keithm
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Posts posted by keithm
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On 11/2/2019 at 12:59 PM, scottca075 said:
You need a season subscription to the opera.....
I can't. Everybody'd say Hey, where's Batman? The Penguin escaped again.
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On 11/2/2019 at 12:48 PM, MomC said:
Can I purchase distilled water on the ship for my CPAP machine?
Just go to your Princess info. page & look under medical questions. The request for distilled water SHOULD be free. Also remember to request an extension cord. Princess may confiscate any that you bring aboard for safety concerns.
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13 hours ago, Potstech said:
Do not like associating with other diners apparently.
Nope. Had enough issues with other pax not wanting to sit with a gay couple. Had this happen twice on Oceania. Prefer to just avoid the issue. It's pretty bad when you start chatting & suddenly the other couple "figures" you out, & they suddenly just clam up. Really doesn't make for a nice dinner. I will say that at large tables, this really doesn't come into play much, as most don't want to come off as unaccepting(at least in public)
Another thing..we're foodies. We like to really try different things. We have to be considerate to the other diners & not hold up their dinner, either. These are the reasons we prefer a dinner for 2. On Oceania in La Reserve, which is a tasting venue, everyone is there for the same tasting menu. This is basically a 3+ hour event served with choice wines with each course.
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On 10/31/2019 at 11:25 PM, clo said:
I read these threads and wonder why anyone does them. I'm sure I've said this before but it seems so artificial, strained, what's the word. I thoroughly enjoy meeting people in a casual setting ( you should see me in Costco!), chatting a bit and going our separate ways. If I see them again it' "hi, how are you? Having a good time. Sure hope so. We are. Etc.' What more do people want? I'm not trying to be mean. I sincerely don't get it.
Maybe, perhaps some of us have done enough of them & don't find them all that interesting. On the Eclipse a few years back, nearly the entire M&G was from Edmonton. Very cliquish. We've been to a few where pax chat it up a bit & that's pretty much all you ever see them for the rest of the cruise. only on Cunard did I see groups that really mingled well. Also being the gay couple, we've noticed the slight uncomfortableness of some. So that's another reason we don't do them as much.
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3 hours ago, Potstech said:
So some want to pay more for clothes just to make someone else, who they do not know, feel good for less than 4 hours out of a 168 hour week. Not worth it to us.
Especially when it's a pair of jeans with holes, with some designer's name(likely now dead) on it & wow! $400.
Also just "something" about renting clothes that dozens of people have worn before me. Basically, we're going to bring a few vests & a few ties, some nice shirts, some nice khaki pants & good boat shoes & 2 sport coats & do a mix & match. Worked fine on Oceania(though we never wore the ties, way too warm)Should be fine for Princess.
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3 hours ago, Potstech said:
And they should tell the staff they prefer to sit right there. Then the choice is yours wether to stay or get up and demand a different table. Either way the ones being embarassed will not be the new group.
We only do tables for 2. Wanted to get a kick out of responses.
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6 hours ago, stoneharborlady said:
You won't let them? Wow
Little secret: We actually only book tables for 2. Just wanted to stir the juices a bit!
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22 hours ago, Potstech said:
True but the major group doing the insulting, even on this thread are those pushing formal wear.
It's gone both ways. Not really seen anything really nasty on this thread. Quick off post question..We're booked on the Jan.27 Hawaii cruise on the Star. Are you familiar with the ship? If so, what's your opinion of it?
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10 hours ago, Potstech said:
Ever notice those pushing a formal dress requirement for all seem o want to insult others in an attempt to try to convince others to do things according to their agenda.
True, but not like the "casual" crowd has never made insults?
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On 10/30/2019 at 12:11 PM, cruisegal415 said:
Do formal nights only apply to MDR? Not a fan of formal nights and wondering if we should book the specialty restaurants those nights, or would we be expected to dress formal there also?
Yes, only the MDR. I mean, is it too really hard to wear a nice shirt & perhaps a tie or a shirt & vest? Or perhaps a sport coat with or without tie. If you're expecting shorts & ball caps in the MDR the staff may object. I won't let staff seat anyone dressed like that at our table at night.
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On 10/21/2019 at 1:02 PM, Kimba2 said:
This is why we sail Princess - so we don't have to dress up. I get a kick out of those who are so concerned with the way others dress.
Sailed on the Crown several times - never had any problem with not dressing formal. Majority of passengers just don't dress up for formal nights.We don't go all out, but do make a reasonable attempt. If staff tried to seat anyone at our table(at night) dressed in shorts/ball cap/t-shirt etc. I would tell the staff to please seat them elsewhere. My choice, simple as that.
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On 10/25/2019 at 3:51 PM, tocruiseguy said:
Hello all, looking to book Oceania for the 1st time next June for a Med Cruise. Just wondering, what is the entertainment like on board? We aren’t party animals but do enjoy staying out late to have a few drinks or dance while cruising. Also what kind of demographic can we expect?
Thanks.
Entertainment is general singers/dancers & show acts. Not sure of your ship. On Riviera, the show band is generally very good. It's not as high town as the large ships. Riviera has a wonderful string quartet that plays different venues on the ship. They're always splendid to relax to during high tea. Usually the singers/dancers start a little green, but quickly get to be pretty good. They frequently mingle with some of the pax, most especially season travelers. Age demographic, we've found is generally among the eldest we've seen at sea. This does not bother us, as we really love to relax after busting our butts at work all year.
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On 10/25/2019 at 4:01 PM, ricka47 said:
This was our first Oceania sailing and I knew the age of the Insignia. But, she is in very good shape. We just booked the Riviera for March of 2020.
I really think you'll enjoy the Riviera. Bathrooms are more than satisfactory(provided you're not in an inside, but those are decent sized as well)You'll really like the food. If you're a foodie like us, you'll have a great time. Le Bourgeoisie is probably our favorite dining adventure in La Reserve.
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On 10/24/2019 at 7:42 AM, ricka47 said:
We just completed an 11-night cruise on the Insignia in a B-1 cabin (6062). To me, our experience can be summed up as civilized yet comfortable for my wife and I who are in our late 60s. There were few lines anywhere, no stress, and it's not "stuffy" in any way. The food is mostly very good (better than the specialty restaurants on the mainstream lines) and the crew is great.
Fellow passengers seemed somewhat friendlier than we've seen on other lines. The smaller size of the ship may have played a role here. Also, unlike other lines, there seemed to be no competition to see how well the drink package could be used each day.
Celebrity's Aqua Class had been our favorite way to cruise until this sailing. However, the food in the GDR on Insignia was consistently better than what is found in Blu and certainly much better than in the MDR on Celebrity or HAL.The entertainment was better than we expected as we've become a bit bored with the "singers and dancers" production shows on the mainstream lines. But, on this cruise, the show band was very good (which is usually always the case) and the singers and dancers were talented and engaging as were the other guest performers.
The Insignia was the smallest ship that we had ever sailed (the Empress of the Seas at about 48,000 tons was the smallest previously) but that was a non-issue as everything that we needed was there. I joked to my brother that it's like a real cruise ship only smaller. She was in great shape and it was extremely easy to get from one place to another. Forgetting something in your cabin did not require a major trip despite the teeny tiny elevators (whose idea was that?) on the Insignia.Our cabin was small but nicely designed and, while the bathroom was indeed the smallest that we have ever seen on a ship, it caused us no problems at all. I'm 6'1" and 185 pounds and the shower was tight but OK.
Two other things (besides the tiny elevators) had us scratching our heads although they are very far from deal breakers as we're already booking our next O cruise:1.) RCI can have us aboard the Oasis class ships as early as 1030 and cabins available by 1300. On O it is much later for both. (5400 vs 650 passengers - go figure!)
2.) When coming back from the ship on a hot island there was no tent, chairs, drinks, or iced towels.
I suggest trying the Riviera/Marina. The ships are larger, but not too large. The food I hear is better on these 2 ships. I've not been on the smaller ones, so I can't prove that. We always had a nice "lounge" area by the return gang plank, with cold wash towels & water with fresh sliced lemon.
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On 10/12/2019 at 10:56 PM, bob brown said:
On our ATW cruise, we had a CC M&G on the first sea day of each segment.
I will say that unlike NCL, Oceania support for CC is non-existant. We were entirely on our own, trying to set up a corner of the Horizon Lounge, with no area blocked off to accommodate us. Nor did O provide any officer’s introductions or speeches.
I was told by a very high level Oceania Club member, that the Chairman of the corporation is “not a fan” of CC...
On our Jan. trip, we had an area set aside in Horizon. They don't do too much for you. I'm fine with that. Quite often we don't bother with the meet & greets any more.
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On 10/30/2019 at 6:05 PM, roothy123 said:
I'll be on my first Christmas cruise. On another board, someone mentioned bringing a small gift for his/her room attendant. That got me to wondering if the room attendants are allowed to accept such gifts, or how that is handled. I know space in their cabins is very limited, and that not all people celebrate Christmas, but just wondered what would happen if I gave a small (size wise and value wise!) wrapped gift to a cabin attendant? Would a hand made card with a tip be acceptable/appreciated (I assume)?
We don't cruise during the holidays. That being said, we always tip our attendant & asst. at the end of the cruise. This is in addition to the daily gratuity. Richard & I are both in the hospitality fields & take care of our "own" when we travel.
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On 9/5/2019 at 6:32 PM, weedpindle said:
And where do they put stuff in their very cramped cabins?
Remember that movie Papillion? 'nuff said!
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On 9/3/2019 at 12:16 PM, denmarks said:
I read somewhere that if you cancel the automatic gratuity and pay in cash the money must be turned in and is still divided for all the service staff. They can only keep money that is over the automatic tip. Therefore if you gave $2 a day to your waiter and $10 a day to your room steward they would have to turn it in to be divided by all. Can anyone confirm if this it true?
Though I can't prove it, staff have told me, yes they have to put that $ in the pool. If you leave the auto tip in place(like us) any extra that you so choose to tip extra DO get to keep that. That $14.50 breaks down to generally:$3PP per day(cabin attendant)$2PP per day for assistants to the aforementioned staff. The remainder gets divvied up among all the staff you don't see: Laundry staff/staff cooking your food/maintenance staff/ custodial staff(cleaners of the bathrooms etc.) and so on. For us(I base this on 14 day trips)& the level of cruising, we generally tip the attendant(total)$100/assistants $50/head waiter $100/assistant waiter $50/ Sommeliers $25(no Sommeliers on Princess) Maître D $25 if they did something for us such as a window seat etc. What you choose to pay extra, if any is your choice. To remove the auto tip is plain sleazy & I'm being kind here! We're both in the hospitality fields & choose to take care of our "own" as it were.
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22 hours ago, debbiewp said:
Wow...I'm pretty sure that I did not in any way state that I expected the ships staff to move my parents place to place and I am well aware of the family's responsibility.
I think that perhaps I unintentionally exaggerated their handicaps and should clarify for all that my parents live independently in their own home over 400 miles from us (and further from all other family)...they attend social events, go out to dinner and enjoy a beach vacation with their entire family in the summer. They both still drive, do their own shopping and they are both quite able to walk on their own...the transport chairs were just a thought to make things easier for them on a large ship.
Obviously, I cannot expect everyone to be as kind in their responses as others.
Yes, perhaps you did overstate their health issues, but yes, you DID request would staff be able to transport your parents up to the Horizon deck among other places. You have to understand the "legal" issues at stake. Should one of your parents be injured in any way(you've seen how klutzy some pax can be on board)The line does not want to be liable, especially in today litigious society. If you have a friend who wants a free(or partially paid cruise) this might be an option. My niece had a friend that they paid for to travel with them to Hawaii(not a cruise, but a vacation)The friend's job was to watch over the kids when the parents wanted to go off on their own. Obviously this needs to be a trusted friend in a situation like this. Though knowing these kids well at that age, a sacrifice to the volcano god wouldn't have been the worst thing. KIDDING(or am I?)
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5 minutes ago, scottca075 said:
Are there reasons you would not rent scooters for the trip? That would give your parent more independent control of their movements.
That's great idea. I really can't see the reason they can't rent them. If cost is an issue, then the cruise itself doesn't seem to make much sense.
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6 hours ago, debbiewp said:
My husband, adult daughter and myself will be on the Crown for a 10-day cruise in November. Our family has been on 19 previous cruises with Princess, accompanied by my parents. Due to separate health reasons, they have had to cancel their last two cruises, but are determined to be on this one with us. My 85-year-old father has multiple issues (breathing problems when walking ANY distance) and my 81-year-old mother is recovering from a broken ankle. It looks like they will both need transport chairs while on board, and the three of us will be on call to push them around lol. My husband, daughter and myself will want to go off ship at every port...I doubt this will be possible for my parents.
Does anyone know if there are crew members that we could request to transport my parents in their chairs to, for example, the pool deck or Horizon Court, if we are not available to do so? Obviously, if my mom didn’t have the ankle problem, she would be able to push his chair. Several years ago, my father used a transport chair following his hip replacement, so we are familiar with how they work and we did take him off ship.
And for those that think they should just stay home, they love cruising, love Princess and realize that this will be their last trip..We are trying to keep them happy and comfortable and hoping all goes well, it will just be a different cruise experience than the past 19.
Thanks for any advice....
Hate saying it, but the crew is NOT responsible for caring for your parents, YOU are! We saw an elderly British couple who was very well looked after by a care provider. This is what you'll have to do. In nearly ALL cases the ship staff will probably not allow your parents off the ship, most especially if there are tender ports involved. Everyone else's safety is paramount over just 2 pax when it comes to tenders. What about buses? Same thing. Remember to maybe, just maybe, take into consideration everyone else on that ship. It's best they stay on board, but as I said earlier hire a fully licensed care attendant. They are available, but will be expensive.
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On 10/21/2019 at 12:41 PM, kibutzer said:
Unfortunately chair hog culture has invaded O. At 6am people saving chairs by 8 am non left in shade around pool.
Although they will remove items, few ask. Saw high rollers come out with bag and only use chair for one hour out of entire sea day. SAD
.. about 50% new passengers. Someone showed up in terrace cafe flip flops, bathing suit bottom,muscle shirt, beach towel for dinner. Spouse had bandeau bathing suit top and shorts, both asked to please take their beach towels to room and put on shirts with sleeves. Heard them grumble but they returned later in appropriate clothing. Thanked head waiter for their actions.
Never had the problem on the Riviera. Staff moved stuff off chairs on a regular basis & left notes as to where it can be retrieved. As to the slob..Glad the staff has some fortitude even in the Terrace. Trashy pax can stay on the budget lines, thank you.
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4 hours ago, Charles4515 said:
I agree always ask when you lose the deposit but you can book a refundable deposit or a non refundable deposit on Princess. If you open their website today you will see Princeess is offering $100 refundable deposits today. Usually they have been offering refundable and non refundable. The incentive to book non refundable is a lower fare.
True, thanks.
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On 10/17/2019 at 4:48 PM, pna said:
I thought if you have only made it deposit, that deposit was 100% refundable until final payment is due?
This fault is either yours or your TA. You should always ASK when will I lose the deposit? On Princess you lose it from day one!
Formal Nights
in Princess Cruises
Posted
Really? Why not? No, I have to admit I was pretty strong in my opinions, as have others in theirs.( I love a good battle!) I felt that at least on Cunard you ARE expected to follow the dresscodes, as that's part of their "shtick" & makes them stand out. On Princess, we'll do sport coats/vests/ties(or no ties) & mix & match. I will draw the line at ball caps/shorts/flip flops etc. at dinner(MDR). I mean at least slacks & a collared shirt for Smart Casual & the aforementioned(word of the day!)sport coat or nice shirt & tie or vest for formal. Tuxes are fine, but we won't wear them, except only on Cunard.