teecee60

What ship... what date? Maybe I can help.

Now THAT's funny! Nicely delivered.😉

Try "the proven experience test" as opposed to a demonstrably defective "smell test." I just did an 18 night Panama Canal cruise on Caribbean Princess in a balcony cabin for $899pp... AND got $200 OBC from the agency, $250 OBC from military and $250 OBC from shareholder. Next spring's 20 night Transatlantic and Med cruise on Enchanted is listed at $1299pp on Princess but only $974pp on that smelly web site that I have used to book 35 cruises over the last 10 years. In April of 2013, I did Reflection's 15 night transatlantic for only $449pp by booking only five days prior to departure! I am FAR from wealthy... but take another approach... cruising MUCH MORE OFTEN than I could if I paid the prices listed by Princess, Celebrity or Royal Caribbean.

The above statement is totally, completely, absolutely, demonstrably and utterly false. The 17 night Sapphire Princess Cruise on 2 December is listed at $1198per person on Princess.com. The same cruise, on the same ship, on the same date is listed at $779pp on a well known online site. The 18 night Sapphire Princess cruise on 19 March is listed at $1398pp on Princess.com. The same cruise, on the same ship, on the same date, is listed at $909pp on a well known online site.

Hotels in/near downtown or the port are just ridiculously expensive. We flew in the day before the cruise and stayed near the airport at a clean comfortable La Quinta for right at $100. Took their free shuttle service from airport to the hotel, spent the night, then took their free shuttle back to the airport. Bought the Princess Shuttle where you give them your luggage at the airport and it goes straight to your cabin with absolutely no fuss. Just make sure Princess knows you are flying in the day before, but taking their transfer on the day of the cruise.

Green stuff... GREEN STUFF... we don't need no stinking green stuff!😁

If you don't mind an inside cabin, there are numerous Princess cruises available for $50 per person per day. (base fare) My shareholder and military OBCs make up for the taxes and tips. Have done FIVE Princess cruises since November... for a total of 61 nights... and loved every single one of them! Stewards, bartenders, waiters and entertainers were all working hard with smiles to spare. Just booked 16 nights on Diamond Princess to Hawaii for $871pp, (base fare) and I'm planning for at least one more Panama Canal cruise and another Transatlantic.

We are booked on that one as well... see ya there!🙂

The current "Princess Treatment," includes carrying more than one MILLION cruise ship passengers each year... to more destinations... on six different continents... than any other major line. Over THIRTY THOUSAND employees from all over the planet... many from an eye opening and sobering range of socio-economic backgrounds... work at a dizzying array of jobs, in an effort to provide customers with accommodations and services that many of those employees have NEVER, EVER experienced in their entire lives. As a retired US Navy helicopter pilot, involved in the daily logistical support of EXTREMELY large ships with up to SIX THOUSAND people on each one, I believe I am significantly more aware than most people of the challenges involved in simply housing and feeding that many people on an ocean going vessel. I am also quite familiar with the extremely harsh demands that continuous operations in a saltwater environment inflict on any and all metal structures. I recently returned from an 18 night Panama Canal cruise on Caribbean Princess. Prior to that I spent 20 nights on Emerald Princess, 10 nights on Enchanted Princess and 13 nights on Sky Princess. I am absolutely certain that there are people who have "endured" even more time on Princess ships in the last seven months than I have, but my recent experiences prove my familiarity with current conditions. Embarkation on each of those ships was marked by the presence of HUNDREDS of workers, toiling in uncomfortably hot and humid conditions, to unload MANY THOUSANDS of suitcases belonging to departing passengers, AND to load many thousands more, belonging to arriving passengers... because those passengers are simply too entitled to do it themselves. In addition, TONS of refuse were being removed from those ships while MANY TONS of food and other provisions were being loaded. The number of 18 wheelers hauling all those millions of dollars worth of supplies would have made C. W. McCall smile. Hundreds more people were involved in... directing vehicles for passenger pick up and drop off... directing passenger traffic toward luggage pickup and drop off... directing passenger traffic towards customs or check in... directing passenger traffic for embark and debark... as well as directing passenger traffic towards the correct bus or taxi. On board the ships, more than A THOUSAND employees were involved in getting that last drink or last plate of food to all of those impoverished and underfed departing passengers, while also getting ready to serve all of those equally impoverished and underfed arriving passengers. With absolutely no concern for schedules, all those lazy room stewards were casually and haphazardly preparing cabins for new occupants, while employees at Guest Services were looking forward to all of the happy and smiling faces they would soon be seeing. Meanwhile numerous entertainers were departing the ship, while others were arriving, and even more were practicing their skills used in an attempt to distract disadvantaged and distraught passengers from the horrible conditions on board. All of this during a planet-wide pandemic that has seen millions of people die and many millions more economically destroyed. I am just not certain that I can possibly endure any more of the current "Princess Treatment," but I HAVE already decided to suffer through yet another Princess cruise. Just another Pollyanna I guess.

There are STILL a lot of people who believe (incorrectly) that travel agencies "are not allowed" to sell cruises at lower prices than the cruise lines. Large, well known on line travel agencies not only offer lower prices, but additional perks like On Board Credit and Specialty Dining over and above what might be offered by the cruise line. Booking directly with the cruise line guarantees that you will pay the HIGHEST price and get the LEAST perks.😉 Not being allowed to mention specific agencies keeps Cruise Critic from becoming nothing more than an advertising venue/battleground.😮

Same for Celebrity.

They MIGHT... if you call and ask, but most cruise lines will NOT price match offers from a travel agency. I called Princess on one occasion to see if they would, and their rep told me that they couldn't even come close to the price I got from a large, well known cruise consolidator.

YES... you will still be able to do that. We have NEVER made reservations and have never waited more than two or three minutes to be seated... just avoid "opening time." (from a fellow dinosaur😉)

Yes... we did just that only a few weeks ago to board the Caribbean Princess. Flew into SFO from Tucson and stayed at a La Quinta only six minutes away in Millbrae. Took the hotel's free shuttle from airport to hotel, then again back to SFO late the next morning to board the Princess transfer. The airport hotel was only $110 as opposed to the utterly ridiculous prices of hotels near the ship. Drop your bags before getting on the transfer, and they end up in your cabin.

I just finished an 18 night Panama Canal cruise on Caribbean P... in a balcony... for $899pp. There are multiple 14 night Alaska cruises for under $50pp/night... Majestic for $691pp, Grand for $653pp, Royal for $623pp, Grand for $611pp. and Royal for $646pp. There are transatlantic cruises...14 nights on Sky for $659pp and 16 nights on Emerald for $709pp. There is a 16 night Hawaii cruise on Diamond Princess for $899pp. You won't get those prices (before taxes/fees) from Princess, but from on line travel agencies that are available to anyone. Many people still believe that agencies are NOT ALLOWED to charge less than the cruise lines... and those people pay A LOT for being misinformed.