TN-Mountains

I did see where someone posted a speed test showing Starlink, but the speeds displayed were still pretty slow. Of course, living in rural TN I know the numbers don't always represent an accurate picture. Up until last year, my ISP only provided 25Mbps to my house. It would function fine for surfing the web at 15Mbps or streaming Hulu. With my new fiber service, if it drops to 50Mbps, I can't do anything! I'm looking forward to hearing what folks on your cruise say about the internet. Even if it is working fine, the thought of spending $210 for one device (or unlimited devices!) makes me cringe!

Does anyone have experience getting phone calls made to the ship from family back home? Hubby & I are leaving for our cruise (Southampton--Norway--Iceland) in about 3 weeks. The kids will be staying w/ grandparents. Our cell phones should work while in port. I don't want to pay for expensive internet especially seeing all the reports regarding how slow it is. I plan on leaving the phone number for the ship with my mom & dad in case of an emergency. Does anyone know how reliable it is? Is it safe to say, if a call to that number doesn't go through neither would a call to my cell if it were running on the ship's internet?

Did they give you the Princess Premier Fare or the Premier Drink Package? Everything I've read indicates that in order to purchase Princess Plus/Premier fare, the first 2 passengers in each cabin have to get it. It really doesn't make sense for them to penalize large families. It is bad enough we have to book 2 cabins! I hope they gave you the $90/pp/day fare that includes tips, wifi, etc.

I agree. I doubt I'll drink 15 drinks the entire cruise, much less each day. I'm just waiting for my husband to insist he needs internet to keep up with work. If you purchase internet, then the package looks favorable.

That was my plan, too…unless my hubby decides last minute that he will drink enough to warrant purchasing Princess Plus for the two of us. 😉

Thanks. That is what I assumed. I guess hubby needs to add my name to that account. 🙂

When you do this is the CCL stock in both your names? We are a family of 5, which will require 2 cabins. CCL stock is just in hubby's name. I'm wondering if we can get OBC on both cabins.

Isn't the shareholder's benefit non-refundable, use it or lose it? Not trying to join a debate... this is a serious question. If it is refundable, I'd prefer to do that. 🙂 (Sorry if I missed part of the context here. It has been a day or two since I read all the previous posts.)

Interesting. Are they just notified or do they get credit? I didn't book my upcoming cruise w/ a CVP, but she did help me re-fare (or rebook???) when the price dropped. Afterward, I asked about the best way to get her credit for a booking I want to make outside her business hours. Below is her reply... "I appreciate you wanting to give me credit as well. You should be allowed to place a hold on a cabin online then I can assist you with taking the payment. The only way I get credit is if I take the initial payment on a booking or I make the booking. You can also send me an email with all of the details (room number if you have a specific one, if you want transfers, insurance or the beverage package) and I can send over a confirmation number and then you can pay the deposit online whenever you have time."

If the difference is a couple of hundred dollars, it could be that the customer service rep. quoted you a price where you pick the cabin and the price you saw online is the price if you let Princess pick the cabin. It is cheaper if you let them pick, but the deposit is non-refundable.

Will you have any onboard credit? If so, maybe you should book the basic fare and then use your OBC to pay for the Plus or Premier onboard. That will also give you 14 months to think about it. 😉

So is the upgrade bid just for the 1st two passengers in the cabin? Are passengers 3 & 4 upgraded free?

That is decent savings. Was that off the brochure price or the price you could book direct through Princess? I started to get AARP gift cards to save on my cruise, but given the uncertainties in travel these days I chose to pay cash to keep things simple in case the trip is canceled. (I don't want to worry about needing to spend a gift card.) I need to check the terms of AARP gift cards. If I can use them onboard or to purchase OBC, I'll grab a couple a few weeks prior to the cruise.

Hearing things like this is why I wish we could share TA names on these boards! If I could earn a discount and/or onboard credit by purchasing the fare in advance, my position might change. I’ve never had any luck saving a lot by using a TA on a cruise. I tried to use the same TA I used to plan my wedding/ anniversary years ago, but she stopped selling cruises. I believe the COVID fallout was the last straw for her! I also tried big box, online, and insurance membership perk. I either saw no savings or hourly agents that may or may not know what they’re talking about. Maybe I’m not seeing any real perks because I’m looking at lower end fares….ocean view or balconies? Do you mind sharing what type cabins you usually book?

I didn't read all the replies. It drives me crazy to see internet math. I wouldn't be surprised if there are at least 5 different solutions to the same math problem in this thread! 🤣 Forgive me if I'm repeating something that has already been said....My suggestion is to purchase the standard fare. As of Feb. 2023 Princess started allowing passengers to purchase the Plus & Premier packages as on Day 1 onboard the ship. If you purchase onboard, you can use any OBC towards the upgrade and your insurance premium won't increase. Even if you don't have any OBC to use, you'll get to keep the $1200 in your pocket a few months longer since it won't be due with your final payment. You'll also have additional time to research the cost of your preferred beverages and do your own math. As for me, I have a 14 day cruise coming up in June. The Plus package will add another $1680 for the two of us! I'm not sure I can justify the splurge since I'm not a huge drinker. I don't include wifi in my math, because there have been too many posts about slow/non-existence internet at sea. My cell phones will work in the ports, so I'll keep in touch with family that way. I would be very upset if I paid $420 for internet for the two of us and it didn't work, so I'm not including it as a package perk. If someone on a similar itinerary in May posts that the Internet is great on the Sky Princess, I'll will reevaluate. If I were on a shorter cruise, I'd be more likely to upgrade as a convenience to not have to keep track of my drinks, etc.

I'm curious. How do you know they did this? Did they make an announcement?

@JRork2001 I'm curious. Did you check to see what day your check cleared the bank? I submitted my application 2 days before you. The system shows they received mine 2 days after yours. My check cleared the bank 3 weeks before they "received" my application!?! I didn't expedite my application. The guy at the passport office told me to save my money...processing time was 6-9 weeks....plenty of time even with mail. 😨 In hindsight, I wish I paid for expedited service, but I'm not sure that would help.

I have no idea about your question, but I’m worried my passport won’t be here in time for my cruise either. Would you mind letting me know when you receive your new passport? I applied the beginning of Feb, when the wait was 6-9 weeks. Now the processing time is 10-13 weeks & my cruise to Europe is in 12 weeks. I’m getting really anxious that I’m going to miss the boat.

Thank you for such a detailed explanation! It is greatly appreciated. I feel much more comfortable splurging for the UBD!

Can someone explain the difference between “free” room service and the Ultimate Balcony Dinner or Deluxe Balcony Breakfast? Is it just the menus? We have a large balcony overlooking the wake. I really want to do the dinner and/or breakfast, but I need to justify the cost. 🙂 Also, I see where I can book the day for Balcony Dining reservations, but it doesn’t show times. How/when do I get to select a time? I would love for it to be while cruising in/out of the fjords!

I don't know the answer, but as another family of 5, I'll be following this! Any chance you are booked in connecting cabins and your friends aren't? If so, maybe they do allow both adults to be booked in one cabin and all the kids in the other?

I haven't checked the boards in a week, so maybe this question has already been answered...but I thought in one of the "live from" posts it was confirmed that even when purchasing Princess Plus or Premier onboard, guests 1 & 2 both had to purchase them. I thought it was just the plus/premier beverage packages that could be purchased by a single cabin occupant. I really hope I missed an update and someone else confirmed this not to be the case!

@zogrand, that looks like a suite balcony, no? I'm curious. Did everyone have their own balcony cabin? Or, since you were with a large group, did one of you get a balcony suite and the others get a cheaper inside room knowing they'd have access to your balcony? We are thinking about taking a family cruise and debating whether to splurge on one room and do interior rooms for the others or get regular balconies.

I haven't cruised in almost 15 years, so I can't comment on how fast things are now, but they were crazy slow back in the day. I've been debating purchasing the wifi on an upcoming cruise in June. The thought of paying a premium for bad internet does not sit well with me. I have only been looking at single-device packages (preferably a single day if they have it onboard). I had not thought about the 2-step verification on some websites, that is something else I need to consider. Thank you for pointing this out.

How tall are you? If you are short or traveling with someone that is short, you should seriously consider a balcony. My husband (6'1") could easily stand behind someone and still see the views, but at 5'1", all I could see were a$$es and elbows. There is too much stress having to plan our day around getting to the deck/rail at the right time for me to see anything. If all I could afford was an interior, I would still go, but I enjoyed having a balcony to view the glaciers. Plus, as was mentioned above, if it is really cold, you can step back inside to warm up and still get a view from behind the glass doors.