Day 1: Greenock
I was looking forward to my Grand Princess experience, as I had previously encountered her in port twice, firstly in Copenhagen then Livorno. Both times I was on smaller ships, and the sheer size and scale of Grand Princess impressed me, so I couldn’t wait to try out her facilities first-hand.
Before this, was the matter of arriving at Greenock. We set off (after some last-minute packing) from Oxenholme at 9:46, and arrived in Glasgow at around 11:45. We only had about 15 minutes to wait before the connecting regional train to Greenock set off, so the whole journey was very smooth. The trip between Glasgow and Greenock took about 45 minutes.
The best part of this journey was looking excitedly at the coast trying to spot the Grand Princess in the distance. Eventually we did, and she is an incredibly impressive sight even from a few miles away; she dwarfs most of the surrounding dock-land and is immaculately white, which makes her stand out even more. The distinctive bridge and Skywalkers nightclub on the front and rear of the ship just add to the sense of otherness from the dock and surrounding port. Greenock is a small port town, so the ship towered over the nearby area.
TOP TIP #1
When joining a cruise in Greenock, if you are arriving by train – take a taxi to the port. There is a taxi rank at the station, however it is poorly sign-posted and taxis are irregular, so it is worth booking a pick-up in advance. The port is only a five minute drive away but it is a very difficult walk (even though it looks easy).
Upon arriving at the port we quickly checked in through security and embarked. Our cabin was perfectly situated on Emerald Deck, number E230, an Obstructed View outside. I have always thought Obstructed View cabins were good value for money, as you get daylight, a middle deck and good position to access the rest of the ship. I wasn’t disappointed, although the cabin had a life-boat outside we only saw the front tip of it, and it was lower than the window so it was possible to see over it. There was some support structure and a small platform (clearly to be used for accessing the lifeboats) outside the window also but we had a 90% clear view.
The cabin itself was spacious and very clean. The only issue we had was that the beds were in twin configuration and we prefer double. Our cabin steward was Millissa, and a quick call to her sorted this problem out. Whilst we explored the ship, Millissa re-arranged our room to a double bed. There are two pre-conceptions about twin / double beds that I have had, which are:
1) Twin beds give more room in a cabin. I didn’t find this to be the case. I felt that the room had exactly the same space as a double and a twin, the only difference being that the room between the beds as a twin moved to one side.
2) The mattresses are pushed together and joined by being wrapped tightly in a sheet. This does mean that if one happens to sleep in the middle of the bed there is a chance of slipping down and waking to find oneself in-between two mattresses!
The Grand Princess itself is a stunning ship. At ten years old, one could forgive some wear and tear but she does not show her age at all. The internal areas are pristine and very clean; the staff are constantly cleaning, polishing, painting, picking up rubbish etc. I honestly can’t praise them enough as there was not one aspect of the ship I could find fault with without nit-picking.
We wandered into the teen area, the kids’ facilities, and explored the top decks. The steaming hot-tubs looked inviting, but so did the Video Arcade and table tennis where we played a few quick games (which I lost). We then decided it was time to eat, so we nipped into the Horizon Court for a cup of tea before heading off to the Trident Grill for a couple of Hot Dogs.
TOP TIP #2
I’m sorry to report that the quality of cups of tea onboard was disappointing. When Grand Princess replaces Sea Princess sailing to the Mediterranean from Southampton next year, I would like to hear that they have replaced the herbal infusion and exotic blends with the kind of tea the majority of British people drink. Stick to the coffee, which on the other hand, is excellent.
We made a note to sample Sundae’s Ice Cream Bar at a later date and looked around the bars, Atrium and shops of the lower levels. I was particularly excited by the large casino. I had a system for roulette. It couldn’t fail. Unfortunately the casino was not open in British waters, so my James Bond impression would have to wait until we sailed out of Le Havre.
Time was moving quickly and we changed for drinks and dinner. We were on the Anytime Dining option, which is available in the Michelangelo and Da Vinci Dining Rooms. On the first night we tried out the Da Vinci and I relished re-discovering favourite dishes of mine from my previous Sea Princess cruise: the Caesars Salad and New York Cheesecake are exceptional! The dress code was Smart-Casual and I did not feel out of place in jeans and a shirt. Other diners wore T-Shirts and loose trousers (with a few kilts, seeing as we were in Scotland) and I don’t think this detracted from the dining experience.
We retired to bed exhausted shortly afterwards, looking forward to a relaxing day at sea on the next day.
Day 2: At sea
Both Catherine and myself are habitual early risers, as we both are usually up and out of bed by 7am most days, so it was testament to the quality (and quantity) of food the previous evening, plus the comfortable beds and relaxing rocking of the boat that we were surprised to be woken by our room-service breakfast at 8:30! Room service is free of charge, with the exception of some items such as chocolate dipped strawberries, and a full list of the items available can be found in your cabin and for breakfast a door menu is left every evening. Each time we ordered the food was perfect and delivered very promptly.
We had a lazy morning watching a selection of TV programmes and films on the wide selection of in-cabin channels until we discovered that the Grand Princess was charting a course through the Outer Hebrides. The views were stunning as we cruised past the Isles of Mull, Skye and Lewis during the day, and we quickly made our way to the top decks where we watched with fascination the waterfalls and sheer rock faces of these magnificent islands. Our fellow passengers were also entranced and at many points the decks were full of enthralled onlookers.
We took lunch in the Horizon Court where a fantastic buffet is on offer 24 hours a day with a wide selection to suit all tastes. A slight criticism is that there is a limited choice of cold beverages available in here (water or iced tea were the only options), but the Horizon Court is book-ended by two outside bars and one can find a whole selection of refreshments available here.
After eating we decided that although the views were spectacular outside, the weather was not, so we repaired to what in my opinion is the best feature of the Grand Princess: the Conservatory. With the Crystal Dome above, the whole feel of this pool area is of an excellent leisure club. There are two hot-tubs, plenty of loungers and tables, a heated pool and also a bar. However the best feature by far is just about 4 o’clock when a tray is wheeled around bearing freshly baked cookies and ice-cold milk!
TOP TIP #3
The simple pleasures are the best and we literally became hooked on these cookies as a daily fix! The servers come out at around 4 and wander through the Conservatory and Neptune’s Pool area. Catch them in the Conservatory in case they run out before they get to you!
We spent the afternoon alternating swimming with making significant inroads into the books we brought with us for the journey. Don’t worry if you finish your chosen travel reading too soon, the Grand Princess has an excellent library (A Quiet Corner on Plaza Deck) with a wide choice of books.
As day drifted into evening we changed for dinner and headed into the Michelangelo Dining Room. This became our favourite for two reasons, firstly the friendliness of our waiter (Frank) and secondly for the proximity of the Lobby Bar. As we headed in we found there were no spaces available for us, so we were given a pager and settled down in the bar for a few minutes. No sooner had we taken the first sip of our drinks then our pager went off and we were ready to be served. Frank was a great waiter, friendly, funny and efficient he really made our dining experience.
We ended a great day of relaxation by heading into Snookers Cigar Bar (incidentally the only indoor venue of the ship where smoking is permitted) before retiring for the night. The next day would be Invergordon, the port town for Inverness. Although we enjoyed being onboard, we were looking forward to stepping onto dry land for a few hours.
Day 3: Invergordon
Grand Princess glided into port in Invergordon at around 1am, but we did not feel a thing as she berthed in the town’s small dock area. We woke around 9 o’clock (an almost unheard of hour for us) and headed to the Horizon Court for a Full English breakfast. There was another wide selection of food from cereal to pastries and fruit, plus of course the traditional fry-up. We loaded our plates and tucked in. I’d advise you to stay away from the American bacon and stick to the English options, as the US styles were an acquired taste!
We disembarked shortly afterwards, which was a swift and easily run process, and wandered into town. Invergordon is a small seaside community, with one high-street providing an assortment of shops, souvenir stalls and cafes. There is a regular bus to Inverness and Princess operate several trips into the Highlands and Loch Ness.
We walked through the town then down to the harbour where the RNLI were hosting a Fundraising event. We enjoyed a good cup of tea, followed by a go at the Tombola (we didn’t win anything). We then walked further down the sea front before settling down to a pint outside a local pub. We spent a happy couple of hours here, chatting with the bar staff and watching the world go by. It is interesting seeing Britain as a tourist destination from the point of view of foreign visitors, as we watched several American passengers enter and be somewhat bemused by the choice of beers on offer, and the option of being served a pint of bitter warm!
After this we checked out the souvenir stalls and purchased a few items before making our way back onboard. As we prepared to set sail the weather turned and some rain fell, but this did not deter the pipe band who stood on the quayside to see us off. This was the highlight of Invergordon, as there is nothing quite like being piped away from the harbour to the strains of ‘Scotland the Brave’.
TOP TIP #4
If you happen to book a British Isles Cruise that calls into Invergordon, I recommend you book a tour to the Highlands. There is a lot to see in the area, but very hard to access from the town without a guided tour. Invergordon is a nice place to visit but there is very little to do and we felt in retrospect we should have taken the chance to visit the Highlands properly.
This evening we again had a Smart Casual dinner in the Da Vinci dining room (once again with Frank as our waiter). We ate slightly earlier than usual as Catherine had an appointment in the Lotus Spa for 8:15 that evening.
I took the chance to wander round the Promenade Deck (my favourite part of any ship) and check out Skywalkers night club. I love the Skywalkers feature as it is stylish both inside and out, and the Skywalker walkway gives a visit here a real sense of occasion. A great aspect about having the nightclub outside of the centre of the ship is that this frees up the interior space for more spacious public areas and extra features.
At 10pm I met Catherine at the Lotus Spa, where she had spent the past two hours with the hairdressing team. She scheduled an appointment two days later for a bronzing tan to complement her hair in time for the formal evening on the last sea day. I have to say she looked stunning (and I’m not just saying this because we are getting married next year!) the treatment including colour, cut, styling and bronzing cost $129 altogether and was worth every penny. The staff in the Lotus Spa are exceptionally good and you are in safe hands when you book an appointment here.
A full day in Edinburgh beckoned the following day, so we headed to bed, looking forward to one of my favourite cities in the world.
Day 4: Edinburgh
I’m going to start my report of Edinburgh with a complaint. I don’t mean to, but I think if I get the negative things over and done with I can concentrate on the positive. The Princess brochure clearly stated that Grand Princess was due to depart Edinburgh at 1am the following day, to encompass a trip to the Military Tattoo. Both Catherine and I had decided against this trip, but were looking forward to spending most of the day and evening in town and heading back to the ship in the early evening. As it happened, the departure time was revised and we left at 7pm, however the first we heard of this was on reading the Princess Patter (the daily in cabin newsletter) on the morning of Day 4.
In the end we had a quick bite to eat in the Horizon Court and made ready to be off the ship by 9am. When Grand Princess visited Edinburgh the ship anchored in the Firth of Forth, in the shadow of the Forth Bridge. We disembarked by Tender (one of the ships lifeboats) and took a ten minute crossing to South Queensferry.
A quick note on disembarking by tender: this is done in a set order. The first groups to disembark are generally those who have purchased tours, and passengers are requested to meet at a set venue (in this case the Michelangelo Dining Room) and are then whisked away on their tours. All other passengers then proceed to the venue after a set time and are given a ticket with a number and colour (i.e. Blue Eight). We did this and had to wait about fifteen minutes before our number was called. After the initial rush dies down, Princess allows passengers to simply queue for tender places.
TOP TIP #5
You don’t need to rush for the tenders by getting up early. Princess allows plenty of time in port and they run on a very regular basis. The early tenders can get very full (but not uncomfortably so), but if you prefer a more leisurely pace take a slightly later time.
On arrival we turned left up a medium sloped hill and then followed signs through a wooded area, up some steps, round a fenced off area, over a bridge and down a path to the railway station. Tickets are cheap and can be bought on the platform and it is only 15 / 20 minutes journey into Edinburgh. The only problem came from confusion over train times, which was added to by conflicting messages on the platform and from train conductors. Due to it being a Sunday, trains were less frequent also, so it was not until 11am that we made it into Waverley Station.
I probably don’t need to go into depth on the delights of Edinburgh, aside from a few highlights: Princes Street is perfect for shopping, as are the side-streets coming off. The Walter-Scott memorial, Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens are all justly famous. We strolled from shop to shop and enjoyed the atmosphere of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I could quite happily visit Edinburgh time and again, and the only downside of our time there was that we didn’t have long enough.
At 4:15 we set off back from Waverley Station, along with a large group of fellow passengers. We had time for a quick look around South Queensferry before the tender picked us up for the return journey. South Queensferry is a nice village with a good looking pub and souvenir shop, and a nice place to start or end your exploration of Edinburgh.
We made it back to Grand Princess in good time, so we took advantage of the quiet space on top deck to take a quick dip in the Conservatory pool. Once again we ate in the Da Vinci Dining Room this evening, and the dress code was once again Smart Casual.
After dinner we headed into the Princess Theatre for the evening entertainment, which this night was a Crew Talent Show. This is well worth watching, as the crew all have hidden talents and great voices. The show lasted around an hour and was thoroughly entertaining, especially the finale, an old cruise ship favourite “If I Were Not Upon the Seaâ€
Once the shoe ended we headed into the Vista Lounge at 10:30 for “Kung Fu Pandaâ€! The only downside was the bar in the Vista Lounge shut just before the film began, which meant I had to make my Guinness last through the movie! Once Po the Panda had faced his nemesis, Tai Lung, we headed straight to bed. Via the midnight buffet.
Day 5: At sea
This was a very relaxed day, to say the least. We rose late and once again enjoyed a good continental breakfast in bed courtesy of room service.
Towards late morning we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and made our way onto the top deck. We found a couple of sun-loungers by the Neptune pool and made our camp for the day. Waiters are constantly on hand to offer drinks, but are never intrusive if you prefer to just relax. I managed to polish off my book and tried to not get sun-burned. An ice-carving show on the deck was very impressive, and kept us entertained at the skill and dexterity of the crew members who made this look so easy. Lunch came from the Trident Grill, and was so nice we went back for seconds (well, we were on holiday…).
We also decided to try out Sundae’s Ice Cream Bar which was excellent. There is a list of ice-creams and variations that Princess recommends or you can just suggest your own. Together we ordered a ‘Death by Chocolate’ and a ‘Dieters Revenge’.
TOP TIP #6
Creating a delicious ice-cream takes a little bit of time, so don’t get impatient, it’s well worth the wait. Also, be aware that the portions are very generous. Catherine and I had one each and really struggled to finish!
Later in the afternoon we enjoyed a Bridge Tour. It is always stunningly impressive to see how a huge ship is controlled from the one room, and Grand Princess is no exception. The crew members who showed us around were extremely knowledgeable about their ship, and if you have an interest in the technical side of cruising or nautical navigation, I’d highly recommend a tour of the bridge. It is a strange feeling to stand at the extreme end of the protruding bridge, knowing there is nothing below us but a several meter drop and then the North Sea!
The dress code for the night was Formal so we changed into our glad-rags. I’ve never enjoyed wearing a Tuxedo, so instead I settled for a black suit and tie, which was fine by the ship’s dress code. Catherine had made an appointment at the Lotus Spa for a ‘bronzing’ tan to be applied, which we headed to before dining. The bronzing was completed very quickly; however it did take 15 minutes before a staff member was free, which was fine as we were on Anytime Dining, but would have been an inconvenience if we needed to make it for a set dining time.
We had formal portrait photographs taken, which we would pick up on the following evening. During the evening meal another photographer came round to snap our pictures at the table. We did promise ourselves an early night, however once we saw that there would be a Champagne Waterfall in the Atrium, we just had to attend.
We watched the Waterfall being constructed from scratch, and although it takes a while is fascinating to watch. Over 700 glasses were used in the construction of this magnificent set-piece, before Giorgio, the Maitre d’Hotel, sprayed it with champagne (a heart stopping-moment) and then emptied several bottles to create a glistening waterfall effect. Waiters served free champagne to all who attended, and a massive round of applause was offered to the skill of the cruise staff.
With Le Havre beckoning in the morning, we retired to bed looking forward to our final full day onboard Grand Princess.
Day 6: Le Havre
TOP TIP #7
If you want to go into Paris, book a tour from Princess. It is possible to travel there by train, but the logistics of doing so (clearing immigration, disembarking, getting to the station etc) make this a daunting prospect. The cheapest tour is ‘Paris on your Own’ and starts at $129pp for adults and $89 for children.
We disembarked shortly after 9 in the morning, after a leisurely Horizon Court breakfast. Shuttle buses are arranged to transport passengers to the town centre and need to be booked in advance at a cost of $5 per person one way ($10 round-trip).
I had hoped to see Paris but as we didn’t have a tour booked this proved to be very impractical. Instead we opted to explore Le Havre, and didn’t regret this for a second. There are dozens of clothes and fashion shops in the street and shopping centre, plus countless delicatessens and pastry shops too. We spent some happy hours simply soaking up the atmosphere of this beautiful town.
There is a lovely garden area in the town centre, with waterfalls and seating areas which are perfect for enjoying a baguette whilst watching the world go by, which is exactly what we did! My French is quite poor, however Catherine and I managed to muddle by between us, picking up a few gifts and souvenirs on the way. The heat of the day made for a typically Mediterranean feel, and as we strolled though the streets we reflected on a fantastic break; the following day we would be back in the UK.
We piled back onto a regular shuttle bus and made it back to Grand Princess in time for a last round of milk and cookies in the Conservatory! We changed into our swimming gear and took a last dip in the pool before sampling a couple of beautiful milk-shakes from Sundae’s (made with three big scoops of ice-cream)! After a hard day of discovering the town of Le Havre we both fell asleep on sun-loungers for an hour!
We woke up in time to see Grand Princess set sail and discovered that we had managed to exhaust ourselves in the town centre, but hadn’t even seen the beach and rest of the town, which spread along the coast. Le Havre is a great place to visit, and if you don’t manage to get into Paris makes a fantastic alternative.
I had never actually disembarked a cruise at the end before, so the process of leaving our bags outside the cabin was new to me. We packed and tagged our luggage and left it outside our door, dressing for dinner in the same clothes we would use to travel North from Southampton the next day. The atmosphere was friendly and warm on the last night, as it had been all through our Grand Princess adventure. But there was one more treat in store for me…
I had been looking forward to trying out my new system at the roulette table, so armed with $20 and a Black Russian (my Casino ****tail of choice) I sat down and prepared to win big!
Day 7: Southampton & Disembarkation
With $20 less in my wallet than there was the night before, I piled my plate high in the Horizon Court for the last time, knowing that a long journey to Cumbria awaited. We had booked onto the 11:15 train to give us plenty of time from disembarking to getting home, however we could have booked for 9:15 and still made it with time to spare.
From deciding to disembark to getting to the train station could have been no less than 20 minutes. All luggage is colour tagged and laid out in that order, making it very easy to locate our belongings and taxis are plentiful outside.
Catherine and I loved our Grand Princess cruise and wouldn’t hesitate to go back again. It was the perfect break and left us refreshed, relaxed and recharged. The ship is stunning and will be a fine replacement for Sea Princess out of Southampton next year.
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