Discovery Princess: Our Conference at Sea

Posted on   March 28,2024   By John and Linda Compisi

We arrived in Vancouver on a beautiful late September day. Our seven-day Discovery Princess cruise would not begin for a couple days and we wanted to enjoy the city before our embarkation day. We had been to British Columbia and Vancouver a few times before an always found it a pleasure. It is easy to get around in the City. We find its neighborhoods and nearby Granville Island real foodie treats.

We belong to a food, wine and travel writers’ organization called the International Food, Wine and Travels Writers Association (IFWTWA). In previous years the annual professional development conference had been held on dry land (Sante Fe, NM and St. Petersburg, FL).        

In 2023, the association decided to have the conference at sea and the Discovery Princess from Vancouver to Los Angeles was the venue. We had cruised a couple times but never on Princess, so we were excited to sign up for this new experience.

Vancouver Pre-boarding

We arrived at Vancouver International in late afternoon from San Francisco and used a share-ride to get into the city about 45 minutes later. We checked in at the Hampton Inn and Suites, conveniently located at 111 Robson Street, near British Columbia (BC) Place Stadium, Rogers Arena, Canada Place Cruise Terminals, the financial district, Stanley Park and shopping.

We like the Hampton Inn because of its price, location and we are Hilton Honors members. Points and loyalty can save a ton of dollars (USD or CAD). The hotel offers complimentary breakfast which in Vancouver is worth $50. Below the lobby, it also has the District Bar and Restaurant and the Waves Coffee Shop.

We had dinner that evening at Giardino, an Italian restaurant within walking distance of our hotel. We were very fortunate to get in as reservations can be tough. The food and service as well as the ambiance were first class.

On our first day in the city, we attended a luncheon at Monarca Cocina Mexicana, sponsored by Travel Santa Ana. The food at Monarca Cocina was delicious as were the cocktails. Later, on the cruise, Travel Santa Ana was on board and they presented a familiarization presentation about this unique city in Southern California.

We have some personal friends in Vancouver and we were able to connect with one of them. We met on Granville Island, just south of the city, via a water taxi, named Aquabus. Granville Island is a special experience with waterside fish markets and a plethora of dining opportunities. We met our friend at The Vancouver Fish Co., right on the water front. The best part of this evening was catching up with our friend who we hadn’t seen in years.

Pro-Tip: Vancouver is a very hot foodie scene so make your reservations 45-60 days in advance if you want to experience the best or, currently trending, restaurants. Do your research early. You won’t be sorry.

Activities in Vancouver

We loved experiencing The Aquabus, between Vancouver and Granville Island, as well as other stops along the harbor. Easy on and off and so pleasant. Highly recommend finding a reason to do this.

Stanley Park is Vancouver’s first, largest, and most beloved urban park! It is a magnificent green oasis comparable to Central Park in New York City or Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Stanley Park offers scenic views of water, mountains, sky, and majestic trees along its famous Seawall. Discover trails, beaches, wildlife, restaurants and historical landmarks. The park offers a wide range of unforgettable experiences for all ages and interests, including Canada’s largest aquarium. Rent a bike and take a riding tour including totem poles.

Embarkation Day

Our Conference-at-Sea was aboard one of Princess Cruises newer ships (maiden voyage 2022), the Discovery Princess. The Princess can support as many as 3,660 guests and sports a crew of 1,346. Our previous experience was on a smaller ship with less than 930 guests and a crew of 465, so we were interested in comparing the experiences. Our cruise only had about 2,500 guests as it was a repositioning cruise.

We took an Uber from our hotel and they were able to get very close at One Canada Place to drop us off. The Boarding Process in Vancouver was well organized but be prepared for a lot of walking and shuffling. They definitely know how to space 2,500 people out but it was a lot of walking and processing through customs and immigration. As we entered the ship, we were welcomed with a DJ playing raucous music in the grand entry, elevating the excitement of our arrival. It was very festive and we felt quite welcomed aboard.

We got to our stateroom after grabbing a glass of champagne and it wasn’t long before our luggage arrived.

Our Stateroom was fairly standard across cruise lines (Disney, Viking and Princess). We were in a Deluxe Balcony which is approximately 270 sq.ft. including a balcony with a table and two chairs. The floor to ceiling sliding glass doors were wonderful.

We purchased and enjoyed the beverage package which allowed 24-hour specialty (alcoholic and others, like latte) drinks. Room service was also included in our Conference package (A great option we used every day and some nights).

Our group enjoyed a welcome reception later that afternoon with the Captain and key members of his staff there to introduce themselves. A very special add was Christopher O’Gorman, Senior Director, Communications, Rodney Strong Wines and Aleandra O’Gorman VP, Guest Experiences, Foley Family Wines. Chris and Alexandra were with us for the entire cruise and they made presentations later in the cruise. They poured their respective wines during the welcome reception.

360: An Extraordinary Experience

The 360: Extraordinary Experience is a feast of sights, sounds, smells and flavors. You are immersed in 360-degree fashion similarly to the main ring in a three-ring circus including a ringmaster who guides you through this overstimulating six sense experience. Ours was a seven-course journey of Mediterranean sights, sounds, textures and scents. The sparkling and still wines paired perfectly with each of the brilliant dishes.

An absolute epic, multi-sensory voyage featuring projected images on the full circumference of the walls and dining tables including bees buzzing on your plates synchronized with all the other sights, sounds and smells you experience. Reservations can be booked for $149 (last we checked) and the experience is worth every penny. You will likely not experience this anywhere else.

360: An Extraordinary Experience is currently available exclusively on the Discovery Princess and the Enchanted Princess. Highly recommended.

We remained in port until after midnight and then we steamed under the Lions Gate Bridge and turned south through the Straits of Georgia to Victoria, on Vancouver Island.

Pro-Tip: Carry any essentials (medications, reading materials, basic toiletries) in a backpack so that if your baggage takes a while, you’re prepared.

Victoria and Vancouver Island

After arriving at the pier for Victoria, the Provincial Capital of British Columbia, we boarded a shuttle bus to head into Victoria. Once the shuttle dropped us at the Empress Hotel, we purchased tickets for a Greyline Bus Tour of the city and its various neighborhoods. We had time for a short visit to the Fairmont Empress Hotel, one of the jewels of Victoria.

Often referred to as Canada’s Castle on the Coast the Empress is a National Historic Site established in 1908. The styling is from the golden Victorian age of gilt and luxury. The hotel has 431 rooms and suites and serves the best afternoon High Tea in Victoria and is recommended, especially if you never experienced High Tea. Very worth the time of a visit.

The Greyline Tour was a great way to get a quick (about an hour) lay of the land and if it hadn’t been raining, we could have gotten some great pictures (heavy sigh). The Greyline Tour was a great choice but during the slow season, the hop-off – hop-on option wasn’t practical, as the next bus wouldn’t show up for an hour. Perhaps because it was the off season.

Many of our conference mates took advantage of the Butchart Gardens tour. This immense (55 acres) garden is world famous for its size and diversity. All who went were very impressed.

Others went whale watching and had an amazing adventure.

Pro-Tip: Pay attention to deadlines and excursion reservation openings. Make them as soon as you are allowed. They sell out fast.

Day Two at Sea to San Francisco

While we were at Sea our organization conducted day one of our conference. Professional development subjects, for example, how to exploit social media, the best way to use photographs to tell your story, the best uses of video and the value of collaboration.

As a writing group however, we were treated to a Kitchen Tour by Executive Chef Rudi Sodamin, who was named as the first head of Culinary Arts for the entire Princess Line in 2022. Sodamin is often referred to as the Most Decorated Chef at Sea! The tour was extensive and covered multiple floors. Amazing facility to provide dining for over 3,000 people per meal, 24 hours a day.

We were also fortunate to have the O’Gorman’s aboard. As an evening presentation, Chris presented a great review of the history and culture of Rodney Strong Wines including audio and video of the late Rodney Strong, a dancer from New York City who purchased the winery in 1962. While tasting these exceptional wines, Alexandra provided an insightful power point on Sonoma County from the Tourism Board, for which she serves, besides her role at Foley Family.

Alexandra also shared wines from the Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards, one of the Foley Family properties located in Healdsburg, CA. Always one of our favorites.  Yum, Yum!

The Discovery Princess offers an abundance of dining experiences. The Specialty Dining and buffet style dining were all delicious and accessible.

Pro-Tip: Make your reservations for specialty dining early as they can become unavailable.

Our Day Ashore in San Francisco

On the fourth day of our cruise, we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge enjoying glorious blue skies and sparkling views of the San Francisco shoreline. After docking, we cleared immigration and set out on a familiarization tour of nearby Emeryville with Christa Williams, Marketing lead for the newly reimaged Bay Street Emeryville.

The three-block space is filled with public art, (like Seawalls), firepits, dedicated bicycle lanes, open air plazas and hospitality focused amenities. It is loaded with shopping, dining, lodging and entertainment venues. We enjoyed this excursion which was organized exclusively for members of our organization. If you are a Bay Area resident or just visiting, BaySt offers some unique opportunities outside the usual San Francisco treats.

Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans is a groundbreaking public art program sponsored by the PangeaSeed Foundation. The program brings the oceans into the streets around the world. PangeaSeed collaborated with some of today’s most renowned contemporary artists to create large-scale public murals that address pressing environmental issues the oceans are facing. In Emeryville, the murals are scattered around several blocks and offer some unique and beautiful subjects to consider.

We had the opportunity to sample the cuisine and beverages at a couple of the dining establishments within BaySt including the Trophy Club (collocated with Tipsy Putt – an indoor miniature golf venue) and Uchiwa Ramen. We also were able to walk through an upscale Mexican restaurant, Flores Cucina and Bar that, unfortunately, had not opened yet.  

The Trophy Club exhibited a fun, speakeasy like, atmosphere with delicious cocktails and small bites. Accessible from outside or through the Tipsy Putt, this combination offers a great atmosphere for locals residing or working in Emeryville.

Uchiwa Ramen is located in the shopping mall portion of BaySt just down from the AMC theater. Proprietor Kevin Fong regaled our small group with his delightful food and beverage selections. #YumYumRamen

The short-term furnished rental apartments in BaySt could offer a more economical home base for your visit to San Francisco, the wine country or the greater Bay Area.

On our second day docked in San Francisco we experienced a full out rehearsal by the Blue Angels as they prepared for Fleet Week San Francisco which would kick off the next day. Having lived in San Francisco for seven years we had seen this exhilarating performance several times but being shipboard in the perfect pier side location totally magnified this aerobatic phenomenon.

Fleet week is a mindboggling visual and aural event that should not be missed regardless of the city.

Final Days at Sea to Los Angeles

We departed San Francisco at sunset on our fifth day. We were approaching both exhilaration and exhaustion but were reinvigorated by the stunning sunset we viewed as we approached the Golden Gate Bridge and said goodbye to San Francisco.

Our last conference day held many new topics and experiences. Later, in the main theater, Chef Rudi introduced his culinary team to the ship’s passengers in the main theater, before presenting a cooking demonstration. He invited six passengers onto the stage to participate. His exuberant personality and interaction with the willing participants engendered many laughs and a good deal of hilarity.

Later that evening, our writing group was, treated to a wine dinner hosted by Caymus/Wagner Family Wines. Members of the Wagner Family team were present to describe each wine which was expertly paired with the culinary masterpieces prepared by Chef Rudi’s team. Delightful and delicious. In actuality the Wagner Family presented a variety of wine orientation and wine discovery events each day of the cruise, a couple of which, were complimentary.

The Disembarkation Process

We disembarked on the morning of the 7th day at the Port of Los Angeles, Berth 93, Pacific Cruise Ship Terminal, San Pedro, CA. If you want luggage service you will have to disembark by preestablished groups which designate the time and which exit you would follow.

Pro-Tip: We took our own luggage and were free to disembark whenever we were ready. If you are able, we highly recommend taking your own luggage as you are totally free to depart at your leisure.

In Summary

We thoroughly enjoyed our Conference at Sea aboard the Discovery Princess. The various specialty dining experiences (Sabatini’s, The Catch by Rudi, The Crown Grill), the International Café (open 24 hours) and the World Fresh Marketplace offered a variety of foods and beverages to keep all satisfied and content. We booked the Princess Plus package which offered room service and delivery (food and beverages) anywhere on the ship at no additional charge. Highly recommend this package.  

The Entertainment was professional and very enjoyable. Ranging from the jazzy Spot Light Bar to the Rock Opera, each conveyed a magical transport to a different time or place. Other onboard entertainment like game shows and wine tasting were spot on. Truly, something for everyone.

Perhaps our highlights were the 360 Experience and the Blue Angels. Clearly, one (The 360 Experience) will be available on most Princess cruises while the Blue Angels over San Francisco was a coincidence of time and place.