****Live From the Golden Princess****

[coiran]

Raw beef - not good for you!

 

Ron

[arlenemilt]

Raw beef - not good for you!

 

Ron

 

Agreed!

Arlene

[T&J]

Raw beef - not good for you!

 

Ron

 

There are many things that aren't good for us...but I LOVE IT!...I did control myself and didn't have seconds!

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Tony,

I think the wireless access is simply $.50/minute now - no card for a 30 minute block of time. The way it worked on the Pacific Princess was you swiped your cruise card in the internet cafe to set up your wireless account. That gave you your ID and password. Then you went down to the wireless hotspot to sign on to the network. You're charged for the minutes you use. Other than not liking the cost ( ;) ) I find this was much better than purchasing time in increments.

 

Jim

 

You are right Jim, I was referring to the old system that was in place in prior to August of this year.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Hi Tony

 

Still very much enjoying your posts - it's almost like being there (well, maybe not....! ;) ). When you hit landfall on Nov 22nd is there any way you can still post --- maybe a virtual cruise? how are all your family going to manage without your posts?! It will be unthinkable.. I am hooked and love reading what was for dinner and how you did at the office, not to mention your descriptions of the places you visit.. been amazing! thank you again.

 

Look forward to meeting you Rio - BA - I am hoping to learn BJ - have never played! (Hey... I am good at bingo.. you never know....!!)

 

 

Znap...you'll only have 3 weeks between cruises...I gotta get these sea legs on land sometime!

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[roknrobn]

Tony, I just want to say I absolutely adore your "live from" threads, and wish so much when I read them that I had your life!

 

Looking at your "upcoming" cruise list and knowing your cruise past is, well, amazing to me. Thanks for letting me live through you a little bit. :)

 

 

 

 

Are you for real?????????????????????/

[T&J]

Good Very Early Morning...Mama mia not enough sleep....I just feel like I put my head on that pillow.

 

We are about to be making our way into the chanel for Istanbul in approx. 30 minutes time if anyone cares to view it on the Cruise Cam and also the sunrise should be happening soon as well.

 

We are suppose to arrive in Istanbul at 8:00am but suspect we will arrive a little earlier as I see the coastline approcahing. We depart tonight at 6:00pm for Mykonos, Greece.

 

Once I went to bed I did not feel a thing or any movement on the ship. The ship was pretty dead last night after I left the Casino around 12 midnight and went to the Library to post on here. I guess most people are on tours this morning. Another shocking piece of information that I learned is that over 2100 paxs are booked on tours while we are in Port Said and Alexandria, Egypt. That is a very high number of non-independant people going on a ship's organized tour.

 

When I got up this morning I headed immediately for the Horizon Court to get my coffee and the place was packed on one side completely at 6:00am...OMG 2 hours prior to getting into Port and these people are already up and eating...eager little tour beavers obviously.

 

My plan this morning is to go have breakfast at 7:30am and then afterwards head up to my cabin and and change and get ready to head out at 9:0am and walk into Istanbul. The walk is approx. 25 minutes from the ship to get to the Grand Bazzar or Blue Mosque.

 

The forecast for Istanbul is 60F and sunny with light winds. Hopefully it might warm up even better than 60F.

 

More to follow later today from the Golden Princess about to arrive in Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

If anyone is still awake out there you can view the sun coming up right now in Istanbul, Turkey...very pretty sight from the Internet Cafe window while I am typing. You can see the Blue Mosque in the background as we are about to make our way alongside our berth.

 

Would you believe that all the computers in this room are down except for 4 of them...just shamefull the way they are keeping this room serviced. I hope people will put that on there comment cards so the Company dedicates more resources to this room in maintaining better service.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Are you for real?????????????????????/

 

Yeap!...congrats on your first post.

[T&J]

Yummmmmmm carpaccio, I love carpaccio. I hope you had seconds!

 

I didn't want to overdo it last as we had so much food, but I will be asking them again to make it for me before the end of this cruise.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Alright I am going to be heading down to the Dinning Room for breakfast and then afterwards get washed and ready and also hand in some laundry to my cabin steward as I've got tons.

 

The weather looks to be nice although a bit nippy right now this early in the morning.

 

I will try and post just before leaving for going ashore. If not, it will be a while before I post as I plan on being ashore most of the day. Who knows, might even try and find an internet cafe ashore so I cna post from the city.

 

More to follow later today from the Golden Princess in Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Ooops, The Staff Captain just came on the P.A. system to annouce that the ship has been cleared by local authorities and we may proceed ashore. He just announced that the current temp is 51F...BBRRRR!

 

Ok, that's it...I promise!...off to breakfast.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

I just came back from breakfast and had the usual two poached eggs on english muffin and OJ and coffee. Went back to my cabin and got dressed and handed in my mountain of laundry to my cabin steward.

 

There are a lot of people on tour this morning, as they are all lined up beside the Princess Theatre.

 

I am seriously hoping that the weather gets warmer this morning if not I don;t think it will be a good idea to do a Turkish bath and come out in the cold after...nice way of catching a cold for sure. The sun is trying to come out right now, let's hope it stays out for the entire day.

 

More to follow later today from ashore in Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[znapdragon]

O.K. will give you that one! I guess you need three weeks at home :) You say you go to the Horizon for coffee first thing? is the coffee better there than ordering it room service?

 

Have a great day. :)

[regnig]

The web cam shows a rather nice day in Istanbul, hope the temps rose a bit for you. When I was there (long time ago in a former life) when we got off the ship I was terrified. We had spent the better part of a week in Athens, where I would have felt comfortable walking around the street in the middle of the night, and I all of a sudden had visions of robed and hooded thugs with longgggg swords. On top of that we were on a Greek ship (the Jason) with almost entirely a Greek crew so none of them were going ashore which only made matters worse. There were 8 of us, 2 Americans, 2 Canadians, 2 Brits and 2 Ausies and we headed for the Bazzar and once there were not too keen on going in. While we did venture in the visions of a couple of little kids with one of their hands cut (punishment for stealing) off remains with me today. I hope you've had a much better stay there than I did.

[arlenemilt]

O.K. will give you that one! I guess you need three weeks at home :) You say you go to the Horizon for coffee first thing? is the coffee better there than ordering it room service?

 

Have a great day. :)

 

No, the coffee in the Horizon is yuk. However, Tony keeps hours that are not synonymous with room service, ergo: Horizon. He needs his huge mug of coffee while he's on the "net" and he also has a special large mug which I'm keeping safe for him here in Florida. My mug babysitting (:) ) will end in March when I deliver it to him in Buenos Aires.

Arlene

[cornellcindy]

Thought you might be interested in these statistics from the Transatlantic crossing of the Grand Princess:

165 Elites

#1 - 555 days

#2 - 552 days

Cut off for lunch - 27 cruises with a tie and then it went to days!!!!!!

Cindy:D :D

[Anubi]

.Another shocking piece of information that I learned is that over 2100 paxs are booked on tours while we are in Port Said and Alexandria, Egypt. That is a very high number of non-independant people going on a ship's organized tour.

 

I guess I can stop worrying about not getting that Egyptian overnight next year...wow...how many passengers on the ship altogether?? :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Tkennedy]

Tony - YGM Take care, Lorraine:)

[JotWorld]

 

 

Edit/Update:Well it was nice until they chaged the CAM Angle :(

(I have to Remem to Copy the PIC & not the CAM :) )

GM/GA Tony,

Looks nice there this 4:30PM(Your time?)

How's your day going?;)

100% Rain in Murphy today, but Our lake needs it:D

 

My Best!

Bill (Live on Land)

[Anubi]

Hey Tony, you seem like a well travelled fellow :rolleyes: Could you give any hints on jet lag? Our cruise next year is the first time I've ever flown to Europe and any ideas would be nice. Thanks.

[JotWorld]

Oceania has three R class vessels; Regatta, Nautica, and Insignia.

 

We've been on Regatta (8-05 into the Baltic) and will be on Nautica 11-25-06, Istanbul to Singapore through the Suez.

 

Lovely ships.

 

Princess also has three, Tahitian, Pacific, and Royal Princess (which is being transferred from Swan Hellenic). We've been on the Paciofic Princess also, Papeete to Sydney, 11-03.

 

Hey Michael & Tony,

This was CC Just in News Yesterday:;)

"What's important, however, is that Oceania is growing quickly and poised for expansion. Oceania began as a one-ship start-up in 2002, the brainchild of industry veterans Frank Del Rio and Joe Watters, former heads of Renaissance Cruises and Crystal Cruises respectively. Insignia, Nautica and Regatta once sailed for Renaissance -- and the line plans to debut a fourth Renaissance redo, Marina, in 2007."

Hello again to the Beautiful Golden!:)

 

Bill

[T&J]

O.K. will give you that one! I guess you need three weeks at home :) You say you go to the Horizon for coffee first thing? is the coffee better there than ordering it room service?

 

Have a great day. :)

 

No it certainly is not better, but it's the only thing open at that time of day at 6:00am.....

 

Syrup SUCKS!

 

Tony

[T&J]

No, the coffee in the Horizon is yuk. However, Tony keeps hours that are not synonymous with room service, ergo: Horizon. He needs his huge mug of coffee while he's on the "net" and he also has a special large mug which I'm keeping safe for him here in Florida. My mug babysitting (:) ) will end in March when I deliver it to him in Buenos Aires.

 

Arlene

 

I could use that mug on this cruise...I have to fill up 4 mugs to bring to the Internet Cafe to drink while I post.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Thought you might be interested in these statistics from the Transatlantic crossing of the Grand Princess:

 

165 Elites

#1 - 555 days

#2 - 552 days

 

Cut off for lunch - 27 cruises with a tie and then it went to days!!!!!!

 

Cindy:D :D

 

Gee Curt with my 587 days and 42 cruises I would have been most travelled pax on that one!

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool: