Live From The Sapphire Princess October 15, 2023 R/T to Hawaii

[Woobstr112G]

 

NOOOOOOO……

 

Bob

[waltd]

Just now, Woobstr112G said:

 

NOOOOOOO……

 

Bob

😪😪

[TN Shipmates]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

I don’t know how much confusion there is about this. Sabatini’s breakfast has always been for just full suites and names of cabin categories has not changed for years. Just like hotels that advertise suites and junior suites no one seems to get those confused

There is confusion.  There are whole cruise critic forums on this one subject. I am glad that it "has always been" and "has not changed for years" but we are new to Princess. I am not confused about a suite or jr suite at a hotel nor am I confused about a suite ( different categories) and mini suites. What is in contention is the amenities for each of these categories. We cruise on Celebrity mostly and Sky Suites that are best comparison to the Princess mini suite has the same restaurants as the others. I appreciate @beg3yrs response to me and do not appreciate your haughtiness. 

[memoak]

14 minutes ago, TN Shipmates said:

There is confusion.  There are whole cruise critic forums on this one subject. I am glad that it "has always been" and "has not changed for years" but we are new to Princess. I am not confused about a suite or jr suite at a hotel nor am I confused about a suite ( different categories) and mini suites. What is in contention is the amenities for each of these categories. We cruise on Celebrity mostly and Sky Suites that are best comparison to the Princess mini suite has the same restaurants as the others. I appreciate @beg3yrs response to me and do not appreciate your haughtiness. 

The Princess website is very clear as to what amenities come with what class of suites

[san diego sue]

Bob since you mentioned tips I will ask you.

The last cruise we were on we had a full suite.Rarely do we cruise in full suites. We enjoyed Sabatinis every morning for breakfast.

The staff working were incredible ladies all from the Ukraine. The last day before the cruise ended and final breakfast at Sabatinis, we tipped all of the ladies the same amount , no matter what their duties were. They all seemed surprised that we tipped them ( and we were generous). What really shocked me was that morning the restaurant was pretty empty. The regulars that we saw every morning never showed up. For the incredible service and this being Suite guests, I was surprised.I know extra tipping is optional but these ladies really made our cruise. Enjoyed the wonderful start of the day with them.  We were made to feel special. It was a 19 day cruise.

Bob what is done usually regarding tipping here. I know you mostly enjoy the Suite Life.

 

[memoak]

47 minutes ago, san diego sue said:

Bob since you mentioned tips I will ask you.

The last cruise we were on we had a full suite.Rarely do we cruise in full suites. We enjoyed Sabatinis every morning for breakfast.

The staff working were incredible ladies all from the Ukraine. The last day before the cruise ended and final breakfast at Sabatinis, we tipped all of the ladies the same amount , no matter what their duties were. They all seemed surprised that we tipped them ( and we were generous). What really shocked me was that morning the restaurant was pretty empty. The regulars that we saw every morning never showed up. For the incredible service and this being Suite guests, I was surprised.I know extra tipping is optional but these ladies really made our cruise. Enjoyed the wonderful start of the day with them.  We were made to feel special. It was a 19 day cruise.

Bob what is done usually regarding tipping here. I know you mostly enjoy the Suite Life.

 

Many of us tip out everyone on the last day for several reasons. We usually are doing an early as possible disembarkation time to get to early flights or trains. We generally sat breakfast at 9am. On disembarkation day w are well off the ship by that time. On some cruises that have a Canadian stop on last day only one bar per deck can be open so we always tip out a few days before

[pamps2801]

7 hours ago, Woobstr112G said:

Good morning from the beautiful Sapphire Princess. It is 0535 ship's time as I begin to type this. Today is day 13 of our voyage and the last of five full sea days as we continue to sail towards our last port stop of Ensenada. Tonight, we will suffer through😩 our last time change where we lose an hour. This will bring us back to PST the same as when we began this wonderful voyage.

 

Last night for dinner, we once again dined in our favorite shipboard restaurant Sabatinis. Holli once again had her favorite spaghetti while I returned to my favorite Osso Buco.  Our food and the service were beyond good. I must reiterate that the service we've experienced this voyage in Sabatinis is some of the best we've encountered in our 24 cruises. After we finished our meal, we just returned to our cabin for the remainder of the evening. Years ago, we would have headed to a lounge to listen to some music but alas, father time has made us somewhat predictable in the present day. 

 

Yesterday after lunch in the Horizon court, Holli & I tried one of the much ballyhooed Premium Deserts on the ship. I must say it was quite overwhelming. While it was very tasty, this was most likely a one and done experience for us. I know many people like them, but it's simply too much for our present day desert likings. 

 

Today we will once again enjoy breakfast in Sabatinis. After breakfast we will continue to do some packing. Yesterday I pulled our suitcases and began the task. We got a good deal accomplished and will continue to do so today. Other than packing, I will start sorting out our extra tip envelopes. Holli has a hair appointment later today in preparation for our last of three formal nights tonight. It will be nice to get all dressed up for the evening one last time on this voyage. 

 

Today's entertainment offerings are as follows. The movie Munsters will be screened on MUTS at 1000. The movie Death on the Nile (2022) will screen in the Princess Theater at 1130. Acoustic Guitar and Vocals with Vangelis Tzatsos will be in the Pizza at 1315. The afternoon movie screened on MUTS will be Paint (2023) at 1500. An Adele concert Live In London on MUTS at 1730. Diamond Strings Duo will perform in the Piazza at 1745. The movie Transformers Rise of the Beast will screen on MUTS at 1900 and 2130. Vangelis Tzatsos will be in the Wheelhouse bar at 1915. The production show Let Me Entertain You will be in the Princess Theater at 1930 & 2130. Gravity will perform in the Piazza at 2015 and 2200. Comedian Michael Minor will be in the Explorers Lounge at 2030 & 2230. Andy Morris will be in Crooners at 2100 & 2300. DJ Kalpesh will be in Skywalkers from 2200 onwards. Moondance Duo will do a late set in the Wheelhouse bar at 2215.

 

Well, that's about all for now. I know the cruise is almost over, but if anyone still has any questions, Fire away and I will try and find you an answer. 

 

Hope all are well.....

 

Bob

Ummmm, you mentioned that today is the last of 5 full sea days. Am I mistaken by saying, "tomorrow" would be the last of the "full sea days", before Ensenada(on Sunday), then L.A. on Monday ?

Edited October 27, 2023 by pamps2801

[DiRonT]

1 hour ago, san diego sue said:

Bob since you mentioned tips I will ask you.

The last cruise we were on we had a full suite.Rarely do we cruise in full suites. We enjoyed Sabatinis every morning for breakfast.

The staff working were incredible ladies all from the Ukraine. The last day before the cruise ended and final breakfast at Sabatinis, we tipped all of the ladies the same amount , no matter what their duties were. They all seemed surprised that we tipped them ( and we were generous). What really shocked me was that morning the restaurant was pretty empty. The regulars that we saw every morning never showed up. For the incredible service and this being Suite guests, I was surprised.I know extra tipping is optional but these ladies really made our cruise. Enjoyed the wonderful start of the day with them.  We were made to feel special. It was a 19 day cruise.

Bob what is done usually regarding tipping here. I know you mostly enjoy the Suite Life.

 

I won't pretend to speak for Bob, but we also cruise in suites and love Sabatinis breakfast.  We always have wonderful service from very friendly yet professional staff.  We always tip either last day or next to last day but we have noticed we may be in the majority.  Very sad.

[Crown Cruiser]

San Diego Sue,

 

We stay in full suites most of the time.  On the last morning of the cruise, we give the head waiter an envelope for the “morning crew” who make our breakfast time with them so special.  (And yes, the tips do go to the servers, the head waiter doesn’t keep them for himself in case anyone is thinking that).

[Pepes Pal]

2 hours ago, pamps2801 said:

Ummmm, you mentioned that today is the last of 5 full sea days. Am I mistaken by saying, "tomorrow" would be the last of the "full sea days", before Ensenada(on Sunday), then L.A. on Monday ?

I think we all need to give Bob a little extra space ie his small honest errors! It's ok to make corrections but remember he generously has been dealing with answering the "live" Cruise Critic questions, his feeling rather poorly due to his cold as well as his wife's poor health.  This cruise obviously has been so important to them & it was rather spoiled by circumstances.  He still has been positive.
 How important is it to emphasize his mistakes?  Maybe in a softer manner!! 
Thank you Bob & Holli for sharing your time so generously. 
We all have lived vicariously by your  reports. 

 

[Sunviking]

Bob, I have enjoyed reading your "Live from..." too and I know how much time it takes to do that from my own experience.  I also know that when you're doing a cruise with lots of sea days it's easy to lose track of what day it is, especially when you're changing time every day. (Sailing east and losing an hour every day is my least favorite BTW - I hate those 23 hour days!)  I think you've given everyone sailing on the Sapphire soon a good taste of what they will be experiencing.  I'm just sorry that you caught a cold and I hope you're feeling much better now. You and Holli enjoy your last days on the ship and have a safe trip home.  I'll look forward to the next time you cruise and do your reporting.  Fair winds and following seas.

[PacnGoNow]

Has anyone else’s MDR dinner service slowed way down since our HNL stop?  Savoy is our MDR.  Thinking maybe the kitchen is short staffed?  Maybe it’s just our waiters?  Or, maybe it’s just me? 🤣

We did exchange a lot of crew in HNL.

Just curious.

[Musky Ike]

5 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Has anyone else’s MDR dinner service slowed way down since our HNL stop?  Savoy is our MDR.  Thinking maybe the kitchen is short staffed?  Maybe it’s just our waiters?  Or, maybe it’s just me? 🤣

We did exchange a lot of crew in HNL.

Just curious.

Noticed it in Santa Fe the last two nights as well. We did not do the MDR tonight. 

[travelin.sisters]

11 hours ago, milogurd said:

 

they still haven't fixed that?

[Pepes Pal]

32 minutes ago, travelin.sisters said:

they still haven't fixed that?

Hey there "Traveling.sisters", you are my neighbors here in San Pedro! 😉 Fun living here, isn't it?

Judy

[travelin.sisters]

39 minutes ago, Pepes Pal said:

Hey there "Traveling.sisters", you are my neighbors here in San Pedro! 😉 Fun living here, isn't it?

Judy

makes cruising easy, that's for sure

[Woobstr112G]

A big ooooops on my part. In my earlier morning post I reported that today was our last full sea day before arriving in Ensenada. I also lamented about loosing an hour tonight (which we are). Well I didn’t just go one hour ahead, I went a whole day ahead. What a big dummy I feel like as A little while ago, while at dinner, I was reminded that we have one more full sea day before we reach Ensenada. I feel like a big dummy…..

 

Bob

[abbydancer2003]

2 minutes ago, Woobstr112G said:

A big ooooops on my part. In my earlier morning post I reported that today was our last full sea day before arriving in Ensenada. I also lamented about loosing an hour tonight (which we are). Well I didn’t just go one hour ahead, I went a whole day ahead. What a big dummy I feel like as A little while ago, while at dinner, I was reminded that we have one more full sea day before we reach Ensenada. I feel like a big dummy…..

 

Bob

Don't - the several time changes are brutal.  (When we did east to west 5 hours  by the end we were on deck with 6 am joggers.  we're night people).

[Pepes Pal]

21 minutes ago, Woobstr112G said:

A big ooooops on my part. In my earlier morning post I reported that today was our last full sea day before arriving in Ensenada. I also lamented about loosing an hour tonight (which we are). Well I didn’t just go one hour ahead, I went a whole day ahead. What a big dummy I feel like as A little while ago, while at dinner, I was reminded that we have one more full sea day before we reach Ensenada. I feel like a big dummy…..

 

Bob

Don't apologize Bob. You've been amazing, keeping up with all of the questions, recovering from your cold etc. Glad you're feeling better. Remember we all make mistakes!! So now enjoy the last day tomorrow & then home again on Sunday!!

Judy

[Woobstr112G]

10 hours ago, pamps2801 said:

Ummmm, you mentioned that today is the last of 5 full sea days. Am I mistaken by saying, "tomorrow" would be the last of the "full sea days", before Ensenada(on Sunday), then L.A. on Monday ?

Definitely a big ooops on my part…..

 

Bob

[Woobstr112G]

6 hours ago, Sunviking said:

Bob, I have enjoyed reading your "Live from..." too and I know how much time it takes to do that from my own experience.  I also know that when you're doing a cruise with lots of sea days it's easy to lose track of what day it is, especially when you're changing time every day. (Sailing east and losing an hour every day is my least favorite BTW - I hate those 23 hour days!)  I think you've given everyone sailing on the Sapphire soon a good taste of what they will be experiencing.  I'm just sorry that you caught a cold and I hope you're feeling much better now. You and Holli enjoy your last days on the ship and have a safe trip home.  I'll look forward to the next time you cruise and do your reporting.  Fair winds and following seas.

Thanks Ann. With this being our 24th cruise, I feel like a dunce for making a rookie mistake…..

 

Bob

[Pepes Pal]

59 minutes ago, Pepes Pal said:

Don't apologize Bob. You've been amazing, keeping up with all of the questions, recovering from your cold etc. Glad you're feeling better. Remember we all make mistakes!! So now enjoy the last day tomorrow & then home again on Sunday!!

Judy

My oops now. I realize you'll be home on Monday. I needed a "Monday mornin' quarterback"!! 😂

[cr8tiv1]

Sabatini’s suite breakfast is different than at dinners when one is assigned to your table.  Everyone pitches in and it is excellent service.  I tip each person and the Assistant Manager.  
 

I asked the Assistant Manager how come the CB has breakfast on the last day and this is what he told me.

Since the restart (not on the Grand for me earlier), he said the Room Service was overwhelmed by Suites ordering breakfast.  So Princess decided it was easier to keep breakfast at Sabatini’s.  Not sure this is across the fleet.  Bob, will Sabatini’s be open on disembarkation morning.

 

@Woobstr112G, thank you so very much for doing a live report.  I’ve appreciated your bigger print and enjoyed your writing style.  

 

14 hours ago, san diego sue said:

Bob since you mentioned tips I will ask you.

The last cruise we were on we had a full suite.Rarely do we cruise in full suites. We enjoyed Sabatinis every morning for breakfast.

The staff working were incredible ladies all from the Ukraine. The last day before the cruise ended and final breakfast at Sabatinis, we tipped all of the ladies the same amount , no matter what their duties were. They all seemed surprised that we tipped them ( and we were generous). What really shocked me was that morning the restaurant was pretty empty. The regulars that we saw every morning never showed up. For the incredible service and this being Suite guests, I was surprised.I know extra tipping is optional but these ladies really made our cruise. Enjoyed the wonderful start of the day with them.  We were made to feel special. It was a 19 day cruise.

Bob what is done usually regarding tipping here. I know you mostly enjoy the Suite Life.

 

 

[JF - retired RRT]

15 hours ago, san diego sue said:

What really shocked me was that morning the restaurant was pretty empty. The regulars that we saw every morning never showed up. For the incredible service and this being Suite guests, I was surprised. I know extra tipping is optional but these ladies really made our cruise.

The same thing happens in the MDRs (at least in TD).

Edited October 28, 2023 by JF - retired RRT

[Woobstr112G]

Good morning from the beautiful Sapphire Princess. It is 0628 ship's time as I begin to type this. I slept in today due to our third and final eastbound loosing an hour. I really do not like these 23 hour days😩. Today, not yesterday, is our fifth and final full sea day as we journey towards Ensenada. As most of you know by now, I made a big faux pas yesterday as I actually thought it was our last and final sea day before we reached Ensenada. The events of yesterday, including how I finally realized my error, are quite interesting. 

 

So I woke up yesterday quite melancholy I thought it was the last day before we reached Ensenada. After Holli and I went to Sabatinis for breakfast, we returned to the room and talked about the days events which included pulling out the suitcases to begin packing. I asked Holli to try and get her packing mostly done so today (where I thought we'd be in Ensenada) she wouldn't be packing up to the last minute and could rest her problematic back. I was very proud of her that she pushed herself and got most of her packing done. I also completed about 85% of my packing. I then went to passenger services (guest services) and got some tip envelopes. After that, I organized all of our extra tips that I thought I'd be handing out today. 

 

After all of our grunt work was done, We enjoyed a pizza lunch on our balcony as we reminisced about the wonderful time we had on the Sapphire Princess. Holli then rested up for a couple hours before her hair appointment since last night was our third and formal night. For dining, we once again chose our favorite onboard establishment Sabatinis for dinner.

 

So we go to Sabatinis and once again enjoy a fabulous meal along with superb service. Towards the end of the meal the head waiter came to our table where we engaged in idle chit chat. As we talked, I asked him, just to confirm, that Sabatinis was only open till 0930 the next day (today) since we would be in Ensenada. The head waiter told me that tomorrow (today) was a sea day and breakfast hours would be the normal of 0730-1030. I looked at him with a little confusion then pulled out my cell phone and looked at the calendar. This when I realized my mistake and the fact that I simply lost a day in my head. I looked at Holli and sheepishly apologized for my screw up. We then finished our meal and returned to our cabin

 

Back in our cabin I got a well deserved lecture about my mistake. We both then had to pull some items out of our respective suitcases so we could enjoy today our REAL last full sea day sailing to Ensenada. Holli wasn't too made at me and we both ended up laughing about my forgetfulness. 

 

Today, since we did most of our end of cruise stuff yesterday, we don't have much planned. I will have to do some laundry later to have some nice smart casual clothes to wear to dinner tonight. We haven't decided yet where we will have dinner.

 

Today's entertainment options are as follows. A College Football game will be shown on MUTS at 0900. It will be Oklahoma vs Kansas. A second College Football game will be on MUTS at 1230 which will be the Oregon Ducks going up against Utah. The Princess World Orchestra will be in the Piazza at 1400. There is an enrichment lecture I am thinking of attending in the Explorers Lounge at 1430. It is about the "COPS" television shows and how real are they. For those that don't know, I was an LEO for a little over 39 years before retiring in 2020.

 

The ship's Hawaiian ambassadors will have a show in the Princess Theater at 1500. The movie Hocus Pocus 2 will screen on MUTS at 1630. At 1700 a College Football game will be shown in the Explorers Lounge. It will be Washington vs Stanford. Diamond Strings Duo will be in the Piazza at 1745 and 1845. Moondance Duo will be in the Wheelhouse bar at 1815, 2115, and 2215. The movie Top Gun Maverick will screen on MUTS at 1900 and 2130. There will be Acoustic Guitar and Vocals with Vangelis Tzatsos in the Wheelhouse Bar at 1915 and 2015. Janusz Bator will be in Crooners at 1930, 2100, and 2300. Vocalist Marco Romano will be in the Princess Theater at 1930 and 2130. Andy Morris will perform Hits from the 70's in the Piazza at 2015. There will be a Halloween party in Club Fusion at 2015. Gravity will play in Club Fusion at 2115. DJ Kalpesh will be in Skywalkers from 2200 onwards. Lastly there will be the Music of Ed Sheeran and Adele with Andy Morris at 2215 in the Piazza.

 

Well, that's all for now. Hope all are well.....

 

Bob