Torfamm

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

My take about not eating in the DR is possibly because the OP arrived at the most busiest time on the evening & was told there would be a wait. (which they weren't willing to do)

This seems to be common lately as the ships are beginning to fill up without having a full crew to assist people. ❓

This could have been easily solved by slightly adjusting their arrival for dinner. 

 

Another option if they don’t want to wait is to make reservations for the times they are likely to eat. If plans change, reservations can be changed or cancelled. 

7 hours ago, windsurferfirst said:

Only able to get into the MDR once.The ship was at capacity and the dining rooms couldn't cope.We were constantly told to come back in an hour. The menu was very limited in both MDR and Sabatini's in the past the menus have been really good, not so much anymore. 

Don't start me on the sun bed hoggers. Why are people so selfish to hog beds from 7 am and not even sit on them at all?.

 

So all in all I think the love affair with Princess is over. 
 

 

You might want to consider that you may find that other lines equally frustrating. Waits for non-reserved dining and hogging of sun beds are pretty universal complaints about cruise lines comparable to Princess. That said, you might as well try a few to see if you are happier.

17 hours ago, jeanandjim said:

Not his time but will continue to hope someone with knowledge will step forward.

thnx, Jim😎

The times can change from cruise but they are scheduled for 7:30 and 9:30 for the August 24th sailing of the Grand. When is your cruise?

On 8/19/2022 at 6:20 PM, jeanandjim said:

We would like to know the show times on the Grand Princess for this Alaska season so that we can preset our dining times. thnx in advance.

Jim😎

You can see them in the Journey View Activities Timeline in the app. If your cruise is this season they are probably there already 

45 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Never take "legal" advice from CC as we can only give opinions. The only way to be sure is to speak to an "official". Personally we would get a passport then the issue is resolved for ever. Of course in the UK passports are compolsary. I also seem to remember a post that said if you didn't have a passport and had to leave the ship for a medical issue you wouldn't be allowed to fly back to the US. Hopefully one of the posters from the US will clarify that.

That is true. It is a huge problem not to have a passport if you need to fly back  to the US due to an emergency at home, medical issues, or if you miss the ship. It makes a bad situation much worse

10 minutes ago, Sue from Canada said:

No.  Flight back to Canada from Fort Lauderdale is at 11:45am

You might be able to connect to wi-fi and do it at the airport if you get there in time.  Good luck

On 8/15/2022 at 2:14 AM, Sue from Canada said:

I should have explained my situation a little better.  I'll need to complete the ArriveCan 3 days before getting off the ship then flying back to Canada. So, I'll need to use a HAL computer.  I don't want to buy a wifi package as I 'disconnect' from everything and everyone back home when I'm away on vacation.  So, I just need wifi for a little bit to complete this stupid requirement.

Will you be in a port within 72 hours of arriving in Canada? Maybe you can connect to wi-fi that way? 

Since tuxedo rental is no longer available on cruise ships, you won’t see too many in formal wear but there are always enough that you won’t stand out in tuxedos. My guess is that fewer than half will follow the dress code of tuxedo or dark suit.

You can see which nights are scheduled as formal nights in the Journey View activities timeline in the app. Every evening will show either “casual” or “formal” portraits. I’ve seen it populate as much as a couple of months before a cruise

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

???  Example, if I embarked in Seattle, do I have to follow the same (within 72 hours of joining the ship) or is it with 72 hours of porting in Victoria/Vancouver?

 

I might as well add one more question.  
 

 

Yes, you complete ArriveCAN within 72 hours before embarking on a ship outside Canada (e.g. Alaska, Seattle, SanFrancisco) that will be going to Canada. If you are boarding in Canada you complete it within 72 hours before arriving in Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/border-services-agency/services/arrivecan.html

7 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

@GramblerYes, if you are flying in, you HAVE to fill in the app within 72 hours of arrival by plane. 

 

It is my understanding that if you are arriving by ship (from SEA, NYC, FLL, etc), you can fill it in while onboard.

Those arriving by cruise ship are to complete it 72 hours before embarking 

12 hours ago, cruise2relax said:

Trans-ocean the same as transatlanitc?  It is an odd choice of phrasing.

Also transpacific 

I’d agree that land first is the better choice. An often unmentioned benefit is that southbound cruises leave most people with an easier flight home. I also prefer avoiding Royal class ships as they are too large to sail the inside passage

5 hours ago, ImperialLady said:

Thanks for posting this...we are on the 8/28 sailing of the Discovery due to be in Skagway on 9/1 and we are not listed....I wonder when Princess will tell us where we are going?

 

You might want to check the port schedules for Icy Strait Point, Haines, and Sitka to see if you see anything 

An updated port schedule for Skagway just came out 

https://www.skagway.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/skagway_visitor_department/page/33137/aug_5_2022_update_skagway_cruise_ship_schedule.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RmSq_aZ3PfkfX1eeTVKjoz3dsMeZx6auBicjL6vxKu6JqQ8ahHv-K3QQ

On 8/1/2022 at 8:52 AM, DaveOKC said:

Great advice thus far - wait until you see how clear a day and to just buy as a walk up - no reservations.

 

Adding to this, the last time we did it we purchased our tickets from our cruise ship excursion desk (Holland America) as they offered the same or slightly less price AND we were able to get a full refund if we decided not to go, even at the last minute.  Very convenient and safe from bad weather day.

 

Princess does the same.

8 hours ago, Eddie Wilson said:

In wrapping up a cruise tour, the last leg is via rail from Talkeetna to Anchorage.  Could anyone advise on what time of day this train arrives in Anchorage?

 

It may have and effect on the booking of our flight home.

 

Thanks in advance, 

 

Eddie

Your itinerary should show the departure and arrival times. The travel time for the train on mine shows as 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Yes, I have had luggage misdirected when flying internationally. It took an extra day to catch up with me much as it could when flying domestic. Are you arriving on boarding day? My best advice would be to arrive at least the day before you cruise. It’s also wise to pack at least a change of clothes and some essentials in a carry-on.

I agree with the posters who would avoid the larger ships, like the Majestic,  that can’t sail the inside passage. After that, I would look for an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay if the itineraries you are considering are not identical 

The dress code clearly states that shorts are not allowed. No one can tell you whether the dress code will be enforced on any given night on your cruise. If eating in the MDR is important to you, I’d wear pants.

I think that the location of Botticelli is inconvenient. Access is too limited

Yes, if you want to purchase online. If you phone, an agent can take care of the multiple transactions for you

7 hours ago, MF40 said:

Boarded the Reflection yesterday, everything is great and the staff are fantastic. 

One observation though. I know it was first night and all that but couldn’t get over how many men were wearing shorts in the MDR. 
 

What do people think, is this the way forward on Celebrity or just another standard slipping?

We were on several Celebrity cruises this year and didn’t see any shorts in the MDR. Not sure it’s a trend. Could be that many on your cruise had not received their luggage in time for dinner 

Yes, you will be fine wearing that

We sail on both lines frequently and find that they are more alike than different.  There are pros and cons to both and I can't say that I have a clear favorite, the decision is usually based on itinerary.

in my opinion, Celebrity has significantly better food and we love that there is no smoking anywhere inside the ship, including the casino. Smoking in the casino is the biggest negative to sailing with Princess for me.

On Princess, we like the fact that there is savory food available in the International Cafe rather than just the pastries and desserts available in Cafe al Bacio on Celebrity. We also like that availability of self-serve laundry on Princess ships.  It makes a big difference on long trips. We also enjoy formal nights. We also like that option to order from the Medallion app on Princess ships, it's especially convenient for coffee in the morning and enjoy formal nights.

That will be fine. They don’t enforce the wearing of jackets or ties in the MDR