snoozecrooze

DO NOT push the "Quote" button. It creates a copy that the next person cannot properly update. DO select and copy ALL of the text (including the instructions and the list) up to COPY TO THIS LINE . . . from the most up-to-date list (the most recent reply with the list).  Go to the bottom of the latest post, to the "Reply to this Topic..." box to create a new post. Paste your copied text into that box. Make your modifications to the list. Add change notes at the bottom. Click the "Submit Reply" button just below the list you are modifying. Confirm that everything is correct! You can edit for up to 20 minutes. Ship Captain Cruise Director Entertainment Director Director Restaurant Ops CARIBBEAN Vincenzo Lubrano Jody Miles Robert Boyd Oscar Perego CORAL Gavin Pears Aaron Hawkins ? Joachim Rothe CROWN Christopher Lye Kristoff Greyling Michael Kujawski Mariusz Czemarmazowicz DIAMOND Stefano Ravera Natalie Costa & Mikiko Ikemoto Tim Donovan Fahey Jean Paul Musiu DISCOVERY Tony Ruggero DuVaul Gamble Neil Rose ? EMERALD Giuseppe Castellano Fernando Duran Geof O'Rourke Carlos Marques ENCHANTED Mario Ciruzzi Jayson Douglass Ron Goodman Francisco Patricio GRAND Raffaele Di Martino David Frost Sara Romera Giuseppe Franchina ISLAND Rikard Lorentzen Karen Rogers Susan Rawlings Jacques Ghennai MAJESTIC John Foster Kevin Tugwell Marissa Wurms Douw Steyl REGAL Paolo Arrigo Sophie Gideon Matt Thompson Nicola Furlan ROYAL Andrea Spinardi Corinne Steel Caitlin Messerschmidt Claudio Giuliani RUBY Mario Tani Cole Bockman Lauren Meyer Jacques Ghennai SAPPHIRE Todd McBain Armando Merin Tobias Stewart Mario Propato SKY Heikki Laakkonen Dan France Matt Barnard Silvio Zampieri <COPY TO THIS LINE SO THERE IS SPACE TO TYPE "CHANGE NOTES" AFTER THE CHART> Made edits to Sky, Regal, Emerald as per photos provided.

I neglected to mention that in general, I strongly believe Alaska cruising is just as good for the kiddos as the Caribbean can be. If they ever feel bored at any point, I think just walking out there on the promenade and handing them a pair of binoculars to spot something--anything, really--can really teach so much. I really think you all will have an amazing time and hope you do as well! They're much, much closer to each other than they are different. I agree that you can't go wrong with either. Sapphire is about 6 years younger than Grand, so maybe that might mean something to you, but overall they look almost the same from a design and furnishings standpoint. Just check out their deck plans for some of the layout differences.

All Princess ships have Camp Discovery, their children's/youth program. You can search online for some examples of the programs they hand out. There's nothing that genuinely sets Royal and Grand apart in these facilities besides the fact that the Royal will be more modern and has lots more space to spread out in the children's area. You'll notice these differences in each of their deck plans. The Royal is also a larger ship so it might feel more exciting to run around for the kids. But one thing that the Grand has that the Royal does not have is a covered pool area separate from the open pool area. This covered area's roof is permanent, so it means the pool is accessible no matter what the weather is. There's other little bonuses with this space as well, such as the table tennis setup always being protected from the elements. In contrast, everything on the top decks on the Royal is basically exposed. Royal does have more of the classic, big-ship feel you're probably more used to with Royal and Disney. For example, the theater has shows that are more modern than what you would find on the Grand (but still not comparable to RC or D). I do think Grand is a lot more about kicking back and relaxing in more intimate settings while Royal is more spread out in general. This is not really a ship-specific question, but rather a weather question/iceberg question/miscellaneous unpredictables question. You could argue that since Grand is smaller, it could maybe maneuver itself a bit better through a tighter corner, but a captain will never make gambles they know they can't win either. Here's the real differentiator between the two: Grand is a much better ship for access to areas that allow you to get up close and intimate with the action --> wide open promenade, area on top of the bridge, area right at the edge of the bow, area right at the edge of the stern. The Royal has barely any of those things. I think the glaciers thing might be tripping you up just a tad -- Princess has access to Glacier Bay National Park and I think that's what your in-laws are getting at when it comes to glacier access; Royal Caribbean and Disney do not, but Holland America and Norwegian are the two other mass market lines that do have permit access. I personally think Glacier Bay is a must-see if you're going to make the effort to see Alaska -- just my two cents -- but nothing is ever guaranteed on glacier/fjord days. Skagway is more interesting due to the White Pass Railway (takes you into the Yukon) and also a ferry that you can take to Haines. Icy Strait Point itself is more contrived, though I have seen reports that the port is great for whale watching. I think kids enjoying themselves should be the biggest priority, and so if Skagway presents more opportunities to explore, then I'd go with it. If you don't mind me recommending something that might be of help in assisting you with making the decision, the YouTubers LeggLife came out with two great series about what it was like to cruise on both the Royal and the Grand in Alaska. (Playlist for Royal) / (First video of Grand series, as there's no playlist link) Princess Live is only on the Royal-class. Grand has what is called Explorers Lounge, which is a much nicer space to sit in and relax. The Royal does have the Crooners piano bar, which is a great daytime spot or an evening spot for a nightcap (the Grand also has Crooners). The Piazza (atrium) on the Royal is considerably larger and there is plenty of space to dance at the bottom deck or just chill and listen to the music. The Vista Lounge is another space used for activities (the Grand also has the Vista Lounge). You can also try and reserve a spot on the Sanctuary (have to rush to book your seats once you embark!) -- you'll have the best views where it is, but it will likely be chilly. I feel like I may not have really sold you on the Princess experience lol, and might have just gone on tangents, so I do apologize. But if you have any more specific questions, please feel free to ask. Princess, to me, is a cruise line that is better than the sum of its parts, so it can feel really meh if you deconstruct it, but it's nice if you just embrace it all.

The Coral Princess is doing 35-day Hawaii/Tahiti/South Pacific this September and next March, all from Australia! I don't think these itineraries are coming back when Crown and Diamond go down to Australia, though 😞

I have to say that whether a ship will be just fine or might encounter an issue during your cruise is something that's wholly unpredictable. She's getting up there in age but she's still very comfortable and quaint. I think if you have your heart settled on the itinerary and the overall experience, I would just go for it. I also agree with other posters who have suggested a transpacific from Australia to the West Coast (or vice versa) if you still want to stick with Princess. You'll still get a flavor of the Pacific islands but might also have some newer vessels to choose from (though that's also no guarantee for nicer ship condition either). Another alternative is Holland America's 35-day Marquesas itinerary on the Koningsdam. Those are just as popular.

Hi @vividharp. I'm no longer seeing the pictures load as well, but I did see them earlier today. Thank you @dides for sharing anyways! I'll try my best to give a workaround. Stewart Chiron posted all of these photos on his Twitter but Twitter now makes you sign up or log in to view a profile and its recent posts, so I'm going to link to his posts individually and that should allow you to get around this sort-of-but-not-really "paywall". Let me know if they do not work. Balconies Dome Exterior (with a glance at the tender boats) Sphere and main pool Galleys and restaurants

Vancouver simply isn't distant. There are basically no "distant" ports when it comes to round-trip Alaska cruises that current itineraries in today's era offer. This is the following provision from the Passenger Vessel Services Act file on the US CBP website: "A “distant foreign port” is any foreign port that is not defined as a “nearby foreign port.” A “nearby foreign port” is defined as any foreign port in North or Central America, the Bermuda Islands, or the West Indies (except the Leeward Islands of the Netherlands Antilles, i.e., Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao)."

I've not personally met or encountered a CD or Captain that I think people should really watch out for. YMMV - there are some anecdotes that people have shared in this thread about their more negative opinions on certain folks, but I don't remember who they were -- you might have to read through the pages. The only culture clash thing that I can think of that could arise is basically the dry humor from the British captains and CDs -- I've got no issue, but it might strike some as too cold. Overall, I've found a majority of the public-facing folks nice and receptive. Princess is more traditional and more formal than any of those lines you have mentioned. It's much less party than Carnival but a lot less serious than Cunard. I really do not know how to explain this because each line is an experience that is hard to put into words. If you have additional Princess-specific questions, I'd suggest moving the discussion out of this specific thread as it's limited to just cruise staff discussion.

I would also fly to FLL first and get the flying out of the way. You also gain time as you travel west on the cruise.

DO NOT push the "Quote" button. It creates a copy that the next person cannot properly update. DO select and copy ALL of the text (including the instructions and the list) up to COPY TO THIS LINE . . . from the most up-to-date list (the most recent reply with the list).  Go to the bottom of the latest post, to the "Reply to this Topic..." box to create a new post. Paste your copied text into that box. Make your modifications to the list. Add change notes at the bottom. Click the "Submit Reply" button just below the list you are modifying. Confirm that everything is correct! You can edit for up to 20 minutes. Ship Captain Cruise Director Entertainment Director Director Restaurant Ops CARIBBEAN Vincenzo Lubrano Jody Miles Robert Boyd Oscar Perego CORAL Gavin Pears Aaron Hawkins Sara Romera Joachim Rothe CROWN Christopher Lye Kristoff Greyling Michael Kujawski Mariusz Czemarmazowicz DIAMOND Stefano Ravera Natalie Costa & Mikiko Ikemoto Tim Donovan Fahey Jean Paul Musiu DISCOVERY Tony Ruggiero DuVaul Gamble Neil Rose Silvio Zampieri EMERALD Martin Stenzel Fernando Duran Geof O'Rourke Carlos Marques ENCHANTED Mario Ciruzzi Jayson Douglass Ron Goodman Francisco Patricio GRAND Michele Bartolomei ? Callie Smit Giuseppe Franchina ISLAND Rikard Lorentzen Karen Rogers Susan Rawlings Jacques Ghennai MAJESTIC John Foster Kevin Tugwell Marissa Wurms Douw Steyl REGAL Paolo Arrigo Sophie Gideon Matt Thompson Francesco Ciorfito ROYAL Andrea Spinardi Corinne Steel Caitlin Messerschmidt Claudio Giuliani RUBY Mario Tani Cole Bockman Lauren Meyer Jacques Ghennai SAPPHIRE Todd McBain Armando Merin Tobias Stewart Mario Propato SKY Marco Fortezze Dan France Matt Barnard Ciprian Hoidreag <COPY TO THIS LINE SO THERE IS SPACE TO TYPE "CHANGE NOTES" AFTER THE CHART> Swap out Regal's captain, ED; added Regal's DRO (all per above photo). I agree, based on what I've seen. Captain Arrigo seemed like the person that Princess was hoping could become their "super captain" like the way Captain Kate has become for Celebrity. Unfortunately, the recent gimmicky Love Boat reality TV competition show (that he starred in) flopped horribly in the States, so.....nada. But he will be moving onto the Sun Princess next year, so we'll see if they do big him up once again or not. Anyways, it's always surprised me how despite Princess deriving so much of its branding from The Love Boat, it has never done enough to grow their captains' audiences like they do on Celebrity. But, not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

DO NOT push the "Quote" button. It creates a copy that the next person cannot properly update. DO select and copy ALL of the text (including the instructions and the list) up to COPY TO THIS LINE . . . from the most up-to-date list (the most recent reply with the list).  Go to the bottom of the latest post, to the "Reply to this Topic..." box to create a new post. Paste your copied text into that box. Make your modifications to the list. Add change notes at the bottom. Click the "Submit Reply" button just below the list you are modifying. Confirm that everything is correct! You can edit for up to 20 minutes. Ship Captain Cruise Director Entertainment Director Director Restaurant Ops CARIBBEAN Vincenzo Lubrano Jody Miles Robert Boyd Oscar Perego CORAL Gavin Pears Aaron Hawkins Sara Romera Joachim Rothe CROWN Christopher Lye Kristoff Greyling Michael Kujawski Mariusz Czemarmazowicz DIAMOND Stefano Ravera Natalie Costa & Mikiko Ikemoto Tim Donovan Fahey Jean Paul Musiu DISCOVERY Tony Ruggiero DuVaul Gamble Neil Rose Silvio Zampieri EMERALD Martin Stenzel Fernando Duran Geof O'Rourke Carlos Marques ENCHANTED Mario Ciruzzi Jayson Douglass Ron Goodman Francisco Patricio GRAND Michele Bartolomei ? Callie Smit Giuseppe Franchina ISLAND Rikard Lorentzen Karen Rogers Susan Rawlings Jacques Ghennai MAJESTIC John Foster Kevin Tugwell Marissa Wurms Douw Steyl REGAL Tim Stringer Sophie Gideon Martyn Moss ? ROYAL Andrea Spinardi Corinne Steel Caitlin Messerschmidt Claudio Giuliani RUBY Mario Tani Cole Bockman Lauren Meyer Jacques Ghennai SAPPHIRE Todd McBain Armando Merin Tobias Stewart Mario Propato SKY Marco Fortezze Dan France Matt Barnard Ciprian Hoidreag <COPY TO THIS LINE SO THERE IS SPACE TO TYPE "CHANGE NOTES" AFTER THE CHART> Revisions as per above post.

Just wanted to stop by and say I'm so glad you're doing better and can be out and about to explore again. Sending you all the good vibes your way. Also, I just love how granular you get with all the thoughts and details you've experienced -- my favorite thing from reading live reports are just the little things that really make you feel you're right there. Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us.

DO NOT push the "Quote" button. It creates a copy that the next person cannot properly update. DO select and copy ALL of the text (including the instructions and the list) up to COPY TO THIS LINE . . . from the most up-to-date list (the most recent reply with the list).  Go to the bottom of the latest post, to the "Reply to this Topic..." box to create a new post. Paste your copied text into that box. Make your modifications to the list. Add change notes at the bottom. Click the "Submit Reply" button just below the list you are modifying. Confirm that everything is correct! You can edit for up to 20 minutes. Ship Captain Cruise Director Entertainment Director Director Restaurant Ops CARIBBEAN Vincenzo Lubrano Jody Miles Robert Boyd Oscar Perego CORAL Gavin Pears Aaron Hawkins Sara Romera Joachim Rothe CROWN Christopher Lye Kristoff Greyling Michael Kujawski Mariusz Czemarmazowicz DIAMOND Stefano Ravera Natalie Costa & Mikiko Ikemoto Tim Donovan Fahey Jean Paul Musiu DISCOVERY Tony Ruggiero DuVaul Gamble Neil Rose Silvio Zampieri EMERALD Martin Stenzel Fernando Duran Geof O'Rourke Carlos Marques ENCHANTED Mario Ciruzzi Jayson Douglass Ron Goodman Francisco Patricio GRAND Michele Bartolomei Callie Smit Giuseppe Franchina ISLAND Rikard Lorentzen Karen Rogers Susan Rawlings Jacques Ghennai MAJESTIC John Foster Kevin Tugwell Marissa Wurms Douw Steyl REGAL Tim Stringer Sophie Gideon Martyn Moss ROYAL Andrea Spinardi Corinne Steel Caitlin Messerschmidt Claudio Giuliani RUBY Mario Tani Cole Bockman Lauren Meyer Jacques Ghennai SAPPHIRE Todd McBain Fernando Cunha Matthew Joseph Mario Propato SKY Marco Fortezze Dan France Matt Barnard Ciprian Hoidreag <COPY TO THIS LINE SO THERE IS SPACE TO TYPE "CHANGE NOTES" AFTER THE CHART> Made the updates to Diamond and Island as suggested by photo proof in previous posts above.

@dides *bowing to you* because you're sincerely doing yeoman's work here for Princess yet again. Cannot wait for Micky Arison to post this on his socials touting all of the organized information!

Do you have the dates for this dry dock? I don't see any gap in the schedule for the rest of the year.

If covered pools are your thing, another vote for Grand/Sapphire. Coral will also be in Alaska in 2025 and that's another one to consider. More specifically, these 3 ships are capable of cruising on the eastern side of Vancouver Island and that's what many of us really consider a crucial part of the "Inside Passage".

There's nothing objectively good about the changes made to the packages. But I'm with @Steelers36 on the way they break down their budget. We hardly use or consume any of the things being impacted 🤷 so we definitely will not be getting any package. But I still like cruising in general because managing hotels, flights, land reservations etc are not getting any easier or friendlier for the wallet than still getting to be out on the open sea with room and board. There are always drawbacks with each vacation choice and thankfully, Princess is not the only cruise line out there anyways, so we have always have some variety.

Princess is holding a seminar for TAs later today (Thursday) about 'enhancements' to the Plus and Premier packages and they may or may not address Princess Prizes then.

This will sort of be happening come fall 2024/winter 2025 with the Divina. Examples are some 10-day cruises as per the following: I'll also echo all of the comments that list the concerns with the IT and overall website operation. It is a serious piece of work. It's not just the random glitches but also unclear phrasing here and there, and also overall poor organization of the information you want. As for newer ships, I think MSC could've done a lot more with making the World Europa their own (not just with the trademark chrome and shiny shiny everywhere). In essence, I feel like they've been very reactive instead of proactive (for example, Princess has them beat with the Medallion smart-ship concept; Royal has them beat with entertainment variety for mega ships). If they want to push the envelope, I'd love to see them apply some truly new ideas to their newbuilds that are also executed well. Looking at you, MSC Zoe.

Shows on Enchanted at the very least - Spotlight Bar, Rock Opera, and 5 SKIES. If you haven't seen them, I'd recommend them, as they're the three newest production shows on Princess. Might as well, right? You may or may not also have Jim Henson's Inspired Silliness on your cruise - that's going to be in the Vista Lounge on one specific night. It will feature the production cast doing Muppets-style skits (it's better than the way I make it sound). Vista Lounge on the three newest Royal-class ships is actually one of my favorite places at night when they have a band or singer in there - the bar really accentuates the intimate lounge vibe and it's just very chill but you also have a lot of space to stretch out and listen to music while thinking about nothing for once. Same thing with Take Five if you prefer jazz.

The page on the Princess website explains cruise credits: https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/membershipBenefits.page It's essentially a metric that's also a faster way to climb up the ladder, yes, but doesn't really matter once you're Elite.

The files state that Sapphire will be doing three 10-day Eastern Caribbean sailings (2 to Tortola, 1 to Martinique). It's similar to what the Enchanted is doing during the winters. The dates are October 14, October 24, and November 3.

This specific response in the stickied thread pinned above about smoking discusses what you can expect:

I hear you, but I don't think the circumstances are the same for all. For the specific example I had brought up, Captain Tuvo was very well-respected and well-liked by corporate and loyal fans alike (he took the Sky Princess directly from the shipyard and had built a very strong reputation overall throughout the years), but I obviously can't speak to anything that may or may not have happened behind-the-scenes. At the end of the day, I'm pretty sure it's all about the money (of which MSC has a ton more to offer than Carnival corporate), and the fact that MSC's essentially Italian so there's more of an air of familiarity or camaraderie there.

Hi Cheryl, I strongly agree with everyone who's said the SeaWalk is an utterly forgettable feature. It might sound harsh but it really doesn't serve a particular utility in general and doesn't help you get any particularly better view of anything relevant (I feel like the windows are not particularly regularly cleaned either). I think if you are interested in sticking with Princess and are planning on visiting Alaska next year and do not want to undergo the hassle of the one-way Vancouver-Whittier (and vice versa) itineraries, I would strongly suggest you take a look at the Ruby Princess. That ship will be doing round-trip Vancouver itineraries, 7 days, that will visit Juneau/Glacier Bay/Ketchikan/Skagway. The caveat is that it leaves every Tuesday. It's an alternative to taking the Discovery Princess from Seattle next year (which leaves every Saturday), but I think the Ruby Princess will give you a lot more space to spread out while walking around and get much more up close to the scenery around you. I agree with AtlantaCruiser72 that if you must leave on a weekend and still want something round-trip for just 1 week, the Koningsdam will likely be your best bet (but I personally also suggest taking a look at the Zaandam as well).