SiliconCruiser

Not really worth bothering with. La Bufadora isn't really all that impressive, the ones in Hawaii are much better. You'll also be pestered by aggressive vendors as you walk down to the blow hole.

I'd suggest speaking to a travel agent and abandoning any services from Princess. Sounds like you got sent to an off-shore call center (probably Philippines.)

Hit and miss at all ports.

Try being an in-transit passenger and having to wait for friends who are first-time cruisers ... and got 'guarantee' reservations from a cut-rate web site.

Not bitter, just not sure why people think it a privilege of their Captain's Circle status. Especially when it doesn't seem to be available at many ports. My impression has always been that it is leftovers from the buffet and MDRs from breakfast.

New cruisers don't have a clue, they think it is the airline safety video (that they are probably also oblivious to.) I simply took a life jacket out of the closet of one couple and asked them if they knew how to put it one. They were bewildered and after I showed them, I'm sure they still didn't know. I'm sure that they will be the ones impeding my path to a lifeboat.

Lemme see, leftover coffee from concentrate, watered down juices, stale pastries. This is what I demand in the PES lounge and they need to keep the lesser ones out. Quite honestly I'm not really sure when I see one and when I don't, I do know that my experiences with them have been less than favorable. But the entitled ones do savor it along with their privilege of boarding first. But then ... we always board before them ...

They still use the cards. There was a couple that were new cruisers (absolute 1st time on a ship) and purchased their cruise from one of those online discounters. Their 'guarantee' cabin had not been assigned when they boarded so they were given cards for boarding, but had to go to guest services to get their cabin assignment and medallion. I forget how the porters had marked their luggage tags, but they managed get the luggage to their cabin in about the normal amount of time.

The problem arises with new cruisers who ignore the video (like they do on a plane) and don't have a clue as to how to put a life jacket on, nor what to do in the event that there is an emergency announcement.

Those are the geographically challenged who think they're in Texas. Generally they also have other challenges to deal with as well when they're in the City.

Only went into the PES area once while I was waiting for my wife to get back from the rest room. In San Francisco, they don't seem to have the coffee/juice/pastries that they have for PES at the other ports. (Don't remember if it was in Vancouver either, but it was a total mess there since most of the people there are seasonal and we were there the first day of the Alaska season.)

I've never seen anyone checking for Captain's Circle status in the waiting areas.

Prince Rupert is not yet developed as a tourist trap. It is a port that is used in lieu of Victoria for a PVSA stop, because of the whales in that body of water. That being said, Prince Rupert is a great place to just go and explore on your own. Nice people, with non-touristy attractions. There are some van tours that are available and are reasonably priced.

I think it is $2 for fountain and $2.50 for a can plus 18% gratuity. I usually just pick up a 6 pack at one of the port calls.

Never heard of a "guarantee" for a specific portion of the ship. It has only been recently that Princess started to offer the lower prices for the 'guarantee' cabins, that had previously only been offered by discount consolidators. Prior to that, you always had to select a cabin if booking online, as well as booking through most travel agents. Was also told by a future cruise consultant that the 'guarantee' cabins will almost always be forward or aft, and most likely on the higher decks, i.e. the lower priced ones that people would not pay to reserve. In our case, we have to reserve a cabin because we require an ADA cabin.