Costa Maya, Mexico

Today we dock early in Costa Maya - 7 am! When Bernie returns with coffees we sit on the balcony and enjoy the arrival.

Sadly it is pouring rain but I believe it will pass. The usual Caribbean shower I say. But we hear people complaining how they can't cancel their excursion because of the rain. Really! I don't think Princess has control over the weather. Plus it will pass and a little rain will hurt no one.

We head ashore with Larry and Amy. We haven't been to Costa Maya in a very very long time. Way before they were hit with the hurricane in 2007 that destroyed the port.

The whole port area is huge and is similar to many of the port destination beach areas - similar to Grand Turk, Mahogany Bay, and even Amber Cove (from what I hear). 

We are docked with a Carnival ship and this port really can't handle two ships in my opinion. 

Our first goal is to leave the port area and head to the town of Mahahual. 

Note most of these pictures were taken when we got off way before the second ship docked and before it got crazy busy.

Took us some time to exit the port area. Note I saw lots of washrooms, shops, bars, restaurants, tour companies. You could easily spend your entire time here but it will be busy. Oh they also had some lockers for rent too.

But we are wanting to head out to the town. Just before you leave the port area there is a table set up (see above pic) where they sell shuttle tickets to the town of Mahahual for $3 US per person one way. The shuttle is similar to those you see in St. Thomas - open bench seating in the back of a truck.

However if you leave the port building compound - just outside is a taxi stand (they are not allowed to pick up people in the compound but can drop you off inside). The taxis to town are $10 US total - as we took at a taxi back. Note the shuttle only operates going to town, not sure why but that is the way it is. Taxis to come back were plentiful and fast and cheap.

We walked along the street to the furthest beach bar/restaurant and checked it out. We could enjoy the lounge chairs and beach as long as we ate/drink at the restaurant. No problem. 

We secure four chairs under some palapas as it looks like it could rain again. Order some drinks and enjoy the scenery.

This place also had an all inclusive package but I can't recall how much it was and really there are so many places along the beach that offer this type of thing I would not personally pre reserve. Just show up and check things out and then choose.

After a few hours here and dodging rain showers we attempted to grab some food in the restaurant area. But because of the rain it was packed so we opted to just leave and walk the boardwalk.

It is very nice, busy and people will try and get your business - massage! Beer! Drinks! Food! Beach! Trinkets! you name it.

We all agree to just head back to the ship and walk off the boardwalk to the street and easily grab a taxi back (again only $10).

Tonight is the Most Travelled Cocktail Party. This voyage it is a cocktail party as opposed to a luncheon. Just not enough days in the cruise to squeeze it in. 

We really enjoy the cocktail party as the officers get the chance to mingle with everyone and we can order whatever we want from the bar. Not to mention the food is amazing. 

This time there were food stations (we had only seen them walking around with food at other cocktail parties). This is amazing. There is a cold station with sushi, and other cold items. Then a hot station. Then a dessert station. Very impressive.

We arrived and posed with Captain Street and again with Leanne, his wife. She saved us a seat and Gail (Ron's wife), Kelly (Deputy Cruise Director), Dylan (Senior Doctor) joined us. 

It was great to relax in this casual atmosphere and get to know everyone even better.

There was so much food that we did not need to go to dinner.

In fact right after the cocktail party I tell Bernie that I could really use some hot water and take a Neo Citron and hit the hay to try and get over this cold. So that is what we do. We are asleep by 2130. But it was a fun day.

More Sea Days as we Cross the Atlantic

Today I heard the funniest thing at breakfast.  It is day 3 of 6 sea days of the crossing.  I heard a man complain "too many sea days - he should go faster".  I smile and think to myself "did you not know it was six days? Do you really expect the Captain to put the pedal (or joy stick) to the metal and boot it across... oh people would be sick then."

I am really enjoying the buffet themes.  We have had Korean Pho, German, Asian, Indian, Brazilian and still lots of other options if you are not into the theme.

Also great movies are being shown - in fact there are so many great movies I know I will get off and still have wished I could of watched others.

There are so many Platinum and Elites that there are FIVE parties - yup!  They will do the parties over two nights with three one night and two another night.  

There is so much to do that I can't do most of it. But really if you are bored it is because you are too picky.

There are still quite a few contractors on board. They are tying up loose ends. We see them working hard all over the ship.  The work is not invasive and does not intrude in any of the public areas that I have noticed.

The mid ship stairs have officially opened. They opened a few days ago but just getting around to mentioning it. No ceremony, no ribbon cutting just an announcement.  With all the hoopla that so many people made about the fact this ship had no mid ship staircase for public use you would think that they would be in high use. Nope! I use them as much as I can, in fact the night they opened I made a point of climbing them from five to 16 just because I could.

They are lovely and I am glad they are there.

Today is the Most Travelled Luncheon at noon in Sabatinis. It always surprises me how many people we recognize. Cruising truly is a small world.

As we enter we are greeted by Barbara the Captain Circle Host. Then we pose for a picture with Captain Street and we insist that Leanne (his wife) join us. It has been nice getting to know her this voyage.

Today we are sat with four other people at the Hotel General Manager's Table - Michael Prasse. There is a single man from Colorado, a couple from Georgia and a single woman from Florida. 

This woman did not shut up (oh that is not very Canadian of me) but she just did not stop talking. She kept interrupting others. She complained a lot too. Now you may have issues that you may need resolving but this is day 10 of the cruise and it is the Most Travelled Luncheon and not the place to complain about your cabin steward or the food.

But it was a great lunch and we did enjoy getting to know the other people at our table. We purposely asked question directly to other people at the table when this woman was talking so we could change the subject and involve others. She eventually go the hint.

What really shocked me is after a few minutes at the table the woman in question looked at us and said "now how did you two end up at this table". Really! I bit my tongue (see more Canadian of me) and said "just like you did". 

But truly it was a lovely lunch. We love sitting with Michael and he is such a gracious host. He is so good with people, he somehow can turn someone who is complaining into someone who is happy.

The menu was 

Chilled Blue Crab Margarita (Avocado and Mango infused with Tequila, Lime topped with Micro Leaf Salad, Crisp Lotus Chip)

or

Turkish Orange and Grapefruit Carpaccio Salad (Mascarpone Flavored with Honey and Chopped Pistachio Nuts, Drizzled with Clove Syrup)

Entre

Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna "Nicoise Style" (Warm Grilled Salad of Tomatoes, Green Beans, Olives, Red Onions, Fennel and Egg, Dressed with Lemon and Segesta Olive Oil Emulsion, Aged Balsamic)

or

Herb and Pepper Crusted Beef Fillet (Truffle and Morel Ragout Garlic Potato Gratin with Baby Vegetable, Melange Infused with Burgundy and Madeira Jus)

or

Caramelized Red Onion and Goat Cheese Tart (Dressed Mesculan Salad with Yellow Pepper Salsa

Dessert

Trio of Chocolate (Chocolate Mousse, Brownie Parfait, and Chocolate Caramel Shortbread)

First Evening on Board Ruby

Start with Wine in Vines

After a busy day and afternoon full of many activities we quickly wash up and dress for dinner for 7:45 in Da Vinci dining room.  We know that this dining room has traditional first seating at 5:30 and then it opens up to Anytime Dining at 7:30.  

We pop by the dining room on deck 5 and it is almost a riot type atmosphere.  With a combination of a few large groups (lots of families), some very large groups (the head honchos from Carnival Corp. Including Jan Schwartz - a group of around 300) and a lot of newer cruisers this is the first encounter of unhappy travellers.

The hostess announces that Da Vinci has just opened to Anytime Diners.  And after a few minutes the line dissipates.  

We are directed to our table in Daniel Guevara's section right in the back... I am crouched down behind the Head Waiter leading us and when I appear in front of Daniel he is totally shocked. Totally Shocked!  

He is almost speachless.  We get to meet his wonderful assistant Alla, and right away we embrace her as part of our Princess Family.

It is perfect timing for Daniel as he had a really hard last cruise, he had even posted on Facebook how much he was missing his family too.  So we are glad we were able to be there for him.  We loved that he introduced us to around ten other waiters near him as his Canadian Family.  Even his other two tables who were obviously wondering "who the heck are these people" Daniel told them about us and how many times we have sailed together.

my pork dish

seafood stew

we shared the dessert but only a few bites

For dinner we kept it simple.  I had the pork dish, which was just okay, but Bernie had the Curtis Stone offering of Seafood Stew which Bernie raved about.  Note:  On the Royal there were three Curtis Stone dishes each night.  The same three dishes every day.  On the Ruby it changed nightly and only one dish was offered. 

played a trick on Alla

We gave Daniel a Canadian t-shirt and card and he got all emotional.  Ahhh we love him. 

After dinner we went to bed.  We were tired and it was a long day.

We are number four most travelled passengers on this voyage.  Because of the shorter itinerary we are given a letter stating that in lieu of a Most Travelled Luncheon/Cocktail Party we can have a free dinner for two at either the Crown Grill, Crab Shack or Salty Dog. However when we call the reservation line we are told all the specialty restaurants have been prebooked because of the large Corporate group.  The only time we can take is 9 pm which we decline.  We considered bringing this issue up with the Captain Circle Host and or Customer Service Director but we figured we would just ignore as we are disappointed but we will survive.


My observations so far on the Ruby Princess.

• Crown Grill has gone up in price from $25 to $29
• Crab Shack has gone up for $20 to $29
• The Ruby has the new bedding, and so far I have to say it sure looks comfortable and we no longer have to ask for a top sheet as there is one there already then the duvet duvet then the duvet cover.
• This four day voyage is not offering the buy one get one for a dollar.
• All Captain Circle members got a free drink coupon in lieu of a Captain Circle Party.
• Great demographics on the ship.  Lots of younger couples, families of multi generations, children, and lots of newer cruisers too.
• The Captain is Craig Street.  We have sailed with him a few times and remember when he had gotten moved up to Captain on the Star.  Our friends Bruce and Sharon know him well.
• Maitre D'Hotel is Silvio Zampleri.  We ran into Silvio on deck 5 as we made our way to the dining room.  Hugs, kisses and then taken by the had to our dining room.  Oh what a joy to see him again.  We of course had some Purdy's chocolates for him.  But he is from Abbotsford British Columbia so he knows Purdy's very well.  Trust me he was run off his feet this voyage with all the Corporate Executives on board.
• Dana Ionescu is the Food and Beverage Director.  We hope to catch up with her too.  We originally met her on the Caribbean Princess a few years ago.  She was Customer Services Director then.  I am proud to see she is F&B now and being put in charge of another department.  I am sure her next step will be Hotel General Manager.
• The 4 day is doing the Voice of the Ocean.  I am surprised and not sure if they will do the actual end show or not.
• Production shows this trip are:  Colours of the World, Magic to Do.  Comedian Steve Caouette.
• Team Rootberry, a great duo that I have enjoyed many times and even have a video on my Youtube channel.  Click her to view. 

Well we certainly got our monies worth with the drink package today.  We are not drunk, but we are feeling good. We are trying to drink lots of water too.  Oh and it helped me crash after a long day.

Golden Princess Day 2 - September 26, 2011

Nothing like the rocking of the ship to ensure a good night sleep!  Hmmm not sure what time it is but gee this ship is really rocking, go back to sleep Vickie, she is really rocking (as the hangers bang in the closet), must be time to get up?  It is 8 am, it is really rocking!  But I have been on ships that rocked before, so let the fun begin.

I get dressed and inform Bernie that I am heading to the Internet cafe and then the International Cafe where we will meet and head for breakfast.

As soon as I head out the door something is different.  There are those airline sickness bags all over the ship, just in case.  At the elevators, in the washrooms, at every bar, at every lounge --- my first thought is really, people get sick with this motion. 

The ship is much quieter than normal.  Bernie meets up with me at the Internet Cafe and we log on (we get $75 Internet package each for free because of elite status, and it sure comes in handy later).  The people around us are grumbling the usual stuff "how do I log on", "how much is this", "why is it so slow", and then the most annoying couples reading out their emails for their partners (really people I am not interested in hearing about little Johnny and how he is sick).  This cruise we opted to not bring the laptop for such a short voyage, and right now I am missing the quietness that comes from using your laptop in your cabin.  For those that are new to sailing, Internet on board a ship is not like logging on at home, there is no long DSL cable at the back of the ship to the last port.  The signal comes from a satellite, and depending on the weather, and the numbers on it speed varies, but it is still better than dial up (for those of you who remember that).  Setting up an account on board is very very easy, but you do need to follow the direction, which of course people don't do. 

We head for breakfast in the main dining room, which I much prefer, but Bernie doesn't, but he is accommodating me.  We are sat with a group of 8 and the meal is very good, I had a lovely fruit plate with yogurt, and toast.  Bernie had his oatmeal.  One thing about breakfast in the dining room is it is long but heck where am I going to go.

We head out to the International Cafe and I get my second latte of the day and Bernie gets his tea.  Yes they do have specialty tea but it isn't the Revolution Tea that they usually have but it is still good he says.  We discuss what we want to do today, and one thing we both agree on is we are tired.

I see there is Zumba class at 10 am and ponder going, but it is cancelled due to the movement of the ship - don't need anyone getting hurt now. 

Some of the entertainment offered today are:  Tour of the ship, Movie Super 8, Friends of Bill W. Meeting, Zumba, Lecture on Restless Oceans - tides, Hurricanes and Tsunamis Can They be Predicted, Morning Trivia, Honeymooner's Champagne Meet & Greet, Texas Hold'Em tournament, Acupuncture, Bingo, Pub Lunch, Movie Red Bull, Martini Demonstration, $500 Slot tournament, Movie Just Go With It, Art Auction, Line Dance class, Movie Midnight in Paris, Veteran's Get together, Ballroom Blitz Dance Class, Sommelier Wine Club, Single Get Together, Golf Chipping Contest, Movie Thor, Afternoon Tea, Wii Bowling, Afternoon Trivia.

We decide to try out the trivia in Explorer's Lounge, we join two women and we fair quite well but not well enough to win.  I decide to wander around the ship and take some pictures and here is a video of how the weather is outside.  The swells are not high considering we have heard of worst the wind is what is the real problem.  Captain says the winds are at force 10, Storm Force Winds.  You can hear the sound the ship is making as the winds hit it, lots of creaks. 

All I want to do is find a quiet place and go and read, so I grab my Kindle and I am off to find a spot and decide to head up to Skywalkers Disco which is the highest point of the ship at the aft. 

I find this nice quiet spot to read and settle in but I am entranced by the weather outside and the sounds around me.  All I hear is creak, crack, creak, crack and crash (as a few glasses break in the bar nearby), I start to freak a little, this Skywalkers is going to go flying off!  I decide time to head to more secure spots on board.  Feeling so tired. 

here you can see the weather outside as I head down from Skywalkers

the pool deck with the rain coming down

covered pool - all pools were drained for safety reasons -most of the padded chairs were soaked because of water coming in thru the panes.

I head to the enclosed pool area to read, find a chair with a nice cushion that isn't soaked and curl up to read.  But can't keep my eyes open, I try to sleep but keep getting water dripping down thru the panes in the ceiling (sure the wind had something to do with it).  I figure enough is enough and head to the Horizon Court to get something to eat.

I get to the buffet and nothing really seems to grab me, I realize my tummy is a little upset.  I am thinking maybe I do have a little motion sickness after all.  I get some soup, a roll and head to a table, lots to choose from, the place is deserted.  I request a Ginger ale, hoping that will settle my stomach.  Can't really finish the meal and then I figure yup it is definitely motion sickness.

I have now been on 30 cruises, and even though I realize I have felt like this before, including the last 20 days on the Emerald where I felt ill one evening, this is the first time I realize it is motion sickness.  I am prone to it, I am not the person who can sit at the back of a van, I can't be in a car and read without getting nauseous, and obviously the times on the ship prior when I thought I was hung over I was actually suffering motion sickness.  So now that I realize it I have to figure out what I am going to do.  I head to the store and purchase some Bonine, a graval type medication - which they are selling very rapidly, along with Ginger Ales and Ginger Pills.  The box contains 6 pills for $8.24 (a bit of a rip off but hey it isn't like I can head out to my local pharmacy). 

I am back in the cabin and Bernie is snoozing and wakes to see me walk in and disclose what I have discovered.  I take one pill and head into bed, after about two hours I take a second one as symptoms are still there and that does the trick.  Ironically I never had an issue with watching the movement, the seas or throwing up, my stomach was just upset and felt tired.  From now on I will take along some type of motion sickness pills, just in case. 

After sleeping the afternoon away we both agree we are not up to dressing for dinner and agree a nice simple meal in the Horizon Court is in order.  We see there are not many people out and about and enjoy a bowl of soup with a bit of pasta and a cup of tea.  The ship is still moving quite a bit and we find ourselves having to grab our glasses of water often as they slide from one end of the table to the other. 

We find out as we wander the ship that numerous windows on the Promenade and Lido deck have broken because of the high winds.  The crew are quick to cover with plastic wrap and board up.  Many glasses have been broken but other than that all seems well.  The ships production show Stardust has been cancelled tonight to ensure the dancers safety.  The comedian will now be in the Princess Theater, comedian is Carl Banks.

Ironically they are still going ahead with the Champagne Waterfall in the Atrium, and then when we see it we see that it is much smaller than normal and they have placed some kind of sticky substance to hold the glasses in place.  We grab a seat in the Bar on deck 5 and notice Ronnie as the bartender.  We sailed with Ronnie on the Emerald in January.  It is always nice to see a familiar face.

Since I am feeling better I decide to ask for my bottle of wine from the dining room that we corked last night, since we didn't eat in the dining room tonight and will not be eating there tomorrow either.  The server says I can get it but it will be a $20 corkage fee, I said really, but it was a gift from the ship and it is already opened and it is in the galley waiting for us.  I said that is okay and decided to see the head waiter in the dining room and when I walked in I ran into Maitre d'hotel Angelo who remembered me from a few years ago and asked what he could, I explained the situation and he quickly got a waiter to retrieve our bottle and it was delivered to the bar.  See even on board one crew member gives you one answer and another gives you another answer.  If you feel you are correct, seek out advice or ask the right person.  We made sure to tip the waiter who delivered the wine.  And Vickie enjoyed the last two glasses of wine from the bottle.

We sit and watch the champagne waterfall, and then sneak out to get seats for the comedian Carl Banks, who I thought was funny but Bernie thought was just okay, and said "he isn't Al Katz".  Really I am just surprised we have never seen this comedian before and I enjoy that.

There is a 70s dance Party going on in Explorers but it is quiet and we really are not into dancing tonight, we are still tired and head to bed around 10:30.

I should mention the officers on board.  The Captain is Craig Street, who we sailed with three years ago when he was Staff Captain on board the Star Princess.  He married a woman from B.C. and now calls the Okanagan home.  Staff Captain is Graziano Napolitano, Hotel General Manager is Danilo Portoso, Cruise Director is David Bradshawe, Food and Beverage Manager is Oliver Neuburger, Customer Services Director is Andrea Cavallucci, Executive Housekeeper is Michael Collins, who was also on the Emerald with us, Executive Chef is John Convery, and the Maitre d'Hotel is Angelo Balbiani who we sailed with on the Golden two years ago.