ProfCruise

3 hours ago, dmg1956 said:

HAL Cruisers Give Princess a Try

Our last HAL cruise was to Alaska on the Eurodam last July – August (2018). We have been dedicated HAL cruisers for some time now. DW decided she wanted to do another cruise so we did some exploring. The dates, itinerary, cabin choice, and price lined up for us doing the 15-day Hawaiian out of San Francisco on Grand Princess. This was our first Princess cruise and this review will be specific to that cruise. However, comparisons to HAL will also figure in my narrative.

About Us: We live in Minnesota and have cruised extensively. Originally on Royal Caribbean until RCCL started building the floating amusement parks. Since then we’ve been with HAL. We are both retired. Yes, we are foodies and we are also detail orientated so we notice the little things (décor, condition of the ship, attention to detail) but without losing the big picture. 

Embarkation: We flew to San Francisco a day early, as we do with any cruise, and stayed with my oldest friend in life (we grew up across the street from each other in SF), and enjoyed a French restaurant for dinner along with several Bay Area friends that we travel to France with every five years.

On embarkation day we dropped our luggage with a porter at Pier 27 then went across the street to Fog City Diner for brunch. Check-in and boarding was seamless and we went immediately to The Sanctuary to book our space for a port day in Hawaii (Sunday Feb. 3). We did not find any port excursions that were of interest for that stop so we decided to kick back and Veg. Besides, it was Super Bowl Sunday and the game started at 1:30PM Hawaii time and God forbid DW would miss Super Bowl. Our business at The Sanctuary complete we headed to our cabin. Muster Drill on Grand Princess is done indoors and does not require life jackets. The weather was beautiful and sunny for our sail away and I felt such pride at being a native San Franciscan since the skyline and bay and Golden Gate Bridge are all so stunning.

Our Cabin: We had booked a Mini-Suite that has a slightly larger veranda the other cabins in that class. Unpacking, we found that our stuff fit in the closet, drawers, and bathroom quite nicely. No lacking for space. We never over pack so we knew there would be no problem.  On our HAL cruise to Alaska we had a Neptune Suite so this was a big downsizing. Hey, it was fine. We enjoyed the mini-suite and our cabin steward Abriham was fantastic.

Entertainment: We are not big fans of shows on cruise ships so I’ve got nothing to report on that score. We did attend two events in the Princess Theater however. The first was a very informative lecture/slide show with one of the ships officers about how cruise ships work and navigation. The person was nervous and spoke too quickly to be heard clearly but he was quite humorous. The second event was a cooking demonstration featuring the ships two main chefs. It was interesting but the corny humor was a bit dull although I found it somewhat interesting what people will laugh at.

We played Trivia during the first week of the cruise and that was lots of fun. Also, DW has had a big streak of luck with the slots in the casino during our last three cruises, winning big within an hour of sitting down to play. The streak ended on this cruise. Oh well!

Food: Here is the big difference between HAL and Princess. While we had several meals that were quite delicious, the food on Princess is way below the standard on HAL, including the Horizon Court Buffet. We ate in the Botticelli dining room for a fixed 7:30PM seating. On the last formal night (there are three on this cruise) I ordered the Beef Wellington. Now, Beef Wellington is a filet wrapped in a pastry shell with a layer of Foie gras (duck or goose liver pate) in between the shell and the meat. The grayish matter that was supposedly Foie gras definitely wasn’t. What it was I have no idea. If the chef is going to put that item on the menu it should be properly prepared or left off entirely. Our waiters, Alan and Komang were marvelous and we quickly established a wonderful relationship with them. During our diners they would always bring plate of another entrée for us to share. We tipped them heavily at the end of the cruise. Not wanting to be totally negative about the food on Grand Princess I must say that we enjoyed several deserts from all venues serving desert. They were excellent! One menu item that is a must do if it’s offered is the Goat Cheese Soufflé. It’s absolutely stunning. One huge disappointment is what Princess offers as the Cheese Plate on the desert dinner menu. It was the exact same cheese (only one cheese) and dollop of dried/fruit/nut mix every night on the 15 day cruise.  On HAL the Cheese Plate is different every night with at least four cheeses and fruit per serving.

We had one meal at each of the specialty restaurants. Crown Grill for steak and Sabatini’s for Italian. The Crown Grill was top notch and had a lovely ambiance. We also enjoyed the Pub Lunch three times in that venue. Pub Lunch is only served on sea days and is a limited menu with only one desert offered. We enjoyed it a great deal and would recommend it to anyone cruising with Princess. Sabatini’s was a wonderful seven course dinner that I would highly suggest you book. However, the ambiance (décor) of the space is horrible. It looks like Princess threw together a bunch of faux walls and columns with the intention of finishing the space later on but never did. The ceiling was a scatter of painted boards with the ventilation system visible. Probably the most egregious decorating sin was the lack of table cloths. All the tables were some sort of faux wood that was totally unappealing. The restaurant was not busy at all and two crew from high up the chain in the food and beverage department asked to speak with us after we were finished. We shared with them what I’ve written here. Based on their response it would seem like they had heard our concerns many times before. We had lunch at the Alfredo restaurant off the Piazza and that was quite good as were the pastries and coffee at the International Café (open 24 hours).  We did not do the Burger place near the Lido pools nor the Pizza place also located there.   

Ports of Call/Shore Excursions: Our first Port of Call was Hilo. We had originally booked the Princess Excursion to the Botanical Gardens. Then we cancelled when we found out we could do it on our own for at least half the price. We did Uber to the Gardens and our driver agreed to pick us up two hours later. We paid the entry fee and did our walk. The Gardens are beautiful and the walk is only slightly strenuous. Our Uber guy was waiting for us and we made our way back to the ship after a short stop at a Target store to pick up a belt which I forgot to pack, and one other item.  Our second Port was Honolulu where we did the 5 hour Pearl Harbor/Mighty Mo Tour offered by Princess. Money well spent. Our third Port was Kaui where we had decided to stay onboard. We had booked the Sanctuary for the day thinking it would not be crowded. We were the only people there as it turned out. The menu for that venue was perfect for our purposes. It was also Super Bowl day with the game starting at 1:30PM Hawaii time so we watched it on the big screen used for Movies Under the Stars and finished up the game in Snookers Cigar Bar when we had had more than enough Sun for the day. The next and last Port was Maui where we had booked the early Catamaran Sail.  This tour was the highlight of our entire cruise. Whales abounded and during our sail at least a hundred Dolphins ran along the sides of the catamaran jumping above the waves. An amazing sight to behold. Also, the food offerings were plentiful and delicious. This shore excursion is a must do if you are even slightly interested. The crew were all wonderful and knew what they were doing. We did not get off the ship in Ensenada, Mexico since we’ve been to Mexico numerous times and I believe once you’ve seen one Mexican town you’ve seen them all. Sorry folks, that’s just the way it is. If you’ve never been to Mexico then you should go ashore by all means. The problem with the Ensenada stop is the only reason the ship stops there is to be in accordance with the Jones Act. You should Google that for information if you are interested. Also, you are only there for just 4 hours, and late in the day.

The Grand Princess: The ship is 21 years old and it shows. A big shout out to the crew of worker bees that are constantly at work on repairs, painting, and polishing. However, it’s time for a major, major make over for this old gal. Grand Princess will be going into dry dock in Portland, OR during most of March but I’ll bet they will not address the stuff that needs the most work. By that I mean the chipped chairs, worn and frayed fabric in countless areas, worn to the bone panels in elevators, more rust on the outside areas than you can count, etc. Having talked with several of the ships officers I learned that Princess is upgrading the Internet system on all the fleet but it will take this dry dock and at least one other before the system will be functional on the Grand. Please note: this is only my opinion, but…I’m constantly amazed and alarmed by the public’s obsession and addiction to the Internet. There is so much more to life than the stupid Internet. DW and I love to totally disconnect from all that stuff when we cruise and wish others could discover that freedom. I believe the money and time spent on Internet upgrades would be better spent on correcting the items I’ve mentioned. Regardless of a new Internet system I’ll wager that passengers will still find reception to be slow and spotty.  Speeding up the movement of the elevator doors would be a real plus. On our cruise they opened and closed at the speed of a glacier. Cruise ship décor is, like the food, a very subjective thing. Grand Princess is close to Carnival Line ships (although not nearly as gaudy and offensive) in that most of the décor is meant to imitate something. Totally unnecessary. Fortunately a lot of new builds are moving away from this tired old style. I’ll explain by example; say you have an Italian upscale restaurant….well, whomever is doing the décor thinks, Roman architecture. And what do you get? Roman columns and photographs of Rome, or some other Italian city, or, God forbid, badly done watercolors hanging on the walls. It’s so much better to design a space with sleek but unobtrusive walls and ceilings and muted colors and let the food itself represent the country. As I said, this is just an example, but it applies to any interior public space on a ship.

Smoking:  We both smoke but are very conscious of the rights of non-smokers. At home we never smoke inside, always outside. Grand Princess has three smoking areas that will work for those that need to burn a heater; deck 15 outside of the One 5 bar/lounge has a large space with tables/chairs and individual padded chairs and couches. A steward was always available in that section. Snookers Cigar Bar is the inside smoking area and is available 24/7 but the bar itself is not staffed until 12 noon or 1PM. Ventilation is fairly good for an indoor smoking area but it still smells like and ashtray. Also, on deck 7, outside the Vista Lounge and towards the aft on the deck there is a little smoker’s station.

Conclusion:  Scale of 1 – 5 with 5 being the highest

Embarkation/Disembarkation: Princess 5; HAL 5

Cabin: Princess 4; HAL 5

Food: Princess 3; HAL 5

Entertainment: NA

Shore Excursions: Princess 4; HAL 4

Ship Condition: Princess 2; HAL 5

So, the bottom line? We are staying with HAL (doing a Panama Canal cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Seattle in April) and not going back to Princess.

 

Thanks so much for your review - we were on the same itinerary and ship to Hawaii in Dec.  I totally agree with you regarding the food being better on HAL and the condition of the Grand.  We still had a fantastic time and loved the itinerary, but for the same price and itinerary, we'd go with HAL.  Thanks again for your helpful and detailed review!

We switched to NCL after a bunch of cruises on Carnival.  You might find my review on the Breakaway helpful.  This was our first on NCL, so I talk a lot about the differences. 

https://profcruise.com/norwegian-breakaway-ship-review/

The Jewel and her sister the Pearl are our two favorites!  We've spend many, many days on both.  Just the right size and, as others have mentioned, we love the Spinnaker Lounge and the Great Outdoors.  Also, walking or just sitting on the Promenade deck.  So relaxing and lovely.  Wishing I was joining you!  Enjoy!

Mine might actually be the worst (lol), but you can check it out here nonetheless:

https://profcruise.com/norwegian-breakaway-ship-review/

Here's what we did. 

https://profcruise.com/the-best-cruise-tours-to-see-wildlife-in-costa-rica/

It was a great tour and would work for the different ages in your group.  Carnival offers the same tour we did.  Happy to answer any questions you might have.  Enjoy.  Costa Rica is beautiful! 

2 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

 

I have it and after about 5 years I finally have enough points to mostly pay for a short cruise.  100,000 points = $1500. 

On 2/11/2019 at 4:33 PM, lynne2fl said:

what time of year were you there?

July the first time.  Also been twice in September. 

I haven't been on any of those exact tours, but we've done whale watching and the glacier.  We went with Juneau Whale Watch for a combined whale watch/glacier package and loved it.  You can read about our experience in detail on my blog (along with a bunch of other things we've done there):

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-three-sample-itineraries-for-your-day-in-juneau/

Here's what we did:

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-lecture-series-what-to-do-in-hilo-hawaii/

We stuck to the lush side and loved it.  So many beautiful spots.  Enjoy!

I can't speak specifically to Mazatlan, but we did a Sea Turtle rescue and city tour excursion that took us about 40 minutes away from the port in Acapulco when they were also under a level 4 advisory and never felt unsafe for a second.  Our tour guide was very open about the issues with the drug gangs, but was reassuring that we were safe.  I would hate to have missed what turned out to be one of our favorite excursions ever due to fear of something extremely, extremely unlikely happening.  I'm also reminded of my travels to China where I heard from the Chinese about how they are warned not to to travel to the U.S. due to the risk of gun violence.  Many in China really do believe that there is a high risk of getting shot if they travel here.   

Research and ultimately do what you're most comfortable with, but if I were in your position, I'd go see the turtles!  I mean, look how cute they are and how much fun we had:

https://profcruise.com/the-best-excursion-in-acapulco-and-the-tale-of-doug-the-sea-turtle/

Either way, have a great cruise!  Staying on the boat is always fun too! 

1 hour ago, Orlandorandall said:

We emailed John before our cruise with our three children. We requested a table for 5 since we were going to have the kids and thought it was best to not be sat with other guests. They put us at a table for four with an extra chair slid in. It was so crowded that one of children’s chairs touched the person at the table behind us chair. The dining staff couldn’t walk through that wall the entire week they had to go around. We also took a cruise with three people and requested a private table. They sat us at a table for two and slid a chair in on the side. Again it was very crowded. 

So sorry this was your experience.  The tables are small enough (especially with kids) without adding additional chairs!  Especially when I like to order two of everything (but where are we going to PUT it?).  Hopefully others have better luck.

I just wrote a blog post about this I thought I'd share.  We've never had a problem on any line getting a private table.  You just have to communicate your needs early on and they will try their best to accommodate.  Here are my tips by cruise line:

https://profcruise.com/how-do-i-request-a-private-table-in-the-mdr/

For me, on my first cruise to Alaska I was FREEZING on scenic outdoor viewing days (cruising Glacier Bay, etc).  I had a layer of warm fleece over a sweatshirt and a waterproof jacket, gloves, hat and was still FREEZING.  On my two subsequent Alaska cruises I brought a giant ankle length thick puffer coat with hood.  It looks ridiculous, but it kept me outside enjoying the magnificent beauty while most others (in all their layers) had gone in complaining of cold.  Dress WARM.  Like for the coldest of Pittsburgh winter days (I'm from Pittsburgh too!  South Side Flats).  That's my best advice. 

Have fun!  I hope you'll report back with your experience. 

Will be doing a detailed report on all the ports from our Holland America 14 day sailing on the Vaandam from Seattle.  I have the first section up on Juneau here:

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-three-sample-itineraries-for-your-day-in-juneau/

I have a full review of Juneau Whale Watch on my blog.  Plus some other free or less expensive options for Juneau.  We had a wonderful experience with Juneau Whale Watch.  Highly recommend.

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-three-sample-itineraries-for-your-day-in-juneau/

We returned a few weeks ago from our second Christmas cruise with our son.  I've put together some tips on cruising over Christmas with kids on my blog.  Let me know if anyone has any questions about our experiences.  We love cruising over Christmas!

 

https://profcruise.com/considering-a-christmas-cruise-with-kids/

We were on a similar cruise on the Grand (only out of San Fran) this past December.   Weather in Hawaii was perfect, mid 70's most days.  We definitely didn't pack enough warm clothing though.  It was cold on the ship and there were some very chilly days outside while at sea.  Pants and sweaters and a light jacket ought to do the trick.  Enjoy!

In case your interested, I also just finished a blog post about our day in Hilo:

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-lecture-series-what-to-do-in-hilo-hawaii/

I wrote a detailed review of our day in Hilo here:

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-lecture-series-what-to-do-in-hilo-hawaii/

For Maui we did the snorkeling excursion through the ship.  It was phenomenal!  We saw whales, bottle necked dolphins, in addition to reefs and fish.  Can't recommend strongly enough. 

In Honolulu we rented a car and drove to the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve along with a few shorter scenic stops close by.  Then we did some shopping and dining.

In Kauai we hopped on the free trolly shuttle which takes you to a small shopping center.  From there we boarded a tour they advertised on the ride over on the trolly.  It was $50 per person and was excellent.  We covered a lot of spots!  Well worth the money.

Enjoy!

Check out my newest blog post on the best beaches near downtown Seattle (several easily accessible via public transit), if you're looking for a quiet day at the beach pre or post cruise.  I live downtown, so feel free to reach out with any questions (about anything Seattle related).

Best Beaches Near Downtown Seattle

https://profcruise.com/best-beaches-near-downtown-seattle/

We just returned from Hawaii a few weeks ago.  Here's a blog post I just finished about what we did in Hilo:

https://profcruise.com/ports-of-call-lecture-series-what-to-do-in-hilo-hawaii/

We stuck to the lush side.  It was gorgeous and we were able to see quite a bit in half a day. Let me know if you have any questions I might be able to help answer.

We're looking too.  Every other year we cruise over Christmas and 2020 is our next cruise year!  Hope you find the perfect one. 

https://profcruise.com/considering-a-christmas-cruise-with-kids/

Thank you all so much for sharing your knowledge and experience! Great news for introverts and moms alike. One more question. Where is the best place to hide in order to avoid disembarkation on the final morning. Kidding (sort of).

Parenthood is tough, ya'll! So for Mother's Day my husband gave me a short solo cruise on Explorer. Woot, woot - freedom! I don't want to seem antisocial, but I'm really looking forward to dining alone. Not that I think my lovely fellow cruisers would grab at my food, throw stuff, or insist I pick the onions out of every dish, but I just want to sit for a few moments each night with my book and dinner in quiet. Feel me, fellow parents? Is it possible to request and receive a private table for 1 in the MDR. I have MTD. What about for breakfast and lunch?

Thanks!

Thank you, Krazy! How does one go about making a reservation? Thank you for humoring all my lame newbie questions!

Yes you can request a table for 3 in the Open Seating area. They will set you at a table for 4.

You can make reservations for 3 days at a time -- even same table. Times for reservations are 5:15 - 6:15 and 7:30 - 9 PM.

HAL newbie here. I'm on the Zaandam for 14 days with my elderly mom and my son. We have anytime dining and I'm a little stressed about trying to manage my 5 year old at a table with folks who are interested in adult conversation and not poop jokes. Any chance we can request a private table for 3 so my son doesn't bother anyone? How does that all work? We've sailed NCL and Carnival with him in the past and have never had trouble getting a private table. Hoping for the same on HAL (and our fellow cruisers are probably hoping for that too!).

Any other dining tips for those who have traveled with young children most welcome!

Thanks!