Tiggerontheseas

9 hours ago, atexsix said:

We're still a go for short portion that stays in Alaska.

 

How does the train boarding work?  Do each cruise line have their own cars?  I'm hoping it's not a free for all.  

When I did the train through Princess there were separate lines for boarding according to ship and we loaded into designated cars.  Of course, the Princess section was the furthest away along the pier.  Lol.

31 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Cheese pizzas 

Ha!  Now I am never going to be able to see the fireballs as anything but pizza!  Although, they look more like pepperoni pizza to me. 

16 minutes ago, JonlLee said:

I didn't know they have automatic crew appreciation for $14.50 per day per person

being a frugal me, my question , is there a way to get rid of this automatic crew appreciation fee? or this is mandatory for all pax? 

 

We also left $60 tip in our room. would that cash be distributed among the other crew/waitress or he/she just pocket that for him/herself?

 

we were on a 4 day alaska 

 

thank you 

Hello, you can go to guest services and ask for the automatic crew gratuities (crew appreciation) charges removed. I wouldn't recommend that as the crew work extremely hard for you and this is the easiest and most convenient way to tip them, especially the behind the scenes crew in housekeeping, etc. that you don't see.   Regarding the cash gratuities, it is my understanding that if you have not removed the automatic tips then your steward can keep it for his/herself (though some may share anyway, I guess).  If you HAVE removed the automatic gratuities and leave cash they are are required to pool it.

7 hours ago, compozer said:

Wulfwyn,    Thanks for posting the pictures.   

 

I have been looking forward to doing the White Pass train excursion for three years but there is so much confusion about it.    Reports are all different and many say the train is canceled yet Princess still has all of their excursions listed.        Which one did you do?   I would prefer to do the train in both directions.  We loved dogs but have stopped at the kennels before.   Same with gold panning.

 

Were you happy with the excursion?    

Sounds like you are in luck as the train trips in both directions where you do not get off (ride to the Summit and back to Skagway) are running.  Any tour that has a bus/train combo that has the train going into or out of Canada is currently not running for the 2022 season as the train is not crossing the border.  I don't know why Princess still has those excursions listed?  🤷‍♀️

Just now, stevenr597 said:

I think that both tours were the same price.  

Yes we don't go into Canada, but my feelings is that if Canada wants to give us a hard time, we will stay in the United States.  

LOL!   Fair enough.  

5 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

We are scheduled to cruise on Discovery Princess from Seattle early in July.  We had booked a combination bus and railroad trip from Skagway that previously went into Canda.  We were notified by Princess this past Friday, that the trip was cancelled, and in its place we are taking a round trip on the White Pass Railroad, that will then transfer to a bus which will tour Skagway.

Not really disappointed. 

That makes sense.  Are they giving you any type of credit back?  A city bus tour of Skagway hardly seems equivalent compensation for the portion of the excursion you had cancelled.

9 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

If this is still an option we highly recommend it. We were bused to the Yukon and took the White Pass RR back to Skagway. Long day but unforgettable. At least when we went our first Alaska cruise.

Enjoy Alaska!

Unfortunately, those bus/train combo trips will not be an option this year because you can't get a bus from the summit as there is no road access.  You don't get off the train there at all - you just go up and then back down to Skagway.  I am not sure why those excursions are still listed for booking but they can't happen, as far as I can tell. 😪

11 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Good catch!  And it's a new ship so it's not like there was a box laying around down in the bowels of the ship.

Yes, waste not, want not.  I approve! 😀

21 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

I know but what can you do but switch to a different tour...I much more interested in seeing more of the Yukon than the train....

I'm from the West Coast of Canada and visited the Yukon a couple of times so it's not quite as important to me and I opted for the train.  The Yukon is lovely and I'm sure you’ll have a great trip.   😀 

10 minutes ago, Gramma of Boys said:

Just trying to figure out why Princess is still insisting that the bus/train combo trip is going to happen.

 

I know, right?   It makes no sense.   

On 4/13/2022 at 10:23 AM, Straitlover said:

On our 2018 trip, we stopped at a restaurant on the parks Highway that is well known for it's pies. For the lifk of me I can't recall the name. It was about halfway there? Think it had Roadhouse in the name (not Talkeetna Roadhouse, it was on the main road, not a turn off) and maybe the mile marker??? Help! 🙂

I'm sorry that I can't help with your question, but I just had to pop in and tell you how much I love your screen-name.  Such great taste needs to be acknowledged. 🙂

1 hour ago, Gramma of Boys said:

I'm starting to wonder... that tour may still be a go.  It takes a bus up into the Yukon, does the stuff up there and then takes the train back down.  If you've already taken the bus into Canada and just catch the train to go back maybe that is okay??? It seems that the issue is getting off of the train in Canada, not on.  Or am I off base?

I don't think this would work.  The train itself is not crossing the border so you would not be able to get on the train in Canada and go back to Skagway.   The White Pass Scenic Railway tour website has this excursion listed as not available for the 2022 season.  The only train trip available is the round-trip to the Summit and back.   Going by bus both ways certainly seems to be doable and perhaps Princess is just planning on changing everyone to an excursion that travels by bus both ways?  

4 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Contacted my CC today, She ask about this in the morning meeting and called me back..She stated that

the Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Railway is still on...

I don’t understand Princess' position on this.  That trip can’t happen.  We also had it booked but cancelled it and booked the round trip summit train trip.  If I'm wrong,  I'll still be happy with my decision because the train is important to me and I don't want to risk being shut out.  

2 hours ago, Mrs Peel said:

we booked the Tundra Wilderness Tour but it wasn't easy.  It did not show up in Excursions.  A Primrose Natural History Tour showed up and I was going to book that.  But at the end of the blurb it says you can call Princess to get the Wilderness Tundra Tour.  I called and it was not available.  The woman I spoke to  suggested I call the Wilderness Lodge directly and they were able to book us.  If you want that tour (look under the national Park Service web site to see the tours) try the lodge directly.  I even tried to book with a third party but the two I tried had nothing available the day i was going to be there.

Thank you!  We are trying to upgrade our Natural  History tour to the Wilderness Tundra but haven't had any luck.  We will try directly from the lodge.  

14 minutes ago, clarky213 said:

 

Looks like theprices differ between US & UK if above is for a 7 night cruise.

 

The prices below are for 14 Nights.

 

Wifi is Cheaper in UK, But Gratuities are more expensive and drinks package is £300 cheaper in UK.

 

SERVICE	QUANTITY	PRICE	TOTAL
Crew Appreciation Included	1	£217.00	£217.00
MedallionNet Wi-Fi (1-device)	1	£100.52	£100.52
Premier Drinks with Service Charge	1	£690.62	£690.62
50 pounds pp deposit	1	£0.00	£0.00
Crew Appreciation Included	1	£217.00	£217.00
MedallionNet Wi-Fi (1-device)	1	£100.52	£100.52
Premier Drinks with Service Charge	1	£690.62	£690.62
50 pounds pp deposit	1	£0.00	£0.00

Yes, this is for 7 nights.  It doesn't specify,  but just to confuse things even more, my prices are in Canadian dollars so it could be the exchange rates making things look weird.  🙂

36 minutes ago, swdke said:

We have booked a Princess cruise and want the "Princess Plus" benefits of included Drinks, WiFi and Gratuities.  We have paid our deposit and the "Booking Confirmation - Passenger Copy," balance due reflects the cost of Princess Plus.  However, on the Booking Confirmation letter the Princess Plus is not displayed as a line item.  Instead, it's supposably included in the Cruise fare.  Or so it's supposed to be and that's my concern. I would assume that Princess Plus would be specified on the Booking Confirmation similar to how it displays fare, taxes, and insurance where every charge is specifically listed.  At the bottom of the Booking Confirmation there's a place where it states Gratuities included, but no mention of included Drinks and WiFi.  So this concerns me as to whether we actually will receive the Princess Plus benefits.  I asked our cruise agent and she states that it's okay and due to a glitch in the Princess booking system the Princess Plus or benefits are not stated.

 

Does this sound right?  For anyone else out there who also has Princess Plus, what does it state on your Booking Confirmation Invoice?

 

The cruise is not till September, but I'd like to get this confirmed now.

 

Thanks for your information.  Appreciate your help.

 

Colorado Coasty is correct and the line by line listing of the benefits will in your Travel Summary which you can access through the Manage Your Cruise in the Cruise Personalizer.   it looks like this:

SPECIAL SERVICES

4 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

Royal is certainly not alone in the cruise industry in having an IT department that is not up to contemporary professional standards. In addition to your Disney example, I have seen MSC's IT department do things that are downright customer hostile.

 

Having said that, Royal's IT department should get some sort of extra effort award simply for this cost breakdown on one of my cruises. [Spoiler alert: They can't add and subtract.]

 

 

Quick!  Pay it before they change their mind.  LOL!

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I am referring to the testing when stopping in Canada.  I am all for vaccinations as I am vaccinnated plus boosted.  I am on a HAL 24 day New England/Iceland/Greenland cruise in August.  There are Canadian ports on each end.  Or, am I misunderstanding, and no longer is testing required for stops?

The blub you quoted was basically just saying that although testing will no longer be required to enter Canada the vaccine mandate will still be in force.  I believe, fingers crossed, that testing would no longer be required.

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

BOO!  Thank you for posting.

The vaccine mandate just means you must be double vaccinated to fly, train or cruise.  It's separate from testing.  Fingers crossed most of the testing will not be necessary soon.

50 minutes ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

Thanks, but that wasn't my question. I was trying to find out what the prices of the drinks are if you simply purchase them.  

Depending on the ship, frozen drinks with alcohol are usually $12 or $13 dollars, some specialty ones may be a dollar more but most fall right at the drink package maximum amount.  Frozen mocktails are usually about $7 dollars.  

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I think the the point being made has less to do with final cost but more that, in the first case, service is being rewarded that has not been provided. At least that is my interpretation but I could be wrong. However, that certainly seems better to me than signing receipts on the ship and having gratuities then charged to a seapass account.

Thanks Ocean Boy.  I guess that makes sense.  I still think it's splitting hairs a bit but that's just me.  

On 12/10/2021 at 3:26 AM, UNCFanatik said:

When you buy a drink package on cruise planner, gratuity is added automatically and it shouldn’t be. 

I must be missing something here because I don't really understand your complaint.  When you buy a drink package on cruise planner you are charged the cost of the drinks per day plus 18%.  When you don't have a drink package and you order a drink at the bar you are charged the cost of the drink plus 18%.  What's the difference? 

11 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Fort two people in the cabin, that is $80/day extra or $560 for a seven day cruise.

It does sound like a lot but considering that $203 of that is the cost of gratuities that you would be charged anyway, I still think it's a good deal because it's really only the cost of a couple of drinks each a day.  I can see how it wouldn't work for someone who doesn't drink any alcohol at all, though.

7 hours ago, geocruiser said:

Good to hear.  I have cousin in Canada, they got their first shot and have a 16 week wait to get their second shot. What you wrote mean that they will be able to get their second shot much sooner?  Mine were three weeks apart in the US.

Yes, Canada decided to spread the time between doses further apart in order to use the vaccines that we had to get as many people as possible their 1st dose as soon as possible.  The original timeline was 16 weeks but at least in my province that has been reduced to about 8 weeks instead.  I am booked for my second shot exactly 8 weeks after I got my 1st.  🙂

3 minutes ago, CFD130 said:

Just got my $300 FCC for my canceled March 2021 cruise-great- but what about my 1269 PP from my canceled March 2020 cruise- come on Princess you can do treat us better than that

You're still waiting for reimbursement for a cruise cancelled over 10 months ago?  Yikes!!!