Queenmom1947

My husband and I prefer smaller ships as we progress in age so are somewhat dismayed at the intro of the super cruisers! Though some smaller ships poorer in appearance or maintenance, maybe that is what we have to put up with!

We were 8247. please beawarethatam not complaining but just certain an awareness of what we observed. We, in retrospect, should have used our alcohol wipes to sanitize like we did handles and knobs in rest of room.

On Silhouette beginning March11. I posted comments earlier but wish to add that the ship was wiped clean but not scrubbed! Our balcony was only cleaned once. Our toilet stool always had a black ring around water edge…even though it had been freshly cleaned by steward. When glanced from across the room, closet and exterior door. Carpet stain by trash can in main cabin. Attendant had to do 19 rooms each day. Not enough time to wipe down let alone freshen linens, check bathroom, remake bed. Celebrity needs a “ detail team” to go thru the ship once in a while. we opted for this ship as it had gone thru a recent refurbishment. But that must mean new carpet and tv and LED lights but not a lot more in cabins.

I never found a table size choice when pre- registering….spent an hour looking there and on APP! Luckily one couple in our group of 8 spike to his butler and gut it finalized for late sitting. We were in Grnad Cuvée at table 213. johnPaul and Tracey took great care of us every night!

Cruise lines give money to each port they visit on a per passenger basis. I read recently that Haiti gets $12 per passenger.

So sad for the good people of Haiti. The country has been through so many dictators and cannot keep a handle on violent overthrows. our first visit was on a cruise in the mid- 70s and the poverty was so evident.

Queenmom here. Thank you all for suggestions for using the Princess website and Medallion program to sign in to an assigned dinging room time. We gave up in sheer frustration and a nice deal on HAL appeared so we cancelled Princess— took another couple with us! as I am the techie in this home, sometimes signing up for programs are just so convoluted! I wish it was all KSS— Keep It Simple !!!! afain, thank you all!

Have booked on Sapphire for October 10 day BUT tried to make dine room reservations for 2 and not possible! Even person on chat gave wrong info! Even our experiencedTA didn’t do it for us…..she knew better. on Sky in January, we had to resort to using buffet and folks had to wait a long time to dine. Took contact with guest relations to help and then MaitreD finally got us a continual reservation at same table, same staff! Now: Tried using reservation number and, yes, can enter dietary needs , but no dine room? I get the thought that Princess just wants to upswell cruisers for future voyage programs. We still have time to cancel and might. I am given to understand that cruise lines get a lot of late cancellations. Princess, this could be why! The Medallion App is baloney, difficult if you don’t use your cel phone to run your life! Do you need to wait for dine room reservation until cruise is fully paid???? what is the game going on?

Do not dismiss any of the danger in Mexico as you travel. Sure, towns inUS have crime problems now. However, you do not want to stress your family and friends if something happens to you. Travel carefully! pour cruise in April goes to Nassau ( been there, done that) as well as Cozumel. Yes, will stay aboard at those two stops.

Haggling depends on merchant. A regular store with prices marked is not be be haggles but a flea marketer will probably haggle. On a recent stop at Puerto Plata, in park by the fort , I was able to haggle for necklace then Laramar/ blended necklace from $20 US, cash, to $10 each. I told vendor I didn’t want earrings or bracelets, only necklaces. I succeeded in lower price by simply saying no. Back on bus, another purchaser asked how I got such a good price as she had obviously never haggled, didn’t know she could, and payed full asking.

Likewise having two- year postponement of anniversary cruise In February! Holland canceled Key West and subbed Nassau. THEN substituted a second day at Half Moon Cay. THEN changed the second visit to Freeport!!! Lots of changes but one couple with us really wanted to visit Key West, one of initial destinations, as had never been there! HAL, make up you destination mind, though we may not get off ship in Bahamas….. Hoping nothing further is changed and looking forward to the cruise!

We did the canal cruise that went into the lake from the east, had a veranda cabin on 7, and it was fine. We also varied our locations on the ship and found Observation Lounge was wonderful! The Narrator was a former military man who had been stationed there when the US a was overseeing area and he was so good! He was training a new narrator so I hope your cruise is as informative. We then did the bus tour of the area which was okay only because he was on the bus to explain about the base. BUT awe did make a stop at area alongside the newer canal and saw a ship locking through. If you don’t do tour, get a cab and go there at very least. And DO a read up on the canal before you go so you are pre- informed about what you will see! Enjoy!!!!

If beer buckets available, can you get them with hard ciders and not beer??

Booked a Feb 2023 with a TA in July. Ta was ineffective until I gave a bad rating THEN supposedly a supervisor gave us back a credit that we haven’t seen yet on credit card. I had also, at time, put in a request with HAL a and FINALLY a got a response a MONTH later telling me to go back to TA since that is how it was booked! I need to follow up on the supposed credit.

I understand the motive of profit need thus the policy change and am accepting that. I was just surprised by the discovery of the change that has occurred since our last cruise which was pre- COVID. I will certainly investigate a wine package so as to have a cocktail available in my cabin. I