What do you want to know about Grand Princess? Cruise Critic onboard July 13th-20th

[happyscot]

Recent CC reviews of the Grand are pretty awful, and have me reaching for the other brochures. The main problem seems to be the attitude of staff.

 

Are these representative views?

 

Thanks. Please say "no" and save me from P&O..............I can't afford the incontinence pants (average P&O passenger is 128 years old). But I want to sail from Southampton, and avoid all that airport stuff.

[kelly@]

We are onboard! Arrived in Southampton (to clouds unfortunately!) by train, took about an hour and half from Clapham Junction. Arriving at the port for about 1 p.m., it was busy but we were through and in our cabin within 30 minutes which was great.

Interestingly after security your photo is taken and the backdrop was the Union Jack -- Grand Princess has definitely got the Brit vibe already it seems.

In the lift up to the cabin, there were four other couples inside -- all British. There a few children onboard, and the age range is a real mix from toddlers to teenagers.

Cabin -- so far, so good -- we are in an ocean view cabin with a balcony. Balcony itself is pretty big and has room for four chairs and a table -- bigger than a few I have seen. The only downside to the balcony is that you are slightly overlooked by the deck above, but I really don't think this a big issue.

The cabin is of a comfy size too, and there are plenty of coat hangers (my travelling companion has a thing for hanging his clothes straight up and yet there are still plenty of hangers left for me!) and under the bed storage is ample and a suitcase will fit underneath with ease.

Comparing the bathrooms to other ships, I wouldn’t say this is one of the flashiest I have seen. It's got a decent sized shower but it does look like it could do with a little sprucing up.

We popped up to Horizon Court for a spot of lunch -- the salads and pasta were particularly good.

We have also purchased the soft drinks package. You pay $4.25 a day and for this you receive a cold flask in which you can have unlimited soft drinks. Buying a can of coke costs $1.95, so if you are going to drink more than two cans, this is definitely worth purchasing.

So far the staff have been friendly and helpful and most have a smile on their face too!

[kelly@]

To answer a few questions so far --

Colo Cruiser -- The MD on Grand Princess is now Giorgio Pisano. Have spoken to him already and he seems particularly chirpy and friendly!

Suron -- I'm afraid Billy London isn’t onboard; James Ibrahim is the Cruise Director right now.

SuefrankUK -- Formal nights on my cruise are tomorrow night (Monday) and the 11th night. I'll let you know about the crabs legs! :)

Will answer more questions as I get the answers.

[kelly@]

Just to note -- I have been warned by internet staff that when we are in the Fjords there is a chance that we will have little or no Internet connection. If this is the case, I won't be able to post for a day or two. I will endeavour of course to get access where I can!

[bettyboo]

hi Kelly

 

Is the coffee card worth it too?? What drinks are available free or is everything chargeable? What is the alcohol pricing like versus British pub prices?

 

thanks for all your info so far.

 

Betty

[English Tim]

I'm sorry to have missed you, Kelly, but I didn't read this thread until today.

 

I have posted a mini trip report as I had a wonderful day onboard the Grand Princess today. I met a few of her pax and introduced them to CC.

 

There appear to be about 50 teenagers onboard, but cruises to the Med would have at least twice as many.

 

All the staff that we have encountered have been extremely friendly.

[English Tim]

Just to note -- I have been warned by internet staff that when we are in the Fjords there is a chance that we will have little or no Internet connection. If this is the case, I won't be able to post for a day or two. I will endeavour of course to get access where I can!

 

One thing I didn't check. Is wifi available around the ship or just in the internet suite?

[strummer]

To answer a few questions so far --

Colo Cruiser -- The MD on Grand Princess is now Giorgio Pisano. Have spoken to him already and he seems particularly chirpy and friendly!

Suron -- I'm afraid Billy London isn’t onboard; James Ibrahim is the Cruise Director right now.

SuefrankUK -- Formal nights on my cruise are tomorrow night (Monday) and the 11th night. I'll let you know about the crabs legs! :)

Will answer more questions as I get the answers.

 

Thanks for the info - good to know about the formal nights and would also love to know if and when crab leg night is as its my favourite too:D .

 

Have a good cruise

[Kez100]

Looking forward to following your cruise with you, as and when you can post.

[jp1982]

We will be taking our honeymoon on the Grand Princess to the Mediterranean. I would just like to know what are some of the quiet romantic places on the Grand. Thanks!

[kelly@]

One thing I didn't check. Is wifi available around the ship or just in the internet suite?

 

You can get wifi access in the Internet Cafe and it is also available in the cabins. I think it is just a little slower when you are away from the cafe.

[kelly@]

Last night we decided to dine in one of the main restaurants, The Da Vinci dining room (Deck 6).

First impressions of the dining room were good -- there were lots of smaller tables for two or four but larger ones as well. I made a quick comparison to the restaurant onboard P&O's Ventura (the ships are the same size/design as you may be aware) and I have to say, I think I preferred Grand Princess. It felt lighter and more spacious.

We also didn't feel like we had people sitting on top of us but it still felt like a nice, chatty atmosphere. Our waiter, Maciek from Poland, was very friendly and cracked a few jokes with us.

A couple of dishes to point out for tastiness -- first, the mushroom soup was really good and when my companion found some large mushrooms in his soup he was very satisfied! Secondly, the Crockpot with Cajun spiced crawfish, black mussels, cayenne pepper and tomatoes with Creole rice was fantastic. It was full of seafood and so tasty.

Today is the first of three sea days on this cruise, and so far the weather is glorious -- I am told however that it will get colder!

I plan to have a good wander around the ship today, and we also have the Cruise Critic meet up too!

Check back later.

[Ballwin Babe]

Thanks, Kelly!

 

Please don't forgot to inquire about the 6 day wetdock that is being discussed for December. So many (including me!) are curious about what is planned for the ship during that time.

 

Enjoy your glorious weather!

 

:D

[kelly@]

I had a quick look at the shore excursions desk to see which tours have already sold out. Here is a quick rundown (as of Monday morning):

Stavanger --

A sightseeing cruise along Lysefjord

Geiranger --

A scenic drive to Mt. Dalsnibba

Hiking Westeras

Kayaking the Geiranger Fjord

Trondheim --

Trondheim and Bakklandet walking tour

Honningsvag --

The North Cape (early departures only so far)

Stappen Island bird watching expedition

Ez Honningsvag - Mageroey Island scenic drive

Tromso --

Tromso Museum, Arctic Cathedral and Cable Car

Flam --

Ez Vatnahalsen by train

Flam Valley train and hike to Blomheller

Kayak the Aurlandfjord

Bergen --

Nothing sold out as yet

[aclay]

Hi Kelly

 

any English beers eg Boddingtons available on board (similar to Sea Princess) or is like the rest of the Princess fleet with just US beers e.g. Dos Equios, Bud, Australian Fosters etc?

Any sight of English bacon at breakfast time?

 

yours hopefully:D

Alex

[kelly@]

For those interested I checked out the price of drinks. They seem pretty reasonable, maybe slightly cheaper or on par with U.K. prices. Cocktails are around $6.75, a bottle of Budweiser is $4.75, Grolsch is $5.75, a large can of Fosters is $6.75, a can of Boddingtons is $4.95 and a can of Guinness is $5.75. Wine (by the glass) varies from $4.95 to $7.75. Spirits start at $4.95.

The coffee card is available for $24 plus 15 percent gratuity. For this you get 15 espresso-based drinks -- this includes cappuccino, mocha etc... Most coffees start at around $2.00, so if you need a caffeine fix, it may be worth getting this card! Regular coffee is available free of charge.

Also, if you don't fancy anything heavy for lunch then head up to Lido Deck 14 to Poseidon's Pizzeria. They serve some great thin pizzas there -- my personal recommendation is the pepperoni, yum!

Yes, there is English bacon at breakfast -- my travelling companion tucked into some this morning! There is also the American crispy bacon. I have just had a cup of tea (well I am British) and its Lipton's rather than my favourite, Tetley! :)

I'll get back if I see any other U.K. tweaks.

[aclay]

a can of Boddingtons is $4.95

 

Boddingtons -yes, yes, yes! You have just made my day!!! Thanks so much Kelly - can you ask them to stock up ready for me on the next cruise please:D :D

Bacon too - my, that's brill..

 

Im also a big fan of the pepperoni pizzas poolside - yummy:cool:

 

Cheers - and enjoy Stavanger tomorrow - hope it's not raining as it was for us :)

 

A

[kelly@]

Yesterday we met up with Cruise Critic members in the Promenade lounge -- they included Elizabeth and Henry from North Carolina, Margaret and Tony from Rugby, U.K. and a family from South Africa who had travelled over with their 20-month-old daughter. Everyone seems pleased with the ship so far and they were having a good time. Elizabeth, who travelled on Grand Princess back in 2001, said she was pleased to see the mattresses were now a lot more comfortable than the older "lumpy" ones.

There were no particular complaints on the "state" of the ship, in fact, some said they found no difference with this and the newer Princess ships.

Personally, I think some of the public areas could do with a little modernisation -- I really mean soft furnishings here, not a complete revamp. Otherwise, and this is an honest opinion, I think the ship is in pretty good condition. Of course, I'll keep my eyes out for anything.

I'll find out about the rumours of a refit later this year... will let you know what I hear.

[kelly@]

Last night was the first formal night and my travelling companion -- who is actually first time cruiser -- said he loved the fact everyone was dressed up and had made an effort. This I guess isn’t out of the ordinary for a seasoned cruiser, but for a newbie it kind of makes the evening seem extra special.

We watched the Welsh comedian Kenny Smiles (an apt name!) in the Vista Lounge. He was great and made the crowds laugh with his jokes about the different nationalities in the room -- and there were a few -- British, American, Spanish and Polish to name a few. He performed the show twice last night (8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.) and he is back on tonight for a pre-dinner show at 7 p.m.

Sunset is already getting later as we head north -- last night it clocked in at 10:27 p.m. Midnight sun here we come! Today it's off to Stavanger, Norway's fourth largest city. Will aim to report back later, but as we go deeper into the fjords the internet is expected to disappear.

Kelly

Kelly Ranson

U.K. Editor

[spongerob]

Thanks, Kelly. I think all the older Grand-class ships are supposed to have their atria upgraded to match the standard of Crown Princess. It can't come too soon for Grand Princess. I agree that the atrium on that ship is very plain even when compared to the next oldest of the series, Golden Princess. Maybe they'll finally replace that weird zulu-shield sculpture that is suspended from the ceiling. It's probably some horribly expensive objet d'art that I've just roundly criticized, and I've just exposed myself as a tasteless philistine, but it's got to go.

[kelly@]

First impressions of Stavanger -- erm, wet! I am sure on a bright, sunny day the 17th and 18th Century wooden houses and portside cafes would have looked a whole lot more inviting!

Nevertheless, we threw on our wet jackets, grabbed our umbrellas and we were off. We hadn't arranged any shore tours in Stavanger so we decided to take a walk and see where it took us.

Other ships in port today were MSC's Lirica and the Spirit of Adventure, so there were quite a few tourists wandering about.

Here are a few notes on Stavanger:

-- We visited Stavanger's Cathedral, which was founded around 1125 and it was actually built by an English craftsman. It is free to get into the Cathedral and it was busy (I think people were taking shelter from the rain!). It reminded me of the old churches in the U.K. and there was a beautiful stain-glassed window and the most intricately-designed pulpit with religious scenes crafted into it.

-- One thing to remember -- the Cathedral is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (4 p.m. in the winter), so if your ship docks early make sure you don't get to the Cathedral too soon or you'll be waiting for it to open.

-- The tourist information office is situated close to the Cathedral and there are plenty of staff on hand should you need any details on tours along the Fjords.

-- Shopping wise, there is an abundance of home and clothing stores as you make your way along the cobbled streets. There were also dozens of Norwegian cafes as well as a 7 Eleven, a Burger King and a Subway for those in need of some home comforts!

-- We found an Internet cafe inside the main shopping centre (right opposite the port) and it cost 50 Kroner (around £5/$10) for an hour. Coffees were also readily available here for around 35 Kroner (£3.50/$7).

-- Lastly, my travelling companion got his wish and we visited the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, which takes a look back at Norway's role in the oil industry. It wasn’t on my list of "must-see" places but we ventured in and paid the 80 Kroner (around £8/$16) each. Entry for children was 40 Kroner (around £4/$8). I was reluctant, but in fact this hi-tech waterfront museum just a few minutes from the port, was well worth the entry. It's really interactive -- from taking part in a quiz on the history of oil, right through to climbing down the escape nets used out on the oil rigs.

[Kez100]

An oil rig theme park - eat your heart out Walt Disney!

 

Pity the weather was wet for you today. Enjoy tomorrow - Geiranger the webcam says.

[lauralou2]

Hi Did this trip June 19th had a great time on the grand and as far as we were concerned the staff were the best we have encountered , enjoyed the food and most of the entertainment . The only area definatly in need of refurbishing is the Sky Walker ,the rest was fine and as usual cleaning and painting were going on all over the ship hope this helps j

[suron]

You won the love this cruise - I did! Seeing the Grand last month do the same one made me very jealous and now it is a year since we went.

 

Suzanne - I am really sorry to hear Ron has had a tough time recently. Best wishes for a speedy recovery x

 

Shelley - Thanks for your kind thoughts. Hope you and Kris are doing OK. Any cruise plans for 2008/9? If you like to e-mail with your news you can reach us on harrad.2@tiscali.co.uk.

 

I will start checking the Cruise Critic website from time to time. Have had e-mail contact on a fairly regular basis with Don & Millie and Paul & Connie and have spoken on phone to Ann Lloyd on a few occasions.

 

Once we get the OK from the hospital we can make plans for a 2009 cruise. Something to aim for all being well.

 

Regards Suzanne

[suron]

To answer a few questions so far --

Colo Cruiser -- The MD on Grand Princess is now Giorgio Pisano. Have spoken to him already and he seems particularly chirpy and friendly!

Suron -- I'm afraid Billy London isn’t onboard; James Ibrahim is the Cruise Director right now.

SuefrankUK -- Formal nights on my cruise are tomorrow night (Monday) and the 11th night. I'll let you know about the crabs legs! :)

Will answer more questions as I get the answers.

 

Thanks for letting me know that James Ibrahim is now back on the Grand. In setting up our Roll Call Meeting I originally had e-mail contact with James who was instrumental in getting our on board party set up.

 

When he left the Grand and Billy London took over James kindly passed on all the information to Billy London and all went well for us.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Suron