tml1230

we did a TA on the Island last fall....we went onboard with low expectations given reviews we had researched.......

we enjoyed it so much  we have booked the TA again this fall. Great crew, ship didn't seem crowded ....Very good food and we loved the small ship feel and the covered pool!

The reserve (club class) dining was incredible!

have a great cruise!

4 hours ago, teh3505 said:

Enjoyed the reviews. We are sailing on her May 20 - 30, 2024.

I hope you do a live" from" or review on your May cruise !

we cruise on the emerald 3 weeks later from FLL to Quebec City and would be interested in your thoughts....Although more than 5 yeas ago, we have sailed on the Emerald twice.  Both were outstanding experiences!

safe travels!

15 hours ago, BamaVol said:

I’m sure it goes without saying that I’m leaving him enough US currency to make this an adventure instead of a burden.

your post made me smile! what a GREAT idea!! I plan on fooling your lead with my 3 granddaughters....safe travels and thanks again for a great idea!  

GO GATORS !!

Thanks for the photos of Moorea!   They brought back incredible and wonderful memories! 

For a long time believed the Hawaiian island of Kauai was the most beautiful place on earth,,......

Then we docked in Moorea!  

safe travels

LA cruiser 88, as usual another OUTSTANDING live from report! your photos are incredible....

we are doing this cruise next year and are taking copious notes!

I have been following your reports since we did a cruise on the regal princess from Europe that you reported on....safe travels and all the best!

we have been on 3 club class ( reserve class now)  ...mini suite cruises  with reserve dining in the last 20 months...all were OUTSTANDING!... zero wait time for dining, elevated table service, and incredible staff!

we have 5 cruises booked in the net 2 years and ALL are in reserve class.... yea? our sons inheritance is reduced, but I have advised him thats the price he will pay for aggravating me more than once!

PS: be warned...and not for nuthin.... but you will get a few "stink eye" looks  from fellow passengers who are waiting to be seated in regular dining area

On 3/18/2024 at 4:36 AM, donaldsc said:

 

I would hope that you at least got more of that wet paint on your shoes and walked all over the ship leaving tracks as you went.  

 

DON

nuff said. 

3 hours ago, TheMichael said:

 

File under "there's always 'that guy.'"

very well stated!

Ken, there are not adequate  words to describe your incredible photos! I feel like I was there with you!

Again thank you for one of the most entertaining and informative  reports I have ever read....

not for nuthin but.... you and LA Cruiser 88 should write a book together ! It would be a best seller !

Go figure from a LA guy and a Bama guy!

safe onward  journey .....

39 minutes ago, Parrottdizes said:

I also have sailed from Quebec to Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Lauderdale to Quebec......both times we docked in Brooklyn, so (to me) it is not a rare exception. 

While the terminal schedule (below) is helpful; schedules do change and sometimes even the captain doesn't know till a few days before.......(yes that happened to us the first time we docked in NY).

https://nycruise.com/manhattan-terminal/schedule-mct/

https://nycruise.com/brooklyn-terminal/schedule-bct/

THANKS much for the NY schedule!  

we have docked there for the day 4 times and sadly all 4 times at red hook....I assumed we would be there again....

I hope this current  schedule holds up as it is indicating the emerald p. docks in Manhatten on our June cruise to Quebec City!

Paula, very much appreciate reporting your experience !  

Although you may still experience the trauma of "no blue princess bag" upon arrival" ....OR ...NO towel animal on your bed OR even worse....no piece of chocolate on your pillow.... Please  attempt to have a memorable and safe cruise!...

we love the crew on the Regal!

we will be following along as we board the emerald in a few months, Have a GREAT cruise!

OP- again let me thank you for your review and incredible  photos!! I really enjoyed and following your daily adventures. we are every much looking forward to our upcoming trip on the emerald with our 8 year old granddaughter..

       After reading yours, then  a separate and  very current review of the emerald princess titled "never again on princess" , I shook my head at the contrast in points of view!

      I look forward to your future reviews and have a safe journey home.

48 minutes ago, Dudleydog73 said:

There are a number of things that may be going on.  Some companies, like mine, do not allow what is called split tunneling when connected to the VPN.  This sends all internet trafic through the VPN connection to your work servers / routers.  If that policy is in place, it will disconnect the connection to the ships onsite billing server that monitors the use of your wifi package and Princess will terminate the VPN connection due to the loss of that connection.

 

If you do not have to worry about that policy at your work, VPN should work just fine.

Thanks very much for your post!  Makes perfect sense! ....Even at 70 years of age I completely understood your explanation as it wasn't in "geek-eze"!!

Just off 28 days on the  island princess..... express VPN worked satisfactorily for me though out the Med, transatlantic, and all the way to Florida. I was impressedwith starlink!

I always find it interesting how 2 different cruisers on the same cruise, on the same ship, can write diametricaly opposite reviews and opinions!

I have been following a current " live from" report from the emerald princess written by mrell345.. 

In addition to being very well written, dozens of photos are included, many of them of food.. It sure looks like the writer is having a very good cruise!

I encourage anyone soon to be cruising on the emerald princess ( like us) to follow that thread for a very balanced and fair report. 

Last summer on Caribbean P they were functioning as usual and  annoying us.....until I duct taped them! At the end of cruise I very easily peeled it off with no damage. I tried a couple band aids with limited results, probably operator error! 

Never leave home without a small roll of duct tape! have a great cruise!

Thanks for posting! we are following along as we take our 9 year old grandaughter on the Emerald  next June from Port everglades to Quebec City ....one of our favorite cities in the world!

Have a safe journey!

12 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I'll give it some thought.  I sort of unplug from the world/wifi when I cruise.  I mostly use my smartphone for a camera and to check in occasionally with SWMBO.

 

Did you follow the 2023 running review? 

I too hope you give some updates from your cruise, but totally I understand  unplugging from the world!

Also, In the not for nuthin category....when I wrote and posted my review I was actually crossing the Sargasso Sea!

Thanks for posting! Good info!

It would be interesting to hear from previous previous posters on this board ...some months back ....that CCL stock was about to be  ' in the toilet" ....or my favorite " By the end of 2023 CCL and all its other lines  will be bankrupt!!

14 minutes ago, rhblake said:

Thank you for your quick review. We will be on her next December when she does her transatlantic. We are currently in a mini suite but not the reserve. Is an additional $1000 for the reserve worth it?

in my opinion.... particularly on a transatlantic,  with all those sea days, its absolutely worth it. On the sea days the restaurants  at lunch and dinner at peak times always have a line of folks waiting.for a table.

In  reserve class you have an immediate sitting in a separate area. we like to sit by ourselves. the tables aren't  one inch apart like they are in regular venues. The waiters are incredible and dont appear rushed as they often do in the restaurants on board. The table cloths and other linen is nice, but as a guy, I didn't really notice that until my wife mentioned that amenity. Although the menu is basically the same, the level of service is way beyond amazing.

Having said all that if..... you are on a real port intensive cruise and plan on doing a lot of buffet meals it may not be worth the cost. we have been on the island p for 27 days and probably hit the buffet 6 total times. It was excellent, but now we are spoiled. the mini suites "prime" location may be important to some, but thats not a big dealt us.

we  have enjoyed this cruise so much that we booked it again next year so we'll see you on board ....

have a great holiday season!

 Usually I wait to post any review until we get back home from a cruise.  However with  Christmas a few days away, and being away from our 3  incredible young granddaughters for 6 weeks ....my time after disembarkation Thursday will be otherwise occupied for the near future.

I am writing this a few hundred miles east of  the Bahamas, headed west to Port Everglades. This cruise visited  Greece,Spain ,Portugal ,Italy and 5 (so far) perfect days crossing the Atlantic.

The island P is in fine shape. We love the old school classic look and feel....Yea, like me, showing her age a little but spotlessly maintained (unlike  me!) The covered pool area is great and comfortable to recline and watch the ocean go by. Being a Florida guy, the pool water temps a little too brisk for me. Im guessing 78 degrees F. 

I haven't seen any signs  or indicators of covid issues.  Maybe 1 or 2 % masking up. Usual coughers and phlegm generators.

Even halfway across the ocean the internet has been reliable, not always fast but streamable (is that a word?)

The medallion app has been flawless. Computer wise, No-one will ever confuse me for Bill Gates but the entire system was easy to use.

If you're doing reserve class dining.... y'all are going to love it!   Absolute perfection.....A word of caution here.....Please be prepared for the occasional scowl, or stink eye  look from the line of  passengers waiting to be seated in regular dining room!

The crew? ....as always, outstanding! Perhaps the best ever after more than 35 cruises.

My two less than enjoyable experiences? Neither  of which Princess has any control over.

1) the all to frequent wafting of lingering perfume in the elevators. We have had 3 English bulldogs during our 42 year marriage.So we now how to adapt to STRONG and not so pleasant  aromas . This was worse!!

2) fellow Passengers with no volume control on their voice box. 12  dinner tables away, or  in Crooners , we were blessed  to hear about their fun day at sea.

all in all a top 3 of all time cruise!  we hope you and family have a safe and memorable holiday season!

/  /loud passengers/perfume/ 

Thank you for posting!

These types of posts are always good to hear, and it sure beats the negative "princess didn't give me my blue tote bag " posts......I hope your husband is doing well!....and Merry Christmas to your family....

Following up on above  thoughts..... would the " one time guest"in Reserve class pay a fee for the experience? If not ,i dont think  that is fair to the folks that purchased the package.

If I book the enclave or the sanctuary for the week  should I be able to bring a one time guest?

Most of the reserve class rooms we have booked ,or been on the last few years, have been wait listed.  I am pretty sure thats a result of  the popularity of RC. Filling those RC mini suites doesn't seem be much a problem for princess.

thanks to everyone who posted here! GREAT information!   The experience now has been added to our "must do" list on the emerald with our 9 year old granddaughter.