SCX22

How did you apply for a passport? Princess didn't help you with that and you were able to obtain one. The process Brazil eVisa process is much the same. The only difference is that is you have to provide proof of cruise travel, which is a heck of a lot more secure than providing a bank statement for proof of funds for all non-cruise passengers wanting to enter Brazil. I think you should realize that you are at the mercy of the country that you are wanting to visit. Some countries like Vietnam have visas on arrival that Princess (and other cruise lines) can help with. Many don't. Princess doesn't help with Australia or NZ ETAs; you're on your own navigating the ETA apps. Have at the visa process yourself or consider cancelling your cruise that enters Brazil and choose a different itinerary.

With cruise cards you never had the problem of providing personal info to Radiqal, LLC. Another reason to go back. It's up to the individual to interpret the seriousness of the statement made above.

Diet Coke doesn't exist in Singapore. There's only Coke Light, which has a bitter aftertaste, and Coke Zero Sugar.

Hopefully, it doesn’t get to the point where this buddy shows up at port. Princess should send a cancellation notice for balance non payment shortly after the final payment deadline. If anyone gets that, there should be no reason to show up to the port.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Up to you about how much of a grain of salt others opinions are. What's important to me in this day in age is that it's not a paid review or a review that involves a quid pro quo situation. There are enough old cruisers at the moment who will keep Princess afloat. It seems thought the backend is a cluster and in turmoil. Recent example is the delayed release of the new App and the problems with the new App. Again, not all have the same experience. I have to remember to never use Global Experience Innovators as an app developer. The My Disney Experience App and all the airline apps work seamlessly and are all travel related.

Your cruise is a back to back. Greece, however, doesn't impose immigration formalities on in transit cruisers such as the USA. If you choose to leave the ship, you can leave as soon as the gangway opens and return before all aboard time. If you choose to stay on the ship, you don't have to disembark at all and remain on the ship.

So I shouldn't listen to the commoners opinions of food, only seasoned, professional, expert food critics? A business won't survive if all they listen to are "experts." They have to take the experience and opinions of customers and workers as well. And let's face it, the Michelin Guide hasn't touched cruise ship dining venues. Princess listened the the "expert", John Padgett about the Medallion and we know how much of a cluster that has turned out to be. The technology he instated at his former employer, Disney, is doing so much better without him. Doesn't have to be the top IT guy of Princess. It could have been the top IT guy of the team that was on the ship. If you've ever worked as a team on a work project, someone always has to take the lead, who ultimately takes all the credit or the blame.

Princess has a roaming set of IT workers who "jump" from ship to ship to maintain the wi-fi and the Medallion infrastructure. I saw a team, not sure if it's the same team as the OP saw, on several ships when Starlink was being installed on Princess ships earlier this year. They are allowed to eat at the buffet like the production actors, kids club staff, and shopkeepers. Sometimes they are comped a meal at one of the specialty restaurants like the officers and Guest Services crew. You have to give the roaming IT workers some credit about food critiques because they've eaten on many of the Princess ships.

As of recent, every time a thread critical of Princess pops up, cost is always listed as a reason to like Princess over other (premium) cruise lines. Low fares isn't enough reason to give Princess a pass. Cruise lines are looking to cut every corner to save money. I was more sympathetic towards them during the restart, but when their earnings analysis shows growth, in CCLs case over 2/3 occupancy on 2024 sailings, it's time to hold them accountable for offering more in terms of service/onboard experience/food. If passengers don't hold Princess accountable, management will continue to nip away at the product. If it continues, the Seawitch might as well be replaced with a whale tail funnel.

If you've ever been on an ocean crossing cruise on Princess (transatlantic, transpacific, or even just to Hawaii) where there are no stops to provision for days on end, the word putrid can describe the lettuce served in the buffet after the 4th day at sea.

There's a lot of effort into producing The Wake Show, not only on the CD and guests, but on the production crew who has to film and edit it. Your admission that it's just background noise really says a lot to how useless it is.

The handful of times I've needed a transfer to Whittier to Seward, I've used Alaska Cruise Transfer. In the past they've picked up from downtown Anchorage hotels, so it's been door-to-door. https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/

I have one anecdote about Stanley. There was and old lady, bless her heart, who carried Stanley everywhere on the ship. We sat next to her at Crooners one evening and we asked her about the Stanley she was carrying around. She explained how she'd cruised everywhere on Princess with her late husband and how she misses her husband so much every time she's on a Princess Cruise. She then proceeded to show us her Stanley bear. She showed us a pocket she sewed on the back of it's captain's uniform. There was a mini ziplock containing some of her husband's ashes and his wedding ring. We didn't have the heart to tell her how crazy she was. That's how attached some people are to Princess and how Princess can do no harm to some.

Regardless of when it's filmed, The Wake Show in it's current format is a waste of time, IMO. It used to be useful pre-pandemic. Post pandemic it's been all about promotion of onboard sales. The last useful broadcast I've experienced was with CD Paul Chandler-Burns, who is no longer with Princess. His broadcasts were 45 minutes long, but from what I gather, corporates has mandated shorter times. Usually, the info about the port is kept to 30 seconds. This is I suppose, to sell more excursions. Paul talked about how to go about the port on your own. (Don't really care for any of Princess' CDs at the moment, but that's another story.) On the Regal and Royal, it's filmed in Princess Live so they have to wait for the passengers to retire to their cabins. On other Royal Class ships, it's literally filmed anywhere including crew quarters on the M1 or I-94 corridor. CDs has even admitted on the show, we're filming at 2:00 a.m. Whether that was a slip, I'm not sure. The Wake Show is filmed the morning before, so when there's a port change or cancellation, it's been axed it from the programming.

I hate The Wake Show. It's a waste of time and energy. It's a long infomercial. The crew has to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to film this. Just let them rest for the night. I stated it in another post that Princess is having problems filling labor contracts. They don't want to raise wages and have resorted to accepting crew that aren't up to snuff just to have positions filled. Clearly it's taking a toll on passenger experience.

Below is a photo of how close the Majestic got to Harvard and Smith Glacier. It was plenty close for me. I can understand how this can be too far for others.

TBH, I felt like the 26 Glacier Cruise was very redundant. The glaciers located in College Fjord aren't really that breathtaking. What sets them apart is that they are named after colleges (if I'm not mistaken Harvard Glacier is the largest) and there a 26 of them right next to each other. I felt like I got my fair share of viewing them when the Majestic sailed past them before arriving into Whittier. If this was taking an up close catamaran to Hubbard Glacier or Margerie Glacier, I'd be all in. Many of those on the land tour and not transiting Princess passengers were awe struck because they hadn't seen the fjord. Hard to predict wild life. We saw bears, goats, and otters. No whales on our 26 Glacier Cruise, but there was a whale sighting in the buffet on the Majestic when we returned from our hike, swimming in Whittier harbor. To add there is park ranger narration. On the Majestic, the naturalist narrated. The catamaran is 3 decks. Decks 1 and 2 are inside assigned table seating. Deck 3 is the outdoor "Lido" deck where you'll get the best photos. Lunch is included (salmon chowder when we were on board) and there's a cash bar where you can purchase drinks. The table you are assigned is the table you will remain for the duration. We were VIP because of my friend's brother, but according to him, you can pre-select a window table if you book directly with Philips and call their number. Whittier isn't known for having the best weather. We lucked out with sunny weather in the 60s and the locals joked with us that we were invited back. If it was foggy or rainy, I'm not sure that you would enjoy this tour as much because it would affect visibility. If you're on a budget and had to choose between the 26 Glacier Cruise and something else (like a whale watching excursion or a helicopter ride to walk on a glacier), I'd pick the something else. The 26 Glacier Cruise is a lot of money (2 people on the 26 Glacier Cruise is almost the cruise fare for one person to the Caribbean in an interior!), and I don't think the bang for your buck is there especially if you've already seen it the night before.

Very crowded. On the day we went had people on a Tauck land tour to Alaska on board.

Per OP's post below, the transfer isn't though Princess but through the tour operator independently. There were people already checking-in when we arrived back to the ship after our hike at 10:30 a.m.

I assume that you will have luggage. The problem with this timing is that will probably won't give you enough time to drop off your luggage.

I found Whittier to be charming, but I wouldn't stay for more than a few hours. There's a small set of shops. Swiftwater Cafe is pretty good for fish/shrimp and chips, breaded instead of battered. Portage Pass Trail is mostly uphill, but you get a nice view of Portage Lake at the top and a great view of the marina where the ship is docked on the way down. I think the 26 Glacier Cruise is pricey for what is, but when are you going to be able to do that again? But once in a lifetime is enough for that excursion. There's an Avis in town and I know of some that rented a car and drove to Anchorage.

If you've ever been to a MTG Luncheon, you'll understand.

Heathrow Central Bus Terminal is between Terminal 2 and 3. You can walk to both Terminals 2 and 3. If your terminus is any other Heathrow Terminal, you have to walk to Terminal 3 and take the free Heathrow Express ride to Terminals 4 and 5.

@EP23 Again I have no idea what time the check in window is for passengers in Whittier. Maybe check your Itinerary in your Cruise Personalizer if it's listed there. I attached the Event Listings from my transit day in Whittier this summer and it states all aboard times is 7:30 p.m. for in transit guests only. It could have been all the newly embarking passengers arrived before 6:30 p.m. and check-in finished early for the sailing I was on.

https://phillipscruises.com/26-glacier-cruise/ Philips cruises is the only tour operator that operates the 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier. According to my friend's brother that worked for Philips Cruises, there is usually only one catamaran per day operating this tour (company only has 3 catamarans, and another catamaran is doing the shorter Glacier Discovery Cruise). People that booked with Princess are usually on the same catamaran as those who booked directly with Philips.