Live from the Land of Princess

[YVRteacher]

I went back to the cabin to put pants on before my shore excursion and Guest Services called. They were following up on the cleanliness and smell in the cabin. I told her everything had been cleaned and the smell was gone. She then offered me a sizeable future cruise credit with Princess! I think my jaw dropped and there was a moment of silence while I comprehended this.

 

I did not ask for compensation and I didn’t expect it. Of course I accepted and said thank you. This is impressive customer service. 

[latebloomer56]

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

We are in Ireland today! 
My first time on the Emerald Isle! I have an excursion that involves exploring Cork and sampling Jameson Whiskey. It’s going to be a great day!

 

Are there any traditional Irish foods and drinks I should try? Please don’t recommend lamb. 

Colcannon I would think as it doesn't contain meat, however it can be very bland. They have this veggie stuff everyone likes (not me to processed) was told by a co-worker who lives there she has it on bread.

[YVRteacher]

Vegemite? 

[Justpackingmybags]

Colcannon and champ are both mashed potato dishes with plenty of butter!

Find a veggie main & add a side of one of them. The Irish do magic with spuds

[YVRteacher]

I just googled Colcannon.

 

Why would you ruin delicious mashed potatoes by adding cabbage? (I try not to be judgy about foods but I like my mashed potatoes without the addition of cruciferous vegetables.)

[YVRteacher]

Can anyone recommend an Irish treat? I think that is more “me.”

[latebloomer56]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

What is Colcannon and Champ?

Co-worker made colcannon for my brother potatoes, cabbage, and onion mashed together then fried a little like a pancake but took up my cast iron. He loved the little brown bits had an egg on it for his meal. He's vegetarian as well.

[kb4683]

😋Boxty (Wikipedia)

Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake. The dish is mostly associated with the north midlands, north Connacht and southern Ulster, in particular the counties of Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Fermanagh, Longford, and Cavan. There are many recipes but all contain finely grated, raw potatoes and all are served fried.

[Justpackingmybags]

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Can anyone recommend an Irish treat? I think that is more “me.”

Champ has green onion rather than cabbage.

Soda bread, freshly baked with a tonne of butter and jam!

Barm brack- oh no, sorry, it has raisins in it!

Irish cheeses - Cashel blue,Gubbeen, Porter cheeses.

 

[YVRteacher]

The people on my shore excursion bus smell like the cast of Cocoon.

[dog]

17 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

I went back to the cabin to put pants on before my shore excursion and Guest Services called. They were following up on the cleanliness and smell in the cabin. I told her everything had been cleaned and the smell was gone. She then offered me a sizeable future cruise credit with Princess! I think my jaw dropped and there was a moment of silence while I comprehended this.

 

I did not ask for compensation and I didn’t expect it. Of course I accepted and said thank you. This is impressive customer service. 

Bravo!

So glad you took the first step to rectify your issues at the start.

 

I’ve done this cruise twice on Princess and loved my cruises.

[kb4683]

Well, my all-time favorite treat would be —

 

 

[dickinson]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

I went back to the cabin to put pants on before my shore excursion and Guest Services called. They were following up on the cleanliness and smell in the cabin. I told her everything had been cleaned and the smell was gone. She then offered me a sizeable future cruise credit with Princess! I think my jaw dropped and there was a moment of silence while I comprehended this.

 

I did not ask for compensation and I didn’t expect it. Of course I accepted and said thank you. This is impressive customer service. 

Wonderful!  That is how customer service should work.  Follow up and also offer compensation if warranted.  It feels so much better when they offer it as opposed to you having to ask for it.

[azbirdmom]

An Irish treat?  Guinness!  We stopped at the Guinness Storehouse last year as a stop on our HOHO in Dublin.  I usually avoid dark beer like the plague but it was free at the end of the tour and tasted great.  The views in the bar area there are amazing with floor to ceiling windows and  you can walk all the way around to get a panoramic view of Dublin.  Well worth the stop.

[schmoopie17]

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

She then offered me a sizeable future cruise credit with Princess! I think my jaw dropped and there was a moment of silence while I comprehended this.

 

Good for you.

 

Not so good for your loyal followers in steerage (the NCL board).

 

We'll have to keep making the long, laborious (or is it labourious?) trek to the glamorous (or is it glamourous?) Princess board to keep up with your jaunts.

[Yehootu]

25 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

An Irish treat?  Guinness!  We stopped at the Guinness Storehouse last year as a stop on our HOHO in Dublin.  I usually avoid dark beer like the plague

Not a big fan of Guinness but the one I had at Blarney Castle sure was good.

[azbirdmom]

1 minute ago, Yehootu said:

Not a big fan of Guinness but the one I had at Blarney Castle sure was good.

 

I don't know how this can be but the "Beertender" at Guinness said it tastes different there.  I won't test out that theory here in the USA LOL.

[SenatorsFan]

Good for you @YVRteacher. I'm glad Princess recognized their missteps and made it right for you.

[bluesea777]

3 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Vegemite? 

 

As a Marmite lover, I tried Vegemite and didn't like it! Vegemite is Australian version of Marmite (UK).

 

Both are acquired taste so you either like either or not. I started on Marmite while in boarding school in UK during my teen years and now love it on toast, crumpets, on toast when having poached egg on toast.

 

Both M & V are suitable for vegetarians.

 

P.S. Still enjoying your review and photos, keep it up. Hint: we're jumping lines next year!! 

 

[ceilidh1]

The Irish like their apple cake and their soda bread (try to find a soda bread cookie). And Baileys. Lots of Baileys.

[kluv2cruz]

5 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I just avoid the piazza but that means avoiding a lot of great restaurants and bars on the ship.

We quite carefully timed our visits to places around the music and games. Not easy as it seemed activities were constant. Definitely an issue with this class of ship, but not all Princess ships are like this. It’s a shame to not be able to go to International cafe and have a latte in their china cups and enjoy a breakfast treat (muesli bars, egg circles, and pieces of grapefruit are my go to choices). 
 

If you’re sampling Jameson at the factory, be sure to look up at the chandelier!

 

Edited July 28 by kluv2cruz

[JGmf]

6 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I doubt the music in the piazza will be toned down (it wasn’t yesterday) and they can’t remove the smoke from the casino (oh wait-they could make it non smoking!) so I just avoid the piazza but that means avoiding a lot of great restaurants and bars on the ship.

 

Just returned from a week on the Enchanted. I'm not a fan of library-quiet spaces while I'm on vacation. I love having music piped-in or performed live, and in fact, asked for the volume to be turned up at the Retreat pool as that music was imperceptible.

 

That said, I totally agree with the chorus of complaints about the volume levels in the Piazza.  It's totally ridiculous and not fitting the multi-use functions of the adjacent spaces.  Geez, I spent a lot of time hanging out the Bellini bar two decks up couldn't even hear the bartender when a live act was playing.

 

Princess: someone turn-down the amplifiers and install sound meters to regulate volume please!

[Muckyduckway]

If you haven't already, definitely have a real Irish Coffee - many places in the world, even sometimes in Ireland use whipped cream or some travesty that masquerades as cream. Real Irish Coffee has cream poured over the back of a spoon to allow it to settle on top of the coffee-whiskey mix. Yum.

 

Tayto crisps are craved by Irish people when abroad (both versions!)

 

Anything with apples.

 

Many Irish bakery goods contain dried fruit, which I think we all know is not going to be favourably received!

 

Bailey's chocolates and bars are nice and made here.  Butlers chocolate is probably the best quality Irish chocolate maker.

 

If I think of something I think you might like, I'll come back.

 

As you like to learn about the culture of the places you visit, I thought you'd like to know that the All-Ireland Final (Gaelic football) was played today.  Cork and Dublin didn't make it to the final so you may not encounter anything.

 

Welcome to Ireland! 😀

 

 

[Muckyduckway]

The best baked goods tend to be in garden centres and cafes in independent furniture or department stores!  Not sure about that far south, but they often make delicious scones with interesting fillings like Apple and Cinnamon, Mars Bar, Raspberry and White Chocolate, pineapple and Coconut, etc etc

[YVRteacher]

5 hours ago, kb4683 said:

Well, my all-time favorite treat would be —

 

 

Oh-that looks so good!!!!