Cruise Critic has Roll Calls for each and every cruise. This gives people the opportunity to ask specific questions for their particular adventure. An individual will get one started and participation varies. I've been involved in some that were huge and others very small. This cruise roll call was started by a fellow named Gordon. Every roll call has some form of a get together or as we like to say in the cruise game a meet-and-greet. Ours was set for just after sail out under the Golden Gate Bridge.
I thought Gordon and the group may be a little early so before reaching the bridge Wanda and I went to the appointed meeting area but didn't see anyone. I was sorry we missed them.
Now I've got to say sailing out of San Francisco Bay with Alcatraz on your starboard (right) side and The City on your port (left)...remember port/left...4 letters and under the Golden Gate Bridge with all the people waving is very, very exciting but I've done it eleven times. I'm not bragging it's simply a matter of having San Francisco as a home port and Wanda's No Fly Zone. Missing the sail out was not a matter of complacency but more to do with hunger. It was 5:30 and we were famished. So, we went to the Horizon Court Buffet and watched from the large picture windows while we ate dinner.
If you're wondering why S.F. is on what looks like the starboard side I took this looking back (photo from March 2014).
Sunday, the first day at sea. I know yesterday I said I couldn't remember what we did, although I did write I remembered eating, Wanda and I decided to partake in the Princess British Pub Lunch. This is served in the Beautiful Crown Grill and gives me a chance to consume my yearly allotment of fried Fish and Chips or Bangers and Mash but most importantly mushy peas. I'm particularly interested in mushy peas as the way my dental problems are escalating they're sure to be a staple on future menus (along with blended steaks). The Pub Lunch is very popular and crowds begin to line up for opening at 11 a.m. We arrived around 11:30 and told the hostess we would be happy to share a table.
Just a few seconds after arriving at our booth a gentleman approached. "Mind if I join you?" He asked.
"Not at all, we said, please have a seat."
"Hello, my name is Gordon."
Keep this in mind, Princess lists 2,600 lower berth passengers for Star Princess and she was sailing full.
It's fun and easy to get to know fellow traveler's. Obviously, unless one is Mr. Grumpy dragged along kicking and screaming by a partner who longed for the sea everyone has a common love, cruising. I always thought train travel far superior to movement by airplane and much easier to break the ice with fellow passengers. An ice-breaker on a train is "Where are you headed?" On a plane it is a rather silly question. Cruise ship conversation is easy and natural.
I'm glad we ran into Gordon. He is an interesting gentleman. After our Pub lunch we got together for another lunch Monday and made arraignments to meet up for dinner Tuesday evening.
We spent Monday in Ensenada and that evening had reservations for dinner at Princess' Crab Shack. While many eschew (another word I normally wouldn't use but eating and eschew just go together) up charges for food on a cruise line. We think the $20 per person tariff for this is well worth it. Princess serves up great steamers of crab, mussels, shrimp, clams, sausage, corn and potatos. And along with appetizers, garlic bread, soup, dessert and coffee or tea the only thing missing is a wheel-barrow to cart you back to the cabin. This is a very popular venue and on this particular sailing was available four nights.
In October 2008 the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, they beat the Tampa Bay Ray's four games to one. We sailed out of San Francisco on a 10 day cruise to Mexico. Our friends Debbie and Jeff were part of the group. Now Debbie is from New Jersey and as big a Phillies fan as there is. Apparently she was the only person on that cruise who gave a damn about that series and went ballistic when the sports bar on board was broadcasting soccer.
Debbie was heard to mutter...."SOCCER? THE FREAKIN' WORLD SERIES IS ON AND THEY'RE SHOWING SOCCER?
I suppose it could have been worse, it could have been cricket.
Well, no such problem on this cruise sports fans. The San Francisco Giants are in the playoffs. Every Giants baseball game was shown somewhere, from in cabin televisions to the giant (how appropriate) screen above the swimming pool. And we had all day Sunday football, Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football and the big screen showing (with eleven people in attendance) of Thursday Night Football with the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
Which just goes to show....football just may be America's sport.
We also had a plethora of film entertainment while on our cruise.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 24/7 staple on in cabin television and has been since 2011.
The movies shown "Under the Stars" and the theaters included:
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: We made it through 20 minutes.
Edge of Tomorrow: I made it through less.
Maleficent: It took me two tries, half now and half later.
Million Dollar Arm: I enjoyed it.
The Fault in Our Stars: I read the book. I liked the movie. I didn't cry.
And shown once only in the Princess Theater, Chef......which in our humble opinion was the best film we've seen in years. And how refreshing to watch a movie where the language seemed so appropriate. While I don't condone the rampant use of the f-word, I think it shows a laziness to use other more descriptive language, sometimes it just fits. No one seemed to mind. This was the first film I've seen on a ship where people actually clapped at the end.
And if these diversions weren't enough; The in cabin television had many other stations including Fox News, BBC and MSNBC so you could keep up with politics, world events and Ebola outbreaks.
Doctors appointment tomorrow morning then back for more.
No comments:
Post a Comment