15th February 2023 

In contrast to the previous day, we awoke to a bright and sunny Californian morning. Our taxi to the World Cruise Centre in San Pedro arrived punctually at 11:15 am, and with light traffic, the 23-mile journey to the Crown Princess, waiting patiently at Berth 93, took just half an hour.

We had completed all the necessary paperwork online a couple of weeks earlier in the UK, allowing us to use the expedited Green Track lane at check-in. All that remained was to hand our luggage to the porters, show our passports, collect our Medallions, and pass through the security scanner. Within 15 minutes, we were in our stateroom, studying the ship’s map in search of the nearest restaurant for lunch.

Having found the nearest buffet, Sue made a beeline for the hot counter, while I, mindful of the indulgences to come, opted for the salad bar.

By the time we returned, our suitcases had been delivered to the cabin. After briefly pausing to unpack, we set off to explore the vast ship. The Medallion issued earlier synchronises with an app on my phone and with various departments across the vessel. As we approach our cabin, it automatically unlocks the door; when we leave, it locks again. It also functions as a simple satnav, guiding you to your chosen destination. You can order food and drink, or reserve a table at any restaurant, directly through the app.

One particularly useful feature is the ability for Sue and me to see each other’s location on the ship, handy when we decide to take part in different activities. It’s a clever and convenient system, though I shall reserve final judgement until this 15-day cruise is over.

We were out on deck, along with many others, to witness the Crown Princess slip from her berth with three loud blasts of her horn at 5:15 pm, just over an hour behind schedule. The sun was beginning to set behind the hills beyond San Pedro, and a chilly sea breeze soon had us, along with most of the crowd, retreating indoors in search of warmth.

Using the app, we booked a table for two at 6:20 pm in the Da Vinci Restaurant, the only option available at the time. However, as we joined the growing queue outside, it quickly became clear that all was not going according to plan. A staff member walked the line, apologising for the delay. What can one expect when 2,664 passengers, most of them elderly, are given free rein to book their dining times and tables via technology?

Eventually, we reached the check-in desk and, after presenting our Medallions, were asked to wait. We were then led to a table set for eight. Shortly afterwards, we were joined by six other equally bemused diners, four British and two American. Our chosen starters didn’t arrive until 7:30 pm, and the service was so slow that we didn’t finish our meal until 9 pm, leaving barely enough time to dash to the other end of the ship to catch the evening show.

The meal, when it finally arrived, was perfectly fine, and we passed the time in pleasant conversation. Still, it was an inauspicious start to our evening dining experience, though, in hindsight, quite predictable.

Our luck didn’t improve much at the Princess Theatre. Few had opted for the later performance by a vocalist, so we had our pick of seats, something we should perhaps have taken as a warning. The singer had a decent voice, but her choice of songs, coupled with an insistence on interpreting them in her unique style, made for an excruciating hour. Many in the audience quietly slipped away, but we are British and made of sterner stuff, so we endured it to the bitter end. At times, she sounded rather like a crazed cat trapped in a dustbin.

16th February 2023: Sea Day

The clocks went back an hour overnight, putting us 11 hours behind UK time. Despite the notional extra hour in bed, we were still at breakfast by 7 am. Our morning was filled with three lectures, one on Tutankhamun and two on the Hawaiian Islands. These were followed by a round of crazy golf and a brisk half-mile walk around Deck 19, during which we spotted a pair of dolphins about a hundred metres off the port side. We had some fun trying to keep pace with the mammals before descending into the bowels of the ship for a buffet lunch.

In the afternoon, we watched the film Buckley’s Chance, then followed that with another round of crazy golf and a few more laps around the deck, getting in some extra steps before changing for the evening meal.

Earlier in the day, we had visited the ship’s reception, feeling rather frustrated that we were unable to book our evening meals through the app. Attempts via the interactive TV in our cabin proved equally fruitless, revealing that there were no available slots on most days. Reception gave me the direct number for table reservations, and after speaking to someone there, we managed to secure a 7:30 pm slot each evening in the Da Vinci Restaurant.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we found two queues, one for those with reservations and one for those without. Despite having booked in advance, we were seated at a table for eight, and, as it turned out, we were the only two who had reserved a time and place. Why did we bother? I thought.

Fortunately, our dining companions were friendly Americans, all keen to chat and with a good sense of humour. The meal passed quickly in their company. As with the previous evening, we had to dash afterwards to secure a seat in the theatre, where an impressionist was performing. Naturally, much of his act was tailored to the predominantly American audience, but we understood enough to enjoy an entertaining end to our evening.

Back home, Jamie, Ruth, and Joey flew to Borovets in Bulgaria today for a week of skiing. Unfortunately for Jamie, a recent car accident means he’ll be spectating rather than taking to the slopes.

17th February 2023: Sea Day

We slept well and had breakfast a little later than the day before. Our morning was spent attending a couple more lectures on the Hawaiian Islands. After lunch, as we had done yesterday, we settled down to watch a film, Foster Boy.

The sea conditions worsened slightly in the late afternoon, with light showers scudding past on a stiff breeze. Before braving the elements on Deck 19 for a brisk, calorie-burning five circuits, we passed some time with a couple of games of backgammon in one of the lounges.

Our fellow passengers appear to have quickly settled into their routines. The British contingent, 364 of us, apparently, seem to be everywhere, easily identified by our accents amidst the American drawl, and unmistakable in the restaurants by our steadfast use of both knife and fork. So far, we’ve found our American counterparts to be gregarious and exceedingly polite, always quick to strike up a conversation, and invariably able to link a memory, friend, or distant relative to somewhere in the UK.

I can’t help but suspect that, deep down, more than a few of them regret their ancestors throwing perfectly good British tea into Boston Harbour back in 1773.

The evening meal system remained chaotic. Although we entered the restaurant at our scheduled time of 7.30 pm and were seated at a table for eight, service was slow once again, and it was well after 9 pm before we were able to head to the theatre. The system seems as confusing to our fellow passengers as it does to us, and the waiters often appeared unsure of which tables they were responsible for or where to collect the dishes.

Our dinner companions that evening included a German couple and two American couples, and pleasant conversation helped to fill the long gaps between courses. We reached the evening show with just a few minutes to spare and were rewarded with an excellent performance by Hank Denson, a comedian with razor-sharp timing and quick-fire delivery. He had the audience roaring.

18th February 2023: Sea Day

Now fully attuned to the gentle rhythms of ship life, we slept deeply and woke late, just in time for breakfast. During the meal, we received a video call from Sarah and caught up with the latest family news.

The morning was filled with lectures, one on humpback whales and another on the Hawaiian island of Nawiliwili, before we sat down to a formal lunch in the Da Vinci restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we discovered another walking route on Deck 7. This one allowed for a full circumnavigation of the ship and, being mostly sheltered from the wind, proved more agreeable. After two brisk laps, we retreated indoors for a few more games of backgammon.

The evening meal was billed as a formal occasion, with dinner jackets and evening dresses recommended. Sue and I dressed accordingly, as did most others, though the dress code was clearly not enforced on the Crown Princess. On previous cruises, passengers wishing to avoid formalwear would typically opt for one of the buffet restaurants. But here, in the main dining room, diners in shorts and T-shirts were seated alongside others in dinner suits and ball gowns. At our table of six, an American couple dressed casually, while the other couple, British, had made an admirable effort, wearing formal attire borrowed from the ship. Their luggage had been misdirected on their flight to LA and wouldn’t be reunited with them until Honolulu; the ship had kindly provided them with clothes and essentials in the meantime.

As with each evening so far, the service was painfully slow, and we only just made it to the 9.30 pm theatre show. The full ship’s orchestra, dance troupe, and singers performed an eclectic set that ranged from operatic arias to popular film tunes. It was colourful, energetic, and well-delivered, though the confined stage did limit the scope of the choreography.

19th February 2023: Sea Day

By now, our morning routine had become quite established: breakfast, a walk around the deck, lectures, and lunch. The main difference today was the temperature, it was hot. Shorts and T-shirts were the order of the day.

The afternoon followed a familiar pattern of deck walking, ice creams, backgammon, and a film, Radioactive, the story of Marie Curie.

For once, the evening meal ran smoothly and without delay, allowing us ample time to get to the theatre for a vibrant and energetic Elton John tribute show, which rounded off the day in style.

Tomorrow, we dock in Hilo and head out to visit a volcano.