JAN2321

We have cruised with either Princess or Celebrity in the past but are looking at a cruise on Arvia (new out at the end of 2022) sister ship to Iona.  I have quite a few questions so will list them in the hope that some of you kind cruisers will be able to help me with some of them.

1. We will be in a full suite - what extras do suite passengers get?

2. Which aft corner suite is best (are there different sizes of balcony depending on deck) as there is on both Princess and Celebrity

3. Do suite passengers have a different dining room or area or get priority dining options

4. How does P& O compare to Princess or Celebrity on food 

5. Is it straightforward to book online and choose your own suite number

6. What is the dress code - and does everyone adhere to this - formal nights etc

Many thanks for any help

Thanks for your help. I think I will try emailing customer relations.Can't find anything in my spam folder.

Could anyone tell me why I have not received an email from Princess to give feedback on our recent cruise. I have received this automatically in the past and have been able to name the crew who went above and beyond on our cruise and tell them our thoughts on the cruise.  Can you ask for this from Princess or is it just a random email to some.  Many thanks.  

Thanks everyone for all the help. Good to read everyone's routine on embarkation day - 9 days to ours!!!

Have been reading that one of the main dining rooms is open on embarkation day and we are going on Sky Princess in a couple of weeks and not a problem and understand it's usually the Estrella.  As we are suite passengers just wondered if the Club class dining is open for lunch.  Don't expect it will be and not a problem just wondered.  Anyone been on Sky recently and know if the menu for that lunch is the same as has been posted here for other ships and whether it opens at 11.30 or 12.  

Could anyone tell me if Princess provides shuttles from the port in Madeira  (free or otherwise) into Funchal.  The walk is apparently 15-20mins slightly uphill and I have a few mobility issues so was just wandering what options there was. Thanks

Many thanks for your good wishes - yes she will be sadly missed.

They just ask if you have taken one with negative result (not supervised) so long as you have full vaccinations (two doses and booster) with proof. Someone has posted on here today live from Southampton on his embarkation and stated he was just asked if he had taken an antigen test with a negative result - no proof needed

In July we were on Celebrity and they still do the cards - just asked at Customer Services - maybe if you ask they may have them but don't advertise the fact

We are UK based and cruising out of Southampton in October and understand from Princess that we just have to "attest" (tell them) that we have taken an antigen test and it was negative so long as we have proof of all our vaccinations ie two doses and a booster.  There is a posting on here today from someone embarking in Southampton and he says that is exactly what has happened.  

Have filled in all the details on the app to get to green status - my husband is showing as green but my photograph has been accepted but has an exclamation mark on it and my status won't go green.  I have tried re-taking my photo but keeps saying "wrong format etc etc" I suppose I'll just have to wait for embarkation for them to sort it 

Have been on both Celebrity and Princess and been very happy with both and feel they are similar in many ways.  Celebrity is more expensive but does include drinks, wifi and gratuties and so needs to be considered.  Also we have found we can have a full suite on Princess for the price of a mini suite on Celebrity but if you have a mini suite on Celebrity it does include the Retreat lounge and sun deck and Luninea restaurant.  We found no problems with the food on either ship but food is a personal choice but certainly had no complaints.  The staff on both were very friendly and efficient. Embarkation went smoothly and quickly with both.  I think you will be just as happy on Princess as Celebrity - we certainly were.  

Thanks so much for all the help

Can you send large items to be dry cleaned such as jackets or suits? 

Thanks a lot

Thank you - photos especially helpful

We are on the Sky Princess in October for the first time and wondered if anyone could tell us anything about the concierge lounge.  We are in a suite and so know we can use it but can't really find out much about it. Any other information on being a suite passenger on the Sky would be appreciated. Are you able to have afternoon tea (scones and cream) delivered to your suite?  Is there a separate embarkation area for suite passengers at Southampton? Many thanks.

We are on the Sky Princess in October and have read that the free tea coffee and lemonade wasn't available to help yourself to earlier in the year. Has anyone been on Sky Princess recently and can tell me the current situation.  Being English this is an important point - you know what we are like for our tea!!! I know we can order room service but like to have a wander round and have a cuppa when we want one.  Maybe they have tea and coffee making in the rooms?  I know that some cruise lines do when they leave from Southampton.  Thanks.

Yes I believe that is the case but thank you I will check that.

Thank you so much for all the replies.  We can't claim through our credit card as we dealt with a Travel Agent and that's classed as not dealing directly with the supplier and makes it inadmissable.    

We were booked on two cruises for 2020 and cancelled them in April having paid just the deposit.  We were initially told 90 days for t he refund of our deposit.  We are still waiting - is anyone else having these problems getting their refunds.  We understood the situation at the time as obviously there was an unprecedented amount to be done.  Now we are beginning to wonder if we will ever get our money back.  Our travel agent keeps contacting Princess who keep extending the time and they now say middle of September.  Would be very interested in what is happening to others.  Thank you.

Thank you so much for the great photos. Much appreciated.

Thank you for your help. I should have said "has anyone stayed on the "REGAL" not the Grand.  It's the differences between the aft corner suites on the different decks on Regal I am interested.  A and C seem to be more of a strip but R, B and D are deeper - am I right?  Hopefully someone out there may have had chance to see the differences.  Thank you. 

We have been changed from Grand to Regal Princess next year.  We had D736 on Grand and have been give A734 on Regal.  It seems to be an upgrade but the balcony seems to be smaller on A deck than on D Deck on the Grand.  Has anyone stayed on Grand Princess and could tell us if the balconies on the aft corners vary as my research seems to show a huge variance in sizes.  Many thanks

We are thinking of booking Vista suite A726 on Island Princess.  We have a few questions we wondered if anyone could help with please. Firstly is there any noise issues as the "Camp Discovery Youth Center" is nearby and can anyone confirm that although on the side this cabin has a wrap around balcony to the aft.  Any other information about this cabin or it's situation would be very welcome.