****Live from the Grand Princess****

[T&J]

We'll just came back from another 2.5 hour meal again tonight. Tonight they made us a nice antipasto for an appetizer. I then had the Blue Point Clams and a walnut and blue cheese salad with honey mustard dressing and Cahteaubrian med-rare. Dessert was fabulous...Grand Marinier chocolate cake with Zuppe Ingles ice cream and coffee. We also had bottles of Veve Cliquot for dinner so no one is feeling any pain right about now.

 

The lines to the Dinning Room tonight were outrageous...thank god they have a table blocked off for us or else we would still be standing in line!

 

I am going to the cabin and brush my teeth and go to the "office" for a while. Javier and Sharon I believe are going to take in one of the Production Shows in the Princess Theatre.

 

Tomorrow morning we arrive in Mykonos, Greece at 7:00am and set sail at 2:00pm.

 

More to come tomorrow morning from the Grand Princess.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[Ruthith]

It's like a coming attraction for our cruise!

 

Are you on personal choice dining? If so, do you have a dining room preference? When we were on the sapphire, we found this great nook that had just 3 tables of 2 - we felt it was like our own private dining room. Hoping to find something like that again.

 

I'll keep reading...

 

Ruth

[suzieque]

Hi Tony,

I am having a ball following your trip! Never have done personal choice dining. Do they still offer the regular late seating? When you do personal choice, do they add people to your table, or are you always with only Javier and Sharon? As for SF when you Arlene & Milt come through, just let me know whenever you get your plans set. It would be wonderful to see you all again!

 

For now, I look forward to reading your journal of this trip.

Suzie

[meselibibob]

Tony,

 

Really enjoying reading all your posts. Do you know what time the Grand Princess might be sailing by the Doge's Palace, St. Mark Square, etc. on Saturday evening? Since we will be in Venice then, I would love to be able to see the Grand as she sails in. Thanks and enjoy every minute of your cruise.

[balanceok]

What did I miss? What is going to the "office"?

[T&J]

What did I miss? What is going to the "office"?

 

Office=CASINO!:D

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

It's like a coming attraction for our cruise!

 

Are you on personal choice dining? If so, do you have a dining room preference? When we were on the sapphire, we found this great nook that had just 3 tables of 2 - we felt it was like our own private dining room. Hoping to find something like that again.

 

I'll keep reading...

 

Ruth

 

Yes we are on Personal Choice Dinning. I prefer the Da Vinci Dinning Room. Don't know about the "nook" on this ships dinning room but I'll peek around maybe for you and see what I find.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Hi Tony,

I am having a ball following your trip! Never have done personal choice dining. Do they still offer the regular late seating? When you do personal choice, do they add people to your table, or are you always with only Javier and Sharon? As for SF when you Arlene & Milt come through, just let me know whenever you get your plans set. It would be wonderful to see you all again!

 

For now, I look forward to reading your journal of this trip.

Suzie

 

Yes Suzie, you can do Traditioal First or Second seating in the Botacelli Dinning Room as well on this ship as well as Personal Choice. In our case they have given us the same table for the entire two cruises and it's a beautifull table for 4 by the window.

 

Suzie as soon as I get my plane tickets booked for that trip I'll let you know.

 

Thanks again for the invite.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Good morningt from Mykonos, Greece.

 

I got up this moring very early at 5:50am and as I was getting ready we were pulling in along the Mykonos shoreline. What an amzing view and the sea is so calm here as the sun is coming up over the moutains. Such a peacefull setting...no wonder my Mother loved this island as I remember our many times here previously.

 

We have been along our berth for the past 15 minutes and just waiting for them to clear teh ship by the local authorities to go ashore. Javier and Sharon and I have decided to meet for breakfast at 8:00am and then head in around 9:00am. We are here gfrom 7:00am until 2:00pm, however most stores and shops will not be open util well after 10:00am. On the next cruise we stop in Mykonos again, however we will be here from 7:00am until 6:00pm which will permitt us to better enjoy the full day in Mykonos.

 

The weather today is forecast high of 88F and sunny and dry weather. the sun in the Greek Islands can be very intense even with sunblocker on.

 

Shuttle Info: There is an indepedant shuttle service for 3 euros each way that runs from 7:45am and runs every 15 minutes in each direction and drops you off at the Mykonos Yatch Club in town. However, my experience is that you can walk the 1.3 miles into town no problem. It takes all of 20 minutes perhaps and if you get out early enough you don't have to worry about a lot traffic on the road (only one) as there is no sidewalks going into town. Gala deck mid ship deck 4 is where we usually disembark.

 

ENTERTAINMENT for TONIGHT:

 

Mission Impossible III on the MUTS tonight 8:00 and 10:30pm ...I will be going to see this movie tonight at 10:30pm for sure.

 

Bernie Fields is in the Vista Showlounge and I just had him on the Pacific Princess this summer.

 

Paul Burton fans...he is playing in the Promenade Lounge tonight from 9:00pm until late and also doing a "name that tune" from 9:45pm onwards as well.

 

"Cinematastic" is on for one night only in the Princess theatre and is a salute to some of the bigget movies on the silver screen. I haven't seen this one or heard of this one that I can remember at 8:30pm and 10:30pm.

 

More to follow later today from Grand Princess.

 

Tony and Javier

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[tequilasunrise]

Tony,

 

Thanks for posting all of this. I'm having a fabulous time on your trip!!!! ;)

[T&J]

Tony,

 

Thanks for posting all of this. I'm having a fabulous time on your trip!!!! ;)

Glad you are enjoying the postings!Tony

[T&J]

We left the ship this morning at approx. 8:15am and I am glad we did since it must have been already 90F at that point.We walked along the hillside and shoreline into Mykonos and it took us approx. 25 minutes at leisurely pace. The water today was very calm and warm as I always remember it. The island was relatively quiet for this time of year but you could tell that a Grand Class ship was in as all of a sudden the island became crowded very quickly.We walked along the boardwalk and piers and did soem shopping and had some Greek vine at 10:00am...only in the islands ny freinds can you drink so early. I found the island to be very clean and not over commercialized as i thought it might become having been here several times before in the past.You can rent scooters for the day at 25 euros and a small car from 50 euros as well. It is fairly safe to rent a scooter IMHO but be carefull. We plan on exploring more of the island on the next cruise when we are here from 7:00am to 6:00pm which will give us more time.The sun is very intense here as well on Santorini and Rhodes. apply lots of sunblocker before leaving the ship. We are all burnt to a crisp in certain spots were we missed applying sunscreen and only being out 4 hours.We set sail for Istanbul, Trukey at 2:00pm this afternoon and arrive at 7:00am until 7:00pm tomorrow.Going for lunch fairly soon as well as I am hubgry from all that walking!This afternoon's agenda: Pool, snooze and booze!...might have to crack open the Limoncello again!More to come later today from the Grand Princess.Tony and Javier

[T&J]

We just left Mykonos about 1:30 minutes ago and the scenery is just amazing as we sail past the island and Delos and other smaller islands. The winds are gentle from the west and it's a sunny bright day here in the Greek Islands.

 

Had a little "siesta" this afternoon and now just getting ready to go to the gym and after a pre-dinner cocktail or two!:D

 

The lounge chair by all the pools are taken with people out taking in as much carcinegens as possible! Shake and bake by the pool is the program for today....

 

More to come later today from the Grand Princess.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Just came back from the gym...boy was it packed this afternoon! A lot of people took advanctage of the fact that we left Myknos early and decided to get a jump start on they're afternoon activties. Even the internet cafe has a queue and the three terminlas at the Library are being used as well.

 

I am thinking of going and finding Sharon and Javier somewhere outside by one of the 4 pools as I am sure they are lounging out in the sun....those worshippers!

 

Might even go now to the Horizon Court for a quick snack...kinda defeats the purpose of working out for an hour on a treadmill no?

 

More to follow later tonight from the Grand Princess.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

OK I have been posting all day...where's all the "regulars"? Anyways went and had an Appletini just now and it was nummy nums!

Getting ready to go to dinner and going to shower now.

 

More to come later from the Grand Princess.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[Ruthith]

Hey Tony!

 

Boy, what a life! Sounds heavenly. So the gym is really crowded, huh? Wonder what it will be like early in the morning next week. I am fanatical about working out in the morning - hate leaving it to the afternoon - but I may need to bend, I guess.

 

Re: the "nook" - on the Sapphire Princess, it was sort of tucked in to the left of where you walk in against the wall (backing up to the stairway, I guess). If you walked in past the maitre d', and took a left around a partition, it was set back there.

 

I hope they show the Tina TUrner again. What's it been like on deck at night? Still hot, or does it cool off?

 

-Ruth

[arlenemilt]

OK I have been posting all day...where's all the "regulars"? Anyways went and had an Appletini just now and it was nummy nums!

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

Here I am! Just mention Appletinis and I pop right up. :)

As to walking 1.3 miles in 20 minutes; we can, most can't. We're the ones who run on that treadmill every morning. I just adore Mykonos.

Arlene

[TorontoTL]

Love the Greek Islands! Mykonos is lovely of course.

 

Tony, I believe that you love the smaller class ships, do you think you'd book a Grand Class ship again?

[T&J]

Love the Greek Islands! Mykonos is lovely of course.

 

Tony, I believe that you love the smaller class ships, do you think you'd book a Grand Class ship again?

 

Actually I just might if the itinerary is appealing too me. Grand Class has it's advantages and some disadvantages as well. Javier and I would only do Grand Class ships for years until the past 3 years. But you are right I do prefer smaller ships like the Pacific Princess and Tahitian...you can forget the Regal...she has stayed past her time IMHO.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Hey Tony!

 

Boy, what a life! Sounds heavenly. So the gym is really crowded, huh? Wonder what it will be like early in the morning next week. I am fanatical about working out in the morning - hate leaving it to the afternoon - but I may need to bend, I guess.

 

Re: the "nook" - on the Sapphire Princess, it was sort of tucked in to the left of where you walk in against the wall (backing up to the stairway, I guess). If you walked in past the maitre d', and took a left around a partition, it was set back there.

 

I hope they show the Tina TUrner again. What's it been like on deck at night? Still hot, or does it cool off?

 

-Ruth

 

I am sure on embarkation day they will play Tina Turner again.

 

As for the gym I am also usually a morning person however with these early full dy ports it's been hard to get on that treadmill at 7:00am when they open thus going at 5:00pm is working out better for me.

 

Gotta check out that "nook" for you in the Dinning Room!

 

It has been warm at night and some nights a bit cooler.

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Just came back from another 2.5 hour dinner...wow we gotta shorten these dinners. Actually we are going to start now at 7:00pm instead 'cause these dinners are getting out of control. Now at 10:45pm I feel too tired to go to the "office" and also we have an early start in Istanbul tomorrow morning.

 

Had gaspacho soup tonight, mesaclun salad, the chef made us angel hair pasta with fresh tomato sauce as anotehr appetizer and I had curry chicken and black forest cake with run raisin ice cream....boy am I stuffed!

 

Javier and Sharon have gone to see the show tonight in the Princess theatre so I will have some commentary on that tomorrow morning for tyhis evenings entertainment. I was planning on seeing Mission Impossible III but too tired now to even think about seeing a movie for 120 minutes for fear of sleeping at the MUTS and waking up in Istanbul!

 

More to come tomorrow morning from Istanbul, Turkey!

 

Tony and Javier

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[Sandy R]

Hi Tony... I would soooo appreciate if you could help me out here!

 

I never buy anything new just before a trip but with the world situation like it is, putting film through 2 x-ray machines going and 1 x-ray machine coming home... I just bought a new Canon digital SLR camera for our 28 day Sapphire cruise in mid-September. They sold me a "2 gb" flash card that holds 400 high quality photos.

 

My question: can the Photo Dept. download my 2 gb flash card onto a CD? And for what cost to me? To get technical.. it's a Hoodman compact flash card 150X maximum -133X minimum write speed... whatever than means.

 

I definitely don't want to interfer with your meal, pool, office or nap time, but if you have a chance, I would be forever grateful!

 

Sandy

[Blue Eyes]

Hi Tony...from a very hot SE Georgia...heat index at around 105-110...but it is the "dogs days of summer". I am so enjoying your post...you certainly have a way with words....some day....I hope to do a Med cruise....keep up the fun post....

[Colo Cruiser]

Hey Tony, any luck with info on Antonio Banza? Thanks

[Sandy R]

Hooray... I actually got hold of the Princess "photo specialist". Found out all the info I need and then some. So, Tony... you don't have take time out from having fun, winning at the office, eating all that good food, getting a tan, and taking that well deserved nap, etc.

 

Can't wait to hear more from the Grand Princess...

 

Sandy