Sky princess Western Caribbean 3/11-3/18

[KarmaCruisers]

This isn’t a total live trip report; more like a recap of each prior day.

Group is wife and I and our cruise friend couple, we’re late 30’s - late 40’s

Both in BA (Balcony) cabins on Caribe deck.

On casino offer for free with plus package for all of us (wife and I both had same offer)

We flew out of SFO on a JetBlue red-eye Friday night.

Arrived at 8am to FLL, we ate breakfast at Bokampers (in the airport) then hung out until 9:45 before heading out on Uber to the port.

Ship was in Berth-2. Boarding doors opened up exactly at 10am; we walked in     , went through security check-point, scanned our medallion and showed our passport..never actually “stopped” moving until we were in the lobby. At 10:45 they called “general” boarding and we were on the ship. Very smooth process (We’re ruby, friends are first-timers)

Ship is in good condition (third time on it for us). CD is Paul..Englishman, can’t remember his last name (but it’s got a hyphen in it)

We ate at Alfredo’s and showed our friends around the ship.

We were in our rooms at noon and our luggage was delivered by 1.

We had RSVP for 8pm dining in MDR, but we wanted to go to Yes-No gameshow at 8:30, so we ended up eating in the buffet (good as always; roasted pork belly, ramen and seafood stew)

Was supposed to see Rock Opera at 9:30 but it got postponed until (hopefully) tonight (second day). We were so damn tired though, we just went up to the room and passed out.

end of day 1

[KarmaCruisers]

Photos

[KarmaCruisers]

First sea day lunch

[KarmaCruisers]

From the premium dessert brochure posted at Gelato Bar

[KarmaCruisers]

Just wanted to add this..haven’t heard how crowded it is (doesn’t feel crowded; but probably at 100% capacity)

wifi has been very acceptable, ~3Mbps (enough to browse the web and watch YT)

[KarmaCruisers]

Just heard during produce carving demo; ~750 “kids” on board (under 18)

it honestly doesn’t seem like that 

[KarmaCruisers]

Well damn!

Apparently there’s something going on..because I wasn’t the only person in line saying their freeplay isn’t showing up..and that’s $1000!

I freakin LITERALLY just deleted the picture like EXACTLY 31 days ago showing the included freeplay…so, I’m just hoping it can be straightened out..otherwise I’m going to be upset 

[Happiest when cruising]

2 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Well damn!

Apparently there’s something going on..because I wasn’t the only person in line saying their freeplay isn’t showing up..and that’s $1000!

I freakin LITERALLY just deleted the picture like EXACTLY 31 days ago showing the included freeplay…so, I’m just hoping it can be straightened out..otherwise I’m going to be upset 

Princess can look up your offer code, can’t they. Isn’t the offer in an email, as well? I’m sure it will be fine. 
Do you have an iPhone? 

[KarmaCruisers]

4 minutes ago, Happiest when cruising said:

Princess can look up your offer code, can’t they. Isn’t the offer in an email, as well? I’m sure it will be fine. 
Do you have an iPhone? 

I sure hope they can.

yes; iPhone 

no, I looked six ways from Sunday on my phone; and the freeplay never showed in any of the emails but it did show up in my “cruise credits” portal in my online profile 

[Happiest when cruising]

28 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I sure hope they can.

yes; iPhone 

no, I looked six ways from Sunday on my phone; and the freeplay never showed in any of the emails but it did show up in my “cruise credits” portal in my online profile 

Try going into your ICloud. I’m no tech expert, but I just searched and there does seem to be a few ways to get the deleted photos back. Good luck! 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Have a great time and thanks for your posts!

[KarmaCruisers]

Champagne waterfall almost time

[KarmaCruisers]

Dinner menu for tonight’s MDR (fwiw I was able to get shrimp cocktail and fettuccini Alfredo anyway/also)

[KarmaCruisers]

Tommorow’s patter 

the plan is to get offboard at 10, and head over to Paradise Beach Resort; be there 10-2 then head back.

[corncat]

21 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Just heard during produce carving demo; ~750 “kids” on board (under 18)

it honestly doesn’t seem like that 

I was on board last week as well, and I have definitely noticed the average age of passengers on the ship has dropped drastically. I saw maybe 5 kids total last week and now I see them lots. But it still doesn’t feel like 750!!! I’m glad the kids club seems popular! 

[KarmaCruisers]

1 hour ago, corncat said:

I was on board last week as well, and I have definitely noticed the average age of passengers on the ship has dropped drastically. I saw maybe 5 kids total last week and now I see them lots. But it still doesn’t feel like 750!!! I’m glad the kids club seems popular! 

Welcome to Cozumel!

[memoak]

20 hours ago, Happiest when cruising said:

Princess can look up your offer code, can’t they. Isn’t the offer in an email, as well? I’m sure it will be fine. 
Do you have an iPhone? 

That is why I always have a screen shot of my travel summary with me. My wife’s free play always shows up but half the time mine has to be added

[KarmaCruisers]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

That is why I always have a screen shot of my travel summary with me. My wife’s free play always shows up but half the time mine has to be added

I have one; but it’s not the one that shows the freeplay (that was a very specific screen), and it was stupid of me to not get it…we’ll see what they do.

meanwhile; we’re docked next to NCL Joy, with the Disney Fantasy down in the other terminal/berth.

here at Paradise Beach club; it’s not any more crowded than it was in November..the water is cloudy and cold; so we’re going to migrate from the “beach” area to the “pool” area here in a little bit..it’s a beautiful day out though 

[Jersey42]

Would you mind posting a picture of the senior officer's (see sample from the Emerald below).  It is normally in the Piazza, typically on deck 6.   Either post it here or on this sticky thread.  If you can't easily post a picture can you post the name of the Captain. There was supposed to be a new one as of this cruise. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2724695-princess-senior-ship-staff-inc-cruise-directors-entertainment-directors/

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Jersey42

[KarmaCruisers]

38 minutes ago, Jersey42 said:

Would you mind posting a picture of the senior officer's (see sample from the Emerald below).  It is normally in the Piazza, typically on deck 6.   Either post it here or on this sticky thread.  If you can't easily post a picture can you post the name of the Captain. There was supposed to be a new one as of this cruise. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2724695-princess-senior-ship-staff-inc-cruise-directors-entertainment-directors/

 

We just came back in from Cozumel; but I’ll get it tonight.

Captain Marco Fortezze, IIRC. 

[KarmaCruisers]

Picture having a good time in Cozumel.

Just came back to ship and going to take a nap until sailaway (booze, food and sun wiped us out)

[KarmaCruisers]

Ship staff

[KarmaCruisers]

Wrapping up the night 

We had dinner in buffet (because we had RSVP for 8; but wanted to go to 10-in-60 gameshow in Princess Live at 8:30)

good as usual food

gameshow was fun…we didn’t come CLOSE to winning but the James Bond question I had 9/10 (I flipped octopussy/man with the golden gun).

Went and saw Comedy/Magician Rich Purpura at 9:30 in the showroom; pretty funny with easygoing jokes.

I stopped by Alfredo’s after, at 10:30, and grabbed a Minestrone and Agnolotti.

So, update on my freeplay saga..went down to casino and tapped a machine…still no freeplay..went to cashier to inquire..she said “ahh yes, we got it all sorted, we just need you to sign for it so we can add it to your card”..so I asked about the wife’s and she said hers is the same; she’ll need to come show her medallion and sign..

WEIRD, but I think this happened on Carnival before; we’re we had a certain value above X amount of freeplay; and they said that only the casino host/supervisor/higher-up can “release” those funds.

I didn’t play any; because there are only three superstar VP machines and they’ve CONSISTENTLY been taken by the same group of people..so we’ll probably have to go super late on the night before the last sea day, to “wash” out our freeplay/OBC. ($1400 total)

The plan for tommorow is, a princess-sponsored excursion to Turquoise Bay ($70 each, all-inclusive), gotta meet at the shopping area of the port at 9:50; so we’re going to go for breakfast at 8:30 (probably buffet again, as breakfast is I pretty easy/simple)

will post tommorow’s patter in the next post

[KarmaCruisers]

Patter

[KarmaCruisers]

Night 3 dinner menu