Arizona Wildcat

2 hours ago, p.pete said:

But similarly if you've already bought it and then a new or better offer comes up, what do you do?

If before final payment my TA calls and the fare is reduced.  Have done twice on my upcoming 21 day TA.  First time $600 reduction.  Second time a flash sale on the plus package and another $600.  Cruise is in October.

I note that we have only minimal OBC as my TA paid for other stuff.  We do not purchase Princess insurance as we have our own for trip and health.  Final payment 90 days pre cruise so not a big deal giving Princess some $$ pre cruise.

PS - on a Christmas cruise the beverage packages were not available.   Never saw that before.

Have recently done a couple Princess Cruises.  Lounge on Emerald was just like the one on Celebrity.  Drink package much better on Princess as most things covered with basic package.

Entertainment much prefer X as well as the buffet.

As for the crew, pretty much ALL crew on every line tries to do their best.

After some 20+ cruises on X we will sail the itinerary.  For example X has a 7 day Norway cruise, but HAL.in 14 days goes all the way to North Cape.  Other situations X is better as in Alaska.  Comparing Whittier to Seward?  Seriously?

4 hours ago, colsky said:

That's useful to know. We're too far out at the moment to book specialty restaurants (booked on Sun Princess in August 😃), but I was slightly concerned when I watched a YouTube reviewer the other day, who said that, if you pre book specialty restaurants on the App, then you have to pay for them at the time (even if they are covered by your Premier Package), and then go to guest services once onboard to have them refunded.  That would be annoying for 2 reasons: having to pay for them, then having to take the time to queue up at guest services for the refund. That would be wonderful if what she said wasn't correct!

Just get refunded a bit later.  On the next day there will often be no queue at Guest Services.  Much easier.

Also remember as others stated, many dining times are not released until after you board.   Have been told one third on Diamond and half when on Sun.  So lots of opportunities to book right after you board.

17 hours ago, memoak said:

If you are talking Trans Atlantic and Trans Pacific cruises then there will be at least one stretch of 5-8 days at sea with no ports 
 

Thank you for restating my post.  On TA and TP. cruises there are obviously no.ports in the middle of the ocean for WIFI

The dividers can be opened unless at one of the fire walls. You can see on some of the deck plans 

We did exactly this twice.  On our first cruise customs was facial recognition off in 10 minutes.  Second cruise disembarkation delayed until 7:30 and long lines to get off the ship.

Rush hour traffic both times.

Arrived at BOS 8:20 the first time, 9:30 the second.

My question is what happens if you miss your flight?  The problem is you cannot predict if bad weather will delay docking.

With an international flight what are the rules time wise for luggage and checking in?  Traveling 1st class?  Have a NEXUS pass to expedite security?

2 hours ago, 39august said:

I have called CC 3 times today and every time I get a recording for an answer instead of a live person. This is of course after the initial recorded response advising a few minutes hold time.  Can't get thru' to a live person. Anyone have a suggestion? I would like to make some arrangements before boarding to avoid standing in line at the spa on boarding day. 

Have always had spa employees actively selling spa services and offering discounts as we boarded.  Cannot imagine there would be a line to arrange for spa services.

The TA cabin blocks have various agreements and terms.  Usually the longer the block is held open the fewer cabins my company could turn back.  Also if a cruise is indeed "sold out" that close to final.psyment could create a closing of group TA cabin blocks.

Last, there could have been an actual group.  Many of those fall apart and cancel, so rooms available near final payment. 

Pretty much until final payment day plus three days you have only an approximate number of open cabins.  Pricing changes will tell you if full or not full

20 minutes ago, OceanCruise said:

When are cruise documents and luggage tags available? Our cruise is just over 30 days away and I was able to do online check in and get our boarding passes but cannot access any other documents. 

About 30 days out.  You are getting close

Dont stress. FWIW you do not need either.  Just Passport, copy of confirmation from Celebrity and/or your TA.

We have porters put string tags on out bags at the pier.  Also put a piece of tape with cabin number in black sharpie pen.  The paper one attached to your cruise documents tear off easily.

And yes I know you can purchase luggage tag holders online.  Choose not to do so.

39 minutes ago, artvlay said:

Where do you get tokens other than in the laundry?

Customer service has them.  

Luggage - probably expedited.  Likely luggage drop off starting fairly early - 10ish or before.  Interestingly have found dropping luggage early does not equate with first to cabin.  We bring a carry on with us so we have swim suits and a change of clothes. 

Separate "area" - yes.  You will board first or on arrival.

Want to board really fast - come around 12:30 - likely walk straight thru with no waiting.

Have not found boarding to be a big hassle with the prechecking and green lanes today.

Best part of Blu is service.  Never a wait.  Staff that knew what we liked and choice of Blu or MDR selections.

Food better?  Sometimes IMO.  Definitely personal.opinion.

Thus am I willing to pay more for Aqua?  As someone who is Elite+ and will never reach Zenith, maybe $50 a day pp.

29 minutes ago, Kat915 said:

True, but they only charged me $200 more for her to go solo vs how much it would cost to book two in that room. (My solo cabin was booked months ago.) They lost all that revenue- we don't get any packages, don't gamble, and get few excursions through the cruise line. 

 

I think it gets back to ignorance of customer service reps on booking accessible cabins, plus other stuff that I encountered. 

 

I usually book accessible cabin early on on my own, but my sister was undecided about going. I didn't want to book accessible and be taking it from someone else if she didn't come. Lesson learned. 

Agree with one exception.  CSRs are put on the phones after a very few hours of training.  As soon as you sense a CSR does not understand or the conversation is going in circles - speak to a supervisor.   CSRs are trained for the basic ordinary situations and sadly try not to ask others when they do not know the answer(s).  Not ignorance, but lack of training/ trying to go the extra mile as a CSR when saying I don't know would be best.

Thus I ONLY call CVPs or my TA.  And I note it took 4 TAs to find an excellent one.  Found on board at a Cruise Critic get together. 

Good luck.  Hopefully common sense will prevail.

23 minutes ago, doghog said:

What type of dining? 

This thread is all about MDR in any "type".  Nothing else.  

As of today Princess has not started canceling reservations.   Likely that will happen maybe in May.  Just received notice this morning my reservations will be canceled for October 2024 and September 2025.  Gonna take time.

Am sure things will be tweaked as time passes.

9 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Extreme example ...

 

I secure my account/folio with a debit card attached to a checking account that has about $2K in it ... that limits my 'immediate' liability to that in case of a medical emergency on board charged to my folio ... 

I set up my credit card with a specific limit - usually $500 - they text me for EVERY foreign purchase.  Over $500 - requires me to authorize the purchase by clicking on the text. Or I can click and say "not mine".

Use this as scammers usually try a charge under $10 first

1 hour ago, cruisinfamily7609 said:

Does anyone know how much I should plan to spend per load (just to wash/dry, I’ll bring my own detergent and softener)? Thanks!!

Sometimes the token machine was empty and they gave you tokens.  Other times $3.50 I think.  Water on board is very soft with no minerals.  It is basically desalinated water.  Used detergent sheets or pods just fine

Unless on a TA or TP cruise you will likely have a port call about every other day.  Pretty simple to use the WIFI in the port.

If you gave a family emergency,  just ask Guest Relations to help.  They gave us free daily for a week when 95 year old MIL was hospitalized.

Will only address the buffets.   Be sure to ask.  If you do not getan immediate and clear response ask another staff member.  Have had servers answer who did not really know if GF.

Dining companions usually pre-ordered dinner,  but a couple times waiters suggested a choice off the regular menu. 

Am seeing a lot of unhappy people about not being able to book pre cruise.  Can again share only one fact - a significant number of seatings are not released until boarding day.  Thus asking nicely and being flexible as to times will likely solve your mental anxiety.   Talking about demanding a refund will probably be less successful per the cruise contract. 

Whether for the exercise classes that my DW was told were always full of wanting the brownie dessert and Princess being out of brownies day after day; we sadly live in a World where more and more people are polarized in their working together and feeling entitlement.

If you booked Premier primarily to receive 2 specialty restaurants, possibly canceling that now would result in less stress

1 minute ago, FancyPants21 said:

Now that there are 2 speciality dining meals included in the Premier cruise fare I am finding that getting bookings before the cruise is turning out to be impossible.

 

It got me thinking what would happen if I had a Premier cruise fare and I couldn't get a booking in a speciality restaurant at any point on the cruise? 

 

Surely I should be entitled to some compensation for not getting what I paid for?

 

Has this happened to anyone yet?

Usually.  Relax and see them right after as you board.  Pretty simple with X number of seats to sell and you added lots of people looking to book already pretty full restaurants. 

Compensation?  You are not on board.  Our last cruise was told all full pre cruise.  Ate in specialty 4 nights.  2 of the times not perfect.  Others demanded reservations.  I simply asked politely and said I was flexible and got multiple reservations every cruise.

37 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

I'm not sure I see the difference between this and how they do it now. On the last few cruises we could have selected traditional dining, anytime dining or what we do -  select a certain time each night (usually in the same dining room) based on our stops. What's the difference to what they've announced?

Yes, you could book the same dining room, same time each night; but now in one MDR Everyone will be on the same schedule.

This is simply going back to what was done some years ago.

3 hours ago, CruisingFox27 said:

So, unless I'm being quite dim, it's not really a significant change. Instead of reservation and anytime dining in each restaurant they've separated each format to different restaurants. We like the freedom to choose our dining time on the day and just go whenever we're ready, that will still be available but only in one MDR.

Significant change?  Absolutely not.  Princess is going back to pretty much what they did some years ago - am sure more details to come.

23 minutes ago, Bridget2 said:

I disembarked from a southern Caribbean cruise over a week ago.  In addition to my onboard account charge, Princess has placed 4 other charges on my checking account.  These were charged on the final 2 days of the cruise, which were sea days.  The amounts are the following:

$118.28

$198

$21.24/possibly a bar chg.

$74.34/possibly shuttle, although the rep who booked us said shuttle chg. was included in price of the cruise 

Except for just a few drinks, we spent nothing on those days and the "folio" seems complete for the other days.  Does anyone have any idea what these charges could be?  I can't get any info from Princess; spent literally hours on the phone and no one there knows anything, was told to email which I did last week no response so far.  I am beyond frustrated.

 

Sad you disembarked before challenging these.  Calling a customer service rep will likely only raise your blood pressure.

Sorting via email usually a couple weeks to a month+.

Without the coding from your bill doubt anyone could tell where they came.

The possible shuttle charge - your rep CVP or a TA? - shuttles are not included in any cruise fare I have ever seen.  No guess on the rest.

I would dispute the charges with your bank (never heard of direct billing to a bank - debit card?) or credit card company.  Stating the facts clearly and succinctly.  Give booking number, dates, ship name.  State the total and amounts of charges you are challenging.  Detail the dates of calls and hopefully names of who you spoke to (at least number of calls and their response).

The other charges could be restaurants or likely the spa.

Good luck.  Hopefully a lesson learned for the future.

The Princess tour could be later depending on the day of the week, holidays etc.  Remember at least 2+ hours to check in at LHR.  

Check out your roll call too.

Lots of discussion on the ports thread.