cruzin4us

Save yourselves some grief and purchase the proctored Antigen test from EMED - Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test.    My insurance (HealthNet) has covered 100% my purchases of 2 orders of the 6 pack tests.

The tests are easy to do as long as you have a smart phone plus you can do them in the convenience of your own home or hotel.   Why stress over doing a PCR test (unless you have too)?

On a side note:  A week ago I had a PCR test done at Rite Aid in San Diego and had the results back in less than 24 hours.   

Side note #2:   My parents got off a cruise in late January and both tested positive for Covid when they got home.    All is well and we are scheduled for a cruise April 3rd.   I suggested they get a PCR test done so in case they still show up positive (you can up to 3 months) then they could get the doctor's note stating they have full recovered from covid.    Well, my dad's came back positive, so it's a good thing he went and got tested 3 weeks outside of our cruise.     Why did I suggest he do this?   Because you never know if the ship will do random covid tests or mandatory tests.....you may only get an antigen, but on some ships you get the PCR test.    Then my dad would be subject to quarantine.

Boy, I got off on a tangent.....I'll stop 🙂

23 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

We booked the Sanctuary for out Alaska cruise, then chickened out on the day of. It was too COLD!!

The staff kindly cancelled our res (so no charge).

If you didn't know: it costs more for "special" days (i.e. canal day in Panama, Glacier Bay day in Alaska).

They do give extra goodies; hot chocolate, mittens IIRC, etc.

Still not enough to entice us to freeze. We stayed inside.

We had the same experience on a Panama Cruise.   It was so bloody hot we couldn't enjoy it.    When the weather was nice we LOVED it.   

It's a crap shoot....

I'm all signed up but I'm still taking my originals and copies of originals.    I could just see myself losing my phone and be SOL.  

I lost my wallet and fanny pack (when wearing fanny packs was cool) and I didn't have any copies of my DL, credit cards or passport.    Lesson learned the hard way.

My mom & dad were on the Zuiderdam in January.    When they got home my 83 year old dad tested positive for Covid and my mom's came back inconclusive (But I think she had it as well).   He of course is vaccinated and boosted and only experienced a runny nose.

Now, we are in March and getting ready to cruise in the beginning of April.   

I strongly persuaded, coaxed, cajoled and insisted that my parents go take a PCR test just in case they still show up positive.   I get that the antigen test probably won't pick it up, but if for WHATEVER reason HAL decides it needs to do a PCR test on you,  then you better have a doctor's note and all the documentation that in fact you have recovered from covid.    Well, my dad's results came back today saying he was positive for Covid, almost 1 1/2 months later.

So, if you had covid, don't think you've had covid, or are not sure if you've had covid for Pete's sake take a PCR test a couple weeks before your cruise.

Now I realize HAL may never test them, but what if they do?  That would really suck and you might be sent to quarantine.

It's worth the trouble for some peace of mind.      

This is from HAL's website in case you haven't seen it:

Exceptions may apply for fully vaccinated asymptomatic guests that have tested positive for COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to embarkation and are fully recovered. Guests will need to provide a letter of recovery from their doctor and laboratory test results that are not older than 90 days. 

The Documentation of Recovery prerequisites include:   

1.    Paper or electronic copies of the positive viral test result from a certified laboratory (dated no more than 90 days ago), and 

2.    A signed letter, on official letterhead that contains the name, address, and phone number of a licensed healthcare provider or public health official, stating that the individual has been cleared to end isolation, is at least 10 days past their infection start date and can travel. The letter should include the date of the positive test and patient identifiers such as name and date of birth that matches the passport or other travel documents. 

I eat at the Pinnacle Grill 90% of the time and I think you will find the portions big enough where you wouldn't want an extra main dish.   Some items there is a surcharge for (Caviar, lobster tail) but the lobster tail is big and I love it.    I'm usually so stuffed I ask myself why did I eat so much?    Appetizer, sides, main course are all included in the price.

I think $60/day is what they preauthorize on your credit card.   I "think" if you use a debit card they actually charge the card and not just put a hold on it and it takes longer to get any unused portion credited back.    Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.     The gratuities can be paid for before you go if you are interested, otherwise that will be added daily to your bill.   We always pay before we go, just one less expense I have to worry about later.

I can't speak for San Diego, but I know when I boarded the Majestic Princess (October) in San Pedro, they started taking luggage about 10:00.   I'd just get to the pier with your luggage and wait until they start accepting it, and then I'd go into SD for a while if you are so inclined.   San Diego (Gaslamp, Seaport Village, Little Italy, Old Town) are all fairly close which makes booking a cruise out of SD awesome.    

When we were on Majestic in October, we were told our room would only be serviced once a day.   I believe this was due to less exposure due to Covid still being a concern.    Either way, I still miss it.

Way back in the day when I first started cruising with my kids (early 1990's)  I loved seeing the towel animals.   Now, not so much.     With all the things cruise lines are doing to become environmentally conscious, I would think having to wash towels everyday just doesn't make sense.  

I also noticed that there were fewer drink servers walking around.   They really wanted you to use the app.    Sometimes my phone was in my room charging and I couldn't find a beverage server anywhere.   I get I could have gotten my lazy butt off the lounger, but I was lazy 🙂

One cutback (or maybe not really a cutback) that I was happy to see is the need to no longer do the muster drill.

I also noticed that your room is only serviced in the morning, no turn down servicing.   

I don't care anymore about the towel animals or chocolates, but I sure liked my bed turned down.........

On 3/9/2022 at 11:02 AM, bmc alabama said:

The big question will be if we DON'T get off the ship, do we still have to test/do the ArrivalCAN, etc...

 

If we do, then we will probably cancel too.

I don't plan on getting off on our 4 hour stop in Victoria.   I figure if they test me and I test positive they can quarantine me on the ship back to San Francisco.   

9 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

Has anyone used EZ Air in conjunction with a Casino offer?  I'm getting really tired of the I-95 drive.

If you fly with Southwest, their fares won't show up unless it's about 6 months before you cruise.  For instance right now they are only booking until Sept. 5, 2022.   The beauty of SW is you don't have any baggage fees.

If you are flying Internationally, EZAir is awesome.   Continentally, make sure you check SW so you can avoid baggage fees.

Yes, you can order drinks anywhere.   I never ordered a cocktail to be delivered to my room, but I did order specialty coffees and they were delivered promptly.

I would use the App to order cocktails anywhere on the ship.   The server will find you.      There were a couple of "dead" areas where I didn't get service, but I'd just walk a little farther and I'd get service.   I remember this on deck 7 near the lifeboats.

The app is amazing for ordering cocktails.  

I don't trust anything AT&T tells me.....call back again and you'll likely get a different answer 🙂

1 hour ago, rtdiva said:

Different topic: On a Mexican cruise most cruisers no longer dress formally, what about the Zuiderdam?

 

There are always some that do and some that don't.    I fall into the later category....I dress nicely but this overweight body is not getting in a glitzy gown and wearing high heels.   My husband wears a button down shirt (not Hawaiian).   We also don't want to pack suits/extra shoes/evening gowns.     We also choose to eat in one of the Specialty Restaurants on formal night.

I know others that absolutely love formal nights, and it's the highlight of their cruise.  

2 hours ago, IPB4IGO said:

On previous cruises I could go to my HAL account, select an upcoming cruise, and I would be presented with dozens of options: early/late/ anytime dining, special types of meals, egg crate matress cover, do not upgrade, etc. 

 

For the cruise I booked today, I can't find those options. What am I missing?

They had these on the Medallion app.....have you been on Princess lately?

I would pick the Zuiderdam only for this reason alone:    Less chance of kids -- The following week kids will be getting out of school in larger numbers

Santorini 1979

Here is a picture of my partner in crime (the message in a bottle).    She was scared to death riding the mule (or maybe a small horse)!

Many things may be doable, but is the stress worth it?   I'm of the opinion if I'm spending $1,000's of dollars on a cruise, I'll just get a hotel the day before or night after rather than missing my flight or cruise.  The stress isn't worth it to me.   If you miss a flight, or a flight is late then it leaves you scrambling for another ticket.....not worth it for me.    I MIGHT consider it if I lived in Las Vegas and was flying to San Diego which is about an hour flight.   There are usually flights every hour should things go haywire.

My suggestion is to get the free lanyard they send you with the medallion and once on board go to the area where they sell all the accessories.  This way you won't have to may shipping.

I have a Santorini Story from long ago:  

When I graduated from High School in 1979, a group of 25 students and chaperones took a 3 week tour of Europe in August, one week of which was on a cruise ship (don't remember the name but I remember we had bunk beds and had to share showers down the hall and Donna Summers music blasted in the disco).

Anyway, our cruise was around the Greek Islands with an Italian Crew.   The drinking age was 18 on the ship and most of us were 18 so the chaperones "allowed" our table of 6 to share a bottle at dinner.

After dinner my friend and I would sneak the empty bottle and cork to our room and write a letter.   We'd stick it in the bottle, head to the back of the ship and toss it overboard.    Don't remember what we wrote but we did this every day for 7 days.

Months passed and I headed off to college and then I received a forwarded letter from my parents.   A Greek gentleman who was visiting his mother in Santorini found one of our bottles on the beach.

He wrote me a few letters over the next few months and even set a cassette tape where he talked.   The funniest part is he kept reiterating that he was married and that he was NOT interested in having an affair.  LOL.  Remember, I was only 18 at the time and in my first year of college.

We kept communications going for about a year and then it stopped.   I still have his letters somewhere in a box.

That my friends is my Santorini story and NO I don't still throw bottles overboard 🙂

On 3/9/2022 at 10:26 AM, dchip said:

Zuiderdam MDR 3/8/22

I couldn't figure out whose legs those were and where was the body????   Until I figured out it was 2 pictures.   I'm going to bed 🙂

Well, I just received this email stating my room has been cancelled and I will be receiving a refund.   If you notice, this comes from Princess Medallion Class Market.     I find this interesting "Hotel Operations".    See how a new person could be confused?

Having a few items on the menu that never change (for example:Caesar Salad, Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot, New York Steak) I'm okay with that as long as there are new items on the menu as well.   They pretty much do this for breakfast already. 

6 hours ago, caribill said:

a) Princess hotel packages are booked with Princess, not with Expedia.

 

b) A Princess pre-cruise hotel package will include transfers airport to hotel and hotel to ship, but will never also include ship to airport at the end of the cruise.

 

In most cases, since the Princess price is per person, the hotel itself can be booked directly or with travel web sites for significantly less $$$ than the Princess price, but will not include the transfers.

a) What you state is correct above, however I called a Princess phone number and was quoted a price thru Princess.   I did not know they were booking the hotel thru Expedia until I got my confirmation. 

b)  I know that Princess pre-cruise package will include transfers to the hotel and hotel to ship that's why when my confirmation came back and stated it was $17/pp I was doubly confused and questioned the Princess Rep (who disconnected/hung up on me).

My issue is:  If you call a Princess phone #, you should expect to be talking with someone that works for Princess and is not a 3rd party person.   NEVER was I told that he was booking a room outside of Princess.   I've cruised over 35 times, and I'm not new at this but others may get into this trap without knowing better.   

Update:   I have emailed my concern to Princess Customer Relations but I'm not sure that's going to go anywhere.   

It definitely has a Moulin Rouge feel to it......LOL

7 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Something is definitely off here. Princess hotel packages are usually limited to one or two properties in each port city.  There is an internal team that makes the contracts and Princess has a block of inventory guaranteed for each specific sailing date, both as pre and post options.  Hotel packages are priced per person, include all taxes and include airport to hotel and hotel to ship transfers (or reverse if a post cruise package).  Hotel packages are added by reservations team (not the IT department), paid with cruise balance due and follow the same cancellation terms as the cruise fare. There should be ZERO involvement from a third party like Expedia.  
 

I hate to say it but I think the OP “got got” by a scammer running a side-hustle and a CC dispute is definitely in order. 

My first thought was I did get "got got", until calling Princess again and speaking with the EZ Air Rep.   She was the 1st person to confirm that Princess hired 3rd party contractors.  Then after speaking with the Supervisor of the Medallion App Help Line, he also confirmed this was the case.  He stated that the training of the "New Help" was where the problem was.   They went back and listened to my conversation with the "Salesman" (I guess my call being recorded actually worked).    So Princess does know what's going on.   

3 minutes ago, dickinson said:

 

So, what exactly did the manager do?  Refund the hotel?  Buy the transfers for you?  What?  Please don't keep us hanging. 😉

He said the fastest way to get it corrected would be to dispute my cc charge.   I have to wait until it moves from pending to posted (probably tomorrow).   

He said he was going up the food chain with my problem.   He took all my info (phone/email) so the higher up could contact me.   I'm not holding my breath.