PescadoAmarillo

Totally agree. Here’s the thing…information was promised in writing about drill, safety, etc., but it simply never materialized. The letters that both quarantinees and close contacts received were definitely composed in Santa Clarita. I think they simply figured that unknown specifics would be added on the ships. But on the Ruby Princess, they never were. I have photos of all the correspondence we received on the Ruby in my blog post at http://pescadoamarillo.blogspot.com/2022/05/what-really-happened-to-us-on-ruby.html. At least my husband (as the quarantined party) did get a standard letter from the HGM (the only way we knew we could order something from besides the standard room service menu, which would have gotten old after one day). He was also promised a Guest Services teammate who would be in touch once or twice a day “for anything and everything”. That never once happened. If a phone was disabled and couldn’t call Guest Services (as someone reported theirs was), you’d really be out of luck.

Quarantine and close contacts. There was a letter from the hotel department in my husband’s quarantine cabin that spelled out his dining options. As a close contact who had to eat only in my cabin, I was supposed to get information like that, too, but never did. Finally one night I ordered two starter items from the Crown Grill through Guest Services when I couldn’t get through to Room Service, and they were delivered. I was never charged. However, a day later, when I wanted a slice of pizza, I got the whole pizza and was charged.

Pure joy to read along! Just that. Pure joy.

Love the iHealth test kits. I could use them with my eyes closed. We have 6 or 8 on hand all the time, and use them before parties and gatherings when we’ll be with older or health compromised people (or non-health compromised people with big events coming up themselves).

You definitely can order from the dining room and specialty restaurants, if yiu can get someone to provide you the menus or find them on the app or TV. You should not be charged for the specialty restaurant food that is delivered. However, for some reason, I WAS charged for the pizza that was delivered ($3). So specialty dining…free. Pizza…charge.

To the bolded: Yes.

No, there are at least two of us. I finally updated my blog and doing that managed to irritate me all over again (maybe that’s why I had been putting that off). Most people say that we can’t blame Princess for people catching COVID, but, in our case, we kind of can, to some extent. They dropped the protective COVID protocols we were counting on when we booked and that’s when the problems really started. The inadequate quarantine support just added insult to injury.

And, as people have stated here on Cruise Critic, people who have called in to report once they are home are told by Princess reps that it makes no difference. Princess probably doesn’t even note the information. You’d think they’d want to at least be aware for the health of their crew members.

Sorry, he used it so quickly I don’t recall. Hopefully someone else can answer.

Ho-lee smokes. And these people must have self-reported. Can you imagine how many more people had it and said nothing? Oh yes, this is going swimmingly.

Yeah, I definitely get that, but I also think that most people really do want to know what they’re getting into when they cruise. It’s important the truth is told, and the cheerleaders not be allowed to control the conversation. Good luck navigating the next several days.

That’s what happened for my husband after 6 days in quarantine. He got 7 days (the first day in quarantine is considered Day 0 but, depending on when you test positive, it can be a nearly full day not enjoying the ship) times his cruise fare per diem. He did not get a pro-rated portion of his port charges, taxes and fees back. The FCC was non-refundable and appeared in his Captains Circle account the day he was released from quarantine and required no additional effort on his part. It had an expiration date of one year from the date of issuance. Close contacts do not get any reimbursements.

Tracie-Lynn, so happy you’re taking us along with you. It doesn’t sound like you need any additional bodies, but we vicarious cruisers take up very little space! And you know me, if I was on board I’d be hiding on my balcony or in my closet anyway (shades of our previous conversations 😆). Have a great time, dear friend, and you know I’ll be watching for your every update. Stay positive - test negative! (That’s not an original, but it’s so darn perfect it can stand to be repeated these days.)

I know norovirus is really miserable (in our family, we used to say you’re afraid you’re going to die, and afraid you won’t) but it is so short lived. My most recent bout was in a chilly spartan hotel room on Easter Island, it hit about 9pm, and with the bathroom sink not within arm’s reach of the toilet, and only one thin towel each it was pure hell. But by 9am it had all passed (literally). Give me that over a several day quarantine on a cruise ship anytime. I just updated my blog with a final post about what Ruby Princess quarantine was like in late March and early April. Reading more recent accounts, it sounds like some things have improved since then (probably because the numbers in quarantine have dropped so much) but others haven’t changed. As a result, I’m not planning to cruise anytime soon, though my husband, who is theoretically “COVID safe” until the end of June probably would say he would. But once faced with the chance of another stint in Princess jail, he would definitely pass too.

On a related note, has John Chernesky surfaced anywhere? I know he was named Princess Brand Champion, and I think he’ll be brilliant at it, but, frankly, it’s an odd position for a former SVP to move into. I mean, Gavin McLoed was his predecessor. My former corporate mind is all a wonder at this Cal (from Disney, no surprise there) being brought into a new position, and John’s effective replacement (Carmen) being brought in at a lower level.

Try just the first initiallast name@princesscruises.com Eta: I see brisalta got to you first. Thank you!

If you have an iPhone you can keep this info in the Health app. I also keep it in an organizer app and send DH a copy on the first of every month so he has it too.

@freedom750 Send emails immediately to CalAlmaguer@princesscruises.com and CarmenRoig@Princesscruises.com. (I hope those are right. I haven’t seen their address but based on all the other Princess emails we’ve seen, they should be right). He is the SVP Sales and Service Strategy and Operations; she is the new VP of North America Sales. I watched a YouTube video of a call they had with TA’s yesterday about all the improvements they are making to reduce wait times (the call back option is coming(!)…in a few months) and at the very end an agent said she had waited 5 hours on hold for EZ Air issues only to be told that she couldn’t be helped because her clients weren’t sailing in the next 7 days and it was kind of a mic drop moment. They both seemed shocked about that (I bet no one else on the call was) and specifically asked that they be contacted with issues like yours since they wouldn’t otherwise even be aware of them. I got the impression that they are so focused on numbers (92% of calls eventually were answered!) that they are missing the kinds of trials TAs and guests are actually dealing with. Let them know! If you’re interested, here’s the link to the video from the call.

@HaveDogWillTravel your photos are spectacular. Thanks for continuing to do internet battle to share them. It looks like your weather has been unbelievably good. @7seascruisingI’m very sorry to hear you contracted COVID, but am happy to hear your quarantine experience has improved over what guests were faced with in late March and April. Whether Princess changed a few policies or it’s just because quarantine numbers are lower makes no difference; it’s better and that’s what counts. Also, SO much nicer to be in your own cabin. Feel better soon!

No one knows yet if you do need Princess Premium, because the program hasn’t started yet, but there is speculation that many drinks may be re-priced above the $12 price limit of Princess Plus.

We were in R747 on the Ruby Princess and smelled it when the ship was at sea (I wasn’t on the ship very long once it got to Hawaii but it was bound to be worse in port).

I just saw this thread. Smoking on the starboard side Promenade Deck on the Ruby Princess was definitely an issue for those guests with balconies in that area. We were in a Riviera Deck balcony almost at the back and even when the ship was at sea, we couldn’t be on our balcony without smelling smoke. It took me awhile to figure out the source, but there is no doubt it was coming all the way from the Promenade Deck on a ship sailing nearly full out to Hawaii.

Flourless chocolate cake on the first night of each cruise was always my favorite dessert (well, key lime pie is up there too). I always said it was the best part of doing B2B cruises. But on the Ruby Princess in March it was a shadow of its former self. More brownie than cake. I’m hoping they’ll bring back the original that so many of us know and love.

I would definitely choose the Sapphire. Like Coral, as of now, the Sapphire and Coral are probably my favorite Princess ships. I’ve sailed a fair bit on the Majestic Princess and it’s the only Royal Class ship I have any interest in (because of the covered Hollywood Pool and Hollywood Conservatory) but it really lacks covered outdoor viewing areas which are a must in Alaska. The Sapphire has Deck 8 forward, Deck 7 on the wide covered Promenade, and areas on Deck 15 aft.

I wonder if this is because Princess is keeping the passenger numbers low (due to inadequate crew numbers) or if people aren’t booking. We sailed with 700 more than that on the Ruby Princess in March. And people here on Cruise Critic insisted that when mask mandates were removed, the numbers would go up because so many people were resistant to wearing masks.