San Francisco Turnaround Day

Hello again from San Francisco, where I am ending one cruise and beginning another.

Awake by 6:00 AM. Go me.

There really wasn’t a reason for me to get up so early other than to check the weather. 

Looks to be a sunny day = go out and be a tourist 

Cold and cloudy = stay on board

It didn’t take long for the day to shake out. Sitting up in Skywalkers on deck 18 gave me the best vantage point of what was to come. Both before the immigration process and after things continued to look, well, definitely not sunny.

Dirty windows or not, you can see it’s dreary out there

I skipped my typical salmon in the dining room and had a hamburger in there instead. Since my clothes DID arrive to my cabin unlike last week, after lunch I spent a few minutes unpacking and sorting through the first day’s paperwork. 

Always important itinerary torn from the Princess Patter

Another thing I had in my paperwork was information on this week’s casino cruise. First on the schedule was the cocktail party where we would find out more about the going-ons. While I did have one drink and one Diet Coke, the time there was mostly a casino hosts schmoozing-with-the-high-rollers session. Pretty interesting to watch.

Some kind of a rum punch

Afterwards I tried to head back to Skywalkers for sailaway but they already had it shut down for the Elite Lounge. So I wound up in a lounger outside at Movies Under the Stars while keeping a close eye on the menacing clouds.

Rain, rain, stay away

And wouldn’t you know it as soon as we started sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge we hit the blue skies. But boy was it cold.

The Captain tells us we’ll have some rough seas tonight as we head north to Astoria, Oregon. But before Astoria we have a sea day tomorrow. See you then.

Sea Day

Today was about as a chill a day as I’ve had this entire trip. For the first time, the sun was shining on my balcony before I even got out of bed.

Oh, what a beautiful morning

After breakfast there was a meeting for the 200+ guests who are staying on for the next voyage. It was basically the same information we heard last week so it was hard to leave the sunshine.

And wouldn’t you know it when I came back to the cabin the sun was gone from my side of the ship. It was all shade for the rest of the day, and with the cool air and breeze it became too chilly to sit out there. Such a big bummer, especially knowing I’m going back into an interior cabin tomorrow.

Pretty but brrr

I spent the day packing up the cabin, talking on the phone with home, and taking a proper nap. None of this sitting up falling asleep, but a proper shoes-off, covered up with a warm blanket kind of nap. 

Who could have predicted I would be even warmer during my pre dinner drinks. 

Thanks to a

Red face from the sun

Red face from the alcohol

Red face from embarrassment

It was when all the officers started clapping that the embarrassment occurred. The clapping was followed by this huge cake presented to me. Wasn’t it just yesterday when I said the 1000th day was without fanfare or recognition?

Just when you think you can’t be pleasantly surprised
something like this happens.

After the initial shock and embarrassment wore off I looked red-faced in one too many pictures and ate much too much cake. I shared cake with as many guests as possible, cut an extra big piece to take back to my cabin steward, and had them send the rest of the leftovers down to the crew mess. What an unexpected way to spend part of my evening. Too stuffed to do anything else I had a small quick dinner of a baked chicken breast and potatoes and called it a night. 

Up tomorrow, turnaround day in San Francisco. 

Ensenada, Mexico

For my day in Ensenada, my 1000th day on Princess Cruises, with no fanfare or recognition I did exactly what I wanted to do. And skipped the majority of the activities on the daily schedule. 

I didn’t set the alarm, slept in, and went to breakfast when I wanted to. Even though it was cloudy and cool I watched the morning Movies Under the Stars feature Conclave, and fell asleep in a lounge chair for most of it. When I woke up the sun had come out and it was warm enough to take off my sweatshirt.

I went to the back of the ship, sat at the new handicap seating there, had a Diet Coke, and watched birds dive straight down in the water to get fish.

I went out in port last week to get my fish tacos so today I had a burger on deck for lunch.

My first one on board this month

I spent the afternoon on my balcony in my swimsuit in the sunshine. No other place I’d rather be.

I certainly didn’t want to go to the formal night dinner, but felt obligated. Here’s a tip…don’t go to things you don’t want to go to. I had a few minutes to kill before I could get my table so I went to the casino for a little while. What was I thinking??? It did not turn out well. With my tail between my legs I headed to a busy dining room I really didn’t want to go to and had a simple meal of French onion soup, sautéed shrimp, and mandarin sorbet. So simple not even worth a picture. 

Up tomorrow, a sea day as we head back to San Francisco. 

San Diego, California

Hello from San Diego!

Hey, there’s the Santa Fe Amtrak train depot.
I’ve been there!

This girl was busy today. When we’ve been here before (and were more able-bodied) we walked to and from the cruise ship to Petco Park (the San Diego Padres ballpark) to go to a baseball game. I wrote about that day here. Now that we’re no longer able-bodied we have to find a new way to get to the ballpark. We’ve been talking about flying to San Diego and staying in a hotel close to the ballpark. So along with my touristy things today was about exploring two hotel locations I had been looking at. 

I thought the Hilton Bayfront was going to be our best option for limited walking but it was far from it especially when you have a return trip to think of.

Start at the tall hotel on the right and walk left past the parking garage

Cross the sky bridge 

Then once across the street, walk to the ballpark.

But oh boy, my second choice became my number one when I saw how easy it was. 

Omni hotel

It’s so close to the ballpark

The best part is how you get to the ballpark. Go to the fourth floor of the hotel and go to the end of the hall.

And you’ll find a door that takes you straight to the ballpark.

Just a few short feet away

I am certain the nightly rate is probably horrendous but if we only do this once in a while, it just might be worth it.

I spent the rest of my time putting several miles on the scooter and taking too many pictures. It was such a beautiful day it was hard not to. 

Bob Hope Memorial

Huge kissing statue

Convention center to the left

Spent some time in Seaport Village

You can sit in an Adirondack chair and put your feet in some sand.
Unfortunately my Adirondack chair sitting days are long gone.  

Lots of places to eat and drink

Need these flags for my daughter

I stopped by a waterfront restaurant and had some garlic Parmesan fries right next to the ship.

Wandered by the Maritime museum with all the different ships available for viewing and touring.

It always looks like the planes are landing right inside the city.

I saw lots of things in bloom.

Looks like red bottle brushes

Pretty purple/pink

So pretty against the blue sky

Tonight’s pre dinner drinks wound up being a four martini night. Yikes. I did have a bottle of water and a Diet Coke so everything equals out, right?

Feels so good, but man I’ll pay in the morning

A little stop by Movies Under the Stars for some Top Gun Maverick. Only seems fitting when we are across the water from North Island. And to think I was just a block away from the original Top Gun bar today and didn’t even know it! (At least the internet tells me so.)

Movies Under the Stars

North Island

Afterwards a dinner of chicken breast and dessert of sugar free coconut cake and orange sorbet then a glance at the USS Midway Museum on my way back to the cabin. 

Up tomorrow, Ensenada and my 1000th day on Princess Cruises. Oh, yeah. 

San Pedro (Los Angeles), California

Hello from San Pedro!

While the itinerary says we are in Los Angeles we are really docked in San Pedro. Several Princess tours went to Los Angeles to see some of those things Ed and I saw on our own 10 years ago, but my plan today was to stay close to port. San Pedro has been our turnaround port for our winters-at-sea cruises so I’ve been here upwards of two dozen times in the last two years. Usually on turnaround days here all aboard is 2:30 PM so there isn’t a lot of time to get out and about. But today being a port day instead, all aboard was 6:30 PM. Plenty of time for me to do my thing both on the ship and ashore.

After breakfast I watched the loading/unloading of cargo.

Always interesting

Had some phone calls and texts to deal with from home. Had a morning nap. And finished charging the scooter to be ready for today.

Just a short 15 minute walk (or scooter) from the ship is the Green Onion Mexican restaurant. It’s next to the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is where we always stay pre-cruise in San Pedro. The Green Onion has delicious food in large portions for a cheap price. I chose a beef taco and cheese enchilada combo for lunch. The price? $13.95! No way in the world I even came close to even finishing a third of it.

Guess who has dinner tonight too?

As I was already overstuffed I figured I might as well start heading back to the ship. But how can I come so close to The Happy Diner without getting a churro waffle? I had no room in my stomach for more food but I sure could take one back to the ship for tomorrow’s breakfast. It’s not like I haven’t had it for breakfast before.

Thanksgiving breakfast 2023 in San Pedro

This time I got the ice cream on the side and rolled my way down to the waterfront and ate the ice cream there.

Lots to watch on the busy waterway

As I sat there I spied something else across the way at the fire department. When I was done eating, I had to go check it out. 

Their fire dog is a Dalmatian sculpture.

Occasionally, the sun would break through the clouds today and it would feel oh so good. It made the colors of the flowers and trees pop.

I made my way back to the ship by 3:30 with an extremely full stomach and Mexican food left over for dinner. With a churro waffle ready for breakfast I guess there will be no need to go to Richard Walker’s Pancake House for an apple pancake tomorrow. So now I’ll see you in San Diego tomorrow where I’ll have time for things other than breakfast. 

Santa Barbara, California

Hello from a cool, drizzly, dreary and kind of depressing looking day in Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara is a tender port, meaning we anchor offshore and use the lifeboats to send passengers back and forth. 

Since I’ve been here plenty of times and done all I care to do (Ed and I even walked 7.5 miles here once), I had already decided to stay on the ship today. 

After a highly unsatisfying breakfast (bad food, bad service) I went straight across the deck over to the gym. I realized I really wasn’t feeling it so I turned around, went to the elevator, and headed right back to my cabin. Kicked off my shoes, cracked open the balcony door for cool fresh air (and sea lion singing from the buoy), covered up with a blanket, and watched a selection of movies for the day. Dirty Dancing, My Penguin Friend, Barbie, Back to Black. Princess has a large variety of free on demand movies you can watch in your cabin.

I don’t know how many they have but I’m guessing it’s over 100.

I skipped lunch because I knew I was having a bigger dinner at Crown Grill tonight. (Technically I didn’t skip lunch. I had a cup of M&Ms while watching movies. What was I thinking?!)

Also I should have thought through my choice of food at Crown Grill a little better. 

Shrimp cocktail appetizer

More shrimp and Seabass just like I had yesterday at lunch

Keylime pie bar for dessert was a little too citrusy
when paired with my lemon drop martini

Every time I cruise for a long period of time, at some point I hit a wall. The combination of the last three days, along with the weather, may have made today the wall day. Tomorrow we’re in LA (technically San Pedro) where I’ll see if I can break out of this funk. See you there.