At Sea

Because of the missed call in Cabo San Lucas, we have been at sea for six days now, so there has been little to report apart from a steady passing stream of turtles and dolphins in the clear waters of the Pacific. Although the seas have been calm, the weather is somewhat volatile and we passed through a massive electrical storm a few nights ago. Yesterday also saw us adjusting course by a few degrees to avoid a tornado which had formed under a thunder cell.  The resulting water spout where it made contact with the ocean could be clearly seen from the port side. Temperatures remain around 29 degrees so we continue to make good use of the balcony.

We are now sailing along the Guatemalan coastline (about 16 degrees, 30 minutes north), and heading for the border with El Salvador.  The ship is expected to dock in Puntarenas, Costa Rica about 0700hrs tomorrow morning and many of the passengers, ourselves included, will step ashore and join one of the pre-booked excursions.

Our excursion will take us into the Monteverde cloud forest (essentially a rain forest but set at an elevated altitude of around 5000 feet). The forest has been declared a biological reserve and is home to over 3000 species of animals and plants.  We have been advised to take warm clothes and a poncho. Oh, and plenty of insect repellent...

We'll post a full report tomorrow evening, hopefully with some photographs of the day's visit.

At Sea

Today is Day 4 of the cruise, and we are currently passing abeam the Los Angeles area on the way south towards Mexico. The island of Santa Rosa has just become visible in the distance. Despite the good weather and clear conditions, there isn't much to see, so we thought we'd share some observations on the dining experiences so far.

Like many cruise ships, Coral Princess has two main dining rooms with capacity to handle the majority of passengers.  These have menus which are refreshed daily and offer a choice of perhaps three of four different options per course.  There is no charge for dining in the main restaurants, and the cost of the meals is included in the overall cruise ticket.

The main dining rooms are supplemented by a few speciality restaurants, and a separate cover charge is levied for making a reservation. On Coral Princess, there are two such restaurants, Sabatini's (Italian) and the Bayou Cafe & Steakhouse.

We weren't able to verify independently, but we had read on a number of cruise forums on the internet, that the first night's dining can be a little chaotic in the main dining rooms.  So, for the first night, we chose to make a reservation in one of the speciality restaurants - Sabatini's on Deck 7, which offers authentic Italian cuisine.  There was a $20 cover charge per head. The restaurant wasn't busy and the quiet surroundings offered an intimate dining experience. This was enhanced further by the knowledgeable and attentive waiting staff who were happy to explain each dish and make recommendations.  For both of us, choosing the main course was a no brainer - lobster three ways, which included tail and claw meat, a bisque sauce and lobster risotto.

We chose the main dining room on the second night. There are actually two main dining rooms, with one being dedicated to 'traditional' diners (Provence - Deck 6) and the other (Bordeaux - Deck 5) for 'anytime' diners. Princess offer passengers the choice of traditional or anytime dining, and your preferences are specified when booking the cruise.  With traditional dining, evening meals are served in two fixed sittings, either 1730 or 1945, and again this is usually specified at the time of booking.  Anytime dining which we chose, is a far more flexible option and as the name implies, it's possible to turn up anytime between 1730 and 2200. The disadvantage, is that tables may not be immediately available if you turn up unannounced, and you may be faced with a short wait.  However, the restaurant is always happy to reserve a table in advance, so it's certainly worth giving them a quick phone call from your stateroom earlier in the day.

The main dining rooms are obviously much bigger, and unless you specify otherwise by making a reservation request, you may well find yourself sitting at a larger table with possibly six or eight fellow passengers.

The Horizon Court is an informal 24-hour buffet restaurant situated at the forward end of Deck 14. We chose to eat here last night, but the overall experience was quite disappointing. The selection and quality of the food presented was considerably inferior to that offered on our previous cruises (Norwegian Jewel, 2009 and Ocean Village Two, 2008). Whilst it's perfectly suitable for breakfasts, light lunches or the occasional snack, the Horizon Court is probably best avoided in the evenings unless you really can't be bothered with the formality of a table service.

At Sea

It's Day 2 and we're at sea today as the ship starts its long journey down the Pacific coast. After emerging from the calm waters of the Juan de Fuca Strait, we have now encountered stormy seas. The decaying remnants of a large depression which originated in the Aleutian region have moved south, resulting in force 10 winds of 50 knots and 20 foot waves.  As our cabin is near the bow, the movement of the ship is quite noticeable although it's not uncomfortable. The balcony is a 'no-go' zone however as the wind and wave spray are making it pretty unpleasant to stand outside. 

We set sail yesterday at 1600hrs local time, and after only an hour, the skyscrapers of Vancouver were starting to fade from view. Using the forward viewing balcony on deck 10, we were able to watch the ship pass under the Lion's Gate Bridge. The forward balconies on decks 10 and 11 are little known features of Coral Princess, but are perfect for watching arrivals and departures, not to mention the forthcoming Panama Canal transit. They are normally closed however, when out at sea.

Before the ship set sail, we took the opportunity to explore Coral Princess. As many passengers had still to board, the ship was quiet and it was easy to take photographs of the interior without people getting in the way. The interior is very grand and matches the high standards one would expect of any large cruise liner. It has a very traditional feel which appears to be aimed at an older clientele. The furniture and decor in some of the bars and public rooms has been carefully selected to maintain the ambience of a traditional cruise liner, and there's little evidence of the vibrant colour schemes and modernistic flair we saw a few years ago on NCL's Norwegian Jewel.  

Our cabin is perfect and contains all the typical amenities arranged in the usual manner to optimise space. The balcony is a good size and has plenty of room to move around. One minor criticism is the shower cubicle - definitely the smallest I've seen!

It's almost 7am now and we're passing abeam the Oregon state border as the sun starts to rise. Nearly time for breakfast!