Saturday Evening – Dinner and Welcome Aboard Show

We start out with Muster Drill.  Our location is the Princess Theater and we are on Baja so it is only a few flights down. I couldn’t help hearing a few comments that I wanted to share here.  

One was “what about people who can’t go down the stairs right now?” I responded they take the elevator.  Note everyone, if you require an elevator let the attendants at the elevators at Muster Drill know and they can assist you.  

The second was this woman who told her husband “don’t touch the railings going down – use your elbows”  I agree there are a lot of germs on ships.  But germs are everywhere including malls, parks, your home, schools everywhere. The main way to remove those germs is to wash your hands with soap and water. Going down stairs without holding onto the railing will probably be more dangerous than going down and falling because you didn’t want to hold the railing.  I will add that this person was holding the life jacket – which probably had quite a few germs on it too.  So wash your hands whenever you can.

After Muster we went up for sail away and enjoyed a drink while enjoying the company of Ali and Ginny. 

Both of us are a little tired and we just relax in the cabin for a while.

I will say that the new beds are fabulous. This is not the first time we have experienced them but we sure love them. Love not having to ask for a top sheet anymore and the bed is so plush with a big pillow top.

We need to change out our mini bar but that will have to wait till tomorrow when we can get thru to room service.

I meet up with Bernie in Vines for some wine before dinner. I get some cheese from the IC and the moment is complete.

Around 8 pm we head to Michelangelo Dining room and request a table for two.  We did have to wait a bit but not very long.  We are actually sat at the exact same table as lunch but dining room below.

Our servers seem very flustered.  They do have a large table behind us of 12 and two table of 2. We order a bottle of sparking water and they take our card but then he loses it. 

The waiter comes back asking if he returned it to us and then says he lost it.  He is looking everywhere for it when we notice the head waiter pick up a card over by the large table asking if it belongs to any of them. Well it doesn’t it is our card.  This has just made our waiter a little more nervous.

I start out with the artichoke bisque which I normally love but when I  get it, it is so salty it is not possible to eat. It is like drinking sea water.  Oh my!  They do offer to bring me something else but I am okay.

My entrée is Princess burger with mushrooms and stilton cheese – make sure to check out the burgers on the anytime side as they are often very good.  Plus none of the entrees caught my attention this time.  

Bernie had the spring rolls and the ricotta and leek tart and both were very good.

We really enjoyed chatting to the the two guys beside us who are from Vegas – I believe their names were Sam and Sheridan.  Lovely couple who we really enjoyed getting to know.

For dessert Bernie wanted a Bugsy martini but is told it is not possible to get as the bartender in the galley can’t make it. 

Oh okay…. We are surprised we have never had a problem getting it before. I get the cheesecake which is very yummy!  

So we have to go to Crooners to get Bernie’s Bugsy martini and I get a Bramble.  The staff there are fabulous – very personable, helpful and funny.  The piano player Salamon Parra is someone new we have never seen.  He is good but doesn’t appear to have the crowds we have seen with others.

At ten we go to the Princess Theater to see the Welcome Aboard Show.  The demographics are mainly American, there are only just under 400 Canadians and a handful of other nationalities.

Comedian A.J. Jamal is hilarious.  We have never seen him before and really laughed our heads off. Will definitely be back to see his next show.

Off to bed!

Second Sea Day

Today is the official Cruise Critic Meet and Greet.  The roll call was very busy and lots of people participate and volunteered. It was held at 10 am in Club 6 but silly me thought it was 10:30.  No officers attended but don't think many were invited.  I know Michael the HGM was not invited as he said to me if he would of received an invite he would of ensured his whole team was there.

Weather is a little nicer today so more people are outside.

For lunch I decide to get room service delivered to the cabin and just relax. But I am on hold for 10 minutes at 11:45. Again less crew is affects the service. I know Princess is trying to save money but it is noticeable. They need more staff and one to answer the bell box within a few minutes would be nice.

I forgot to mention that last night we approached the Crown Grill hostess station and Bernie asked about making a reservation for tomorrow. The woman stated they only had two seatings (5:30 and 9). Weird we have never heard this before. He tried to clarify "is this just the only times available this night or is this an ongoing thing". She clearly stated that Crown Grill only sits people at 5:30 and at 9. Okay and since neither time works he walks away a little flustered. 

When he explains to me what has just happened. I tell him "try again tomorrow by calling the dine line".  Which he does today and he has no problem getting a reservation for tonight. He is offered a whole range of times and we agree on an 8 pm reservation. 

So not sure why we got two different answers but this is not uncommon on board. So if you get one answer check again you could get a different answer. But what really concerns me is those who are new to Princess. What would they take away from this happening to them. They may not question it but be frustrated. This is an area that I would like to see Princess improve. Again I would love to see them implement an online reservation you could do once on board with the Princess at Sea App.

Duck tape works all the time!

I should bring you up to date on the issue of the overhead light that kept flashing. Find out that it is a heat sensor that is installed all over the ship and our cabin has two of them - one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. The reason it is flashing is offline and should be corrected soon. But in the mean time we got the clearance to put duck tape over it and it does help to buffer the flash. 

There are still issues on board with tv not working in some people's cabins (later find out that each person who had an issue with no tv got a $50 on board credit per person). The mid ship stairway is still not done but I believe it will open soon. We encounter workers all over the ship. And see them lounging in the International Cafe during their breaks. They are working very hard to get the ship finished.

Tonight dinner is in Concerto Dining room where we sit in Ivy's section.  Excellent service from Ivy and her assistant Nerus. 

Food was excellent. Tonight I had the Curtis Stone Chicken and Leek Pie and it looks so perfect - like a picture. I would just like to see it served with a side of vegetables.  I also tried the Vegetable Falafel dish which was cold and dry and the pitas that it was served with were so dry they cracked apart.  Ivy did offer to get us a fresh one but decided we probably wouldn't be able to eat it as we were getting full.

The dining room is busy but it is still a puzzle to me why some waiters are so busy with a full section where others are serving only one table in their section and the wait staff are standing around. Either spread out the tables better or have them help the waiters who are busy.

After dinner we went to Crooners for drinks where we chat and then join another couple who are from Virginia Jane and Cecil. I am trying to meet and connect with a least someone new each day.

Bernie is in love with a new martini called the Bugsy and I love the Tango Tini (vodka, blue Curacao and pineapple juice).

Crooners Bar Menu from Royal Princess From February 2015

Crooners Bar Menu from Royal Princess

Ultra Premium Martinis $8.95

  

Grey Goose
Grey Goose, Dry Vermouth

Hendrick’s
Hendrick’s, Dry Vermouth

Stoli Elit
Stolichnaya Elit and Dry Vermouth

Bombay Sapphire
Bombay Sapphire and Dry Vermouth

Russian Standard
Russian Standard and Dry Vermouth

Ciroc
Ciroc and Dry Vermouth

The Bond Collection $7.95

007 Classic
Tanqueray or Stolichnaya and Dry Vermouth

SkyFall

Stolichnaya, Triple Sec and Blue Curaçao

The Vespa
Tanqueray, Stolichnaya and Dry Vermouth

From Russia With Love
Skyy, Stolichnaya and Dry Vermouth

On Her Majesty’s…
Absolut, Beefeater and Dry Vermouth

Quantum of Solace
Absolut Citron, Chambord, and grapefruit juice

The World Is Not Enough!!  But a Martini Would Help !!

For your convenience a 15% gratuity will be added to your bar account.  Passengers under 21 years of age are not permitted to purchase or consume alcohol onboard a Princess vessel at any time.

Celebrity “Quotes”

Martinez, California claims to be the “Birthplace of the Martini.” Evidently, Humphrey Bogart’s last words were, “I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.”

W.C. Fields started the day with two double martinis before breakfast, “Angels’ Milk” he called them. Then he put down a glass of pineapple juice, a piece of toast and another martini. 

“You can no more keep a martini in the refrigerator than you can keep a kiss there. The proper union of Gin and Vermouth is a great and sudden glory; it is one of the happiest marriages on earth and one of the shortest lived. The fragile tie of ecstasy is broken in a few minutes, therefore, there can be no re-marriage.” 
Bernard De Voto, Harpers, 1969.

Try your favorite martini in a V-Ball Sinatra Glass.  Ask your server for details.

Olive-It & More© - Premium Stuffed Olives
To complement your favorite Martini at the Crooner’s Bar, we are proud to offer you the following selection of premium stuffed olives:
Almond
Anchovy
Blue Cheese
Citrus
Garlic
Jalapeño
Sun-Dried Tomato

Princess Pack Regulars - $7.95

Sir Winston Churchill made martinis by pouring Gin into a pitcher and glancing briefly at a bottle of Vermouth across the room.

Sour Apple Martini
Absolut and Apple Schnapps

Suntini
Stolichnaya, Melon Liqueur and pineapple juice

Tropitini
Bacardi Oakheart, Coconut Rum and Creme de Banana

Flamingo
Apple Schnapps, Melon Liqueur and cranberry juice

Thunderbird
Tanqueray, freshly squeezed lime and sugar syrup

Lemon Tini
Absolut Citron and sweet & sour

Violetta Martini
Skyy, Blue Curaçao and cranberry juice

Mambo Martini
Skyy, Coconut Rum and Banana Liqueur

Margaritini (South of the Border)
Cazadores, Cointreau and lime luice

Mini Mi Martini
Absolut Citron, Ketel One and Grand Marnier

Dunes
Coconut Rum, Banana Liqueur, Melon Liqueur, pineapple juice and sweet & sour

Tango Tini
Stolichnaya, Blue Curaçao and Melon Liqueur

Nutty Russian
Stolichnaya and Frangelico

Cosmopolitan
Absolut Citron, Triple Sec, cranberry juice and fresh lime

Orange-a-Tang
Stolichnaya, Cointreau and orange juice

Flirtini
Skyy, Sparkling Wine and cranberry juice

Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Tanqueray, Cointreau, orange marmalade

Crooner’s Classics - $7.95

Sammy’s Sidekick
Tanqueray, Blackberry Brandy and grapefruit juice

Lawford’s Libation (Peter Lawford)
Skyy, Amaretto and sweet & sour

Ocean’s 11
Crown Royal, Apple Schnapps and cranberry juice

The Big G (Manhattan)
Canadian Club and Sweet Vermouth

Tropicana
Jack Daniel’s, Kahlúa, Galliano, orange juice and cream

Dean’s Durty Martin-i
Tanqueray or Stolichnaya, Dry Vermouth and olive juice

The Bishop’s Mitre (Joey Bishop)
Grey Goose, Grand Marnier and orange juice

Golden Nugget
Bacardi Limon, coconut milk and passion fruit

Leader of the Clan (Rob Roy)
Glendfiddich and sweet vermouth

Baccarat
Absolut Raspberri, Frangelico, Blackberry Brandy and cream

Hacienda
Stolichnaya, Apple Schnapps, Melon Liqueur and cranberry juice

Chocolate Obsessions - $7.95

The Original Chocolate Martini
Stolichnaya and White Crème de Cacao

Chocolate Mint Martini
Stolichnaya, White Crème de Cacao and Peppermint Schnapps

Chocolate Banana Martini

Skyy, White Crème de Cacao and Banana Liqueur

Milky Way Martini
Grey Goose, Kahlúa and Irish Cream

Mocha Martini
Stolichnaya, White Crème de Cacao and Tia Maria

Bugsy
Irish Cream, Crème de Menthe White, espresso coffee and cream

Chocolate Nuttini
Stolichnaya, White Crème de Cacao and Frangelico

Chocolate Raspberritini
Skyy, White Crème de Cacao and Chambord

‘Earsheys Kiss
Skyy, Dark Crème de Cacao and Kahlúa

Saturday Night Recap

As I lay here on Sunday morning sipping my latte that Bernie brought me and thought I should update what we ended up doing last night.

We agreed to meet at Crooners.  You see Bernie is always ready way before me so he heads to the lounge and then I finish getting ready and I go meet him.  As soon as I sit down the bar staff come over and they recognize us from earlier this year.  So hard to believe how many have been on since we got on last February, but they are going home soon.

I had my first Bramble martini of the trip and we sat there listening to this amazing Mariachi band in the Piazza, and have to say it was lovely.  Hard to sit still and not dance in your seat, in fact everyone I look at is getting into the mood.

We head to Da Vinci and we are lead to table 449 and we are looking for Mark and Lorelei who are hiding behind their station and surprise us.  Huge hugs and kisses.  Lorelei is such a dear, a lovely woman who is from the Phillipines and is married with two young boys.  She is missing her family so much but knows that the kids are in good hands with her Mom and will see them soon.  It is amazing the sacrifice that she is doing (and many others here) to provide for her family. 

Bernie hands Mark a big bag of Pistachios cause he loves them, and hands Lorelei a little bit of pampering with some nice bath gels and a hair treatment mask, so she can indulge and relax after a long day.

Laura joins us for a meal, which is great!  We really got to know Laura well and had the pleasure of hosting her in our city in August and then again when she returned to the ship in September.  She is looking great but boy does she work hard. 

We order a lovely bottle of wine – Sancerre.  I ask Mark for his recommendations and giggle cause I am pretty sure I know what they will be and tell Lorelei in secret what they will be and see how well I will do.  Of course he recommends the Spring Roll, ding I am right, Mushroom Soup, ding I am right, Prime Rib, ding I am right three for three.  Mark is blushing, saying oh you know me too well. 

Bernie had a three melon cocktail, the mushroom soup and the ricotta/leek tart and enjoy all three.  I had the spring rolls, Caesar salad and the ricotta/leek tart too.  Everyone was great and tasty.  For dessert I had the cheese plate and the last of my wine.  Mark kept trying to get me to enjoy something sweet but I am happy. 

We are blessed, truly blessed as we sit there so many staff come up to say hi and hug us.  Word has passed down to the Michelangelo dining room that we are here and even a few have come up from there to say hi to us as the dining room quiets down.  Wow – I know our Princess family is what keeps us coming back time and time again. 

As we head out of the dining room I realize oh I am tired, it has been a long day and I have had a few drinks.  We chat with Anthony in Vines and see Mark and Lisa at their usual table.  We met them earlier in the day.  They are from Washington State just south of us and they have been following my blog and Anthony introduces us.  They are a lovely couple and look forward to getting to know them better.

Off to the cabin…. And we see that we have received our invitation for the Most Travelled Party which is going to be held on Tuesday and it is a luncheon.  Not sure what the cut off number is what number we are but just happy that we are included.  If I happen to get a chance to talk to the Captain Circle Host I will ask but she is very busy every time we pass her so not sure if I will be able to get that info.

I forgot to mention that they are laying new wiring for the wifi on board and there is a warning in the Patter that internet could be intermittent.  The signal is poor into my cabin currently and I am having issues with uploading pictures so that may have to wait until I am home.