Gut and Mrs Gut's adventure

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Your dining experience sounds just the same ours . Anytime , and we tried them all , then settled on Vivaldi....Why? .... The waiter and his assistant were an excellent team , and made dining something to look forward to each evening....so we went back there every night .

I suppose Anytime , then became our set time...:D

[GUT2407]

Your dining experience sounds just the same ours . Anytime , and we tried them all , then settled on Vivaldi....Why? .... The waiter and his assistant were an excellent team , and made dining something to look forward to each evening....so we went back there every night .

I suppose Anytime , then became our set time...:D

 

 

Vivaldi's was a tad late for us,only changing to ATD at 8:00 on this cruise

[OzKiwiJJ]

I seldom eat bread or butter at home, but the Princess rolls are just to die for, and the butter is, in my opinion just right.

 

Was it that pale American butter on your cruise? I'd much prefer some decent Australian or NZ butter.

[GUT2407]

Was it that pale American butter on your cruise? I'd much prefer some decent Australian or NZ butter.

 

 

Beautiful yellow I was served.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Beautiful yellow I was served.

 

Maybe they're starting to use local butter then. That would be good.

Edited November 28, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[GUT2407]

Permit me one small grumble in this review

 

As most of you know each port they provide a guide to the Port including things like a map, shopping information, cuisine (pretty sure they emant tucker) and tipping.

 

Now I've lived in Aus all my life (why wouldn't you) and know a few Kiwi's (notice I didn't say had Kiwi friends) and would almost have a stroke everytime I read that tipping in these two countries should be around 10%-20%.

[GUT2407]

Maybe they're starting to use local butter then. That would be good.

 

 

I little bit of info I just picked up, my Uncle and Aunt did a Med cruise with Princess and commented on all the food being loaded on the ship from containers sent from the USA and were told that the only countries Princess take food from are US (naturally) Australia and New Zealand. Anywhere else it has to be shipped from one of those.

 

Now I don't swear that as a fact but it was what the Hotel Director told them.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Now I've lived in Aus all my life (why wouldn't you) and know a few Kiwi's (notice I didn't say had Kiwi friends) and would almost have a stroke everytime I read that tipping in these two countries should be around 10%-20%.

 

:eek:

 

On one trip back to NZ a few years ago it was impossible to tip using a credit card at some restaurants, there was no way of doing it. In Australia some restaurants will skip past the tip entry on the credit card machines but others present the machine with the tip entry showing.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I little bit of info I just picked up, my Uncle and Aunt did a Med cruise with Princess and commented on all the food being loaded on the ship from containers sent from the USA and were told that the only countries Princess take food from are US (naturally) Australia and New Zealand. Anywhere else it has to be shipped from one of those.

 

Now I don't swear that as a fact but it was what the Hotel Director told them.

 

I'm fairly certain the Princess lobsters are from the US, they are quite different to the ones you see here and much smaller - not sure that size would be legal to take here.

 

But it's good to hear they are sourcing food from Australia and NZ. I would imagine they would need to with the fresh produce anyway. It would be way too expensive to ship it from the US and there might be problems with temporary storage of it before it's loaded onboard, such as concerns with bugs etc that could escape the containers.

Edited November 28, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[Aus Traveller]

In Papeete we saw pallets of food marked as having come from LA. In NZ we saw a lot of locally-produced food being loaded so the comment that food came either from USA, NZ or Aust could be correct.

[Aus Traveller]

Permit me one small grumble in this review

 

As most of you know each port they provide a guide to the Port including things like a map, shopping information, cuisine (pretty sure they emant tucker) and tipping.

 

Now I've lived in Aus all my life (why wouldn't you) and know a few Kiwi's (notice I didn't say had Kiwi friends) and would almost have a stroke everytime I read that tipping in these two countries should be around 10%-20%.

I have the feeling that they put the 10%-20% tipping for every country. ;)

[GUT2407]

I'm fairly certain the Princess lobsters are from the US, they are quite different to the ones you see here and much smaller - not sure that size would be legal to take here.

 

But it's good to hear they are sourcing food from Australia and NZ. I would imagine they would need to with the fresh produce anyway. It would be way too expensive to ship it from the US and there might be problems with temporary storage of it before it's loaded onboard, such as concerns with bugs etc that could escape the containers.

 

 

They were told that n most of the world even fresh produce is shipped from US Aus or NZ.

[GUT2407]

I have the feeling that they put the 10%-20% tipping for every country. ;)

 

 

But they had different numbers for Aus and NZ I will have to find the sheets and check (or get Mrs Gut to) one was something like 5-10% the other 10-20% or similar.

[Aus Traveller]

But they had different numbers for Aus and NZ I will have to find the sheets and check (or get Mrs Gut to) one was something like 5-10% the other 10-20% or similar.

We usually cruise on Princess. I will have to look in future to see if they suggest any amount other than 10% or 20% for any country. :)

[GUT2407]

Now I've asked Mrs GUT, who isn't very smart (after all she married me) but is usually right (after all she married me) says Aus was 10-15% NZ was 15-20%, but I will still check if I ever find the Port sheets.

[OzKiwiJJ]

They were told that n most of the world even fresh produce is shipped from US Aus or NZ.

 

I was thinking that there would be problems bringing fresh produce from the US into Aus/NZ but not sending it from here. US to Mediterranean would be feasible and Caribbean of course. For Asia it would probably make sense to ship from Aus/NZ. It's interesting though.

 

I did notice on that TV program on Celebrity Solstice that they seemed to be sourcing fresh produce for that cruise from Fremantle.

[NaughtyNanna]

On one of the Wake Up Shows that they did from the galley, they were speaking to the Boss of the Food (can't remember his proper title!) and he said that all fresh produce was sourced locally and everything else came from the US.

 

That 20% tipping for NZ gave me a bit of a giggle too! :D

 

Regards

Jan

[windsor26]

On one of the Wake Up Shows that they did from the galley, they were speaking to the Boss of the Food (can't remember his proper title!) and he said that all fresh produce was sourced locally and everything else came from the US.

 

That 20% tipping for NZ gave me a bit of a giggle too! :D

 

Regards

Jan

 

Mr Gut looking forward to more from my favourite Princess ship now they have removed the old Royal.

Yes the sushi area on all the Australian based ships seems to be a waste of space for evenings and day time relaxing.

Our rule (not always stuck to) is only bread rolls if we are having soup We fight over the sunflower seed topped ones

ALSO Please do not let anyone bring the tipping attitude to NZ and Australia we like it as it is with good base pay and no rip off merchants getting slave labour which requires tips to dd to their wages.

[GUT2407]

On one of the Wake Up Shows that they did from the galley, they were speaking to the Boss of the Food (can't remember his proper title!) and he said that all fresh produce was sourced locally and everything else came from the US.

 

That 20% tipping for NZ gave me a bit of a giggle too! :D

 

Regards

Jan

 

G'day Jan

 

Mrs Gut loved the dance classes.

[GUT2407]

On one of the Wake Up Shows that they did from the galley, they were speaking to the Boss of the Food (can't remember his proper title!) and he said that all fresh produce was sourced locally and everything else came from the US.

 

That 20% tipping for NZ gave me a bit of a giggle too! :D

 

Regards

Jan

 

Also please feel free to make any corrections, observations or just comments, if a few of us chip in it'll be a pretty comprehensive overview.

[GUT2407]

Now you may have noted we are non drinkers, so questions on what's available pricing etc isn't my strong suit but I'll try if anyone has any questions.

 

There seemed to be a reasonable selection of wines, including a fair few Aussie ones, and a moderate range of beers. prices looked pretty much as you might expect, but again any use tigons I'm happy to dredge the memory and try to answer.

 

Having said that I think I visited every bar on the ship at one stage or another in search of a Diet Coke.

 

Three became regulars and I can't speak highly enough of the service. I'm not sure what people want in terms of service when they complain about waiting for a drink (and I heard it) I doubt I ever waited more than a minute to get served(and no I wasn't pre tipping or even tipping as I went).

 

Calypso bar was my first stop most days to get my morning caffeine hit, plus thy used the large plastic cups that held more than a mouthful (Marian took great care of me early in the cruise but left about Perth), the Lobby bar was handy when Mrs Gut wanted a tea, and I could get a refill, also handy to get a drink on the way to the restaurant so you had a drink during that busy spurt till the waiters got a few minutes to get you a drink (Boris was the man here and Mrs Gut says he made the best Chai Latte she ever tasted) and the Explorers Lounge Bar (Margareta, the worst bar tender on any ship anywhere, or so she said).

 

Now I was rad disappointed when I got home and flashed my card, but they still wanted me to pay darn rude if you ask me.

[NSWP]

On one of the Wake Up Shows that they did from the galley, they were speaking to the Boss of the Food (can't remember his proper title!) and he said that all fresh produce was sourced locally and everything else came from the US.

 

That 20% tipping for NZ gave me a bit of a giggle too! :D

 

Regards

Jan

'Boss of the food' is the 'Food & Beverage Manager.' But then it could be 'Executive Chef.' one or the other !!

 

Hope you don't mind me clarifying.

[NaughtyNanna]

'Boss of the food' is the 'Food & Beverage Manager.' But then it could be 'Executive Chef.' one or the other !!

 

Hope you don't mind me clarifying.

 

Don't mind at all! It was the Food & Beverage Manager! Chef, I would have remembered!! :D

[GUT2407]

We seemed to have few.

 

There is no variety in the food.

Well I wonder what they eat at home. At the time I heard this complain we at about day 7 and other than the standards I had yet o see one dish repeated. Now by day 33 I did find some dishes had repeated a bit more often than I would have liked.

 

 

There is no bacon.

 

While standing near American Bacon, English Bacon, Canadian Bacon, something simply labeled ad "Bacon", grilled ham and just cold smoked ham, not sure what they wanted that wasn't there.

 

 

Too many Sea days

 

Well just read your itinerary.

 

Too many tender Ports

 

Ditto

 

It is too cold.

 

And that's Princess' fault

 

It is too hot.

 

The Captain should perhaps have turned the sun don a touch in Darwin.

 

I had to wait to be seated in the restaurant. (yep all of about 2 minutes).

 

We arrived right behind her, she was shouting at everyone about it, the longest line we had at the dining room was about 10 people before us, and maybe a five minute wait till being shown to our table.

 

Why didn't we visit (insert almost any port name here).

 

Again have a look a the itinerary before you book, it helps no end.

 

 

I had to wait to get a drink.

Well not sure where they were, but every bartender knew they weren't getting any sales out of me, I had a soda pack, I certainly didn't pre-tip for exceptional service, and after about day 3 they would be getting my diet coke before I asked, sure I did say please and thank you and even had a chat with them when things were quiet.

 

The sea is rough.

 

Rotten* captain should have turned down the waves

 

It's raining too much.

 

Yep, but then the Gur's are on holidays so of course it rained.

 

Wellington was too windy.

 

What a shock, cold and Windy in Wellington! Who'd a thunk it?

 

We missed Akaroa.

 

If the Captain don't want to stay nor do I, winds were registering upto force 12, near hurricane, the Captain said the anchor wouldn't hold, I say let's get out of here.

 

 

Twice we had staff almost break out in tears simply because we were nice to them after they had been abused over things that were out of their control and one Port staff at Fremantle (not a Princess staffer but a terminal employee) did actually cry after we thanked them for the work they put in, as it turned out that they had got nothing but abuse for the last few hours. Indeed she gave us her contact details if we ever visit again as she would like to show us around.

 

I really was shocked at how rude some passengers were to various staff members.

 

At one tender Port a security guard wanted to take us to the head of the line, merely because we spoke nicely to him (some passengers were loudly berating him because they had been waiting 10 minutes for a tender and I said "they'd probably whine if they won lotto because they had to manage the money". *I can't imagine the riot that would have ensued had we taken up the offer.

[GUT2407]

In Darwin one lady was disembarking, and we said "sorry it's over" her reply "if I had to spend one more day on this #€£@& of a cruise I'd go insane."

 

Became my catch cry.