Live From the Grand Princess April 24-May 1 CA Coastal

[RiahFly]

My husband and I are taking this cruise for our 10th anniversary. It's not actually until June, but this is when we had time to go. The only other time we've been on the Grand was on a 10-day trip to Mexico last December. This time around, the atmosphere is a bit more low key than during the holidays! I'm glad to have the quiet :)

 

We left last Sunday from San Francisco without any problems. Sailing under the Golden Gate is always awesome and always worth ending up with the "wind-blown look!"

 

Some key points so far:

 

Knowing that the Grand is an older ship, I expected there to be some signs of wear and tear. I did not, however, expect there to be wet carpet and a moldy smell in our cabin. I had heard of that happening to other people, but we didn't experience it on our last cruise. Now I see what they were talking about! We informed our steward and the problem was rectified immediately. Passenger services sent us chocolate-covered strawberries and an invitation to a meal at one of the specialty restaurants. I thought it was a nice gesture on their part.

 

On our first sea day, we met up with our Cruise Critic Role Call group. It was nice to finally meet the people I've been corresponding with for the last few weeks. None of the crew or officers showed up, nor were there refreshments. I don't know if they have to be specifically invited or what, but other people mentioned that the captain sometimes shows up to these sorts of things. This was my first experience, so I'll have to wait and see what it's like next time.

 

Santa Barbara:

 

I've visited Santa Barbara before, but my husband had not. It was nice taking a walk downtown and on the wharf. The shops are lovely and it was nice to see it again. There's a lot of construction going on! Getting off the ship was easy. The fun ended abruptly when we tried to get back on.

 

I currently have to wear a wrist brace for tendinitis. There's a metal rod in the brace and I told the crew straight up that I would set off the metal detector. I also set it off on Sunday when we first boarded. They wanded me (on Sunday) and I went on my merry way. I have no problem playing by the rules. This time though, they directed me over to a woman who promptly started to pat me down! She didn't ask first, nor did she explain what was about to happen.

 

For people like me and others who have suffered assault/abuse, this is an extreme trigger! I immediately told her to stop touching me and use the wand instead. She did so, but was quite rude about it. I also told her that she needs to ask people and tell them before touching them. She brushed off my comments without so much as an apology! I was so unsettled by the experience that I actually started to shake and cry (I'm 34 years old and definitely not prone to crying in public). My husband was also taken aback by her actions. He had to spend the next 30 minutes calming me down. I'm actually a pretty tough person. It takes a lot to get to me, but this is one of the sure-fire ways to do it! The crew clearly needs more sensitivity training in order to avoid upsetting their passengers :mad:

 

Before we all rush in to victim blame, yes I thought about just taking the brace off, but you know what? My arm hurts! That's the whole point of wearing it. I would rather endure a few moments of pain than go through that ordeal again though. Time for some more ibuprofen and a stiff drink!

 

All unpleasant things aside, I am enjoying myself so far. I'm excited to see the Day of the Dead Festival that is planned for later (I thought that it was in November, oops). I grew up in San Diego and am looking forward to seeing some family/friends in a couple of days. Tomorrow, we're off to Long Beach!

 

More as it happens. . . .

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I hope you have a wonderful cruise. I really love San Francisco and sailing out of that port. Very scenic.

[Clarea]

Congratulations on your anniversary, and I'm looking forward to this.:)

[JF - retired RRT]

If you have "pat down" difficulty at your next port, DO NOT suffer in silence.

Ask for a supervisor. If that doesn't work, go straight to passenger services and complain. Be sure you get names.

[CruisinMinnie]

I just read a review of a 15 day Hawaiian cruise on the Grand. The cabin in question, B720, had a problem with water pouring out of the bathroom and soaking the carpet in the closet area. After reading about the wet carpet and moldy smell in your cabin, I'm wondering how frequently these water problems occur.

Edited April 26, 2016 by CruisinMinnie

[socaljo]

I love a LIVE! Love reading about anyone's cruise anywhere! Too bad your cruise started with a damper, hopefully that's all behind, on to some serious celebration! :p

 

Thanks for taking the time, especially while aboard! :D Looking forward to the next installment! Happy anniversary!

[masterty]

You will no longer be dealing with Princess for your embarkation pat downs. In LA, SD and Ensenada they use locals. Princess will only be looking for booze when you board. Just remember to smile, your on a cruise :)

Edited April 27, 2016 by masterty

[Woobstr112G]

Enjoy your cruise.....:):):)

 

Bob

[rocklinmom]

Can't wait to read the rest of this! :)

[SFSailaway]

Happy anniversary! So sorry to hear you had such a negative experience. Hopefully the rest of your cruise will be filled with fun and happy memories. We love the Grand Princess. We board her May 1 for a cruise to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Take good care of her for us.[emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[RiahFly]

Thanks so much to everyone who has read my post! It's my first go at this, so it's always nice to have support :)

 

I grew up in So Cal, so we're not doing too much touristy stuff on this cruise. I think if we'd had more time, I would have wanted to go to Disneyland. I haven't been in probably 15 years! We met up with an old friend of mine (actually an ex boyfriend, but we're cool :D). We walked around the Convention Center area and downtown. No drama getting back on the ship this time!!!

 

Dining experience so far:

 

I'm really missing my favorite head waiter, Luis. I have food allergies and he took care of me last time I was here. I had to explain to three different people that yes, I really am allergic to onions! It sucks. I think Luis left literally the same day that we got on :( Oh well, I hope he is enjoying a much deserved break! They need to promote him. The junior waiters seem to be much more jovial this time and I have confidence that they'll take good care of me. We were last here in late December, so perhaps they were just missing their families during the holidays. They were just so glum!

 

As for the food itself, so far so good! Life without onions, onion powder, or anything at all onion related is quite dull, so I have no basis for comparison when it comes to other people's experiences. Tonight's delightful repast is a seafood dish. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Nightlife:

 

Our kids are with their grandparents for this cruise. As such, my husband and I can actually have a life after 8pm! I almost forgot what that was like :p We went to the OneFive Club on deck 15 (get it? One Five). Very original name. It was happy hour and we both got Mai Thais (sp?). They were pretty weak; more like fruit punch. I like fru-fru girly drinks, so the next round was a Tequila Sunrise. Much better! I haven't made it to any of the shows yet. I keep meaning to go, but either dinner takes too long or well, we're on our anniversary.

 

Tomorrow is San Diego; my home town! I'll try to post a picture or two soon. Take care!

[RiahFly]

Happy anniversary! So sorry to hear you had such a negative experience. Hopefully the rest of your cruise will be filled with fun and happy memories. We love the Grand Princess. We board her May 1 for a cruise to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Take good care of her for us.[emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Happy anniversary to you too! I hope that you have a wonderful time :) I'm so envious; I really enjoyed Mexico.

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks so much to everyone who has read my post! It's my first go at this, so it's always nice to have support :)

 

I grew up in So Cal, so we're not doing too much touristy stuff on this cruise. I think if we'd had more time, I would have wanted to go to Disneyland. I haven't been in probably 15 years! We met up with an old friend of mine (actually an ex boyfriend, but we're cool :D). We walked around the Convention Center area and downtown. No drama getting back on the ship this time!!!

 

Dining experience so far:

 

I'm really missing my favorite head waiter, Luis. I have food allergies and he took care of me last time I was here. I had to explain to three different people that yes, I really am allergic to onions! It sucks. I think Luis left literally the same day that we got on :( Oh well, I hope he is enjoying a much deserved break! They need to promote him. The junior waiters seem to be much more jovial this time and I have confidence that they'll take good care of me. We were last here in late December, so perhaps they were just missing their families during the holidays. They were just so glum!

 

As for the food itself, so far so good! Life without onions, onion powder, or anything at all onion related is quite dull, so I have no basis for comparison when it comes to other people's experiences. Tonight's delightful repast is a seafood dish. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Nightlife:

 

Our kids are with their grandparents for this cruise. As such, my husband and I can actually have a life after 8pm! I almost forgot what that was like :p We went to the OneFive Club on deck 15 (get it? One Five). Very original name. It was happy hour and we both got Mai Thais (sp?). They were pretty weak; more like fruit punch. I like fru-fru girly drinks, so the next round was a Tequila Sunrise. Much better! I haven't made it to any of the shows yet. I keep meaning to go, but either dinner takes too long or well, we're on our anniversary.

 

Tomorrow is San Diego; my home town! I'll try to post a picture or two soon. Take care!

 

Enjoy your day in San Diego.....:)

 

Bob

[BEAV]

I've always wondered why these Coastal cruises don't stay later in Long Beach allowing time for a day's trip to Disneyland. They could stay as late as Midnight and still make it to San Diego with plenty of time to spare.

[CruzinNoony]

Who is the cruise director right now on the Grand?:rolleyes:

[XBGuy]

Greetings, RH, from our balcony on the Crown Princess--berthed right next to you here in San Diego, today. :)

[cruisingpeople]

1st off, Happy Anniversary.

 

That being said, since it sounds like the grandparents are going to let you have a "night life" on this cruise, if you get a chance, stop by Crooners Bar and listen to Derek whittle away on the keys of his piano. He is very good (IMHO). We just got off the Grand the day you boarded. Also, please tell Ian and Jazen, the bartenders there, that Joe & Amelia say "Hi". They made the week extra enjoyable.:D

 

Thanks

[clan]

Happy Anniversary! Hope you both are having a wonderful time. I will be cruising on the Grand in June. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me if Princess offers a tour of SF at the end of the cruise, then transfer to the airport. It should be in the mounds of papers you have received.

 

Thanks, and enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[easyboy]

Happy anniversary and hope you have a grand time!

[RiahFly]

Who is the cruise director right now on the Grand?:rolleyes:

 

Daniel Falconer is the current CD

[RiahFly]

Happy Anniversary! Hope you both are having a wonderful time. I will be cruising on the Grand in June. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me if Princess offers a tour of SF at the end of the cruise, then transfer to the airport. It should be in the mounds of papers you have received.

 

Thanks, and enjoy the rest of your cruise!

 

I've heard that sometimes on debarkation day, there are a couple of excursions. We're from the area, so I'm afraid we don't really pay much attention to those things. I know several people who came to town early and toured various parts of the city before the cruise. Not sure what their plans are for after. I wish I had better info to give you :(

[Gimer]

RiahFly, Hope you had a great cruise. I'm doing the Meet & Greet for the May 21 cruise. Can you help me with some of the Ship's Officers names?

1. Captain

2. Hotel General Manager

3. Customer Service Manager

4. Executive Housekeeper

5. Food & Beverage Director

6. Senior Doctor

Thanks, Stan

[RiahFly]

RiahFly, Hope you had a great cruise. I'm doing the Meet & Greet for the May 21 cruise. Can you help me with some of the Ship's Officers names?

1. Captain

2. Hotel General Manager

3. Customer Service Manager

4. Executive Housekeeper

5. Food & Beverage Director

6. Senior Doctor

Thanks, Stan

 

1. The captain changed today, so I don't know who is there now. We had Captain Fabrizio Maresca.

2. Martin Ford

3. Luca Baudoino

4. Monico Reyes

5. Torsten Schuele

6. Dr. Zaeem Dalvie

 

I have no idea who may also have changed today. There were several people coming and going after our cruise.

 

~Kate

[RiahFly]

Ok, I think I left off in San Diego. . . .

 

Sorry it took so long for the final part of the cruise :( I got to see my father and step-mother in San Diego. We had a great lunch together at Anthony's Fish Market right on the pier. This is the smaller version of the big Anthony's downtown. This restaurant has been a fixture in SD, and one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. I had the fish tacos, which were just as excellent as ever!!

 

Before meeting up with my dad, we wondered over to Seaport Village. I wanted to see it one last time before the city destroys it for more contemporary building expansions :mad: It's not set in stone yet, but you know how it goes. It's so sad to see the many landmarks of my early life disappearing. After lunch, we walked around downtown and ended up at Horton Plaza mall. That's definitely not going anywhere any time soon. Meh

 

Ensenada:

 

And then we went to Ensenada; 'nuff said :p There was really nothing of interest for us to do here. If you saw "La Bufadora" and liked it, great; I'm so happy for you. We were bored after an hour and a half and got back on the ship. I have loved other parts of Mexico and would willingly go back to them some day.

 

Last Couple of Days:

 

I think I mentioned the leak in our cabin on the first day and that they comped us a meal at one of the specialty restaurants. We chose Sabatini's (Italian, though you probably already knew that ;)) on the last night of the cruise. What a wonderful menu and incredible staff they have there!!! I am an extremely picky eater, mainly due to allergies, but I was able to try several different dishes and loved them all! For appetizers, we had a salad with some kind of peppery cheese and a very milky cheese thing with tomatoes. It was in Italian, so I have no idea what the actual names are. Can anyone help fill in the blanks??

For the main course, I had the lobster three ways and my husband had the manicotti. Both of us had the tiramisu for dessert. Everything we ate was incredibly awesome! I would definitely recommend it. Our meal was free this time, but I would go there again even if I had to pay!

 

Disembarkation:

 

All good things must come to an end, but at least Princess seems to make the transition back to reality decently smooth. The color/number system is efficient and easy to follow. We were off the ship around 9:10; earlier than we were expecting. Last time, we had to wait for about 30 minutes after our scheduled time.

Before all of that however, I got up early to watch us sail back under the Golden gate Bridge. It's something I had wanted to do, but hadn't until today. I'm not a morning person! This time though, I just felt like I needed to do it. The mood on deck was certainly more somber than when we left!

There's always a bit of sadness at the completion of a journey, but also comfort in being home safely. Personally, I did a lot of soul-searching on this trip and am hopeful at the conclusion of it. Sailing under the bridge into my home port was a spiritual experience that was well worth the effort of getting up before dawn. This trip was a celebration of 10 years of marriage, contemplation of the future, and a time of personal reflection. I truly did "come back new." How cheesy is that??

 

I hope that you have enjoyed this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. Kind regards and happy cruising!

 

~Kate

[XBGuy]

Thank you for your excellent reports, Kate.

 

 

For appetizers, we had a salad with some kind of peppery cheese and a very milky cheese thing with tomatoes. It was in Italian, so I have no idea what the actual names are. Can anyone help fill in the blanks??

 

 

I am a Sabatini's bigot. The "peppery cheese" throws me off a bit, but the rest of your description tells me you had the Burrata alla Panna con Carpaccio di Pomodori, and I agree that it is outstanding.