Smokeyham

It was pointed out to me that the number of people on CruiseCritic make up a relatively small percentage of the total number of cruisers. So, with an issue like this, in addition to lodging our own complaints with Princess, we also need to get other cruisers to voice their support for bringing back a second chair. Perhaps just a comment to other cruisers when you meet them suggesting they provide that feedback would help.

Sad when you step back and think that we our considering bringing our own camp chairs to what is sold as an elegant and luxurious experience.

Glad to see that Princess was willing to provide you with a second chair. A benefit of being involved with CruiseCritic is that you learn about what to ask for!

I read this thread with interest, and then went to look at the pictures for a balcony cabin for a variety of ships. They are still showing a second/barrel chair in the photographs that I saw. It does seem reasonable that people should expect to have two chairs in a cabin for two people. Your typical hotel room will have an office-type chair at a desk, and then a more comfortable chair to sit in for relaxation. If enough passengers request the second chair, and also provide feedback to Princess that the second chair is missed, then hopefully this decision would be reconsidered.

Here is the link to the page where we can file a comment with Princess. I did not find a specific email address, only this online form. https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/customerCare.page. To use this you will need to input a booking number. I just used one from a prior cruise.

I agree; mentioning the BVE program whenever possible in feedback to Princess would be worthwhile.

We were able to be on board for a BVE when they were holding the America's Cup sailing races. With the stern facing out to San Francisco Bay it was the best seats in the house! We had a great time on board. Really sad that they have done away with this program. I introduced several friends to cruising through this, including one couple that has now booked an Alaska cruise.

I've had a number of similar experiences, on Princess and on NCL, where if you ask which restaurant is open for lunch they will tell you to go to the buffet. As others are saying, some persistence is required and you can usually find the restaurant that is open. However, on my last cruise I was turned away at the actual restaurant and was told it was only open to suite guests and others. The irony is that if you were on the now discontinued Bon Voyage Experience you were taken to a restaurant, which would imply that is what passengers do upon embarkation.

That is too bad! I have been away from the world of cruising for a bit and so had not heard that. After I read your post I searched again and found this from May, 2019. 😞 End of Bon Voyage Experience Hopefully Princess does bring that back soon. If they do bring it back then I hope they create a webpage dedicated just to the program, and make it easier for people to register for it. I had friends that wanted to do it, but became frustrated with the hoops they had to jump through to get registered.

I saw an old thread about it being discontinued, but they had reinstated it, at least it was still going as of last year.

In case you are not familiar with the BVE program, here is a short write up I did from one that I attended in 2018: Just thought I would post a recap of our Bon Voyage Experience (BVE) today in San Francisco aboard the Grand Princess. For those who are not familiar with it, the Bon Voyage Experience is a program where people not going on the cruise can go on board the ship for about four hours. The cost is $39 which includes lunch, a glass of wine, an optional tour of the ship, and a souvenir photo. We parked nearby (pier 19.5) for $22 (booked online in advance). We were able to board ahead of regular passengers. We arrived at the cruise terminal at about 10:30 am and boarded about 20 minutes later. My friends wanted to see some of the cabins, but the accommodations decks had the fire doors closed - but we were able to peek in to see some cabins on deck 15. Lunch in the Da Vinci Dining Room was very nice. I've sailed on that class of ship before and so was able to provide a tour of the ship to my friends. Photos are now picked up from the Purser's desk (Passenger Services desk). HINTS..... When you call Princess to make the booking try to get put through to the BVE desk as quickly as possible. The original call taker may well not be familiar with the program and will try to sign you up for a regular cruise. Your BVE cost can be applied to a future cruise if you book within 90 days of doing the BVE. Note - for this to be true you have to book your cruise after you complete your BVE. You can buy a Future Cruise Credit while on board. This can be used as a deposit for booking a future cruise, and you get some on board credit for doing so (the amount depends on the type of cabin you book). When you get your eBoarding pass it will likely say that you board at 1:00 pm.... Ignore that! You have to leave ship around 3:00 pm, and you can arrive around 10:30 am. If you are going on a cruise and a BVE is offered for your cruise, then try to get a friend, who is not going on the cruise, to sign up for the BVE. Link your reservation to their BVE and you can go on early with them, and they can also bring a bottle of wine on board (to leave with you!). The program is a great way to see the ship, and to introduce friends to the possibilities of cruising. Post back here if you have any questions.

Does anyone know if a calendar of the dates when the Bon Voyage Experience (BVE) will be offered in 2020 has been published? Princess does not provide this to the public, but in past years members of the travel industry have sometimes published this, and then it has been shared around. If anyone has this, could you post it here, or provide a link to a website? Many thanks.

They should have a pick up truck that they pile them into and dump them at the foot of the gangway! :)

If flights are going to be cancelled by two major carriers, with no prior warning, it does seem risky to be a place to plan for a vacation. There is an advantage to booking a cruise, in that the cruise line would then need to figure out alternative destinations if the planned stops became unsafe.

So great to see this thread is still going strong. Thanks for sharing those crazy complaints! 😉