Spikesgirl

We just came back from the Aug 2 British Isles cruise RT Dover on the Pacific Princess. We had an ABSOLUTELY wonderful time. I can truly say that this was one of the best cruises we have done with Princess out of our 30+ cruises with them.

 

We got to LHR and took the National Express bus to Victoria Coach station and then walked the block to our hotel. The next day we took our private hire taxi, Twelve Transfers to Dover. Our driver was there 10 minutes early and took us in a nice van on the 2 hour drive to Dover. I would highly recommend them as they were easy to contact and book with online. For the 3 of us with 3 checked bags and 3 hand bags was 130 GBP.

 

Embarkation was a breeze. It only took us 10 minutes to drop off the luggage, check in and walk onto the ship. We then dropped off our backpacks in the cabin and went to lunch in the MDR.

This was the first cruise we had club class and we loved it. The only reason I booked this for us was because it was only $100 more total and I jumped on the offer. Yes I did tip the staff in the MDR CC extra since they did on outstanding job for us!

 

We had dinner in the MDR 6 of the 8 nights. The first night we went to Sabatinis and had great food served by Anastasia, a waiter we have had on prior cruises. She was great as usual. The 6 nights in the MDR we were served great food by a wonderful waiter named Menino and his assistant Emanuel. They were some of the best waiters we have ever had. The head waiter, Laszlo served us some great dishes prepared table side. The young lady who seats you, Kathy was the most pleasant person we have ever dealt with. I would book CC again if it was a good deal like the one we got on this cruise!!!

 

The ship refresh was great. Lighter colors throughout, which we loved. The ship is going in for another big dry dock next year to have MUTS put in and also to have some work done on the engines. From what we were told, Pacific Princess will be around for at least 2 to 3 more years. They do know that people like the small ship so we are keeping our fingers crossed that she stays around for quite some time.

 

The entire staff was extremely friendly. Our cabin steward, Jefte did a great job and took care of us. He always had a smile on his face. Lindsay the future cruise consultant/captains circle rocked. She took care of the FCD purchases immediately upon getting them. She also took care of getting our son, who is an elite member too, at our table for the most traveled luncheon. We got to sit with the chief engineer which was right up my sons alley! She also told us that the stickers we get for each cruise are no longer going to be placed in the stateroom. You must get them from the CC person or the front desk.

 

Our Captain, Andrea Spinardi did a great job in keeping us up to date on weather etc. One day our head waiter had to pull the smoke alarm because someone had extinguished their cigarette inappropriately in the smoking area and the smoke was coming into the dining room. It was taken care of immediately by the fire team. Someone had placed some plastic trash in the cigarette disposal container and it started burning. The Captain told us what was going on, what had gone on and that all was okay. Great job!!

 

We liked all the port stops and only did a tour with Princess in Wales. Of course the Tattoo was the big stop for us. We booked the Amber package directly through the tattoo site. We had a great meal in the Whiskey Experience before hand and then we were walked to our seats. They were in section 7 facing the castle. The BEST!!!

 

As far as the entertainment: the production shows were ok. The comedian, Doug Funk was not good IMHO. We actually walked out of the show. The singer Shane was awesome. We saw both of his shows and were very impressed. Neil the CD did a great job and loved talking to the passengers to get our feedback.

 

Disembarkation was easy except for the meeting times on the patter list were off by 10 minutes which did cause some confusion. People were concerned that they would miss the Princess buses to LHR, but no one did. The bus drive was a little less than 2 hours and was worth the $.

 

Overall this cruise was AMAZING!!!

Thanks so very much for this great review. PP is our favorite ship and I hope that she will continue to be part of the Princess line for a good long time. Can you tell me if Oscar (Matre'd hotel) was on board?

It's great that you enjoy the CC so much. Our upcoming cruise will be the first time with the option, so we are looking forward to it.

Glad you had such a great trip!

Thank you,

 

I thought that the sea days might be the formal nights. Did the Pacific Princess have the Chef's Table Dinner? I haven't seen it on My Personalizer so am not sure that it is held on the Pacific.

 

The other evening I am considering for the UBD is the evening we are docked overnight in Stockholm. What is the port area like? I think that we are scheduled to be docked at the Frihamnen Dock.

 

Carolyn

She does have Chef's Table. The best thing to do is for you or your hubby to go straight to the dining room once you've boarded and put in your request with Oscar. They work really hard to make sure everyone who asks gets a chance to experience it.

I remember the port of Stockholm to be very nice. There was a grocery store just as you come out. If you like checking out grocery stores, it was fun. There were also ATMs there. I remember it being open, very clean, and walkable. We didn't overnight there, unfortunately, as it's a lovely city and everyone was so friendly! We went to the Museum of Music to see the ABBA special exhibit and then took a Ho-Ho bus. Definitely the way to see the city.

Charlie

We are cruising to the Baltics on the Pacific Princess - September 10, 2018.

 

We have splurged on a suite for our first time on such a small ship and I would like to pre-order an Ultimate Balcony Dinner for us to enjoy one evening. Does anyone have past experience with which nights were Formal Nights (3 formal 11 smart casual). We like to dress up and go to the Dining Room on Formal Nights.

 

Sept 10 - Dover - embarkation

Sept 11 - Sea Day

Sept 12 - Copenhagen - 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

Sept 13 - At Sea

Sept 14 - Riga - 7:00 am -3:00 pm

Sept 15 - Tallinn - 9:30 am - 5:00 pm

Sept 16 - St Petersburg - 7:00 am Overnight

Sept 17 - St Petersburg - sail away 6:00 pm

Sept 18 - Helsinki - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sept 19 - Stockholm - 9:00 am Overnight

Sept 20 - Stockholm - sail away 6:00 pm

Sept 21 - At Sea

Sept 22 - Kiel Canal Scenic Cruising 6:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sept 23 - Amsterdam - 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sept 24 - Dover - Disembark

 

Thank you for any help you can give us. We are really getting excited to see all of the beautiful ports and experience cruising on the Pacific Princess.

 

Carolyn

Sacramento, CA

Hey, Carolyn,

You are in for a treat. The Pacific is such a lovely ship and I hope you fall in love with her the way we did. We took her on this cruise and it was such fun.

The at sea days will be your formal dinners, so it you don't want to miss that, I would suggest either the sail away from St. Petersburg or Helsinki. The Kiel Canal was pretty, but I can't remember it being really picturesque sailing out of it.

Have a lovely, lovely time on our favorite ship!

seriously , your cruise choice is determined by a staff member being on board?

 

How much direct interaction do you have with this person?

 

 

now, if there is no cornhole...well, that's a deal breaker for sure !

I did not say that.

What I meant was mid-contract.

I understand -

If he's waiting for a "new" ship...maybe it isn't floating in the water yet.

True... what does Princess have coming up? I worry that they will sell the Pacific. It would be the end of our days with the line if that happens.

I did and I'm hoping he hasn't. He swore to us that they only way he'd leave is either dead or retired. Fingers crossed that he's still there in October.

Josko is home in Croatia right now between contracts. I friended on FB all 4 of our waiters in Club Class on the Pacific. Nice to follow their posts on the World Cruise.

This is one of the few times I wish we did FB... sigh. Is he returning to the PP or following Oscar?

We were on the Pacific in April' date=' this was the last leg of the world cruise. Oscar said that he was leaving the Pacific and joining one of the new ship, it was a promotion for him. He was going to miss the world cruise and the Pacific.

 

Sorry for the bad news, we really enjoyed Oscar.[/quote']

 

 

Wow, this is quite the change from what he told us. He said he would never leave the PP. I hope he reconsidered.

From the way Oscar talked when we were on the Pacific, the only way they'll get him off that ship is if he dies or retires.

That's terrific news! We enjoy him so much! :D

Last year Oscar was not on board and Josco was.

I know that he took a break before the refurb started in May. He was heading out the same day we disembarked. I was hoping he was back on board by now.

Can anyone tell me if Oscar and Josco are still in the main dining room on board? We've sailed with them many times and were hoping to meet up with them again in October.

RubyLee,

We've done Chef Table four times and always on the Pacific Princess. When you board, go directly to the dining room and let Oscar know you would like to attend. They work very hard to make sure everyone who wants to attend does.

Thank you all for your responses.

Fishywood, yes I’m aware that the Pacific Princess is a smaller ship. It was one of the reasons we booked this cruise.

Great news. We’re choosing a midship minisuite. I guess we’ll look for a lower deck?

Does the PP have laundromats like the bigger ships? It is a big help when your are touring on land before sailing.

It does have laundromats, but they operate from like 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and there aren't many washers and dryers, so competition can be fierce.

I wish the PP had been available when we did this cruise (on the Grand). It was a great itinerary, but the PP can get so much closer in. Do bring along some seasickness meds as it does tend to rock and roll a bit more. Mid ship and down is your best bet.

This is what we did, too, and it was a day trip for us, but we did it with the full intention of it taking that much time. It was quite the hassle because they had just changed it from being able to walk up and get a visa to having to make an appointment. There was a guy flying out that afternoon and needed one. No idea what they did for him, if anything.

I wish the electronic visas had bee available back then.

I went to the Brazilian Consulate here in San Francisco. Only downside was that you dropped it off one day & then they gave you a 1 hr window on another day to pick it up.

This is a great way to get your visa if your near a consulate. Make sure that you have all of the necessary documents that they want. I had to go out & get proof that I had airline reservations.

Tom😎

I did a Bon Voyage on the Emerald yesterday, and in the waiting area chatted with another woman in our group who works for Princess. I asked her if they are indeed selling the Pacific and she said no, that Princess recognizes it's importance to it's customers and that it's not for sale and that Princess does not intend to sell her.

That is music to my ears. She is our favorite ship and I think we would leave Princess if we lost her.

We were on the Grand in 2010 and they were showing Motown. We cruised on the Pacific last year and they were showing Motown. Perhaps they change them more often on the big ships, but not so much on the smaller ones...

Please watch at the highest resolution possible, including on a 4K television (The format in which I filmed).

 

Enjoy [emoji4]

~Bob

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmCdKjjN4xKZqMWKSwbqq_ygPR8Qa2RW5

 

 

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We did the Panama transit just before her refurbishment and were anxious to see what she looked like. Thanks so much for posting this!

Look what I just found, tucked away in the back of a cupboard, sealed in a zip-lock bag, with that memorable Eucalyptus scent. The fragrance certainly brings back memories.... They look to be in perfect condition....I actually think they are from the 690 pax Royal, a cruise we took to the Holy Land & Egypt in 2008. M E M O R I E S !!!!!!!

 

We loved that fragrance and were sad to see it replaced on our last cruise on the Pacific. Also loved the Royal. She was such a lovely ship.

Thanks for this info. This is our first cruise. What if the trip is an all day event with an organised trip in the morning, followed by free time in the afternoon before being returned to the ship.

We did something like that. We had a tour of the Hermitage and then some free time to wander about a pre-designated area. We met up with a friend vacationing there and had lunch with her. At the proper time, we rejoined our group and were escorted back to the ship.

You did not get off the dock without either a visa or an excursion. They were very firm around that.

We did have a lovely time there, though. I hope you will, too.

Has anyone who signed up for the chef's table not been able to be accepted? Do you need to sign up right away when you board, or is there time to explore before attempting to sign up for chef's table? I don't see a way to sign up for this on line before the cruise.

 

Thanks

We've done Chef's Table five times and only once did we get shut out and that was because a single party booked the entire thing. On our last cruise (Pacific Princess) , there were two Chef Table's to accommodate the requests.

When we get on board, the hubby heads for the dining room to make reservations. He has usually found out ahead of time who he needs to speak with and talks with him directly.

Good luck! It's loads of fun!

My wife andI are currently on the Pacific Princess doing a 14 Caribbean cruise that leftFt. Lauderdale De 22.

 

For thosewondering what Christmas would be like on a small ship here is a review ofChristmas on Pacific Princes. There aretrees in several areas of the ship as well as other decorations. There is a large gingerbread house presentationaround the bottom of the grand staircase on deck 4.

 

ChristmasEve there was a staff choir leading a singalong in the atrium. The game Majority rules was all Christmasquestions. The main show was a comedianwith nothing holiday related.

 

 

 

OnChristmas Day started with a very nice brunch. It was a wonderful spread with buffet options as well as options toorder from a menu. There was nothingChristmas related on the menu or buffet. About the same time Santa arrived after making a stop at a nearbyCarnival ship. With only 12-15 childrenon board (681 passengers) he did not need much time to hand out gifts. He then greeted passengers at brunch and upon the pool deck before heading off.

 

The dinnermenu included ham, turkey and Christmas pudding. Around desert time the staff gathered for acouple of Christmas songs. The PA systemhad Christmas songs, including a few religious from the 22nd untilend of the 26th.

 

Each daythere has been a different Christmas movie repeating on the in cabin TV. There is no MUTS on the Pacific so no movies(or football) up on deck.

 

Gingerbreadhouse were also used as decoration in the buffet but they were removed at the endof the 26th. There was a gingerbreadmaking option for passengers.

 

This is agreat cruise/itinerary for those wanting a holiday time cruise without a lot ofchildren. After this cruise the shipstarts a world cruise and some passengers on that have got a jump start on herenow.

 

We were onthe Crown Princess from Dec 1 – 22. The5 day De 17 -22 was about two thirds blue cards with lots of children. There were well behaved – only issue was witha senior that got kicked off for bad behavior.

Thank you so much for this! I had often wondered what it would be like. We will be spending next Halloween on board. I wonder if there will be trick or treating.

The best part of not having to take the vests, is not having to take them back to your room, before heading to get a drink!

Boy, isn't that the truth? This is quite a welcomed change!

Just off the Crown Princess & when we met our room steward, he told us the good news! You no longer take your life vest to Muster & will be fleet wide soon.

[emoji2]

 

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Wow, that will be great! We don't sail until October, so I hope it will have gotten to the Pacific by then!

Oh, boy, I like your style. A good attitude is everything, but there are some people who are determined to be miserable and that's their right, just as it is my right to not engage them.

They are mad and the internet provides them with a podium to react from. People who had a great cruise tend to go along with life and not post about the great cruise they had, lest the naysayers start climbing all over them about, "How dare you enjoy yourself when I'm miserable!?" Who needs that?

I just came back from a great cruise. Why? Because it was a cruise and I'm happiest when I'm on the water. Be there a bit of rust on the ship, a tiny shower that you had to step outside the bathroom to use (okay, I exaggerate), not fourteen entrees to pick from for lunch or dinner - I don't care, those things do not detract from the fact that I was cruising.

If someone is unhappy with a cruise line or even with cruising in general, there are other options. and now if you will excuse me, I need to go post a review about what a great experience I had.

You also see a lot of people who post a single superlative or hyperbolic complaint, it was the worst ever, the colder than expected soup at lunch ruined my entire cruise, I saw a cookie on the deck and had to go to counseling for six weeks, and then disappear. They aren't interested in a dialogue or having a conversation because once everyone points out the reality of the situation and provides a frame of reference there really is very little they can say.

 

Lots of things go wrong on cruises and travel in general, usually Princess has done right by me in trying to make up for things that are their fault. However, part of travel, for me and my wife, is the adventure, the bumps in the road, the unexpected moments and the good memories that come from bad things happening.

 

Case in point, on our Cunard cruise on QM2, we both got nasty colds, I mean crushing, put you in bed for 48 hours colds. Even worse, it knocked us out of New Years Eve completely. However, we holed up in our room, drank almost unimaginable quantities of tea and water along with enough TheraFlu (or its UK equivalent) to ease our symptoms and read. Our cabin steward kept us deep in fresh tissues and room service kept us fed and hydrated. We had tons of hot water for soothing showers and steam and even a few laughs. By the night of 1 Jan, we were feeling much better and returned to join our table mates with whom we split the bottle of champagne meant for the night before.

 

A great attitude makes for great travel and a great life. An attitude of always complaining and seeing the worst in things, will find plenty to complain about and lead to a very miserable travel and life experience. Life is too short and cruising is way too much fun for that.

 

One last note, I am always most amused by the vociferous complainers who have racked up dozens of total cruises...it is so bad they just had to keep giving their money to the cruise lines!