IT was one of those end-of-season cruises to Alaska that a group of Cebuanos took last month onboard the Emerald Princess. Organized by top Princess Cruise producer Aida Uy of Cebu Fortune Travel, the famtrip for the travel movers around town was co-sponsored by Philippine Airlines (PAL), the nation’s flag carrier now proudly carrying the four-star airline status of Skytrax, and the honor of the four-star International Award from Apex Awards. It is a well-deserved accolade, talking from personal experience, because we had the chance to revel in the famed Filipino hospitality during our flight to Vancouver... yes, it was shining through in PAL’s gracious and solicitous flight attendants! And we also salute PAL for the seamless connections between terminals in Manila.
Since joiners (paying passengers) were welcome, the Cebu group reached a total of 24 cruisers... a noisy, funny, photo-crazy, always-happy group! From the time we boarded the PAL plane in Mactan to the day we parted ways after the Alaskan cruise, it was picture-taking with endless chatter and plenty of laughter all the way.
Onboard the Emerald Princess, we were given the royal treatment... yes, service deluxe at every turn...more so when those waiting on us were kababayans who always made us feel very, very special. Another feel-good factor was the extra space for luggage and clothes in the stateroom... indeed little things mean a lot!
Food was overflowing at the Horizon Court, the buffet dining outlet open for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. For formal dining, there were the Da Vinci, Michaeangelo and Botticelli dining rooms where the food choices included steak, lobster, king crab, prawn, salmon and all else that spelled TOPS! Specialty restaurants were on hand for exclusive fine dining and private celebrations. We tried the classy SHARE by Chef Curtis Stone and enjoyed an excellent six-course dinner.
In the mood for burgers, hotdogs, fries and pizza?... Trident Grill and Prego Pizza were the go-to places. And there was an ice cream bar nearby. Hungry at anytime of the day or night?...there was the 24-hour International Cafe by the Piazza with sandwiches, salads, cookies, coffee etc.
Bars, clubs and lounges were aplenty in the ship. Our group’s favorite was Club Fusion because it featured a regular Karaoke hour and the singers in our group (Joan, Marget, Sheila, Jane, Hazel, Penny and Susan) were eager to perform. Oh yes, they brought the house down with “Dancing Queen” having in their midst a sheepish-looking Mitchell Uy who quipped... “I don’t know why I allowed myself to be with these Dancing Queens!” It was hilarious! And what do you know?... An elderly gentlemen who became an instant fan requested them to sing again on his birthday two days later. And they did with Nena, Rosie, Alan and Dennis joining in. This time they came up with “Top of the World” and of course the birthday song. Fun, memorable nights onboard!
A day before we said our farewells, the group took centerstage once again, this time at The Piazza as members of the Emerald Princess Choir who practiced religiously for the performance. They sang beautifully, getting another well-deserved round of applause!
Entertainment came in all forms—lavish presentations at the Princess Theatre, musical evenings (piano, violin and vocals) at the Piazza, Crooners Bar and Explorers Lounge, Bingo, game shows, line dancing, art auction, gaming lessons at the Casino... there was never a dull moment!
The highlight of a cruise is always the Captain’s Night when guests are dressed to the nines and formal photos are taken. Ship Captain Steve Lewis presided over the Champagne Waterfall Party at the Piazza and introduced his senior officers. It was a beautiful and memorable night for all of us!