Shogun Live From The Emerald

[Christapie]

Hey Shogun,

 

It sounds like you had a pretty decent time.

 

Thanks for your postings, we all wish you the very best on getting your luggage home safely as well as your selves!

 

We look foward to your review.

 

Christapie

[Clutterlady]

Thanks Shogun.....have a safe trip home:)

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Sounds like a great trip:D

Hope you have a safe flight home and looking forward to more info once you are home:)

[bettycoop]

Hi Shogun

 

Thanks so much for your updates. Have a safe journey home and I shall look forward to you review on your return.

 

Betty

[margord]

Thanks for all the updates

[Woobstr112G]

Shogun;

 

Thanks for your live thread. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Have a safe journey home.....

 

Bob

 

Future: Diamond Princess Aus/Nz 01/09

Future: Emerald Princess Med/Trans Atlantic 10/08

Constellation Europe 07/06

Summit Alaska Repositioning 05/05

Summit Panama Canal 10/02

Rhapsody Of The Seas Alaska 09/01

Spledour Of The Seas Baltic 09/99

Veendam Eastern Caribbean 07/96

Holiday Western Carribean 07/93

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Well we made it back safe with all bags and nothing damaged.

 

Lets start with some good news, I , sorry we were sure we packed our sun glasses but could not find them , so on our stop over in Londomn we asked the hotel if they had found two pairs of sun glasses and yes believe it or not in a little bag with our details on it were our glasses.

 

Now since Mrs Shogun has started to check out what I have been saying the good stuff will be posted to a site she has no access to so if you are reading this Mrs Shogun. There s no point.

 

I said a few years ago that this was a hard cruise lots to see lots of ports. long days and very high temps, and that you could do this cruise 5 times and still need to come back again.

 

Well nothing has changed.

 

Was this a great cruise sorry not this time details latter.

 

This was a very good cruise with some excellant points.

 

The very good is simple its the crew at all levels, now I know that almost all this crew were new to me and some were leaving the day I got off.

 

The bad my fellow passengers, my pet hates are calling stewards bar tenders etc boy, those you can talk in more than just english switching when you enter a lift etc and those folk complaining about silly things like the bus ride to Rome is to long the ship is to big, well Rome has not moved and the Emerald has not got any bigger since she was built.

 

Any way to those nice folk on board, from CC as well as others thanks for a very good cruise.

 

I will chat more about the good and the bad. Tomorrow.

 

yours Shogun

[flynrph]

Shogun,

It was a great pleasure sharing the cruise with you! Pretty much spot on with your observations. Glad to hear you made it back safe and sound. (Where were you hiding most of the cruise? I'm glad we met again right before they sent me off to the airport!)

Would love to cruise again with you and your wife.:cool:

[shofer]

HI All,

 

The Story so far, the taxi arrived on time, got us to the air port on time, as we went to do our self service booking in, the shock of I though you had the bag with the passports appeared, after all we have been through the taxi was away with our passports , money cruise tickets, but not the mobile phone so a quick call to the taxi driver thank god for mobile phones and he was on his way back to us with the missing bag.

 

OMG Shogun, did you learn nothing from our passport debacle in February? But I suppose you were wondering about your bags. Thanks for the on the spot review. Really enjoying it.

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Emerald Cruise E819

 

Well there was a lot of folk complaining on this cruise, now this could be down to a few things, first a lot of new cruisers and a lot of new to Princess, this is a hard cruise lots to to see long days few sea days to recover etc.

A lot of folk complained about the staff not being helpful and rude, well I tried to speak to as many as possible and could not find these rude crew members, all I found were very nice and helpful, not perfect but if they made a mistake and you told them in a nice way they fixed the problem straight away and were always very sorry,

 

Examples for you,

 

Lets start at the top, we were very lucky to be invited to a most travelled party of around 24 folk only, there we got the chance to meet the commodore, PSD , CD and about 4 others from thecrew.

 

I had the chance to speak to the commodore on about 3 or 4 times about the ship, once he recalled my name and the last time chatted about how good my tan was, I like to see the boss out and about on a ship.

 

One waiter we got to know my name at the start of the cruise , I spoke to him using his name and chatted when we could about his story, his job, his family, now this waiter knew we had a soda sticker and if out on deck we would order a soda about every hour, after a few days if he spotted us he would bring us a soda with out asking, and then another etc on the hour, even if I moved around the ship he seemed to know where I was , this is service above what is expected.

 

 

Another waiter seeing me on the Sail in to Venice took me to the sactuary got us in and we were able to stand at the very front and watch the sail in, what a great place to watch from, it was very windy on thec open decks while we were behind glass with dreamy music getting played, this crew member was just being extra nice, why because we had taken time to chat to him, while on the cruise.

 

Our room steward was not the best, he did lets us room out of supplies a few times, however when I asked he got everything straight away always said very sorry, now i could have gone up to him and said this was not good enough etc, but I did not I only requested what I was meant to have , in a nice way, now he would collect our shoes and line them up, hang up our cloths and fold stuff, this to be is above room cleaning, so he was not a bad steward.

 

At another bar we ordered drinks, without asking we got another round at no cost, why because we took time to chat to the bar man.

 

To me its simple you take time, you chat to the crew you are nice to them and they repay you with excellant service, those how called the crew "boy" did not seem to get the same levelof service, I wonder why,

 

yours Shogun

 

Tomorrow food.

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi Folks,

 

Well we made it back safe with all bags and nothing damaged.

 

Lets start with some good news, I , sorry we were sure we packed our sun glasses but could not find them , so on our stop over in Londomn we asked the hotel if they had found two pairs of sun glasses and yes believe it or not in a little bag with our details on it were our glasses.

 

 

You better start taping things to your body, at least it was not the luggage this time. :D

[Clutterlady]

Shogun, glad you arrived home safe and all of your luggage arrived with you:D

 

Can't wait to hear more about your trip and the Emerald!

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi Folks,

 

Emerald Cruise E819

 

Well there was a lot of folk complaining on this cruise, now this could be down to a few things, first a lot of new cruisers and a lot of new to Princess, this is a hard cruise lots to to see long days few sea days to recover etc.

A lot of folk complained about the staff not being helpful and rude, well I tried to speak to as many as possible and could not find these rude crew members, all I found were very nice and helpful, not perfect but if they made a mistake and you told them in a nice way they fixed the problem straight away and were always very sorry,

 

.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to comment. :)

 

It is too bad they are on every cruise.

[bettycoop]

Hi Shogun

 

Glad you got back OK. I too subscribe to treating others how I would wish to be treated. Good manners cost nothing.

 

I shall look forward to hearing about the food tomorrow.

 

Betty

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Cruise E819, The Food,

 

Ok lets get the bad out of the way, I had the worest meal ever on a Princess ship, it was in anytime and we were late in about 9.15pm food was dry out had been sitting out to long.

 

We did go back as this need to be checked out, we went back for lobster night and for final night. Food was fine 3 star may be some dishs 4 star, food was not excellant.

 

Service was however better than before, and I would give this 4 star.

 

Cafe Carbi we tried a few nights again 3 star with some items 4 star, however again one night we went in and came back out with out getting anything.

 

Horizon again only ate there a couple of times so no more than 3 star, choice was the main problem, yes it was OK coming of tour and just wanting some green stuff with rice, but to me it still seems to be missing something. However to be fair, it can not do pizza, hot dogs, main meals, snacks as these are supplied at our places on the ship.

 

International cafe, this gets 4.5 stars we ate here quite a few times found items to be of our liking, food was fresh and just seemed better often it was quite as we went at odd times.

 

The burger bar etc was popular as ever and did try one again this was fine for what it was, good point is that it now stays open late along with the pizza bar.

 

As to the Pizza bar again good service again pizza style not my prefered type, however this does not take away the fact the it is a good product due to the long lines at lunch time.

 

 

Crown grill, is best service best ever, this time there was an officer in the room wodering about asking what he was doing I was told he was there to help organise things. Quality and quanity are 5 star.

 

Sabatinis is not a meal its an evenings entertainment, food was very good but only 4.5 stars. But the best Deserts .

 

Room Service, tried this once got straight through , very fast service within under 15 min. Hot stuff was hot and cold stuff was cold would give this 3.5 for quality 4 star for quanity and 5 star for service.

 

Overalll we had no problems with the food however I would like to see an improvement to 4 star for all areas.

 

yours Shogun

Anything you want me to chat about our have you had enough.

[Christapie]

Shogun, Glad that you and the Mrs. are home safe.

 

It is great to read about what you liked and didn't like and then you back it up with examples.

 

Wish I was in the elite club of 25 on the ship, oh well perhaps someday...

 

Christapie

[lvkauai]

Shogun-

 

So glad you had a great cruise. Really enjoyed reading your live updates!

 

I'm wondering if there was a port lecturer on board this year? Last year David was aboard the Emerald and I learned soo much from him! I'm interested to know if Princess is continuing that program?

 

Thanks!

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Dr Howard Clarke was doing the talks while wew were on board.

 

yours Shogun

[sunsetbeachgal]

HI Shogun,

 

Loved your posts and love your attitude towards crew-wish all could be like you are! We also try to get to know them and show the respect they all deserve.

 

We share your opinion of Emerald food-love Internaitonal Cafe', the steak house was our favorite (we ate there twice on a 10 day cruise) and the dining room was mostly good.

 

We're on her again in mid-January again. Love the itinerary and the variety of activities.

 

Glad all went well!

Carole

[lvkauai]

Thanks Shogun!!

[Carolina Cruisr]

yours Shogun

Anything you want me to chat about our have you had enough.

 

 

 

 

We can never have enough Shogun!;)

[Shogun]

Oooh Carolnia Cruisr Thats so sweet

 

I will need to add you to my Christmas Card list

 

yours Shogun