Galveston -- Easy boarding Regal today Jan 21, 2024

[satxdiver]

We are on the Dream and crossing the Gulf to Galveston for  a port return tomorrow.  The ship hit a storm in the Gulf and we were all sent back to our cabins at about 1:30.  We were just released at 4:07 from our cabins to again roam the ship but not on the Lido and other open decks.  In all our cruises we have never been sent to our cabins so this is the first time.

[nini]

9 hours ago, satxdiver said:

We are on the Dream and crossing the Gulf to Galveston for  a port return tomorrow.  The ship hit a storm in the Gulf and we were all sent back to our cabins at about 1:30.  We were just released at 4:07 from our cabins to again roam the ship but not on the Lido and other open decks.  In all our cruises we have never been sent to our cabins so this is the first time.

You are on the Dream? I guess that is a ship. Which cruise line?

[CC Rider 69]

4 hours ago, nini said:

You are on the Dream? I guess that is a ship. Which cruise line?

He's on Carnival Dream, docking as we speak in Galveston.

[Paula_MacFan]

14 hours ago, satxdiver said:

We are on the Dream and crossing the Gulf to Galveston for  a port return tomorrow.  The ship hit a storm in the Gulf and we were all sent back to our cabins at about 1:30.  We were just released at 4:07 from our cabins to again roam the ship but not on the Lido and other open decks.  In all our cruises we have never been sent to our cabins so this is the first time.

 

Wow! Hope your disembarkation goes smoothly today. Appreciate your insight as we are crossing the Gulf today. We've had high winds throughout the trip but did have a lovely day yesterday in Cozumel. Finally got our beach day. 

 

I've never been sent to cabins either in my many years of cruising, but they did advise caution on the open decks and closed off the pools and some walking areas.

 

 

[nini]

6 hours ago, CC Rider 69 said:

He's on Carnival Dream, docking as we speak in Galveston.

 

Thanks. I guess that I thought it was odd that he was posting on Princess and assumed everyone would know what he is talking about.

[Paula_MacFan]

We're attending the behind the scenes talk with staff, and they announced today is captain's rollover day. Two captains onboard, prior one leaving tomorrow and new one taking over on the next sailing. 

 

Also mentioned some system training being done here to test some things for upcoming Sun deployment. No mentions of the inaugural delay.

 

Side note we've seen many medical staff attend to passenger mishaps on this cruise. We've seen 4 people fall, 2 on the ship, one at the Cozumel pier, and one getting on tender. Each time medical response was swift.

[eclue]

1 hour ago, Paula_MacFan said:

We're attending the behind the scenes talk with staff, and they announced today is captain's rollover day. Two captains onboard, prior one leaving tomorrow and new one taking over on the next sailing. 

 

Also mentioned some system training being done here to test some things for upcoming Sun deployment. No mentions of the inaugural delay.

 

Side note we've seen many medical staff attend to passenger mishaps on this cruise. We've seen 4 people fall, 2 on the ship, one at the Cozumel pier, and one getting on tender. Each time medical response was swift.

Do you know who is the new captain coming on?  Aldo is great fun - sorry to see him leaving as we will be back on the 18th.

[Paula_MacFan]

44 minutes ago, eclue said:

Do you know who is the new captain coming on?  Aldo is great fun - sorry to see him leaving as we will be back on the 18th.

 

They said the name but I didn't catch it. After the 'behind the scenes' talk put on by the cruise director we stayed for the 2nd officer's navigation talk. He reiterated the current captain was leaving as well. He further said all ships have 2 captains since they all do 3 months on and 3 months home. So for the 17 Princess ships the company will always have 40 - 45 active captains under contract. 

 

Even after 20 years of cruising I learn new things from these talks and enrichment speakers.

Edited January 27 by Paula_MacFan

[Paula_MacFan]

We haven't docked yet but have already received our post cruise surveys.

 

Hoping our disembarkation goes smoothly. That's been a criticism noted in recent reviews. We always do express walkoff.

 

We had a fun week but are ready to head home. Looking forward to our next Princess adventure in 3.5 months.

[Paula_MacFan]

We lined up for walkoff at 7:15 on deck 7 by the Wheelhouse. Line started moving at 7:25. In our car heading home by 7:37.

 

Easiest and quickest disembarkation from Galveston ever. We left from pier 25 and returned to pier 28 but they are right next to each other so it was fine. Two minute walk back to car.

[cruisinsince75]

Did they do facial recognition for customs?

[Paula_MacFan]

6 minutes ago, cruisinsince75 said:

Did they do facial recognition for customs?

Nope, quick glance at our passports and on our way.

[cruisinsince75]

1 minute ago, Paula_MacFan said:

Nope, quick glance at our passports and on our way.

👍

[TheMichael]

4 hours ago, Paula_MacFan said:

Nope, quick glance at our passports and on our way.

 

That was the same last week as well - for all intents and purposes there really was no Customs, and that's the primary reason disembarkation moved so smoothly.

 

Maybe the Governor kicked out all of the US border staff. 😄

[2and2]

6 hours ago, Paula_MacFan said:

Nope, quick glance at our passports and on our way.

How do you do express walk off ?  Is it difficult? What is the other choice like?

[TheMichael]

16 minutes ago, 2and2 said:

How do you do express walk off ?  Is it difficult? What is the other choice like?

 

The difficulty varies according to how easy it is to take all of your own luggage off the ship with you. The "express walk-off" folks can go first because they don't have to wait for bags. I think it's called "self-disembarkation" or "self-assist" on some other lines.

 

The other choices have you put your luggage outside your room the night before disembarkation, then baggage handlers schlep them off the ship so you can pick them up just before customs, and for that you're assigned a "group" that theoretically corresponds with the order the baggage handlers put out the bags. You go sit at a designated place on the ship and wait for your group to be called.

 

Edited January 29 by TheMichael

[Paula_MacFan]

1 hour ago, 2and2 said:

How do you do express walk off ?  Is it difficult? What is the other choice like?

 

A few days before the end of the cruise you get a form in your cabin asking when and how you want to disembark.  If you're physically capable of handling you own luggage you can do the express walkoff option and be in the first group off the ship as soon as they are cleared to disembark passengers. 

 

The other choice is you put your bags out the night before to be collected by cruise staff (in this case it was no later than 8:30) and then the next day you leave in your assigned time group.  Then you search for your bags in a gigantic warehouse by group.  We did that option the first time we cruised and have never done it again.  We always take off our own luggage and disembark in the first group.  

[fedexretiree]

Back in 2015 we sailed on the Regal.  At that time the buffet was AMAZING.   I'm a shrimp lover and there were several dishes that had shrimp to choose from each night. I'm going to assume that after all the cutbacks there is a major difference in the buffet food now.   Would like to hear anyone's experience lately in the buffet. My husband is a meat and taters guy so typically he prefers the buffet too.

[nini]

9 hours ago, fedexretiree said:

Back in 2015 we sailed on the Regal.  At that time the buffet was AMAZING.   I'm a shrimp lover and there were several dishes that had shrimp to choose from each night. I'm going to assume that after all the cutbacks there is a major difference in the buffet food now.   Would like to hear anyone's experience lately in the buffet. My husband is a meat and taters guy so typically he prefers the buffet too.

 

We sailed on the Sky last June. Once in a while they had shrimp in the buffet. There is no problem finding "meat and taters" in the buffet or any food venue on the ship.

[TheMichael]

21 hours ago, fedexretiree said:

Back in 2015 we sailed on the Regal.  At that time the buffet was AMAZING.   I'm a shrimp lover and there were several dishes that had shrimp to choose from each night. I'm going to assume that after all the cutbacks there is a major difference in the buffet food now.   Would like to hear anyone's experience lately in the buffet. My husband is a meat and taters guy so typically he prefers the buffet too.

 

I remember when you could go to Las Vegas and get a shrimp cocktail with whole, large shrimp for 99¢. Then it became shrimp fragments for $1.99, and nowadays good luck finding it at all for less than $8-10. I think you can chalk it up to both desire to increase profit margin to please investors, and  overharvesting, er, "supply chain issues."

Edited January 30 by TheMichael