zaks pack4

On 9/13/2019 at 8:47 AM, Ride-The-Waves said:

In port Cobh today.  Good day yesterday in Dublin visiting the Guinness Warehouse.  Suffering from a cold caught in Scotland...

 

Returning to ship yesterday “lost” the medallion between security and xray.  I always have to empty pockets going through scanners - two knee replacements set off the warning.  Again, same as you do with a cruise card, the medallion must be placed up against a scanner to provide ID.  Replacement was easy at Guest Services and the new medallion has a stronger battery (opens cabin door from further away).

 

No medallion technology in Sick Bay.  Fill out the form the old fashioned way to include all your personal and shipboard information.  What is one area where data already collected by Princess could have sped up check-in.

 

Five days at sea coming up for opportunities to further find benefits to the medallion over a cruise card.  We don’t partake in “drink packages” nor spend time gambling.  Those seem to be the biggest boons for the medallion, and more for Princess and not the passenger.

Hope you are feeling better now;  I think we were on the same cruise with you, but we disembarked in Southampton on Tuesday AM.  It was a fabulous cruise, but we also thought we were coming down with "colds" a day or two before disembarking.  By Wednesday evening  (home in NJ) my husband was admitted to hospital with pneumonia in both lungs  and flu.  I am also sick with a "cold", but have been prescribed Tamiflu for 10 days as a preventive.  Friends we met on board are also both ill.  So, be careful, everyone wash hands frequently, and again, hope you are feeling well soon.

We sailed with Capt.  Nash once and we had a very nice experience with him after a tour of the bridge that helped to make my Hubby's birthday extra special.  Very personable man and evidently very competent to be trusted with the newest ship....  :)

Thank you for this review.  We will be on the same itinerary in August.   Did the cabins have On-Demand TV?

gam888:   our private tour is with a company called Tours by Locals (this trip is called Dublin Wicklow Private Tour).  There is a flat fee for the day and our trip has a max of 6 people sharing the cost.   It promises to be a lovely day.   If you Google "Tours by Locals", it seems this company pops up in every country on this itinerary.   Enjoy your trip also.  This will be our first time visiting the British Isles and we are very excited!

For our 2nd day in Dublin,  we booked our only Princess excursion  "Dublin Highlights" for 8am -  12 noon, and seems to hit all the major sights in Dublin (Trinity College, St. Patricks, etc). Although we probably will not be long at each stop (this is a short day), and our 1st day in Dublin is an all-day private tour to Wicklow and Glendalough, Powerscourt, etc, we did want to see the city itself.   We used OBC for this one.

Back in March 2018 on the Circle Caribbean cruise we also noticed a bad vibration on CB while having a late dinner in the buffet.  

It was a great cruise and we loved the CB!   

On 6/28/2019 at 4:01 PM, Pacificlander said:

Oh good! I must have misunderstood your post. We usually sail Celebrity so I understand your disappointment regarding entertainment. I think we will be too tired most nights to be able to go to the shows! Lol. Getting up early and having full day excursions will probably have the two of us exhausted at night!

We are thinking the same thing.  We are on the Aug. 29 sailing out of Southampton.  So looking forward to this trip!

5 hours ago, Diver2014 said:

We were on the Crown from May 25 to June 6, 2019.  Our passports were taken when we checked in for the cruise in Southampton.  We didn't get them back until a few days before the end of the cruise (our room steward delivered them to us and we had to sign for them).  People who embarked in Dublin on May 28 didn't get their passports back until June 6 per the group in the Wheelhouse bar waiting to go on their shore excursions.  There was a lot of confusion with people embarking/disembarking in 3 different ports - many guests didn't know about the other ports of embarkation and wondered why there were already so many people on the ship.  Getting off the ship for shore excursions was easy - go to the Wheelhouse Bar, get a number and out you go within a few minutes.  The most we had to wait was 10 minutes in the Theater to gather everyone together for the buses.  Those on private excursions didn't have to wait long either.  Several ports were working ports and people could not just get off the ship and wander around - you had to take a shuttle ($16 round trip) from the ship to the port entrance.  Your Princess Patter will give details of each port.  This cruise was one of the best we had ever been on as far as the ports and excursions but I wouldn't want to be the person(s)  in charge of getting people on and off the ship.

Thank you for posting, Diver.  You have given some very good tips, and also have been very positive even through the many issues that other posters have mentioned.    We are sailing Aug. 29, so certainly hope that things are running more smoothly by then.

 Why do they take the passports (we are embarking in Southampton), and do we need to get a ticket (at Wheelhouse Bar) to just get off the ship?

Thanks for your reply.

It all sounds so wonderful and THANK YOU for posting your excursions and the Menus, which look awesome.  We are sailing the 8/29/19 sailing out of Southampton and your posts are getting us even more excited that we already were!

Was the little train on Cobh operating again?  It takes you around the area and up to the cathedral, which is a steep climb.  I had read on Trip Advisor that "they were waiting for a part to come in to be able to repair it".

Patty

I just booked the Island Explorer 90 minute bus tour....and will hope the weather cooperates.  It looks like a very nice tour, and reasonable.   

On 5/27/2019 at 9:27 AM, EllieinNJ said:

We also would like to do this tour.  Would there be a problem getting on the bus without a reservation because sometimes Guernsey is skipped because of weather?

I was wondering the same thing, Ellie.

On 5/17/2019 at 4:43 AM, Pacificlander said:

We are taking the 12 day on the August 29th sailing out of Southampton. I keep checking to see reviews or at least posts to see if I can get any tips or ideas from earlier cruisers.

We are on that cruise, too.  Can't wait!  Also looking forward to reading any reviews.

MAVIP 

Thank you for your reply.  I appreciate it in helping me to decide what to do that day.

On 5/7/2019 at 2:48 PM, D C said:

Guernseycruiser's list above is excellent!  

 

 

Having spent a fair amount of time on Guernsey as a tourist, I've been thinking about how I would go about planning for a short day in Guernsey. One important thing to consider is opening times (“hours” to Americans ) which was touched on above.  Particularly for those ships that get into port as early as 6 or 7AM, if you’re fortunate enough to tender early, you’ll find that a lot of attractions aren’t yet open.

 

You’ll pass Castle Cornet on your tender ride.  You may think that it would be quick and easy to pop over and see it first.  However, it doesn’t open until 9:30 (July & Aug) or 10:00 (other months).    Likewise with Victor Hugo’s Hauteville House, which opens at 10, I believe.   And the shops in town don’t open early just because there’s a ship in port.   

 

This may seem unusual, particularly to Americans.  We’re used to being able to shop for groceries 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.   We would almost naturally expect these attractions to jump at the chance for more visitors.  However, “Ship’s in at 6? Let’s open the castle at 7” is NOT how things are done in Guernsey, or many parts of Europe for that matter. 

 

This means you need to plan a bit if you’re an early riser, and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND being an early riser for Guernsey, if for no other reason than to see St Peter Port awash in the morning sun.

 

As you look through Guernseycruiser’s list, you’ll see a number of “no entrance fee” attractions.  These are also “always open”:

• The Little Chapel.  If you do go there after 9AM, walk back to the unaffiliated Guille Silver Shop behind the chapel, browse a bit, and grab a single-serve mini-tub of Guernsey ice cream.  You'll thank me later! 
• Pleinmont Gun Batterie (German fortifications)
• Fort Hommet (German fortifications)
• Cliff walks.  This link is my favourite walk from town.   I time it to be able to have lunch at Fermain Beach Café, which opens at 10AM.  https://www.visitguernsey.com/see-and-do/walking-routes/forts-cannons-lookout-towers/
• Candie Gardens
• St Peter Port.  Walking around before shops open does let you enjoy the quaint seafront town without crowds.
• Note that Pleinmont and Fort Hommet also have restored bunkers that are open at selected times during the year.  They may or may not be open on the day you’re in port.  If they are, they will likely have opening times similar to other shops.

 

Before you go thinking that you’re not special for arriving via cruise ship, you certainly are.  And there are some attractions that do open early, or exclusively for cruise visitors:

• The Petite Train starts running at 9AM on cruise ship days (vs 11 on other days)
• The Guernsey Explorer bus ride, mentioned above, is exclusively for cruise ship guests.  For £10, you receive a 90 minute tour of the island with stops: https://www.icw.gg/guernsey-explorer  I’ve not done this tour, but I expect it to be far superior to the round-island 91/92 bus trips around the island that Guernseycruiser mentioned above.  Those round-island routes can get very crowded on cruise ship days.  Those bus trips are not narrated, unless you happen to be “lucky” enough to have an American tourist who knows just enough to be dangerous happen to join you along the way and point some things out.  I’ve done that, and if I’m the best guide you have, let’s just say that you can do better for a few pounds more.  LOL

 

So if you’re planning to hire a taxi for a few hours, and will be ashore much before 10AM, you may want to consider putting those “no fee” items first, or perhaps ask for a round-island tour of your own to start with.  The changes in scenery as you circle Guernsey are amazing, from the steep hills of St Peter Port, to the lowlands and beaches to the north, the rocky bays to the west, and the cliffs to the South.  It’s all fantastic. 

 

 

Hello -

We will be on Crown Princess in August of this year and are interested in the Guernsey Explorer 90-minute tour; however, I am hesitant to book it online with my credit card since I have read that it does happen that poor weather keeps the tenders from being able to operate.  I have emailed Island Coachways twice to ask if tickets could be purchased once we have arrived on Guernsey, but have not had a reply.  Does anyone here have esperience how this would work?

Thanks in advance,

Patty

On 5/3/2019 at 1:15 PM, EllieinNJ said:

Thanks for all the great replies.  I did call my travel agent and she said everything is okay and to ignore that one e-mail.

Hi Ellie 

We booked EZ Air through our travel agent.  Last weekend we were able to pick our seats; she said everything is finalized with the flights once final payment is made.  Have not received any separate emails from the airlines being used (Delta/Virgin Atlantic and United).  Looking forward to meeting you on the ship!  :)

On 4/30/2019 at 5:30 PM, DrivesLikeMario said:

 

LOL  That is too funny!  "Ride-share"?  I think you mean "code share".    But with all the Uber & Lyft stuff, I can see how you'd call it that.  Thanks for the laugh.  You're going to love your British Isles cruise!  It's absolutely awesome! 

LOL.       Thanks, Drives Like Mario!   :)

Is it a better (safer) idea to pay for the flights obtained through EZAIr BEFORE making final payment on the cruise?  We booked nonstop Newark NJ to LHR on Delta (scary?) operated by Virgin Atlantic (also picked out seats for both of our flights), and coming home LHR to Newark non-stop on United.  Great price.  Can the flights be dropped / changed, or some other unforeseen issue, happen if the flights have already been paid for?  Our TA said they would be paid once we made final payment for the cruise.  Wondering the best plan for our first overseas (and hopefully not last) trip.

Thanks for any suggestions.

On 12/11/2017 at 1:47 PM, indygirl99 said:

For those who have a pacemaker do you use a cell phone?

 

Do you use the apple watch/fitbit?

 

Do you use Bluetooth in your car?

 

Do you play with those virtual reality glasses?

 

Do you go through the scanners at the airport/ ball games/museums?

 

Was your pacemaker installed after 2000?

 

If so and you haven't dropped dead yet you don't need to worry about the Medallion knocking you off either.

 

Princess is just CYA.

 

Talk to the manufacture who made your pacemaker. You know the card you carry that has the model number/serial number on it. Talk to your cardiologist who maintains your pacemaker and you will find that the vast majority of the "cautions" about not using xyz with a pacemaker are lawyer related.

 

And before anyone accuses me of not knowing what I am talking about I have a pacemaker and have talked to my cardiologist, my electro physiologist and 2 of the major manufactures of the pacemakers.

 

This will be just like when they first came out with the keycards for hotel room doors and warned that if you had a pacemaker you couldn't use a keycard. Or your work ID being used to unlock secured doors.

 

Do your own due diligence but don't buy into the hysteria.

 

Princess will do better job with their research when they have a large number of passengers refusing the Medallion based on this.

I have an ICD / pacemaker device and just spoke with the manufacturer of my device.  They said it would be fine but to keep the Medallion at least 6 inches from my device area; if my ICD/pacemaker was being affected by the Medallion (or any other magnetic / RFID item) it would emit about 10 "beeps" or some sort of tone and the shocking ability would be suspended until I moved away from the item causing this.  Then the shocking capability of the ICD would be immediately restored.  I think I will leave the Medallion in my pocket....

Our TA just got a great fare through Princess EZ Air for our August 2019 British Isles Cruise - $514 round trip per person on Delta (ride-share with Virgin) and coming home on United (Heathrow to Newark NJ).  Considering what I have been reading we are thrilled.  Looking forward to our first cruise to British Isles!

21 hours ago, Doug R. said:

Yes it will be unless you have a medical reason, like having a pacemaker. The medallion replaces the card for all uses.

Well, is that true?   I have an ICD.

Thanks.

On 4/22/2019 at 6:35 PM, richmke said:

Medallion is free. If you don't order it in advance, you pick it up when you check-in/board.

 

It replaces your cruise card. You are not tied to your phone. The Medallion provides your location information to the ship so certain Ocean Apps can "enhance" your cruise experiences. For instance, you can order drinks from your phone (and they know where to deliver the drink), or locate other people in your party. Your choice if you want to carry your phone for those features.

 

You will need the Medallion to unlock your cabin door, charge stuff to your account, and get back on the ship after a port day.

 

> If they want everyone to have one why don't they just ship them out automatically? 

If you are not expecting the Medallion, you might leave it at home. It also gives them the opportunity to upsell you one of the medallion holders. You also have to complete the check-in process in order to have it shipped to you. So, if you don't complete the check-in process, no Medallion in advance.

 

This answers a question I had.  Thank you.

On 4/16/2019 at 5:19 PM, Denali2003 said:

Is it possible to NOT carry your phone around with you?  I'm on vacation, I don't want to be staring at my phone all day / night.  Can we still get the paper Patter?  DH & I like to read it while having breakfast.  We don't want to be sitting there staring at our phones.  The paper Patter is just easier.  Just open it and, viola, there's the whole day.  I know you can get the same thing through your phone, but I'm old fashioned and prefer the paper version.

I'm with you.  :)

On 4/16/2019 at 4:12 PM, AF-1 said:

Let me try and calm your fears.  I have been on Caribbean Princess with full ocean medallion. It is a nice system; right now it seems like a novelty since everyone is getting used the the technology. There were some bugs when I was on board in Feb. I could order food and drinks with my phone app. I do not think you can order a latte from int'l cafe and have it delivered to a bar somewhere else.  If you are sitting in the piazza and order a latte the watistaff can find you.  If you order a drink by the pool they waitstaff will find you.  Does is speed up the boarding or disembarkation process?  It may be a little faster than using your cruise card.  With the medallion you walk by the detector and the screen turns from blue to green and dings; same ding when you put your cruise card in machine.  There is no machine and all security personal have ipads;  the biggest hold up I noticed was on boarding day. Some people had their boarding pass but did not have a security photo to go with the medallion.  Everyone needs a security photo;  I read above that some people don't like their security photo.  You can change it in the ocean ready app up to the time you actually order your medallion;  once your medallion has been ordered you won't be able to change security photo until you get on board.  You can take a new one when you board.  The security personal are there with their ipads and can take a photo.  Any more questions let me know; I will be glad to help.  I enjoyed using the medallion; I enjoyed the digital touch screen by all the elevators.  

Hello -

Keep reading "when you order" the Medallion.  We will be on Crown in late August for British Isles and I read that the Crown is getting Medallion in July?  Personally, I hope not since I am not very tech-oriented and want to "disengage" from what I use on a daily basis.  But, does the Medallion have to actually be ordered?

Thank you.

This morning we booked the 7/27/20 BI out of Southampton on the Regal.  This will be our first time on one of the Royal Class ships (have 7 past cruises on Grand Class ships), so really excited about the itinerary and the ship!   We booked an inside (our first one - always had a balcony before), but it was the only way to make this trip more affordable for us.

By the way, so much trouble logging in to Cruise Critic this evening!  I had read CC is aware of the problem, but I got frustrated with it and just rejoined using the same User Name and Password.  But now it says I "joined"  CC today, when I've been here for about 10 years   Anyone else experience this?