Live from the Land of Princess

[mking8288]

@YVRteacher  Hmmm ... Island Princess is heading toward Corner Brook, lots of high altitudes TA flights at FL 400 and higher along established the busy North America/Canadian air traffic corridors.   Trying to overlap Flightradar map over CruiseMapper ... Port side is Sydney (YQY) with an airport, all small regional/commuter jets like CRJ's and prop's & short runways, not that busy.  Starboard side but further away, ahead is Corner Brook, nearby airport being Deer Lake, not a major airport either but a lot busier - maybe ship is near the flight paths as planes turn, climb & descent, etc. 

 

Unless, there's a "secret" military airport/base busy with stealth flight ops nearby ... not seeing those.  Sorry, I don't have security clearance nor access to NORAD data (just kidding, LOL)  

 

Edited July 8 by mking8288

[JGmf]

2 hours ago, NikiPinkston said:

We were on the NCL Sun last month and immediately came down with covid upon returning home. (Pretty sure we got it on the airport shuttle in Seattle rather than the ship as they had us packed in there like sardines.) This is my first day back on CC and I feel like I hit the jackpot. We were sorely disappointed in the buffet and the entertainment on the Sun and determined that our next cruise will be on Princess,

 

NCL seemingly went off the rails in the last two years: entertainment and food choice/quality way down but prices way up.  In my opinion, Princess is a far better value on all levels...especially if you partake in the casino.  I encourage you and @mking8288 to give them a try.  (Only downside is lack of Caribbean sailings out of NYC).

 

I'm looking forward to @YVRteacher compare and contrast at the end of the cruise, but don't want to rush it as enjoying the live very much.

[mking8288]

@JGmf  Comments noted, DW and I were just chatting about now that we are retired in setting our priorities & goals ahead in terms of travel, vacations & cruises.  We postponed, again, one of the other NCL TA cruise this Fall and moved the booking to later in 2025 to give us more time to better re-evaluate.  Shocking to realized Yvonne just recently reached Ambassador status and yet isn't rushing to sail NCL again to "showcase" her new carry-on/backpack as a "status" symbol.  We wanted to do Alaska again but just couldn't pull the trigger paying an obscene amount for a balcony on the Norwegian Sun (Seattle), as we aren't interested in the one-way and/or 7 days ... guess what, found & booked a last minute deal on Cunard's QE, out of YVR round-trip for 10 nights, amazing price AND extended port times, just cannot trust & count on NCL not surprising others & us last minute due to unforeseen ... blah blah blah.  Not going to pack extra formal wear but dusted off the dark navy suit/blazer & will try to act our part for their themed nights, looking forward to afternoon high tea & free, hot breakfast delivered in-room, and robe/slippers without having to ask nicely, etc.  NCL lost 3 cabins this summer, not a big deal but their infamous reputation aren't lost to some.  Will try to do a barely / limited report, no "live" vlog onboard later next month - should be fun & interesting.  After we get back, take a 2 week rest & hop over to Cape Liberty next, 9 nights on RC to Canada/New England (hurricane season ... since we haven't done them in 10+ years.  Very much open to giving Princess a spin after these 2 ... unless there is a good deal, NCL won't see us for at least 7 to 8 months, at a minimum.  

 

Regards - mking8288 / Henry 

Edited July 8 by mking8288

[www3traveler]

23 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

@YVRteacher  Hmmm ... Island Princess is heading toward Corner Brook, lots of high altitudes TA flights at FL 400 and higher along established the busy North America/Canadian air traffic corridors.   Trying to overlap Flightradar map over CruiseMapper ... Port side is Sydney (YQY) with an airport, all small regional/commuter jets like CRJ's and prop's & short runways, not that busy.  Starboard side but further away, ahead is Corner Brook, nearby airport being Deer Lake, not a major airport either but a lot busier - maybe ship is near the flight paths as planes turn, climb & descent, etc. 

 

Unless, there's a "secret" military airport/base busy with stealth flight ops nearby ... not seeing those.  Sorry, I don't have security clearance nor access to NORAD data (just kidding, LOL)  

 

Henry, just getting ready to post some  information about The Breakaway on the Officers List.

[treesah]

Teacher, you are a rock star.  Loved the Hemingway quote.

[schmoopie17]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

Bartender Lester is like the Da Vinci of the Dirty Banana.

Glad to hear you're enjoying Lester's banana. Does he qualify as a studmuffin?

[arizonaperson]

7 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Ok, but not tonight. Tonight is Hawaiian theme action station with poke bowl at Horizon Court. I am likely the only person on this ship who is excited for tofu.

 

Having left my ballgown, pearls and tiara at home, I need to avoid formal night in the MDR so I don’t look like riff raff.

You will be fine in the dining room with the clothes you packed, you’ll look absolutely fine. I am sure. Don’t skip all of the formal nights because of that.

I know you didn’t bring your heels, but no worries. Try one of the formal nights in the dining room if you like compared to the buffet.

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

 

NCL seemingly went off the rails in the last two years: entertainment and food choice/quality way down but prices way up.  In my opinion, Princess is a far better value on all levels...especially if you partake in the casino.  I encourage you and @mking8288 to give them a try.  (Only downside is lack of Caribbean sailings out of NYC).

 

I'm looking forward to @YVRteacher compare and contrast at the end of the cruise, but don't want to rush it as enjoying the live very much.

I've been on about a dozen ncl sailings...all out of nyc.   Just finished my first princess cruise....and for about the same cost...princess is by far superior.  I was so pleased...because of so many things.   Ncl says they are "free stlye"...but princess was truly "do what you want when you want".

[arles7]

On 7/6/2024 at 9:06 PM, YVRteacher said:

Uh oh.

 

 

I broke the not-a-flashlight. I tried to pull it off the wall and this happened. If I had the app I could send a chat. I wonder how they would respond if I told them the flashlight in the room “broke?”

I am just catching up on this thread and am shocked at this photo.  Even before Covid I always traveled with Lysol wipes, and now I know that on my next cruise I will have to disassemble everything in my cabin to wipe down.  Look at that filth hiding under the cover.  If I found that I would have spent the entire evening scrubbing down my cabin.  I wouldn't have been able to sleep.  Maybe I should plan on bringing a toolkit on my next cruise so I can do a deep clean.

 

Okay, now back to enjoying your photos of food and drink...

[YVRteacher]

 

All the room stewards are going to see undies now!

 

I was smart today and washed my stretchy pants. I brought them up to dry in the sunshine on deck 15, hanging them on the back of the deck chair.

[YVRteacher]

This afternoon I enjoyed a Man Called Otto on the pool deck big screen.

 

I also thoroughly enjoyed a Captain’s Bounty.

 

 

 

 

 

As the afternoon fades and evening approaches the deck team adds chair pads to the loungers in preparation for Movies Under the Stars. 

[ebeluga]

@YVRteacher You are doing an amazing job for Princess.  I'm getting ready to move away from Princess and try some other lines but your "live" is having me reconsidered.  Would you try MSC and do a comparison?  Lol...

Edited July 8 by ebeluga

[cr8tiv1]

Is the Dirty Banana worth all of those calories?  Even without the liquor?

 

You need this book for your library:

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Bubble+bubble+Mercer+Mayer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:330dff7c,vid:Vut6TEjmRgE,st:0

 

 

9 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I forgot to share this yesterday. I was happily walking along a car-free street when bubbles appeared! I looked up and they were streaming out of an open window

 

Bless this person!

Did I mention how much I love Halifax?

 

[YVRteacher]

Vacation calories don’t count!

[YVRteacher]

Does anyone know if there is navigation information on the Island Princess? I mean, obviously there is for the bridge, but is there something passengers can view?

[arizonaperson]

13 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Does anyone know if there is navigation information on the Island Princess? I mean, obviously there is for the bridge, but is there something passengers can view?

Usually at the end of your voyage, they give you a couple sheets of paper listing all that happened navigation wise ,but not sure if they do that anymore?

[ceilidh1]

18 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Does anyone know if there is navigation information on the Island Princess? I mean, obviously there is for the bridge, but is there something passengers can view?

There’s a channel on the tv that shows where you are/where you’re going (or at least there used to be)….

[sultan_sfo]

35 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Does anyone know if there is navigation information on the Island Princess? I mean, obviously there is for the bridge, but is there something passengers can view?

Thanks for your wonderful write-ups and photos. Terrific!!

 

RE Navigation Info: There is a display at the outside of the Right Hand Entrance (Deck 6 Aft Portside) of the Fitness Center. There is also the daily updated Position Map of the ship -- cannot exactly remember where but possibly inside the Indoor Pool?

[geoherb]

20 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Did you go to the Elite lounge for priority tendering?  How as that handled?  How long were the lines to get back to the ship? 

 

Yes, I had priority tendering. They had instructions on an info sheet in my cabin. The first time, they had published the wrong info--telling us to meet at the Crown Grill instead of the Explorers Lounge. But I asked someone and made it to Nanortalik on the first tender. The line getting back on the ship there was not bad for me because I came back early. In Qaqortoq, I also made it over on one of the first tenders. I walked halfway around the Great Lake. The line to get back to the ship was about an hour long when I joined it. 

 

20 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

That is good advice but I don’t get up early on vacation. My plan is to go ashore later and miss the early morning tender waits. Did you do an excursion or explore on your own in Nanortalik?

 

I did it on my own. There's an outdoor museum of several buildings. It wasn't open yet, but I was able to see some of the display signs. I also hiked up the hill to get a better view. I did not hike alone but with a man from the singles and solos group. I was amazed that some people had been waiting three hours for a tender when I got back on the ship. So get your tender ticket whenever you get up, then eat breakfast. Perhaps they'll be better with the Island since it has fewer passengers than the Caribbean Princess that I was on.

 

 

 

 

[Globaler]

Have you been to the casino? And if you can can you take a few photos? Thanks in advance.

[YVRteacher]

1 hour ago, arizonaperson said:

Usually at the end of your voyage, they give you a couple sheets of paper listing all that happened navigation wise ,but not sure if they do that anymore?

I would like to know where I am today, not on July 26😂

[YVRteacher]

46 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

Thanks for your wonderful write-ups and photos. Terrific!!

 

RE Navigation Info: There is a display at the outside of the Right Hand Entrance (Deck 6 Aft Portside) of the Fitness Center. There is also the daily updated Position Map of the ship -- cannot exactly remember where but possibly inside the Indoor Pool?

I didn’t know there was a fitness center!

[YVRteacher]

11 minutes ago, Globaler said:

Have you been to the casino? And if you can can you take a few photos? Thanks in advance.

Is there anything specific I can photograph that you would like to see? Happy to do this.

[Globaler]

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Is there anything specific I can photograph that you would like to see? Happy to do this.

Not really just trying to get a feel for the size etc. I am really enjoying your review - we are booked on the 3/13/26 54 South Pacific but I’m a little nervous about the ships size etc. I know the casino is small so that’s why I am asking. thanks

[wallyj]

22 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

I would like to know where I am today, not on July 26😂

There is a channel/selection on your stateroom TV, shows current location and ‘pin’ of past and future stops. I believe the icon is named Location? Look under icons for ‘My Cruise’?

Edited July 8 by wallyj