Torfamm

2 hours ago, doghog said:

Is there signage in the casino stating that? I never saw any signs on the Enchanted the few times we walked thru the casino.You better tell Princess that. Recently on the Enchanted and the casino was a smoking lounge that at times allowed gambling. 

I don’t know if there is a sign stating the policy, but I do recall seeing a sign saying “no smoking when casino is closed” at both entrances whenever the casino wasn’t open when we were on the Enchanted this spring.
 

The policy exists though and is clearly stated. I do understand the difficulty of enforcing any policy if guests respond to it by effectively saying “Make me”, but they need to find a way. 

On 4/19/2024 at 10:09 PM, greenbeanie said:

how do I know where my muster station is before I go to the cabin?  Does that info pop up on the app once I board (like, it seems, the folio does).?

Yes. It is there as soon as you connect to MedallionNet 

On 4/19/2024 at 10:31 AM, doghog said:

Agree. I was surprised when watching the presentation on the cabin TV (Enchanted), each of us got a green check marks next to our names at the conclusion of the muster video. We were busy unpacking. Nothing like that with Celebrity and RC. 

The Celebrity app works exactly that way. One passenger can watch the video and check the box that both have seen it.

On 4/20/2024 at 2:20 AM, EDDY0827 said:

I ask security about that as I first board. They will tell you.

It’s shown in the app as soon as you board. 

On 4/19/2024 at 8:48 AM, leck57 said:

 

Not sure. I would have thought that you get to the muster point as soon as possible - the life boats are equipped with life jackets. In the past we all had to attend our muster stations at the same time and you could have asked your question but now we just watch the safety video on the cabin tv and just attend the muster station so you know where it is if needed.

I'm hoping that you will not need to have this experience on your cruise. 

The instructions in the video tell you to go to your cabin to get your life jacket and other items

20 hours ago, loge23 said:

Yes! Great one!

The curtains are always moldy. We end up always asking for a replacement or thorough bleaching. I'm almost at the point of actually bringing a bleach spray cleaner with me when we go on Princess.

I’ve never seen mold. I do think the switch from plastic to fabric was a step in the right direction. Personally I also prefer glass doors though.

21 hours ago, artvlay said:

Is it worth it to pay $10 to have the medallion mailed to our house? Is it $10'for both medallions or $10 each?

How much time does it save going in the Green Line vs. the Blue Line?

 

I have often not wanted them mailed because we won’t be home to receive them. The wait has never been more than a few minutes, even in places like Australia where the majority of passengers pick them up.

The only time it’s been an advantage is when there were dedicated check-in lines for platinum and elites. Showing it was a quick way to breeze through. Not sure it’s worth paying for though.

7 hours ago, justafem said:

All non-bar smoking lounges have now converted to arcades.  

 

Which makes the only inside smoking area, the casino.  And we're going to utilize that EXPANDED space to smoke in public/inside.  

 

Want that to go back to normal levels?  Tell princess to bring back the enclosed smoking rooms, until then, the casino is now our space. 

 

Laws about smoking on deck 7 on ships goes back to bulk carriers/ cargo ships when carrying dangerous goods.  Deck 7 smoking is written into those laws.  Cruise lines must follow those laws, same as the passengers act (what most call jones act).  

Princess has a policy that states smoking is only allowed while actively playing at designated slot machines.  Are you saying that smokers has decided not to comply with that policy? Will you also ignore the smoking policy in other areas of the ship? Do you smoke in restaurants, hotel rooms, or movie theaters?

From seeing them on others, they look like fine quality. I just wouldn’t pay anything for it any more than I would a special looking keycard. Both just get thrown away at the end of the trip. I wish there were a way to recycle them!
 

The only negative is for platinums and elites since they’d have to take the step of having their medallion scanned to show status if it’s required to enter a lounge or something.

3 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

In our experience using Crew Chat, no one responds. No one comes back with, message received, I've fixed it, I'll ask for you. I feel personal service is one of the things my cruise fare pays for. I just go early or late.

Wow, I almost always get a quick reply. For simple things like a charge in error, a response like “I’ve corrected it” is enough for me.

6 hours ago, DrSea said:

Thanks for your understanding.

 

There are many issues where it cannot be solved via the app. Especially on cruises that are 4 days or less bc it requires 48 hours or more for them to get to it.

 

I had to stand in line because they couldn't solve it. 

I hope you don’t think I was doing anything but agreeing with you. As you mentioned, lots of people have issues that they could easily address by sending a message and others need to visit in person.. When you do need to speak to a guest services officer, the lines are often very long. 

2 hours ago, MudderBear said:

Will be bringing Euros with me.  But, I was only able to get big bills.  I'm thinking of bringing US single dollars with me.   Can we tip in Europe with US Dollars?  Like if I wanted to tip say $22 dollars, can I do it in Euros and two singles?   

 

Also, I am under the assumption that only US citizens tip over in Europe.  So, my other question is, why do Americans tip if other nationalities don't?  

The ship staff will be happy to accept Euros or USD. Off the ship, there is little tipping in Europe and credit cards are widely accepted. You won’t even have an option to tip most times with cards. With cash, I wouldn’t expect to tip much except change that I’d be getting back after paying in Euros, not amounts like $22. 

Americans tip because they don’t feel at ease with local customs and their culture is that tips are expected. They just do what they are used to. It might surprise some Europeans but it’s not insulting to them.

Service charges are already included in many restaurants in Europe. Normally only small change is left. For example, if lunch were 46 Euros and the service was good, I might leave the change from my 50 Euro note or the 1 Euro left from an 5 Euro note after paying 4 Euros for a coffee. Taxis would be similar.

A tour guide might be tipped. I’d use Euros though and not worry about small bills. If a guide does a private full day tour and perhaps sets up equipment or handles special arrangements, a tip would not be unusual in many European countries. It’s up to you to decide.

7 hours ago, DrSea said:

I had to stand in line for something else. But multiple people were in line for that fee. I saw at least 3 different parties have to get it changed

It’s always surprising to me that so many people go wait in line when they could just send a message and continue their time.

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

 

On 4/14/2024 at 2:30 PM, Torfamm said:

The big difference I see is that with select dining in the past it wasn’t possible to make reservations for individual nights  in the MDR ahead of time at all. You had to wait and try to phone the “dine line” the same day that you wanted the reservation. 
 

 

Expand  

What do you mean by select dining, the current DMW system does enable you to book ahead of time and at a different time every night, and different restaurant.

 

I was answering a question about what is different now from when traditional was available in the past, before Dine My Way was introduced. At that time you could not make individual reservations ahead of time.

7 hours ago, DrSea said:

The front desk said that ocean now fee is correct if you order just the sharps container on the discovery Princess 2.5 weeks ago. 

 

Don't say you weren't warned when standing in line for 30 min to try to remove that fee 

If so then maybe only using the phone to call housekeeping is best. 

If you do need to contact Guest Services again, there’s no need to wait in line. You can just send them a message using the Crew Chat feature in the app 

3 hours ago, p.pete said:

Hmmm - this is not the understanding that I had built up in my head!!!  I was aware that there were 'drinks packages' with the same name - but actually what you're saying is that if we buy Plus onboard the *only* option is the drinks-version of the same-named package.  So there is no way to purchase 'Plus' onboard and for that to include wifi and gratuities?  [but it costs the same per day as if you had purchased it in advance as a Plus cruise fare - which is doubly sneaky if they make it sound like you're upgrading to the same thing for the same price, but actually it's of far less value]

You can add the Plus or Premier package at any time after booking or during the first day or two onboard for the same $60 and $80 as at booking 

23 minutes ago, 555 said:

The fee is waved only if you have a package from what I understand. Otherwise the first time you activate it there is a $14.95 charge. 

Did I misunderstand it?

That is true for ordering food and drinks. The example given of a request for sharps container triggering the fee is different.

3 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

 

Agreed, but a couple of cruise lines are doing something about this:

 

* Carnival (the cruise line) has non smoking casinos on some of their ships

* Celebrity doesn't allow smoking in any indoor areas - including the casino

Royal Caribbean also introduced non-smoking casino floors on some of their ships about a year ago. 
 

I get frequent surveys from the Ocean Players Club and they often ask about smoking. My sense is that the issue is on their radar and they are coming to the conclusion that just like all guests, majority of casino players don’t want to be exposed to second hand smoke. 

7 hours ago, DrSea said:

The app is trash, and it is somehow getting worst. 

 

You can locate your shipmate, and that is the only thing useful thing about it.

 

Also, if you use your app to order towels or a sharps container, you will have to pay the 15 dollar service fee. Just ask your room Stewart for it

There has been no charge for ordering those items in the app or by phone in my experience, nor is there supposed to be from what I’ve been told. If you were charged the OceanNow activation fee, it was in error.

That brings me to what I find to be helpful features in the app. Being able to see and screenshot your folio is both helpful and saves a ton of paper.

Also, if you do have any issues, crew chat is a great way to resolve them without having to physically visit guest services.

22 hours ago, alwalaska said:

Someone complaining on another cruise lines forum said that with the Princess app, you could see the menus for the whole voyage so that you could pick which nights you would prefer to do specialty dining or the buffet, etc.  Is this true or an exaggeration?

I have seen the menu for the full voyage once, about a year ago. Since then it’s only been available day by day.

6 hours ago, DrSea said:

 

 

Both age and nationality are factors. Hence we have multivariate analysis. 

 

 

I think the other factor might be itinerary. On a port intensive cruise with long or overnight stays in port like Southeast Asia or Europe, many take full day excursions and may not even return to the ship until 5:00. In those areas lunch is also served later. Perhaps at 1:00 or even 2:00.
 

I think fewer people will be ready to eat at 4:30 in the afternoon in that case than on a Caribbean or even transatlantic cruise. 

Gratuities for waitstaff, cabin steward, etc and drinks up to $15 are all covered by the Plus package. Basically all services in the package.

If you visit the spa for example, there will be additional gratuities added to your charges for services there. If you purchase a $20 glass of wine, you will be charged the $5 difference above included cost plus an 18% gratuity on that $5.

Each person with the Plus package can use internet on one device at a time. 

5 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

1. No. $60 for the Princess Plus package includes gratuities on the drink package plus the standard gratuities to the crew. If you buy the standalone Plus drink package, you do pay gratuity on that.

 

2 and 4. Same price on board, although Princess claims the quantity of Princess Plus packages for sale is limited and they may run out.

 

3. Not sure, but it does show like an addition to the cruise fare on your invoice. So it you're in the penalty period for cancelation, I can see how it might be nonrefundable.

3. The package is a part of the cruise fare. It can’t be cancelled and refunded separately.

26 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I understand what you are saying and aware of it.  I thought you mentioned needing internet because I was thinking you login to Princess web version of the App and would then be able to use DMW.  

I have tried and it wasn’t possible to open the web-based version of the app, at least with my phone and while onboard. The link has never been live onboard when connected to MedallionNet. 
 

I wish I knew why it isn’t possible to manage future cruises while on a cruise

11 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

True, it will be an inconvenience if on a ship without internet.  That would never enter my mind. . Lol.  Hey, I thought "everyone" was on a package.  

 

If it happened to me, I'd find the time figuring not everyone would be on it like a Swift or Springsteen concert.

It’s not about internet. The app doesn’t permit management of future cruises while you’re on a ship and connected to MedallionNet. The old app was the same. I have no idea why that is the case.

I am not excited about spending a port day rebooking 43 dining reservations when I’m vacationing with kids and grandkids that I don’t get to spend enough time with as it is. I do admit it’s about as much of a first world problem as you could ever have though.