masterty

58 minutes ago, Gimer said:

mastery, Did the Tlingit Totem Carver do his demonstration in the atrium?  Did you find more music venues?   Thanks

Totem demonstration is at 2:30 today.

It is scheduled to last 2 hours. I'll check it out but do not plan on staying for the whole thing. The music on this trip is bad. There are basically 3 acts that are rotating. They are just horrible. I'll take drunk karaoke on a 3 day booze cruise over this. Also the comedians have also been terrible. I have seen 3 comedians now. One so so, but the other two are below amateur. I hope those in the next rotation serve the summer sailings better. Last night was the first time I have ever witnessed 1/5 of the audience leave during a set. We stayed but only because my DW said she didn't want to be rude. The guy last night was singing song samples with comedic rewrites. Each one was simply not funny, especially when rewriting songs the audience is not familiar with the original words or melody. I know who Oasis and Green Day are but suspect many last night did not. He came on in Juneau. One of the acts is a Princess employee. Name tag and all when he performs. His music is a bit too eclectic for my taste. The strings group is just too old school for me. Others may enjoy the orchestra more than i.

The good. The dancers and singers in the production shows have been good. Enthusiastic and on cue. The only bad is...if your capitan circle status is anything but blue you have seen them before. 

1 hour ago, Glaciers said:

Currently on the Golden and was surprised that the TVs allow for bluetooth streaming from our mobile devices for our own music. 

Our TV also allows music to be streamed. No wireless video mirroring. Bring an HDMI cord for that. Here is a photo of the back of the TV in F309 on the Grand Princess. 

7:30 - 9:30 Grand Princess Alaska right now. 

I brought a number of ducks to hide on this trip. Everyone I have seen is enjoying finding them. This one lasted 30min before found.

Even the Cruise director is enjoying the cruising ducks.

#cruisingducks Check out the "Crusing Ducks" group on Facebook to learn more. The last cruise and the next cruise also had families hiding ducks.

Each duck has a passport hanging around its neck. They read. "You found a cruising duck. Keep it or hide it. The choice is yours. If you hide it, public spaces only. No stores, pools, or hot tubs. Please take a photo of the duck with or without you in it and post it to Cruising ducks of Facebook with the hashtag #cruisingducks."

Most will find it all to be silly, but the ships seem to not mind and the finders really like it. I hide many, low where children can find them and the rest in areas older pax congregate. The trick is to hide them where the cleaning crew wont find them. They take them all for themselves. 

Welcome to Ketchikan. Here is today's patter and dinner menu. 

Here is my surprise. No very creative. Good none the less. 

Crown Grill menu. 

Today I just said "surprise me". Let's see what the waiter picks for me. Photo to follow. 

And!!! Why on day 6 are they still asking for a cabin number???

17 minutes ago, Bignickpsu said:

Thanks for all of the info!

 

Did they repeat the menu from Day 2?  It looks almost exactly like the one you posted from earlier in your trip.

 

Did they mention if dining hours could be changed on port days?  On our Caribbean cruise last year, you were allowed to eat AnyTime on port days.  Thanks again!

I did not notice any menu repeating yet. I also have not compared menus. Too busy cruising 😁.

I have not heard any mention of traditional diners being allowed to eat anytime. I am sure if one was to ask the maître d' ones options they would be pleased. Of course some reading this will say "go for it we do it all the time" and others will say "dont do it. It messes up the seating for everyone else. I hope this Alaska patters discussion does not turn into a traditional dining using anytime discussion. I say just ask your maître d'.

Haines AK

In the Sancturary today I noticed the new medallion pucks installed on the Grand. I started looking around for them and noticed they are EVERYWHERE. There must be thousands of these things on each ceiling of each floor. They are generally placed around 6-12 feet from each other. They are in each cabin and in my cabin a second puck in the bathroom. The marketing and sales information Princess will gaining from the passengers wearing the medallions will be Google level huge.  

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

You just have to remember to stock up on them before you reach Yakutat Bay. 😉

They have plenty of them at all the bars. 

That is called planning. Since the theme of this thread is hacking I thought I would share my hack for when one doesn't plan. We cant all be perfect. 

Relaxing day in the Sancturary today. Great weather for Hubbard Glacier. A bit too much ice to get close. Glacier day was $60pp came with lunch, ear muffs, and photo taken by ship photographer. Ignore the $3pp delivery charge. Our steward told is it did not apply today as part of the $60 glacier package. Attached is a photo my DW took and the menus. 

2 hours ago, Dani24 said:

 

We had looked at one of the aft balconies as well. We were also considering a mini suite (not Club Class though). The window suite popped up, and it was actually $1000 less than a Club Class Mini Suite, and almost the same price (within <$200) of the mini suite I was looking it. So I jumped on it. My husband gets motion sickness, so I'm hoping the low and somewhat mid-ship location will help with the first couple of days out of SF. Normally we wouldn't splurge on a suite, but I had $4300 in credit card points from our Princess Visa that we've been saving up for 9 years, and we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to indulge.

Do the menus they give you indicate what the special offering is in the Club Class MDR? Or do you have to go to find out? 

You have to go to find out. I had the special the first night. It was 8 huge shrimp, potatoes, veggies. We have done Sabitinis 2 nights so not super familiar with all the specials in club class. Tonight we will be in club class. 

Straw hack. 

When you are told by every bar on the ship that you can not have a straw when in Yakutat Bay. Just head to customer service and ask for a complementary straw......I mean complementary pen. Pull out the guts and enjoy. 

Day 5 Hubbard Glacier. 

1 minute ago, memoak said:

If you are in a suite you can use club class for breakfast as well, better service and more options.  Having said that the suite breakfast is our favorite when we can get an upsell to a full suite.  You can order off the menu there as well, you may have to give them the heads up the day before if there is something special you would like.  (say an omelet with shrimp)

I know this to be true, however I like unique offerings. The MDR gives that to me the crown requires me to "make it up". I have no objection to the food in the crown. My only objection is the lack of options. Same menu all 10 days vs 2 unique options each morning. I am sure we will continue to use both options. 

13 hours ago, Dani24 said:

We're in a Window Suite as well. We got F301 - the smallest one - though we're excited in any case! First time in a suite for us. 

 

How are you liking the room and the location?

 

Are you doing the suite breakfast in Crown Grill?

The location is the best cabin location on the ship. IMHO. If not in a suite we would be on deck 5 mid-forward. Second best location on the ship IMHO. 

We have stayed in aft balconys before for great wake views but it is such a long way back there that it makes using the room arduous. Mid ship deck 8, 9, 10 are great spots but with M1's going for ridiculous fees and even BA's being overpriced we will usually opt for a interior and if we want buy the sanctuary and Crown Grill for the voyage and still have savings for the casino. The S7 is a treat to my wife as we are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary on this trip. I surprised her with the room. The escort at embarkation blew the surprise. A surprise none the less. 

As for Crown Grill we tried it twice. We both have the pbp so no benefit there. Surprised the Crown offeres only the same comfort food menu each day. My knowledge of the MDR breakfast is that it offers a different option each morning. So on day 4 we are going to the MDR to see which on we like more. I'll try to get a crown grill breakfast menu so you can see what I mean. 

Juneau today, 

1 hour ago, milolii said:

Mastery, what type of suite are you sailing in?  Any pics of that?  Ty  

We are in a Window Suite. 

Anyone wondering about internet on the Grand can rest easy. It is working wonderfully so far. I even watched a series episode last night sitting in the princess theater waiting for the act to start using Amazon Prime. Ear buds to not annoy anyone. Worked ok for streaming Prime. HBOgo is blocked. Xfinity streaming worked a little but prime worked better. Here are my net speeds the last two days north of Seattle. 

2 hours ago, aprilsp88 said:

Masterty,

 

Thanks a lot for the update.

 

These days there is a rain storm from west coast, maybe that's why the seas is rough. Hope it will improve. 7 out of 10 is really rough.

 

We also love music, so disappointed for lack of music, especially there are so many sea days. Probably should get unlimited wifi to keep us entertained.

 

When you order room service from MDR menu, do all courses come together? This must be a club class or suite benefit? I never recall raspberry cream brulee chocolate journey,  I will make sure not to miss it in formal night.

 

Thanks,

April

The first 36 hours was 12-15 foot seas. The seas calmed down on day 3 to a 4/10. About 4am we entered the passage and the seas calmed to a 1/10. This itinarary took us up the outside. Past trips entered the inside passage just north of Victoria island. This one stayed out much longer than I expected. As for the room service. We are in as suite. In room MDR menu for room service is a perk and yes they all arrive together if ordered together. We ordered a couple starters, then when hungry again. Ordered mains and dessert. I hope some more music will join us in Juneau. Some music with a little energy to it would be welcome. Everything so far has been a snooze fest. I am 50 years old if that helps. So less Sinatra is fine by me. 

Update on the Explorers Lounge. Yesterday I posted the photos of the new loveseats. Today I discovered that they only exist in the rear two rows. The front two rows still contain the old wore out loveseats. I suspect these may over time get updated but for now they are not. Also the long curvy couch at the entrance remains untouched. Photo for referance.

2 hours ago, Gimer said:

Masterty,  Did Tlingit Kenneth White demo the carving of a totem pole in the Atrium?  

That was announced during the welcome aboard show. I forget which day. It has not yet happened. 

3 hours ago, greenman1168 said:

Can you share which package you have? Will we be ok with the surf Package or should we upgrade to the top package?

Thanks!

Edie and Dale from the Mendocino coast.

I purchased the premium plan x2. One for me and one for my DW. We are both enjoying our connectivity this trip. $139each pre buy or $189each on board. Of course you could share if you both dont need service simultaneously. 

2 hours ago, greenman1168 said:

I see they have cross stitch at 1 pm on day 3 of this voyage. Does anyone know if kits are provided and if there is a charge for this activity ?

I do not know anything about cross stitch. Saw a few in crooners doing it. I will ask should I see them again. 

2 hours ago, aprilsp88 said:

Is the sea rough? How do you like the MDR food? Is the coffee card still paper card? From the patter it looks like there is not much music in piazza or on deck during the day time?

Thanks,

April

Seas have been rough. About a 7 on a scale of 1/10. DW and I have been a little disappointed in the music onboard. Not enough music for our first 3 days. We often just sit and stare at each other waiting for some music to play somewhere. Self brought games are keeping us entertained. 

Love the MDR food so far. We are eating in Club class but that should not matter much. It is all the same stuff. Tonight is formal and we are going to hide out and eat in our room. Menu has already been delivered and here they are. 

37 minutes ago, bronzey214 said:

Now that you're north of Seattle, how's the internet holding up?

Below are all the speed test I have done since we left. (Except the bottom one)

The bottom one was from the Carnival Inspiration last week. Their internet was great. 

As you can see 3-5mb is holding up so far. I will continue to scan. I suspect Hubbard Glacier in a couple days will be the true test.