Jan115

My husband certainly is loyal to Princess. He wouldn't veer from them until he reached Platinum status. Now that he's platinum, he won't cruise with any other line until he reaches elite, and since we only cruise once a year, it's going to take a while. As much as I love Princess, I would love to give some of the other cruise lines my business. I guess I'll have to go solo!

This was a two-part day for us. Part one took us on a morning ride through the rural Irish countryside to the little town of Inistioge and a visit to the magnificent Jerpoint Abbey. Following this was part two of our day - a ride from the ship to the City of Waterford. The day began overcast, but rain-free. Sitting on the balcony with my morning coffee and the Princess version of an Egg McMuffin, I admired the beautiful Ireland countryside as we pulled into Waterford. We did not want to leave Ireland without seeing some of this beautiful land of green and, therefore, booked the ship’s Rural Ireland & Jerpoint Abbey tour. By the time we headed off the ship for the tour, the rain had begun and continued on and off through most of the day. Our guide for the tour was Mary, a very personable and knowledgeable woman, whose charming Irish brogue reminded me of Mrs. Doubtfire. The tour took us on a ride through beautiful rolling hills of green and farmland filled with horses, cows and sheep. We arrived at Jerpoint Abbey, some really amazing ruins of a Cistercian abbey founded in the second half of the 12th century, with the tower and cloister dating back to the 15th century. We were led by a knowledgeable guide who took us through the old monastery chapels, pointing out interesting tomb sculpture, as well as the sculptured cloister with some very detailed carvings. Our next stop on the tour was the little village of Inistioge, along the River Nore, where we spent about 15 minutes photographing the scenery and the remaining 10 minutes in a small Irish pub enjoying a pint of Guinness with David’s new-found Irish friend “Patty” and a few other locals. It was perfect – we couldn’t get much more authentic Irish than this! We then made our way back to the ship for lunch before heading out, once again, this time to the shuttle for a ride into Waterford. The port of Belview, Ireland, is approximately 20 minutes from the City of Waterford. When traveling to Waterford from the ship, cruise passengers are not permitted to walk out of the gated port of Belview. Fortunately, Princess provided a complimentary shuttle to the city. We also saw four or five taxis waiting, it didn’t make sense to pay for a taxi here, when Princess provided a free ride. Of all the ports on our itinerary, this was one I was least interested in and did the least amount of research on. After all, my main intent was to see rural Ireland and some monastery ruins. Without any kind of plan in mind, except for mention of a City Square Shopping Center, we headed in that direction, figuring we would pick up some gifts. Well, it was Saturday, there was an outdoor festival going on in Waterford, and the streets were mobbed. Furthermore, the shopping center was literally just a huge, crowded mall with chain stores mixed in with local shops. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic, and since no one else in the family was enjoying this, we headed back toward some other recommended sights, like Reginald’s Tower, the Greyfriars ruins and the House of Waterford Crystal, stopping on the way to pick up a few gifts. We prefer the historical aspects of touring and found these places more interesting and enjoyable than trying to maneuver a busy shopping center full of stores that we can find back home. Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland and I am sure has many fine qualities. However, after spending time in quaint Canterbury two days before, it was hard to become excited about Waterford’s traffic, crowded streets and noise. It was my least favorite city on this itinerary. Source

I had read many tales of missed calls to this port. Because the ship’s need to tender passengers over to the island in sometimes choppy or stormy seas, it is all too common for cruise ships to bypass Guernsey altogether. I am happy to report that the day was mild and sunny, and the ship made it to port, as scheduled. However, some wind and high surf prevailed, making the tender ride a bit choppy. We watched the tendering process from our balcony and noticed that the tender and ship had trouble connecting in order to board the passengers. The captain had to reposition the ship throughout the day in order to assist the process to make it easier and safer for boarding, so it all worked out. Since we had to be back on board by 2:30 pm, it was a very short day for us in Guernsey. We chose to walk to the next castle on our list: Castle Cornet, a very easy and walkable mile from the ship. We paid for admission which included a guide who was very informative and filled us in on the history of Guernsey and the castle (which is a fort, really). As an added bonus, the views are truly spectacular, including a fabulous view of the ship! One notable event at the Castle is the firing of the Noon Day Gun, a tradition dating back to the early days of the 19th century. We watched from the roped area surrounding the gun, but a visit timed to be at the level just below the gun at noon may make for a better view. Added note about Guernsey: Later on that evening, we learned that the captain had nearly made the decision to cancel the Guernsey port stop due to high seas. Which makes me wonder – what happens when they tender people over to the island but then can’t tender them back because the waves are too high ….? Motion on the Ocean! Just as we had earlier in the day, we faced rough seas Friday night once we left Guernsey on our way to Waterford. So rough, in fact, that the Ocean Princess Singers & Dancers production was canceled, replaced by comic, Tom Brisco. There were a lot of seasick passengers that evening, as well as many empty seats in the dining room and show lounges. Those souls who were brave enough donned their formal attire, stumbled around the ship, attended the captain’s welcome party, and dined to the rocking and rolling of the ship. The formal photo shoot was particularly challenging for both the photographer and the subjects. Another consequence of the turbulent waters is that the ship had to reduce speed, which could have affected the arrival time in Waterford the next morning. As it turned out, we made it on schedule. Tonight was Jenn’s 25th birthday. OK, not really. It was actually last January, but we never properly celebrated, so we thought this would be a good way to honor such a momentous occasion. Balloons, a happy birthday sign on the door, a card from the Captain, and a cake complete with singing waiters at dinner made it all special. Source

August 2, 2012 ~ Embarkation on the tiny Ocean Princess was the smoothest we’ve ever experienced. We arrived at approximately 1:00 pm to check in. Our luggage was quickly whisked away, and we were warmly welcomed into the cruise terminal with smiling, happy faces. No lines, friendly staff, and all very fast and efficient, yet leisurely. There were even crew members waiting on board to show us the way to our cabin – not that you we needed help – the ship’s not that big. It was like a scene from “The Love Boat.” The balcony cabin on Deck 7 was roomy enough, with plenty of storage space. However, the sleeper sofa when opened to the sleeper position, we would soon discover, blocked the way to the balcony. The end of the bed can be folded back – but not so easy if there is someone sleeping in it. So I found myself crawling over Jenn while she slumbered in the rather uncomfortable sleeper sofa, to get to the balcony whenever something interesting caught my eye off the starboard side, much to her dismay. On the other hand, our bed was perfectly comfortable. The bathroom seemed a tad roomier than the other ships we’ve been on and had plenty of storage. The balcony was large enough with a small round table and two reclining-back chairs. Honestly, though, there were several days when it was just too windy, cold or drizzly – or we were just too busy – to spend much time out there. Our cabin steward did a great job refreshing the cabin daily and always greeted us with a warm smile. The ship’s interior design contains a lot of wood paneling, mirrors, art and floral designs, giving the feeling of a traditional cruise ship of the past – a classy look, and I loved it! No room portrayed this better than the ship’s library. Wood paneled walls, fireplace and a ceiling mural gave this room a warm, intimate look – a great, quiet place to curl up with a book or just sit and relax. The central staircase on decks 4 and 5 is beautiful and reminiscent of the staircase scenes with Jack and Rose on the Titanic, except on a smaller and less grand scale. The passenger demographic was much more mature and well-traveled – okay, “older” – than the cruises we’ve taken in the Caribbean on the big ships, though a few kids were spotted around the ship, as well as a number of younger couples. There was certainly no concern over “deck chair hogs” on this tiny ship in this cooler climate. Due to rain, drizzle and chill, the deck was vacant most of the time, and activity took place inside. However, I did spot a brave person in the pool on one warmer afternoon, and the hot tubs seemed to be used often. Those who did choose to sit outside were bundled in sweaters, including myself! One nice thing about the small size of the ship was that everything we needed was either a deck or two above or below our cabin and never more than a couple of flights of stairs away – very convenient. Due to British maritime law, the casino was closed throughout most of the cruise (woo – saved some money there!) but, otherwise, the activities on sea days were similar to those on the large ships, but definitely not as varied and on a much smaller scale. Some of these included line dancing, trivia, Wii games, ice sculpture viewing, and the art auction. There are in-cabin movies, and I remember seeing one movie showing in the Casino lounge. Afternoon tea, was available every afternoon, and the Lotus Spa and fitness room provided classes, treatments and workout options. Source

August 2, 2012 ~ Before leaving the lovely House of Agnes for the 20-minute ride to Dover to meet our cruise ship which would carry us around Ireland & Scotland for the next 8 nights , we took a walk through the old town of Canterbury to Canterbury Cathedral. If you only have a short time in this beautiful Dickens-like town, this magnificent medieval holy place is truly breathtaking and is a must-see. Dating back to somewhere around 597AD, the cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and still very much a working, living church and is probably most notorious for the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. We spent a couple of hours here, but could easily have spent all day. The cathedral is enormous, and only when I got home after the cruise did I find the guide book we purchased for a mere 2.50 pounds which would have made our self-guided tour much more informative and efficient. Note: For earlier posts, including our view of the quaint town of Canterbury, the Agnes Inn, and all the planning that went into this fantastic cruise vacation, please visit http://sevenseajourneys.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/cruising-around-ireland-scotland-part-i-canterbury/ Source

Have a wonderful, safe journey!

I was very uneasy about going to Jamaica, too, when we went in 2010. I heard so many bad stories, and it was right around the time they were having all that political stuff going on in Kingston. We did a tour with a reputable local guy who guided us away from the scary stuff at the end of Dunn's River Falls where you have to run the gauntlet. As a result, we had a really nice Island tour. That is the only way I would do Jamaica again.

No dressing up needed and no British formality here - whatever we were wearing around the ship during the day was perfectly fine.

"Loved the British Isles and this small elegant ship!" Click here to view the cruise review

I definitely have picked up helpful packing hints over the years - lining the suitcase in plastic in your luggage is parked in the rain on the tarmac, wrinkle prevention techniques - but I wish I could say that I don't overpack . Every cruise or trip, I say I'm going to pack less, and though I really try, I always end up packing too much. In fact, I'm having a particularly tough time with this upcoming cruise in 2 days to the British Isles because of having to pack for all kinds of weather.

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Hi and welcome - glad you found us! Please share your experiences, ask questions and join in the conversation with the friendliest cruise community around!

Hi and welcome - glad you found us! Please share your experiences, ask questions and join in the conversation with the friendliest cruise community around!

Hi and welcome - glad you found us! Please share your experiences, ask questions and join in the conversation with the friendliest cruise community around!

Hi and welcome - glad you found us! Please share your experiences, ask questions and join in the conversation with the friendliest cruise community around!

Hi and welcome - glad you found us! Please share your experiences, ask questions and join in the conversation with the friendliest cruise community around!

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