March 26, 2013
I am not sure if this
beginning is the fulfillment of a nearly two-year dream or just what got us to
this point but today, the lines holding the Star Princess
securely to the pier were released. Not
only were the physical dock lines released but also the dock lines to many of
our cares and concerns were left behind.
For the next 28 days, we will be floating on the Pacific Ocean to places
which prior to this only captured our imagination. The sun was setting as we cleared the west
coast of California. In the morning, the
dawn will begin day one of a magical voyage to new lands of discovery.
We arrived yesterday in Los Angles and were transported
safely down to the Crowne Plaza hotel in San Pedro, California. We had stayed at the same hotel for our last
Panama Canal cruise a mere four months ago.
The hotel is located in a convenient location with plenty of good
restaurants and probably only a mile or two from the cruise terminal. There is a free shuttle service to the
terminal and you know how I like the word “free”.
Our cabin, B751 is located all the way aft. If you remember from our incredible Adriatic
cruise, I described it as being in the trunk and being the left turn
signal. Things changed only a little
this time. We are still in the trunk but
we are now the right turn signal up high and next to the “Cyclops” brake light.
I digress. The past few days have been a whirlwind. On Saturday, we drove north from Burnsville
to attend a retirement party for a nurse friend of ours from St. Luke’s
hospital, followed by a wonderful dinner with two wonderful friends who live in
the Washburn area. Spending the night
was wonderful; a treat Mindy and I had not shared together for probably four
months. In the morning, we dropped the
dogs off at the best puppy spa you could imagine. That was hard but we know they are in the
best of care with some personal friends.
We drove back down to the Twin Cities where we had dinner with Carrie,
Ryan, Janet, Brandon, and little Henry and then we said goodbye to them. It was a rough day of saying goodbye for
nearly a month. Checking into the hotel
I discovered that some things that I needed were buried deep inside the
suitcases and so temporary supplies from the front desk satisfied that little
mistake.
We got to the airport in plenty of time to get through
security and to the Delta Sky club lounge.
With Mindy watching the bags, I went to get the French Pacific Francs
that we needed for a tour in Bora Bora.
I had to order them from the U.K. to have them waiting at the
airport. It was a hassle but it was the
only way. When I approached the teller
at the currency exchange, she had this shocked look on her face. She told me she did not have the money in her
booth, despite the written confirmation I presented. She made another call only to find out the
money was waiting for me outside of security.
Back out I go, get the money and back in through security, this time
using the employee entrance to get back through security.
Our flight left a little early and got in even earlier
into Los Angeles despite some thinning fog.
As we rode the escalator down to baggage claim we saw our driver holding
up my name and sure enough, it was Nicholas, the same driver we had we left
from Los Angeles for our October 28, 2013 cruise through the canal. It was great to see a familiar face; someone
we have gotten to know and trust.
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro, California
that allowed us to take a short four or five block walk along Ports-O-Call,
which is full of Mexican and Seafood restaurants. We picked one that we thought was safe but
the food was bad. The entire area has
just gone downhill over the years. Next
time we will look elsewhere. I did
however have six great oysters!
In the evening we walked about three blocks to the Whale
& Ale restaurant where had a great dinner with Cindy, a friend from Palos
Verdes, and her husband Jim. The food
was excellent and the conversation wonderful.
We did not sleep well last night and with the two-hour
time zone change, it called for making it an early night.
March 26, 2013 – Getting up at a reasonable
time sure did help. We managed to get
freshened up, repack out bags and have time to have a breakfast with fellow
cruisers at the Crowne Plaza’s restaurant.
Mindy had been communicating with a new friend, Judy, who lives in Palos
Verdes overlooking the cruise ship terminal.
For me that sounds ideal and at the same time frustrating wanting to be
on a ship, any ship, going to anywhere new.
Judy picked us up at 11:00 and off we went to the 22nd
Street Grill right on the docks in a small boat marina. We had a most excellent lunch and great
conversation but all too soon it was time to head for the ship and wait for the
boarding process to begin. We sat in a
designated “lounge” with a thousand other folks for about 90 minutes before boarding
began, about 20 minutes before forecasted.
We made our way to cabin B751 and found it to be a nice
and very large suite, larger than we have ever had and very comfortable. Since our bags had not arrived, Mindy and I
headed off to explore the ship and see what we could see.
Before long it was time for the “muster drill” where we
all learn how to where those fashionable floatation devices. With the recent wave of incidents by another
cruise line, I think most of the passengers really paid attention. We just love Princess but as we know, even the safest cruise line on the seas
can have an incident.
With that under our belt, I felt a sense that this
vacation has finally begun! To kick it
off on the right foot we had dinner at the Crown Grill on board the ship,
compliments of Princess. By the time dinner was done, our bags had
been delivered and the disgusting task of putting everything in its proper
location. One thing I discovered; I
over-packed by a long shot! I am
downright embarrassed; it is that bad.
Now it is time to finish today’s cruise journal. I do not anticipate writing another entry
until Hilo, Hawaii, on Easter Day.
