NavyCruiser

We're embarking onboard Ruby Princess in Galveston this wkend to celebrate Valentines Day & our anniversary next wk. Didn't see that we can pre-order flowers online. Saw that we can buy 2 dozen roses for $25 at Whole Foods. Flowers are not on the prohibited items list to bring onboard upon embarkation, but does anyone knows if we can bring fresh flowers....? Thanks,

Our princess cruise offers it for $149 & uses Anthony's Key. Great diving. But guess I'll be hanging out at the free beach with the family this trip...

I tip $5 for 2 bags, & same $5 for 4 bags. No reason. No need to overthink it. Just makes me & wife feel good, happy, & smiles for everyone as we head off on our wonderful cruise vacation ahead...

All 14 of our group are OceanReady Green Lane, Group B boarding at 11:30am. So how much time saved by being Elite vs Green Lane ready boarding...?

Great. But we're only Gold with Princess, not yet Elite. Maybe since we're either: 1. Platinum with Carnival 2. Military or 3. Shareholder...?

I paid $70 USD for the 4 device plan for 7 nights cruise on the Ruby later this month. Our other 6 couples traveling with us saw $140 when they tried to purchase the plan. Was this a glitch? Or did I got a great deal? Otherwise, sharing with another couple, turns out to be $35 per person, or $5 pp per day, sweet!

I tried that chat feature to guest services: Asked them which Medallion-class elevator do I take to go from the aft end to the forward end of the ship? Never received an answer back...

Maybe I should sell Princess some Medallion-class washers & dryers, that'll notify people when their laundry are done...

RCR promo code

Can you pls summarize how do we get to the (nearest & easiest) dive shop from the ship's pier in Costa Maya? Do they pick us up at the pier, or is it an easy walk or taxi to the dive shop (how far in miles & minutes)? Aprox cost for 2 tank dive? Thanks,

Edit to the update above: (Sorry, it won't let me edit...) I've printed out on paper the exact river cruise we wanted for later this year. Once onboard ocean ship, I've handed paper info to cruise consultant, & she booked exact cruise for us. Here's the perks/promos we received by booking onboard: RCR promo code: Per person $25 pp Deposit, & we got $100 pp ($200 total for our cabin) OBC for current cruise -$500 Booking discount -$200 Past Guest Level 1 discount -$200 Onboard booking savings -$1399 Free Air discount promo Notes: Agent was completely booked up with 30 minutes appointments, but she added extra appt for us at 9:30pm for after dinner appt. Very professional & efficient. We also have $200 pp discount certificate/voucher, that we bought for $100 on a previous river cruise last year, that we'll add to reservation later We've added $100 pp Air Plus. Just called Viking Air Plus dept this morning & get our exact flights we wanted. So we have up until mid-May for final payment, if we cancel, we'll lose the $50 deposit, but still came up $150 ahead from our $200 OBC we've just used...

Update: I've printed out on paper the exact river cruise we wanted for later this year. Once onboard ocean ship, I've handed paper info to cruise consultant, & she booked exact cruise for us. Here's the perks/promos we received by booking onboard: RCR promo code: Per person -$500 Booking discount -$200 Past Guest Level 1 discount -$200 Onboard booking savings -$1399 Free Air discount promo Notes: Agent was completely booked up with 30 minutes appointments, but she added extra appt for us at 9:30pm for after dinner appt. Very professional & efficient. We've added $100 pp Air Plus. So just called Viking Air Plus dept this morning & get our exact flights we wanted...

We've done a few V river previously. Will be on our first V ocean cruise next week. Looking at booking another V river cruise with a good promo code that expires end of month. So any additional advantages or perks if we wait until next week to book while onboard V ocean cruise? or just go ahead & book now? Understand that there may be a few less avail cabins if we wait a week, but site currently shows there's plenty of that cabins in that category left. Thanks,

Called Princess on the phone yesterday & asked about this program availability for our upcoming booked cruise in Feb. Rep sees our veteran $100 OBC, but doesn't have any info about this program, so it doesn't apply...

"Sleeping in non-assigned room..." Yes. No problem. Used to do it all the time. Until my wife found out & made me sleep only in our assigned room now.... 😉

This looks great. Does anyone has a link?

What animal / nature noises do they play in the public bathrooms...?

Earlier this year, we easily made a 11:20 am flight out. We had earliest low # tag for luggage pickup at terminal. Virtually no lines for immigration & customs, got out in 5 minutes. No lines for taxi. At airport in less than 15 minutes, before 9 am. So recommend u Book 3 pm flight & relax...

Does anyone knows how far is the walk, with large luggage in tow, from Tilbury cruise terminal to the taxi/Uber/car service pickup stand, vs to train station...? Thanks,

Today's Houston Chronicle article: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/galveston/article/port-galveston-new-cruise-terminal-msc-17669091.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HC_AfternoonReport&utm_term=headlines&sid=5b0232842ddf9c12eaed23b5#photo-23297401 LOCAL//GALVESTON Cruise company negotiating with Port of Galveston to build new cruise terminal Matt deGrood, Staff writer Dec. 21, 2022Updated: Dec. 21, 2022 11:54 a.m. 2of2 Cruise ships are docked at the Port of Galveston, where officials are negotiating for a fourth cruise terminal. Courtesy of Port of Galveston The Port of Galveston's governing board is negotiating with a cruise company that could bring a fourth terminal and parking garage costing as much as $120 million to the island sometime in 2025, according to Rodger Rees, port director and CEO of the port. The wharves board of trustees, which governs the island's port, signed a memorandum of understanding with MSC Cruises outlining some of the conditions for building a fourth terminal at Piers 16-18, according to the port. “We’re excited about the huge potential of this mutually-beneficial public-private partnership,” said Rodger Rees, director and CEO of the Port of Galveston. “Adding MSC to our family of cruise lines would offer our cruise guests an elegant, European-style cruise experience.” The news follows swiftly on the heels of a new, $125 million Royal Caribbean cruise terminal opening in November. Port leaders will likely spend the first quarter of 2023 hammering out the details of an agreement with the Switzerland-based cruise company. MSC Cruises is the world's third-biggest cruise company, and the fastest-growing one, Rees said. “The prospect of developing a new home port in Galveston is exciting because it represents a big step in our ongoing North American expansion," said Rubén A. Rodríguez, president of the group's U.S. branch. Under preliminary terms, the port would renovate the facility at Piers 16-18 currently host to Del Monte to operate as the new cruise terminal, Rees said. The cost of that project could be between $70 million to $80 million. The port would also build a parking structure nearby that Under preliminary terms, the port would construct a new terminal at Piers 16-18 that could cost between $70 million to $80 million, along with a nearby parking structure that could host up to 1,500 vehicles at a cost of about $40 million, Rees said. The port would then receive reimbursement for the upfront cost via a percentage of each cruise ticket sold, Rees said. The reimbursement agreement would likely last about 20 years, Rees said. VIRTUAL TOUR: Royal Caribbean's $125M cruise terminal in Galveston is open. Here's a look inside. Del Monte's lease at the port doesn't run out until 2024, so the earliest a new terminal could be in place would be sometime in mid-2025, Rees said. But beginning negotiations now means port officials have time to hammer out the details and reach out to firms about materials, he said. MSC Cruise Lines is one of Europe's most popular cruise lines. The company currently operates out of Miami and Port Canaveral in Florida, in addition to year-round service from New York City, according to officials. Development on cruise terminals in Galveston could slow with the completion of the fourth terminal, according to Rees. There are no plans to build a fifth terminal in the port's master plan, and port leaders are considering the possibility of adding a second line to the fourth terminal one day, he said.

Thanks for your extremely detailed posts. We're also be on the Ruby in a few weeks, also on same Deck 8 Emerald deck in obstructed oceanview. But in front of ship above the theater. Such a great price, only a little more than inside cabin. Looking to bid to upgrade to balcony, but then won't have our group of all 7 cabins in a row then. We're all green also, but how early were you able to check-in & get boarding time, ie: 11 am...? Thanks,

Yes, T-Mobile says "no charge for voice calls in US, Canada & Mexico, but it's 25 cents per minute for voice calls". But guess that's if I use their cellular service internationally. So using Viking's wifi network to make voice calls back to the US while onboard incurs no charge? Didn't know that. Always assumed that using a few pennies on Viber to make voice calls, rather than risking a couple hundred $$$ bill when arriving back at home. Wow, learning something new... Thanks,

We love T-Mobile's service since it has free unlimited international data & texts, 25 cents per minute for voice calls. I have Samsung, wife has Apple phones. we always place phone in Airplane mode once onboard, then turn on wifi to use Viking's free wifi, to make voice calls via WhatsApp, Viber, or Tango apps. So voice calls are free to other cell phones on same app, One cent per minute for voice calls on Viber to land based lines (office, business phones, etc), based on a package I bought 10 years ago for $10, which I still have about $4 left...

We've booked Addison Lee to pick us 4, with luggage, from Tilbury port to our hotel near Victoria station in London, for $116 GPB in Jan...

Thanks for the great posts & updates. We're boarding the Venus in Barcelona in 3 weeks, so a few questions: Uber works well in Barcelona, or use taxis? We're also staying in boutique hotel near Las Ramblas for 2 nights, so what's good time to arrive at port to board, around 11 am? Sorry, our first Viking Ocean, & Our boarding pass doesn't state boarding time. Nice cool weather in Barcelona...? How's the ship riding in open Atlantic ocean, once you've pass the Strait of Gilbraltar? Asking for a friend... Thanks,