QUEEN MARY DINNER OPTION

You hopefully checked-in and found your way to your Queen Mary Stateroom, got comfortable for the overnight stay and now ready to connect with Roger and Diana. So where are Roger and Diana? Well it’s the Davis’ once again announcing, is it time to “EAT & DRINK” yet?

We have decided not to commit to a group dining venue for this overnight stay on the Queen Mary. With 30 individuals in our group. We explored the option of setting up a group dining at SIR WINSTON’S RESTAURANT and the CHELSEA CHOWDER HOUSE and found the group menu to be very pricey and a limiting group menu selection. As an example our group dinner at SIR WINSTON’S RESTAURANT would range between $63 to $129 plus a 18% service charge and a 9% tax fee per person. At the CHELSEA CHOWDER HOUSE our group menu was cheaper ($40-$60 plus a18% service charge and a 9% tax fee per person), but did not include items from their raw bar as an example. As a result, we have decided that for this reason everyone should decide independently who they would like to have dinner with and make their own reservation arrangement. Keep in mind that a group is considered 10 or more! 

In the meantime you can find Roger and Diana for a pre-dinner cocktail at the CHELSEA CHOWDER HOUSE BAR, say around 5-7pm and then find them in the OBSERVATION BAR

after dinner for a night cap drink! We should be there around 8:30-9:00pm after our dinner at 7pm 
at Chelsea's Chowder House. 

Below is the list of the various dining establishments on the Queen Mary. Be sure you go on-line and explore their website for more details and sample menus.   

OBSERVATION BAR    

http://www.queenmary.com/dining-bars/observation-bar/

1930’s sophistication and style with your classic drink with friends. Whether to meet before dinner or perhaps after for a night cap. This is the Queen Mary Bar that can keep you from that DUI, but be sure you don’t fall off the ship, now! 

CHELSEA CHOWDER HOUSE & BAR 

http://www.queenmary.com/dining-bars/chelsea-chowder-house-bar/

A casual eatery that captures a bit of the British Chowder House feel. The menu here has fresh seafood selections, small raw bar, salads, soups/chowder and a minimal meat selection of a couple of steaks & chicken. The restaurant also has a bar and a bar menu.

SIR WINSTON’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 

http://www.queenmary.com/dining-bars/sir-winstons-restaurant-lounge/

This is the award winning fine ding restaurant for the Queen Mary. The restaurant menu is continental with a wine list. Quality meats & seafood with a la carte selection. Would 

recommend a smart casual attire as this would be considered their formal dining restaurant.

PROMENADE CAFE

http://www.queenmary.com/dining-bars/promenade-cafe/

Is the Queen Mary’s answer to Breakfast-Lunch and Dinner. The cafe offers comfort food classics like gourmet burgers, seasonal salads, fish & chips, Mac & Cheese & meatloaf.

MIDSHIP MARKET PLACE

http://www.queenmary.com/dining-bars/midship-marketplace/

This is your grab and go eatery. Quick Starbuck’s Coffee & pastery, sandwich, yogurt & fruit to name a few items. 

TRAVELZOO - 50% Off Queen Mary Tours

For those joining us on the Queen Mary Pre-Cruise Overnight. You might want to check this option out in advance. On Travelzoo a free membership website,  they are promoting a 50% off the following shows and tours on the Queen Mary ship. Just double click on the Title below to get more details of this advance purchase deal. 

50% OFF QUEEN MARY TOURS include NEW LEGO EXHIBIT

• $12 for admission for one adult (reg. $25)
• $25 for admission for two adults (reg. $50)
• $50 for admission for four adults (reg. $100)
• $39 for admission for two adults and two children (ages 4-11) (reg. $78)

• Choose from the following show or tours: Ghosts & Legends show, Haunted Encounters guided tour, Glory Days historical tour or self-guided tour of Diana: Legacy of a Princess
• Get access to the LEGO Shipyard exhibit -- the Queen Mary's newest attraction

For those worried about getting bored with nothing to do? Here’s a chance to tour the Queen Mary ship. Great chance to take advantage of our visit and stay! 

INDEPENDENT EXCURSION: USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL & PUNCHBOWL

It has been brought to my attention that Princess Cruises Shore Excursion for
Pearl Harbor is on wait list. There are cruisers who are wanting this excursion from our group and Alex has graciously found an alternative option for our group. If you are interested please contact Alex by next Wednesday, September 9th so she can arrange this excursion for our group. 

In the meantime here are the details and information regarding this independent shore
excursion:

USS ARIZONA & USS MISSOURI with PUNCHBOWL CRATER TOUR

The Arizona & Missouri with Punchbowl tour, aka Pearl Harbor Remembered, takes you to the beginning and ending of World War II. You’ll watch a powerful documentary film and board the ferry for the ride out to the Arizona Memorial, which represents the beginning of American involvement in the war. You’ll also have a chance to visit the USS Oklahoma Memorial, which stands as a monument to the 429 sailors who died when that ship capsized during the attack on Pearl Harbor. You will also participate in a guided tour of the USS Missouri, a battleship of the same class as the USS Arizona. The USS Missouri was the scene of the end of World War II as the Japanese signed formal documents of surrender aboard this ship in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. You will see a copy of the Declaration of Surrender on the exact spot where the document was signed.  You will continue downtown with a narrated Honolulu City Tour.  A drive through the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater completes this very popular and very moving tour.

Date: Friday, October 9, 2015

Time: 9am  (Approximate return:4:30pm) 

Maximum: 25 individuals

Transportation: Mini- tour bus with large viewing windows, & pick-up from cruise ship.

Cost: $92.66 (with Hawaii sales tax) per person

What to Bring & Wear: Tour participants should wear respectful attire (shoes must be worn and no swimwear allowed). Due to heightened security no bags, purses, or strollers are permitted at the Memorial. Storage of these items is available for a nominal fee. Cameras and small, hand-carried wallets are permitted.

IMPORTANT REQUEST: Need to Complete Your Cruise Personalizer

NEED FOR YOU TO COMPLETE 

YOUR CRUISE PERSONALIZER 

BEFORE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

This is a request from Alex to complete your Cruise Personalizer on your Princess Cruises Website. But hold it before you log-in...go and get YOUR PASSPORT, CREDIT CARD (that you will be using on board the ship) and also a COPY OF YOUR CRUISE BOOKING INVOICE/CONFIRMATION that Alex emailed to you. Okay now you will be ready!  Go on-line at Princess.com and create a log in account, if you have not done this already. If you have already created a ID & Password account for Princess Cruises then either log-in with

1.Email & Your Password OR

2.First Name/Last Name/ Date of Birth/Booking Number 

You will see a page with your cruise details and information....and yes, your story begins in XX days ...means exactly that is how many days till we board on the Ruby Princess! 

At the top under the heading HAWAIIAN ISLANDS Ruby Princess sets sail on Saturday, October 3, 2015. You have 8 sub-headings:

1. Booking Summary
2. Guest Check-In
3. Payment & Credits
4. Travel Itinerary
5. Flights & Transfers
6. Excursion Reservations
7. Onboard Reservations
8. Vacation Protection

Click on each sub-heading and complete all your information. Under the “Guest Check-In” be sure that your items change to “Completed or Accepted” and if there is a Purchased next to Princess Vacation Protection, then you have purchased this travel insurance and can review your plan.

PLEASE COMPLETE THIS BEFORE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th. As Alex will begin to create our cruise documents and will be forwarding them to us. Of course that is if you get this information completed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me as I will be around

this Labor Day weekend or Alex during the week.

Cabin Door Decorating Contest by Stella

Arouse, inspire, amuse, excite...no Roger, we’re not talking about sex, we’re talking Roger

and Diana’s 25th Anniversary Cruise Cabin Door Decorating Contest! And contest it truly is because judging will occur on Tuesday, October 6th with prizes awarded on Wednesday, October 7th. 

Our ports of call and a creative crafter goody bag provided by Stella will contain almost all the inspiration you’ll need to create eye-catching and clever door decorations. We’ll also provide the removable label on which you will unleash your creativity for all the world to see!

Here are some suggestions from past cruise contests to help get those creative juices flowing...

Pick a theme! What do you like to do besides cruise? Do you have a favorite Hawaiian island? What about inspiration from your friends? Are you an abstract kind of person? Do you see the Pillsbury Dough Boy in the clouds? I’m sure you get my drift :-) Make it fun!

Think Scrapbook! Before you embark, check out Michael’s Arts and Crafts discount bins or the dollar aisle at Target for those extra special door decorating items. Do you have a shoe box full of photos of people and places you don’t recognize? Cut up photos for a clever montage. Magazines also provide a mother lode for your busy scissors.

Personalize! Share with us and every other passenger on the Ruby Princess a little bit about yourself. No nudity, please, and that means you, Roger! Let’s keep our ideas g-rated so we aren’t sentenced to walking the gangplank before we reach the islands! I’ll have a bag full of assorted sticky stuff so make sure you find me during those first couple of days at sea to collect some craft supplies.

So now that you feeling a bit like Klimt or Renoir, don't forget these important deadlines.

October 3rd, contact Stella in cabin A709 to collect your creative crafter goody bag. Please call my stateroom to be sure I’m there and not out drinking with my Sis’ Diana!

Recapping the  Cabin Door Decoration Contest schedule... 

☆ October 3rd (Saturday) to 5th (Monday) Decorate! 

☆ Tuesday, October 6th -  Judgement Day 

☆ Wednesday, October 7th - Awards & Announcement

☆ Questions? 
Stella in Aloha Deck (12) 
Stateroom A709

FORMAL NIGHTS - Black Tie Tux waiting for you on the ship!

There will be three formal nights and to make it easy for the MEN Cruisers...you might want to check out the rental of the Tuxedos. Not only will three of your dinner nights formalwear be waiting on the ship for you ...but think how good you would look with that “Shakin’ not Stirred Martini”...was your name James? James Bond?

Below is the link for renting Tuxedos for Princess Cruises, just click and make your selection. 

Roger's helpful tip: Men Wearhouse (Store Locator) is great for taking your tux rental form and they will measure you right up for you to order on-line. And yes, it's FREE ! 

FORMAL WEAR - Cruiseline Formal Wear

LABOR DAY WEEKEND - Hawaiian Culture in Long Beach

Not sure what plans you might have for this Labor Day Weekend.

But if you want a taste of Hawaii check out the link below for specific details

and information. 

My dear friend Euphemia Nagashima is a Master Lei Maker and also a E HULA MAU Judge. She is a speaker for the lei workshop.

http://www.motuhawaii.com/Motu_Hawaii/E_Hula_Mau_2015.html

E HULA MAU - Southern California, Annual Hula & Chant Competition

Labor Day Weekend - September 4, 5, & 6, 2015

Terrace Theatre - Long Beach Performing Arts Center

300 East Ocean Blvd - Long Beach, CA 

Box Office 562/436-3661

Tickets can be purchased at Box Office or Ticketmaster

Hawaiian Arts & Crafts - Interactive Workshops - Flavors of the Island Foods

LEI WORKSHOP

STEEL GUITAR & UKULELE WORKSHOP & LECTURE

PLUMERIA WORKSHOP

HULA & HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE WORKSHOPS

HAWAIIAN CULTURAL VILLAGE - Artisans & Crafters

Chef Curtis Stone & Princess Cruises

Some of you might have received information about the recent partnership between Princess Cruises and Chef Curtis Stone. From what I can gather from the information I got and have found on my own that this upcoming Hawaii Cruise on the Ruby Princess

will not be taking on the changes. Bummer! In fact the changes for Ruby Princess will not happen till December 2015 and the Chef Table by Curtis Stone will not be occurring till the January 2016 on specific Princess Cruise ships.

So though it looks like some changes are happening in the culinary department for Princess Cruises, we can expect the status quo of Princess Cruises for our upcoming cruise. 

Here's a video of Chef Curtis Stone talking about his partnership with Princess Cruises. 

Might be fun to explore another cruise destination huh? Well until then check this out...

We have 20 signed up for our Chef’s Table...cross your fingers!

Thank you one and all for your interest in the Ruby Princess Chef’s Table. We officially now have two groups of ten or twenty individuals. A special thank you to Jan Noce for assisting us as lead for the Chef's Table Second Group. Jan can easily share with you her past experience with the Chef Table as we can. So feel free to connect with her if you have any inquiry about this culinary experience. 

Our first priority for embarkation day will be for Roger and I to meet with the 

Maitre’d to hopefully get our 2 groups confirmed for this extraordinary experience.

It is important that you check your stateroom mail box daily, which is located at the entry

of your doorway, as you will be receiving a personal invitation once you are confirmed with a reservation. Again this is a very exclusive invitation as it is limited

to approximately 30-40 individuals per sailing pending each ship.

You may be asked to come to a short 15 minute orientation prior to your Chef Table to meet with the Maitre’d. At that time he will go over the requirements which in the past included wearing closed toed-shoes, so remember to pack this item! 

Please be sure you are carrying your cruise card to dinner as you will be asked to provide your card for payment at the end of the meal. For those not signed up for the wine pairing. You may individually pay for your cocktails or show your beverage card to attain your soda or speciality coffee at the dinner table with your waiter.

Below are the two groups of ten for the hopeful Chef’s Table….
Cross your fingers that Roger and I can get us in on this exclusive reservation.

TABLE ONE (Lead Diana Davis)

1. Diana Davis

2.Roger Davis

3. Karen Vaughn

4. Buzz Vaughn

5.Reagan Miyasaki

6. Gary Heard

7. Rocky Alby

8. Peggy Alby

9. Stella Hacker

10. Andre Mathieu

TABLE TWO (Lead Jan Noce)

1.Jan Noce

2.Jim Berkson

3. JoMary Murphy

4. Michael Murphy

5. Angie Burgh

6. Lien Burgh

7. Wendy Kilgore

8. Norm Kilgore

9. Lee Spar

10. Bob Spar

Diana’s Ten Reason’s Why Vacation on a Cruise Ship is Better then a Land Tour Vacation....

1. You unpack and pack only once!    
   
2. One Bed & Pillow, the whole trip.
3. You have a room steward to help make your bed & more. 
4. No need to wait in line for your entertainment show tickets.
5. Your destination comes to you, not the other way around.
6. Wanna have a few drinks? You don’t have to drive, No DUI & a short walk home!
7. You don’t have to cook and you can select your meals or snacks.
8. Your time - Your call ... relax, be active, socialize or escape!  
9. Captain & Crew on Board...You don’t have to drive or get lost! 
10. BIG SHIP....Plenty of room to be with family and friends, that you can be with or not?! 

Happy Cruising...see you on deck!