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Thank you for the thought.

I truly appreciate everyone's advice& wisdom. I decided to cancel the cruise this week.  It is the peace of mind I need as my treatment is ongoing and condition uncertain.  I wish cruises were the kind of thing we could do spur of the moment or with just a month or two notice.  I'd booked a full suite on a Alaska Inner Passage land tour/cruise.  

Happy cruising to you all!

Thanks everyone.  

I booked directly in April and then transferred to a TA.  I did contact her and she's exploring possibilities, too.  

Thank you.  I'll call them next week.

I have read and reread posts re pre-existing conditions and am not understanding it.  This is my situation - 1st time cruisers, we are booked for 8/20 Alaska Land-Cruise on Coral.  I was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer a year ago, before purchase of the cruise (this is a bucket-list trip, for sure, lol!).  So that's a pre-existing condition, clearly.  This week, I found out I have a recurrence and will undergo more treatment.  In short, I have no idea how I will be in August 2020.  Anything can happen with the cancer I have.  I may be in treatment, I may not be alive, I may be fine to travel.

I have no idea how to look at cancellation insurance and medical insurance for anything that might happen on the cruise. I know we need it for my spouse and my teenage son.   I've read some of you prefer to use insurance other than Princess.  How do you recommend I approach this? Thank you in advance for your guidance.

On 7/8/2019 at 3:22 AM, Amber86 said:

I’m a first time cruiser and I nearly went into a panic yesterday when I realised that the Hubbard Glacier wilderness exploration boat only had 20 spots left and the helicopter/airboat from Juneau only had 5 spots. I snagged them but it gave me a shock. I will work out the rest of my budget and priorities and then go back and do the rest.

 

I'm also a 1st time cruiser.  I thought I read that the ship will often add more excursions, as they fill.  The private excursion companies often don't post a year in advance.  Know I'm wondering if I got that right!  Our cruise is in 8/20.

44 minutes ago, Budget Queen said:

Yes it does have movement.   Frankly.  It’s an easy miss in my opinion.   Over priced and not even in the Yukon.   😀.    In your case I’d only consider it if driving.   You stop and go ahead.   Then leave when done.     

Thank you - that's very helpful. I'll skip. 

DS 17 has a fear of heights.  I'm pretty sure the Yukon Suspension Bridge will be out.  Does the bridge sway when folks are walking across?  I would assume so.  About how long is the walk across and back?  Maybe I'd walk over and leave him on solid land.  Thanks.

54 minutes ago, masterdrago said:

DW is a white knuckle flyer. At least two years ago. I would have never been able to book any sight seeing tours on Otters or Beavers or heaven forbid, a helicopter. Then she survived stage 4 Melanoma. We have booked a total of three air tours while in Alaska starting this Thursday. I think I could even get her on the zip-line in Icy Strait now.

Congratulations!!!  I've been battling mucosal melanoma for a year and booked a 8/20 Alaska cruise (our 1st cruise).  Your wife is brave.  Bravo to you, too!  I know it's a scary journey.

You inspired me to consider something more adventurous than a whale watch!!! Now to convince DS17 & spouse!  I think we'll skip the zip-line though, lol!

10 hours ago, nukesubsailor said:

It should be significant savings for me on the cruise I have booked that is on the list and has no other promotion benefits.

It will give us $200 of onboard credit and save me $217 on gratuities.  The fare under the May sale is the same as when I booked the cruise.

I had the same savings - $200 OBC & same gratuities. However our suite went up. So total savings, after taxes, etc was $167. Savings are savings! 

On 2/21/2019 at 11:51 AM, Ep010835 said:

Sitting on Deck 5 sipping hot chocolate and about ready to walk off. Having a few minutes, I thought I’d do the math. 

Though I’m sure the numbers vary slightly, our RS told us he’s responsible for 18 cabins. This means he needs to strip, clean and make ready for the next bunch of pax all of his cabins between 8AM and 1 PM. That gives him only between 15 and 20 minutes on average to do each cabin. 

Our RS knocked on our door at about 7:45. He already had beads of perspiration on his face. 

Based on all of this, it occurs to me that on future cruises we will wait patiently clear of the room corridors until 1PM. 

Just reading this and it makes sense (we’ve just booked our 1st cruise). So about 20 min to change bedding, etc & clean/vacuum/sterilize a cabin? That doesn’t seem possible to get it clean in that amount of time. I’m packing wipes, lol!

I’m scared of this, too, having never cruised. I booked us on an Alaska Inner Passage Cruise August 2020, midship, because the ship doesn’t sail on open waters. It’s protected.

I haven’t had an attack since 5/18. I cut out caffeine 100%. My last few attacks were after less than 1/2 cup of coffee. I keep my salt even throughout the day & zero alcohol. I never drank much but had an attack after less than a 1/2 glass of white wine so that’s out.

Good luck!

2 hours ago, MCC retired said:

The bad news is that Coupon Book is the one that everyone gets from Princess and does not have the 1st night BoGo

Coupon that is the the TA Cruise Night Coupon book ☹️

Do continue to monitor future Princess Sales between now and Final to refare for a possible better deal 😀

Consider transferring your booking to a Cruise Specialist TA now for a better deal  now 😉

I posted earlier that I did transfer to a TA earlier tonight. She gave me $950 in OBC/cash card and a coupon book. We are in a suite so our 1st night specialty meals will be included. Thanks!

Transferred to a TA and received $950 OBC/cash card (my choice of how to split it).  That's great and I'll keep an eye out for what your described above, Coral.  Thank you.

Thanks!  I think we have some special dinner 1st night because we booked a suite but will check it out.  

I wish we could move it to this August, instead of 2020!

I am embarrassed to report that I made a newbie error.  Customer Service just called to tell me the $900 OBC was really a coupon book, worth up to $900.  Big mistake on my part. Maybe there will be something in there we can use.

Thank you all for your help.

4 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Somehow I seem to have "acquired" a PVP. I did get a telephone call a while back from someone who "noticed I was looking at cruises" and wanted to be my PVP. I told him I am Platinum and had 3 cruises booked for this year. He was surprised as he had "just issued" a new Captain's Circle number for me. I told him to delete it as I have one and am not new to Princess. I "thought" I was solid at that point. A couple of days ago I got an email - sent to my address - addressed to my wife about cruising opportunities and signed by "my" PVP. Today I got email from the same guy addressed to me regarding fabulous cruising opportunities. Sheesh... GO AWAY and leave me alone. I don't know why this guy thought I was new to Princess or why he won't go away but I wish he would leave me alone!!!

His name start with “E”?

1 hour ago, PoohUnderstands said:

When working on the phone with a Princess rep. changing anything or adding anything or promised anything, I do not let the rep. hang up until I check my personalizer.  Anything changed or given as free will show up there immediately.  If it doesn't I don't let that person off the line until what I need I see!!!!!!!!  

 

Pooh

Great advice. I wish I’d known when I booked but will do that in future. Thx

Thrak, I remember what you wrote in another post I had.  I plan to move over to them but wanted to do that with the Princess OBC so I could get as much as I can as they said they'd add to it.  It was a.lot.

10 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

The OBC for these promos is usually per person for passenger 1 & 2.

Yes, the current one is $250 off airfare and $300 per the suite cost. ($150 pp)

3 hours ago, elliair said:

Here's the latest "deal" from Princess.  Yesterday they added $250 towards air plus up to $600 OBC.  I had already booked a cruise the day before I got the ad, so I jumped on the $250 airfare.  Not often do we get deals like this.  Our OBC came to $1,200, plus cash back on our CC, plus 5% cashback through out TA and free airfare.  I don't know why your agents couldn't find "the deal."  Go here to the Princess website:  https://book.princess.com/html/global/cruisedeals/come-back-new-sale/

 

Also, "the OBC" deal has been going on for a while now "Come back New."

Hello,

I did see that but it doesn't look like it extends to our August 2020 cruise.

Would you explain to me how you received $1,200 OBC if the promo offers up to $600?  Was that because your agent accepted the Princess OBC and offered their own on top of that?

Thank you.

4 hours ago, fishin' musician said:

 

Start writing down the name of the agent and the date and time of the call.

thanks. I do have the name, date and time.  I've given it to the reps & customer service - he didn't respond to their emails.  They tried his supervisor, who is no longer his supervisor.  They emailed the new supervisor who, as of yesterday, had not responded.  I'm asking them to listen to the recorded phone call.

I just wanted to say I’m out for a while and will respond (& follow up with suggestions) later - didn’t want you all to think I posted & ghosted!

I'm not sure which board to ask this question.  Previously, I've posted that my family has never cruised before. After all my research on this site, I called Princess on 4/2/19 and  booked an 11-day Denali Explorer Cruise for August 2020.  I booked a Premium Suite for the 3 of us.

The agent told me I could hold it with $200 refundable deposit, instead of the customary 20%, plus gave us $900 OBC.  As this was my 1st call ever about a cruise, I had no idea that was a lot of OBC & didn't think to look at my email Confirmation. After I called various TA to see about bettering the deal, I realized I needed to check it out.  I have had 4 calls in to Princess.  The 1st agent could not find the promo.  The 2nd, after a very long time on hold, said she tracked something down but it wasn't on my booking yet but would be within some weeks.  That's all she would tell me.  I talked to #3 and she was the 1st to document.  I talked to #4 yesterday who passed me on to Customer Relations.  She spent a long while yesterday trying to track the promo down and we talked again today.  I was told by #3 agent that Princess supervisor could listen to the recording of my phone call with the agent.  The  Customer Service rep sent emails, found out his supervisor left and the new supervisor didn't respond.  Agent #4 also told me Princess will not "protect verbal misquotes". Customer Service rep said she found a promo that was through 4/2 (the date I booked) but the code didn't bring anything up.  

I'm waiting for her to get back to me this week.  Is there anything else you would do?

Thank you for wading through this.

3 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Hello,  we stayed in a family suite on Emerald Princess in 2017.  You get two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and living room.  Big balcony.  

The Alaska Inner Passage ships didn’t have that option or the 1.5 bath option.