TheVerandaLife
First Mate
Long Beach
Joined 01/2015
37
Cruises17
Reviews473
Helpful VotesUpcoming cruises
Past cruises
April 2024 - 20 Night Caribbean Explorer (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Emerald Princess
February 2024 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Discovery Princess
Very Relaxing
Our first time on Discovery Princess. Really nice ship! Décor is much better than on older Grand Class ships. This was a quick getaway. We missed several inches of rain and an earthquake, so goo timing!
September 2023 - 10 Night Ireland & Scotland (Southampton Roundtrip) Cruise on Regal Princess
Awesome Itinerary
As mentioned in my review of Liverpool, we have adopted Tony, one of Princess's Music Managers. He was originally scheduled to be on holiday during this time and was hoping to meet up with us in Liverpool. Instead, he told us that he was going to be going on the Sky Princess and would miss us. Bummer. Well, long story short, he did not get on Sky Princess, he was on Regal! As we were having lunch on day 1, my wife gets a tap on her shoulder and it was Tony! Overall, a wonderful cruise as only Princess can provide.
May 2023 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Panorama
April 2023 - 15 Night Hawaiian Islands (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Crown Princess
Another great cruise!
This trip was completely different for us. On the second night, my wife and I went to see Magic To Do in the theater. A half hour into the show, I felt like my blood pressure dropped and I closed my eyes. Next thing I knew, I had a great group of fellow passengers hovering over me. Appears I lost consciousness and they had to stop the show and call in the medics. It scared the you-know-what out of my wife...
Long Story short, they feel it was dehydration. The medical staff was FANTASTIC! Dr. Emsar, Nurses Erika, Monika and James. The Head Of Security, Paul Harris followed us from the theater to the medical facility, stayed for quite awhile comforting Suzi. I was released after passing all tests with flying colors. Paul called the next day just to check in on me. I doubt I would have received this much care on land. Eternally grateful to all my fellow passengers who stepped up and help Suzi and I. We had an opportunity to meet many of them throughout the 15 days. All super people.
November 2022 - 15 Night Spanish Passage (Rome To Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Regal Princess
First Transatlantic
One of our best cruises ever. Entertainment staff was great. Musicians, singers and dancers were all terrific. Really enjoyed this cruise!
August 2022 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Panorama
April 2022 - 15 Night Hawaiian Islands (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Grand Princess
Not a Good Experience
The first 13 days were as expected. We knew there were COVID cases on board, especially when the CD, Steve, went MIA. Disheartened that neither fellow passengers or Officers took the outbreak seriously.
We took a cruise in September, Carnival Panorama, and one in October, Majestic Princess. Everyone took protocols seriously. You were met by staff as you entered the buffet who would ask you to please wash your hands before entering. On this cruise, they only monitored the wash station on day 1.
As the days went on, fewer people wore masks. Not in elevators or any public spaces. I would say that halfway through the cruise, a VAST majority weren't masking up. At the same time, many people were hacking, sneezing and blowing their noses. They were obviously sick, but did they have the common courtesy to put on a mask? NO. I am sure there were MANY more cases than reported. I get it. The last thing you want to do is get quarantined. But if you feel sick, and all you hear are rumors about how full the infamous Deck 12 (COVID quarantine area) was, be a decent human being and either self isolate or wear a mask.
I also feel Princess could have done much more, like keeping staff at the buffet hand wash station and be more firm on masking up, especially with as many people testing positive. They could have been much more transparent. If they would have simply acknowledged the unusually high number of cases and made a better attempt at enforcing higher level protocols based on the current situation, there might not have been as many cases.
BTW, Yes, both my wife and I tested positive upon returning home.
October 2021 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Majestic Princess
So Glad To Be Back On A Princess Ship!
We ended up having breakfast and lunch with several of the entertainment crew almost everyday. Being a fellow musician, we all had great conversations and made lasting friendships.
Tony (Trombonist) comped us for dinner at the Specialty Restaurant of our choice, so we chose Bistro La Mer.
We were also chatting with Luke, one of the dancers, and my wife started talking about how cute Stanley the bear was. As we got on the elevator, Luke popped in and handed Suzi a bag with Stanley in it!!! It made her day / cruise.
This is just another reason we will remain loyal to Princess!
September 2021 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Panorama
Above Expectations
Really enjoyed this cruise. Their elevators are the best. Select the deck from the lobby and go to the elevator it selects. They have handwashing stations near and in the buffet area. You place your hands into each cylinder and the cylinders start spinning and completely clean your hands for 12 seconds. It's like a spa for your hands. I want one for home! Awesome. Overall décor was much nicer than other Carnival ships. We will absolutely sail on her again!
December 2019 - 4 Night West Coast Getaway With Catalina Island (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Royal Princess
Short but Sweet
We have three 7 day cruises booked. Without this little 4 day cruise, we would have made Elite in the middle of our third cruise. By adding this, we will now board the third cruise with Elite.
Free laundry, here we come!
October 2019 - 10 Night Baja Peninsula & Sea Of Cortez (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Royal Princess
Royal Princess - Our New Favorite Ship
First Ocean Medallion Cruise. It was so nice to walk up to the stateroom door with your hands full and have the door unlock.
Order drinks without having to relinquish your seats. Locate your shipmates using the portals throughout the ship.
Super fast internet with an "always on" upgrade.
Simply fantastic ship!
July 2019 - 4 Night Catalina & Baja Mexico (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Imagination
April 2019 - 15 Night Hawaiian Islands (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
Ahhh... Hawaii
Another great experience! First two itineraries were in late November and early December. There were many people unprepared for the fact that the first couple of days on either end can be chilly out on the water. As usual, the sea was quite rough heading towards Hawaii.
First experience with MedallionNet. Phenomenal! Ocean Medallion was being introduced, so you "tapped" your cruise card to enter the stateroom and purchase items. Only real drawback is that they replaced the shelf on the outside of the cabin door with the electronics for Ocean Medallion. That means, nothing to put the Patter or anything else in. Everything got slid under the door. Not sure how those with mobility or balance issues fared but seems like they need to put some sort of cubby hole for notices, etc.
This is one of our favorite itineraries and I'm sure we'll do it again!
September 2018 - 12 Night Alaska Inside Passage With Glacier Bay (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Golden Princess
Another Great Princess Cruise
This is our 4th cruise to Alaska, 2nd with Princess. This was the best, overall. The weather was phenomenal. The only inclement weather was in Victoria where we encountered light rain.
We selected this itinerary as we live near the Port in San Pedro and got to enjoy 6 sea days!
This was our first time on the Golden Princess, however, we have been on the Star Princess, which has a similar Deck configuration. We really only had three complaints:
1. No Gelato in the International Café.
2. No restrooms in the Deck 6 Aft Main Dining Room. (Canaletto)
3. One of the two elevators leading to the Dining Room was out of order for the entire cruise. There were plenty of unhappy passengers with mobility issues.
Other than that, after having been on the Ruby Princess for a majority of cruises, we noticed how stately many of the areas of this ship was. Especially evident in the Casino on Deck 7 and mid-ship on Deck 6 by the Shore Excursions Desk, Future Cruises and Crown Grill.
We were very impressed with Horizon Court. The new carpet, tables and chairs really brightened up the area compared to the Star, Ruby and Crown. Overall, I think we liked Horizon Court layout on this class ship over Ruby / Crown.
Glacier Bay was spectacular, however, not as impressive as anticipated. Gorgeous day! Of our other Alaskan Itineraries, Tracy Arm Fjord / South Sawyer Glacier tops our list. We were able to see some calving but nothing extraordinary.
April 2018 - 10 Night Baja Peninsula & Sea Of Cortez (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
Another Wonderful Princess Cruise
Another fantastic cruise on Ruby (5th time). Great time of year with calm waters.
October 2017 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
Very Relaxing Mexican Riviera
Another memorable Princess Cruise. We seem to get in the habit of finding a table in Horizon Court, strike up conversations and if it's a sea day, converse for hours. This was no exception. On sea day one, we asked to sit with a woman, then were joined by a gentleman. We had so much fun, we called ourselves the Breakfast Club. Day two, we all found each other and the fun continued.
October 2017 - 7 Night Classic California Coast (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
Exceeded Expectations
This was cruise #14 and our 7th with Princess. We've been on Ruby the most. It was very relaxing, just wish the weather cooperated. Although we have been to all of the ports before, SF and Monterey never get old.
April 2017 - 7 Night California Coastal (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
We Got Back New
We live about 30 minutes away from the Port of Los Angeles, so with limited Vacation time at work, this 7 day Cal Coastal cruise on the Ruby Princess was a no brainer.
Embarkation was a snap. We invited Suzi's brother, wife and two boys to join us onboard with the Princess Bon Voyage Experience. For those not familiar, Princess will allow the Public to board the ship for 3 to 4 hours for a tour of the ship and lunch. Cost is under 40 bucks per person and you do have to register well ahead of time. (Call Princess if interested.) One of the really cool things about BVE is that participants, and accompanying passenger, get to board immediately after any “In-Transit” passengers. We were on the ship by 11:45 AM.
BVE is led by the Future Cruise Consultant but since she realized we had been on the Ruby a couple of times, we didn't have to join the group of non-passengers. We were able to drop off our carry-on’s in our Stateroom. Our first time in an Aft Balcony.
We all went to Horizon Court. Since we were first to board, it was empty! After lunch, we took them on the grand tour. Our 13 year-old nephew was looking for a place to stowaway. He had never cruised before. At about 3:00 PM (3 hours onboard), they had seen just about everything.
We enjoyed beautiful weather throughout the cruise. The Ruby is a great ship. Well laid out and easy to navigate. It does show signs of wear but all in all, clean and well maintained.
TIP 1
As soon as you board, put your mobile device into Airplane Mode, then turn on and Connect to the Ships Wi Fi (This part is free). After launching your Browser, go to ruby.princess.com (or whatever the ships name you are on) and you'll have access to an electronic version of the Princess Patter on steroids. You can message other passengers, set reminders for activities, check your account, etc. (See screenshots below.)
Tip 2
Take the Aft stairs or elevator to Deck 16 and go in the Adagio bar. During the day, it is generally empty. Big cushy chairs and couches. Very quiet. Continue out back and there is an outside deck area with a few tables and chairs overlooking the Aft pool. Amazing (See Photo below)
September 2016 - 10 Night Mexican Riviera & Sea Of Cortez (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Crown Princess
Above and Beyond
This was a very special cruise for us. My wife and I often travelled with our cousin Jerry. Jerry passed away at the beginning of 2016 and wanted to be buried at sea. I checked with Princess and to my surprise, they offer this service and it is complimentary. I emailed AshesRequest@princess.com our booking number and they ran with it.
When we boarded, we contacted the Customer Service Manager, Scott. We arranged for our first sea day, halfway down Baja California.
We met Scott at noon. Staff had already block off the stern on Deck 7. We proceeded outside. When we turned the corner, we noticed a cloth-draped table with a box of tissue. After the ceremony, Scott radioed the Bridge. The event was added to the Official Ships log with the time and coordinates. We even got a certificate with all the pertinent information. It was something we will never forget.
November 2015 - 15 Night Hawaii (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
15 Days. That's a Cruise!
This was our second cruise to Hawaii on Princess but that was on Star Princess. We really enjoy the peacefulness of the sea days. We saw quite a bit of sea life but a bit early for whales.
August 2014 - 11 Night Alaska Inside Passage (San Francisco Roundtrip) Cruise on Star Princess
December 2013 - 15 Night Hawaiian Islands (Los Angeles roundtrip) Cruise on Star Princess
November 2012 - 14 Night Panama Canal Eastbound (Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Island Princess
March 2011 - 11 Night Ultimate Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Jewel of the Seas
April 2009 - 14 Night Ultimate Alaska (Los Angeles roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Mercury
September 2007 - 14 Night Western Europe (Harwich roundtrip) Cruise on Jewel of the Seas
May 2006 - 12 Night Mediterranean (Rome roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty
January 2004 - January 05, 2004 Cruise on Carnival Legend
August 1996 - August 23, 1996 Cruise on Regent Sea (RETIRED)
September 1993 - September 06, 1993 Cruise on Jubilee (RETIRED)
Crown Princess
Sail date: September 25, 2016
This was a very special cruise for us. My wife and I often travelled with our cousin Jerry. Jerry passed away at the beginning of 2016 and wanted to be buried at sea. I checked with Princess and to my surprise, they offer this service and it is complimentary. I emailed AshesRequest@princess.com our booking number and they ran with it.
When we boarded, we contacted the Customer Service Manager, Scott. We arranged for our first sea day, halfway down Baja California.
We met Scott at noon. Staff had already block off the stern on Deck 7. We proceeded outside. When we turned the corner, we noticed a cloth-draped table with a box of tissue. After the ceremony, Scott radioed the Bridge. The event was added to the Official Ships log with the time and coordinates. We even got a certificate with all the pertinent information. It was something we will never forget.
Discovery Princess
Sail date: February 03, 2024
Our first time on Discovery Princess. Really nice ship! Décor is much better than on older Grand Class ships. This was a quick getaway. We missed several inches of rain and an earthquake, so goo timing!
Ruby Princess
Sail date: April 08, 2019
Another great experience! First two itineraries were in late November and early December. There were many people unprepared for the fact that the first couple of days on either end can be chilly out on the water. As usual, the sea was quite rough heading towards Hawaii.
First experience with MedallionNet. Phenomenal! Ocean Medallion was being introduced, so you "tapped" your cruise card to enter the stateroom and purchase items. Only real drawback is that they replaced the shelf on the outside of the cabin door with the electronics for Ocean Medallion. That means, nothing to put the Patter or anything else in. Everything got slid under the door. Not sure how those with mobility or balance issues fared but seems like they need to put some sort of cubby hole for notices, etc.
This is one of our favorite itineraries and I'm sure we'll do it again!
Regal Princess
Sail date: September 29, 2023
As mentioned in my review of Liverpool, we have adopted Tony, one of Princess's Music Managers. He was originally scheduled to be on holiday during this time and was hoping to meet up with us in Liverpool. Instead, he told us that he was going to be going on the Sky Princess and would miss us. Bummer. Well, long story short, he did not get on Sky Princess, he was on Regal! As we were having lunch on day 1, my wife gets a tap on her shoulder and it was Tony! Overall, a wonderful cruise as only Princess can provide.
Grand Princess
Sail date: April 04, 2022
The first 13 days were as expected. We knew there were COVID cases on board, especially when the CD, Steve, went MIA. Disheartened that neither fellow passengers or Officers took the outbreak seriously.
We took a cruise in September, Carnival Panorama, and one in October, Majestic Princess. Everyone took protocols seriously. You were met by staff as you entered the buffet who would ask you to please wash your hands before entering. On this cruise, they only monitored the wash station on day 1.
As the days went on, fewer people wore masks. Not in elevators or any public spaces. I would say that halfway through the cruise, a VAST majority weren't masking up. At the same time, many people were hacking, sneezing and blowing their noses. They were obviously sick, but did they have the common courtesy to put on a mask? NO. I am sure there were MANY more cases than reported. I get it. The last thing you want to do is get quarantined. But if you feel sick, and all you hear are rumors about how full the infamous Deck 12 (COVID quarantine area) was, be a decent human being and either self isolate or wear a mask.
I also feel Princess could have done much more, like keeping staff at the buffet hand wash station and be more firm on masking up, especially with as many people testing positive. They could have been much more transparent. If they would have simply acknowledged the unusually high number of cases and made a better attempt at enforcing higher level protocols based on the current situation, there might not have been as many cases.
BTW, Yes, both my wife and I tested positive upon returning home.
Crown Princess
Sail date: April 14, 2023
This trip was completely different for us. On the second night, my wife and I went to see Magic To Do in the theater. A half hour into the show, I felt like my blood pressure dropped and I closed my eyes. Next thing I knew, I had a great group of fellow passengers hovering over me. Appears I lost consciousness and they had to stop the show and call in the medics. It scared the you-know-what out of my wife...
Long Story short, they feel it was dehydration. The medical staff was FANTASTIC! Dr. Emsar, Nurses Erika, Monika and James. The Head Of Security, Paul Harris followed us from the theater to the medical facility, stayed for quite awhile comforting Suzi. I was released after passing all tests with flying colors. Paul called the next day just to check in on me. I doubt I would have received this much care on land. Eternally grateful to all my fellow passengers who stepped up and help Suzi and I. We had an opportunity to meet many of them throughout the 15 days. All super people.
Majestic Princess
Sail date: October 30, 2021
So Glad To Be Back On A Princess Ship!
We ended up having breakfast and lunch with several of the entertainment crew almost everyday. Being a fellow musician, we all had great conversations and made lasting friendships.
Tony (Trombonist) comped us for dinner at the Specialty Restaurant of our choice, so we chose Bistro La Mer.
We were also chatting with Luke, one of the dancers, and my wife started talking about how cute Stanley the bear was. As we got on the elevator, Luke popped in and handed Suzi a bag with Stanley in it!!! It made her day / cruise.
This is just another reason we will remain loyal to Princess!
Carnival Panorama
Sail date: September 18, 2021
Really enjoyed this cruise. Their elevators are the best. Select the deck from the lobby and go to the elevator it selects. They have handwashing stations near and in the buffet area. You place your hands into each cylinder and the cylinders start spinning and completely clean your hands for 12 seconds. It's like a spa for your hands. I want one for home! Awesome. Overall décor was much nicer than other Carnival ships. We will absolutely sail on her again!
Royal Princess
Sail date: October 04, 2019
Royal Princess - Our New Favorite Ship
First Ocean Medallion Cruise. It was so nice to walk up to the stateroom door with your hands full and have the door unlock.
Order drinks without having to relinquish your seats. Locate your shipmates using the portals throughout the ship.
Super fast internet with an "always on" upgrade.
Simply fantastic ship!
Royal Princess
Sail date: December 05, 2019
We have three 7 day cruises booked. Without this little 4 day cruise, we would have made Elite in the middle of our third cruise. By adding this, we will now board the third cruise with Elite.
Free laundry, here we come!
Golden Princess
Sail date: September 11, 2018
This is our 4th cruise to Alaska, 2nd with Princess. This was the best, overall. The weather was phenomenal. The only inclement weather was in Victoria where we encountered light rain.
We selected this itinerary as we live near the Port in San Pedro and got to enjoy 6 sea days!
This was our first time on the Golden Princess, however, we have been on the Star Princess, which has a similar Deck configuration. We really only had three complaints:
1. No Gelato in the International Café.
2. No restrooms in the Deck 6 Aft Main Dining Room. (Canaletto)
3. One of the two elevators leading to the Dining Room was out of order for the entire cruise. There were plenty of unhappy passengers with mobility issues.
Other than that, after having been on the Ruby Princess for a majority of cruises, we noticed how stately many of the areas of this ship was. Especially evident in the Casino on Deck 7 and mid-ship on Deck 6 by the Shore Excursions Desk, Future Cruises and Crown Grill.
We were very impressed with Horizon Court. The new carpet, tables and chairs really brightened up the area compared to the Star, Ruby and Crown. Overall, I think we liked Horizon Court layout on this class ship over Ruby / Crown.
Glacier Bay was spectacular, however, not as impressive as anticipated. Gorgeous day! Of our other Alaskan Itineraries, Tracy Arm Fjord / South Sawyer Glacier tops our list. We were able to see some calving but nothing extraordinary.
Regal Princess
Sail date: November 17, 2022
One of our best cruises ever. Entertainment staff was great. Musicians, singers and dancers were all terrific. Really enjoyed this cruise!
Ruby Princess
Sail date: April 01, 2017
We live about 30 minutes away from the Port of Los Angeles, so with limited Vacation time at work, this 7 day Cal Coastal cruise on the Ruby Princess was a no brainer.
Embarkation was a snap. We invited Suzi's brother, wife and two boys to join us onboard with the Princess Bon Voyage Experience. For those not familiar, Princess will allow the Public to board the ship for 3 to 4 hours for a tour of the ship and lunch. Cost is under 40 bucks per person and you do have to register well ahead of time. (Call Princess if interested.) One of the really cool things about BVE is that participants, and accompanying passenger, get to board immediately after any “In-Transit” passengers. We were on the ship by 11:45 AM.
BVE is led by the Future Cruise Consultant but since she realized we had been on the Ruby a couple of times, we didn't have to join the group of non-passengers. We were able to drop off our carry-on’s in our Stateroom. Our first time in an Aft Balcony.
We all went to Horizon Court. Since we were first to board, it was empty! After lunch, we took them on the grand tour. Our 13 year-old nephew was looking for a place to stowaway. He had never cruised before. At about 3:00 PM (3 hours onboard), they had seen just about everything.
We enjoyed beautiful weather throughout the cruise. The Ruby is a great ship. Well laid out and easy to navigate. It does show signs of wear but all in all, clean and well maintained.
TIP 1
As soon as you board, put your mobile device into Airplane Mode, then turn on and Connect to the Ships Wi Fi (This part is free). After launching your Browser, go to ruby.princess.com (or whatever the ships name you are on) and you'll have access to an electronic version of the Princess Patter on steroids. You can message other passengers, set reminders for activities, check your account, etc. (See screenshots below.)
Tip 2
Take the Aft stairs or elevator to Deck 16 and go in the Adagio bar. During the day, it is generally empty. Big cushy chairs and couches. Very quiet. Continue out back and there is an outside deck area with a few tables and chairs overlooking the Aft pool. Amazing (See Photo below)
Ruby Princess
Sail date: November 15, 2015
This was our second cruise to Hawaii on Princess but that was on Star Princess. We really enjoy the peacefulness of the sea days. We saw quite a bit of sea life but a bit early for whales.
Ruby Princess
Sail date: October 21, 2017
This was cruise #14 and our 7th with Princess. We've been on Ruby the most. It was very relaxing, just wish the weather cooperated. Although we have been to all of the ports before, SF and Monterey never get old.
Ruby Princess
Sail date: October 28, 2017
Another memorable Princess Cruise. We seem to get in the habit of finding a table in Horizon Court, strike up conversations and if it's a sea day, converse for hours. This was no exception. On sea day one, we asked to sit with a woman, then were joined by a gentleman. We had so much fun, we called ourselves the Breakfast Club. Day two, we all found each other and the fun continued.
Ruby Princess
Sail date: April 14, 2018
Another Wonderful Princess Cruise
Another fantastic cruise on Ruby (5th time). Great time of year with calm waters.
Cruise tips
We took the tram to the shops at the port. Both my wife and I had a great half hour massage and saved about $400.00 at the ships spa...
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
We live 1/2 hour from the port.
We walked across to the Vallarta Mall to walk around. Sure wish Princess, or the town itself, would provide shuttle service to the Malecon.
We go on this itinerary frequently, so didn't want to hassle with the Tenders.
Discovery Princess
Relax and enjoy.
We have become adopted parents to the Music Manager on the ship. He is from the UK, so his "real" parents and brother drove into town and we all walked around the areas where the Beatles used to play. Liverpool is right off the ship, just like Cobh in Ireland. No harbor area to navigate around.
We had booked a trip to Edinburgh, but we were too tired, so canceled. Good thing as it rained most of the day. We did get off the ship long enough to say I stepped foot in the country where my maternal grandmother was born.
The weather was not our friend again today. This was a tender port. The Captain came on before noon stating they we halting tender service.
St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands
We took the Guernsey Island Drive & Sausmarez Manor excursion. This included a visit to the Little Chapel, a miniature church made of pebbles, shells, and numerous pieces of colorful broken China.
Portland (Weymouth), England, UK
We went on the Scenic Countryside and Corfe Castle excursion. Beautiful scenery and lots of history.
We had been to Cork on a previous cruise. We found ourselves having a better time in Cobh, so this time, we just walked around town and had a pint of Murphy's Stout.
Spent 4 days in London before the cruise.
We had met a couple on a Hawaiian cruise a year ago April who live outside of Belfast. We kept in touch, so we were met right at the terminal for a personal tour. We went to the Titanic Centre, up to Stormont (Parliament), City Hall and Belfast Castle. We also drove through the areas most affected by the "Troubles".
Walked to the ABC Market. Recommend car rental as shuttle service to the airport was operational.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Home Port
The Harbormaster halted tender operations. Even with Elite Tender Priority, we gave up.
Nice walk into town.
We took a shuttle into downtown. Have been on this itinerary 4 other times. Would recommend a rental car.
We shuttled to Ala Moana Mall and walked around before returning to the ship.
Crown Princess
Enjoy the Panorama Deck 7 outside. You cannot circle the entire ship on the newer Princess Ships on Panorama Deck.
Livorno (Florence & Pisa), Italy
We did the tour of Lucca through Princess. Our guide, Olga, was full of knowledge.
Took a Princess tour to St. Michael's Caves. After the tour, our guide, Derek, dropped us pedestrian shopping street. City needs better signage to point you back to the ship.
Hidden Gem. We booked through Princess and went out of town to the beach area. Absolutely gorgeous. Anna, our guide, was great!
Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Canary Islands
Took another Princess tour to the other side of the island, then to La Laguna to a open market, where I had one of the best pastries I've ever had.
We did a walking tour booked through Princess. Very interesting.
We flew in 4 days early to explore Rome before heading to the ship.
Rented a car. Wonderful jus driving around the island.
Just walked 5 miles to/from Waikiki Beach.
Can't wait until Lahaina is back on the itineraries.
No car rental shuttle. Cost too much for Uber / Taxi so just took shuttle to Hilo Hattie's.
Grand Princess
Go with the flow
What else... Wal-Mart.
Just walked into town for a stroll.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Live near port
We were just in Mazatlan last month. We took the tram to the shops and did some browsing.
Majestic Princess
Being that Majestic was originally designed for Asia, it is a bit different. Try Harmony and Bistro Sur La Mer Specialty Restaurants.
We've been several times. Quite hot and humid so just walked to the mall and back.
We got off the ship and took the "Blue Line" into town. Due to heat, we got about halfway. Police on every corner. Felt safe but wondered what would happen if no Police.
Carnival Panorama
Enjoy all of the food options and don't miss the Punchliner at the Lime Light room.
It's really not that bad of a port. We walked from the ship into town and back.
We had booked an excursion but it got cancelled due to mechanical problems. No fault to Princess. We just walked from the marina to the Casino and back.
Royal Princess
Take full advantage of Ocean Medallion. Order a drink and have it delivered.
First time in Manzanillo, We took the City Tour excursion from Princess. Of all the ports we've been to, this was the most impoverished. Once you saw past the dilapidated housing, it's really quite a beautiful location.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Live in the area. Used Port Parking at $19.00 per day.
Our favorite port in Mexico. It's a tender port and did have to wait 45 minutes or so. Again, very hot and humid. Just walked up and down the main pedestrian street.
Way too hot and humid. Been several times and have done excursions previously. This was an overnighter, so didn't go off board until day 2. Just walked around the Marina.
Been there, done that. Beautiful city but we did what every regular cruiser does... Go to Wal-Mart and the Mall! The highlight of the entire cruise was after leaving port, we sat on our balcony for about two hours and watched lightening, listened to thunder and saw several pods of dolphins chasing us.
Royal Princess
While they are still testing Ocean Medallion, if we order a drink through the App, the first drink was free. Not sure how long the freebie will be available.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Live 30 minutes away
Third time, first booking an excursion. We went into the Valley Of The Kings, where it began to pour. They say the area gets 400 + inches of rain a year and it seems like we got half of that in 20 minutes. Next stop was at the Maui Plantation. Pretty touristy, but the tram ride was nice. They did a coconut husking demo which was fun.
Rented another convertible car. Shuttles ran frequently enough to the airport. Super sunny day. Drove out to Spouting Horn, then to Wiamea Canyon. On the way back, we took all the alternate roads back to the airport. Way to go!!!!! From now on, I think we will rent a car at all ports.
Been many times. This time we took the shuttle into town, then booked the tour to La Bufadora. Was 17.00 bucks per person. Had a great tour guide. To get the Blowhole, you do have to walk through a LOT of shops. I had a shrimp taco followed by a Pina Colada. NICE! Had plenty of time there.
Rented a convertible car. Way to go. There are shuttles that go between the port and the rental area at the airport. Headed north to Ninole. Was pouring rain most of the time but got a good 45 minutes "topless".
Third trip. We took the excursion that took us through the city, then into the crater of Diamond Head, then up towards North Shore. Stopped at an aquatic park for a dish of ice cream.
Ruby Princess
Just go with the flow!
Probably our favorite port. Always enjoy walking through the downtown area.
Took a floatplane over the Juneau Ice Fields. Another perfect day. In fact, the pilot, Bruce said it was the best day this season. He was able to take us to an area he can’t always get to due to clouds. Such a great experience to take off and land on the water. So smooth.
About 60 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We just did our normal walk through Creek Street, up to the salmon ladder than meandered back to the ship through downtown and checked out all the end of season sales.
Took a city Highlight tour with a stop at Craigdarroch Castle. Our first port that didn’t have perfect weather. It was a bit rainy but more of a heavy drizzle.
Golden Princess
Not really about this ship... Find a cruise line to be loyal to and if they offer a credit card, get it! We got a Princess Visa and use it for our normal expenses. For major purchases, we save up for it, charge it for points, then pay it off. We redeem for Onboard credits. This pays our tips, shore excursions and onboard spending. What we don't use gets refunded.
Ruby Princess
If Smoked Gouda Quesadilla is on the menu, order two!
We did an excursion through the ship that took us to a glass factory, then to Los Cabo. On the way, the driver mentioned a special margarita with the Damiana Liqueur in it, so during our free time, I had one. Best margarita I've had...
We were thinking of taking a cab to Playa de Muertos but due to the heat and humidity, we just walked across the street to the Liverpool Mall and.... Ready? Wal Mart. I think we was more crew at Wal Mart than on the ship. Since it was Halloween, we bought extra candy to give to any kids we saw, but also the Staff.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Home port
We took the City Highlights excursion through Princess. The area right around the port is very industrial. It was nice to get over to the Melacon and see the beautiful beach areas.
Ruby Princess
Do the Ultimate Ship Tour!!!!!
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Home Port
We took the shuttle to the hub and walked around a bit. Next time, we'll opt for the La Bufadora excursion.
The heat wave continued... 95 degrees. We did the 17 Mile Drive / Carmel excursion through Princess.
It was during a heat wave, so was 93 degrees.i We did the Hop On Hop Off tour through Princess.
We've been several times so opted to walk over to Horton Plaza and Seaport Village.
Ruby Princess
If available, take the Ultimate Ship Tour. I will review it when I post a review on Leg Two of our back to back 10/28 Sailing.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
If you choose to park at the terminal, it's now up to $18.00 per day. If you know of anyone that lives in the area, look into Bon Voyage. You leave the car with your friends and they transport you to / from the port.
We've been to San Francisco many times but have never been out to Alcatraz. Since we used Princess credit card points for excursions, it was "free". Absolutely perfect weather. Mid 70's and sunny.
Being the last day of the cruise along with the fact we had been there not too long ago, we opted to stay on the ship and get our packing done early so we could enjoy the rest of the day.
Again, been to Santa Barbara many times but it's usually not a destination. We did the Trolley tour and got a good view of this beautiful city.
No rookie here either. No excursion but took a 3 hour walk around Seaport Village to the Gaslamp District. Again, perfect weather.
Ruby Princess
If you decide to go to Crown Grill, see if Mihai is there.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Have breakfast at Gaffey Street Diner before boarding.
Ruby Princess
International Cafe - Gelato. It's the best.
We've been to Cabo several times. We did the catamaran tour around the Arches. Very nice with a cooler breeze.
The port is fairly well removed from the city. Definitely nothing to do off the ship. We did a city tour. Enjoyable.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Live 1/2 hour away from the port so...
Our favorite port. It's a tender port but the tender drops you off right at the main walk street. We went with a walking tour. Nice but more of a standing tour where the guide explained everything in too much detail. Once the tour ended, we had plenty of time to see the sites at our own pace.
We frequent the San Diego area, so nothing new. We took the Trolley tour for something different. It was really hot. Like 103 degrees which is 20 degrees warmer than a "hot" day.
Hadn't been to this port since 1994. Took a trip around the bay. The excursion took us to a restaurant on the beach where I had the best margarita of my life. (Make that two... My wife didn't want hers)
Crown Princess
If you live near a port or have family or friends near the port, call Princess and see if they are offering the Bon Voyage Experience. Guests can board with you as soon as the ship is cleared. They spend up to 3 hours with you and can have lunch. There is a nominal fee but worth it.
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