LIVE: Caribbean Princess to Canada and Greenland, August 15-31, 2022: Geoherb goes solo again

[cruzsnooze]

Unfortunately this has been a less then stellar experience. Our tour in Halifax was cancelled then our tour in Sydney was cancelled and we didn't stop in Nuuk.  The crew has been wonderful. The food is so-so. It's not a very inspiring menu. We're in Club Class and the service couldn't be better. There has been a wait time since CC gets full and they put some overflow tables in the regular area of the dining room with CC servers but it's noisy awkwardly  placed randomly in aisles. Breakfast is in Sabitin's and the service there is also excellent and attentive.

    The bathroom water is either hot or cold and they have tried to fix it several times. It seems it's the a portion of plumbing effecting several cabins on the deck. Many people we met have gotten quarantined with a positive covid test. The captain announced about the covid outbreak and asked everyone to wear masks. I'm looking forward to disembarking Wednesday and getting home. My next cruise in Nov is on the Discovery and I hear good things about that ship.

  The two ports we did get off at were Nanortalik and Qaqortoq and were delightful. The people were friendly. Qaqortoq has a population of 3,000 and so we passengers doubled their population. The weather was cold but tolerable. It's easy to see the towns entirely on the walking tours which were lovely. 

  The entertainment was passable. The best show so far was Bravo which was excellent. If you don't get to the theatre at least a half hour early on most nights you wouldn't find a seat. Since the entertainers couldn't fly home from Nuuk we had a varty show that was put together but the entertainers stuck on board as a varity show. Credit to them for trying to improvise. 

  The Caribbean Princess is showing her age not so much cosmetically but in needed repairs. 

   

I'm told fleet wide......................

As an FYI there is no more upgraded bathroom amenities so bring what you need. Lotion (in a full suite) is in a plastic pump bottle like what's in the showers. No Q Tips or linen spray or nail files, no blue tote bags.

[cr8tiv1]

@cruzsnoozeHow much did you reduce your crew incentives for your "less than stellar experience"?  Did you also ask for a refund for missing so much?

[A Pisces]

5 hours ago, G&Gcruisers said:

Is there still a Champaign Waterfall?

I was wondering the same thing, hope someone answers

[PacnGoNow]

7 minutes ago, A Pisces said:

I was wondering the same thing, hope someone answers

I haven’t seen any since the restart. 
They said too many people gathered in one place. Covid. 

 

 

[milogurd]

1 hour ago, A Pisces said:

I was wondering the same thing, hope someone answers

Looks like they had one on the Ruby Princess:

 

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=champagne waterfall

 

[D&L Thomas]

15 hours ago, G&Gcruisers said:

Is there still a Champaign Waterfall?

No. They had it partially set up one night but the seas were too rough.

[cruzsnooze]

11 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

@cruzsnoozeHow much did you reduce your crew incentives for your "less than stellar experience"?  Did you also ask for a refund for missing so much?

        $12.50 PP PD.  I don't get why they charge different rates except they can. Just because one can afford something doesn't make it right. I don't pay more at the supermarket, movies, Disneyland because I can afford more.  I did not ask for anything except the internet credit since we had 8 days with no service.  They automatically refunded the port fee for Nuuk and the 2 shore excursions they didn't deliver.

        There was no champagne waterfall to date. Most of the activities were things like beer pong, hula hoops, making paper airplanes and launching them thru a hoop in the Piazza. There was trivia too. The gift was always a rubber coaster for the winners. 

Edited August 28, 2022 by cruzsnooze

[jsquared]

4 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

I don't get why they charge different rates except they can

I always assumed that it was based on the additional time needed to clean mini-suites and suites based on the square footage and stateroom features.

[coo359a2]

1 minute ago, jsquared said:

I always assumed that it was based on the additional time needed to clean mini-suites and suites based on the square footage and stateroom features.

That’s is my understanding too.  Much larger size rooms and pricey too

[LACruiser88]

14 hours ago, A Pisces said:

Is there still a Champaign Waterfall?

They just had their first champagne waterfall on the Majestic this past week.

[A Pisces]

I am enjoying your review very much! 

 

Thank you to all who posted replies about the champagne waterfall, I'll keep my fingers crossed that Caribbean Princess will offer it in a couple of weeks!

 

 

[G&Gcruisers]

Thanks Geoherb, enjoying your “live” and the photos.

thanks cruzsnooze for your insights about the ship and your cruise. 

[cruzsnooze]

4 hours ago, coo359a2 said:

That’s is my understanding too.  Much larger size rooms and pricey too

Much larger? Unless you're in an owners suite there isn't a big time difference to cleaning the cabins. I'm in a window suite which doesn't have a balcony to clean. The pricy was correct, it's because they can get away with suggesting more. It used to be the same for everyone back in the day but they found  a way to increase revenue which many just along with. 

[cr8tiv1]

55 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

Much larger? Unless you're in an owners suite there isn't a big time difference to cleaning the cabins. I'm in a window suite which doesn't have a balcony to clean. The pricy was correct, it's because they can get away with suggesting more. It used to be the same for everyone back in the day but they found  a way to increase revenue which many just along with. 

 

If you are using this reasoning, a Window Suite is twice as large as an interior/ocean view.  Therefore, you should be paying twice as much ($25 per person/per day).  It has a shower and a tub.  It has 2 sinks and a larger counter.  Sheets are changed daily.  It has more surface area (desks/counters, floor area, etc).  Your calculations are way off.  

 

I am not arguing your right to decrease your crew appreciations.  I am only pointing out the obvious.

[cr8tiv1]

@geoherbThank you so very much for taking us along on your journey.  You always have such interesting posts.

[coo359a2]

59 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

Much larger? Unless you're in an owners suite there isn't a big time difference to cleaning the cabins. I'm in a window suite which doesn't have a balcony to clean. The pricy was correct, it's because they can get away with suggesting more. It used to be the same for everyone back in the day but they found  a way to increase revenue which many just along with. 

I am sure there is a difference in size from mine. Since RCI is  increasing their daily gratuity there is  a good chance all other lines will do the same.  

[jwattle]

4 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

Much larger? Unless you're in an owners suite there isn't a big time difference to cleaning the cabins. I'm in a window suite which doesn't have a balcony to clean. The pricy was correct, it's because they can get away with suggesting more. It used to be the same for everyone back in the day but they found  a way to increase revenue which many just along with. 

There are also different amenities (mini bar, etc., even if there were others that you didn't get), and not to pick a fight, but the ones that you didn't get are NOT cut out fleetwide (Majestic to name one...)

[geoherb]

We had perfect weather today in St. John's. It was mostly sunny and around 75 degrees. I walked to Quidi Vidi. It's a cute little village in a cove. There's a shop with artisans. I talked with one who's from a town about 5 hours north of St. John's. He and his wife have one of the little stalls upstairs. He said they're there for just four weeks. I had a flight of beers at the brewery. Afterward, I walked up to Signal Hill. The trail was steep but in good condition. There are several overlooks.

 

I toyed with the thought of taking the difficult trail section back to town, but I decided to walk down from the hill on the sidewalk. I went into a few shops on the way back but didn't buy anything. I made it back to the ship in time for afternoon tea. 

 

I watched the sailaway from the Promenade Deck. We left a little bit late. I got a good video of the pilots departing the ship onto the pilot boat. I tried attaching more photos, but they're not working now.

 

Tonight's menu in the dining rooms was Italian. Nothing really appealed to me, so I decided to skip it for the buffet. I went to the early show of comedian Joe Larson. He was pretty funny. I went up to the buffet afterward. The carving station had leg of lamb. They had a large selection of sushi.

[geoherb]

Last night's Captain's Circle party was nice. They had plenty of bar servers circulating with drinks. The people I sat with had special requests. They were able to get some of them, but had to settle for a Riesling when the first wine they requested was not available. I don't remember what it was.

 

The loyalty and events manager gave out the numbers of Platinum and Elite passengers: 856 and 836, respectively. She told me to see her later for the other numbers. I saw her this afternoon. There are 351 Blue, 395 Gold, and 276 Ruby. The cutoff for the top 40 event was 713 days. The most traveled passenger had 1,224 days, second place had 1,184, and third place had 1,164. She recognized one passenger at the party celebrating 500 days on this cruise.

 

Broadway Ballroom was enjoyable, not as good as Bravo but much better than Born to Be Wild. I didn't have trouble finding a seat arriving about 20 minutes early for the second show. 

 

I had dinner in the Crown Grill with friends. It was good. I had the steak tartare, scallop appetizer, veal chop, and creme brulee cheesecake.

[geoherb]

10 hours ago, A Pisces said:

I am enjoying your review very much! 

 

Thank you to all who posted replies about the champagne waterfall, I'll keep my fingers crossed that Caribbean Princess will offer it in a couple of weeks!

 

 

 

The champagne waterfall is scheduled for tomorrow night, our third formal night. 

[cr8tiv1]

@geoherbyou seem to be in fit condition, gregarious, and adventurous.  You would be fun to meet on a voyage.  

 

I would trade a carved leg of lamb anytime for Italian night.  I would be game for their sushi..if they actually used sushi rice.  Have tried the buffet/MDR/PES lounge before.  Doesn't really make the cut for me.

[geoherb]

7 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

@geoherbyou seem to be in fit condition, gregarious, and adventurous.  You would be fun to meet on a voyage.  

 

I would trade a carved leg of lamb anytime for Italian night.  I would be game for their sushi..if they actually used sushi rice.  Have tried the buffet/MDR/PES lounge before.  Doesn't really make the cut for me.

 

The point of sushi for me is getting the wasabi and pickled ginger that go with it. I wanted to try the Ocean Terrace sushi on the Majestic and Regal, but never found time to do so. I'm hoping it's better.

 

[geoherb]

Photos of my dinner at the Crown Grill. I could have eaten a plate of the fries without the tartare. The scallops were small but tasty. I should have taken a photo of the sides.

 

[geoherb]

On 8/27/2022 at 4:10 PM, cruzsnooze said:

As an FYI there is no more upgraded bathroom amenities so bring what you need. Lotion (in a full suite) is in a plastic pump bottle like what's in the showers. No Q Tips or linen spray or nail files, no blue tote bags.

 

At least it's not just a lack of upgraded bathroom amenities for Elites not in suites. On my February cruise on the Regal, I was in an aft balcony cabin beside a suite. My suite neighbors received some of the upgraded bathroom amenities, but Elites did not. Princess should just remove it from the listed benefits if they can't provide them.

 

Have you requested the evening canapés? I'm supposed to receive them on formal nights. I did not get anything on the first two. I was told that we'll get chocolates for tonight's formal night.

 

I agree that the menus have not been great. The selection of appetizers, soups, and salads are particularly weak. But I'm usually able to find a couple of things to order. Most of the food has been very good. Service has been slow compared to what I received in February. But the Regal only had around 1,300 passengers on that cruise.

[geoherb]

Breakfast in the dining room this morning had bad service. One of the head waiters came over to help the waiter out. The waiter served me someone else's omelet, he forgot the toast for one man, and a woman was missing her bacon with her pancakes. When my omelet came, the hash browns were missing. I think he missed some other things that people did not speak up about.

 

I walked a few laps around the outside Promenade. I saw a whale's tail and some pods of dolphins. They just made the announcement that there are more of them out there. I'm heading back out to see.