cruzin4us

I'm a Keurig user and love the convenience, but I want a STRONG coffee, and I can't seem to get it even using the smallest setting.

I finally found what works for me at the IC.....they look at me like I'm nuts when I order it.   I order 4 shots of espresso in a small flat white.    Finally figured out what it takes to get my strong coffee.   They always look at me like I'm nuts.  

It doesn't matter if you are elite or not......the customer service stinks and so does the Casino Booking Dept.   We all experience the lack of good customer support no matter what the loyalty level.

They had the Cakes on Discovery (March 2024).    

They had 3 choices, Black Forrest, Carrot and Chocolate.

I had the chocolate cake and it was absolutely delicious......nothing like the MDR cakes or the IC desserts.   It was a chocolate lover's dream.   The cake wasn't that poofy stuff they serve in the MDR with fake tasting frosting.   My mouth is still watering over it.

Now, this is something I'm super excited about!    I ❤️ coffee

1 hour ago, Philob said:

Weekend, straight shot, no issues, less than 45 minutes from pier to terminal. From there pad in check-in, security, and dash to gate. 

 

Plenty of time if off the boat by 8ish. Good luck!

 

 

Thank you......that's my hope too 🙂.   Dash to the gate!    I know I'm cutting it close, but I'll stand at the exit door of the ship and haul butt.    Appreciate your response with a time line.

Hi All,

I'm actually asking a question that I would normally respond to as "no way".....but, here goes.

Southwest just changed my flight to 10:50 a.m. out of OAK (Oakland).   If I am able to get priority elite disembarkation (and tote my own luggage), do you think I could make a 10:50 flight out of OAK?    Ship is supposed to arrive in San Francisco at 7:00 a.m. and I'd grab an Uber for the trip to the airport.

I know the ship could be delayed, yada yada.......but would any of you attempt to make that flight?    My next option is a flight at 3:55 pm but I'd much rather catch the 10:50 flight if it is do-able.

Thoughts?

2 hours ago, shirazcruiser said:

I was initially excited about the sundae desserts on our upcoming Sky sailing, but you have convinced me to avoid them.  I love gelato and will take your advice on the cakes!  Thanks for taking the time to review the desserts!

if they would have a nice sundae with some hot fudge, good whipped cream, decent vanilla ice cream and a few nuts it would be 10000x better.    
 

I’m currently on the Discovery and I set out to find out as much info as I could about the Premium Desserts that are offered with the Plus Package and the Premier Package.  

Located at the Gelato on deck 5 in the Piazza. 
 

I sucked it up in the name of research and ordered one of the ice cream monstrosities or heart attack in a glass.   First off they have all the glasses pre-prepared on a glass shelf just in case someone wants to order.  I suppose it’s edible but it would be hard going.  It’s not nice soft chocolate.   Anyway I chose the brownie sundae with some kind of small liquor bottle sticking out the side.  
 

it took forever to make and I would have felt guilty if anyone was waiting in line behind me.   It was a port day so the time issue didn’t come into play.   My big ol’ Sunday arrived and my first thought was where’s the alcohol bottle?    I was informed they didn’t have any…..not sure if that’s true or false, but I have 8 of them of different varieties in my mini bar set up.   Oh well.  
 

On to the sundae.   It was supposed to have chocolate in the bottom, followed by brownie, then vanilla ice cream (not gelato) followed by brownie, chocolate syrup, some whipped cream, some sprinkles. Cashew Brittle and some suckers sticking out the side and a brownie on top followed with more whipped cream and sprinkles.  
 

Hmmmm, where to start.   I pulled out the suckers out and laid them on a plate, tasted the whipped cream and it was meh, so I scooped that off, tasted the brownie which wasn’t brown and it looked like carrot cake.   So, I removed the brownie and dug down to the ice cream and chocolate.    It was also meh. So, I looked at it then just stood up and walked away.    Such a waste

Day 2:  on the previous day they gave me a piece of chocolate cake which tasted good so I went back for that and to find out if it was part of the Premium Dessert Pkg.    So, I was on a mission for the Chocolate cake.   Ok, this did not disappoint and it tasted chocolatey and had thick frosting.   It was a 3 layer cake and it was a good size portion and absolutely delicious.    It’s funny because the cakes are displayed on the bottom self near the gelato and not very visible.   

Here’s the skinny on what’s currently happening on the Discovery…..your mileage may vary.  
 

The following items are included as a Premium Dessert:

1. gelato

2. Gelato with toppings 

3.  Monster Sundaes with candy and maybe alcohol if available (they will pour some out of a large bottle) (do not recommend)

4. Cake (chocolate, Black Forest or Carrot) $4.00 if not on your beverage pkg.   Personally, I’d not order dessert at the MDR and head over and get a piece of cake (definitely splittable) (recommend)

I just got invited to the 360 (on Discovery).   I'm under a VIP casino comp and booked in a balcony, and I'm elite.

I'll eat anything/everything, drink all that's put in front of me (with the exception of black licorice).

Bring on the octopus.....

@cr8tiv1defintinitely #2 on the answer to your question.   

What a time waster, food waster and calorie waister.   Still haven't figured out why they would offer 2 per day.   Maybe it's to make people full so there won't be such a large line for the MDR.

The juice bar menu looks pretty good and I'll partake in those if they are included in my package.

The desserts.....why would they put a candy cane in them?   Are they on sale at the Dollar Store after Christmas?   How do you even hold the sucker after it's been drenched in ice cream and chocolate?   What a mess.....

What a time consuming process for the crew members to make.   It's not like they can make them in advance.   

Just give me a free scoop of gelato and I'm good.

I've sailed twice to Hawaii (Ruby and Diamond) in the past year and the wi-fi worked extremely well.

I've also cruised the Mexican Riviera and CA Coastal on the Discovery and it was PATHETIC at best.

So, it's a crap shoot on the Wi-Fi.    Where I expected it to work it didn't and where I least expected it the Wi-Fi worked like a charm.

8 hours ago, lucas34 said:

Hi can you please tell more about the "new" lower quality in Crown Grill? And how about the meat quality at the MDR?

The meat in the Crown Grill (per my experience) has changed.   The last filet I got which I ordered medium rare was as tough to cut as a sirloin steak.   It's like they are using select or choice cuts rather than prime.   I know what a filet should be like, and it's definitely not.   

The MDR meats were more tender than my filet.  The medallions of beef were excellent and tender.    The Prime Rib didn't/doesn't seem like Prime to me and the cuts are on the thin side.   I was on the Diamond in January, and the food was just as good if not better than Crown Grill.   

I personally don't add an additional tip unless the service far exceeds my expectations and it usually doesn't as of late.   I haven't found the service in the Specialty Dining to be any better/worse than in the MDR.   Why would I tip more in SD if I'm not tipping the MDR staff anything additional?   Just askin'

Of course I don't know if I'd get it at $100/pp for club class, but it's allowing me to bid on it for at 10 Alaska cruise in May.   Would that be worth it to you?   I'm another one that doesn't care for the room locations of Club Class so I didn't bid.   The thought of not having to fight the dining room line does have it's appeal though

1.   Quit using the word "escalate" to pacify passengers when calling in.    It means nothing.

2.  Bring jobs back to the USA and quit the outsourcing to the Philippines.  They are untrained, hard to understand, can't answer questions, "escalate" you to no one, and the call center they are working in makes it difficult to hear.

3.  Let our PVP cruise consultants go back to booking casino comped cruises.

4. Customer Service is severely lacking with Princess.   When you have an issue with your cruise, you shouldn't have to wait 3+ hours before someone answers the phone.    

5.  Allow all my cruises to be seen on the App, not just 4.

6.  Bring back quality Prime cuts of meat in Crown Grill.

18 hours ago, memoak said:

The issue is it only shows the 2nd part of my b2b not the first one

I had the same issue a while back.   This is the person that got mine finally fixed:   customersupport@princesscruises.com  attn Lynda B.   Medallion issues

9 minutes ago, memoak said:

It may look difference but it still ignores one of my next 6 cruises 

I wish I had that problem 😆

The MedallionClass App has gotten a bit of a face lift.    

Uninstall the App and then reinstall it.

You will need your login info, so make sure you have your password.

Uninstalling the app will not result in you losing any information previously stored.

Well, four score and twenty years ago when I went on my 1st cruise around the Greek Islands (don't even remember the cruise line or the name of the ship.  A couple of the things I do remember is sharing a bathroom with a bunch of people down the hall and dancing to Donna Sommers on the dance floor.    But the standout was this:

I was with a group of just freshly graduated kids from High School.   The drinking age was 18 and our chaperone allowed us to split a bottle of wine between all 8 of us sitting at our dining room table.   Afterwards, we would take the empty bottle back to our cabin and painstakingly write a note, cram the cork back in the bottle and then we'd head aft and fling it off the ship.  (No lectures required, this was 1979).    Fast forward 6 months and I was away at college and I received some mail from my mom.   With it was a letter from a man that found my bottle while visiting his mom on Santorini.    We kept in contact for years and then time moved on.

This was my most memorable cruise and it's what got me hooked.

So, I had to go look because I've always gotten bottled water.   It clearly states bottled water, but then I kept reading and I noticed the "for cruises departing thru February 19, 2023".....hmmmmm.    What's coming tomorrow?

The fruit plate doesn't match either......granted they didn't serve vegetables 🙂

I don't dress to the 9's anymore.  My everyday attire is something like this:   black leggings or capris, tunic top and either tennis shoes or sandals.   I wear this almost every day without exception (of course, different tunics).   I don't party, I'm pretty low key, I sit on my balcony, I go to a show occasionally, but many times I don't.    I think Princess is a good fit based on what you're saying.

I think it might have more to do with the Stockholder's Credit.   The SC is not combinable with any other travel agent rates, blah, blah, blah (casino comps it seems to work with).   Here's the fine print at the bottom of the SC's page.   That's my guess anyway.

24 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

We went on the Diamond at the end of January and the old reliable menu was back in place for us!  

 

Maybe enough of us complained and got it put back like it should be.    Don't change what's not broke!

Glad to hear they put it back to normal.