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Live Grand Jan 16 to Feb 13

vickie_bernie

By vickie_bernie,
in Princess Cruises

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ILOVEMEXICO

ILOVEMEXICO

Posted
Posted

Vickie/Bernie - thanks for the live posts - it's awesome to be able to "sail" with you before we sail. We sailed with "Toto" the last two weeks and it's so nice to hear such positive comments about how grand the "Grand" is and all the info about each of the ports. Look forward to your future posts:)

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obendus

obendus

Posted
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Grand Princess sailing January 16 ~ 30, 2009

Formal nights as follows:

1st, Saturday Jan. 17, first full sea day

2nd, Wednesday January 21, third full sea day

3rd, Tuesday January 27, docked at La Romana

(per passenger services desk)

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mississauga

mississauga

Posted
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Vickie, thanks for your Live again. You always have a very interesting and informative one.

 

If you happen to meet Flo and Vic from Chandler, Arizona, please say hi for me ( Mary from Canada). We met them on the Emerald TA last April and they are a fun couple who are with a group of 60 from Chandler. I don't know if anyone from that group are with CC so if anyone from that group is reading this, say hi to Flo and Vic. Thanks!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

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LarryF

LarryF

Posted
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Hi Vickie,

 

Glad to know you and Bernie are away from the freezing temps and will be basking in the sun for the next 4 weeks! What is Bernie going to do withour his peanut butter cookies!! I hope ya'll have a great time and I'll be living the cruise through your reports! Give Bernie a big hug and kiss from me and Amy!

 

Happy Cruising...

 

Larry

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hansolo

hansolo

Posted
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Thanks for keeping us up to date. You're missing all the fog in Vancouver, still hovering around 5 degrees. Only 13 kids maybe there will be a few more next cruise but I don't expect a lot at this time of year. 28 days of cruising that's something I'll have to try one day.

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vickie_bernie

vickie_bernie

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Good morning all

 

Day 2 (I know the days will blend so be prepared for me not to remember what day it is soon - like tomorrow)

 

First today is Bernie's Birthday and he got tons of well wishes on the morning show from our CC friends thanks everyone. He is very excited about his birthday present tomorrow in Aruba... will tell you more about that tomorrow.

 

Yesterday was our formal meet and greet - and all I can say is what a great turn out and a big thank you to Brian (aka TiggerB) for organizing. We had a visit from the following: Captain Nicholas Carlton, Staff Captain aldo Travelso, Environment officer, Rumen Grorgiev, Passenger Services Director Gianfranco Sampiero, Cruise Director James Ibrahim, Matre d'Hotel Giuseppe Franchina, Accommodations Manager Michael Collins, first Purser Food and Beverage Riccardo Capraro. And more

 

We had a gift exchange and stealing occurred but I won't mention names.

 

Thanks James - many of the staff approached us and had received an email from you about us and were only happy to take care of us. Thanks.

 

 

Formal nights, yes three nights, 1st sea day, 3rd sea day and the day we are in La Romana.

 

Last night's movie was Iron Man on MUTS we saw the comedian Gary Delena. Also yesterday was the Captain's Welcome Aboard Party.

 

There appears to be some issues with the dining - many who want tranditional can't get it from teh waitlist and the dining room during dinner appears empty. The Anytime is experiencing waits, there are a lot wanting dinner early and so when we appear at 7 - 730 there are waits, but we are given the beeper and we wait. Yesterday the Matre d'Hotel contacted us to see if we wanted a reservation (again thanks James) and we got a table for 10 with a few of our friends.

 

yesterday the weather was very very breezy it was actually comical - same storm that was hitting all of the US - it was warm out but the breeze and cloud cover made it too cool to stay out for too long. We ended up going back to the cabin around 1 and napped and then watched a movie, oh isn't vacation great!!!

 

Sharon, we miss you both too - and you will be happy to know I toasted you on the first night with a shot of Sambucca.

 

The staff are so great!!! Can't do enough for you! I certainly couldn't do their job.

 

Joel our steward is so good - and yes he is the same one! We told him that he is famous, and we are the second cc members to say that - as he has been written about on the last live thread.

 

Yes mattress in our room is hard, and the first egg crate isn't enough so we got a second and that is better.

 

Well I can't think of anything else so - any questions I will try and answer.

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zellers

zellers

Posted
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Morning Vickie & "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" Bernie

 

Hope you have (am I am sure, you will) a wonderful day!

 

Vickie, I've been reading about coffee cards, and I am wondering if we need to purchase them in order to get "regular" coffee? Is so, how much is the card, and many coffee's can we get with it?

 

yesterday the weather was very very breezy it was actually comical - same storm that was hitting all of the US - it was warm out but the breeze and cloud cover made it too cool to stay out for too long. We ended up going back to the cabin around 1 and napped and then watched a movie, oh isn't vacation great!!!

 

We'll take your breezy weather over what we are "still" getting - Last night 15 - 20 Centimeters of snow dropped down on us, and it's still going strong along with minus temperatures :cool:.......Caribbean Take Us Away!!!!!!!!

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senior lady

senior lady

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Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you!!!!! Happy Birthday dear Bernie.......... Happy Birthday to you!!!:D

Have a wonderful birthday Bernie. Wish we were there to help you celebrate!!!

Hey, the sun has finally broken through the fog. Beautiful blue sky and sun today, but not as warm as you guys are having.

Happy cruising:D

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obendus

obendus

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Beautiful blue sky and sun today, but not as warm as you guys are having. Happy cruising:D

 

Yes, it was officially HOT and SUNNY onboard today... it seems everyone was trying to catch some sun. Nice.

Whilst outside, the cabin fairy struck... AGAIN!

What a great group!!!

CIMG0016-1.jpg.8142300940fa3daea15ca94b9a731086.jpg

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zellers

zellers

Posted
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Hi Zellers;

 

I posted a response to your question on our Roll call thread, it is on there now.

Fair winds

Dave

 

Thanks very much, Dave! I think, we'll bring a 2 cup coffee maker. On Carnival we stayed in an inside cabin (the cheap seats) and was able to order coffee along with toast, muffins, and so on without buying a coffee card. Our stewards always brought us a huge pot of coffee with cups, and more than we could eat! It was great.

 

Has Princess always charged, or is it the "sign" of the times to come?

 

Heather:)

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Toto2Kansas

Toto2Kansas

Posted
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Thanks very much, Dave! I think, we'll bring a 2 cup coffee maker. On Carnival we stayed in an inside cabin (the cheap seats) and was able to order coffee along with toast, muffins, and so on without buying a coffee card. Our stewards always brought us a huge pot of coffee with cups, and more than we could eat! It was great.

 

Has Princess always charged, or is it the "sign" of the times to come?

 

Heather:)

 

You can still have coffee and muffins or toast delivered to your stateroom at no charge on Princess. It is the quality of the coffee that some of us question. We bring along our little travel coffee maker 'always' as we like to have our coffee first thing in the AM before leaving the stateroom. And the coffee delivered from room service is not brewed, but the syrup mixture that neither of us will drink. So, it all depends on your taste for coffee and if you like the regular ships coffee or are a bit more picky.

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westwind6371

westwind6371

Posted
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Hi Heather;

 

As Toto stated, it is still the same on Princess, you can order from room service and the coffee they will bring you will be the kind made with syrup, both reg and decafe are available from room service. It is only if your prefer fresh brewed coffee instead of the coffee syrup mix that a coffee card makes sense.

 

What you might do is go to the buffet as soon as you board and try the coffee there. If it is OK with you, no need to get a coffee card.

 

Additionally, if you have not cruised Princess for quite a few years, the room service menu has been reduced recently. Available now are sandwiches, fruit, cookies, pastries, coffee, juice at breakfast time, and things like that. Full meals from the dining rooms are no longer available from room service unless you are in a full suite

 

fair winds

dave

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zellers

zellers

Posted
Posted
Hi Heather;

 

As Toto stated, it is still the same on Princess, you can order from room service and the coffee they will bring you will be the kind made with syrup, both reg and decafe are available from room service. It is only if your prefer fresh brewed coffee instead of the coffee syrup mix that a coffee card makes sense.

 

What you might do is go to the buffet as soon as you board and try the coffee there. If it is OK with you, no need to get a coffee card.

 

Additionally, if you have not cruised Princess for quite a few years, the room service menu has been reduced recently. Available now are sandwiches, fruit, cookies, pastries, coffee, juice at breakfast time, and things like that. Full meals from the dining rooms are no longer available from room service unless you are in a full suite

 

fair winds

dave

 

 

Many Thanks, Toto & Dave

 

It's great getting information from fellow cruisers. Somehow, the sound of coffee syrup.....Yuck, :eek: No, I think we'll stay away from that. We too, like fresh brewed coffee first thing in the morning, and we have an old 2 cup coffee maker that we used when we travelled many years ago. I'm cleaning it up, as I type! And, it still works!

 

We are so looking forward to our time on the Grand. Especially, when it has not stopped snowing since yesterday afternoon! It was the same on Carnival with the breakfast, but, and there is a but, we had "fresh brewed" coffee!

 

Did I read right on one posting - about Carnival owning, or in partnership with Princess? If that is correct, then we missed out getting a small discount off when they asked if you have sailed with them before....Does that mean we get another "special" dinner with the captain then?:D

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chamima

chamima

Posted
Posted

Hi Vickie

I can't find you so I'm writing.

Every time I try to use my coffee card (from a previous cruise) the assistant waiter gives me a hard time. he says he'll do it "just this once as a special favor". Are you having trouble also?

Also, we are on Emerald and have flat screen TVs and internet in the cabin so it looks like they're upgrading one floor at a time.

I don't have time right now to read all three pages of this so will try again later.

Karen

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caribill

caribill

Posted
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Did I read right on one posting - about Carnival owning, or in partnership with Princess? If that is correct, then we missed out getting a small discount off when they asked if you have sailed with them before....

 

Carnnival Corp. owns both Princess and Carival cruise lines (and several others), operating each as a seperate subsidiary.

 

If you have been a past passenger on any of the Carnival Corp owned lines, you can get past passenger rates on the other brands they own.

 

Be aware that each brand has its own loyalty program (such as Princess Captain's Circle), and the benefits of one brand's program do not carry other to any of the other brands' programs.

 

Also, if you are a stockholder in CCL (Carnival Corp.), you can ghet an on board credit for any sailing on any of the brands. To get this, you must request it and provide proof of ownership of at least 100 shares in advance of the cruise.

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