Live! From the Tahitian (end of May)

[Aussie Gal]

Wwinfl91,

 

I can answer your question regarding your verandah cabin on Deck 6 which are identical to those on Deck 7. We have just spent 35 days on the Nautica which is another ex "R" ship so I can help you. We were in a standard verandah cabin on Deck 7 and having a long cruise, we did have a lot of clothes. We were able to find a place for everything. The cabin is narrower than most verandah cabins we have been on, but there is still a nice area for sitting and of course the verandah makes it larger.

 

The bathroom is tight, we only ever went in there on our own. We are not big people and yet if we were both in there it would have been a tight squeeze. The shower is small but adequate and one can get very used to it. There is enough space for storage not only in the cupboard but there are shelves on the wall and a big shelf under the sink.

 

After 35 days and leaving the ship a couple of times for overnight excursions, it felt very much like home when we returned to it each time after being away.

 

I hope this helps. We also had a fridge on the Nautica which I don't think is there on the Tahitian and that took up a whole cupboard in the dressing table so you will end up with more available space than we actually had.

 

Jennie

[whale-watcher]

What a great thread...thanks for posting, Aussie Gal...we were wondering how we would manage for two weeks in a samller cabin, but it sounds like we will be fine.

 

And thanks, Jeff, for keeping us updated about your cruise. A relaxing sea day with a wine tasting/formal night will be perfect after our busy day in Skagway. I hope you enjoyed your time in Valdez.

[wwinfl91]

Thanks for the update on the cabin Aussie Gal. I think you and I have shared info before on these boards. According to the Princess site the verandah cabins on the Tahitian do have refrigerators so we have someplace to keep my wife's diet pepsi cold.

 

Thanks again and have a great next cruise.

[Grego]

Jeff,

We know you are days away from Victoria, but we are wondering how they are handling passport/customs control in that stop. Might they be just handing out the usual customs card to be filled out and collected upon entering or are they also asking you to take your passports with you?

[Desert Cruisers]

Jeff,

 

What are the dining hours in the dining room? We are especially interested to find out what the time is for late dinner seating.

 

Thanks...Desert Cruisers

[chrysalis]

Jeff,

 

What are the dining hours in the dining room? We are especially interested to find out what the time is for late dinner seating.

 

Thanks...Desert Cruisers

 

this answers that question.....

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/dining/dining_options/tahitian.html

[Aussie Gal]

Thanks for the update on the cabin Aussie Gal. I think you and I have shared info before on these boards. According to the Princess site the verandah cabins on the Tahitian do have refrigerators so we have someplace to keep my wife's diet pepsi cold.

 

Thanks again and have a great next cruise.

 

We have a friend in common, Sandy from Downunder. I think you were both on a cruise together a couple of years ago together with Steve and Jean.

 

Jennie

[senior lady]

Greco,

 

Anytime we've stopped in Victoria it's just like another port. We've always cleared customs when we got to Vancouver. The only time I saw anyone going through customs in Victoria were people that were ending their cruise in Victoria. ie......... They live there and it makes sense to get off in Victoria. Otherwise they'd get off in Vancouver, and have a 90 min ferry ride back home:rolleyes:

 

Our last 2 repostioning cruises back to Vancouver had Victoria as a stop, and that's how it was handled.

[jebush]

Greetings from Seward! Just a few tidbits . . .

 

I believe that ALL cabins have fridges (we're on deck 3 - the hole - with portholes!). they are empty, so you can bring on some refreshments.

 

We found Valdez fantastic! They call it "new Switzerland" because it has a very alpine look. Not much in town (we're the first cruise in port in FOUR YEARS!), but the excursions were wonderful. We did the "Worthington Glacier hike" and it was fabulous - got to climb up a glacier about 500 feet. Somewhat stenuous, but great fun and beautiful. The people were VERY happy to have a cruise ship in town. A friend had a nice halibut lunch (we have to be back onboard at 5:30) that he raved about (and he lives in Vancouver, so is used to better-than-average seafood).

 

I'll check on texas hold-um. They only have 4 tables and a roulette table, so I'm not convinced they do. But will check and report back.

 

Today was Seward. We took the shuttle to town (only a 20 minute walk) and went to the Sealife Center. $20 but we thought well worth it. If you have an AAA or AARP card, you get $2 off. Then walked their "main" street. More shops than Valdez. The area is also pretty, but Valdez was just that much more spectatular!

 

Kodiak tomorrow. Forgot to mention: we'd booked the "brew and winery" trip before we left. When we got on ship in Vancouver, we had a note saying it had been cancelled. Someone online here (cruise critics) mentioned before we left that he thought the winery had closed. Makes sense. So if you have that cruise booked (or were planning on booking it), it's NOT going to happen!

 

That's about all for now. Thanks for the offers on embarkation/disembarkation - what nice folks! But we're taking a city tour (as mentioned, it's not much more than the transfers and lets us not spend a lot of time at the airport!).

 

Some of the staff have been with Princess for MANY years (our waiter: 17 - he's Salvadore from Mexico). I think this is a better assignment than many - they (Princess) may put more of their experienced people on this ship. Anyway, the service has been as good as any we've encountered.

 

Grego, if you read this, Jayne is saving copies of the Princess Patter for you and will mail them (I don't know if she has your address, but that's HER problem!). The patter doesn't seem to have as much information as some cruises we've done, but they're all helpful.

 

Oh, here's a funny hint (particularly if you're 'frugal'!): the shuttle here (Seward) is $6.00 but they don't check - the driver (from Anchorage) said they just don't have the time and don'[t want to be the 'bad guys.' So if you want, just hop on board. Likewise, if you're downtown and you see the bus, you can just waive it down (it says "Princess" on it so it's easy to spot!).

 

Will write after Kodiak, all things willing. Best to all.

 

Jeff

[whale-watcher]

thanks again for your great reviews...I am glad to hear that you liked Valdez. Did you talk to anyone who took the Columbia Glacier cruise by any chance? Were you able to enjoy any of the scenery on the way in or out of port?

 

Looks like you are having some nice weather for Kodiak:)

[Mr Vincent]

Thanks again for taking the time to update us Jeff.

 

x2 on whale-watcher's question about Columbia Glacier Cruise. We have that excursion reserved as well and any reviews of it would be great.

 

Anyway, have a great time.

[7seven7]

Thanks again for your wonderful reviews.

 

Glad to hear you liked the Worthington hike. My husband and our friend are also doing that one. Hope you are enjoying Kodiak today.

 

Janet

[ggprincess2004]

Jebush,

Hope you enjoyed your day in Kodiak. We are really looking forward to that stop. We booked the tour with the brewery, etc., so will have to look for something else. That excursion is a "just in case" the weather is bad enough to keep us from taking the independent flightseeing/bear watching excursion we have reserved.

So glad to hear Valdez is lovely!

We are looking forward to these less-visited ports tremendously!

 

One question if you can answer it - if not - don't spend time doing the research please - what time is morning trivia normally scheduled, and the same for afternoon trivia? Is there an evening trivia normally offered?

Yes! Finally an outlet for useless information that my brain insists on storing.;)

 

Thanks again!

[leechip]

Thank you for all the updates on your cruise. We will be on the July 24th sailing and would like to know if there are irons in the self service laundry?

 

Thank you, Lee

[caribill]

Thank you for all the updates on your cruise. We will be on the July 24th sailing and would like to know if there are irons in the self service laundry?

 

Thank you, Lee

 

 

Yes, there are.

[Grego]

Thank you for all the updates on your cruise. We will be on the July 24th sailing and would like to know if there are irons in the self service laundry?

 

Thank you, Lee

 

As Caribill said, there are. Princess, as with most if not all cruise lines, do not want you to have any heat generating items in your cabin for obvious fire safety reasons.

[sanpedrocruiser]

Jeff, you are a popular man. Thank you for sending the updates and glad to hear you're having a good time.

[jebush]

Greetings from the Gulf of Alaska. Water is smoother than we thought it might be (we'd been warned that this part of the journey - day at sea between Kodiak and Juneau - might be the roughest, but so far, it's not been bad).

 

OK, looks like NO Texas Hold-em (sorry). On regular poker, one 3 card, 2 blackjack and a roulette wheel (I think I have the poker right). Sorry.

 

Kodiak was very nice - very large commercial harbor (and a secondary harbor for larger boats - possibly crab boats? - a mile or so away). Not much in the way of shopping - it's primarily a commercial fishing port. Still, very scenic. Lots of tours and people seemed to enjoy them (we wandered the city, so don't have much to report).

 

Went to Sabatini's last night - like other Princess ships, a lot of food. We were smart and asked for smaller portions for most things. It's the only place on ship where you can get a latte or expresso drink for free at the end of the meal. Funny - the pasta was the worst of it (combination of problems). Entrees were good - part. the sea bass and lobster. Nice relaxing dinner.

 

Trivia - often at 11:15 or 11:30 a.m. and again at 4:15 or 4:30 (no research needed: we often attend!). Sometimes another one in the evening. I think we may need another suitcase if we keep getting luggage tags and the likes for prizes (mind you, we seem to have a proclivity for finishing second more often than not!).

 

Today (day at sea between Kodiak and Juneau), it's country western evening. Not my thing, but will find SOMETHING to do. Actually, the winds must be up, because there are signs on the door re:high wind advisory. Today also has the second wine-tasting, so that'll keep us busy.

 

Didn't hear about the excursion you'd mention - sorry. But I have heard virtually NO complaints about the excursions, which is unusual. Maybe just the people we're hanging with.

 

IF you're planning on cruising again on Princess in the next 4 years, you can give them $100 to reserve a future cruise. You get shipboard credit (scale based on # of days and inside or outside) AND then your deposit is only $100 (instead of the new higher percentage Princess is now requiring). The OTHER part we DIDN'T know is that you also get 2 vouchers for each cruise you book that you can give friends that travel with you so that THEY get the shipboard credit. Cool, as we have friends not on the ship that will be cruising with us next. We just gave them the $100 for the cruise (PP) and didn't give them the exact cruise, as there are still details to work out. But it's good for any Princess cruise. Probably most know of this, but the vouchers for friends were an element that we didn't realize.

 

All for now. Best to all.

 

Jeff

[leechip]

Thanks for the info and update,

 

Lee

[iduck]

Thank you for your wonderful sharing!

 

We too are getting on the ship on the 12th.

sailed on this ship when it was the R3.

Hope some of the same staff are still there! They were very happy with their assignments.

About getting sick....I just learned this on our last cruise...if you get sick...lay flat on your back! I am very easily made sick with motion but I use Dramamine 50 mg when i need it. usually I take it when we get back on the ship and mot when we are in port. We had a really bad night when we were in Canada, as soon as it started getting a little rough I took a pill . People were sick all over the place but I never got sick. the people I told about laying flat said it also worked well for them!

 

Aloha!:cool:

[DeepWaterMariner]

Thanks for the information on trivia...it's a must attend activity for us.

[Jill the Pill]

Warren,

 

Can you add this thread to our other links? Maybe its already there and I thought it was the camera on the ship. I'm getting better with the computer, but I definately do get confused!!!

 

Jill

[Jill the Pill]

Where are my manners? I forgot to say thank-you, thank-you, thank-you for all the information. We're on the July 10th sailing, and I see others posting here that are from our roll call.

 

How exactly does computer access work?

Have you seen any scrapbooking classes? I've heard that they're offered on every Princess; and I really hope that I meet some fellow scrapbookers onboard.

 

Jill

[ibfern]

Greetings from the Gulf of Alaska. Water is smoother than we thought

 

All for now. Best to all.

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

 

Thanks for sharing this information, I will be on the June 26th cruise and I was wondering if the walls of the cabins (balcony) are magnetized? I like to hang maps and pictures on the walls of my cabin.

 

I will try to have a live thread as well, is there much traffic at the Internet Cafe? I hear there are only two computers. Thanks again for your gracious sharing,

 

Amelia

[ggprincess2004]

Jeff - many thanks again! So glad you are enjoying the trip.:)

Now then, when you get home and have some spare time, let's discuss the questions that have been asked at trivia.....;)

 

Thanks again!!!!

 

Ginger