Sapphire 6/9-6/20 Entire Cruise Journal

[jrobinso]

great review. We are going to Alaska on a different ship, but enjoyed your Saphire experience. You should write professionally !!!!

Jan

[APH]

Pamwinn - Thankyou ever so much for taking the time to reply - It was a great help.:D :D :D

 

Andrew.

[halen10]

Pam and Rex,

You two sound the perfect couple to cruise with. It almost seems like you could have written the exact same article and substituted my wife and myself. You two are a real crack up! :D You said you took lots of pictures, have you posted them? My wife and I are taking the Sapphire on 8/29. We live in Seattle, well actually Federal Way, a little south of the airport. Hope you keep writing critics...they are fantastic.

Bob

[thebrat99]

One of the best reviews ever! Brought back memories of that wonderful place! Thank you for taking the time.

[Layla]

Pam and Rex - What a great review! It was like I was actually there with you. We're on the Star in December for back to backs and now I'm having real trouble waiting til then.

[lkmamom]

What a fantastic review! We enjoyed reading every bit of your review wish we could have gone with you, it sounds as though you had a great time.

 

We loved the bear story. It seems that is the way it always happens with wildlife sightings, I'm so glad that Rex got to see what he wanted. How did you like the Highlander Pam? We just traded the Jeep in for one and we love it, great SUV.

 

If you have time, any tips that you might share about the restaurants. We are signed up for PC dining again, though I would truly someday like to try Traditional. PC has always worked so well for us. Was there a particular restaurant that you liked, or something that we should not miss?

 

Also, a question about Seattle. How was the Grayline shuttle, any problems there? Are there any aspects of your trip that you would do differently next visit?

 

Thanks again for all of your info, it is such a great help. You guys are the greatest.

Linda

[pamwinn]

What a fantastic review! We enjoyed reading every bit of your review wish we could have gone with you, it sounds as though you had a great time.

 

We loved the bear story. It seems that is the way it always happens with wildlife sightings, I'm so glad that Rex got to see what he wanted. How did you like the Highlander Pam? We just traded the Jeep in for one and we love it, great SUV.

 

If you have time, any tips that you might share about the restaurants. We are signed up for PC dining again, though I would truly someday like to try Traditional. PC has always worked so well for us. Was there a particular restaurant that you liked, or something that we should not miss?

 

Also, a question about Seattle. How was the Grayline shuttle, any problems there? Are there any aspects of your trip that you would do differently next visit?

 

Thanks again for all of your info, it is such a great help. You guys are the greatest.

Linda

 

I loved the Highlander. It rides much better than my 4-Runner. I think men prefer the 4-Runners though. We are toyota fans anyway. We also have a Tundra.

 

I think the secret to the PC dining rooms is to go early (by 6) or late (after 8:30) We never had a problem or a wait after 8:30. The only time we had to wait in fact was the one time we made a reservation. It was at a busy time and we had to wait for all the people ahead of us to be seated even though they did not have reservations. Go figure. I liked all the restaurants so just make sure you make it around to each one and maybe split something if you want to dine from the traditional menu.

 

We don't have any regrets, the cruise was perfect. I think that I'll rent a car in Victoria the next time and probably Juneau too. We go for the scenery more than anything else. If I hadn't already taken the Floatplane in Ketchikan into Misty Fjords, I'd have done that this time. It is not to be missed. I may do that again sometime. If you are planning on taking any of the cruiselines bus tours I think you 'd be much happier renting a car. It really is easy to get around in all those cities.

 

If you feel the urge to buy some amolite, get it in Victoria...hundreds of dollars less than in Alaska.

 

The grayline shuttle worked out perfectly for us. It passes the major hotels about every 30 minutes or so. It was not crowded, it was clean and very convenient. It's cheaper and more comfortable than a taxi.

[pamwinn]

Here is a picture of the bear.

[rxmurphy]

I still think the bear is Murray in disguise!!

[Richard Stein]

The cruise critic party on the second day went well. I was nice to spend several hours with Pam and Rex, Lisa and Erik, Bronwyn and Stewart, Dawn and Curtis, Andi and Todd, Karl and Ruth and all our cruise critic friends. Kudos to Pamwinn for getting her elite status. That 2 day cruise may have been worth it. We missed our shore excursion in Jueneau when they just got to our number and sent everyone down. Got to shore and our whake watching excursion had left. If it not for tendering and getting off the ship problems in Victoria I would have considered it one of my better princess cruises. We had good meals, friends and service in the international dining room. No problems in the cabin except for the toilet. Crew was fine and I gave them a deposit for a future cruise. Hope to meet you and Rex on a future cruise.

 

Horizon, 9/5/04, Sapphire Princess, 6/13/004, Zuiderdam-2003,

Constellation -2003, Infinity-2002, Vision of the Seas-2002,

Mercury-2001, Norwegian Sky-2000, Horizon-2000, Ryndam-1999, Grand Princess-1999, Westerdam-1998, Grand Princess-1998, Oriania-1997

1985-1996-3-HAL, 1-RCCL, 2-NCL, 11-Princess, 1-Royal, 1-Cunard

[Florida Beach]

The cruise critic party on the second day went well. I was nice to spend several hours with Pam and Rex, Lisa and Erik, Bronwyn and Stewart, Dawn and Curtis, Andi and Todd, Karl and Ruth and all our cruise critic friends.

I can't find your well written review anymore. Did something dropped during the move to the new board? Please advice :)

 

BTW, can anyone tell me the closing time of PC dining? Thanks :)

[Commodore Suzy]

Oh, I loved your journal. You guys are so awesome. I wish Charles and I could cruise with you again!

[strawberryblonde]

Thanks for posting your report! We are booked on the Sapphire for Jan. 2005. and yours is the first Sapphire report I've seen. Enjoyed the read :) .

[srphnx]

I can't find your well written review anymore. Did something dropped during the move to the new board? Please advice :)

 

BTW, can anyone tell me the closing time of PC dining? Thanks :)

10:00 p.m. but they get kinda frowny at 5 till 10.

[violet1960]

Pam and Rex,

 

a simply wonderful journal!

 

High School teachers..whew, what subjects?

 

Have you booked that open cruise? it probably doesn't fit into your school schedule, but there are a group of us (with developed senses of humor, similar to your's and rex's) cruising on the Diamond to Mexico on November 27. I have never met any of them, but the roll call thread sure is fun.

 

Violet

[srphnx]

Ah shucks Violet, nice plug for the gang, we are the most prolic post in roll calls I can find these days.

[meyerhaus]

Pamwinn,

 

GREAT REVIEW! I would love to post your Patters & Menus to my site. Everybody wants to see them. :D

 

We can: a)have you mail them (or copies) to me, b)have you scan them and email me the pics or snail mail a CD to me. :D

 

Or, if you prefer not to, I understand! :o

 

JON

[Richard Stein]

They dumped the cruise review section and the links so he it is again:

 

Review of the 6/13-6/20 Inaugural Voyage of Sapphire Princess by Dick Stein. This was our 15th Princess Cruise, our 6th Alaska Cruise and I have at least 6 cruises each on HAL and Celebrity.

 

I arrived a day early on a non stop flight from Cleveland on Continental. After being screwed by the cruise lines for over 10 years, I do all my own arrangements. Stayed at Holiday inn express at airport and was upgraded to a suite at no extra cost. Enjoyed the stay and free breakfast. Went to airport with bags. Princess wanted $18 for one way transfer, told them no thanks and proceeded to Gray line booth near end of baggage area. Purchased a round trip ticket for me and my wife for $20 each on cruise express. Waited 15 minutes for bus, transferred Downtown to different bus and proceed to port with 8 on board. Only 2 got off at Princess. They took bag immediately. Had to stand in line till I got to door and showed them my Platinum embark. Was taken to desk and was on ship in 10 minutes. The Platinum Captain's Circle check-in is a great time saver.

 

Cabins: The cabin C612 (cat. BA) was attractively decorated and good sized for the price. The balcony, while large, offers little privacy if your cabin is on Caribe deck. Another design flaw is the shower, much smaller than Celebrity and by you get a bath/shower on HAL in this category. It also has a fixed shower head, instead of a hose and wand arrangement like Celebrity offers. Toilet would not flush two time and was fixed within hours. Cabin service was efficient and unobtrusive.

 

Public Areas: The public areas are nice and never feel crowded. The ship doesn't feel 113,000 grt. Enjoyed the small intimate bars. Met numerous passenger that I had talked with previously on the internet. We had a small party for 6 couples on the second day in the Promenade bar where we spent two hours talking. They had good shows on board and the comedians were great. Had a Platinum Cocktail party with the Captain and officers in wheel house bar. I was great I met some more good people and got a free picture with Captain. The bars had a buy 5, pay for four Becks light special on the Lido bars. I got this all cruise and put them in the cabin fridge.

 

I requested 2nd seating traditional dining when I booked and was told it was guaranteed, wrong. I went to find what table they had me assigned and found they had put me in Personal Choice. I raised a stink and got table 44 2nd seating traditional. Had the best tablemate of any of my 31 cruises and a good waiter too. We ate all our meals here except when we took the Butchart garden tour we go back to the ship and had to eat in the Lido. It was a jungle with total disorganization. There were A LOT of dining options including personal choice dining in one of the three main dining rooms. I heard numerous complaint about the personal choice dining where you could not get times requested and were rushed so they could get more in. Open seatings for breakfast and lunch in the International Dining room was easy..no lines and no wait. Interestingly, the attendance in the main dining rooms was far less that capacity.probable due to the number of choices. Had pizza and burgers several times. The afternoon tea in Pacific Moon dining room was the worst I ever attended. The served me tea and no body brought me anything so I left after a half hour, they had no scones any way so how can you call it a tea. All the restaurants were nicely decorated and the food in the International Dining room was good, but not up to Celebrity standards. The food in other areas was like a cheap cafeteria. The did have free ice cream in the Lido at 3:45 and I enjoyed it for three day and they others discovered it and the lines became too long.

 

Tours: We schedule nothing in Ketchikan as we had been there before so we shopped and found some bargains. In Juneau we schedules whale watching. We were supposed to dock at 2:30, but the Coral didn’t leave till 4:00 and we docked at 5:00. The tour was at 3:30 and I got a tender ticket before 2:30. The tendering was a disaster. They did not take the tours first and they got to my number at 3:45 and sent everyone down at once. My wife was pushed into wall and injured her knee. When in got on shore at 4:00 the tour had left, I got my money back with me being bitter and having an injured wife. In Skagway we did the train ride and it is a must do. Victoria was another disaster- we were doing the Butchart Gardens. We had done them on Celebrity two years earlier and had 3 hours at the gardens and an air conditioned bus. Leaving the ship was a disaster as they let everyone off at once, we stood in the longest line I have ever seen for an hour. The buses were WWII double decker that used to be in London during the war. The seats were small, I had to stand. They were hot and barely made it up the hills. It took an hour to get to and from the gardened in these saunas on wheels. You only had an hour and a half in the gardens and I consider this tour a waste of money for the time you get and how you go. The gardens are wonderful, but Princess let me down.

 

Disembarkation: This was smooth. They had a the Wheel house bars set up for suite, platinum and elite members and it was great. The had coffee, juice and pastries and papers to read. The put me on a Gray line bus quickly and I got to the airport faster going than coming.

 

Overall, I was satisfied. The gave us a nice little gift on last day and I got my elite pin. I put a $200 deposit down on a future cruise. Some on the problems were first cruise jitters. Princess will get a complaint letter on some of the problems mentioned above, but I will sail them again. They do have the most balcony’s, give good value and their people are friendly.

[Florida Beach]

10:00 p.m. but they get kinda frowny at 5 till 10.

Thanks Steve. Just wanna be sure we come back on time for dinner :)

 

Thanks Richard for re-post your review. We just want to be prepared :)

[Richard Stein]

Hopefully the tendering in Juneau will get better as season goes on. Please advise us. And in Victoria hopefully they will have two card reader working to let people off and it will not be such a mess. Certain excursions do no get you back for dinner in the dining room in Victoria and the Lido was a nightmare and some of the food was not fully cooked. Advise us after you go how these thing were? Look forward to hearing if things got better.

[Painter]

What a funny movie this review would make...I just couldn't help laughing...especially the episode with the shower curtain.

Your my kind o' gal.

 

Marleneann.

[nursewurmy]

do you have the patters that I could look at I am bringing my elderly parents and aunt and I am trying to plan for them for activities. I would appreciate it.

[pamwinn]

I have the patters in my scrapbook but no way to scan them...new computer, old scanner. I can look stuff up for you though.

[joyride]

Pam & Rex - your journal was wonderful - honest, funny and never boring! Suzy advised me to read it and thinks we should cruise together someday since we are both such Grey Goose fans! Rod and I are doing Alaska again next August on the Island Princess. We went bear watching last trip - so our big thing we want to see now is a MOOSE!!

[peagreenid]

Pam-

 

Loved the Review....I died laughing. We have the same cabin for our cruise on the Sapphire for 9/5/04. I sure hope the TV and air are working then. Although my DH would love to leave the balcony door open every night.

 

smiles Patty