What a trip ,oh sorry wrong decade
Anyway we returned yesterday from are very first cruise(14 day Hawaiim aboard the Sapphire Prince) Well things did not go as planned. The day we were to fly out of Portland Ore to LAX on Alaska Airlines is the same day that their computers deceided they would crash.Lesson #1 learned leave a day early! Dont worry theirs a happy ending to the story.So after 15 hours in the airport(YAAAAA) Alaska air lines flew MY wife and myself to Kona Hawaii and put us up in the Royal Kona Resort.
What a nice place It has its own private logoan for swimmming in which by the way there were turtles swimming around in there very cool.They had an open air bar right next to the ocean they had a luaua (sorry spelling ) swimmig pools very nice place.We rented a car and toured the Island went to the green sand beach just beware very long walk about 3 miles except the locals drive back and forth giving rides for donations.So after we spent 4 days on the big Island which by the ways was one of the best times my wife and I have ever had! We drove to Hilo to meet the ship. My Nephew lives in Hilo and he showed us around we went snorkeling that was amazing. then he showed us all the attractions that was very nice. Then we went to meet the ship.Very impressive.
My firt impression was that she was huge and very impressive. So that night we did a little explorimg And ate at the Horizon court. Both my wife and I thought the food was very good oh sure there was some stuff we didnt like but that is expected.Then we just both turned in we were pretty tired, We had a room with a balcony It seemed a little small at first but it worked out real well LOved the balcony only way to go for us.
Then the next day we docked in Honolulu where my brother lives another tour of the Island went to the shrimp farms,the old Dole prosecing Plant and went thru the maze seen all the sights went to dinner then watched the fireworks at the Hilton hotel nice. We then touried the last 2 Islands.Someday we want to go back and spend more time on Maui.Being firt time Cruisers we found the time on the ship to be alot of fun we would go swimming work out in the gym go to the casino sit on the balcony went and watched a couple dance shows (a firsts for us) we both enjoyed it very much.I think the only complaint about the cruise for me any way (my wife very seldoms complains she finds the good in everything)would have to be some of the other passengers some of them were down right rude.There you are up to your eyeballs in food more food then you could ever eat and they feel the need to crowd you and cut in front of you in the buffet line!I saw one guy who ordered an omlette at the buffet then started yelling at the server because he could see mushrooms mixed in the eggs they were not all stuffed inside give me a break what an (#$$@%$^&) Some people always seemed to be in a huury I thought this was a vaction a time to relaxe?
As far as the service for the most part it was good except for a couple of times first my wife went up to order her coffe and I sat in another chair as I was looking around I noticed they were taking orders around her like she wasnt there Then after a while she gave me the look to help her as soon as I got to the counter they ran right over and took my wifes order?? Another time we had a pager while we were waiting for a seat for dinner after about an hour of waiting we went back they claimed they paged us but we knew they forgot about us. All they had to do was admitt they forgot, dont try to say it was are fault!
All In All it was one of the best times my wife and I have shared to together all tho it didnt start out to well it was an adventure we shared together even all the time at the airport we had fun Alaska airline gave us $36 for lunch we walked around. Sometimes it not whats going on around you that makes it a good time or bad time but who you are with All in all we feel Alaska airlines treated well Sure it was disapointing to miss the ship but at least we didnt have to go home and we spent 4 days in kona, OH I almost forgot when we got on board and checked our on board acvount Princce had given us a $1400.00credit on our account for the time we missed.
All IN ALL a very nice time even had fun in Mexico went to an open air market talk about high presured sales I was lucky getting my wife out of their without have to get a 2nd mortage on the house! Most of the other passengers were very nice and friendly altho on this cruise there were alot of older folks not that were spring chickens Just turned 50 we feel a youner crowd would of been nicer. Will we do it again sure would we recomend Princess, sure why not nice ship good food friendly people for the most part why not.We feel for our vaction dollars was money well spent. THe weather on the way back was fun I thought one night the T.V channel said there were 30 knot winds and 15 foot seas I thought It was fun All tho my house seems to rocking back and forth right now!So what didd we learn from are first cruise leave a dy early,have travel insurance,and dont worry about the little things after all your on vaction.One of the best time are our lifes!!!!
Well we are back
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