Live from the Sapphire Princess: first post pause sailing 9/24-10/4/2022 (Baja Peninsula & Sea of Cortez)

[travelin.sisters]

two days in Cabo San Lucas

 

          I don’t know that I have ever had an afternoon port arrival, but it was enjoyable. Sailing mostly out of the port of LA we have been to Cabo many times, but it was interesting to see the landscape as we arrived. Sailing down along the point of Baja I got to see more than I ever had on an excursion.

          I was glad we have a port side balcony as my BIL was sitting out there watching the coast & told us he saw whales. There was a very active group of whales & dolphins or porpoises breaching, spouting & playing quite close to the ship. They were close enough to enjoy without binoculars but unfortunately not close enough for pictures with my cell phone.

          We very slowly made our way to our anchorage & then they started prepping for tendering services & shore excursions. There was the usual confusion of a tender port. Being with a Princess excursion, we had to wait in the Princess Theater until they called our group & then head to the tenders.

Getting on the tenders was probably the roughest I have experienced—maybe Santa Barbara a number of years ago was as bad). Even though our voyage has been extremely calm, getting on the tenders was precarious. There was both the normal up & down of the two vessels but added to that were sudden, unpredictable sideways jerks. After they packed our tender with as many people as could possibly fit including some standing with their luggage, we were finally able to leave from the ship, while we were moving there was some relief from the heat, but soon we had to stop & wait for our turn to dock & disembark our thunder. It was very hot, humid & crowded (I definitely prefer Cabo in January). Off we went to find our guide & follow along to the start of our excursion.

For our tour (Cabo by Land & Sea), there were three different tours that started with the same boat tour followed by different land excursions. Strangely the Shore Excursion staff sent 2 of the groups to the tenders first, then a bunch of other groups & then maybe ½ hour later our group. This meant that the two groups waited for a very long time for us to arrive & the tour to begin & also that by the time we got there, there was no seating left. Finally, one of the tour guides gave up her spot for us. The boat tour was about 45 minutes & we went out to see the arch & various sites, they had a very interesting ecological narration by Jean-Michel Cousteau, which I could only hear when I got up to take photos. We were unable to hear it from our seats which was sad. I really think they squeezed too many tours on the boat for it to be the experience we expected. They served soda, beer & mixed drinks while we cruised & a shot of tequila at the end for those who wanted it.

Next was the land part of the tour. We walked to a very comfortable bus with really good AC, which was a necessity. Our first stop was the glass factory where they make items out of recycled glass. We saw a demonstration where they made a Mexican turtle drinking tequila & then had time to shop. The building was gorgeous with glass walls, floor & ceiling.

Next, we went to a restaurant called Sunset Mona Lisa, where they gave us another beverage (beer, soda or water) on their patio & we were able to enjoy beautiful views looking back toward the port & our ship (there was also a Carnival ship in port). Our driver, Jesus, was very good at getting us up the winding dirt road to the restaurant & back out.

          Our last stop was San Jose del Cabo the early mission town. Our guide Israel shared lots of historical & ecological info during the 30-minute ride. By this time many of us were hot & tired & ready to go back to the ship & tried to convince our guide that we did not need a whole hour there. Our late start already had us running very late, but he insisted that he had to give us all that we paid for. After explaining the layout of the town & where our bus would return for us, he took those who were willing to see the mission church. Then we had time to shop or find a bench in the shade to sit & wait. Just before 6:30 when the but would pick us up, for armed policemen arrived. Fortunately, they were they to ceremonially lower the giant Mexican flag & take it to the municipal building. It was fascinating to watch them lower, roll & carry this flag that took 5 men.

          Finally, we were back in our wonderfully cool bus for the ride back to the pier. Because we were so late returning, we were able to see a beautiful sunset. One disappointing thing was they took us back to the bus parking lot & sent us off to the tender pier in the approaching darkness with only vague directions to go straight, turn left & you will see it. There was also a right turn & I still didn’t see it, but fortunately some of our group either did or remembered better so we all followed along & were shortly back in a tender & on or way to the Sapphire. Getting off the tender was still very rough but easier than boarding.

We hurried to our dining room an hour or more late (we had moved our reservations to 7 because the tour was due to finish at 6:30 & that should have been easy, but it was at least 8 when we got there). The hostess said no you are not too late I have saved your table for you because I knew you would be here. Dinner was delicious, but mostly we wanted a shower & to collapse into bed after a hot, humid but interesting day.

          The second day in Cabo, we decided not to go ashore. Having been here or several previous cruises, there was nothing we really wanted to see & we certainly don’t need more souvenirs. If it had been a walk off docking instead of needing to take a tender, we might have gone out for a bit, but it didn’t seem worth facing the tenders not to mention the heat.

          We ate, I visited a few bars in my quest to find some diet coke that doesn’t taste flat, visited with a few people we met around the ship & enjoyed a nice nap. Oh & I fought, off & on, with getting the internet to download my photos from my phone & post to this LIVE. I wish the internet was as adequate as it was on the Grand or Majestic in January or even as good as it was before Medallion net, but I will keep fighting with it, although photos may not get posted until I get back home…we will see what happens.  

          Some last things from today. The leaking in the hallway & the room across the hall got fixed toady. I told Conrado, our cabin steward, that now I would not be able to tell where our room was from way down the hall without the red bucket. He thought about that for a minute & then laughed & laughed. He also came & replaced the door to our safe so that it now works.

The Princess crew all works so hard. They are doing a lot of training of new staff on this cruise, I definitely see it in the dining room as the managers are all out helping, delivering meals, changing table settings, checking on the staff & then last night as we were among the last few diners, doing lots of practice with the newer staff. I met a guy in the liquor store who didn’t know anything about liquor & had only been with Princess for 30 days but was working hard to learn. The Future Cruise person is also brand new, ours was the first booking she had done (with lots of help from her trainer). To me, it mostly feels easy to be patient with people who are working so hard to learn new jobs & still be friendly (usually in a language that is not their own) & helpful…every cruise I think, no matter what else happens, the Princess staff is superb.

 

       

My posts in this LIVE:

pre-cruise musing—post 1

photos of berth 46—post 2

ready to go—post 23

onboard & ready to report—post 60

embarkation day—post 67

embarkation photos—post 68

embarkation lunch photos—post 70 & 72

exploring the ship—post 80

ship photos—posts 82, 84, 88, 89, 100 & 101

day 2—at sea—post 102

day 2 photos—posts 109, 110, 111 & 112

answers to questions—post 123

Edited September 28, 2022 by travelin.sisters

[malba2366]

We are going to be on the Sapphire next summer.  Thanks for the great live updates.  Any opinions on which main dining rooms are preferable?  I was thinking of just making reservations at Savoy/Vivaldi because of the proximity to the wine bar so I can just pop out and get wine and return to the table vs being at the mercy of what is available in the MDR.

[beg3yrs]

Nice to hear there's lots of training going on. Some of this staff may soon end up on the Diamond Princess.

[Raisinette]

Hello!

By chance are you at Puerto Vallarta today?

I’m on the Carnival Panorama, we’ve been docked for hours, and a few hours ago I noticed a Princess ship coming into view- and then it stopped. It doesn’t seem to have moved and doesn’t appear to be tendering either, so I’m curious to know what’s happening?!

I was planning to take some photos of the ship coming in as I think the docking entry area is a little snug, but maybe that’s my imagination.

Can anyone onboard enlighten  me?

thanks, 

Becky

[CruzinNoony]

29 minutes ago, Raisinette said:

Hello!

By chance are you at Puerto Vallarta today?

I’m on the Carnival Panorama, we’ve been docked for hours, and a few hours ago I noticed a Princess ship coming into view- and then it stopped. It doesn’t seem to have moved and doesn’t appear to be tendering either, so I’m curious to know what’s happening?!

I was planning to take some photos of the ship coming in as I think the docking entry area is a little snug, but maybe that’s my imagination.

Can anyone onboard enlighten  me?

thanks, 

Becky

I have a feeling that the ship anchored in the bay in Puerto Vallarta is the Diamond Princess.  We were on the Panorama for a B2B and just got back last Saturday.  The Diamond was there the first week, but the second week she was gone.  I heard that she was back again.  

[1emerald1]

48 minutes ago, Raisinette said:

Hello!

By chance are you at Puerto Vallarta today?

I’m on the Carnival Panorama, we’ve been docked for hours, and a few hours ago I noticed a Princess ship coming into view- and then it stopped. It doesn’t seem to have moved and doesn’t appear to be tendering either, so I’m curious to know what’s happening?!

I was planning to take some photos of the ship coming in as I think the docking entry area is a little snug, but maybe that’s my imagination.

Can anyone onboard enlighten  me?

thanks, 

Becky

According to the bridge cams, the ship is the Diamond Princess.

[Mtom938]

1 hour ago, Raisinette said:

Hello!

By chance are you at Puerto Vallarta today?

I’m on the Carnival Panorama, we’ve been docked for hours, and a few hours ago I noticed a Princess ship coming into view- and then it stopped. It doesn’t seem to have moved and doesn’t appear to be tendering either, so I’m curious to know what’s happening?!

I was planning to take some photos of the ship coming in as I think the docking entry area is a little snug, but maybe that’s my imagination.

Can anyone onboard enlighten  me?

thanks, 

Becky

The SAPPHIRE is docked in La Paz currently. 

[Vexorg]

I did the Cabo By Land And Sea tour on my last visit to Cabo in early 2020 (about a month before the shutdown.)  I don't remember the catamaran used for the water tour being that crowded, although the rest of the tour sounds pretty much the same as what I experienced. 

[Mike45LC]

2 hours ago, malba2366 said:

We are going to be on the Sapphire next summer.  Thanks for the great live updates.  Any opinions on which main dining rooms are preferable?  I was thinking of just making reservations at Savoy/Vivaldi because of the proximity to the wine bar so I can just pop out and get wine and return to the table vs being at the mercy of what is available in the MDR.

I have booked one dinner in each of the five main dining rooms for the first five nights of my upcoming cruise.  Then, I will book the rest of the dinners based on my preference on the first five nights.  

 

This seemed like the most logical method.

[c-boy]

On 9/27/2022 at 10:50 AM, travelin.sisters said:

officers at Meet & Greet & on the board

Mario and Aleksandr together again  👏  great team

Edited September 28, 2022 by c-boy

[memoak]

25 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I have booked one dinner in each of the five main dining rooms for the first five nights of my upcoming cruise.  Then, I will book the rest of the dinners based on my preference on the first five nights.  

 

This seemed like the most logical method.

What 5 MDR’s exist in the Sapphire or are you referring to a different line and ship ?

[DavidsNana]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

What 5 MDR’s exist in the Sapphire or are you referring to a different line and ship ?

When we were on the Sapphire only a couple of years after she was put into service, there were 4 small dining rooms and one large dining room.  The concept of the small 4 was that they were to have different entrees in each of them and the large dining room would have the normal dining room menu.  That concept did not work so all of them now serve the same menu.

[memoak]

Just now, DavidsNana said:

When we were on the Sapphire only a couple of years after she was put into service, there were 4 small dining rooms and one large dining room.  The concept of the small 4 was that they were to have different entrees in each of them and the large dining room would have the normal dining room menu.  That concept did not work so all of them now serve the same menu.

So there would not be any reason to prefer one over the other for menu. I cannot imagine going from one room to another with the same menu. Kind of like trying different Burger zkings in one city 

[Raisinette]

1 hour ago, 1emerald1 said:

According to the bridge cams, the ship is the Diamond Princess.

Thanks!

[DavidsNana]

Just now, memoak said:

So there would not be any reason to prefer one over the other for menu. I cannot imagine going from one room to another with the same menu. Kind of like trying different Burger zkings in one city 

No there would not be a reason for the menu.  However, you night look at the layout of the tables in the 4 smaller ones compared to the larger one and see if you would prefer one layout over the other.  As I recall and it has been a very long time since I was aboard, the layouts in the smaller 4 were pretty much the same and some of the tables for two were quite close together, even more so than the tables for 2 on the other ships.

[DavidsNana]

@memoakWell nix my idea of looking at the table placements in the dining rooms.  I just checked the deck plans on the Princess website and they do not show the table placements.  Probably as they can make the tables in the center of the smaller dining rooms bigger or smaller as parties of diners change.  I do remember that as you walked in the door, to one side of the smaller dining rooms there were banquette seating there with very small tables placed in front to make tables for two and then the tables could be moved closer together to make tables for 4.  It was pretty tight in that area.

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

I have booked one dinner in each of the five main dining rooms for the first five nights of my upcoming cruise.  Then, I will book the rest of the dinners based on my preference on the first five nights.  

 

This seemed like the most logical method.

You don't need to try all 5. Pick the location you prefer...aft, mid-ship on 5 or 6. That's the only difference.

[amvo]

3 hours ago, Raisinette said:

Hello!

By chance are you at Puerto Vallarta today?

I’m on the Carnival Panorama, we’ve been docked for hours, and a few hours ago I noticed a Princess ship coming into view- and then it stopped. It doesn’t seem to have moved and doesn’t appear to be tendering either, so I’m curious to know what’s happening?!

I was planning to take some photos of the ship coming in as I think the docking entry area is a little snug, but maybe that’s my imagination.

Can anyone onboard enlighten  me?

thanks, 

Becky

 

@RaisinetteThe ship that you saw in Puerto Vallarta, today, the Diamond princess, has not yet returned to service yet, it is without passengers. 

Edited September 28, 2022 by amvo

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

So there would not be any reason to prefer one over the other for menu. I cannot imagine going from one room to another with the same menu. Kind of like trying different Burger zkings in one city 

I would assume that the decor and ambience might differ in each dining room.  On Celebrity Edge, we checked out all of the different dining rooms, and each had its own character.  (Although each of the MDRs on Celebrity also had a somewhat different menu.)

 

I see no reason why we shouldn't explore all of the five MDRs on Sapphire.  If there is no difference, that's ok, the short walk amongst the five will not be a problem!  

 

For the most part, the various bars on board all serve the same cocktails and beers.  I would be surprised if people have not sampled the various bars to find their favorite.  I found Good Spirits on Majestic to be too loud for me to enjoy (all the noise from the Piazza spilling up into Good Spirits), and I did not enjoy some of the music from the bar at the Crowne Grill.  All a matter of personal taste!

 

[travelin.sisters]

4 hours ago, malba2366 said:

We are going to be on the Sapphire next summer.  Thanks for the great live updates.  Any opinions on which main dining rooms are preferable?  I was thinking of just making reservations at Savoy/Vivaldi because of the proximity to the wine bar so I can just pop out and get wine and return to the table vs being at the mercy of what is available in the MDR.

as seen by the many responses there are a lot of opinions on this topic...I don't think there is a right answer, just a right for you...this is what is right for us:

1) because we deal with serious food allergies, we like to have the same servers for the entire cruise....we also like this because by the 2nd or 3rd night they have learned our beverage preferences, that we love Princess' bread & other things about how we like to dine...so I always pick a dining room & time before sailing...others do not have these preferences/needs & like to switch both time & place to dine (if we really didn't like what we got we could cancel & change for he rest of the cruise, but that has never happened)

2) I never pick the far aft deck 6 dining room that can only be accessed one set of stairs/elevators because of traveling with people who can not do the stairs...it may not be so bad on the Sapphire which has 4 elevators to that location but on the Grand with 2 it can be horrendous getting someone with a mobility device out of that "hole" after a meal

Given those two criteria I chose a dining room for the entire crise at 6:20 (I pick 6:20 because it is not too early but early enough that they will not put earlier dines in our table that we have to wait for to finish--earlier this year I picked 6:30 & we waited a couple of nights almost an hour for our table to be ready). They won't always give you all the dining rooms as choices depending on club class dining (or earlier this year reserving one as crew dining so they were more spread out as COVID precaution). This cruise we have the Savoy on deck 5. As stated the 4 smaller dining rooms are basically the same except for decor. I think the idea of picking one on that deck for access to the wine bar is reasonable as beverage service, at least for now is very slow. I also think there is nothing wrong with trying them all & seeing which suits, there are probably as many reasonable ways to chose as there are groups sailing. We have experienced that the smaller dining room is quite crowded & they have 2 tops tight along the banquet seating across the wall between the two rooms. The International Dining Room where they do breakfast & lunch seemed to have more space when we had embarkation lunch. I would say try the Savoy or Vivaldi & if you are not happy make a change onboard.

1 hour ago, memoak said:

What 5 MDR’s exist in the Sapphire or are you referring to a different line and ship ?

The Sapphire Princess has one large dining room on deck 6 aft--the International Dining Room. The mid-ship dining halls that you expect on a Princess ship are split into 2 each on the Sapphire. Deck 6 mid-ship they have Pacific Moon (port) & Santa Fe (starboard), Deck 5 mid they have Savoy (port) & Vivaldi (starboard). 

[dreaminofcruisin]

40 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I would assume that the decor and ambience might differ in each dining room.  On Celebrity Edge, we checked out all of the different dining rooms, and each had its own character.  (Although each of the MDRs on Celebrity also had a somewhat different menu.)

 

I see no reason why we shouldn't explore all of the five MDRs on Sapphire.  If there is no difference, that's ok, the short walk amongst the five will not be a problem!  

 

For the most part, the various bars on board all serve the same cocktails and beers.  I would be surprised if people have not sampled the various bars to find their favorite.  I found Good Spirits on Majestic to be too loud for me to enjoy (all the noise from the Piazza spilling up into Good Spirits), and I did not enjoy some of the music from the bar at the Crowne Grill.  All a matter of personal taste!

 

I can see why you want to explore them.

We have found on some ships for whatever reason, the service is better than another. Usually we just stop once we are happy with the service, but if you want to try all or them....go for it.  😊

 

[travelin.sisters]

a glimpse of whale spouting & the whale watching boat (that's the best picture I got, but the whales & dolphins put on a great performance for us, BIL even saw one breach)

sailing into Cabo 

Cabo

 

[donswife]

I'm excited to that there are already whales and dolphins in the area, we will be there in November. 

[Ronnieslady]

What dining room is for Club Class ❓. Is there a sign at the entrance, like all the ships have for the Club Class ❓

[travelin.sisters]

sea portion of our excursion (Cabo by land & sea)

 

 

El Arco