Live from the Crown Princess–r/t LA-Hawai’i–March 2-17, 2023

[travelin.sisters]

Introduction

Tomorrow will be our last day before boarding the Crown Princess for Hawai’i so it is time to start a live. This will be my 3rd live & I have discovered that it is a great way to record & remember so I will be sharing the things I enjoy & want to remember. As a warning, I really like food pictures so there will probably be a lot of those. There will also be Stanley Bears! And photos of waves & flowers & random, somewhat rambling thoughts. Hopefully in the midst of all that there will also be things that are useful &/or enjoyable for the rest of you.

 

The Hawai’i itinerary is our (my sister, BIL & me) favorite itinerary. Leaving from the Port of LA is an easy few minute drive to the port (with family to drop us off & pick us up) & we love the many sea days & the Hawai’ian ambassadors really bring something extra special to these cruises. I am looking forward to ‘ukulele & hula, lazy days at sea, wandering the ship, meeting new people & revisiting the islands…oh & cruise food!

 

Depending on the internet, I hope to post daily (with photos if possible). I will answer questions as I can (but remember that this is a vacation) & hopefully others on the cruise (or from land) will also chime in with answers. I will post the Patters & as many of the menus as I remember to take pix of, either during or after the cruise. I won’t hide things that go wrong (& some things will, they always do), but I do truly believe that one has a better trip (or anything else) if you focus on the good things not the problems & I want to enjoy my trip, so I will always be focused on what is going well. 

 

The one thing I do ask is please be kind, if someone asks a question you think is repetitive, obvious or even stupid, you don’t have to answer & you certainly don’t need to tell them they are dumb. We can (& will) disagree on things but we can also do it with kindness. Thank you! 

 

I wish CC would let me keep updating this first post with a list of main posts, but since it doesn’t, I will add to the bottom of each post the updated list of my main posts since sometimes a single question will lead to a page long ‘rabbit trail’ which is great & often full of interesting info, insight, opinions or just stuff but not everyone is interested in following a lot of posts about a specific issue in order to get to the next port. It will also help people later to find a specific port or topic. 

 

Anyway, here goes. 

 

List of my posts in this LIVE: 

Introduction~post 1

[cr8tiv1]

May the many gods (goddesses and demigods) of Hawaii shine on you as you travel upon the ocean waves.

 

https://greenglobaltravel.com/hawaiian-mythology-gods-goddesses-legends/

 

May Maui bring you lots of sunshine.

Lono will watch over you during hula and ukulele lessons

Na-maka-o-Kaha'i - bring you calm seas.  

 

Aloha, sure wish I was going with you.  

 

 

[travelin.sisters]

13 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

May the many gods (goddesses and demigods) of Hawaii shine on you as you travel upon the ocean waves.

 

https://greenglobaltravel.com/hawaiian-mythology-gods-goddesses-legends/

 

May Maui bring you lots of sunshine.

Lono will watch over you during hula and ukulele lessons

Na-maka-o-Kaha'i - bring you calm seas.  

 

Aloha, sure wish I was going with you.  

 

 

that would be so much fun! some day...

[arizonaperson]

Looking forward to your Live From. Have a wonderful cruise.

[marden1970]

Also looking to following along.  We will be boarding the Crown when you return.  Aloha!

[TracieABD]

Bon voyage! Love a good live from!

[Bettyboop66]

Thanks for taking us along! My DH and I will be boarding when you get back. Looking forward to reading all about the Crown.

[travelin.sisters]

1 hour ago, marden1970 said:

Also looking to following along.  We will be boarding the Crown when you return.  Aloha!

 

22 minutes ago, Bettyboop66 said:

Thanks for taking us along! My DH and I will be boarding when you get back. Looking forward to reading all about the Crown.

I hope you have a wonderful trip..that cruise is 'the one that got away'...we had planned & anticipated for almost 2 years before ours was canceled in 2020...

[Shippy]

Am VERY interested. We had a fabulous cruise on the Royal a few months ago.

We have a 10 day Crown in May.

When I booked, I did not realize this ship is much smaller & not as many amenities so a bit worried.

What category cabin do you have ?

We had a suite on the Royal & really enjoyed the suite lounge, I heard there is not one on the Crown (?)

Also the buffet was great & they had the pastry shop located within it.. Crown's is supposed to be very small.  Small casino, etc.

  To late now as final payment has been made. I am sure we will have a good time as I really do not think there is anything like a really bad cruise. ...Just looking to think about the positive unknowns we will encounter.

Thank you for you time !

 

 

[travelin.sisters]

Pre-cruise

Packing

Confession…I am an early packer & an over packer. I am great at emergencies, but I hate last minute emergencies that could have been prevented so I like having anything possible packed well ahead of sailing. I have lists (& maybe even lists of my lists); being organized is my happy place. 

 

Living within miles of the port means I can be an over packer too. I can pack what we need, what we might need & even what we want. I know that some people would look at my lists & just shake their heads in amazement/disgust/confusion at what I choose to pack for a 2-week cruise. Sometimes I think I should be more like the people who can travel with one carryon (or even a backpack) for any length of trip, but then I can’t come up with a good reason why, so…I am an over packer. 

 

This led to a packing crisis which l was thankful happened in plenty of time to solve (Feb 2nd~1 month before sailing). I got the first bag containing all the shared things for our group packed, zipped closed & set aside to wait for the cruise. Then…I heard this strange hissing noise coming from that side of the room. I couldn’t figure out what it was but decided it was coming from the suitcase I had just finished packing! I hauled it back on the bed to discover that an entire aerosol can of reef safe suntan lotion had sprayed itself into the suitcase. I always pack anything that might leak in plastic bags…except…I didn’t & the waterproof laundry bag it was in wasn’t (waterproof)! So, I rewashed the fuzzy blankets for cozy naps (yes over packer) & a bunch of other stuff & repacked. 

 

Even though I had probably 90% of everything packed for all my people 2 weeks before we cruised there was still last-minute semi-craziness. Yesterday I had to add another small suitcase in order to pack an unfinished king-sized quilt/wedding present for an event the day after we return. This meant there was room to toss in a few other things that we probably won’t but might need. In spite of this, we are all packed except the last-minute things to toss in after they are used tomorrow morning.

 

Almost everything is checked off the list! Today I can focus on last minute other things & seeing the TA about our next cruise.

 

List of my posts in this LIVE: 

Introduction~post 1

Pre-cruise: packing~post 10

[Bettyboop66]

4 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

 

I hope you have a wonderful trip..that cruise is 'the one that got away'...we had planned & anticipated for almost 2 years before ours was canceled in 2020...

We’ve been dreaming of this cruise for a long time. Now that we’re retired, we can finally make it happen. So sorry that your’s was cancelled. 

[travelin.sisters]

17 minutes ago, Shippy said:

Am VERY interested. We had a fabulous cruise on the Royal a few months ago.

We have a 10 day Crown in May.

When I booked, I did not realize this ship is much smaller & not as many amenities so a bit worried.

What category cabin do you have ?

We had a suite on the Royal & really enjoyed the suite lounge, I heard there is not one on the Crown (?)

Also the buffet was great & they had the pastry shop located within it.. Crown's is supposed to be very small.  Small casino, etc.

  To late now as final payment has been made. I am sure we will have a good time as I really do not think there is anything like a really bad cruise. ...Just looking to think about the positive unknowns we will encounter.

Thank you for you time !

 

 

@Shippy, please feel free to ask any questions as we go. 

 

I have not been on the Crown yet, but have done the Ruby several times, we did the Majestic in Feb of last year & it is definitely bigger & 'shinier' than the older ships...unlike many people who only like one or the other (& there are a lot on both sides) I like both, actually my favorite ship I have sailed on is the smallest, the Island which I loved for our Panama Canal trip. 

 

We did like the bigger buffet on the Majestic although since we were sailing at 25-30% full much of it was closed, as was the pastry shop inside it...I am a big fan of the International Cafe so didn't miss it.

 

We do a balcony & interior across the hall for 3 people...more privacy & an extra bathroom vs. a mini-suite for virtually the same cost. I have never been in a suite but I believe you are right that they do not have the suite lounge.

 

I usually do a 'walkthrough' of the ship on embarkation day while my people are resting to just feel like I have my head wrapped around what is where & hope to post photos of things so maybe that will help.

[travelin.sisters]

9 minutes ago, Bettyboop66 said:

We’ve been dreaming of this cruise for a long time. Now that we’re retired, we can finally make it happen. So sorry that your’s was cancelled. 

hopefully you &/or someone on that cruise will do a live or review & I can drool over the photos!

 

in the scheme of all the horrid things covid caused, a missed cruise is so minor but we were sad when it happened...now back to enjoying what is possible & probably 28 days is too long for my people as they get older (don't we all)

 

enjoy!!

[cr8tiv1]

@travelin.sisters  Now I know why I am so drawn to you...we think so much alike...I returned from a trip "home" (Hawaii), then turned around and flew to Washington State over the holidays (had to change wardrobes).  

 

When I returned back to "the other house", I unpacked, but began the packing for my next cruise.  Although it was several months away...it never hurts to plan ahead.  I make a few lists, but I do sort by boxes.  

 

Suitcases do not sit idle very long.  You can never pack enough for a cruise in case of "what ifs". There are sometimes....you only can take 1 piece of luggage.  That is when creativity is at it's best.  Dual function this and thats.

[KLM3164]

Have a great cruise and thanks for taking us along! I look forward to seeing and hearing about the adventures of the Stanley Bears!

[arizonaperson]

@travelin.sisters

  I love your packing style. My mom and her husband are winging their way from Cali right now to Fort Lauderdale to join the Emerald Princess and to hear of her packing and unpacking and then this morning she couldn’t find her breakfast that she had packed ,she put it in the overhead in the plane ,but it was found. Now I know why they go a couple days early ,because she’ll have to repack again , maybe even go shopping for something that she forgot  or can’t find.

Love your style of writing ,I’ll be following along . I’m loving arm chair cruising at the moment.

[NIkkiGR]

@travelin.sisters

 

Looking forward to your lives. We will be boarding for a 28 day cruise as you get off the ship. I have been packing with my lists, could not pack without them. Thanks for letting us join you virtually 

[memoak]

6 hours ago, Shippy said:

Am VERY interested. We had a fabulous cruise on the Royal a few months ago.

We have a 10 day Crown in May.

When I booked, I did not realize this ship is much smaller & not as many amenities so a bit worried.

What category cabin do you have ?

We had a suite on the Royal & really enjoyed the suite lounge, I heard there is not one on the Crown (?)

Also the buffet was great & they had the pastry shop located within it.. Crown's is supposed to be very small.  Small casino, etc.

  To late now as final payment has been made. I am sure we will have a good time as I really do not think there is anything like a really bad cruise. ...Just looking to think about the positive unknowns we will encounter.

Thank you for you time !

 

 

Do people not do research on ships before they book ?  

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi, having never cruised on the Crown before, will be lookin forward to your posts. Will be on the Crown in Sept to Alaska, an can't wait. Was on the Navigator ots back in Nov an had a wonderful time, was the first cruise in 3 yrs an had a blast, now got to see Alaska again!!! Please let me know if they have a Chef's table, like on Royal or any specialty restaurants.

[gottagoacruzn]

16 hours ago, travelin.sisters said:

Introduction

Tomorrow will be our last day before boarding the Crown Princess for Hawai’i so it is time to start a live. This will be my 3rd live & I have discovered that it is a great way to record & remember so I will be sharing the things I enjoy & want to remember. As a warning, I really like food pictures so there will probably be a lot of those. There will also be Stanley Bears! And photos of waves & flowers & random, somewhat rambling thoughts. Hopefully in the midst of all that there will also be things that are useful &/or enjoyable for the rest of you.

 

The Hawai’i itinerary is our (my sister, BIL & me) favorite itinerary. Leaving from the Port of LA is an easy few minute drive to the port (with family to drop us off & pick us up) & we love the many sea days & the Hawai’ian ambassadors really bring something extra special to these cruises. I am looking forward to ‘ukulele & hula, lazy days at sea, wandering the ship, meeting new people & revisiting the islands…oh & cruise food!

 

Depending on the internet, I hope to post daily (with photos if possible). I will answer questions as I can (but remember that this is a vacation) & hopefully others on the cruise (or from land) will also chime in with answers. I will post the Patters & as many of the menus as I remember to take pix of, either during or after the cruise. I won’t hide things that go wrong (& some things will, they always do), but I do truly believe that one has a better trip (or anything else) if you focus on the good things not the problems & I want to enjoy my trip, so I will always be focused on what is going well. 

 

The one thing I do ask is please be kind, if someone asks a question you think is repetitive, obvious or even stupid, you don’t have to answer & you certainly don’t need to tell them they are dumb. We can (& will) disagree on things but we can also do it with kindness. Thank you! 

 

I wish CC would let me keep updating this first post with a list of main posts, but since it doesn’t, I will add to the bottom of each post the updated list of my main posts since sometimes a single question will lead to a page long ‘rabbit trail’ which is great & often full of interesting info, insight, opinions or just stuff but not everyone is interested in following a lot of posts about a specific issue in order to get to the next port. It will also help people later to find a specific port or topic. 

 

Anyway, here goes. 

 

List of my posts in this LIVE: 

Introduction~post 1

Hey food pictures are ok, do that myself!!!

[Happiest when cruising]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Do people not do research on ships before they book ?  

My husband doesn’t… he says any ship is a good ship. 

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey, fore I forget, does Princess still give out the princess patter? Don't have or will never get an app, jest have a flip phone. 

[Coral]

12 minutes ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey, fore I forget, does Princess still give out the princess patter? Don't have or will never get an app, jest have a flip phone. 

Yes - still a paper copy.

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey, fore I forget, does Princess still give out the princess patter? Don't have or will never get an app, jest have a flip phone. 

On 4 cruises last year we had patters delivered every evening for the next day

[gottagoacruzn]

😁😁 Thanks!!!