Review- PG 7 Night Society Islands Oct 2012

What a great review. I had to skim over it cuz I spent my day reading (Ginny) an RCI Allure review - but it caught my interest b/c I saw the TV show that dedicated an hour to PG. It looked so amazing! I never heard of PG or Azamara before that! I cannot wait to go over all your posts!!!!

 

P.S. Amazing pics. I am a photographer myself, and there is nothing like being out to sea, and taking those sunrise/sunset/sihlouette pics! GAH!

Thank you Lenaapple! The photos are the hard work of hubby! I'm so happy to have him! This PG ship and FP makes it very easy, it truly is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been!

I hope you enjoy the reviews, plus I have some ships tours and trip reports on our website. It's linked in my signature below, and you can follow us on twitter and FB. I am planning to live tweet photos from the newly refurbished Azamara Journey in the next few weeks! (if their new internet service is all they hope!) There is always somewhere new to go, and like you I get my best ideas from other peoples trips! Keep shooting those sunset/rise pics!:D

WOW!

Great thread!

One question : Does PG still allow us to reserve excursions online and then finalize final payment for the excursions we reserved online on the PG using OBC? Also can we finalize the payoff the first day we get on ship or is it the second day?

Thanks again for this fantastic thread!

WOW!

 

Great thread!

 

One question : Does PG still allow us to reserve excursions online and then finalize final payment for the excursions we reserved online on the PG using OBC? Also can we finalize the payoff the first day we get on ship or is it the second day?

 

Thanks again for this fantastic thread!

Yes the payment is added to your ships bill so payment will have to be made by cash or credit card before you leave.

Yes the payment is added to your ships bill so payment will have to be made by cash or credit card before you leave.

Hmmm so since the charges and payoff for the excursions are finalized on the PG, does that mean any costs of excursions higher than the OBC we are getting would be payable on the ship and that the payoff would be in xpf (converted from US Dollars) and thus conversion charges by our credit card company would be incurred? Thanks again for the info

Hmmm so since the charges and payoff for the excursions are finalized on the PG, does that mean any costs of excursions higher than the OBC we are getting would be payable on the ship and that the payoff would be in xpf (converted from US Dollars) and thus conversion charges by our credit card company would be incurred? Thanks again for the info

I can tell you that 2 years ago, we "reserved" the excursions and were not billed for them until we boarded. They were billed (as quoted) in USD. After the OBC was used up, we paid for the rest with a credit card that DOES NOT charge conversions fees, in our case Capital One. I am not sure if you are billed for your on board charges in dollars if your regular card would charge fees, but for us it was worth getting a no fee CC that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. Enjoy the cruise!! and thanks for reading!

Thanks Emdee for jumping in...we have been traveling so much and working on our website, I have not had as much time here as I usually do! Hope you are well and enjoying many happy adventures!

....but for us it was worth getting a no fee CC that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees........

We are looking to see if American Express Blue Sky (travel credits) charges foreign transactions. But of course the question is whether or not PG will accept AExpress. If not then my other card does charge foreign transaction fees :-(

Azlew- I would give PG a call; I found everyone I talked to to be very well informed, and they can let you know about the AmEx. I just looked at what I posted, did I say 2 years, it's been almost 4 now since PG wow! We considered it for our 30 th next year, it's still in the running, but we are also tempted to go to Europe! But PG is so great!

I am so glad this old review was bumped to the top! Have read it from start to finish completely enthralled. Thanks Family for posting it. It has made me so excited for our cruise coming up this summer. In particular I appreciate seeing sample menus. I know they may have changed since you cruised but they still give a very good general idea of what to expect. I am a very picky eater and was a little worried, but now am at ease that I will find many foods I like and indeed, will have trouble choosing!

I also appreciate the comments about dress code. So glad to know that I will be able to fit in with my casual style.

The daily schedules are also helpful. I want to do everything! Not sure how I'm going to clone myself to be able to do shore excursions and also enjoy all the on board activities.

Thanks again for all the time you put into this. If you are like me, you enjoy reliving the cruise through the review. You are too humble, though. Certainly your husband deserves credit for his exceptional photos, but you are a very gifted writer and really brought this cruise to life for your readers.

Counting the days until I will be there!

I am so glad this old review was bumped to the top! Have read it from start to finish completely enthralled. Thanks Family for posting it. It has made me so excited for our cruise coming up this summer.......

We agree!! This is the best review and trip report we have read and it should be stuck at the top as it sells PG. We also are excited about our cruise for 10 nights this summer. Many questions have been answered here!!

You guys are making me blush :o

Thank you! I'm so glad it's held up and is still helpful! I do worry that things might change (policies, menus etc) but I know our dedicated PG'ers will weigh in with any big changes, which I appreciate!

The photos seem to last and last though don't they?! I am beyond blessed to have hubby's talents and eye to "illustrate" my writing. And, of course, to travel with, lol! That's most important...really!:p

So, Lucky Becky, it sounds as if you like to write reviews...I look forward to yours! The photos of FP are truly transporting, but the part that amazed me most was that IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE THAT! Not just some teeny part, or by cropping out the mundane stuff...truly most of FP is panoramic-ly gorgeous!! You can spin 360, and it's just as lovely all the way round (don't get dizzy and fall into the Pacific trying that!) As for doing it all, well you just have to accept you'll need to go back!

Can't wait to hear all about your trips!

Can you create a PDF file of this wonderful writeup, so that we can download and consume offline?

Well, its finally time to get started...after returning on Oct 4th jet lagged with 2000 photos to process, a HS senior who needed assistance with college applications and portfolio photos, and my parents unexpectedly visiting for a week... with their dog... and their cat, I have finally managed to get everything together!;)

 

Now of course we are awaiting the effects of Hurricane Sandy here on the East Coasts, so I will start, but we may find we are interrupted!!

I will begin with lots of planning and packing tips and then go into a day by day travelogue...hope there is something to help out everyone, and keep your fingers crossed that the power and internet holds out!:eek:

Can you create a PDF file of this wonderful writeup, so that we can download and consume offline?

If you go to "Thread Tools>Show Printable Version" and then "Show 200 post(s) from this thread on one page" it will narrow this thread down to 2 big, printable pages.

It will look like this.

Then, depending on your browser you can go to "print" and "save as PDF" for each page.

If you go to "Thread Tools>Show Printable Version" and then "Show 200 post(s) from this thread on one page" it will narrow this thread down to 2 big, printable pages.

 

It will look like this.

 

Then, depending on your browser you can go to "print" and "save as PDF" for each page.

I didn't know you could do that! I have a word doc with all the narratives, but the photos are url links in the document, not photos, obviously. To make a PDF I would have to copy all the narrative and then attach actual photos, which I think would probably take me as many hours as writing the thing in the first place!

I am going to do this for all my reviews! So I can save them, should CC decide to ever trim their boards, I'll have them in this form.

Anyone looking for an easily digestible "ships tour" of the PG can go to our website (linked below) and click on the "ships tours" drop down on the top right side, and see all the photos of the ship.

Learn omehing new every day.

If you go to "Thread Tools>Show Printable Version" and then "Show 200 post(s) from this thread on one page" it will narrow this thread down to 2 big, printable pages.

 

It will look like this.

 

Then, depending on your browser you can go to "print" and "save as PDF" for each page.

Thank you. Learned something new!

It's been years since your review and I, too, want to thank you for all the detail. It takes a lot of work and I truly valued your review. I am currently in the planning stages of my first PG cruise. Thank you.

It's been years since your review and I, too, want to thank you for all the detail. It takes a lot of work and I truly valued your review. I am currently in the planning stages of my first PG cruise. Thank you.

Aww, thanks for finding it again! I loved writing, it seems like it was one of the most helpful I ever wrote in terms of people going to it! I’m sure a lot has changed in the 6 years since we’ve been, but I’ll bet the hospitality and cultural connections are the same!

We did end up in Croatia and Italy for our 30th instead of FP, but I’m still anxious to ge back one day! Maybe the 35th, also considering it as a way to “warm up” after an antArctica trip! :')

On 10/30/2012 at 12:24 PM, Familygoboston said:

Day 3 Oct 6: Embarkation Day

 

So according to plan- first we head to Deck 8 to make our dinner reservations and enjoy the buffet before it ends at 4:30 PM. We take a few minutes while relaxing before muster to sign into the internet. We walk around to explore the ship and relax till muster. Muster is at 5:30 PM. After muster we notice we have no tickets for shore excursions in our cabin so we stop to ask at the desk.

 

There is a long line here. Pia and another gentleman are taking orders for excursions. Luckily, some folks we met at the IC are willing to let us ask our quick question before they begin booking excursions. We are told by Pia that the tickets will be in our room later during dinner. It doesn't quite turn out that way- more on that later! We head to the marina, and there is no wait to get outfitted for snorkel gear. We take that back to the room and relax in the balcony and get ready for dinner at l' Etoile.

 

"7 short blasts followed by one long blast"

Most fellow cruisers know what this means! We made our way to our muster station outside on deck 5 and listened to the captain tell us about safety on the PG, as well as the latest features on board for our safety. He stressed fire safety in particular, which I had not heard much on other ships. While standing on deck, the captain instilled confidence and made me feel that our safety would be his first concern.

 

Upon returning to my cabin, I got cleaned up for dinner and plugged in the blow dryer when... it suddenly began to flame and shoot sparks out all over the bed....ahhh!

 

Not 20 minutes after the fire safety lecture, I am about to ignite the entire ship! DH is in the shower, so I take charge of the situation myself by immediately unplugging the blow dryer, running into the bathroom and tossing it into the sink because I'm fairly certain the marble bathroom won't ignite! DH is wondering what I'm doing!

 

I call the front desk and explain that my blow dryer just exploded in a shower of sparks. And they tell me they will send our cabin attendant April June with a new one. She arrives in a few minutes and tries plugging it in, but it's dead. She provides me with another one- this one fits in the 220 plug! DH is stunned that their response to my nearly torching their vessel on embarkation day is to provide me with an appliance with more power!

 

I took a look at the new one and briefly considered going to dinner with a wet pony (tail, in my hair- not the small farm animal; which I am quite certain would not be welcome in the dining room despite the casual nature of PG) Luckily, this one worked just fine.

 

Thinking about it later the hair dryer cord was wrapped in that "factory new" way (that no human can possibly replicate with subsequent wrappings) and I think it was just an out of the box failure of a brand new appliance that sometimes happens!

Fortunately, I was not charged for the mishap ;-), but should you want anything from your cabin here is what you can expect to pay!

 

 

(PG Cabin items price list)

 

Thanks for posting this. I always bring the laundry bags home. Not this time. lol