Ombud

7 minutes ago, jwattle said:

The difference in how you were greeted was due to the return to service after the pause I think.... 😄

 

Of course. Cruising returned July 25th and Aug 15th was just the 4th one back. Things are back to pre-pandemic cruising but still great IMHO

1 minute ago, Cruise Raider said:

I take the Ghirardelli chocolates, too but for the crew.  I always leave some on the bed for our room steward and give them for anyone bringing our food/ beverage delivery, along with cash.  They are always much more excited about the chocolates.  
I agree that chips take up to much space .. we’ve found the individual packets of beef jerky they sell at Costco are compact but also a favorite of many of the crew.  We do take nuts and protein bars for those that prefer that over candy.  

 

The chocolates & nuts are for the steward & room service, the protein bars are for me as I usually only take for 1/2 the # of port days (space issues).  I'm never sure what they like. 

39 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Im not really sure this is a very recent change.  We brought a homemade meal a couple of years back for a birthday party for one the staff and her coworkers.  We asked if we could do that again last year and were told it wasn’t possible.  I totally understood their reasoning once it was explained to me.  They don’t want their crew to get sick off of meals made in kitchens that might be questionable.  It was also brought up that that the transport to the port may not adhere to their strict regulations.  We now just bring gifts and individually factory sealed snacks and chocolates.  I’m sure yours for personal consumption will fit the guidelines. 
 

I'll keep bringing Ghirardelli Chocolates and individual wrapped nuts. Chips take up too much space. 

Thanks for the FYI

Maybe. Sort of. A YouTube video of it was running in the morning in Vista Lounge on the  Royal Princess April 6, 2024 - April 27, 2024

Yes but the Royal Princess started in Sydney whereas these start or end in Singapore and include Vietnam.  I'm letting the ship get my Vietnamese visa

@monkey@cruise I keep checking that one as I'd love to be on it .... hope to meet you IRL if i can get on board

Just now, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I should have listed the date. I received the email today, 5/22/24, from the Princess Dietary Department. @Cruise Raider was kind enough to start this thread so others would be aware.

So more changes coming. I think my bars fit the updated regs as they are factory sealed

50 minutes ago, monkey@cruise said:

3 hours ago, Ombud said:

I got off the Royal Princess on 4/27/24. After securing the Lt Blue #5 the disembarkationticket I needed to transfer to Diamond Princess at Osanbashi so I could walk to city, being among the last group off, I walked almost all the way to the shuttle for the transfer between piers, past everyone waiting in the taxi line, then I came across city workers asking if anyone wanted the free shuttle!! They had no takers!! The only issue was that ppl had to manage their own luggage. Would've been perfect for me as I only had a 22" 4 wheel roller bag

 

So there was a city (not port) transfer as of April 27, 2024

 

Also the Keikyu bus to Haneda airport was easy and only 800¥. Will definitely do that again in February 2026. Excited to return to Japan 😊

 

Will be a big climate change in 14 days, 35C (95F) in Singapore to 10C (50F) in Tokyo.

 

Princess won't accept passengers own Vietnam e-Visa (US $25/pp), must handle by Princess for US $75/pp. 😡
 

The bus schedule in English:

https://www.keikyu-bus.co.jp/en/airport/h-yamashita/
 

The cheapest way from Osanbashi terminal to Haneda Airport, get on the Keikyu’s limousine buses at Shin-Kencho-mae [Prefectural Government. Runs every hour, fare 800 yen.

I spent 6 wonderful hours walking / eating / visiting various places in Yokohama before catching that Keikyu shuttle. Here's what their sign looks like:

the only odd thing was they have Oktoberfest in April but it was Golden Week and the food / beer was right!

as far as the temperature variation: that's why I brought layers (Darwin 10C, Yokohama ~60-70F). I'll bring my sweatshirt again next time. 

Adding: suggesting either a waffle sandwich in Red Brick Warehouse or fluffy Pancake at Happy Pancake House for lunch 😋 (truthfully: I had one for lunch and finished my day with the waffle sandwich before catching Keikyu shuttle. Lots of carbs but it's a vacation!) 

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

The reason for the post is because I’ve been told they are looking into enforcement of this policy and you may not be able to do it in the future

Exactly. Which is why I post the date I noticed something. I've noticed more than a few changes between the earliest ship back on (Majestic Princess August 15, 2021) and the latest ship back on (Royal Princess April 6, 2024). Not just in how we're greeted when boarding (no more lines applauding us & thanking us for boarding) 

I got off the Royal Princess on 4/27/24. After securing the Lt Blue #5 the disembarkationticket I needed to transfer to Diamond Princess at Osanbashi so I could walk to city, being among the last group off, I walked almost all the way to the shuttle for the transfer between piers, past everyone waiting in the taxi line, then I came across city workers asking if anyone wanted the free shuttle!! They had no takers!! The only issue was that ppl had to manage their own luggage. Would've been perfect for me as I only had a 22" 4 wheel roller bag

So there was a city (not port) transfer as of April 27, 2024

Also the Keikyu bus to Haneda airport was easy and only 800¥. Will definitely do that again in February 2026. Excited to return to Japan 😊

Just now, SiliconCruiser said:

Oh were you there as well?  We got the e-mail and ended up having to take two cabs (2 motorized wheelchairs) to Daikoku, for the Royal, at around $40 USD each.  Had be played dumb and just showed up at Osanbashi like a lot of people, we would have been able to take the free shuttle. 🤫.

I got off the Royal Princess on 4/27/24. After securing the Lt Blue #5, being among the last group off, I walked almost all the way to the shuttle past everyone waiting in the taxi line, then I came across city workers asking if anyone wanted the free shuttle!! They had no takers!! The only issue was that ppl had to manage their own luggage. Would've been perfect for me as I only had a 22" 4 wheel roller bag

50 minutes ago, memoak said:

We have brought potato chips back to ships since bars don’t supply them anymore. Buy some Pringles that are sealed no problem bringing on ship

I found potato and tortilla chips in the buffet.

But I have brought factory sealed NV Granola bars onboard & carry 1 with me in ports. I'm never certain I can find vegetarian foods in every port -- other than unwashed raw fruit & veggies. Then if I do find those, how will I make sure I can properly wash it?? If I can find a good bakery, fine, otherwise I'll just have a bar 

23 minutes ago, memoak said:

My go to at Sabatini’s for pasta is either the Carbonara or the Lobster Tortolinni. I usually have that after an appetizer as my main and then have room for a decadent dessert   It all about quality over quantity 

I had a rice ball, mushroom rizzoto, vegetarian pizza with fresh avocado (from Alfredos), then tiramisi as a shooter.  It was REALLY good. (Had free Specialty Dining perk and I couldn't substitute Alfredos. Hence Alfredos pizza in Sabatinis)

Adding: this was ladt month, April 2024. They really accommodated me

18 minutes ago, Teechur said:

... The cancelled tickets became travel credits, but we discovered (the hard way) that you had to actually FLY within one year of the PURCHASE date, rather than the original flight date or the

cancellation date. ... 

I have a $150 Alaska Airlines credit for when they canceled the FL -> SFO 6pm flight last December* and the voucher expires this December.  Problem is $150 won't cover an economy flight. 

* also the hotel bill just showed up on my visa. Ugh. 6 months later I have to jump through hoops to get that covered. Apparently Sheraton didn't honor the Alaska voucher

sorry for taking thread off topic

1 hour ago, Mississippian said:

Tickets purchased from the airlines can be changed without penalty. EZ-Air is just a way to ruin a vacation.

See Post #15. Understand why i like to book with a consolidator.  Although I arrive a day earlier instead of 2.5 hrs before embarkation ends

15 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

33 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

If you read EZAir's T&Cs at the bottom of the Air Notification e-mailed to you by EZAir when you made the airline reservation, it clearly states, "A fee, up to the full cost of the ticket...."

 

 

Expand  

Thank you for posting that.  This should now satisfy the OP that EzAir is not hiding anything and the onus was on them to read thoroughly the terms and conditions.  Can’t get any clearer than this!

Oh snap I never noticed that either!! I think you many of us just scroll through PCL T&C because we've (I'm in that group) never had an issue. 

My UAL economy ticket SFO -> LHR,  Miami  -> SFO all ns $528. $229.99 to upgrade 1st leg, $129.99 to upgrade return. So $887.98 total vs $5099 thru UAL. (Just checked) Nope.

Sorry you had an issue going with a consolidator but I'm sticking with EZAIR 

3 hours ago, PR-Texas said:

Wish I had known this a couple of weeks ago.  Could have saved us some cash.

Keep checking after booking. Recently I've seen several at 20% off about 3 months before the cruise

2 hours ago, Ombud said:

I have ALWAYS traded my luggage tag for the color (disembark time) I wanted. Most recently 4/28/24, so there hasn't been a change for me. 

Short story about my last disembarkation at Daikoku Pier in Yokohama .... the industrial one 4 miles from the city. I wanted to get to Osanbashi Pier in the middle of the city. Asked GS how to do that and they said I needed to be transferring to the Diamond Princess shuttle so Lt Blue 5 tag. So I asked for that tag and got it. Walked past every one else standing in 1 LONG LONG line for a taxi right to the shuttle. 

FWIW I should've (& they should've) taken the free city shuttle next to the Osanbashi shuttle (needed a Lt Blue 5 for that) but it wasn't advertised. Oh well. Got the luggage tag I wanted and a free shuttle to the pier in the middle of the city. 

Bottom line: be explicit & have an expressionless look. Having gray hair & dumb look works for me 😂

Has NOTHING to do with loyalty level except I did wait in Alfredos with ample seating, coffee / tea / juice / pastry setup

I was escorted in December 2023 but not April 2024 so things might be changing 

16 hours ago, annmarz said:

17 hours ago, bellebaby said:

On my most recent sailing, I inquired at Customer Service.  They said all that was offered was the Elite lounge.  Choice of time was not an option.

On our recent Caribbean Princess cruise we sat in the Elite lounge and proceeded to the tap out area when our color/number was called.  No escorts. No choice of time. It didn't matter.  Everything was quick and efficient.

I have ALWAYS traded my luggage tag for the color (disembark time) I wanted. Most recently 4/28/24, so there hasn't been a change for me. 

On 5/18/2024 at 11:17 PM, MsSoCalCruiser said:

Do the MDR menus repeat every seven days?

 the vegan menu has 2 repeat options: some ships have an 18 day rotation and others a 7 day rotation. But I do find selections (not full menu) slipping in here & there. 

100 shares of CCL or CUK .... I bought the less expensive version (CUK @ 6.5) to recoup rapidly 

17 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

On Royal Princess last week, we replaced with a bottle of wine, but kept the sparkling water and regular waters. Our room steward did this for us. Like so many things it seems this is not consistent from ship to ship.

I'll try that next time I'm on! All alcohol for wine, all non alcohol for still water 👍

On 1/11/2020 at 10:21 AM, sandybeaches44 said:

I have two cruises booked on the Sky.  We will be in cabins E433 and E425.

 

Both cabins are above Alfredo's.  Cruising on the Royal and Regal we have stayed in those cabins which are above "the shops of Princess".

 

Please let me know if you experienced noise or food odors if you stayed in those cabins or nearby cabins that are above Alfredo's.  Hope it is still a desirable location.

 

Thank you..

E425 is my preferred room but E433 is quite nice too! (This would be on Enchanted,  Discovery, Regal, Royal, and Majestic  .... I think Sky is probably similar) 

On 1/11/2020 at 10:21 AM, sandybeaches44 said:

I have two cruises booked on the Sky.  We will be in cabins E433 and E425.

 

Both cabins are above Alfredo's.  Cruising on the Royal and Regal we have stayed in those cabins which are above "the shops of Princess".

 

Please let me know if you experienced noise or food odors if you stayed in those cabins or nearby cabins that are above Alfredo's.  Hope it is still a desirable location.

 

Thank you..

E425 is my preferred room but E433 is quite nice too! (This would be on Enchanted,  Discovery, Regal, Royal, and Majestic  .... I think Sky is probably similar)