Kamloops50

1 hour ago, Cajuntraveler said:

While on the Nieuw Amsterdam recently, DH and I booked a 7 day caribbean cruise for January 2022.  I had checked the cruise price before boarding the NA and was pleased when the onboard agent quoted a price approximately 5% less than I could have booked it through my TA.  We had the cruise booking assigned to our big box TA.  After finalizing the booking, and buying an additional future cruise deposit, we asked for a copy of the transaction. (In the past we always received a copy of the transaction in our cabin mail box) The agent said that HAL was cutting back on printing/paper and we would receive an e-mail from HAL and from our TA.   A card was delivered to our cabin confirming the cruise deposits we purchased.   When I failed to receive an e-mail from our TA, I phoned and learned that the cruise had been assigned to them, but the price was $340 more than we agreed to on the ship.  After two hours on the phone with HAL and my TA, HAL refused to honor the price I was quoted on the ship.  

 

Moral to story - get a receipt for any future cruises booked onboard.  HAL has a lot of new and inexperienced staff.

We always get a confirmation of the cruise booked. If you booked thru a travel agent. The booking information goes to them directly.

On 8/28/2021 at 2:57 PM, SargassoPirate said:

I booked a cruise with a refundable fare at a higher price, and it included a drink package and a wifi package.  I don't see anywhere on my booking confirmation that the drink package and wifi package are included. How do I confirm that every is kosher or do I just wait until I board the cruise to confirm?

 

I also looked on the Medallion app and don't see it anywhere.

 

Any ideas other than calling a clueless rep working from home?

Its actually listed on your booking confirmation. Look at the last three pages. They are listed there.

On 8/26/2021 at 2:42 PM, Denmal said:

Is it new bookings only??

I've had my PVP refare for these types of specials.

On 8/30/2021 at 10:45 AM, bjkTX said:

My wife and I are Elite but haven't cruised in a couple of years - and have none booked or even seriously contemplated at this point.  But yesterday I was browsing here on CC and saw a thread that caused me to go on the Princess website and look at a few things.  While I was there I looked to see what kind of cruises they had planned for Hawaii - just for the heck of it.

 

This morning I received a call from Princess saying we noticed you were on our website yesterday and we wanted to reach out to you as my "personal cruise planner" and with my permission she wanted to send me an email of their current deals etc and even though I indicated I didn't have any immediate plans to cruise she wanted me to have her info to use when and if our plans changed.  I didn't see any "deals" on what she sent that I hadn't already looked at on the website.

 

Not sure if that's a sign of really great customer service - or desperation 🙂  But it is different!

Good PVP .

On 8/15/2021 at 2:45 PM, donswife said:

On the topic of fare reduction:  has anyone been successful in rebooking only one direction? I would like to change the outbound flight to FLL, but if I do, the price for the return flight,  which I want to keep, goes up hundreds. My PVP said she didn't think it could be done. This makes no sense to me.

We have rebooked and refared going one way. If I have issues my PVP calls they air department they do it for you.

I heard that FLL is only doing PCR testing for people flying to countries outside the US.

59 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Paid off my cruise. Then my SFO<->Miami airfare dropped. I'm happy. Original fare was SFO<->Fort Lauderdale. Adjusted for increase in transfer fee (^$10) but I've overpaid $60.27. Has anyone else ever asked for it to be additional OBC instead of refund? How long does that take??

It depends on whether you bought Flexible or Restricted EzAir . If you bought restricted , there will be change fees levied by the airline that the cruise line has to charge you. If you bought Flexible you can change or cancel up to 45 days before your cruise. This said , some routes only have restricted airfare . it all depends on the contract that exists between the cruise line and the airline.

Never asked because our fare has always been lower than buying directly thru the airline or travel agent.

On 8/25/2021 at 6:48 PM, JaniceB said:

Sorry cruises are cancelled but the Island Princess is in drydock right now so the dry docks are still going on.  I just wondered why Princess doesn't post what the changes or new additions are.  

It could just be routine maintenance. A ship has to go into dry dock every three to five years work on the hull ( cleaning and repainting) and other maintenance that can't be done with passengers onboard.

Medallion Net is probably being installed as well. faster to install when in dry dock , don't have to work around passengers. We were on one ship and they were install cables to expand the WiFi . They were only allowed to work during certain hours but never during the night.

On 3/25/2019 at 9:37 AM, waltd said:

Could anyone tell me if there is a  dry dock scheduled for the Island  Princess any time before Jan. 2021?   Was curious if Princess will be updating the ship prior to the World Cruise.   I'm not sure where to look to find the information.   Thanks

Joe

Island Princess is currently in dry dock #8 in Marseilles France.

3 hours ago, 7Trainguy1951 said:

Princess has offered us a Mini Suite upsell on our current midship standard balcony. I'm curious if it's worth risking our midship room for a chance to get a larger cabin? What are pluses or negatives? We sail on the Majestic in late September. Thanks for any advice

 

Bob

On the Royal class ships ( like the Majestic) its worth the upgrade . The balconies on regular cabins are so small . That you can have only one person sitting on it . No room for two.

If you fly into Seattle  and take the train . Depending on your arrival time .You'll possibly need to overnight in Seattle before boarding the train.  The same in Vancouver . The can and does run late ( freight takes priority) . There are usually two trains a day each way. One is in the morning and the second is the evening. There also are numerous Amtrak buses running between Seattle and Vancouver. The only issue is you have to get downtown to board the train.

QuickShuttle  runs between Seatac and Vancouver on a regular schedule. Here is the link

https://www.quickcoach.com/index.htm

Bolt Bus also runs from Downtown Seattle to Pacific Station in Vancouver. Current Bolt runs are handled by Greyhound

https://www.boltbus.com/

and

https://www.greyhound.com/en/discover-greyhound/boltbus

On 7/8/2021 at 6:59 AM, Steelers36 said:

HI all.  I did some searching and couldn't find a post or two I seem to recall reading on this topic. 

 

As we know, the Princess PLUS package is baked into the cruise fare at $40/pp/day up-charge from the Saver fare. 

 

Scenario:  A customer has a booking under Saver Fare with deposit down, but time-frame is prior to FP Date.  Suppose they wish to "add-on" or "upgrade" to the PLUS Fare.

 

Is it necessary to re-fare at current market rates and benefits available (such as any OBC, dining voucher, etc)?  Or are we able to simply ask for the PLUS to be added to existing booking for a $40/pp/day up-charge?

 

I am asking because my logical mind tells me I would have to re-fare at today's rates, but I seem to recall reading that some had posted being able to change and add it on for $40.  Now, perhaps those were instances where the fares had not changed.  In our case, the fares have gone up (as many widely report on here who booked several months ago).  The fares are up such that it would be foolish financially to re-fare to get the PLUS. 

 

Thanks for any insight.  (I did pitch the question to our TA who responded that we need to re-fare, so will not be surprised if that is the final answer).

 

You have to refare at the current. The catch is that there isnt any of the Princess Plus package left. I tried that on one cruise . My PVP that there was anymore room in the Princess Plus package. I think they a maximum number of the Plus package.

4 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

I thought I was an early riser.....up NLT 0530 daily. I'm retired, but still have things I want to get done. Lately it's been fooling around on CC! 😎

My work day (before retiring) started at 7:00AM . Had about an hour commute to pick up my work truck and then up 60 minutes to be on the work site by 7AM. Just break my schedule since retirement.

Caffeine isn’t an issue. A good cup of Coffee or Latte will put me to sleep like a baby. I’m also usually up at 4AM each day.

On 7/18/2021 at 6:14 PM, rdsqrl said:

It's $40 per person per day.  Of that $40, $14.50 is the crew incentive, so that leaves $25.50.  Figuring a cocktail or glass of wine at about $11 and a mocha or latte at about $4, are you planning to have more than two drinks/one coffee per day?  Or a bottle of water (small) is about $2, same for soda.  How many of those would you drink per day?  And then, if it weren't in the package, would you buy an internet plan -- gotta add that in.  In short, I think for most people, the plan works out to save them money.  But there are also those who never go online and who don't drink anything other than the free plain coffee, tea, iced tea, and tap water, in which case, it doesn't make sense. 

I can easily have five lattes , two cups of fancy tea, a beer at lunch and a glass of wine at supper. 

I ended buying a mini CPAP for traveling. My main one is too big and bulky to carry around the airport and onto the ship. The mini had humidifier attachment that uses the moisture in your breath to humidify the incoming air. 

Just heard the Alaska 2023 will open on Aug 5th.

Hopefully in late August or mid September.

I would also like to know from anyone in New Zealand about the opening of their borders.

Lucky I don’t have to make a final decision until mid October. I suspect your right about not being able to do plan a.  Unless your government decides that people who are fully vaccinated can enter the country. That’s the way the UK and EU are going .

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

Our government has said that our international borders won't open until mid 2022 - at least. Even if cruises to NZ are permitted in the first half of the year, it is unlikely that international visitors will be allowed to join the cruises. In addition, if your Sapphire cruise is a trans-Pacific, the ship might be permitted to come to Australia, but it is likely that it would be without passengers. We will have to wait and see.

Thanks that’s what I’ve been hearing over here in Canada . Might have go with my Plan B or C cruise.

Sapphire Princess Mar 30 to Sydney

Apr 2 Sydney to Auckland 

Apr 8 Auckland to Vancouver BC Canada  via Tahiti , Hawaii , San Francisco

For a total of 34 days . One flight to Melbourne( already purchased - fully refundable).Hotel and transfers bought thru Princess.

I'm not from Australia or New Zealand. I wondering when is going to start in Australia . We have a cruise booked for Melbourne to Vancouver in 2022.

What are chances that this cruise go ahead ? This is the last time that we could probably get to Australia due to age and health issues.

All the Panama Canal cruises on the Coral and Island for 2021,2022 and 2023 shown Transit of the Historic Locks. 

7 minutes ago, rabin1 said:

But not your name as I said like I always say

Kathy

2 hours ago, rabin1 said:

Okay as always anyone that thinks they know everything is. I bow to your intelligence and not what it says on Princess website. It always amazes that those that know the most never ever sign their posts................

Kathy

The cruises I am looking for on the Coral and Island for 2023 both show the old locks.