ROWSE

Fantastic news!!!  

Thank you for posting this!  

On 7/18/2023 at 9:24 AM, sharkster77 said:

At this point if you cancel, aren't you just out the $25 pp deposit?  All things considered, that's not a huge amount to forfeit.

On 7/18/2023 at 1:20 PM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Yes, just $50 total.  🤗

We have cruised many many ocean cruises but wanted to try a river cruise and also saw Vikings $25 deposit.  We decided our budget could stand a Nov. 2024, river cruise and booked with the $50 deposit.

Then I learn our balance payment is by Sept. 30, 2023.  YIKES I had no idea we had to pay so early,

but they say you really don't lose it till under 120 days out which is a July, 2024, date and that starts the percentage loses of the price as the date gets closer. 

So not a fan of paying so early but thinking this is there policy and is what it is.   On the multiple times I have asked questions on their site, just wanting to make sure I understand;  I stated to them "So we would lose our deposit of $50 and all else we paid would come back if we cancel before that July, 2024 date?"  They said "Oh no you lose $100 each total $200."  I argue that our deposit is $50 so why would we lose the $200?   They state that if we cancel before the final payment of Sept. 30, 2023, then we would lose the $50.  BUT if we pay the balance payment it then goes to loss of $100 each if we cancel before the July, 2024 date. 

I realize this is not the end of the world in price to lose that but just crazy policy if you ask me!!!  So the $25 each really only is good for about 45 days for us from booking and when they are asking for the balance payment. 

If the anyone else talked to a different representative on chat and they told them it would be the

$50 loss if you cancelled under their 120 day start of loss time, I would love to hear it!  Maybe I had a confused rep. 

Thanks for having patience with us new river cruisers! 

Found it too!!  Pulling up a chair for an exciting read!!!

52 minutes ago, jamscckmc said:

Are you able to pick your seats when you book your air through them or not till final payment?

I think it depends on airline used.  Mine was Alaska and Delta, and I was able to pick my seats.

It has been a long time since we have used Celebrity air, but I did today.  I thought there would

be a cancel/change button on my booking of the air as is the case with Princess.

I watch the prices like a hawk in case it goes down.  Our cruise is 10 months away so it may 

drop.  Fingers crossed.  Anyone have good luck with calling them and having the price lowered on same flights??

I am nervous from reading @patty1955's having her reservation all goofed up.  

Hope to hear some positive outcomes!!!  

2 hours ago, kilili said:

@ROWSEI am curious about your tour with Thistle Excursions.  We booked the same tour as you.  In the confirmation email they mentioned they don't do a dedicated lunch stop, and suggest we bring food from the ship.  Is that what you did?

 

Thank you for your lovely review.

We did not bring food from the ship.  Dunrobin Castle had a cafeteria, and we purchased a sandwich there.  This picture shows me with our little lunch purchase in the sack.  We also brought packaged granola bars from home that we probably also had this day.  

Hope you have a wonderful time!  It was a fantastic day!  

Happy New Year to you and Carol!

Excited to be reading along!

On 12/24/2022 at 4:32 AM, fatcattravel said:

Really appreciate your review! We are going in May! This helped me alot with research as it is nice to hear first hand about tour operators and what to do to maximize your time . We only have a day or 2 in London so the part on London also helped tremendously. Hope to see you around cruising!

 

Thank you for the lovely compliment!  Happy cruising to you!  Wish I could go do it all again!  

Loved your review!  

Thank you!!!  

I thank you all for your answers but at Murphy's Law would have it, Delta had a code share (KLM)

airline cancel our flight from Amsterdam to Barcelona and after being on phone with EZ air 

and Delta we now are leaving a day early and go from Atlanta right to Barcelona.

SO take that Amsterdam!!!  😂

Trying to make light of how terribly stressful this was when we leave in two days!!!

Note:  EZ air was very difficult to work with and they finally said sorry can't rebook you, you have

to deal with Delta. (WHAT??? YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO HELP)  Well earlier Delta had said you have to deal with agent (Princess EZ air).

One more try with Delta and told them what EZ air said and after almost 2 more hours they 

had me rebooked a day earlier.  Lost my lovely seats I had booked months ago, but at least

we get to go.  

Again, thank you for for what happens at Amsterdam on a connecting flight if we ever do go there!

1 minute ago, partybarbie said:

Pre-Covid, we did these exact flights. All immigration was done at the Amsterdam airport. It took almost two hours, the exact amount of our layover. I hope you have at least that much time allowed. I think three would be better. 

Thank you for replying!  We only have 1 hour 40 min. and I know it is short for Amsterdam, that is what worries me.  We will just hope for the best.  

2 hours ago, Denmal said:

You will not need to go back through security UNLESS you leave the secure area for some reason.  You will need to go to passport control.   We have done this many times.

Love your reply!  That is what I was hoping for!  Now if we could just have our flight in to Amsterdam stop being late.  I check the flight we will be on every day, and it is late day after day!   Flying has become so stressful!  

Thank you again!

Thank you for the responses!  
I will be sure to have liquids in a separate clear bag.  I have read about there being long security waits at Amsterdam, but I was under the impression that was for those initially flying from Amsterdam not those connecting through from a prior flight.

We will just have to roll with whatever happens but thank you for the information!

Greetings!

We are soon to fly from US to Amsterdam and then have a rather short layover to catch our connecting flight to Barcelona.

Has anyone recently done this?  What is the protocol?  Do we go through immigration and passport control at Amsterdam

or just go to our connecting flight and do that in Barcelona?

Will feel less stressed if it is all done at end in Barcelona, but just want to be prepared either way.

Thank you!

48 minutes ago, MVCruising said:

Interesting Princess website lists the following.

 

The footnotes on this were left off.  

I am attaching the ones with the footnotes but from the e-mail @cruznstylereceived, this could change again soon.  

1 hour ago, lilac789 said:

Princess updated the Testing requirements for voyages Departing, Arriving or Visiting Greece today, Sep 19.

Still, the title contradicts the footnotes: 

Testing is required for all voyages departing from Athens, Greece.

Previous version had 'Departing, Arriving or Visiting Greece'...

I didn't get any email from Princess yet with Covid testing instructions. 

 

How can they state two different things at the same time!!!  Which is it!!!! 

Who on earth works on these web updates!!!  Just unbelievable!!!

Seems they send out contradicting e-mails as well!

UGH!!!

Loved reading your review!  Thank you !

Glad you had as great of a time as we did in May!  

2 hours ago, Musky Ike said:

Same for Greece. Test two days before we board and the first Greece stop is day three, so five days out from the test. I think politicians everywhere just want to say they are doing something, even when it is almost pointless.

I see your 5 and raise you 4 on the stop in Greece!   Our October 15, on the Regal won't be for 9 days, 7 after cruise leaves but if you do the 2 before,  it is 9.  UGH!!!  

We are also sailing in October out of Barcelona,  and will be having a stop in Greece so, Princess Cruise lines  states we are to get an Antigen 

test within 2 days of sailing but has to be an in person test no online proctor test.

Can anyone please tell me where we could get one near the Montjuic area?
 

20 minutes ago, bludevil said:

I am wondering the same thing. This refundable vs non-refundable deposit thing is confusing. I'm nervous a price reduction might mean a cancellation and rebooking.

 

I'm also trying to figure out of paying the extra amount for a refundable deposit is worth it since it is more than the deposit amount we would lose. 

 

We are trying to figure it out as well.  This is all definitely as clear as mud!

Greetings,

It has been quite awhile since we have cruised Celebrity, and after searching, I could not find the answer so please forgive me if this is common knowledge.

If I book a non-refundable deposit fare on Celebrity and the price drops, can it be price matched as usual, free of charge, or does it incur a fee under the non refundable deposit? 

Thank you for any information!  

Thank you for your review!  I loved reading your experiences versus what we did on same ship in May!

How is the jet lag??  We had a hard time with it when coming back home.

@Tiki_Koro Thank you for wonderful review!  Very fun to see the different, and same, things you did versus our trip in May!  We loved Dublin!  Sorry to hear some on your cruise did not.  I figured Temple Bar would be packed area so we did not even attempt it but so much to do there, our day was full

just like yours!

We also realized Pearse station was the one we should have gotten off on also, and we didn't get off till Connolly so that put us on the North bank, but fun things to see on our way to South Bank anyway.  If anyone else has an upcoming trip and want the best station to get off at I would say Pearse is the one!

14 hours ago, andimark said:

This has been fantastic - thank you! Where do you get the Thames cruise - and do you remember what it cost? Thanks again. Andrea.

Andrea,

Thank you for reading along!  We caught it at the side of the Westminister Bridge and it was a two hour tour up to Greenwich and back , which we could have got off and back on later, but we stayed on.  We got a senior rate which started at 60, and was 12 Euro each.  
There are a few different companies that do these cruises.

It was fun to see the sites from the water!!!