Day at sea

Today was another relaxed day at sea.  I did my water exercises and read some but didn't do much else. My back still hasn't recovered from Easter Island and I decided not to take the pain medication just in case it was related to my recurrence of motion sickness. A few days ago I started reading the books for the book club. I didn't much care for the first one I picked up so put it aside and started reading another one. They have not announced when the book club will start so I'm not sure what order I should read them in. All in all it was a nice day.

Tomorrow we are to sail around Pitcairn's island. Normally the entire population of the island, 48 people, come out to the ship to sell souvenirs. This evening the captain announced that the islanders would not be coming aboard due to our Norovirus situation. It is unfortunate, but I think they are making the right decision. They are an isolated population who probably would have trouble getting to good health care if anyone got seriously ill. As a result, tomorrow will be a day of scenic cruising.

There appears to also be a cold going around. Thankfully I have gotten neither it nor the Norovirus. However, if anyone is reading this who is getting on at Sydney or beyond bring lots of hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes for your room. Apparently there are some sick people who refuse to stay quarantined. As a result we had a slight upturn in the Norovirus situation after Easter Island. There is speculation that these folks will be put off at Papeete. Those with colds appear to have the run of the ship.

Thanks and answers

Thanks for the tip on reordering the post. I deleted the post that indicated they were out of order as they are now in order.

There are full time residents on Easter Island. I keep hearing different figures. The range is 3500-5000. Only the decedents of natives can own land so that keeps it small. Our tour guide felt it was crowded at 5K. In earlier times the island apparently got very over populated which caused the deforestation and the civil wars that apparently resulted in the Moai all being pulled down.

I'm just repeating what we heard so don't take any of this as historical fact.

5 sea days until Tahiti

We have 5 sea days before Tahiti. The luxury of 5 sea days in a row provides the feeling of a complete lack of urgency to do anything. I took some pain medication for my back due to the rough roads on Easter Island. It makes you sleepy and a little dizzy. With the relaxed sea day and the affect of the medication, I had a very lazy day and felt like I could drop off to sleep at any minute.

Unfortunately during my water exercises my motion sickness came back. The ship's movement was noticeable but not exceptionally large. I'm wondering if the pain medication has something to do with it because I did not get the immediate relief from ginger that I usually do.

The weather today was wonderfully warm and the sea was the most beautiful deep blue. During the day I wore the T-shirt I got on Easter Island. I will certainly increase my T-shirt collection on this trip.

Today was our first time change. We are going to have another on the 31st so I will be back to Mountain Time.

Tonight was our second formal night. I went up to dinner so that I could see all the beautiful gowns but then came back to my cabin to rest my back.

The last 2 pics I intended to attach for Easter Island

These 2 pictures are of a face at the quarry and the Moai platform at the beach. The beach area is much prettier than can be seen here. I just didn't take a picture of it. It was really hot out and I got in the water for a nice refreshing swim.

More Moai Quarry Pictures

We were very lucky to have a guide with us for the Moai quarry as she was able to point out Moai everywhere. Some being carved, some broken pieces. You had to really look to see alot of them. It is amazing to think that there are so many you can see and likely a very large number that are completely buried.

In one picture it looks like just rock, but then look closer. It is the face of a Moai, mostly buried. There is a tuft of grass in front of the face.

We then went to a beautiful sandy beach where we had a barbecue lunch and went for a swim. The water was refreshing and the sand was amazingly pure, no rocks, sharp coral, and no drop off. Just a wonderful natural sandy cove. The color of water in this area is a beautiful blue turquoise. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the beach area. Too much Moai focus. :-)

There are wild horses all over the island. It was beautiful to see them running free over the land. They were brought to the island for riding and assistance in farming but with cars they aren't really needed so they just roam free. No one takes care of them, they eat the vegetation.

Easter Island Moai Quarry

We then moved on to one of the most fascinating sites. It is the quarry where the Moai were cut from the stone. Everywhere you look there are Moai littered about. Many of these were the ones in progress, being carved when the carving stopped and that the dirt built up around them as time went on and they became partially buried. In addition the remains of broken Moai litter the ground everywhere. It is thought that sometimes in transit they broke and were left where they fell. If you look at the center of the first picture with this post and then just to the right, you can see a very large Moai that was being carved and is still part of the hillside. In the next picture this is a closer view of the same Moai. On the left side of this picture you can see where a Moai had already been cut from the mountain and it was likely a similar size. There were many places where you could see Moai being carved, with one above being carved, one on the side, one in
front etc. They did not waste material.

Easter Island - Beautiful Island

It was an amazing experience to be on Easter Island, the most remote place in the world. The number of Moai is overwhelming. They are everywhere! But let's start from the beginning. We anchored off-shore and tendered in. Our tour guide met us with beautiful yellow leis. They smelled wonderful. Unfortunately a bee thought so to and I got stung. Thankfully I'm not allergic to bees and eventually the welt went away.

We started off the tour with a large Moai. I got a picture of it with the ship in the background (pic 1). We also saw some heavily weathered Moai on a platform. The majority of the Moai face in toward the island. All the standing ones have been reconstructed as it is thought they were all pulled down in civil wars. At one point the island was over populated. However, right now it is a stunning island. The only way to own land, however, is to be a native.

After stopping at the tour office, we continued on to a stop with 15 Moai all in a row on a platform. They were enormous. I included a picture of them with me standing in front of them (pic 2). I hope I show up in the photo as I am very small in comparison to them. You cannot go on the platform to have your picture taken so even though they are dwarfing me I am still somewhat in the foreground so they are even bigger than they appear in the photo. I have also included a picture of a turtle carved in lava rock that was located near these Moai.

Answers to ques.

The washers are $1.00 each and the dryers are $1.00 each. You can get quarters at the passenger services desk. The soap is included. It is in a dispenser attached to the washer, you just push a button to dispense it. The hair dryers work well, no need to bring your own unless you want to use it while someone else uses the bathroom, then you may want one to use in the desk area. The bathrooms are very small. I brought my own but have been using the one in the bathroom.

Day at Sea & Noro Update

Today was another calm sea day with glorious weather! We are really lucking out with the weather. I've done a transatlantic with poor weather and it really takes away from the trip when you can't use the outdoor decks. I hope our good luck holds.

I've attached a picture of the pool deck that I took just after I got out of the pool. I got my water exercises in today and attended the lecture on Easter Island. It was really good and I'm looking forward to the stop tomorrow.

We appear to have lost another couple off the ship. Apparently they were not abiding by their quarantine and were put off the ship in Lima.

The captain made an announcement some time ago that the Noro was in decline. However it isn't gone yet as every now and then you hear of another quarantine case. The ship has also kept the Noro food handling procedures and is still sanitizing the public areas.

Breakfast and picture update

Hello Everyone,

I am attaching a picture of the back deck where I have breakfast every morning. I set the GPS Spot out on the table and send my morning GPS location from this area.

I'm still working on the picture compression issue. I appreciate the suggestion of Paint and I'm trying to get a copy that will do the job. On my desktop the Paint program that came with the computer allows you to resize so I assumed the version on my netbook would also. Unfortunately it does not. I had a version of Paint sent to me but I have not been able to get it to open images as it requires more memory than I have available. As a result I'm having another version sent which is hopefully freeware and does not require more resources than I have to open an image. Once I get something working here I will post more pictures.

What I want to remember about Lima

I've thought about doing this post since we left Lima. The thing that most struck me about Lima was the friendliness and helpfulness of all the people we met. I was impressed with how everyone we dealt with seemed to take pleasure in doing a great job.

Day at sea - beautiful weather

Today started off a little overcast but when it brightened up the sea was a beautiful deep blue. The sunset was also spectacular. The temperature all day was very pleasant, a little on the warm side which made getting into the pool refreshing.

I've been waiting for a $15 laundry bag special, but unfortunately I waited too long. As a result, when we had a special today I couldn't get all my laundry in the bag so had to hit the laundry room. The Tahitian Princess has 4 washers and 4 dryers for the whole ship. Luckily I got in and out pretty quickly by following a tip from a fellow passenger and put both my loads in the same dryer.

I got my water exercises in as the ocean was much calmer. I also walked for about 45 min. after dinner on the top deck. We had been in the Eastern time zone for the entire trip up to Lima. The sun was setting about 6 p.m. This evening it set shortly after 9. However we haven't had any on-board time changes yet. I'm not sure what time zone Easter Island is in. We have one more sea day before we get there and I don't see anything in the Princess Patter (daily newsletter) regarding a change tomorrow. Easter Island is part of Chile so maybe they operate in the same time zone as Chile to make conducting business easier.

Internet update

For Platinum and Elite cruisers you get a $200 internet credit. I used this to buy two 250 min. plans. Since I bought them on the first day I got two 30 min credits. So I started with a total of 560 minutes. I'm 14 days into the 107 day cruise and have 310 minutes left. I was thinking I needed to go on an Internet diet. Then I heard a rumor that we would be able to get $200 in credit each segment. I asked the internet manager and he verified that it was true. I also asked if I could carry over any unused minutes and he said I could.

As a result, I will be able to keep up with the posting. In addition I will start to add more pictures. I went and put a few up but the larger ones (over 1 MB) don't load due to the slow speed of the network. So I have to get a picture compression utility. I had though I had one but the paint program on my netbook is different than the one on my desktop and does not allow me to compress pictures. Once I have a compression utility It will be easier to send more pictures to the blog.

Lazy day at sea

Were out in the middle of the ocean, bouncing around. I did not do much due to the motion. Thankfully I appear to have my sea stomach as I am not getting motion sickness, but when it is rough the walking is hard and the waves in the pool were so big the water was sloshing out so I did not do my water exercises. The seas do not look that high so it only means things will get rougher when we get to truly high waves. As for today, I just took it easy, slept in my room and watched some TV. I'm lucky to be mid-ship and low.

Out here there is not much satellite connectivity so the TV channels are limited. I'm really looking forward to Easter Island. It is the type of place that you are unlikely to go to unless you are on this type of trip. We have 15 cruise critic members planning a private tour.

Sunday at sea

The TP treated us to Sunday brunch today. It was a nice change of pace but I think I will likely forgo it next time in favor of keeping a 3 meal a day schedule.

Today I attended a learn sign language class, got in my water exercises, took a nap after brunch, attended a sign language class and walked 35 minutes after dinner.

We have very good lectures. Today's was a lecture on the Concorde and yesterday's was on the SS France which became the SS Norway. I caught bits and pieces of them on the TV and they both looked good.

Tomorrow's are on Latin America Psyche, The Ile de France and the Normandie. There is also a discussion on Peru, Two Different Worlds. All three look good. Besides this there are many other activities to choose from.

Lima day 2

Lima day 2 was excellent.

I got my back support back! Four of my cruise critic friends who came on the sea lion tour went to work when they got back and notified the taxi company and Princess. They were smart enough to have written down the taxi number and knew the drivers name. I probably wouldn't have gotten it back if it weren't for them. Thanks!!! I was so excited and relieved as I use this for all the meals, on all the outdoor chairs etc. basically any occasion where I'm seated. And it is a huge help to me. It can't get me through the chairs in the show lounge but can get me through a meal in the dining room.

I took the Lima City Highlights tour and it was actually pretty good. I have low expectations for ship tours but I enjoyed this one quite a bit. We saw some wonderful paintings at a monastery. They had the paintings fairly exposed to the elements which I was surprised by. They had taken some down for restoration and there were beautiful paintings underneath. The two sets were of different styles and it was fun to compare them. The guide did a nice job on the history of the area also. We then went to a home and got to see the home of wealthy world travelers and hear the history of the house from their granddaughter.

Unfortunately there was no shopping on this tour so the embroidered bag, pillow and belt I wanted will have to wait for another time. I spotted all these on the first day but uncertainty regarding the price (seemed high) combined with low funds due to having to extend the tour time with the delayed sea lion tour held me back. I did get a necklace and earrings but that was it. My impression of the market we went to was that the prices were not that great. I thought for the things I was looking at I could get them cheaper at TJ Maxx or Ross. I may be wrong but I got the impression the people manning the stalls were not the stall owners, just employees and therefore could not really negotiate on the price. Others who had gone shopping (probably a different market) seemed to get some fairly good deals.

I know what I want to do if I should be so fortunate to return to Lima on a cruise ship and have just one day. I will go to the Larco Museum and then shop.

Lima - Delightful!

I'm happy to say were back safe and sound. The day went really well. Princess took care of us with taxi's right outside the gangway. They had posted prices to all the attractions in Lima and I believe you could rent them for the day. Unfortunately I left my back support in the first taxi so am hoping to recover it tomorrow. The taxi drivers had a nice conference discussing the reputation of the sea lion tour agency and let us go once they pronounced it safe. We greatly appreciated their taking a look at it as it was reassuring.

Our sea lion tour could not have been any better. We ended up going with an organization called Ecocruceros. It was really well done. They got everyone out to the boat, offered them motion sickness medication, snacks after the swim, wet suits included, hot drinks and a nice explanation of the sights. We were out for about 4 hours and I'm hoping I have some great video and pictures of swimming with the sea lions. The cost was only $30 pp.

islaspalomino@ecocruceros.com
ecocruceros@infonegocio.net.pe
www.islaspalomino.com

We are going to be on TV! There were two CNN Spanish network employees, a reporter and a camera person. We will be on the CNN Spanish network show 30 min. Although, I'm not 100% sure of the show name as the camera person did not speak English. We also had 23 students from Indiana on the cruise. They are doing an exchange program. Unfortunately they showed up late which caused us to be late for our next tour, the Pachacamac ruins. However the boat captain phoned someone on shore who went and found the guide and asked him to wait for us. I was very grateful that they made the extra effort.

Our next tour was the Pachacamac ruins.

Our guide was from the following agency:

Jenny Erquinigo
Inbound Tour Coordinator
*FERTUR PERU TRAVEL EIRL*
RUC 20518271122
Jr. Junin 211 - Cercado de Lima
Phone or fax: (0051-1) 4272626
Cell phone: (0051-1) 969-05791/ RPM: *240099
Toll free: UK 020-3002-3811
USA/Canada: 1-877-247-0055
Fax : 1 954 3629895
Email address: receptivo@fertur-travel.com
Web site: www.fertur-travel.com

He was the best tour guide I have every had. Our van was high-end and very comfortable. The driver was extremely safe and since there appear to be no traffic laws we were very impressed with his skills. The guide went out of his way to make sure we got to see as much as possible. Unfortunately with the 1 hour delay we got to the ruins with very little time to go before closing. Thankfully our guide still had enough time to show us the museum and two of the sights. The whole site is very large so we drove to the two we saw. I really enjoyed hearing about the history of the area

.

From there we decided to extend our tour by going to a market to do a little shopping. We only had about 30 min. so it was hard to take it all in. I have my eye on a few items that hopefully I can pick up tomorrow. After that it was off to a grocery store and then back to the ship.

We really cut it close for dinner and I had it brought to my room while I showered and then dashed to the folkloric show. The Peruvian folkloric show was excellent! I don't know where they found this dance group but they were extremely good. They had a dance with some white scarves which was particularly engaging.

Everyone we encountered was simply delightful. It was an excellent day. Tomorrow we are in Peru for half the day. Due to the short time I booked the ship's City Highlights tour.

World Cruise menus

Every night there is a theme to the menus. Tonight was South America. It was fortunate that it corresponds to where we are at. The other night it was Baltic which was confusing as we expected something more local. The food has been excellent. At one of the culinary demonstrations it was mentioned that the food repeats 3 times during the cruise. Which really is not bad for a 107 day cruise. The lunches have been excellent. The deserts have also been really good and varied. This cruise scores an A+ in the food department.

Because I am gluten free they prepare a special desert for me each night. However, they also tell me what I can order off the regular menu. It's taken me a full week to realize that the special deserts are not just a one-off occasion and that they show up every night. On those nights that I order off the menu, after my order comes a plate of cookies or another desert just shows up. Yesterday it was chocolate chip cookies, tonight it was cheesecake. I'm very grateful for the consideration but tomorrow I will ask that they tell me what it is in advance so I can decide if I want to order that or off the menu. I can't take any more nights of them showing up with double desert. :-) Fortunately I have not ordered desert with lunch, although there is a full desert menu. Unfortunately I have located the afternoon ice cream bar. Fortunately I cannot partake in the cookies, brownies and milk that also accompany the ice cream bar. Also fortunately the full
selection of deserts right behind the ice cream bar is off limits to me also. You can see where this is going. Way too much desert available and it is all really good. Of course the chocolates also show up on your pillow each night. And one night when I couldn't eat the cookies they brought me for my gluten free desert they offered to deliver them to my room.

Day at sea prior to Lima

We had a lecture on Peru. I caught most of it and it was very interesting. There was also a culinary demonstration which was also good. I got my water exercises in and did a little reading. The days at sea are wonderful!

Answers to questions

Are there a number of younger adults on this cruise with you? No there are very few young adults. I actually would guess there are zero (or maybe I just haven't seen them) young adults. I would say there are alot of middle aged people and senior citizens. The 2 younger children I described are not school age. The 3 that are with the speakers are getting off in Lima so returning to school. The parents of the younger children are probably the youngest I've seen.

I'm 28 and would love to do this in a couple of years (if I can, of course) - do you think I'd feel out of place? It really depends on you and your interests. I would suggest trying a longer transatlantic cruise to see if you fit in well with the demographics on this cruise. I was surprised by how young and fit the group is. The average age was said to be 68 or 71. The average age on other world cruises I had heard was 83. I think that alot of cruisers canceled this cruise due to the economic situation and were replaced by a younger set (50s & 60s). However, most everyone is retired. I'm 41 and do not feel out of place but I have done 3 transatlantic and find that I really enjoy the longer cruises and the demographics on them.

Also, thanks for the recommendation about the ginger tablets - I get motion sickness too. Do they really do the trick? I think the ginger tablets are very effective. The TV show The Myth Busters tested it out vs. other motion sickness remedies and pronounced it effective. I think they even said it was the most effective but I saw the show a long time ago and don't remember for sure.

Lima plans

Lima has finally come together and not a moment too soon. We have booked a sea lion cruise with another company (after mine canceled when I e-mailed them to confirm right before the cruise) and have a private car and guide coming to take us to the Pachacamac ruins (an agency someone else is using this trip and set up on board, using lots of precious Internet minutes). On the second day I am taking a ship tour due to the short time in port. There are many warnings that we must take a cab everywhere and that it is not safe to walk. There are 6 of us on the sea lion cruise so hopefully there is safety in numbers. Also I have talked to the shore excursion desk and they feel we can get safe cabs at the end of the pier. However everyone has a horror story to tell about what has happened to someone they know who got off a ship in Lima. And some of them involve getting a cab at the end of the pier (and were taken to a remote area, robbed and dumped) or one where
a group of 6 ship officers (1 stabbed) was attacked in a square. Scary.

Porpoises off the back of the ship

Over breakfast on the back deck a large group of porpoises was spotted frolicking and jumping. It was a beautiful sight! It was the largest group I have ever seen. Unfortunately I did not have my camera. I learned my lesson and will now take a camera to breakfast. The best place for breakfast has been on the back outdoor deck. It is a beautiful way to start the day.

Later this morning I was on deck 5 and saw flying fish jumping out of the water.

We've been on the ship a full week and it is hard to believe how the time is flying by. There are many activities all day long. I have really enjoyed the sea days and I've heard many other people comment on how much they enjoy them also. Having the ex United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector has added alot, as everyone enjoys his talks and it provides a way to talk politics. With Obama's inauguration this has been a nice way to discuss what is going on in the world.

Now that I've been on a week, I feel qualified to say THIS IS THE WORLD'S BEST CRUISE! I have found the quality of people on board to be very high. I don't think I've heard anyone use foul language and the only incidents of poor manners are easily attributed to age. Folks are wonderfully polite and delightful to talk to. Well educated and well traveled seem to be the predominant characteristics. Many are on their first world cruise. Even the children on board could not be any better behaved. There is baby who is sort of just walking on her own. I am really impressed with her and her parents. She goes everywhere doesn't cry, fuss etc. She is close to us at our dinner seating and we've never heard her. She seems to be really taking it all in, looking around and absorbing the sights. I think her family is Japanese. There is also a little boy in the 4ish range. He is also very well behaved. I believe he is French. (I'm not sure that either family speaks
English so am guessing based on the nationality of the folks they have been talking to). We also have some children of the current set of speakers and they to are very well behaved and a tribute to their parents. There are many segmenters on this cruise who are getting off in Sydney. I expect we will pick up folks who are predominantly Australian and Asian for the next leg. Although the largest percentage of passengers is from the USA and Canada, I have met passengers from Holland, Tokyo, Great Britain, and Trinidad.

I've found that I picked an excellent cruise for my personality, likes and dislikes. Even the music that they play by the pool all day long is to my liking. :-)

Things I want to remember about Manta

In thinking about the day there were several things that I want to remember about the day. The port was absolutely beautiful. Sitting on the back deck eating breakfast the boats (large and small) around the cruise ship were sitting in a very calm ocean. They were colorful and very picturesque in that they were all shapes and sized. Birds were gliding on the air currents. The ocean was blue and the clouds were white. It was a beautiful and peaceful scene. When I went to the top deck to take some pictures I saw that on the next boat over there were two yellow labs on a very large fishing vessel. They barked at people coming on their ship. They trotted around the deck happily. They laid under a boat mounted on the deck when the sun came out. They seemed to be leading a good dog life. The next ship behind the yellow lab's ship was offloading a huge catch of fish. It was put into a large truck, covered and driven away. The fish looked like large tuna. The
boat with the dogs also had a truck but it had already off loaded. Someone nearby mentioned that it was fish also but I didn't see it to see what size it was.

At the stops the people offering good for sale were polite and not pushy which made it easy to shop. People waved at the bus as we went by. Apparently during the cruise season the port gets about 4 ships per month.

Couple taken off at Panama Canal locks

Before I left someone asked me to report on folks leaving the ship as they were curious about passengers ability to stay on for the whole 107 or 117 days. The first couple were taken off at the Panama Canal locks. I think it may have been the exit set of locks but I didn't see it myself, have just heard from several people about it. We didn't have any stops between Grand Cayman and Manta Ecuador so that was a natural spot if someone needed to leave for health reasons.

Norovirus aboard

I forgot to mention that we went into Norovirus mode yesterday, the 19th. Some of our dinner companions were missing and we found out today they were quarantined. Some of the other people we know were quarantined also. They were announcing room numbers and names yesterday throughout the ship but we didn't know why. These were apparently people who were quarantined but were not in their room when they checked on them.

Apparently when you are not in your room when you are quarantined they can put you off at the next stop with no refund. Not sure if they are going to do that to the people who were out and about.

Normal buffet and dining modifications have been made for Norovirus where no passenger handles anything. They are sending in the hazmat suits to spray the rooms of the quarantined. There is much wiping down of the ship and spraying of things. They seem to have swung into action very quickly.

Thankfully I have been fine. I carry a hand sanitizer on my lanyard so am able to resanitize sitting at the dining table after touching the chair etc. I also did not attend the captains welcome party where there was alot of hand shaking (according to the video).

Manta alternatives

There were several interesting alternatives that were taken for Manta that I thought I'd report on for the Royal Princess World Cruisers who are following 6 days behind.

Case 1: Couple wanted to take a cab from the dock gate. They were offered a private car with driver and guide for $15/hr by the company that had contracted to provide the shuttle buses when they inquired at the end of the gangway about getting a cab. They were told that they may not get a cab at the end of the dock. They had a fabulous time and spent about $90 for the two of them for the day. They said their guide was fabulous.

Case 2: Two people took the free shuttle to the first stop which was a hotel and got a cab from there. They spent $5/hr and used Spanish to talk to the cab driver to be driven to where they wanted to go. They visited a church and some markets.

Case 3: Couple wanted to take the free shuttle and waited at the end of the gangway for quite some time. Then they were told they could take a van to the end of the pier where the shuttle buses would be. When they got there, there were no buses but a demonstration by folks with guns dressed up in military gear. They came back to the ship and spent the day on board.

Couple #3 thought they left the ship between 10:30 and 11. #2 about 10:15. #1 at about 8:30. Our tour left about 10. So those who left earlier were lucky to get out. I have not heard of any problems getting back in but I'm not sure how the demonstration was cleared.

Manta Ecuador

I love being in port! This is what I cruise for. Unfortunately I took a ship's tour which I was not impressed with. I should have booked the independent. But between the ships tour and the free shuttle bus I had a nice time. I recommend the free shuttle bus. It takes you to a hotel, a set of vendors set up as a marketplace where they apparently do the same demos you see on the ships tour and then a mall where I am typing this from the Internet cafe. Others on the same tour but a different bus really enjoyed theirs so opinions are different but I just threw $60 into the wind with that tour. We went to a loofwah (?) making place where our guide said no shopping (other guides told them to shop and helped them). Then had 15 min. after a hat making demo to shop in Montechristie (the same hat demo can be seen at the free market on the shuttle bus) and then went to a ship building area where the other bus guide gave a talk. Ours lead us down to a
dirty beach where we stared at the ocean and each other and then walked back. Oh, we also went to an enclosed courtyard where they sold carved nut items and demoed the carving process. They had a similar set up at the market with the free shuttle.

However I had a glorious day and got some great deals on some wonderful stuff, an alpaca sweater for $15, carved nut necklace and braclet for $3 and a silver and shell chain pendant combo for $43.

Crossing the equator

Today was another lovely day at sea.

We had our cruise critic cabin crawl and got to see a number of different cabin types. It was an excellent way to see the selection available on the ship. We then had a nice lunch in the dining room.

We crossed the equator and had the customary ceremony where they pick a few unfortunate polywogs (sp?) dump some food on them, have them kiss the fish and then declare us all shellbacks. It was funny and nicely done.

There were 2 lectures today. I can't see them in the lounge so watched part of the one on Ecuador on TV but the one that the former United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector did they couldn't seem to run with sound. I'm hoping to catch it if they run it again.

I walked around the track for 26 laps after dinner. It is the best time to be out because although it is hot and muggy without the sun it is very pleasant. I also got my water exercises in.

Tomorrow is Manta Ecuador. I have a ships tour scheduled.

Fabulous Panama Canal

We had a great day for the Panama Canal. It was supposed to start at 6 but got delayed till 7 overnight which worked well for people like me who didn't get up until about 6:30. The morning when we went through the first locks was on and off overcast which was nice as the sun when it did come out was really strong. The ship is small so it was easy to look forward, to each side and behind throughout the day. We went through the first set of locks with the Queen Victoria at our side. It filled the lock completely whereas we had a tug boat go through with our ship with plenty of room to spare. It was interesting to watch the water come in and raise our ship up. I'm hoping someone on the Queen Victoria got a good picture of our ship which I can perhaps get through cruise critic.

Up ahead of us the Island Princess went through before we did and was parked in the lake when we got through.

The transit through the lake was interesting also as it all looks like flooded forest. We saw several container ships go by. It was mostly full sun through the day but we had a rain shower in the afternoon.

The first lock to leave the lake connected to another small lake. We then hit the final locks to leave the Panama canal. As we left the sun was starting to set and we got some great pictures of the Panama City sky line (at least that is what I think it was).

The sights were fabulous! Unfortunately the commentary was very hard to hear. Through the morning they only put it on one speaker set on the upper deck and even if you were standing in front of it you couldn't really hear it. The end of the day commentary which seemed to be on all the speakers was much easier to hear. If you get an opportunity to go all the way through seeing both sides is interesting and I recommend it.

I bought the Panama Canal World Cruise T-shirt.

I tried to send GPS spots at each stage. It is hard to tell when they go and it will be interesting to see where they turned up at on the map when you look at it from the satellite view.

Mike, hope you don't mind

Mike, I hope you don't mind but I put a link to your map. It is really great! Thanks!

Nice day at sea

Today was a lovely day at sea. The weather was warm and sunny.

I heard the ship is sailing with 5xx passengers which means that it is about 100 passengers less than full. There are no chair hogs. Plenty of chairs in the sun by the pool and in the shade. No one leaving a towel to claim a chair that I saw. Lots of folks walking around the track. There is a sign that says 13 times around is a mile. The buffet has not been crowded at all.

Apparently we do not need a yellow fever shot. Yea!

I tried out my extra large shared balcony on deck 5 today and it is a wonderful spot to sit. The padded lounge chairs are very comfortable.

Today we had two specialty lectures, one was on the history of the Panama Canal. The second was "The Science and Politics of Disarmament". I started both but left both early. Unfortunately there is not a chair in the Cabaret Lounge that my back can take, even with my back support. I was really looking forward to the lectures but have plenty of books that I also want to read so will spend more time doing that.

I got to try out the pool today. It is going to be excellent for pool exercises. It is salt water, so very buoyant, and deep enough to float and exercise or stand and exercise. Not really big enough for laps though.

So far the cruise feels very busy. There are many choices of things to do and it feels hard to fit in reading, walking and pool time. I think it is going to be a wonderful cruise!

Today was the first formal night. Many beautiful dresses. Overall, however, it was less dressy than many other formal nights I've been to. The dining staff has provided a special gluten free desert each night. It is very nice. Tonight was homemade strawberry marshmallows and marzipan cookies shaped like strawberries.

The Tahitian Princess appears to be a very well run ship. The staff all greet you and go out of their way to help you. I'm very impressed!

Answering questions via post

Hi everyone, thanks for the questions. It is fun knowing that people are following this. It is easier to answer questions via a post than to go back to the comments due to the way I can send e-mail through the ship.

Ques. 1: Am I having fun yet? Honestly, no, I was regretting coming yesterday due to the back pain I was experiencing from my mattress and the motion sickness which is easily handled with ginger but still makes you feel a little 'off'. Also do to the extreme motion I have been walking around less since you get tossed quite a bit while walking so end up doing a sailor's walk trying to steady yourself. I walk 5 miles at home so should have the muscle control to handle this but have been very careful of my back. Hence you see alot of posting so far since I'm limited in what I can do. I also, unfortunately, found out that snorkeling/swimming are bothersome to my back. Hence, not so much fun. But I'm on this cruise for the ports and what I get to see going round the world, not so much of the cruise experience itself.

Ques. 2: Do the GPS signals cost anything to send? No, they are completely free. I'm happy to try and send some more. I should be able to get up to the top deck more often now since the weather has gotten very warm and muggy. The first day was overcast and rainy but now it is nice to be outside. Love that folks are following the GPS signals.

Ques. 3: Is there a place to track the ship's progress. I don't think the ship has a place on-line, at least not one that I could find before I left. At the lower right hand of my blog there are links to the ship's bridge cam where you can see what we see. There is also a link to signals I am sending with a new GPS device that sends a message to e-mail addresses with your location and a pre-programmed message. In the msg there is a link to the google map of the area. In the test signals I sent there is some displacement of the signal vs. the actual location. The best place to see this is the signal I sent from my hotel. I placed the unit on the edge of the pool, which you can see in the map. You can see where they Google map shows the signal being sent from and it is a little off.

Best thing I brought and day at sea update

The best thing I brought on the World Cruise was Solaray Ginger Trips. We have alot of motion due to the ocean and I've been carrying these with me everywhere. The minute I start to get a bit queasy this takes care of it.

I'm happy to say that the newer mattress seems to have worked! Unfortunately I'm not making the lectures yet. There was one today on the history of the Panama Canal, but my back wasn't up to it. I also missed one yesterday on the History of Pirates in the Caribbean.

I have bought my Tahitian Princess World cruise T-shirt.

I'm hoping to hit the pool today to get some back exercises in as well as to walk the track if the motion isn't too bad. I'm in a good position with my room being low and centered so I am often surprised when I go out as to how much motion there is in the rest of the ship.

We had a $15/bag laundry special today so everything I've worn so far went into the bag.

Tomorrow we go through the Panama Canal!

Cruise update

Tahitian Princess is a very well run ship. I had the right person come look at the mattress who indicated they did not have one in good shape, and I should talk to the ship personnel about having them buy one. In a subsequent conversation, after I inquired how to get one aboard that I might buy myself (for 105 days wouldn't you also?) they mentioned that they had a 2-3 mth old one that they could substitute so I will give that a try. They also mentioned they have a few coming on new in Papeete and if the 2-3 mth old one did not work they might prioritize me for that. If I had it to do over I would still bring my own topper but I may be able to avoid spending precious port time searching for something. Yeah!

I knew there would be some curiosity regarding my 2 page to do list. It was mundane things like, vacuum carpet, wash sink top, clean shelves, clean glasses etc. I find it is helpful to be specific when a room steward does not have the basics down. Checking into a room with tags, paper bits, other residue on the floor and residue on the sink top, orange grime on the sink, white residue in the drinking glasses (looked like toothpaste?) and on the glass shelves, yellow water stains on the drink glass covers, gum in the window well, greasy hand prints on the phone and dust on the desk top tells me that there is a fundamental lack of understanding as to what is expected so I just detailed it all out and most of it got done. The orange stuff was gone and the sink smelled like bleach which for me was a major win since there was no longer soap scum or whatever it was all over the vanity top. Carpet could still use some help though. I think they just went over it
with one of those non-powered carpet sweepers. I haven't seen a vacuum in use yet. But maybe they come and go when I am not here. However you would think I would at least see them in other people's rooms.

Thanks for the tip on the slippers. I will ask. I had them once when I was in a suite but did not know that us regular folk could request them also.

Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman turned out to be a grand day. Took a $5 bus to 7 mile beach, got a free bottle of water, took the $2.50 city bus back. Was not bothered by the man charging people $10 for each lounger. Somehow everyone around us got charged but we did not. I tried out my new snorkeling gear and think I am forever destined to be a novice snorkeler.

I feel a bit like a novice cruiser. I got back on the ship without finding an Internet cafe to utilize the cheap internet access.

What I wish I brought but did not

Slippers. The floor to my room was not vacuumed and the sink area as well as others were none too clean. I've been using my sandals as slippers but I wish I had brought some actual slippers. I will probably pick some up in port. I left a 2 page list of items to do for the room steward and most got done but I'm still not comfortable with my bare feet on the carpet.

A mattress topper, or better yet a whole new mattress. I've inquired at the front desk and they said if I buy one in port it will be no trouble to bring it aboard so I'm trying to see if I can figure out where to buy and how to get it delivered. The ship is also looking to see if they can replace the one in my room with something better. One way or the other I need something of better quality for the remaining 105 days. The easier thing would have been to have bought one in Fort Lauderdale and had it brought on board then. I had forgotten why I stopped cruising Princess. The trend in the hospitality industry has been toward good quality mattresses but this has not gotten as far as the Tahitian Princess. If I ever cruise again on Princess I will be 100% sure to bring at least a topper, no matter the expense. (I did get the foam pieces put on top when I boarded but they are not much help.)

Internet access on the Tahitian Princess

Once on-board you can fire up your laptop and you will see 2 networks, Tahitian Princess and something like Set-up. I connected to the TP and I'm not sure if I connected to Set-up. (I can't remember if I had to connect to that first.)

After you connect to the network, you start your Internet browser (I use Firefox). A screen comes up for the service and it has instructions on how to log-on and what your beginner default password is. After you log on it asks you what plan you want to buy.

If you are past passenger you get some access to credited amounts but you do not see this on the screen. You can check on what those amounts are at the Internet cafe. There was a sign hanging on the door. I'm hoping I did this right, but what I did was purchase two $100 plans. If I interpreted things correctly I should get a credit to my ship board account for those plans since I am Platinum. There is a special the first day that gives 30 min. free with each $100 plan so I bought one, and then the next time I logged on I bought another. In fact every time you log on it asks you if you want to buy another plan. I already received the two 30 min. credits. The Internet manager said he goes through and adds the credit by hand at night so wait a day or so and if you don't see it then ask about it.

When you log off (and you are using your laptop) you have to type http://1.1.1.1 in the browser window. It then takes you to a screen that tells you how many minutes you have left and how many you used during the session. It is very important to log off to make sure it stops decrementing your account.

I downloaded Zimbra so I can compose off-line, log on and send/receive. So far it has worked really well. It takes me about 2-3 minutes to get on send and receive e-mail and then get back off to read them.

I have excellent Internet access in my room. However I am right next to the Pursers desk area which is a hot spot. I'm not sure if everyone has the same access. Many folks haven't yet tried access to their room or are unsure of how to use the wireless. I'm sure as folks get settled in there will be more info on whether they do or do not have access. It is nice to be able to type in your room rather than go to a public area.

Gluten free dining on the Tahitian Princess

I have to eat a special diet that has no wheat, oats, barley and rye. Gluten free. I have not traveled with this restriction before and was a little nervous about what I would have to eat on board. The ship has been fabulous! Tonight I had special gluten free bread and pasta. They also prepared gluten free meringue cookies. They took my order for tomorrow so that I could again have just about anything I wanted prepared gluten free. They also advised me when the preparation might impact the dish so I could choose another dish. Excellent service and kudos to the dining staff!

Formal nights, meet and greet, and yellow fever shots

We have 3 formal nights for the first segment. The rest are smart casual. I packed 3 formal dresses so it looks like that will work well as it should be similar for the other segments.

We had a wonderfully successful meet and greet. I think there were about 28 people there. 2 hotel staff came, along with the cruise director. There is work underway on the yellow fever shot issue. No promises were made but there may be an opportunity for those who want them to get them on-board which will be very nice.

Rocking and rolling

I'm a bit surprised but this ship seems to rock and roll quite a bit for a ship that is in calm water. Luckily I have not gotten sea sick as I have been taking my ginger.

The cruise director was entertaining during the welcome aboard show and he mentioned that at Pitcairn the islanders come aboard, not us going ashore. I suspect the handout was written incorrectly.

There are 362 Americans on board and 118 Canadians. A bunch of countries have one person representing them and a few with a handful.

Cost of the spa deck

I had thought I might purchase access to the spa deck. The price for the world cruise was $500. As a result, I will be using the public decks. The spa deck is outdoors which surprised me as I thought it would be similar to the spa area on the Norwegian Dawn which is enclosed. Doesn't matter though, since I won't be using it.

World Cruise Gift

The gift in our room for the World Cruise was a journal. Unfortunate, since I'm blogging and will not use it.

A good surprise

Apparently we are stopping at Pitcairn island. I thought we were just doing scenic cruising there. But there was a handout at the tour desk that says 'Your Princess ship will anchor offshore....and passengers ferried ashore by means of the island's longboats.'

The outside cabin with extra large shared balcony

My room is very nice. Larger than I expected. However the bathroom is smaller than I expected. I did not know it was possible but it may be smaller than the ones on the Princess Grand class ships. I am very glad to have the window. When I walked in the tender was parked in front of it and I thought I had an obstructed view. And then I realize they must be working on the area and the boat was just temporarily parked there. I'm sad to say I think I will really miss having a balcony. As I sit here looking out, the room just doesn't feel right without outside access.

I'm happy to say we have 2 members of the pursers office scheduled for our meet and greet tomorrow. I hope all the cruise critic people show up and bring friends. I put in for 34 people and it will be embarrassing if only 6 show up.

I'm also happy to report that I have a dining room table next to the window!

Yellow Fever Shot Required! Shock!

I was the first person in-line for my check in agent. I was shocked when she said the Yellow Fever shot was required. I did not have this shot. My dream of going on a world cruise was about to go up in flames.

I had paperwork from Princess saying there were no health advisories. All those checking in around me had theirs. But luckily down the row there was a batch of people who did not have theirs. So it wasn't just me. I also did not bring my immunization record card which proved what I did have. I was asked to step aside while they checked in those with the little yellow cards. After a short time the call came down, those without Yellow Fever shots could board but there will likely be no disembarking in Papua New Guinea without it.

Last post before the ship

Today was an exciting day. My Swim with the Sea Lions tour canceled so I'm scrambling to find another. My Pachacamac tour is up in the air. I guess Lima in general isn't settled yet. I hope I can get it pulled together from the ship.

My Angkor Wat first day appears to be settling into a tour of some sort in Vietnam before the flight.

I did a little last minute shopping. My bags are packed and ready to go. The next time you hear from me should be when I post from the ship.

Cheers!

First pirates, now sharks

Shark attacks send shivers through Aussie holidaymakers
by Lawrence Bartlett Lawrence Bartlett – Mon Jan 12, 2:12 am ET

SYDNEY (AFP) – A spate of savage shark attacks in Australia has sent a shiver through summer holidaymakers bombarded with graphic details and claims that the razor-toothed predators are increasingly targeting humans.

Three attacks on swimmers within 24 hours over Sunday and Monday -- just two weeks after a snorkeller was killed -- have fuelled a fevered debate over whether overfishing has put man on the menu....

See the full article here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090112/sc_afp/australiaanimalshark_newsmlmmd

It's amazing how world news takes on a whole new significance when your sailing round the world. For the GBR I'm scheduled to snorkel and take a helicopter ride. Hope we don't encounter sharks or jellyfish.

Angkor Wat first day in flames

It appears that we may be waiting at the airport the whole first day in Vietnam. The port where where we dock is fairly far from the airport which the ground operator feels will cause us to miss the 12:25 flight we booked so we were rebooked on a 15:35 flight. I think this new flight will cause us to miss, for the most part, the first day of sightseeing. I have a question in as to whether we can attempt the 12:25 flight and stand by for it. Stay tuned...

Egypt all straightened out!

I just got off the phone with our Egyptian tour operator. He sent us a new agenda which looks really good. He also offered to meet us in Cairo and join us for dinner which I am hoping he will do. I substituted the new agenda in the original post so as to make it a cleaner read. But I am breathing easier about Egypt and really looking forward to the overland.

5 inches of snow, 3-4 more expected

This morning I woke up to winter wonderland. I've been regularly checking the weather forecast on my iPhone. It has shown sunny warm weather for today and tomorrow, right up until I got up this morning to 5 inches. Now the iPhone shows snow for today but is still showing warm sunny weather for tomorrow. The news is now saying clearing in 30 minutes, as I sit here watching white fluffy flakes falling outside my window. It doesn't look like it will be clearing in 30 min.

2 suitcases, a carry-on and a hand bag

Somehow, everything has fit into 2 suitcases (right at or just under 50 lbs), a rolling carry-on and a hand bag. How can it be?

I have 5 pairs of shoes, 3 formal outfits, 3.5 swimsuits, all the snorkel gear anyone could want, too much bug spray, too many pairs of socks, too many pairs of capris, too many pairs of socks, more shirts than I will probably wear, a summer jacket, a winter jacket, winter hat, summer hat, gloves, 5 pairs of shorts, extra glasses, more pharmaceuticals than Walgreens, 4 large tubes/cans of sunscreen, a rash guard shirt so I don't have to apply the sunscreen as much, enough band aids to wrap myself up like a mummy, a hamper shaped like a dog, a flower vase for the fresh flowers that I like to buy in port and keep in the room, gluten free cookies and Kind nut bars so that I have something to eat on shore excursions, a large foam covered back support to use on airplanes and on tours, etc. You get the picture. I'm carrying alot of gear. I think I could live a year or more off this gear. Alot of it will be consumed on the trip and hopefully I will have plenty of room for souvenirs and the world cruise gifts that we will get on-board from Princess.

Wow our Asia travel agent and tour operator are awesome!

We paid Thurs. Today I got all the confirmation documents (10 documents with everything nicely laid out for the tours, some history of China and travel tips). It even appears we got the 8:10 a.m. flight from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. I'm going to list the contact info here as folks on the Royal Princess World Cruise or even those on ours may want to book the Great Wall overland if they don't have plans for China since we all have to have our Chinese visas to get on the ship. Zenobia from Zen vacations was super easy to work with and easily handled any question or request. The materials we are getting from J Yang Tours are really well done. Kudos to them both!

Zen Vacations
Office Phone: 916 689 5488
Contact Name: Zenobia Chien
E-mail: zen@zenvacation.com
Website: www.zenvacations.com

J Yang Tours
Address: PO Box 4192,
Scottsdale, AZ 85261 USA
Office Phone: 480 219 5334
Fax Office: 480 219 5413
Contact Name: Judy Berry
E-mail: info@jyangtours.com
Website: www.jyangtours.com

Welcome aboard message from the cruise director

Get ready to board the spectacular Tahitian Princess® for the voyage of a lifetime!

Throughout your journey, you'll mingle with fellow travel enthusiasts at grand celebrations, delight in authentic dining options with regional accents and enjoy fascinating lectures.

Part of your Princess experience includes a wealth of onboard entertainment and activities. We don't want you to miss a single event – so take a look below to see what's going on while you're onboard.

On behalf of the officers and crew of Tahitian Princess®, we look forward to welcoming you onboard and dazzling you during your Princess escape around the world!

Sincerely,

J.J. King
Cruise Director – Tahitian Princess

Princess Cruises®, the leader in at-sea interactive courses, invites you to participate in one of our many fascinating enrichment lectures. Learn to take professional-quality photos of your vacation; create a unique hand-painted plate; discover how to navigate a cruise ship; craft a vacation keepsake souvenir or sit back and listen to informative presentations and inspirational real-life tales.

Princess Book Club
Meet fellow passengers and avid book readers while engaging in literary discussion at the Princess Book Club. Book selections are drawn from The New York Times Best-Seller List. Selected book titles for Tahitian Princess® are:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

Computers@Sea
Download your best digital photos and learn how Photoshop can make them even better. Unlock the secrets of the World Wide Web by surfing the internet with ease. Attach documents, photos, even short videos and e-mail them with confidence. Our Computers@Sea program offers passengers an array of fun and useful computer classes taught by computer experts that will answer all your questions.


Learn to Play Bridge
Bridge players will be able to play with a certified Bridge instructor, while beginners can learn the basics of the game with Bridge Hosts, Michael Witham and Sue Lightbody.


Photography Contest
Show your creativity and individual style by participating in the Tahitian Princess World Cruise Photography Contest. Great prizes will be awarded over four segments with a grand prize. You don't have to be an expert to enter, so give us your best shot! The photo categories are:

Nature, Landscapes or Seascapes People, Family or Friends Architecture, Cities and Towns Open, Creative or Artistic

Guest Lecturers January 14 – February 18, 2009 Estelle Harris – Hollywood Personality and Voiceover Artist Hear some of the hilarious antics that occurred on the set of television's long-running Seinfeld as told by Mrs. Costanza (George's mom). As the voice of Mrs. Potatohead in the Toy Story movies, she tells us about life as a voiceover artist (we hear she's quite animated). Les Evans – Former Concorde Pilot Talks about the glorious past of flying this technological marvel and casts his gaze forward to discuss aviation's future. Sarah and Bradley Webber – Maritime Historians Relive the glory days of great ocean liners like the Queen Elizabeth, the Titanic and the SS Normandie. Nigel West – Espionage and Intelligence Expert Renowned military historian and former member of Parliament. He specializes in intelligence, counterintelligence and security issues, many of which would end up front page stories if they leaked out. James Rowe – Australasia, South Pacific, Polynesia Naturalist Ecologist by training, focuses on the Cultural and Natural History of New Zealand and the spectacular islands of the South Pacific. Eric Roorda – Panama Canal, Central America Naturalist Specializes in the Caribbean Sea and the Panama Canal (how did they build that Big Ditch?), as well as Latin America. February 19 – March 13, 2009 Ronnie Walter Cunningham – Astronaut Takes us on a unique and beautiful tour of planet Earth with many personal photos taken from a distant perspective few have experienced. Sarah and Bradley Webber – Maritime Historians Relive the glory days of great ocean liners like the Queen Elizabeth, the Titanic and the SS Normandie Mary Symons – Japanese Culture Expert Offers a view of life in Japan, still unknown to many. Joseph Snyder – U.S.-Asia Foreign Affairs Expert Illustrates how history and contemporary politics shape the ancient cultures of Southeast and East Asia. While working for the U.S. government, Mr. Snyder served in Thailand, Iran, Taiwan, Malaysia, Austria and Washington, D.C. Ken Johnson and Pamela Peck – Oceania Naturalist He's a journalist/television producer, she's a cultural anthropologist – and together, they reveal the shiny 'pearls' found under the seas of Oceania. John and Linda Trommelen – Ballroom Dance Instructors Ballroom Dance Instructors teach the graceful art of stepping to the Salsa, the Waltz and the Cha Cha, among other dances. March 14 – April 4, 2009 Chuck Henry – TV Personality, Journalist and Anchorman Shares his world travel experiences as a producer of a television travelogue and his reporting of breaking new stories. Tab Hunter – Hollywood Personality and Legend Shares his stories about legendary co-stars such as Sophia Loren, Van Heflin, John Huston, Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, Linda Darnell and Natalie Wood. Ann Graydon – Fashion Expert Navigates the perilous shoals of fashion's do's and don'ts. Find out what silhouette suits your body type, what colors enhance your skin tone, and what would be an age-appropriate wardrobe. Martyn Green – Mediterranean Port Lecturer Explains the highlights no traveler should miss in the ancient and historical ports of Europe. Choir Master, A Capella Instructor Teaches the techniques of choral singing to interested passengers who wish to discover the joy of vocalizing and singing some of the music world's best-loved works. Watercolor and Calligraphy Instructor Hone your artistic skills and then donate your finished art to a silent auction benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation to fight breast cancer. April 5 – May 2, 2009 Brian Hoey – Royal & Celebrity Interviewer Authored over 21 books about the British Royal Family, including Monarchy: Behind the Scenes with the Royal Family‚ Invitation to the Palace: How the Royal Family Entertain‚ A Biography of Lord Mountbatten and Diana, Princess of Wales and At Home with the Queen. Bruce Margon – Astronomy Expert Explains how Einstein rejected some of his own theories that were later proven true, and how inside each and every one of us is a little bit of stardust. Martyn Green – Mediterranean Port Lecturer Explains the highlights no traveler should miss in the ancient and historical ports of Europe.

Your cruise will feature a variety of shows featuring our World Cruise singers and dancers. Here's what you'll see:
Cinematastic
The music of the movies takes us all on a journey from the classics of yesteryear to popular dance movies of

the 1980s. Gotta Sing Gotta Dance Great songs, colorful costumes and wonderful dances, the cast will take you on a musical journey as you enjoy the best the theatre has to offer. Motor City A tribute to America's heritage of soul and rhythm & blues featuring the music of The Supremes, Tina Turner, The Jackson Five and Stevie Wonder. Ports of Call Princess® is the undisputed leader in destination cruising. This show celebrates the music of the many different countries Princess visits. Piano Man A tribute to some of the greatest "piano men" of our time, this show celebrates the musical genius of Billy Joel, Neil Sedaka, Barry Manilow, Elton John and even Liberace. C'est Manifique Quintessential French describes this lovely show with scenes from La Cage, Casino De Paris, Pepe Le Peu, a tribute to Edith Piaf and of course no French show would be complete without the Moulin Rouge and the Can Can. Shake, Rattle and Roll You can't help but tap your feet to the music of the 1950s. With music from Elvis, Connie Francis, Chuck Berry and many more, come and join the cast and sing along to those Rock n' Roll greats. Rhythms of the City A "day in the life of a City" provides the background to this production show. From the melodic sounds of "doo wop" courtesy of construction workers, to the hot Latin beat of a City night club, this show is exciting from start to finish. Magic Peru This show features music and dances highlighting the Coastal, Andean and Amazon regions of Peru. Hei Tahiti From the first sounding of the conch shells, the "Hei Tahiti" and "Te Maeva" dance shows are an exciting addition to calls in Papeete. Local dancers in traditional costumes, including grass skirts and elaborate head dresses, move rhythmically to the accompanying drum circle while performing a variety of dances and several costume changes. Haka the Legend During calls in Auckland, you are introduced to "Haka the Legend," a local Maori show demonstrating songs and dances that depict elements of nature and history. These dances are a form of visual storytelling, and the sounds, rhythms and singing produce a vibrant and visual feast of entertainment. Guam Cultural Performance While in Guam, Para'isu Tano' Hurao presents a cultural performance featuring Chamorro songs, chants and dance. Shanghai Aifu International Acrobatic Show An international standard that features a troupe of wonderfully talented young Chinese acrobats. A trio of contortionists balance their bodies into unimaginable positions, twins squeeze their bodies through tight barrels and rings, a foot juggler tosses a kitchen table in the air effortlessly, and a unicyclist juggles and balances dishes. Dozens of plates are spun on thin poles, and unimaginable objects are balanced on heads and noses. The acrobats' incredible skills leave the audience stunned. Hong Kong Variety Show In Hong Kong, you will experience a variety show including a musical duet featuring the ancient Chinese Pipa and piano, a traditional dragon dance, Chinese ribbon dance and the performance art technique of "Changing Faces." Wonder Thai Dance Show Calls to Bangkok feature the local "Wonder Thai Dance Show." This show presents several dances from the region, including the Thai Silk Weaving dance, the dance of King Rama Catching the Golden Deer, Lum Ploen and a spectacular sword fighting demonstration. Kala Bhairavi In Mumbai, the Kala Bhairavi (Academy of Indian Classical Dances) comes onboard to present a demonstration of traditional music and dance. Dressed in colorful, traditional costumes, the group presents various dances including Koli Nritya, Dandia RAS, Peacock Nritya, Rajastbani Nritya and Bhangra. Safaga Oriental Show The "Safaga Oriental Show" contains local musicians and dancers in colorful dress performing traditional dances of Egypt and the Red Sea region, including the Tanura and Oriental Dance. Arabian Nights Show Features local musicians, a belly dancer and a whirling dervish who never stops spinning! Corrado Amici In Civitavecchia, passengers are treated to a special performance of local Italian tenor Corrado Amici, a regular performer in the opera houses of Rome, Cairo and China. Los Muleros A local flamenco spectacular featuring the best of Spain's dancers and musicians.

Princess® features a talented lineup of comedians, magicians and guest singers just waiting to entertain you each evening. Here's a selection of what you'll see during your epic journey:

January 14 – February 18, 2009

Tony B. – Vocalist
An evening with singer and entertainer Tony B.

Greg Scott – Violinist
The U.K.'s number one violin performer.

Kelly Monteith – Comedian
Appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman and is a regular on England's BBC.

Neal Austin – Comedian/Magician
A side-splitting funny comedy magic act unlike anything you've seen before.

Annette Yeo – Vocalist
Musical theater star direct from London's West End.

Milt Abel – Comedian
From HBO & Showtime.

Sean O'Shea – Impressionist
Let's live it up! A fabulous night out with the many voices and personalities of Sean O'Shea!

Jonathan Stamp – Juggler
Fast, furious and extremely funny.

Tony Cherry – Vocalist
The many voices of Tony Cherry.

Dave Burke – Comedian/Impressionist
Laughter for hire.

Penny Mathisen – Vocalist
From London's West End theaters to the Sydney Opera House.

Leo Ward – Magician
Award-winning sleight of hand act.

Chris Contillo – Piano Entertainer
Has performed with The Boston Pops and also at Carnegie Hall.

Bobby Dennis – Comedian
Has received critical acclaim for his crazy English humor.

David Crathorne – Piano Lounge Entertainer
Hailing all the way from Capetown, South Africa, David Crathorne plays to suit all tastes.


February 19 – March 13, 2009

Emma Sinclair – Vocalist
From Opera to the West End…an evening with London's singing sensation.

Preston Coe – Vocalist
The Texan tenor starring in "Classique."

Nick Lewin – Comedy/Magician
Comedy that amazes.

Glenn Amer – Piano Headliner & Vocalist
Combining the fingers of Liberace with the voice of Mario Lanza.

Tiang Jiang – Piano Entertainer
Piano showman from Shanghai.


March 14 – April 4, 2009

Tom Fletcher – Comedian
A Princess favorite, no thinking required.

Kenny Martyn – Multi-Instrumentalist
Specializing in the clarinet, tenor sax, alto sax, ukulele banjo and five-string banjo in his extensive repertoire that encompasses popular standards, Bluegrass, Swing and Mozart.

Claude Eric – Vocalist
Direct from Montreal…the sensational voice of Claude Eric.

David Copperfield – Comedy-Variety Entertainer
Not the illusionist but the "UNUSUALIST!" The original all-around entertainer from across the pond.

Tony Pace – Impressionist
The man with the voice… who just happens to be funny.

Jacqueline Roche – Instrumentalist
Passion and pizzazz with a virtuoso violinist.


April 5 – May 2, 2009

Kaitlyn Carr – Vocalist
A touch of class from Scotland's premier singing sensation.

Rikki Jay – Comedian
From the London Palladium, international comedian... Rikki Jay! He's fast, he's funny and he's calorie free!

Gary Williams – Vocalist
Star of the West End's Rat Pack and BBC Big Band.

Maria King – Piano Entertainer
Virtuoso piano entertainer with a twist.

Annette Wardell – Vocalist
By Royal Appointment – the stunning voice of opera singer Annette Wardell.

John Evans – Comedian
One of the most sought-after comedians in the U.K. today.

Tenors Unlimited – Tenor Trio
The Rat Pack of opera.

Karen Grainger – Vocal Impressionist
Canada's premier female vocal impressionist.

Don Bryan – Ventriloquist
The vocal magic of a master ventriloquist.

Mark O'Malley – Vocalist
Dynamic, versatile, eclectic, energetic, fun, fabulous, can't miss, musicals, golden voiced, classic.

Jonathan Kane – Tribute Entertainer
The only tribute act endorsed by Elton John.

Princess® passengers can also be stars! Your cruise offers many opportunities to become a performer yourself. Plus, our clubs and lounges provide lively dance floors and the best music of yesterday and today.

Princess Pop Star
Don't be shy – audition for Princess Pop Star and share your vocal talents with the world. When it's good, it's great. If it's bad, it's better!

Ballroom Blitz
Princess offers complimentary Ballroom Dance instruction and various venues to showcase your new talents. Bring your dancing shoes!

Country Western Theme Night
Round up your favorite cowgirls and cowboys for this Country Western Party! Make sure you're ready to saddle up for this night of dancing and fun. Wear 'em if you've got 'em:

Western Jeans Bandanas Cowboy Hats Cowboy Boots

Island Theme Night
Join fellow passengers on deck while you hula to your favorite island songs on this night of tropical fun. Pack your favorite "hang loose" attire:

Hawaiian Aloha Shirts Hula Skirts or Sarong Skirts MuuMuus

50s Theme Night
Get ready to "Shake, Rattle and Roll" at this Fabulous 50s Party! Grab your best bobby socks and saddle shoes while you twist the night away in your favorite vintage fads and fashions. Make sure you're dressed for the part:

Poodle Skirts and Pony Tails Leather Jackets Cuffed Jeans

70s Theme Night
Dust off your hip huggers and strap on your favorite platform shoes, it's time to shake your booty to your favorite 70s tunes. Join fellow passengers for a groovin' night of flower power and disco dancing. Clean out your closet and find your favorite 70s fashion: Bell Bottoms or Hip Huggers Leisure Suits Mini-Skirts Platform Shoes

Your cruise features a great selection of first-run feature films, sitcoms, dramas and a wide selection of special programming. Here's a preview of what you'll see on your upcoming voyage:

NFL Playoffs (AFC and NFC championships)
Super Bowl (Satellite dependent, February 1)
Academy Awards (February 22)
NCAA March Madness (March 17 – April 6)

We're very excited to offer nearly 100 first-run movies during your World Cruise,
including popular titles like:
Appaloosa – R
Australia – PG–13
Bedtime Stories – PG
Body of Lies – R
Bonneville – PG
Bottle Shock – PG–13
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – PG–13
Burn After Reading – R
Changeling – R
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – PG–13
The Dark Knight – PG–13
The Day the Earth Stood Still – PG–13
Eagle Eye – PG–13
Encounters at the End of the World – G
Everybody Wants to Be Italian – R
Flash of Genius – PG–13
Frost/Nixon – R
Ghost Town – PG–13
Grand Torino – R
Henry Poole Is Here – PG
In Bruges – R
The Incredible Hulk – PG-13
Mamma Mia! – PG–13
Milk – R
Nights in Rodanthe – PG–13
Quantum of Solace – PG–13
Rachel Getting Married – R
Revolutionary Road – R
Secret Life of Bees – PG–13
Slumdog Millionaire – R
Synedoche New York – R
Vicky Christina Barcelona – PG–13
Wanted – R
Yes Man – PG–13