roxstarcruiser

On 9/23/2023 at 4:54 PM, c-boy said:

🤨 hmmm, even if the cruise line has a designated indoor venue ? 

I've read a few places that whichever ship is repositioning to Australia is turning Churchill's into an arcade or something, at least for her time there. No idea if it's going to be a permanent change. 

3 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Thats what happens to me when I have enough obc to cover it. I'm currently waitlisted on Japan excursion so I canceled Brisbane excursion just to keep enough obc to cover it.  But, in reality, they just lean obc until embarkation and then charge it

 

I've heard (no 1st hand experience) that you are notified if you have insufficient OBC ... 

Gotcha, thanks. 

On 3/26/2023 at 4:33 PM, Ombud said:

I've gotten an excursion after waitlisting @Rick&Jeannie but (& @shopgirl151) I didn't have a time conflict with an existing booking. In fact I didn't even know i had it until I went into my excursions list to book an alternative and saw it there. It was ziplining with Adventure Camp in Alaska. 

 

You can cancel any excursion in your personalizer, not necessary to wait until onboard. Might free up a spot for another cruiser who's waitlisted for that one

Is it fair to assume they automatically charge you when you're moved off the waitlist? 

35 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

Get the ... I think they are called Beaver Nuggets.   Sort of a combo of puffy corn nuts and caramel corn.  

It is a gas station where you can lose your family, so discuss which exit if you plan on paying for stuff together.  

I have friends that love it.   I am meh on it, but the bathrooms are truly awesome.  

 

I have friends who go a little out of their way on road trips to get Beaver Nuggets. I've personally never seen them, tasted them, or know anything about them more than what you just said. But if I'm driving right past it, I might as well check it out, right? 🙂 

4 minutes ago, Host Kat said:

 

There is one closer to Galveston.

BUC-EE’S- TEXAS CITY

6201 Gulf Fwy (IH 45) Texas City Texas City, TX 77591

(979) 238-6390

 

Oh cool. Maybe I'll stop twice!!

35 minutes ago, glrounds said:

Since I would have to pay for parking for the week anyway, I think I will just try to book a stay for one night and free parking for the week while I'm cruising. There seems to be a plethora to choose from. Any pitfalls I should be certain to avoid on the run from Dallas to Galveston ?

Just give yourself plenty of time. Construction is a given and travel times are unpredictable. Going down the day before is a great idea and you should be fine. As a side note, Buc-ee's is a Texas institution I've never experienced, so I plan to stop on the way down. I think it's in Madisonville. 

11 hours ago, glrounds said:

Just moved here from AZ/CA and thinking of doing the same thing (Dallas to Galveston). Aren't there any "Park'n'Cruise" hotels in Galveston? Used to drive across the desert (5 hours) to make the Long Beach cruises, but older now and thinking about stopping close to Galveston. Looking for some great ideas and motell that securely provide a shower and a night's rest in a clean environment.

There are, but the weekend I'm going (November 5) happens to be an annual biker rally, so everything is booked up and/or crazy expensive. It's cheaper to stay somewhere outside of Galveston and pay for parking at the terminal than anything I could find that weekend. You can easily Google park and cruise hotels in Galveston to find several options.

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Often, PCL Shore Excursions go up in price from first posting to sail date.  So, they can certainly be more expensive on the ship, but should be same as last posted price online.

Noted - thank you!

I know some lines offer discounts for booking shore excursions early, but can't figure if that's the case on Princess. 

18 hours ago, Curtzilla said:

for future reference I always stay somewhere around Webster/Clear Lake/Seabrook near NASA.  There's a wide variety of hotels and restaurants at all price ranges and it's only a 30 minute drive to the Galveston port area.

 

I-45 between Dallas and Houston cannot be trusted at all, especially south of Corsicana..  Large lengths of it are old and frequently under construction, and there are long stretches with 2 lanes and no exits where an accident can mean an hour's delay or longer.  It is nothing at all like the I-35 corridor.

Oh, yeah I'm well aware of the nightmare that is 45. But I think I've set myself up well. It'll be a leisurely drive down Saturday, then I'm sure I'll be back on the road super early Sunday for the last hour, just because I'll be hyped. 🙂 I'm not fussed about getting to the terminal as soon as they open, so I suspect I'll be ok. Thanks for the advice though. I'll definitely keep that in mind for next time. 

With the Medallion app, you can locate other people in your party wherever they are on the boat. If you're concerned about coordinating or finding each other, you can just use that function. I would assume you can text each other too, but I haven't used it onboard yet, so not sure.

10 minutes ago, daydreamer16 said:

I think the immune booster #1 would be good with vodka!

And maybe some whiskey or bourbon in the peanut butter one? I feel like we're maybe missing the point of the juice bar, but hey...it's vacation, right? 🙂

On 3/4/2023 at 9:06 AM, MissP22 said:

Maybe if the juice had some rum in it. 

Every time I pass by I keep checking to see them making one, but nothing so far.

I mean...I'm not above grabbing a lovely juice concoction and bee-lining for the bar for a shot of rum to throw in it. 😉

Way late to the party here, but for future reference, I love a good caftan. Like: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0953BWD5D?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I'm allergic to photos (hah!), but my plan was to just wear one of my caftans to embark. But seeing these answers has me second guessing myself. Should I just stick to jeans and a t-shirt?

For me, the bathtub in the mini suite was the deciding factor. I have some relatively severe back issues that ruined my first cruise for me (different line). Access to a bathtub in my cabin was the primary reason I'm giving cruising another chance, followed a close second by what Princess calls the "luxury mattress topper and pillows." On my last cruise, the bed was torture, so upgrading that is another perk important to me. Who knows if it's really going to make a huge difference, but with the bathtub, I'm willing to take the chance.

Here's something I haven't seen discussed yet. Under "My Preferences" in the Medallion app, there's this "Persona" thing. You choose a character, interests, style, etc. Does anybody have any idea what that is even for? The character thing in particular has me baffled. 

On 8/16/2023 at 3:18 PM, Ombud said:

I'd cancel the excursion and put it on wait list. Then rebook in 2 days when the cc refund is 'in process' and they have to use OBC. Heck you might even have the cc refund by then!!

This whole situation is part of why I'm hesitant to book any excursions pre-boarding. The other reason is that I fear locking myself into something that my body might decide I'm not up for. I have no plans to do anything major. I'd like to spend a little time on a beach in one port and maybe wander around aimlessly in another, so I figure booking onboard is my best bet. It's just a Caribbean itinerary - if I were doing Europe or something, it'd be a very different story.

On 8/16/2023 at 12:42 PM, JGmf said:

Need to get to the Sanctuary rather quickly once boarding as they sell out fast on warmer weather itineraries.  Staff will be there to gladly take your reservation (and money, charged to your room of course).

Here's a silly question. When charging things to the cabin, does it automatically come out of OBC first? 

On 8/24/2023 at 4:35 AM, PacnGoNow said:

Arriving at that time should be a breeze for you.  The mad rush will be over, I hope.

They did do away with the arrival times, although they weren’t followed anyway.

But, as true to form, the website and emails are full of old information.  
Have a great cruise! 

This is good to know. Maybe I'm being naïve, but my plan is to just carry on my bag and arrive between noon and 1 so I can hopefully just dump my stuff in my cabin, grab a drink, and start exploring. Not necessarily in that order. 😉 

On 1/30/2023 at 7:05 PM, bluetardis said:

I use spray sunscreen, easy to apply to your back and no need to rub it in. It drys quickly. 

This is what I do home alone at the pool. Even if you can't get full coverage on your back alone, I'd think a spray would be far more comfortable asking someone else to do than having a stranger rub lotion directly into your skin. 

On 11/20/2022 at 4:57 PM, LouisV said:

Mommie dearest brought me up with the saying " well what will people think?". I'm now 65 and frankly I don't give a damn anymore.....going on my first solo cruise on May 9, 2023. 

Maybe a little off-topic, but I learned this poem wwayyyy back in high school and it really resonated with me then. I'm now approaching 50 and I love it even more. Thought you might enjoy it, too. 😉

Warning, by Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

28 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

I agree with the Horizon Court, specifically the Horizon Bistro side.  That's where I like to work in the afternoon.  Crowd dies down by 14:00.  The Internet connection is strong.  Food is near and you can grab a table by a window.  The outdoor seating to the left and right of the Horizon Terrace and can be quiet, but using this area depends on the weather and wind.

 

Another place I like to work is Crown Grill Bar during the day.  Hard to get seating sometimes.  Sometimes have to worry about nosy passengers that ask why you are working on a cruise because it's on the main corridor on Deck 7.

 

Before selecting a seat, look up at the ceiling for a white plastic box with a small blue light illuminated.  These are the routers and you'll receive the strongest Wi-Fi signal by situating yourself near one of these.

Now that's some incredibly helpful advice. It never occurred to me to look for routers or repeaters. Thank you so much!!!

3 minutes ago, memoak said:

Just be aware that the buffet can get pretty noisy and groups often sit up there playing cards and socializing 

That's cool. If I need to be on a call, I'll take it in my cabin. I hate having my camera on for Teams calls, but I might be fantasizing a teensy bit about turning it on while kicked back on my balcony. LOL

3 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

Club 6 is great. There's a few "lectures" in there during the day - but easy to work around those 

Horizon Court aft, the outdoor section under cover is generally very quiet and very sparsely used. Bar there, snacks easy to grab, outdoors, so some fresh air, and quiet.

Vines is usually very little utilized during the day.

The big comfy chairs outside Princess Live are very rarely in use during the day, particularly if the weather is nice. Princess Live itself has trivia, game shows, lectures, etc going on during the daytime... 

Another outdoor area that's very rarely in use (people don't seem to realize it's even there) is outside Crooners on Lido.  Comfy lounge chairs, outdoors, etc..

Crooners is dead during the day, no events or anything in there at all til nighttime. The bar is open, but no pianist or anything at all in there. You'll get a little ambient noise from the atrium, hut take a table back by the windows and it's quiet.

Vista lounge is usually empty except bingo or such on sea days... 

Club 6 is probably your best bet - couches, tables, large picture windows and unused during the daytime except occasionally a few spa lectures or such . 

Oh thank you so much for so many great options. I don't hate the idea of posting up with a drink and snacks at Horizon Court. Sounds pretty much like heaven to me, actually. 🙂