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Review Sapphire Princess - California Costal - Apr/May 2012
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<blockquote data-quote="Cruizer" data-source="post: 1574573" data-attributes="member: 18088"><p><img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/AshipVII.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Saturday, April 28 – Embarkation day</strong></p><p>Check in was a snap. There was no one in line ahead of me. Princess assigns passengers a boarding number after once you are checked in. I was in group four. I don’t recall how long it was until I was able to board because I found someone from the group and was talking to them the whole time (and thus not looking at my watch). Actually a person from the group found me. I was wearing a duck cap given to me by the travel agent I booked with and so I kind of stuck out. I’ve never meet any of the people in the group. Basically we are a group of people who post on a cruise forum. They are however a great bunch of people. </p><p></p><p>At any rate my bad luck with group cruises continued. When I received my room key it had the wrong time for my dining (it shows early and I want late or Personal Choice). As I’m walking away from the check in counter a Princess employee sees me shaking my head. She asks what is wrong and I explain the wrong dining time is listed. She tells me how to fix it. While I was not upset by this (I was only shaking my head because I noticed the error, not because I was upset) I do have to give this person (and Princess) credit for caring. Again, I did not go to her nor did I say anything. It was, at the time, simply an issue I would have to take care of once I boarded the ship.</p><p></p><p>While waiting to board another member of the group came over to me and apparently the error in the dining time was not limited just to me. So he said he would take care of it, and he did. That said, I do have to say that I am not a fan of flexible dining and the two reasons for this will present themselves before the day is over. First of all, without a set dining time you have to get several people to agree on a time and place. Experience has taught me that this is not all that easy, and tonight was no exception. Finally we agreed on a time (more or less). The other reason I don’t like flexible dining is that it has been my experience that the service is not as good, and tonight’s service was not up to the standard I am used to when being served by the same wait staff for the entire week. Yes, I know it was the first night, but that is one of the problems with flexible dining. Every night is the first night with whichever waiter and assistant waiter team you end up with. </p><p></p><p>Please understand, after all is said and done, the issues I have mentioned don’t subtract from the cruise, they just don’t add to the cruise. Positive experiences do add to the cruise, just like the lady who took an interest in me after check in.</p><p></p><p>At any rate, once I boarded the ship I headed to my cabin. Yes, the cabins were ready and it was before 1:00pm (I don’t recall the exact time, but it was before 1:00pm). After putting my carry-ons in the cabin I began to tour the ship. I started on the top most forward deck and worked my way aft. My goal at this point is picture taking. I knew I would eventually find the food and when I did I had lunch (more or less a little of several different things). Finally I found the pizza station. I asked for one slice and he gave me two. I held up one finger (if I had touched the plate he would not be able to take the extra piece back). I had already been grazing (some lunch meat, a couple of chicken wings, two sandwiches, some cheese, a milkshake and shrimp) so I wasn’t all that hungry by the time it came to the pizza (which I ended up eating on my balcony). </p><p></p><p>About this time the cabin steward showed up and said hello. I asked for ice (I always ask for ice). One of my two suitcases also arrived. Then the phone rang. Apparently the group was having an impromptu get together and down I went (from deck ten to deck five). We have scheduled a get together at 5:00pm, but this meeting was a spur of the moment idea (and a good one at that – as this is the first time we have all meet). </p><p></p><p>Soon it is time for the muster drill. We carry our lift vests to our muster station (the Pacific Theatre for me) and get scanned in. After the muster drill I go upstairs to put away my life vest and head to the Outrigger bar for the first of two sail-away parties (two different roll call groups). </p><p></p><p>While there I note that as we pass the break water we turn right – a first for me (this is the eighth time I have sailed out of Los Angeles – all of the other cruises headed south). Then at 5:00pm I head over to the Wheelhouse Bar to meet with the group I am traveling with, which apparently includes our new travel agent, who has convinced most of the group that she didn’t get off the ship in time with the rest of the visitors. I too was fooled even though I should know better. I’ve been on several ship tours and the cruise lines keep tract of visitors the same way they keep tract of passengers. In fact, just like the passengers, visitors have to provide information to the cruise line in advance of the visit. You cannot just show up at the dock and visit for a few hours. </p><p></p><p>While talking to someone the subject of fuel usage came up. And the person I was talking to mentioned that the QE2 gets only six inches per gallon. I know this is false and I tell him. He is not convinces. So I explain, at six inches per mile that comes to over 10,500 gallons per mile (actually 10,580 gallons). It is about 3,500 miles from New York to London. So that would require over 35 million gallons of fuel. Even at fifty cents per gallon that comes to over $17,500,000. I don’t know how many people the QE2 holds, but it is less than the 2600 the QM2 holds. At $3,000 per person (I sure the average is less) that is only $7,800,000. That is less than half of the alleged fuel consumption. Simply put the ship gets a lot more than six inches per gallon. I believe the figure is actually about 50 feet per gallon, which is one hundred times better than the alleged figure, bringing the fuel costs down to a more reasonable $175,000. </p><p></p><p>At any rate, here is where the fun begins for dinner. We decided to all eat together. But of course not everyone agrees on what time. Eventually we agree to meet back in thirty minutes and see what the restaurant can do for us. When I return to the cabin I note that my second bag has arrived and I unpack both bags, which pretty much fills up the half hour for me. </p><p></p><p>Then I head back down for dinner. As I enter the elevator the push buttons are to the right. To my left is a three year old boy who is very excited to have an ice cream. However, I’m looking to the right and I don’t see him. Suddenly there is this (for lack of a better term) scream to my left. This startles me and I jump a bit, which of course gives everyone a good laugh. Now I am looking to my left and I see this small boy with a chocolate mustache and beard holding out his prized ice cream cone for me to see. Apparently he enjoys cruising.</p><p></p><p>In fact I am pleasantly surprise at the number of kids on this cruise (I would guess thirty to forty, which is a lot for Princess for a school time cruise), as it is still school time. My last cruise was pretty much devoid of kids as it was twelve nights during March. The kids add a little extra energy to the cruise and I enjoy like the extra energy. Unlike most school time cruise passengers, I don’t mind being splashed in the pool (given that I am already wet) and sometimes have a little fun retaliating. I have taught myself how to put my hands together under water then bring my hands completely out of the water and by squeezing my hands together I can squirt the water about twelve feet. Most kids have never seen this before and are quiet surprised when I get them back that way. </p><p></p><p>At any rate soon we have two tables (an eight top plus a four top) for twelve, and we all enjoy dinner. Well most of us enjoy dinner. One orders what he believes is a Cajun dish and when it arrives it has none of the Cajun spices. He describes it as having the food in brown gravy. He asks the waiter who of course is not American and doesn’t understand what Cajun spices are. So the waiter gets the head waiter who also doesn’t understand what is being asked of him either. Doing his best under the circumstances the head waiter offers anything else on the menu. However, everyone else is at least half way done with their dinner and our group member doesn’t want to start all over and hold everyone up. </p><p></p><p>Finally someone suggests adding some Tabasco sauce. That is something the head waiter knows about and off he goes to get a bottle of Tabasco sauce. I’m eating a very small steak (two very small filet mignon steaks shaped like a hamburger) from the alternative choice menu. I didn’t realize that the alternative menu is the one that appears every night; nonetheless it works out well for me, since I am not that hungry. The steak is okay, not great and not bad. At any rate I look up to see the head waiter returning with one small bottle of Tabasco sauce on a silver platter. I’m not kidding; he is carrying this one tiny bottle of Tabasco sauce like it was the featured item of the meal. </p><p></p><p>After dinner I check out the shop onboard. All I am really interested in doing is checking out what is available and getting back to my cabin to work on this. I have been running around most of the afternoon in the sun taking pictures and I am tired. So, until tomorrow morning – good night.</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239a.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>I was in cabin C239</p><p></p><p><img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239b.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239c.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239d.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239e.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cruizer, post: 1574573, member: 18088"] [IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/AshipVII.jpg[/IMG] [B] Saturday, April 28 – Embarkation day[/B] Check in was a snap. There was no one in line ahead of me. Princess assigns passengers a boarding number after once you are checked in. I was in group four. I don’t recall how long it was until I was able to board because I found someone from the group and was talking to them the whole time (and thus not looking at my watch). Actually a person from the group found me. I was wearing a duck cap given to me by the travel agent I booked with and so I kind of stuck out. I’ve never meet any of the people in the group. Basically we are a group of people who post on a cruise forum. They are however a great bunch of people. At any rate my bad luck with group cruises continued. When I received my room key it had the wrong time for my dining (it shows early and I want late or Personal Choice). As I’m walking away from the check in counter a Princess employee sees me shaking my head. She asks what is wrong and I explain the wrong dining time is listed. She tells me how to fix it. While I was not upset by this (I was only shaking my head because I noticed the error, not because I was upset) I do have to give this person (and Princess) credit for caring. Again, I did not go to her nor did I say anything. It was, at the time, simply an issue I would have to take care of once I boarded the ship. While waiting to board another member of the group came over to me and apparently the error in the dining time was not limited just to me. So he said he would take care of it, and he did. That said, I do have to say that I am not a fan of flexible dining and the two reasons for this will present themselves before the day is over. First of all, without a set dining time you have to get several people to agree on a time and place. Experience has taught me that this is not all that easy, and tonight was no exception. Finally we agreed on a time (more or less). The other reason I don’t like flexible dining is that it has been my experience that the service is not as good, and tonight’s service was not up to the standard I am used to when being served by the same wait staff for the entire week. Yes, I know it was the first night, but that is one of the problems with flexible dining. Every night is the first night with whichever waiter and assistant waiter team you end up with. Please understand, after all is said and done, the issues I have mentioned don’t subtract from the cruise, they just don’t add to the cruise. Positive experiences do add to the cruise, just like the lady who took an interest in me after check in. At any rate, once I boarded the ship I headed to my cabin. Yes, the cabins were ready and it was before 1:00pm (I don’t recall the exact time, but it was before 1:00pm). After putting my carry-ons in the cabin I began to tour the ship. I started on the top most forward deck and worked my way aft. My goal at this point is picture taking. I knew I would eventually find the food and when I did I had lunch (more or less a little of several different things). Finally I found the pizza station. I asked for one slice and he gave me two. I held up one finger (if I had touched the plate he would not be able to take the extra piece back). I had already been grazing (some lunch meat, a couple of chicken wings, two sandwiches, some cheese, a milkshake and shrimp) so I wasn’t all that hungry by the time it came to the pizza (which I ended up eating on my balcony). About this time the cabin steward showed up and said hello. I asked for ice (I always ask for ice). One of my two suitcases also arrived. Then the phone rang. Apparently the group was having an impromptu get together and down I went (from deck ten to deck five). We have scheduled a get together at 5:00pm, but this meeting was a spur of the moment idea (and a good one at that – as this is the first time we have all meet). Soon it is time for the muster drill. We carry our lift vests to our muster station (the Pacific Theatre for me) and get scanned in. After the muster drill I go upstairs to put away my life vest and head to the Outrigger bar for the first of two sail-away parties (two different roll call groups). While there I note that as we pass the break water we turn right – a first for me (this is the eighth time I have sailed out of Los Angeles – all of the other cruises headed south). Then at 5:00pm I head over to the Wheelhouse Bar to meet with the group I am traveling with, which apparently includes our new travel agent, who has convinced most of the group that she didn’t get off the ship in time with the rest of the visitors. I too was fooled even though I should know better. I’ve been on several ship tours and the cruise lines keep tract of visitors the same way they keep tract of passengers. In fact, just like the passengers, visitors have to provide information to the cruise line in advance of the visit. You cannot just show up at the dock and visit for a few hours. While talking to someone the subject of fuel usage came up. And the person I was talking to mentioned that the QE2 gets only six inches per gallon. I know this is false and I tell him. He is not convinces. So I explain, at six inches per mile that comes to over 10,500 gallons per mile (actually 10,580 gallons). It is about 3,500 miles from New York to London. So that would require over 35 million gallons of fuel. Even at fifty cents per gallon that comes to over $17,500,000. I don’t know how many people the QE2 holds, but it is less than the 2600 the QM2 holds. At $3,000 per person (I sure the average is less) that is only $7,800,000. That is less than half of the alleged fuel consumption. Simply put the ship gets a lot more than six inches per gallon. I believe the figure is actually about 50 feet per gallon, which is one hundred times better than the alleged figure, bringing the fuel costs down to a more reasonable $175,000. At any rate, here is where the fun begins for dinner. We decided to all eat together. But of course not everyone agrees on what time. Eventually we agree to meet back in thirty minutes and see what the restaurant can do for us. When I return to the cabin I note that my second bag has arrived and I unpack both bags, which pretty much fills up the half hour for me. Then I head back down for dinner. As I enter the elevator the push buttons are to the right. To my left is a three year old boy who is very excited to have an ice cream. However, I’m looking to the right and I don’t see him. Suddenly there is this (for lack of a better term) scream to my left. This startles me and I jump a bit, which of course gives everyone a good laugh. Now I am looking to my left and I see this small boy with a chocolate mustache and beard holding out his prized ice cream cone for me to see. Apparently he enjoys cruising. In fact I am pleasantly surprise at the number of kids on this cruise (I would guess thirty to forty, which is a lot for Princess for a school time cruise), as it is still school time. My last cruise was pretty much devoid of kids as it was twelve nights during March. The kids add a little extra energy to the cruise and I enjoy like the extra energy. Unlike most school time cruise passengers, I don’t mind being splashed in the pool (given that I am already wet) and sometimes have a little fun retaliating. I have taught myself how to put my hands together under water then bring my hands completely out of the water and by squeezing my hands together I can squirt the water about twelve feet. Most kids have never seen this before and are quiet surprised when I get them back that way. At any rate soon we have two tables (an eight top plus a four top) for twelve, and we all enjoy dinner. Well most of us enjoy dinner. One orders what he believes is a Cajun dish and when it arrives it has none of the Cajun spices. He describes it as having the food in brown gravy. He asks the waiter who of course is not American and doesn’t understand what Cajun spices are. So the waiter gets the head waiter who also doesn’t understand what is being asked of him either. Doing his best under the circumstances the head waiter offers anything else on the menu. However, everyone else is at least half way done with their dinner and our group member doesn’t want to start all over and hold everyone up. Finally someone suggests adding some Tabasco sauce. That is something the head waiter knows about and off he goes to get a bottle of Tabasco sauce. I’m eating a very small steak (two very small filet mignon steaks shaped like a hamburger) from the alternative choice menu. I didn’t realize that the alternative menu is the one that appears every night; nonetheless it works out well for me, since I am not that hungry. The steak is okay, not great and not bad. At any rate I look up to see the head waiter returning with one small bottle of Tabasco sauce on a silver platter. I’m not kidding; he is carrying this one tiny bottle of Tabasco sauce like it was the featured item of the meal. After dinner I check out the shop onboard. All I am really interested in doing is checking out what is available and getting back to my cabin to work on this. I have been running around most of the afternoon in the sun taking pictures and I am tired. So, until tomorrow morning – good night. [IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239a.jpg[/IMG] I was in cabin C239 [IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239b.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239c.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239d.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/ZefH/Princess%20Sapphire/C239e.jpg[/IMG] [/QUOTE]
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Review Sapphire Princess - California Costal - Apr/May 2012
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