7 day California Coastal Cruise on the Royal Princess

[trbarton]

Hello from the Tom Barton Fan Club. 
 

I’m currently on the Royal Princess from San Francisco 7 day Coastal cruise. Astoria, Ore, Seattle, Wa, Vancouver BC, & Victoria BC.

The weather has been OK but the seas have been a little choppy. 

 

Today leaving Astoria we were delayed leaving 1 hr because of the winds. Tomorrow we arrive in Seattle about 1 hr late. 

 

I’m in stateroom E319 which is an Obstructed Deluxe Balcony. 

 

We’ve had music of Elton John & Elvis. Our 1st Production show was Encore. 

 

Our Cruise Director Cortnne Steel,  just returned from her holiday. She remembered me as a trouble maker which I enjoy the title. 

 

I’ve added a photo of myself dancing with other friends. 

 

The staff has been excellent & I have a group for the Chef’s Table.  There are 80 people on a waiting list. Much appreciated that they are having a special dinner just for our Cruise Critic Group.
 

 We had about 20 people for our Meet & Greet along with a number of officers plus a group photo. 
 

After this cruise the Alaska Season starts. 
 

I’ll post more when I can. 
 

Tom😀

[trbarton]

Today we were in Seattle. I have a cousin here & he was our tour guide & we went to many places. Great weather today. 
 

Here’s some photos of our tour around Seattle. 
 

I have photos from the Seattle Main Library, Pikes Market Place, some of the buildings in downtown Seattle & our Chef’s dinner something not to be missed. 
 

There is an alleyway where people for years have put their gum. 
 

Enjoy my photos. 
 

Tom😀

[SuzieQ521]

Thank you for the great photos and updates. We sail the Royal in a few weeks out of Seattle to Alaska.

 

We also have an obstructed deluxe balcony room...looks pretty spacious from your photos!

 

May I ask how the main dining room and buffet food has been if you have tried it?

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

Edited April 28, 2023 by SuzieQ521

[nini]

@trbarton I waved as you sailed by! We are having fantastic weather right now on the coast.

 

It looks like they were quite responsive to hosting just a private Chef's Table for CC members? We leave June 3 on the Sky for 10 nights. Maybe I will check out the interest.

did you just collect names and turn it in to someone upon boarding? What is the cost? Thanks

Edited April 28, 2023 by nini
additional words

[geocruiser]

Thanks for all the great photos.  

[Kay S]

Good photos, Tom.  I think that gum wall in Seattle is the grossest thing ever!😁

[avonlady6390]

Hi, Tom I was on the love boat theme cruise with you on the discovery last October we had the biggest meet & greet I have been to. Have fun on your cruise I just got off on this morning it was to the Caribbean.

[martinitime1]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:57 AM, SuzieQ521 said:

Thank you for the great photos and updates. We sail the Royal in a few weeks out of Seattle to Alaska.

 

We also have an obstructed deluxe balcony room...looks pretty spacious from your photos!

 

May I ask how the main dining room and buffet food has been if you have tried it?

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

My wife and I are just off this cruise. We cruised with three others in our party. This was by far the least enjoyed cruise on Princess ever. 

 

 I had made dining reservations every night, private table for 5 at 6pm in Concerto, all but one night were converted to just two of us at a shared table, Tuesday was the only night that was correct, not one person cared or even tried to correct the problem. All we were told was to go down to Symphony and do anytime dining. I was livid. Heard others with similar issues. They need to figure out the dining, unacceptable.

 Food was very hit or miss, small portions and just not very good, the fettucine was really tasty except the last night which tasted like noodles with milk, no taste at all, and service took absolutely forever most nights.The pizza place was good, thank God. Had burgers on Lido one day, burger buns were hard and stale, just nasty.

Crooners was actually using plastic martini glasses. I got glass only because I asked every time. Absolutely ridiculous. Everything seemed just really off. 

 

Ironically, Jan Swartz made a visit to Royal during the cruise, boy would I have liked to have a sit down chit chat. LOL

 

 This cruise was a 180  from our TA we did on Emerald in November. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by martinitime1

[trbarton]

On 4/28/2023 at 12:08 PM, nini said:

@trbarton I waved as you sailed by! We are having fantastic weather right now on the coast.

 

It looks like they were quite responsive to hosting just a private Chef's Table for CC members? We leave June 3 on the Sky for 10 nights. Maybe I will check out the interest.

did you just collect names and turn it in to someone upon boarding? What is the cost? Thanks

Yes I turned in a list of people, with their stateroom numbers along with a cover letter asking for a dinner just for us. Here’s 2 flyers that I used. Feel free to use any of my flyers. 
 

FYI…One of the persons on my list had a different stateroom number than what I had. I will now ask before if their was any changes of stateroom numbers. 
 

We paid $139 & it was well worth it. 
 

I turned one letter into the PSD & one in the MDR on Embarkation day at lunch. That was where the stateroom number was discovered. 

 

Tom😀

 

 

Chef's Table Flyer.pdf Royal Princess..November 27, 2022, 15 Day Hawaiian Cruise Flyer.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by trbarton

[trbarton]

On 4/28/2023 at 6:20 PM, Kay S said:

Good photos, Tom.  I think that gum wall in Seattle is the grossest thing ever!😁

I agree!!!

 

Tom😀

[nini]

2 hours ago, trbarton said:

Yes I turned in a list of people, with their stateroom numbers along with a cover letter asking for a dinner just for us. Here’s 2 flyers that I used. Feel free to use any of my flyers. 
 

FYI…One of the persons on my list had a different stateroom number than what I had. I will now ask before if their was any changes of stateroom numbers. 
 

We paid $139 & it was well worth it. 
 

I turned one letter into the PSD & one in the MDR on Embarkation day at lunch. That was where the stateroom number was discovered. 

 

Tom😀

 

 

Chef's Table Flyer.pdf 323.92 kB · 5 downloads Royal Princess..November 27, 2022, 15 Day Hawaiian Cruise Flyer.pdf 160.6 kB · 1 download

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9137.mov

 

Thanks so much, Tom! What do you mean by "PSD"?

[jwattle]

8 hours ago, nini said:

 

Thanks so much, Tom! What do you mean by "PSD"?

Passenger service desk 😄

[nini]

2 hours ago, jwattle said:

Passenger service desk 😄

 

Thanks!

[Alifay]

We will be on the Royal this Saturday for the first Alaska cruise of her season!  What production shows are currently on board?

(our Journey view for this cruise isn’t loading for anyone, people at Princess say it’ll work when we are on board). 

[Buckeye10640]

28 minutes ago, Alifay said:

We will be on the Royal this Saturday for the first Alaska cruise of her season!  What production shows are currently on board?

(our Journey view for this cruise isn’t loading for anyone, people at Princess say it’ll work when we are on board). 

Sailing the week after you. JourneyView works just fine pre-cruise - provided Princess uploads the schedule, and they seem to get to that late in some cases. I have had it show up a month early, and on another cruise the day before sailing.   I too am interested in what entertainment is on board, I have read Encore and Secret Silk may be the production shows.  Hope to see someone posting from your 5/6 cruise. Enjoy!

[SuzieQ521]

2 hours ago, Alifay said:

We will be on the Royal this Saturday for the first Alaska cruise of her season!  What production shows are currently on board?

(our Journey view for this cruise isn’t loading for anyone, people at Princess say it’ll work when we are on board). 

 

Please report back after your cruise if you can (especially on the Skagway rock slide issues)...we do the same cruise on May 20th.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[chefchick]

Can someone please verify if they are actually using plastic glasses for martinis at an inside bar?  A pre dinner martini is one of my favorite cruise rituals and I would be PUT OUT if someone hands me one in a plastic glass, especially after purchasing the premium beverage package.

 

Please don’t make me go full on Karen and insist they find me a beverage manager!!!

[jennifereisme]

31 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Can someone please verify if they are actually using plastic glasses for martinis at an inside bar?  A pre dinner martini is one of my favorite cruise rituals and I would be PUT OUT if someone hands me one in a plastic glass, especially after purchasing the premium beverage package.

 

Please don’t make me go full on Karen and insist they find me a beverage manager!!!

Well it wouldn’t be the bartenders fault so I hope you would do so nicely. And I agree with you on glasses. I don’t do champagne OR martinis (of which I will be consuming in excess lol) in plastic cups! 😳

[nini]

36 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Can someone please verify if they are actually using plastic glasses for martinis at an inside bar?  A pre dinner martini is one of my favorite cruise rituals and I would be PUT OUT if someone hands me one in a plastic glass, especially after purchasing the premium beverage package.

 

Please don’t make me go full on Karen and insist they find me a beverage manager!!!

Plastic is served outdoors, by the pool, etc. 

I am with you and despise plastic. it is just not right. However, if I must have a drink ordered at an outdoor bar, then it is what it is.

BTW- if you order a drink in the buffet, be aware that it may be served in plastic because the outdoor bar is close by.