Live from the Coral Princess

[cricketdog]

We are also part of The Coral Coozers. Yes we are behaving!! The coral is a Beautiful ship. This is our first time being in the aft section c718. Beware it rattles and creakes, a little vibration, this is the first time with the slight noise, but my wife doesn't mind at all.

Aruba was nice, Not great, just nice. Panama Canal Transit was Awesome!!! Panama City from wfat we could see of it on our tour on the City lights is Dirty and rundown..

Food and entertainment is great. We have anytime dining and you can make reservations before 5:45 05 after 8:00 pm anyway that is what they told us. We have not waited more then 15 minutes for a table. Off to the Casino Now.

Cricketdog

[senior lady]

what a fantastic day going through the Canal. It was very hot and humid but a couple of dips in the cool pool worked:D

 

We were late getting into Fuerte Amador but princess kept the shore ascursions going. Roy went on the "canal by night" He said it was ok, but not really worth it. The tours were very late getting back to the ship, so we didn't sail until almost midnight.

 

Woke up to major rain this morning, but by 11am the sun had come out:cool:

 

I went to the cocktail demo and won a free margarita:rolleyes:

 

This cruise has been awesome and we litterally don't have anything to complain about.

 

We haven't done any of the production shows, as we have PC dining and don't go until 7:45. have seen the comedian "really funny" a female singer Jacki ??? She was very good also. Tonight is Princess Idol #2 that's always fun.

 

Made some money in the casino, but then lost most of it the next night. I think i'm ahead by a few $

 

Today is our 31st anniversary so we're going to the Bayou cafe. Sunviking is have a cocktail party tonight in their suite. Nice way to start our anniversary dinner.

 

That's about all for now.

any questions, I'll try to answer.

[Lacy]

This is fantastic. I almost feel as if I am with you and will be with some on the San Fran to Vancouver leg. The ship sounds just great. Keep up the wonderful posts.

Laurie

[mringenoldus]

I'm really glad everyone is having a great time. Keep enjoying yourself...and tell who ever is in D630 not to mess it up!

[ndjoe]

Cricketdog,

 

I just booked a suite on the Island, 5 cabins up from where you are staying. Since the Coral & Island are sister ships, I'm concerned about the rattles, creakes & vibrations. Do you know if these noises extend up to the suite area. How bad are these noises? Should I consider giving up my suite for a mini-suite midship. I sure would had to pass up all the amenties of a suite. This will be my first time aft also, and sure would appreciate your comments.

 

Joe

[mringenoldus]

I also have a suite (D620) next week. I was told that there isn't any significant noise in that area.

[Sunviking]

Hello All!

 

First to Joe and anyone else booked on the Caribe deck suites, we are in the most aft suite C703 (our second time in this suite-first time was on the Island) and we have no problems with vibrations or noise or anything else. We love the location.

 

We woke up this morning to the invasion of the Panamanian bugs and a frog. The decks and our balcony were littered with some kind of large bug that looked like a wasp. The crew spent a lot of time disposing of them. The frog is somewhere near our balcony and we can hear it at night. We've told our cabin steward to make sure he doesn't leave the door open too much because we don't want to lesten to "ribit" all night.

 

We had another very smooth day at sea. Skies were cloudy and rainy some of the time. We had a get-together in our cabin this evening with some of our cruise critic friends and a few new ones and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Dorothy - Tom has booked our cruise but Mary is not keen on it so he's going to have to work on her.

 

We're off to see the Princess Idol competition. Evidently some of our fellow cruise critics are competing so we need to cheer them on.

 

Tomorrow we're in Puntarenas and we're going to Sarchi. We've been to Costa Rica a couple of times before and I want to go back to Sarchi to look at the wood things. I've told my neighbors I'm going to buy an oxcart and put it in the front yard LOL.

 

Well off to cheer the contestants.

 

More later.

 

Ann

[ndjoe]

Hello All!

 

First to Joe and anyone else booked on the Caribe deck suites, we are in the most aft suite C703 (our second time in this suite-first time was on the Island) and we have no problems with vibrations or noise or anything else. We love the location.

 

We woke up this morning to the invasion of the Panamanian bugs and a frog. The decks and our balcony were littered with some kind of large bug that looked like a wasp. The crew spent a lot of time disposing of them. The frog is somewhere near our balcony and we can hear it at night. We've told our cabin steward to make sure he doesn't leave the door open too much because we don't want to lesten to "ribit" all night.

 

We had another very smooth day at sea. Skies were cloudy and rainy some of the time. We had a get-together in our cabin this evening with some of our cruise critic friends and a few new ones and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Dorothy - Tom has booked our cruise but Mary is not keen on it so he's going to have to work on her.

 

We're off to see the Princess Idol competition. Evidently some of our fellow cruise critics are competing so we need to cheer them on.

 

Tomorrow we're in Puntarenas and we're going to Sarchi. We've been to Costa Rica a couple of times before and I want to go back to Sarchi to look at the wood things. I've told my neighbors I'm going to buy an oxcart and put it in the front yard LOL.

 

Well off to cheer the contestants.

 

More later.

 

Ann

 

 

Ann,

 

I want to thank you very much for your reply. You definitely put me at ease about staying in the suite. We're staying in C702 on a 15 day to Hawaii, and now I can concentrate about having fun, instead of worrying about vibrations and movement. What would you say was the best part of staying in that suite? Again, thank you.

 

Joe

[FryGirl]

I have loved following the cruise but now some one moved the bridge cam to the sky. CRY

I hope that they get it fix soon not to miss anymore.

 

Keep the post coming.

 

FryGirl

[Sunviking]

We had a great day today in Puntarenas. We went asore this morning and walked to the local market. While we were there some fishermen came in with three big bags of lobsters and sold them in the market at a fish place. We wished we could have bought them and brought them aboard to be cooked.

 

This afternoon we took a tour to Sarchi. Our tour guide Minor and driver Antonio were probably the best we have had. Minor was a treasure trove of info about Costa Rica. In Sarchi we went to the ox cart place and practiced the "Charge It Ship IT" words. We bought some beautiful Rosewood bowls which will probably arrive home before we do.

 

The zipline folks with Captain Ron evidently had a great time with a few minor injuries.

 

We ate in the Bayou Cafe again tonight. The jazz group is not as goos as when we were on the Island last year. But Thomas WSolfe said you can never go home again. They need more soul.

 

Tomorrow is another one of those rough days at sea.

 

We have come to love Crooners. For anyone coming onboard you need to try the 007 martinis and see Rex. There is nothing better than a Dr. No or License to Fill martini to sooth your nerves after a rough day.

 

 

More tomorrow.

 

Ann

[billet]

SunViking it certainly sounds like you are having a phenominal cruise. I am jealous but loving the memories that flood back when I read your responses.

 

Thank you for passing on the message to Sorin hopefully we will mystically hear from him.

 

I will have the cheering party ready for when you dock in Victoria in a week and a bit.

 

We are trying to book a 15 day cruise to Hawaii on the Island this september and we are hoping that this time we will have our luggage with us - on our January cruise it arrived the day before we returned home which made for some challenging times.

[Colo Cruiser]

ndjoe,

 

I am onboard the Island Princess now in Caribe 643 and Critterchick from the board is in Caribe 703 (both suites) and the creaking and vibration is in both cabins and loud.

I keep thinking someones knocking on the door, sometimes they are and sometimes not.

It does not bother me but it would probably bother other people so beware.

 

It has been rough but it creaks even when it is smooth, after all it is a ship but it does seem a bit more then normal.

 

I don't know if it is the suites or what but we had no problem in Baja 312 (standard balcony) last September. We have sailed in 312 4 times and never experienced the creaking like this.

 

Hope this helps.

[mringenoldus]

My relatives did the Panama crossing this time last year and really enjoyed the stop in Huatulco. Hope you have a great time!

[senior lady]

We had a nice day in Puntarenas. The tour we took with Charlie Soto was disappointing. It seemed that it was very disorganized. We didn't see most of the stuff we were supposed to and we had long waits everywhere, and then he charged us the full price:(

I did enjoy the jungle river cruise part of it. We had a "croc" almost land in our boat:eek: We got to feel and hold small 2 week old ones. It was supposed to be a 6 hr tour but ended up being over 8 so didn't get to enjoy any of the vendors by the ship.

As we were sailing away there was an incredible lightning show in the skys.

 

Last night they had "Country & western night" up at the pool. was fun to see all the staff in the country digs!!!

 

Woke up to cloudy skys today. Most of the day has been cloudy, but it's fun to enjoy the inside of the ship.

 

Had a wonderful 1 hr facial done, so now I look "marvelous";) for the 2nd formal night.

Tonight is also the "Captain Circle members" coctail party. We're in anytime dining so just changed our reservation to 8:15 so we can enjoy meeting the captain and enjoy some free refreshments.

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing Huatulco tomorrow. It's becoming a popular "all-inclusive" destination for us west coast canadians.

[mringenoldus]

Hi Karen!

Sorry your tour wasn't all you expected it to be.

 

I scheduled the spa taster (mini facial and massage) for next Friday and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

One week from today we'll be eating dinner on the ship! Yippeeee!!

[KamloopsCruisers]

Hi Karen, Roy and the gang,

 

Sorry to read about your day with Charlie Soto - ours was perfect! I've enjoyed reading about your cruise - makes we wish I was still at sea instead of looking at my mountain of laundry.

 

Keep the posts coming everyone. We had great days in Huatalco & Cabo - we have great times in both ports and I hope yours are as fun.

 

Cheers,

 

Sue

[jmkennett]

Hi. Glad to hear your cruise is going well. We were on the Coral in March and loved it. If you happen to phone room service at night, please say hi to Valentin for me. Tell him John from Arizona says hi. He was our waiter in the Bordeaux and we stayed with him for the cruise. He was absolutely the best and has been promoted to working room service and works it at night. Keep the reports coming. Thanks.

[Sunviking]

We had a lovely relaxing day at sea today. We have rarely seen seas as calm as they have been. It was cloudy for much of the day but cleared off nicely this afternoon. We relaxed at the pool and this afternoon I went to the salon and got hair and nails done for formal night.

 

We've decided that our favorite place on board is Crooners and we love the "007" martinis. The Dr. No and License to Fill are wonderful. Tomorrow we're going on an eco-tour in Huatulco so maybe we'll see lots of flora and fauna.

 

More tomorrow.

 

Ann

[Billie Bob]

Wow, the view from the Coral today in port makes me wish I was on it right now. Oh well, next week on Thurs. I'll get my chance, though it wont be anywhere exotic, or maybe even warm. Such is life:).

 

Hope everyone is enjoying watching the Coral as it makes it's way to San Francisco from Ft. Lauderdale as much as I have.

[mringenoldus]

Three more days of work next week and we're on our way!!

 

It's 100 degrees in Phoenix right now so cool weather sounds just fine to us!

[Sunviking]

We had a very nice day in Huatulco today. Seas were calm again and as we approached the port we were escorted in by schools of small dolphins jumping and playing around the ship. Huatulco was sunny, hot and humid. It's their dry season still so the hillsides were brown and the trees had not leafed out. They have a lot of deciduous forests here so they do lose their leaves during the dry period.

 

We took the ecotour and walked a couple of miles through a jungle. It was HOT HOT HOT. We were supposed to see a lot of different birds but I think they were all taking siestas. We did see a few varieties and it was interesting, but I don't know that I would do it again.

 

They have a nice little shopping area near the ship with some jewelry stores and souvenir shops. There is a nice beach just on the other side of the pier. The area has a number of beautiful resort hotels which must be nice places for beach lovers to go for extended vacations.

 

We're at sea again on our way to Acapulco tomorrow. Once again the seas are incredibly calm. We would like to have a little rocking and rolling so we know we're on a ship. After all we are at sea and we should expect some creaks, vibrations and rattles.

 

TBetti just came by and said they need to get the internet spedded up and the terminals fixed that aren't working.

 

More tomorrow.

 

Ann

[mringenoldus]

Looks like you had a pretty day in Alcapulco!

 

Are they really now charging for regular coffee in the Patisserie? The was another thread discussing this. It seems a bit "cheap" if they have begun to charge.

[secretcastle]

Hello Everyone,

So glad to hear you are all having such a great time, it is such great fun to hear all about your trip!!

mringenoldus,

You should join us next year on the Coral for this same trip. We already have a great roll call going for it!

Julia

[mringenoldus]

Julia

That sounds very tempting but we're booked on the Sapphire in March 2007 for New Zealand-Australia. I think it's going to put a dent in the old bank account!

[Sunviking]

We had a wonderful day in Acapulco today. We had arranged for a car and driver for the two of us a month ago and he was wonderful. He was waiting for us with a sign with our name as we left the ship and we proceeded to take a lovely tour of old and new Acapulco. We had a great lunch overlooking the bay on the Las Brisas side. We saw some of the barrios and markets that the native Acapulco residents live in. We visited the fort for the first time in 4 trips here and we saw again the Hotel los Flamingos which was a favorite haunt of the Hollywood gang including John Wayne, Cary Grant, and others back in the 50's and 60's.

 

Acapulco is a big city but has a lot to offer.

 

I've always chuckled at reading on the net about people bringing coffeemakers or blenders on their cruises but tonight we sat at a table next to a couple from CA and she had brought her sewing machine with her. She likes to quilt and brought it so she could do that on sea days. I told DH to never complain again about anything that I want to pack.

 

Tomorrow is a day at sea.

 

More later.

 

Oh, I don't know if they charge for coffee in the Patisserie.

 

Someone asked a while back who the Captain was and it is Captain Pomata.

 

More later.

 

Ann