Caribbean Princess-11/13/16-11/19-16: "Full Moon, Sunsets, Fine Wine and Relaxation!"

[canadarocks]

Those last two moon shots are spectacular! :cool:

[JimmyVWine]

Day 1 (continued)…

 

It was really hard deciding which photos to keep and which to dump. So I kept a lot. Sorry if these are getting tiresome.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

My lunacy was endangering our timely departure for our dinner reservation, so I had to say Goodnight Moon (goodnight brush, and a bowl full of mush), and dress for dinner.

 

As noted earlier, Sabatini’s is a first night tradition for us. It is easier to secure a reservation than the Crown Grill, and the Sailaway menu holds no interest for us. We arrived on time with wine bottle and wine glasses in hand. For tonight’s dinner, we would have a 2008 Realm “Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard” Cabernet.

 

 

 

The United States has very few vineyards that would qualify as “Grand Cru” quality, but of those that do qualify, the Beckstoffer family owns most of them. And To Kalon is pretty much at the top of that list. If you see a bottle with the To Kalon name on the label, there is no chance that the wine will be anything less than outstanding. This would be a great way to kick off our week of gluttony. Between the two of us we ordered and shared:

 

Shrimp with Fennel and Cannellini Beans

Calamari

Penne with Braised Short Rib

Veal Chop

Lobster Three Ways

Chocolate Tiramisu, Mascarpone Cream and Espresso Gelato

 

Interestingly, the plating of several of the dishes was very different from what we had had before, especially the shrimp starter and the three-way lobster. But the quality of everything was spot on. We very much enjoyed the quiet of the dining room, the attentive service, and the company of the wonderful family seated at the next table with whom we shared a wonderful conversation. Couldn’t have asked for a better start to the cruise.

 

When dinner was over, it was time to decide on some evening entertainment. We had been notified by Princess that we would be on a Rock and Roll cruise, so it looked like Club Fusion would be a good place for Jimmy to Experience it. (Pop culture reference.) When we arrived, Evolution was just finishing its first set. The band is really good when the female lead singer is singing. When she takes a break, so should you. This seems to be a common theme from what we have noticed. On a prior cruise, we watched a male back-up singer turn “Brown Eyed Girl” into Brown Owled Squirrel”. Same thing happened here. The male singer in Evolution tried to sing that same song and it was just as bad. But the set finished with the female lead paying tribute to Leonard Cohen who had just passed with a rendition of “Hallelujah” that left no eyes dry and all guests on their feet. Wow. But alas, the set ended and Karaoke was on deck. For me, the word Karaoke is Japanese for “Time for me to leave”. And we did.

 

We made our way to Crooners for some cocktails and the first set performed by Derek Floyd. Derek is both a lounge singer and a stage performer, and in this intimate setting, he played some Neil Diamond and Lionel Ritchie and even some Eva Cassidy. Performed less professionally, an act like this could cross over to parody. But Derek rose well beyond that and entertained the crowd fully and enthusiastically. So much so that he was granted an impromptu stage show at the end of the cruise. More on that later. By the end of the first set, exhaustion had set in owing to the Nail Polish Adventure before sunrise. Remember that?

 

 

It was off to bed. And to answer an earlier question, it did indeed seem as if the mattress we had was new. It sure was comfortable. Best one we had ever had on a cruise. And it was very welcomed. It had been a long day as evidenced by the length of this report so far. It will move faster from here. Maybe….

Edited November 24, 2016 by JimmyVWine

[JimmyVWine]

Would you mind providing a listing of the wines you brought on board?

I'm looking forward to a cruise in March and considering bringing six bottles. I'm figuring two whites and four reds.

 

All wines consumed will be identified, and most were photographed. I promise I will finish this before March!

 

Those last two moon shots are spectacular! :cool:

Thanks. All I can think of is the Seinfeld episode. "They're real. And they're spectacular!"

[G&Gcruisers]

Not boring at all. Those moon pics are spectacular.

Enjoying your review.

Margie

[XBGuy]

Day 1 (continued)…When the moon hits the sky like a big pizza pie, that’s amore!

 

So there we were on our balcony with a bottle of 2012 WesMar “Balletto Vineyard” Pinot Noir. For those who care about the wine details, this is a boutique Pinot producer in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley run by a husband (Wes) and wife (Mary) team who so pretty much everything. “Mary” is Mary Selyem. And if you are familiar with California Pinot Noir, you know that Williams-Selyem is Pinot royalty. Mary is the next generation and the winemaking talent didn’t skip a generation.

 

Yes. Some of us are very interested in the "wine details." That is a terrific story about the WesMar PN.

 

 

As noted earlier, Sabatini’s is a first night tradition for us. It is easier to secure a reservation than the Crown Grill, and the Sailaway menu holds no interest for us. We arrived on time with wine bottle and wine glasses in hand. For tonight’s dinner, we would have a 2008 Realm “Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard” Cabernet.

 

The United States has very few vineyards that would qualify as “Grand Cru” quality, but of those that do qualify, the Beckstoffer family owns most of them. And To Kalon is pretty much at the top of that list. If you see a bottle with the To Kalon name on the label, there is no chance that the wine will be anything less than outstanding. This would be a great way to kick off our week of gluttony. Between the two of us we ordered and shared:

 

Shrimp with Fennel and Cannellini Beans

Calamari

Penne with Braised Short Rib

Veal Chop

Lobster Three Ways

Chocolate Tiramisu, Mascarpone Cream and Espresso Gelato

 

Interestingly, the plating of several of the dishes was very different from what we had had before, especially the shrimp starter and the three-way lobster. But the quality of everything was spot on. We very much enjoyed the quiet of the dining room, the attentive service, and the company of the wonderful family seated at the next table with whom we shared a wonderful conversation. Couldn’t have asked for a better start to the cruise.

 

 

+1 on To Kalon.

 

You picked a several of Mr. and Mrs. XBGuy's favorites from Sabatini's. I am a bit confused, however, that there was only one pasta dish on the table--or did you both order the penne?

[JimmyVWine]

You picked a several of Mr. and Mrs. XBGuy's favorites from Sabatini's. I am a bit confused, however, that there was only one pasta dish on the table--or did you both order the penne?

 

We ordered an entree sized portion and split it as a mid-course.

[Woobstr112G]

Great pictures & commentary.....:):):)

 

Bob

[geoherb]

Thanks for the entertaining review. We leave a week from Saturday on the ABC itinerary. Do you remember if they had the salmon or the cod on the menu for the embarkation lunch?

[JimmyVWine]

Thanks for the entertaining review. We leave a week from Saturday on the ABC itinerary. Do you remember if they had the salmon or the cod on the menu for the embarkation lunch?

 

I'm pretty sure that the salmon was on the menu but I don't remember seeing cod.

[VaCruzers]

Thanks for the entertaining review. We leave a week from Saturday on the ABC itinerary. Do you remember if they had the salmon or the cod on the menu for the embarkation lunch?

 

We were on this cruise and the one prior - definitely salmon on the embarkation lunch menu.

[seamwoman]

If you sailed on Nov 13 the ship you identified as the Royal was the Regal and we were on it! The moon in the middle of the night was amazing. Love your review and can't wait for more. Karen

[Tyskie]

JimmyVWine - where are you?

 

Was hoping you would get thru most of your review before we board on 12/3.

 

Hope all is well.........................

[srice]

JimmyVWine - where are you?

 

Was hoping you would get thru most of your review before we board on 12/3.

 

Hope all is well.........................

 

We are on the same sailing as Tyskie and looking forward to your next installment.

[TracieABD]

Thank you so much, JVW- This is a super fun read! Love the sometimes esoteric references to all things pop-ish!

 

Keep it coming... ;)

 

TL:)

[cruiselvr1]

We brought some nice bottles. The guys at the wine check-in counter weren't really sure what to make of it all. I guess not many people bring along 8 bottles for a 6 day cruise. Some might think that is a lot. I call it a good start!

In 2012 my DW and I took 16 bottles for a 15 day, I had two suitcases for the wine alone. Never again. Luckily this was before Princess charged corkage on wine more than 1bottle each.

[RoadTripFanatic]

:) So far so good! We are also cruising on this ship on Saturday!! I can not wait. Looking at the pictures makes me want to start packing. (Yes, I know I've actually started but nothing serious) By any chance do you know what movies they are showing for Movies under the Stars??

[JimmyVWine]

Day 2

 

First off, my apologies for letting this report slip. Thanksgiving got in the way, and on top of that, an unexpected death in my wife’s family. So I haven’t had much time for penning my journal, but I must get back to it before too much slips from my memory.

 

Monday was the first of our two Sea Days, and as I mention in the title, part of this cruise was intended as “Relaxation”. That really was the whole point after all…to give my wife some time to mentally recuperate from a stressful few months. So despite her skepticism that I could ever spend a day truly relaxing and not stuffing it full of activities, I set out to prove her wrong.

 

True to my promise, we slept in late (for us). We awoke to the closest view of Cuba that we had ever seen. We were able to track our exact location with my trusty GPS unit that I take with me on cruises. The suction cup holder adheres to the blue pane of balcony plastic nicely, and also to the sliding glass door. Here is a photo I took whilst leaving Port Everglades:

 

 

 

I don’t know if recent political leniency has caused a change in shipping lane traffic, (and I certainly don’t have a large enough sample size to know for sure), but it definitely seemed as if we were much closer to Cuba than I had ever been before. Indeed, on a prior Western Caribbean Itinerary, I “saved” our location at around the same time and lo and behold, that saved location was 10 miles further away from land than we were presently traveling. We had a great view and could make out lighthouse and buildings with the naked eye, and could get a great view with our binoculars. Without any zooming, here is what the view looked like that morning:

 

 

And here is what the view looked like with the zoom lens applied a bit:

 

 

 

After shore gazing for quite a while, by 10:00 we were bathed, dressed and ready to hit the International Café. Have to grab the donuts before breakfast transitions over to lunch! A quick check of the Patter revealed that there would be a Fruit and Vegetable carving demonstration in the Piazza at 10:15. I always find those enjoyable, and my daughter and I go to them as our schedule permits. But for some reason my wife has never been to one. So we vowed to take it all in, and it was a fun time, especially if you spend as much time in kitchens as I do, thinking that you actually have pretty decent knife skills. This demonstration will set you straight.

 

The event is pretty much as titled. Three members of the galley staff participate in three rounds of carvings, each round resulting in one new creation per chef, for a total of 9 miraculous carvings. Here are our participants for the day:

 

 

To be continued…

[JimmyVWine]

Day 2 (continued)

 

Both the crowd and excitement began to build as our trusty swordsmen cut, slices, shaved and whittled their way to fame and glory. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are several thousand words tied up in numerous photos.

 

 



 

 



 

 

And here are the creations from Round 1:

 

Starting from the Chef on the left of the photo showing all three Chefs in the previous post:

 



 

 



 

 

To be continued…..

[canadarocks]

Those are amazing! :eek:

[JimmyVWine]

Day 2 (continued)

 

The results of Round 2 looked like this…….

 



 



 



 

And finally, Round 3 bought us these:

 

 



 



 

 

Most of the time the chefs did a good job of concealing what they were making until the big “reveal”. But the poodle was pretty obvious from the outset.

 

After this event ended, we decided to head up to the Lido Deck to see if we could find a couple of deck chairs. With visions of Chair Hogs circling my brain, I thought that this would be futile, but it was always worth a try. And this time I opted to do something that I rarely do. I took my camera equipment with me. I usually find that even though I think that I am taking enough photos to bore even the most ardent cruise lover, when I get home I conclude that I didn’t take enough. So I brought my camera with me pretty much everywhere I went on this Sea Day to try to capture some shots of the ship that I usually neglect to memorialize.

 

To be continued…..

[JimmyVWine]

Day 2 (continued)

 

When we got to the Lido Deck, we headed to the “Calypso Reef and Pool” (which is how it is labeled in the handy fold-out map that you get upon check-in, but I only found the pool and never spied the “Reef”. Luck was shining on us again that day, as the moment, and I do mean moment that we arrived at the pool area, a couple got up off of their fully shaded loungers allowing us to fill their void. And in actuality, had we wanted loungers in the sun, those were open too. So allow me to address that topic in this slot. On each of our Sea Days, we were able to secure lounge chairs without any fighting, swearing, moving of items, or calling in the National Guard. To the extent that Chair Hogs are a universal problem, we did not encounter them. This day we were at the Calypso Pool and the other Sea Day we were at the Terrace Pool, and on both occasions, people were coming and going with enough frequency that finding a lounger was never a problem.

 

Here are a couple of photos. In the first, you can see a fair number of unoccupied chairs, some covered with towels, but many without.

 

 

 

 

But of course, as they say in the cyber world, YMMV.

 

When we plopped ourselves down at the Calypso Pool, “Finding Dory” was about half way through its run on MUTS, so we watched the second half of the movie. For newcomers who are here learning about the Princess experience, MUTS is (in theory), “Movies Under The Stars”. But during the daytime, it is “Movies Under The Sun”.

 

https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5796/30338421693_1fdc3931dd_c.jpg

 

The picture can get a little washed out, but it never stops me from watching the film if I am interested.

 

After taking that photo of the movie screen, the ship’s funnel caught my eye and I thought that it might make for an artistic photo.

 

Here it is.

 

 

Not sure if that is art or not. But I bet if I enlarged it and took it to the Explorer’s Lounge, somebody would bid on it. And if not, all I would have to do is hand paint a green olive on it and it would surely sell!

 

Our time doing nothing lasted until it was time to eat again, which on a cruise ship always seems to feel like 20 minutes after the last time you ate. But we held out until about 1:00 and then it was time to go on the hunt for food. Of course, while lounging on the port side of the Calypso Pool area, you don’t have to hunt to far or too long. The entrance to the Horizon Court was about 10 paces to our stern, and that is where my wife headed. The Trident Grill was about 70 paces forward (and across), and that is where I went. But let’s get the order straight. I went first and told my wife that I would scout out the offerings at the Grill. With any luck (or consistency), there would be Knockwurst, Bratwurst and Sauerkraut. And fries. I stated that if I was successful in my mission, I would bring back food for both of us. So I trekked over to Neptune’s Reef and Pool, found the pool, didn’t find the “Reef”, and found both of my target food items cooked and ready for the plucking. The line was about 8-10 people deep and moved fast enough. I loaded up one plate with a Knockwurst, Sauerkraut and fries, and another with a Bratwurst, Sauerkraut and fries. When I returned to our loungers, I offered my wife her pick of the two and she looked at me and said: “You want both of those, don’t you!” I protested, (but not too much), and told her that I certainly didn’t need two orders of fries! So she headed in to the Horizon Court to get herself a slightly more sensible plate of food and then returned to nibble on my/her fries. The wursts were every bit as good as I recalled. Yes, I am an unabashed foodie, but let’s not forget that being a true foodie means appreciating and enjoying all forms of food, from a humble food trucks to the Pressed Duck at La Tour d’Argent. This is certainly more akin to the former, and I love it!

 

After lunch, we hung by the pool for just a while longer until it was time for our next move.

 

To be continued……

[canadarocks]

Loving every bit of this.... keep 'em coming. :D

[JimmyVWine]

Day 2 (continued)

 

Early afternoon always means that it is time to get that Coffee Card punched. So it was off to the IC for espressos and maybe, (oh, OK…always), a bit of a pastry or dessert. We agreed to justify the latter with a stroll around the Promenade. Many of you may know that I abhor the newly designed ships that eschew a proper Promenade. My love for a Promenade dates back to my first voyage in 1976 which included a Transatlantic on the QE2 to Cherbourg, and then a return back to New York 4 weeks later. Walking the full Promenade was a more-than-once a-day ritual for my family, and it is a tradition that I try to carry forward. But, truth be told, my wife is far more passionate about our daily strolls. I guess my family tradition growing up has rubbed off on her in a big way and now she considers it part of our family tradition. In any event, she commented to me that we should get our walks in while there were still ships allowing us to do so. So off we went, me with camera in tow. Well, in hand, actually. It is infinitely more difficult to take pictures using only your toes.

 

Not unexpectedly, there were many people enjoying the Proper Promenade:

 



 



 

But also some moments when we found ourselves more “alone”.

 



 

 

Including a lengthy stretch at the bow:

 



 

 

I think that the thing that bothers my wife the most about the new builds is the inability to walk to the bow of the ships.

 

She would do this for hours if she could:

 

 

And truth be told, we did spend a good bit of time there as we watched the last bit of Cuba slip away to our port side.

 

To be continued………..

[XBGuy]

Day 2 (continued)

 

After taking that photo of the movie screen, the ship’s funnel caught my eye and I thought that it might make for an artistic photo.

 

Here it is.

 

 

Not sure if that is art or not. But I bet if I enlarged it and took it to the Explorer’s Lounge, somebody would bid on it. And if not, all I would have to do is hand paint a green olive on it and it would surely sell!

 

 

 

:D

 

That is hilarious.

[JimmyVWine]

Day 2 (continued)

 

One issue that I neglected to address in the previous post is the issue of Piazza seating. Yes, it can be tough to come by, and when you have a cup of espresso in one hand and a Pistachio Mousse in the other, it really would be nice to find a place to sit. But we remedied that most days by heading to Vines. The stated operational hours for Vines starts at 4:00, and prior to that, there is ample overflow seating to be had, and we along with several others each day, put that to good use.

 

 

 

 

 

As we continued our walk, I took special care to try to notice little things that I had never noticed before. This was part of my “See? I really can relax when I want to” approach. Maybe I was harnessing my inner Thoreau and the ship was my Walden Pond. In any event, I took note of the fact that Princess appears to have every contingency accounted for in the event of an emergency, and passengers both young and old will be well cared for.

 

Apparently, in the event of an emergency, large Cold Cut Subs will be distributed to everyone:

 

 

And to make sure that the kiddies are having a good time, a large Bouncy House will be lowered into the water for the enjoyment of all!

 

 

 

And for the littlest of guests, balloons will be handed out to help ease the stress of an evacuation:

 

 

It was very comforting to know that Princess had thought of everything!! And it is devilish of me to know that none of you will ever look at those signs the same way every again!

 

To be continued………..