jff50

Cool beans. :-)

 

Anyway, back on topic...

 

We loved Chef's table so much that we're thinking of making it tradition! Latanya and I really loved how relaxing and well paced it was and the food was simply devine.

 

Now, my hope is that if we book it for the Breeze, that the menu will vary slightly because I can't imagine paying for the exact same courses every time. That would be the one thing that would make it not become a tradition for me. :D

Since we'll be doing the Chef's Table on the Breeze before you, I would be glad to send you the menu. Not sure I'd want to post any digital images here, given some people's lack of respect for intellectual property.;) Just kidding (sort of), I will probably post the menu. Maybe I'll put a watermark on it, just to piss some people off. However, after your thread, I'd probably be embarrased to post photos.

First, I suggest you have your camera in a bag (not out) and that you ask the Chef directly if they mind you taking photos of your food or of the galley. Some do mind. And that your respect their policies.

 

If they say yes....

 

I used the 50 1.4 for my shots. I love it for detail shots because it makes everything so buttery and beautiful and works great for food photos.

 

With that said, I often couldn't get far enough away from my plate to get as much of the photo in focus as I would have liked to.

 

I still would probably use it again because of how pretty the images are that it delivers when using really shallow depths of field.

 

There is no way you're going to be far enough away from your plate to use your 85. And your fisheye will make your food look like it's super far away.

 

So take your 24-105 incase there are some shots you want to fit more in on the wider side. And your 50 1.4 to get that gorgeous depth of field and bokeh.

Thanks so much. I've never had any problems taking pictures of the Princess Chef's table, but I will definately ask permission.

I shot all of them with the 5D MK II and these particular shots all were done with the 50 1.4. However, they weren't all shot at 1.4. The apertures varied. Some were natural light, requiring slower shutter speeds. Some of them were with a bounced 580 EX II flash set at varying +/- manual settings depending on what the shot required.

Thanks so much for this review and the fabulous pictures. I've done Chef's Table on Princess multiple times, but never on Carnival. We are on the Breeze this June/July, and I was just confirmed for 4 of us for the Chef's Table. I forwarded your reviews link to my wife and 2 daughters (that will be joining me). Everyone loved it, and is looking forward to the experience.

Just wondering which of my lenses would be the best fit for the Chef's Table. I have the Canon 5D MK II, and my collection of lenses includes:

• Canon's 50mm 1.4
  
• Canon's 85mm 1.8
  
• Canon's 24-105mm 4.0L
  
• Sigma 15mm 2.8 fisheye
  

Of these, which one or two lenses would you suggest for the Chef's Table?

I posted on Princess' facebook page the question about the coffee card that is coming out in the new year. Here is their response

 

 

Coffee cards are being redesigned to include the ship and sailing on which they were purchased. Once these new cards go into effect, you will still be able to use all 15 punches over multiple sailings if you wish. Any unused punches on card...s that you currently possess will also be honored. However, the added benefit of free brewed coffees and specialty teas will only be applicable during the cruise indicated on the card.

Seems like a very reasonable/fair approach for Princess to take. They sold a card good for a certain number of specialty drinks. They will continue to honor it for those drinks, regardless of when you redeem the punches. The card includes the additional benefits of free brewed coffee and hot chocolate. To this point, Princess has allowed people to abuse the card by redeeming it for (up to) 14 specialty coffees, plus free brewed coffee and hot chocolate for life. Clearly Princess wasn't intending to offer this. They have finally decided to close down this loophole.

If someone thinks that that was the intent of the card, they will just have to come to grips with it. Personally, I look at it as a loophole/abuse that Princess has (to date) allowed. I have benefited from this, as have others that are now complaining about they will no longer be able to continue this abuse. I'm just glad that I've been able to benefit from this in the past--I don't think it's reasonable to expect Princess to allow it indefinately.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I did it on the Carnival Splendor in April (and on the Crown Princess in Nov 2010). I found it to be a great value for the money and when you consider the cookbook + photos and getting a gourmet meal (ours was hot) well worth the money.

I've done the Chef's Table on several Princess ships and loved it each time. Never on Carnival, but considering it for our Med cruise on the Breeze next summer. Does anyone have any comments/observations on how Carnival's Chef's Table compares to Princess'.

Your best bet with your daughter is probably Cheesecake Factory, which is on the same property as the Riverside Hotel. Shooters is on the water taxi route and has a nice relaxing waterfront view and casual menu, but the food is better at Cheesecake.

Thanks. One of the places that looked interesting was Mangos. Any thoughts on that?

The Riverside Hotel is at the west end (or beginning) of the boutique shopping area. The blocks are full blocks. There is less than a mile of shopping. There are restaurants both east and west of the hotel for a total mile. Everything is on one street.

My 9 YO daughter and I are staying at the Riverside Hotel the night before a Aug 29th cruise on the Emerald Princess. Got it for $65 on Priceline, which seems like a good deal--if it's not just let me remain blissfully ignorant.

What restaurants would you suggest within walking distance or off of the water taxi (which I am thinking of doing). Looking for one that is reasonably priced and would appeal to a kid.

We were married by the Captain on the Grand Princess about 8 years ago. Great and they did everything possible to make the wedding hassle free.

I am sailing the Diamond Princess on August 21, 2010. I had the same dilemna as you. We had to book two cabins with two people in each cabin. I am a previous Princess cruiser and therefore get a small discount. Here were the pricing options for me:

 

Category E-Partially Obstructed Oceanview $799/person

 

Total price (incl. taxes/fees) for two cabins with two people in each cabin= $3,575.60 (mid ship on Emerald deck)

 

Category BD-Balcony Stateroom $1,699/person

Total price (incl. taxes/fees) for two cabins with two people in each cabin= $7,175.60 (forward on Baja deck)

 

That is a difference of $3,600 for four people or $1,800/cabin.

 

There was absolutely no question in mind what to do. We booked the Partially Obstructed View staterooms. Our cabins have a rope or something similar in front of them at most.

 

Now if you have the money to spend then book the balcony. We decided to save the money. Excursions in Alaska are very expensive and we did not want to skimp on these. Most of our excursions are going to cost $150-$200 per person and we will be going on four excursions. We could not afford balcony cabins and also the nicer, more expensive excursions. BTW, we were even able to book all 4 of our flights from Detroit to Anchorage and back from Vancouver with frequent flyer miles for all 4 tickets.

A wise choice. Given a limited budget, spending the money on excursions is the way to go.

Have you looked into the Alaska Toursaver book? A lot of discount/twofer coupons in it. We used it for our our Alaska cruise last year and it was great. Used 2 for 1 coupons on flightseeing/glacier landing and 3 rivers boat trip in Talkeetna, Princess McKinley lodge, Misty Fiords boat trip, whale watching in Juneau, etc. Well worth the $100 investment on the book (we saved over $1,000).

I've done Alaska 4 times--with and without a balcony. If it's a choice between a balcony OR a few great shore excursions, I'd take the shore excursions. It may not be as convenient, but you can see at least as much from the open deck as you can from a balcony. My best memories of Alaska are the shore excursions (whale watching, helicopter to a glacier, flightseeing and cruising Misty Fiords, flightseeing and glacier landing out of Talkeetna, etc). Alaska excursions tend to be pricey. Given my choice between splurging on the excursions and a balcony, I'd take the balcony. If I didn't have to choose, I'd do both.

Isn't LGB, Long Beach area? Didn't you take a big chance on getting a 3 1/2 * in Long Beach? I know the Long Beach Airport is an option, as they don't have a 3 1/2* hotel. I am trying to figure out a bidding strategy for the CP stay in April. I too have been rejected as high as $95. I have a reservation that I can cancel, so I am willing to wait.

LGB (Long Beach Airport) is a separate area then Long Beach. Apparently Long Beach hotels will not be picked up if you bid on LGB. By changing the criteria from San Pedro only to San Pedro and LGB, you can submit another bid (for a slightly higher price) immediately. Since there are no 3 1/2* hotels in the LGB area, you are still limiting your bid to 3 1/2* hotels in San Pedro--Doubletree and Crowne Plaza.

Sorry, I hadn't noted the time of year you will be in Dubrovnik.

 

As for the other ports, our kids tolerated ruins in Ephesus, Athens and Rome, but obviously serious touring wasn't their favorite thing to do. They enjoyed climbing anything (e.g. Leaning Tower of Pisa and cupola at St. Peter's Basilica in Roma), sliding on the glass floors of the Terrace Houses in Ephesus, climbing rocks and stones on the Acropolis in Athens, and playing hide and seek around the Arco di Septima in the Foro Romano in Rome. Obviously getting gelato in Italy is always a winner.

 

Rather than a long post here, you can find more in my blog at http://terpnut.blogspot.com. Then click on the cruise or travel filter to see my most recent posts. I have specific entries for my kids' favorite things in most ports or cities. Good luck!

I'm counting on climbing to be a hit. For Naples, we selected hiking Vesuvius (after Pompeii)--rather than spending time driving the Amalfi coast. Don't think we will be going into Rome. Spent 4 days there last year after a Transatlantic ending in Rome. Probably will spend that time on the ship, since we will have had a full day around Naples the day before.

With our 10 and 8 YO, we walked the walls in the morning, bought some fresh fruit at the market, ate lunch and gelati/ice cream in the old city, and then walked to the Banje beach in the afternoon! If you have the time, you could ferry out to Lokrum and checkout things, including the beach, there. Made for a fun day for the kids!

Although the rest of it sounds nice, not sure that the beach has the same appeal in November as it has in June/July. A leisurely stop (walking the walls, lunch and gelati) sounds nice, since we will be doing a tour of Ephesus and a walking tour of Athens before getting to Dubrovnik. What other stops did your cruise have, and what did you find worked well with kids?

Dubrovniktravelady

We will be in Dubrovnik on the Norwegian Jade on Nov 7th. Any suggestions for what to do with and 8 YO?

I thought the buyback guarantee was for piece valued at over 20,000 usd. I will be on a cruise next month and I can ask about it. You might try the online art auctions though.

Not sure what the lower limit is, but I thought that the buyback guarantee was for items well below $20,000 (even below $5,000).