Expat Cruise

  Princess Cruises is really trying to cloud the issues here with these added packages. The bottom line is for the average guest no package pays for itself. Also once you take the package you are completely locked in and cannot change it. Simple logic says if Princess Cruises was not making money on these packages they would not offer them.  

Many bring a case or more on loner cruises. No issues just pay the corkage fee that is added upon boarding. You can bring a bottle into any ventue on the ships with no added fees.

I have lived in SE Asia for almost 25 years, and have been to all those ports and cities several times, both on  cruise ships and land vacations. I have lived in Thailand and Singapore.  So here is the breakdown:

  My last two passport renewals 2011 & 2021 (April) have both taken less than 14 days. Both done ast a US Embassy outside of the United States. But the passports are made by the US Department of State and delivered to the US Embassy.  You can get a passport renewed within a couple of days if you have a travel date set within the week.   So if you apply under the normal or expedited process and your passport is not back you can apply under the emergency renewal.  

 https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/emergency-passport-renewal.html

You can also head west from Boston to the Western part of Massachuttes, or Northwest to Southern Vermont.  By the second to third week in October you are pasted peak even in most of Southern New England.

It is a nice cruise if it happens. The first day and last day can be cold and windy... It is late Fall in New England. 

10 hours ago, Zippy99 said:

My last cruise in 2019 and the App worked perfectly, but they were still using the online personaliser at that time for entering travel and credit card details,  and I can still access the personaliser on Princess.com using a web browser and via the link in the App, so I am still recognised on the Princess web site along with my future cruises and cruise history and status. 

Yes you can still see the cruise but you cannot enter the details on your computer and you cannot access the app from your computer so you cannot store the complete details on your computer.  The app limits what you can do or see to the app only. It is a major down grade in customer service. It is like a fine dining restaurant, removing the wait staff and giving you a app to handle your meal... It is not a upgrade in our opinion.

On 5/9/2021 at 9:49 PM, stormz said:

Any news on SE Asia?   Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand. We have booked Amawaterways Mekong River Cruise late November 2021.   AMA just canceled these trips through 9/30/21. Hoping to know more before I have to large balance in late August.   What a conundrum! Hoping a lot changes in the next three months. 

All still closed to guests. Thailand was trying to open and is doing a test on the Island of Phuket... it is not going well at this point. Sorry your cruise will be cancelled.

  I live in the Philippines, have business interests in Japan and many friends. Sorry to say the odds of a cruise that is not 100% Japan residents is zero. I cannot even get a waiver to travel for business. My business associate asked for a special business visa so I could go to his factory.... he was told to check back in 2022... maybe spring.....

  Flights from Hong Kong to the United States leave from morning until late night. You do understand that the fastest flight from Las Vegas will get you to Hong Kong 1 or 2 days after you take off from Las Vegas by date? If you leave Vegas on Monday the easlist you will be in Hong Kong is Tuesday and many times not until Wednesday. WHen you cross the International date line you add a day. When you return it is the same day or next day as you pick up a day.  The shortest trips to and from will be 18 or 19 total hours.... with some trips taking up to 40 hours depending upon routing.   

The app is a insult to guests, it does not improve our cruises it makes it harder and less personal. All guest should show Princess if they are unhappy with the app, the only way Princess understands.....in their pocket.

25 minutes ago, generichandle said:

 

As for customer service, I think we have received extraordinary response considering the circumstances. This company has operated on a 'skeleton staff' for 1.5 years now, and have still accomplished a lot. 

 

Also, while obviously WAY short in liquid assets, they have met the enforced cancellation process by taking further losses to encourage loyalty, as I showed above. Princess has always been good with service since I started cruising, which is why they are my only 'Elite' loyalty, or equivalent. 

 

Hopefully, they will survive to flourish past COVID. 

  They are using the excuse of Covid-19 to reduce and provide the worst customer service in the history of the company. While maybe you are happy with them, that is great for you. But I'm mad at Princess and that will be reflected in the way I cruise with them now and in the future. I'm 100% for myself... even if it costs Princess thousands and benefits me a few pennies I'm going that way. I have thousands in credits and will use them but the days of Princess making money from me are long over. 

  I lived in Thailand for about 8 years. The cruise port for Bangkok is nowhere near the city. It is in Chonburi, it is really the main cargo port for the area. Located 90 Km away from Bangkok.  Without traffic it is 1 hour and 10 minutes, with traffic it can take 4 hours. That is why many cruise lines do overnight in port. Bangkok traffic is some of the worst in the World. You need to allow extra time to get back to the ship, or the ship could sail without you.  Many cruise ships seem to leave late because they are waiting for cruise tour guests. But I would never count upon this. On the plus side, if you miss the ship, flying from Bangkok to most places in SE Asia is fast and cheap (Non Covid Times). So if you miss the ship you can meet it at the next port.... not recommended but an option.  

We lost our LA to Toyko Cruise on April 5th. This now makes 8 cancelled cruises for use. Really not happy at this point.  The way we are treated by the Princess Land & Crew staff has really been changed since March 2020. It really says a lot about how bad Princess Customer Service is today.

Do not like the app and the fact that you  can no longer access and input, and store, the cruise information on your computer. I do not keep records on my phone. This is a big downgrade for us. Princess is failing its guests again.

Singapore is still closed and it does not seem they will open soon. As of June 1st  Malaysia went on a full lockdown for at least two weeks. This will set Singapore back again. Cruises are operating now but closed loop and just for residents of Singapore.

5 hours ago, Thebox said:

Traveling with a picky eater son on the Diamond Princess in Japan. Please let me know if there are french fries available at the Horizon Court and/or main dining room? I know it sounds silly - but it's important to make him less nervous about the trip! Thanks for your help!

Yes have been available Pre-Covid.... now things could have changed. Also available at the pool food outlet.  They will be able to get French Fries.

22 hours ago, Lucky TGO said:

 

I totally agree with with you Thrak on this one. Paying for a cruise that is not enjoyable.

In Boston we would just say Fugheddaboudit.

The Captain of The Rowboat,

Tony

Tony,

I just want to cruise again. We are booked on the Diamond Princess in Decemebr from Hong Kong. If Princess runs the cruise and we can travel from our home in the Philippines to Hong Kong to board we are cruising. I know very well what they say in Boston..... I lived in East Boston, family and business in Chelsea & Revere also.  Would be very happy to have a rowboat on Chelsea creek today, Love that area of the World.

Todd

Ready to cruise now. Really find it hard to beleive that the World leaders have allowed Covid-19 to shut down the World.  Would have done all our Princess Cruises if not cancelled this year. Once cruising is back and we can travel to the ports we are back.  And yes would take a cruise to nowhere, two weeks with no ports would be great.

It has been a very different year for us. Have not been able to spend any time in the United States. We are still at our other home in the Philippines.  Manila Bay was cruise central  a few months ago with about 15 ships in the bay just waiting this out. Philippines have been on lock down longer than any other country in the World. Masks and face shields are required in public. Quarantine passes are the norm here, if you travel outside of your home.  Since we have business here we are on working passes and allowed much more freedom than average.

Cruising has started again in Taiwan  and next month in Singapore, but both countries are closed to tourist still.  Still holding out hope for our December 2020 cruise on the Diamond Princess. It is a little strange that the ship Covid-19 started on could be the first Princess ship back in service. 

We are really to cruise now, if allowed to fly to Taiwan or Singapore we would be there. Have have 5 Princess Cruises cancel already that is more than we need in a lifetime. 

You do understand Taipei is not a port. If the cruise says Taipei you will dock in  Keelung which is 30 minutes to 1 hour away by taxi, depending upon day and time. So not really a option for hop on off bus.

A few problems with this cruise. First it was a re positioning cruise to bring the ship from Asia to Alaska for the Summer season. At this point not even sure the ship will be in Asia or that Alaska cruises will be open. Example  Princess Cruises has sold off two ships already; Sun & Sea, they maybe moving around other ships, and again this ship could be somewhere else.  Royal has sold ships and  Carnival Corporation has sold or removed 18 ships in total. So mthe return will be different for sure.

That said Asia cruising is already back. Genting has been cruising on the Dream since July.... zero Covid-19 cases, about 25 completed cruises in Taiwan. They are now adding a second ship. RCL and Genting are starting cruises out of Singapore in December. It seems Asia is up and running well before the United States. 

But getting to Asia today is still very hard. We live in the Philippines, the only way I can enter the Philippines now (US Passport) is because my wife is a Philippines passport holder. And if we did enter Covid-19 test and held in hotel until comes back negative. Most Asian countries are closed to tourist at this time. But many are talking about opening soon. Right now Cambodia is open but Airport Covid-19 testing, cash deposit with government (USD$3000) and proof of Covid-19 Heath Insurance, plus hotel quarantine until test is back.

Because of all these factors I believe your cruise is 50/50 now.

On 8/17/2020 at 6:58 AM, By The Bay said:

The Special Commissions recommendations stated on page 33 of the Key Findings and Recommendations:

 

"2.15 Carnival should have ensured that Dr von Watzdorf was made aware of the change to the CDNA “suspect case” definition on 10 March 2020. They should also have ensured that passengers and crew aboard the Ruby Princess were informed that
there were suspect cases of COVID-19 on board. Those persons meeting the definition of a suspect case should have been required to isolate in their cabins."

Again as many have stated these are after the facts findings....Based upon the law and rules in place at the time Princess was not required to take these actions.....They followed what was in place at the time. Unlike the Government who did not follow the law and the rules.   Princess was cleared in this case.

On 8/17/2020 at 7:14 AM, NSWP said:

I have to correct you sir, not the Government of Australia, the New South Wales State Health Commission. So the NSW State Government is in the firing line, not the Federal Govt.

The ports are welcoming International guests which is Federal, and while the Health Department may have been the front line ultimately the ball stops with the Federal Government.  Bottom line if the Government (s) in Australia have done their jobs this would not have happen. Princess Cruises was cleared by the report, they did not break the law or the rules in place at the time. Unlike Australia which should get the blame, from the report NSW Health’s “inexcusable” and “inexplicable” mistakes. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has accepted the   commission's findings and admitted its responsibility

3 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

So far in Australia the emphasis has been on blaming the government departments, but (in my opinion) if the cruise line had been found at fault, there would have been a near-hysterical baying for blood by the media. The Premier of New South Wales has apologized unreservedly for the failures and errors by her staff.

 

The Police investigation is on-going after five months with 13 people working full time. They intend to interview (according to the Police Commissioner) everyone who was on that ship. One passenger (BRANDEE) posted on the Australian and NZ Cruisers section of this forum, the list of 30 questions she received from NSW Police. She and her husband both contracted the virus. She has commented that she feels the Police (or at least the Commissioner) are out to 'get Princess'. After the report from the Commission of Inquiry was released, the Police Commissioner said the Police inquiry was different and that they are looking for evidence of 'criminal negligence' in the actions of everyone involved on the ship. Now that the report from the Commission of Inquiry has been released, I feel it is a waste of money for the Police to continue with their inquiry. The Police Commissioner blamed Princess and the crew on the ship, and only them from day 1 and he is not prepared to back down.

 Princess followed the rules in place at the time.  While we may not agree with those rules several months after the fact that really does not matter. 

Philippines still has a very low number of deaths 2400 with a population of 110 million. But things are still not normal here. Very had to travel domestic or International.  The only way you are flying into the country is if you are a citizen, married to a citizen, hold a full resident visa, or Government travel. Everyone is subject to Covid-19 testing upon return and quarantined to hotel room while waiting for tests results. Travel between provinces is very limited. Hoping things open up here soon as the  country is in trouble from the lock downs and quarantines.