mini-live from the Grand Princess: first Hawaiian sailing post covid--Jan 4-19, 2022

[Aussiemick]

Were there any discount deals offered onboard for specialty dining and/or personal services?

how about in the coupon book?

[UT-Volsfan]

46 minutes ago, Aussiemick said:

Were there any discount deals offered onboard for specialty dining and/or personal services?

Did not see any during the cruise.

[travelin.sisters]

On 1/17/2022 at 7:09 PM, azbirdmom said:

 

Glad your tests were negative.  Sure hope you stay that way and that you well enough to enjoy the rest of your cruise!

thank you...we enjoyed the last little bit of our cruise & are safely home

[travelin.sisters]

8 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

@travelin.sistersI have really enjoyed your posts. Thanks for doing them. I have my first Hawaii sailing booked for this November.  I do hope you will post your Stanley pictures on the thread I started for pictures of Stanley and McKinley enjoying their Princess cruise. I love the Grand.  

will post a bunch here & some there as well...it was a lovely cruise in spite of not being the same as our last Hawai'i...just good to be out & seeing the islands again

[travelin.sisters]

On 1/18/2022 at 8:24 AM, san diego sue said:

Glad to see that Travelin sisters is so responsible and care about your fellow cruisers. Reporting your minor illness was the thing to do. So glad that you didn't have Covid. Enjoy your last day on board.

We were to board tomorrow but unfortunately, my Covid test yesterday was positive. I would never have thought I was even sick and feel fine. This is to show how contagious Covid is right now and you can have it without even knowing. My husband is negative. CVS ran another test for me, after my disappointing results. It was accurate, verified by the second test.

We are so careful and pretty much have been staying at home.

oh you are kind, we have to take care of each other if we are going to survive this thing & be able to keep traveling...I am sad for you about missing today's cruise, but maybe it is better now than the test 2-3 days out & having to quarantine on ship & miss the Islands...hopefully you can rebook on a later Hawai'i...we literally did not come in contact with anyone for 2 weeks before our pre cruise test, even postponed family Christmas so that we would test negative & be able to say we weren't around anyone who had covid for 14 days...if you are still in San Diego, at least you didn't have to deal with flights?...hope you are feeling well & recover quickly & your husband stays healthy as well

[travelin.sisters]

5 hours ago, Aussiemick said:

Were there any discount deals offered onboard for specialty dining and/or personal services?

how about in the coupon book?

no discount deals that I saw, no coupon book (we usually get from our TA so I think it's gone away), no flyers for sales, no birthday discount or credit coupons...Princess has cut WAY down on disposable paper materials but also no deals on the TV (in the deals section) or in the app...there were 2 spa deals announced on the Wake show but that was it...oh a few Effy deals that I saw signs up for

[san diego sue]

30 minutes ago, travelin.sisters said:

oh you are kind, we have to take care of each other if we are going to survive this thing & be able to keep traveling...I am sad for you about missing today's cruise, but maybe it is better now than the test 2-3 days out & having to quarantine on ship & miss the Islands...hopefully you can rebook on a later Hawai'i...we literally did not come in contact with anyone for 2 weeks before our pre cruise test, even postponed family Christmas so that we would test negative & be able to say we weren't around anyone who had covid for 14 days...if you are still in San Diego, at least you didn't have to deal with flights?...hope you are feeling well & recover quickly & your husband stays healthy as well

Thanks for your kind thoughts. My travel agent tried to get Princess to transfer my cruise to  another date in February for the same price we paid (mini suite) but  Princess refused. Prices have gone way up since we booked. It was the idea of paying almost $2,000 more per person that we have decided to wait and do this maybe towards the end of 2022 . My friends all boarded today. The point for us wanting to cruise  was several couples were traveling with us. It would have been terrible if I had gone on the cruise and was negative and later tested positive.We also did isolate but probably not long enough,for a week .Even when we went out, never with crowds, just running normal errands.We were on the Grand for New Years cruise and got off on January 4th. I can't think I possibly got it on that  cruise and it lasted so long. Who knows. My daughter (a Nurse) says it is so contagious, the virus is everywhere. 

[partybarbie]

@san diego sue I was also very sorry to hear you tested positive. A cautionary tale for the rest of us. I hope you don't get too sick and that you are able to cruise again soon. 

[travelin.sisters]

39 minutes ago, san diego sue said:

Thanks for your kind thoughts. My travel agent tried to get Princess to transfer my cruise to  another date in February for the same price we paid (mini suite) but  Princess refused. Prices have gone way up since we booked. It was the idea of paying almost $2,000 more per person that we have decided to wait and do this maybe towards the end of 2022 . My friends all boarded today. The point for us wanting to cruise  was several couples were traveling with us. It would have been terrible if I had gone on the cruise and was negative and later tested positive.We also did isolate but probably not long enough,for a week .Even when we went out, never with crowds, just running normal errands.We were on the Grand for New Years cruise and got off on January 4th. I can't think I possibly got it on that  cruise and it lasted so long. Who knows. My daughter (a Nurse) says it is so contagious, the virus is everywhere. 

I thought they were transferring bookings at the same price, but maybe that was if they cancelled the cruise? that is frustrating, we booked way back in 2020 shortly after they canceled our South Pacific cruise when this itinerary was first announced so now I am waiting for them to release the fall/winter 2023 Hawai'i schedule to see if we can get a good deal (I like to book early so I can pick the location we want & then watch for price drops & special offers to refare, although they took our cabin for quarantine so that part didn't work). Hope your friends have a good trip & you get well fast...& we get past this surge with no others on the way .

[travelin.sisters]

food while in quarantine--my sister brought me dinner from the buffet, our waiters let her bring the chocolate journey of the day back to me, & the sad room service breakfast

[travelin.sisters]

afternoon tea (with Ruby Princess Stanly Bear)

 

[travelin.sisters]

a beautiful last day at sea

[travelin.sisters]

Ensenada

[travelin.sisters]

sealions

[smbt1]

for those of you on the Jan 4th cruise, did they have every other row in the theater blocked off as well as every other table in explorers?

[travelin.sisters]

19 minutes ago, smbt1 said:

for those of you on the Jan 4th cruise, did they have every other row in the theater blocked off as well as every other table in explorers?

neither the few times I was in either place

 

[smbt1]

3 minutes ago, travelin.sisters said:

neither the few times I was in either place

 

they have done that for the Jan 19th cruise. 

 

every other row in the theater is  blocked off. half of the seating areas in explorers also marked to be left vacant.

 

 

[travelin.sisters]

& HOME AGAIN

 

One last short & smooth sail home to San Pedro (by the time I woke up at 5:30 we were silently drifting through the harbor & around 6 we were all tied up at the pier) followed by one last breakfast in the buffet (who will cook me my fresh made to order omelet, crispy bacon, potatoes & a pastry every morning from now on?). Back to our room to gather our stuff so our steward could begin the fast but thorough cleaning before the next cruisers embark. Platinum, Elite, Suite disembarkation lounge was in Vista, so we waited comfortably there until our group was called. With less than half the potential passengers, disembarkation was much less crowded, but still the biggest crowds we saw all cruise. Everything went smoothly, customs & immigration was just a facial scanner to pass us & we were out waiting for our ride home about 9:30. A few minutes later we were home.

 

Walking into the house I was glad to see that our puppy had been brought home & was waiting to greet us. I also was reminded that in the rush to depart, I had taken down the Christmas decorations but not packed them away so…packing & storing Christmas, unpacking cruise luggage, laundry…I guess the vacation is over, but we have many wonderful memories & tons of great photos to enjoy. It is nice to be home though.

 

I think I saw the Grand on her way back out to Hawai’i, it could be a container, but I am claiming it was her…safe & happy voyages to the next sailing (& all those after). Thank you to everyone who followed on our trip with us, helped answer questions, contributed & for all the kind words about this thread. 💕Kathy

[AF-1]

glad you had a nice time on your cruise.  Hawaii is one place that makes everyone enjoy life.  It's so laid back there;  and the weather is pretty good too.  Cheers

[Bgwest]

On 1/20/2022 at 8:47 AM, travelin.sisters said:

 

 

 

 What an adorable little friend you have! I'm envious. 😀

Edited January 22, 2022 by Bgwest

[cr8tiv1]

@travelin.sistersMahalo Nui Loa for braving the unknowns and sharing your voyage with us.  I am hoping every voyage moving forward helps Princess work through the kinks and issues with Hawaii State.'

 

A shout out to all the others who graciously gave of their time on their vacation.  

[Ragdollbd]

Did anyone do anything exciting in Ensenada?  I heard the shops were not open at the port

[AVCruzers]

Port days are a great way to spend time at the spa since prices are discounted.  DH had the best massage and I had a pedicure instead of doing anything in Ensenada.  Will be on the GRAND again in Feb. and plan to do the same thing.  

[travelin.sisters]

1 hour ago, Ragdollbd said:

Did anyone do anything exciting in Ensenada?  I heard the shops were not open at the port

I only went off the ships far enough to take photos of the sea lions (but then got better ones from deck 8 forward). The shops at the port were not open. 

[cr8tiv1]

49 minutes ago, travelin.sisters said:

I only went off the ships far enough to take photos of the sea lions (but then got better ones from deck 8 forward). The shops at the port were not open. 

 

The shops were not open in October either (disappointed), but the sea lions did put on a good show.  Princess had a canopy over some nice cushioned chairs.  Sat and watched people for a little while. Don't have a clue why the shade covering was up.