Pacific Northwest Coastal - 2019

A restful night. The sea was a bit rocky but not un-pleasant. It is a little overcast today, but the water is relatively smooth. We are having some walking competition with the deck making some of our decisions about where our next step comes down, but not at all like that sounds... it is not difficult at all, and no one seems to be having troubles with the movement... just requires a little adjustment to your normal gait.

We get a complimentary stocking of the wet bar in the cabin, since we are now 'Elite' class. It is mostly alcoholic beverages, which we have no use for, so I called to see if they would exchange everything for Diet Cola and they did. We are well-stocked with drinks for the cruise. A 'coke' in a glass with ice from the bar can be around $2, and that is less than a full can of drink, so, these 2o cans are certainly worth the trouble to ask them to exchange the booze. It was well into the second day before I could get anyone on the phone at "room service" however, which certainly could use some help to make customers happy campers.

We went up for brunch around 1000 hours or so... uh, that's "ten-hundred hours" in 'sea talk.'

We had a lovely evening meal. We were joined by Ed and Andi, plus a couple that was from Livermore. He had difficulty hearing. She knew Karen Nott, a woman I taught school with for 34 years. A fellow also joined us that was from Tracy where he and his wife taught school. She is deceased, but they cruised a lot previously, and he was just getting back to cruising, possibly to resurrect some old, past, lovely memories. His name was Jim. It was a very compatible dinning experience.

Regarding my statement from yesterday re: beef... tonight they had tornadoes... not the way you spell it of course.. LOL They are like a fillet of beef, and they often have them and they have always been excellent! We had them and they were wonderful!!!

The first show was at 1930 hours... 7:30 pm. It was their traditional production show "Stardust" which features the "Grand Princess Singers and Dancers and Orchestra", all well-talented performers. They always do a good job. We enjoy their shows, because it is fun to see young entertainers working hard at their craft, and doing a good job. There usually are two starring male singers and two female starring (lead) singers. They are usually different each cruise... they change the team periodically. They train/learn new routines in Los Angeles and then ship the full troupe or company of performers to a single ship and bring the previous group home for more training and to learn new shows.

Back to the cabin for a little TV and then sleep. We watched "Upside", with Kevin Hart, Nicole Kidman, Bryan Cranston and Julianna Margulies. It looked like a tough movie, but turned into a sweet movie with a very nice message. Glad that we watched it.

We awake to still water... or so it appears. Actually we are at a berth next to Astoria, Oregon, at the mouth of the Columbia River, the separating line between the states of Oregon and Washington. 

Ed and Andi were planning on an excursion that is a bus ride through Astoria, a town of more than 9,000 inhabitants, plus those that walk off a ship now and again.

We have been having trouble with the electric cart we borrowed from Lee. Lee said that when he went to a car show, he would use it, but by the time he got to the farthest point in his sojourn the battery was dead, and he had to push it all the way back to the car. Sort of deletes the reason to have the scooter. So, Lee added an auxiliary battery to the back of the scooter. Now it runs on both the original pair of batteries and the new set as well. When plugged in, both sets will be charged.

We charged the cart Thursday evening until Sunday morning when we left Pleasanton. It worked all day Sunday going onto the ship, and to both meals, the evening show... everything. Charged Sunday night and Monday it worked ... until... Ed was on deck 7 (our cabins are on deck 9) at the Vista Lounge and we got a message on our phones that he was 'stuck'. Andi went up to their cabin for the charger and cord and I went down and we pushed the cart over near the lifts where I found an outlet. We had 'coffee' for half an hour and then checked it... no luck. Nothing. Not even a hum or click. I unplugged the auxiliary battery and we had power. It made it up to the cabin.

We left the aux battery unplugged and ran just on the original set and it served Ed through dinner and the evening show. He plugged it in for the night. This morning he took it off the ship to do their bus ride through Astoria and it died on shore before he made it to the bus.

He sent me an SOS and sent Andi on the bus. I went ashore and found him visiting with the ladies that run the busses, who let him put the cart into their office and plug it in. He carried the charger with him this time. After nearly an hour it was still DOA. Half that time we had the aux battery plugged in and half the time it was not. There is a little beep-beep that tells you the battery is low when the key is turned on, and that beep-beep sounded each time we turned on the key. It is like the batteries never did 'come back'.

So, Ed and I pushed it all the way to the gang plank (only about 300 yards) and one of the fellows there took the front and I took the rear and up we went. We put it in the cabin on the charger and the next morning there was still no charge on the batteries, or at least none that was 'available' to drive the scoot.

When we are on the ship in port, and Ed and Andi are off the ship, Rosalee keeps her phone open to 'shipboard communication' for when they are back on board, and I keep mine open to 'normal' communication to receive any messages they may send from on land. The shipboard communication only works on board the ship. You have to log into the ship's  wi-fi, which obviously is only good for mere yards and not miles.

We considered buying a new set of batteries for the buggy, but there is no way they would be available in Astoria. We could get one tomorrow in Seattle most likely, with an Uber ride to pick them up, if... but we need to open the cart to get the model numbers of the batteries, but it takes tools to open the unit up, and we have none of them. 

At dinner we were seated at a table for six, with an Asian couple joining us. They live in Walnut Creek, ten miles from Pleasanton. We had a nice visit. Andi used to live in Walnut Creek. We had Italian selections on the dinner menu, and on the top of the list was Spaghetti and Meatballs, an old favorite of mine. But... there was also a something-or-other-whotsis-whatchamacallit that had shrimp and scallops... I love scallops... but who knows what it is or how it is fixed. So... I ordered one of each. LOL They were both very good. And the scallops were cooked perfectly!!! very rare.

We sailed while we were at dinner. When we come into a large port, or leave a large port, the rules are that we must have on-board a "pilot" that is local, that knows ship navigation equipment, and knows the harbor hazards very well. A "pilot" boat meets us outside the port, and the 'pilot' steps from the "pilot" boat onto the ship through a little side door down at water level. In rough seas that can be a bit tricky. On the way out of the harbor when we are leaving, the pilot must stay with the ship until we reach the open sea.

Tonight, we were seated at a table which was at the window. This dining room is on deck 5, mid-ship, and deck 4 is just above water level, so we were down there where you can see the fishes swim by. We were treated by the 'Pilot Boat' just outside our window. The water was getting rougher as we left the harbor, and although we could not see the transfer of the pilot onto the pilot boat, we could see a man on the pilot boat with a tether strap securing him, so that he was available to assist the transfer, just in case. I have seen them lightly step from one craft to the other, but with the water this rough, there was likely some higher blood pressures on both men's part. The deed was done and the smaller boat peeled off and went back home and we were underway, bound for Seattle early morning tomorrow.

Tonight's production show was "Brent & Sarah's Comedy Magic Show". They were trying too hard, and they did not have the smoothness that is so important on a live show like this, but they will get it together. It was an OK show, and it will get better.

Retired to the cabin and caught a cute movie. It was "A Dog's Journey" with Dennis Quaid, and it was very nice. Lots of tears of joy and sadness at the same time. A real feel-good movie because things 'work out' at the end like they are 'supposed to. '

Beddy Bye time... but I was not sleepy, so I sat up most of the night working on the computer. I was not 'online' as that costs money after my 'free' 150 minutes. So far, we have been collecting our e-mail via phone when we are near a port. When in port we also have access to 'texting' so it has been a fairly 'communicable' trip.

We headed up to deck 14 for breakfast/lunch and sat with a couple from New York. He was a NY police officer and he recognized my NRA sweater I was wearing. That opened up the conversation. We enjoyed talking with them. I asked him where he was on 911 and he told his story. Fortunately it was not too personally devastating as he was working with Federal money scheming rackets, but he lost some friends on the force, as one would expect. Interesting to hear the small, personal observations of how things were happening in the city.

Ed joined us. Andi had gone off the ship to see what she could see 'in town'.

Ed learned some new things about the scoot... he learned that there is a circuit breaker next to where the battery charger plugs in, and if it is 'off', the charger does not charge the battery. One problem solved. He is using it onboard today, charging it when it sits, if he is near an outlet. They don't put electrical outlets just anywhere on a ship. It is not like a home where you have to have one every seven feet.

Relaxing in the cabin, in between feeding frenzies. Went down to the evening meal before 1900 hours, and Ed and Andi were in line, talking to our friend Jim. We asked him to join us and we ended up at the table next to the one where we ate the night before. A quiet corner we all appreciate, but a table for ten next to us filled a little later and they were extremely noisy. Must be first-timers. LOL.

During dinner the Captain (John Smith) came over the PA, and that is never good. Only weather this time, however, because our next day was going to be Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada, and a storm was blowing in, and the Juan de Fuca Straight is notorious when the storm comes in, and can "lock us in" at Victoria, we are going to skip Victoria and head south early. He does not want to put the ship and the passengers into harm's way. No problems with that. That's why we sail Princess... we don't want a crazy captain that likes to show off and lay the ship on her side... hear that Costa Cruises?

The movie "Rocketman" was showing in the Princess Theater at 1900 hours, and Jim joined us. When we got there they were changing plans. Instead of the movie we had the production show "Gotta Dance" which is a great show, and it really allows the dancers and singers to do their best. They decided to do that show tonight. The dancers are imperiled somewhat when the deck is moving up and down in a storm, which we may be dealing with tomorrow night. So... we are dancin'. Great show! And the ship's small orchestra are outstanding.

After the show, we went to the International Cafe, deck five, Piazza (mid-ship) for a quick coffee and snack, then up to the cabin.

We watched a little TV and then lights out. The sea is getting a bit rough and it was not at all smooth all night. Did not prevent our getting a good night's sleep however,

DAY SIX      AT SEA    26 October 2019

As is our customary plan, we went up to Lido Deck for brunch, and with no one off the ship, it was more densely populated than many mornings, but that just means that the 'people-fishin'' is better.

We joined a couple from Arizona, who live in the South-Eastern part of that state, at a mile elevation. I did not know anything in Arizona was a mile high, other than clouds. They said they got twenty inches of snow last year... no sure if that was one storm or over the whole season.

When they left, another couple joined us. They live in San Francisco and just a taxi ride to the ship. They sail frequently. He came to the US in 1938 as a 9-year old boy, and sold newspapers. He worked for various architectural firms and became an architect from on-the-job training and then some college work. The first architect he worked for was the man that built the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. It was built for a World's Fair, and was only intended to stand a couple of years. San Franciscans loved it too much to let it die, and have invested a fortune into restoring it. It still stands today, and is prominent on the skyline of SF when you sail out through the 'gate. Our tablemate, Fay... yep, Fay...  is 90 years old, and his wife Mary was somewhat younger.

I was wearing that NRA sweater again and he wanted to know what my gun collection consisted of. It appears he was an avid gun collector, and loved fishing... any kind of fishing. Later in one of the ship's stores, a young man walking past me stopped and said "Love your sweater, man!" LOL. Wonder how many say under their breath how much they detest it. LOL.

How decadent... we have "on-board credits" on our bill that come from 'future cruise deposits', or allowed from Suzy, our agent, or somewhere... ??? and they are listed as 'non-refundable', which means when we walk off the ship, they go away. So... they are either 'spent' or lost. We went shopping. The on-board shops have jewelry, watches, clothing, candy, junk... and junque. We have to 'get rid of' $400 of credit... or lose it.

We used $200 for 'future cruise deposits', then went looking. Nothing. No clothing we liked. They have good quality clothes on board, but nothing caught our eye. No trinkets... nothing we wanted to carry off the ship. I looked at watches, but... not what I would wear. They all looked like a Freshman Art Project with jewels and goo-gaws on them. Nothing simple or distinguished. Most are the new huge round styles that have a piece of plate glass on the face that would not survive the first maneuver of picking up something.  And, of course, all were priced at about 250% of what they would be on shore. There were nicer looking ones inside the expensive store, but no prices on them. That's a sign of caution. LOL.

Last night we asked if we could order the Surf-N-Turf again, and the Maitre'd said that we could order it then for the next night, and to return to table 18. So, tonight, I told the doorwoman "Party of five and Louigi said to request that we go to table 18." She looked a bit perplexed, and I thought she was going to say "Louigi who?" LOL. They seated us and they produced our beautiful Surf-N-Turf.

The night's show was the man and wife team Brendt and Sarah again. They had a new show, and actually it was a bit more impressive with more intricate slights of hand. And they involved half a dozen audience members. That always adds to the interest of any show.

We retired to the cabin and watched a movie... "Red Lady", starring Judi Dench, about a woman that was involved in the WWII efforts of England to develop an atomic bomb during the time the US was working toward their own in their "Manhattan Project".

Interesting day ahead. With our missing Victoria, and our need to get outta town to miss the high seas, and then the captain rushing to skirt through the storm headed north out of San Francisco, we will be arriving in San Francisco around 1800 hours, nearly twelve hours ahead of schedule. That can hurt Princess, as they have to pay by the hour to be tied up at the pier.

This cruise only... at 1700 hours we have three options:

• Walk off the ship in our luggage tag color order, w/o luggage, pass through customs, and immediately return to the ship, staying the full night and disembarking normally tomorrow.
• Walk off the ship WITH luggage (without porter help), pass through customs, and then bye bye.
• Walk off the ship w/o luggage, pass through customs, spend the evening ashore, return the the ship (after everyone has passed through customs, and disembark tomorrow.

We are all going to stay on board and disembark when scheduled tomorrow, when our ride will be there. We will pack up tonight and go off tomorrow as usual, staying on board tonight and having dinner on board tonight.

We looked at our 'stateroom account' and they mixed up the 'future cruise credit' and only charged us a total of $100. Darn. Now we have more 'money' we have to spend or lose it. So... we went shopping again. LOL. As of this counting, we still owe Princess $.06 cents. We did a good job. We spent it all. We think. LOL We bought some clothes that we found that looked good. Several others were trying to do the same thing... adding trinkets until they zeroed out their account. Rosalee found a pretty bracelet that looked nice. We finished up by buying a bunch of large chocolate bars that went home and got cut into small pieces and put in the freezer. They'll last a long time.

We visited with Ed and Andi next door while waiting to be called to disembark for customs, then come back on board for the night. We were out of our stateroom about five minutes, and when re-entering or stateroom we could smell smoke. We could not see anything so maybe it was outside. Nope. It's in our cabin. I checked all of the wiring and plugs and outlets and computer wires and all were OK. Nothing here. Should we just leave it? Last check... looking at all of the lamps... there are three, with two next to the bed on either side. I never used mine other than to turn on to check something and then off. It has been on for the last ten minutes however. Bingo!

Laying inside the shade, directly on the light bulb, was a small towel, and I just happened to see a corner of it hanging down under the shade when I leaned down looking for anything. I pulled it out and it was on fire. Red embers and huge holes in the towel that had burned out. Quite a bit of smoke now. It was definitely ready to burst into flames.

I pulled it out and stepped into the head and soaked it in the basin. Then I went looking for someone official. Our cabin steward came and checked it out. He took the burned towel. After we came back to the cabin after customs check, the bulb had been replaced, but the room was smokey. We left both doors open to air it out. No one came to ask about it. Another ten minutes and the Grand Princess  would have had a serious problem.

It appeared that it just never got noticed because the light was only on for very short times. Previous occupants must have tossed it in there, or who knows!?!

It was chilly, and we watched a movie on the TV, with covers on. The smokey odor eventually was gone enough we slept fine.

Very different... short wait and we were off. No customs waiting. Our driver was south of town trying to reach us but a major accident had the main freeway turned into a parking lot. After about half an hour we were on our way home.

Things at home seemed to be OK.

Interesting cruise. No two are ever the same.