Short Review Sapphire to Mexico, back Saturday

[BrandiGreg]

Just a few comments/observations after our week to Mexican Riviera ending Saturday Jan 17. Weather could not have been better. Not a cloud in the sky every day, low humidity, and low 80's. It was nice of Princess to arrange that for us :)

2) Beds were the hardest we have had after 15 cruises. I know there are a certain number of people who like lying on rock hard surfaces (lizards?), but others on the cruise had the same complaint. 3) the service was excellent, staff were all friendly, beer was cheap. Food was excellently presented (arranged on the plate) in the formal dining rooms (best I can ever remember) and food was very tasty. Loved the crab legs and the lobster/prawn combo...I had two entrees each of those nights. The prawn was as big as the lobster and actually my wife thought it tasted better. The only dish I didn't really care for was the prime rib the first night, but I like it medium rare and though I ordered it like that, it was more of a medium and kind of dry. The mushroom soup was also very thick (do they add tapioca?) and not as tasty as usual. Escargot was very good and the rolls at the table were varied, fresh, and a highlight of each meal. French onion soup was very gooey with cheese (yumm). We brought champagne one night and were not charged a corkage fee (we never have been charged in 15 cruises, maybe we are just lucky). Played almost all the trivia games. One team won 90% of them, but they had a person on the team who had been at sea about 900 days so that probably helped.. I think that team is going to open up a luggage tag outlet (that was the only prize each time)....but I was on a fun team (met some nice folks) and that is why we were there...we actually won a couple of times.(I have to remember that if the question is a dictator, don't think Hitler, I need to think Saddam Hussein). The seas were very calm, even on the last day as we returned to LA....I rarely felt the boat move at all. Saw a big whale near the boat on our way out of Cabo. Our cabin was P308 which is right above one of the tender boarding areas, so we had a lot of noise the morning in Cabo. One thing I noticed is they only had smoked salmon one morning in the buffet...on past cruises they had it almost every morning. Embarkation went very smooth, no waiting at the desk (friendly check in people). About 15 min wait to go thru the security screening (avoid the right hand line as that one is reserved for passengers in wheelchairs, and they get to go to the front of the line and take longer to screen...but it wasnt too bad, maybe 5 min knocked off my boat time). I kept setting off the alarm though I had absolutely no metal on me at all, so they had to hand wand me (they didn't seem happy to have to do that, but hey sorry if I make you have to work...at least you have a job). The first night show as standing room only and so we didn't stay for it, since we could only hear it and not see it. There is a disadvantage to having the late traditional seating, since so much of the entertainment occurs during your dining time. I think we will do early seating next time. All in all a very good cruise, a clean and well kept ship, great staff, lots to do (too much at times), efficiently run. We were in the last group to debark, which means they called us at 9:35, but we just walked off the boat....no one even looked at our passports....I could easily have been a terrorist or drug smuggler....I was surprised at the lax security, I have always had someone look at my passport on all other entries into the country. However, we did wait 30 min in line trying to get out of the parking lot. (hint, go to the end of the long line of cars, as no one lets you cut in where your parking row meets the line, as is the case in most situations like leaving a concert, etc). It is more like every man for himself. (however one considerate soul did eventually let us join the line as he could see we had been waiting longer than everyone else).

[RickEk]

Thanks for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise! Let us know more about any excursions you may have taken.

 

As for the "lax" security, I think they put some trust in the ship's security to not allow any unauthorized people onboard. On our voyage last October, since I don't have a passport, I had to keep my BC and ID card available, but was pretty much waved through. The only folks that had to join a long line were foreign nationals. This was waaaay better than a few years ago, when everyone had to be grilled by customs agents in their little booths. Took forever to get through.

[gargoyle999]

I had the same problem with the metal detector on my Sapphire cruise at the end of Nov! I had nothing else to remove and they finally wanded me. What I thought was funny was not that they guy seemed mad at having to do it, but more like he didn't really know how to turn the wand on or really know what he was doing!

 

Not really sure what was setting it off, maybe I have too many fillings in my mouth! :)

 

And we were a bit too early to see any whales, but we did see a hammerhead shark as we passed by Cabo!

[gipper77]

October 29- November 20 we were on the Golden Princess to Hawaii and then December 12-20 on the Sapphire Princess , we also experienced the quick depature thru immigration. It was fast and smooth and that was a good thing. Believe me they know what is going on and who to look out for. The morning we arrived in San Pedro from Mexico a couple was taken off the ship in handcuffs. They know more than you think.:)

[ladypalmtree]

Thanks for the nice report. We wil be back on the beautiful Sapphire on March 21st. Spring break. We really enjoy having first seating in the dining room. Did you notice that the soups were really salty? That was really my only complaint about the food! Well welcome home and back to reality! LPT:rolleyes:

[EMSSMU]

Thanks for the concise report – I am on the Sapphire in a week and a half – sounds so wonderful – can’t wait to go!! Can you tell me who are the Captain and Cruise Director?

[TrojanJulez]

Thanks so much for the report! My family and I will be sailing on the Sapphire on March 14. I can't wait! I hope we have as good weather as you did! What excursions did you do?

[madjohn]

Thanks for the review. DW and I leave to mexico on Sapphire on Feb 21 and looking forward.

 

Thanks again

 

John

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review.

[BrandiGreg]

This was the first cruise we did NOT take any excursions, because we had done this itinerary about 5 times before, plus we wanted more of a relaxing cruise and also not spend as much money....so we decided to just enjoy the actual cruise itself. With three ports in three days, I dont know how people can do so much and not just get so exhausted. We took the bus to and from downtown in PV, had $1 beers at the Cheeky Monkey, shopped a little and stayed on the boat the other ports. We did enjoy watching drunk folks with oversized sombrero and balloon animal hats from the promenade deck getting off the tram in Mazatlan and staggering to the boat ramp.....fun!

[ladypalmtree]

Greg isn't that funny to watch!...How about the ones running to catch the ship as you are ready to leave. This happens a lot on the four day cruises to Ensenada. I have seen people left behind.......seen people falling down and being carried on backs to get to the ship. Those hats are so stupid...can you say Garage sale! lol...Lady Palm Tree

[Camelia-]

Thanks for the nice report. We wil be back on the beautiful Sapphire on March 21st. Spring break. We really enjoy having first seating in the dining room. Did you notice that the soups were really salty? That was really my only complaint about the food! Well welcome home and back to reality! LPT:rolleyes:

 

Usually the soups are either too salty for my taste but on the Sapphire last week..I really enjoyed all the soups that I ordered..they weren't salty at all..just perfect and in fact I saw a few people use the salt shakers..none of the food was oversalted..it was great! I wish I were still there!!

 

Camelia

[wizard-of-roz]

Thank you for sharing your experiences on the SHIP! A boat is more like a "dingy" or maybe something you row!

We loved the Sapphire and can't wait to board her again in April.

We, too, noticed that they were not stopping some folks upom debarkation as they did a year ago. I was glad to see them using their heads and being much more savvy about it!

Makes the whole experience so much better! Not that we're in a hurry to leave the ship but if you have to get off, it's so much nicer if you don't more lines to wait in.