened with our cruise, captain notifying everyone of now mandatory masking but no enforcement that I saw. I only went to the buffet a few times and was masked 90% of the time during the cruise.

 

 

FWIW I loved the Island Princess, particularly the bars and lounging areas scattered around the ship. We enjoyed On the Bayou but understand it's quite different than what it was pre renovation. A definite advantage to not having experienced the ship before. 

 

 

We were on the same cruise. I am sure you noticed the massive increase in tables outside the rooms the last days when they did the testing for the b2b passengers. Lot of coughing on that ship. And we gave up the MDR since we did not know when we would finish up in Crooners or Good Spirits.

[Rick&Jeannie]

I meant to mention this in the opening message of the thread: if there is anyone else that is on this cruise currently you are invited to contribute whatever you wish to the conversation.  And thanks to the others who are chiming in with details about the ship and/or past cruises on the Island.

 

I'll try to add things as I can...I'm sure that I'm missing some things that I meant to bring up!

[Rick&Jeannie]

BTW...we had a time change on the first night. We set clocks forward 1 hour making the time 6 hours ahead of US Eastern time. I believe we stay on this time throughout the cruise until the evening before disembarkation.