Live From: Emerald 3/1/15 sail date Western

[Rancher Dave]

RancherDave, I got a call from my dad as they were departing. He said they were going to Costa Maya first (Mahahual), then to Belize, and then Cozumel, followed by two sea days. So, it sounds like they will get to all the ports, with Cozumel being last instead of first.

 

Ah, that was the name I saw...didn't have time to look it up before a meeting I had. Thanks for adding the clarity for all.

[caribill]

I wonder if location matters on the Internet. I was mid ship on the caribe deck and I had no problems with the Internet. I used all my 150 minutes. I do find that the best time to go on ship internet is earlier in the morning or later at night.

 

What matters is how close you are to the access port (shown below) that is on the hallway ceiling.

 

[caribill]

We still are in port and hoping to sail tomorrow. We were told to advance our clocks one hour tonight.

 

I wonder how the clock will be on the ship.

 

Cozumel is EST which was the reason for the time change, but now that is the last port and the other two are on CST.

[cruz chic]

What matters is how close you are to the access port (shown below) that is on the hallway ceiling.

 

 

Thx for the info.

[Coral]

looking at rest of cruises out of galveston none say Costa Maya, so I wonder if they did sub.....would have rather lost Belize than Roatan however. Still great they get to have three ports still!!! :)

 

I have a friend on this cruise and when we spoke last week, she knew that they were going to Costa Maya. So it wasn't a last minute switch.

[satxdiver]

We actually left the port at about 10:45 this morning (11:45 AM ship time since we set the clocks up one hour early this morning. A new schedule was announced since we are leaving a day late.

Tue- sea day

Wed – Costa Maya 7:00 AM-5:00 PM (no change)

Thu – Belize 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM (no change)

Fri – Cozumel 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM (changed from Tuesday)

Sat – sea day

Sun – Houston

 

All those with ship excursions in Cozumel are going to be reissued tour tickets with the new date and time. No indications of any tour changes.

 

The question about Costa Maya instead of Roatan has come up on this thread. Originally this cruise was supposed to go to Roatan. However it was changed months ago before final payment because pier space in Mahogany Bay (can only hold 2 ships at one time) was not available for the day we needed it so Princess changed the itinerary to Costa Maya. Pax had an opportunity to more to another date. It did not bother us as we have been to both and enjoyed both several times before.

 

Tonight was formal night but we decided to forego it and went to the HC. We went to Rock n Roll night in the Club Fusion and had a great time. The emphasis was on the 50’s. For all the happy hour devotees, happy hour is 3-4 PM in Wheelhouse and 10-11 PM in Skywalkers. The afternoon happy hour was very crowded with SRO. Service as a result was very slow. We found out that the crab shack will be Wednesday and Thursday nights in Café Caribe. We signed up for Wednesday night.

 

Tuesday which now is a sea day, has a lot going on. Tonight is the production show “a tribute to the Beatles”. Club Fusion will host a C&W night. MUTS Tuesday night will be The Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part I. Skywalker will have 80’s & 90’s.

[PrincessNancy]

W

Tonight was formal night but we decided to forego it and went to the HC. We went to Rock n Roll night in the Club Fusion and had a great time. The emphasis was on the 50’s. For all the happy hour devotees, happy hour is 3-4 PM in Wheelhouse and 10-11 PM in Skywalkers. The afternoon happy hour was very crowded with SRO. Service as a result was very slow. We found out that the crab shack will be Wednesday and Thursday nights in Café Caribe. We signed up for Wednesday night.

 

Tuesday which now is a sea day, has a lot going on. Tonight is the production show “a tribute to the Beatles”. Club Fusion will host a C&W night. MUTS Tuesday night will be The Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part I. Skywalker will have 80’s & 90’s.

 

Thank you for taking the time to post! Sounds like things are back on track after the foggy beginning. Appreciate the Crab Shack and Happy Hour info.

Did you go to the Beatles tribute? How was it?

 

Nancy

[Steelers0854]

SeaDay 1

 

DW and I are fairly low key and enjoy just relaxing so I don't really have much for today. We finally left the port around 11 am and headed out through dense fog all the way through the evening. The show I Got the Music was well done and the singers were good as well. Here is the dinner menu and tomorrow's patters providing they don't take too long to upload. If they do I will post them when we get back.

 

Tomorrow is now a sea day due to the late departure and change in schedule.

[Steelers0854]

Here are tonight's dinner menus. They limit the number of pictures you can post at once.

[caribill]

 

 

I see they do warn passengers about the Texas tax on alcohol for any bottles you are bringing back and on any tobacco products you bring back.

Edited March 3, 2015 by caribill

[Luvmyrotti]

Thanks for this live from! We'll be on board starting on 3/28 and this is really getting me excited!

[kfmac1]

We sail away on the 8th - I'm praying you all get back in port on time :)

Could you please give some info about the Crab Shack? Cost and what it consists of? Thanks!

[Steelers0854]

Could you please give some info about the Crab Shack? Cost and what it consists of? Thanks!

 

 

They only have it on select days. They are running it tomorrow night and it's $25 in Cafe Caribe. From my understanding you get one portion and they give you crab, shrimp, mussels etc in a large bowl. I'll try and find out more.

[satxdiver]

Today, Tuesday, was a day at sea again. The captain has been running 22 knots since leaving Houston and is still saying we will reach Costa Maya by 7:00 AM Wednesday (ship time is one hour ahead of CST). It is going to be very close. After breakfast in the cabin again after filling out the hang tag the night before we decided to forego the trip to the tread mills and opted to just walk around the ship. We made it to morning trivia and afternoon trivia. The weather today was in the high 70’s with a clear sun but we had high winds (~20 knots). The lido deck was crowded and pax in the pools and hot tubs. Yes I saw some chogs but we are both fair complected so we cannot take much sun. We easily found seats in the shade on the lido deck stern. We decided to have lunch today in the café Caribe where it was Italian day. It was good. It really was nice sitting on the stern area and it was crowded.

 

We went to happy hour in the wheelhouse bar at 3:15 and could barely get into the room as it was past SRO. We waited for 25 minutes to order our drinks and took them to crooners to drink. We were joined by many other pax who did the same thing. We returned to the cabin after trivia to get ready for the evening. First we went to the theater to watch the first showing of the tribute to the Beatles and it was good. That was followed with a very nice dinner in the MDR sharing our table with two other couples. Tonight was 80’s and 90’s in skywalkers and happy hour but we did not avail ourselves of the 2x1. We used the hang tag again to order breakfast in the cabin tomorrow. The ship has been rocking all day but not bad. Late tonight though the rocking has increased as we entered the Caribbean.

 

Last night (Monday) was the first formal night and the 50th Anniversary Dinner and champaign party in the piazza.

 

Tomorrow we are in Costa Maya. The love boat disco deck party on the lido deck is later that night. MUTS tomorrow night will be karaoke under the stars (participants will be on the large screen) followed by the deck party.

 

Crab shack is $20/each and on this cruise is offered on Wednesday and Thursday nights in the starboard side of the Cafe Caribe. We are signed up for it Wednesday night.

[thquah]

Will be on Emerald in June doing the 7 Night Greek Isles, looking forward to it.

[Luvmyrotti]

Have you had a chance to see/hear the entertainer in Crooners? It's one of our favorite spots if the entertainer is good. If you have seen him, any sense if he will still be there in a few weeks (that's when we sail)? Thanks for doing the live from!

[Steelers0854]

Here is today's patter as well as dinner menus.

 

The weather in costa maya today is warm and borderline hot. There is a strong breeze which is great and is also creating some rough seas.

 

We are in port with the carnival breeze and the Caribbean Princess.

More to come later.

[Steelers0854]

For those interested in the Crab Shack here is the info. My earlier post was incorrect, but thanks to satxdiver for correcting me at the price of $20. I have reservations tomorrow night solo. DW doesn't do anything from the ocean.

 

[mycruise2000]

For those interested in the Crab Shack here is the info. My earlier post was incorrect, but thanks to satxdiver for correcting me at the price of $20. I have reservations tomorrow night solo. DW doesn't do anything from the ocean.

 

 

Thanks for taking time doing the review. If you get a chance can you please send the wine list and prices.

 

Thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

Ah Mario, he is a great MD. :)

Really enjoy Costa Maya, always head over to town and get a chair and umbrella with a few libations. :D

 

[partybarbie]

I must also say that I just love Mario. He was the Maitre d' on my very first Princess cruise 25 years ago. The ship was the Fair Princess, at that time, recently acquired from Sitmar cruises. We board the Emerald on Oct. 3'rd, so I hope he is still on board.:)

[Garn]

We'll be leaving in just a few weeks so it looks like we might get to meet Mario.

 

But on my previous cruises, I never really noticed the MD (except when we did the Chef's Table). What makes Mario great?

[Colo Cruiser]

We'll be leaving in just a few weeks so it looks like we might get to meet Mario.

 

But on my previous cruises, I never really noticed the MD (except when we did the Chef's Table). What makes Mario great?

 

Old school Italian MD, down to earth.

So he is Super Mario. :D

[partybarbie]

Old school Italian MD, down to earth.

So he is Super Mario. :D

 

Yes, when we first met him we were all in awe and a little afraid of him. He's what we would call "Sitmar Class". Many of the waiters that trained under him have been promoted to Head Waiters, Asst. Maitre d's, etc. Even though his bio says that he started on the first Island Princess, he's so much like the old Sitmar waitstaff, he makes me think of Sitmar.

 

But on my previous cruises, I never really noticed the MD (except when we did the Chef's Table). What makes Mario great?

 

He keeps the dining room running so smoothly that you probably won't notice him.

Edited March 4, 2015 by partybarbie

[Rancher Dave]

glad I already ate before seeing the pictures of Crab Shack. Instead of Smoked Halibut, I'd have ended up going for crawfish. Not long and we can do that on the EP so I suppose I should continue to eat up the 100s of pounds of Alaskan fish we brought home last Summer.