Cruise Raider

12 hours ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Let's be real here.  Unless you're a 20 something heavy beer drinker, not many people can drink 15 alcoholic drinks per day.  And I'll take Princess's basic drink package that tops out at 15.00 and 15 drinks over Celebrity's drink package at 10.00 and unlimited drinks.  On Celebrity you need to consume more because the package doesn't include any good liquors let alone a craft cocktail. And if you want to upgrade to the Deluxe premium package it's 48.00 per day to do it based on 20 pp plus 20% gratuity.

The imposed limit probably has more to do with discouraging sharing of the beverage package vs cutting one off after 15 drinks. 

I can’t even count the number of times others have said, “No way will I drink 15 drinks, so I’m just going to share them with my cabin mate!”  
Just look at the prices of buying components of the package separately, if two people are staying in one cabin.  You come out even or ahead by both buying the plus or premier fare package vs buying the stand alone beverage package for one.  

 

1 hour ago, doghog said:

Just curious since you did a SBS, what Celebrity ship and what Princess ship.

We were on the Solstice followed by the Discovery.  I know, one is older and one new but it was more than that.  We were just a little bored on Celebrity with no daytime activities to keep us occupied.  I must say, I think we really missed the Medallion and the app on Celebrity and the ability to get a snack in the middle of the day without going to the buffet or being in our cabin and paying a room service charge.  
Also, I think that Princess handled the embarkation and immigration processes better.  But, I am well aware that those things can be handled differently week by week depending on circumstances.  
 

I see most of your questions have been answered except for the one that you asked about retransferring it.  That is not allowed unless your travel agent you’ve transferred it to releases the booking.  More trouble than it’s worth.  
My advice is to transfer it only once you’ve decided upon a travel agent and to one that doesn’t charge a cancellation fee.  If you really want to use a different TA after that and it is before final payment, you can cancel and rebook with the agent of your choice.  More so than that, it is just proper to leave it with the agent you’ve chosen. 

1 minute ago, Kineticoh20 said:

Just curious, if your on a BTB does Princess charge the service fee on each leg or only once? Not that important but curious. We are doing our first BTB in 30 days, the stock perks staff said I should expect the full $250 for a 14 day but I only got $100 per leg.

If it’s booked as two legs, it will be like two separate cruises in terms of stockholders OBC and onboard charges.  
 

On 4/26/2024 at 7:00 PM, karatemom2 said:

I’m really looking forward to having the option. Often there is a lot going on after dinner and the chance to be able to catch the show early is not only convenient, but helps spread out the crowding among three shows. It’s no different then theatre offering a matinee. 

I would love a 4 PM show!  That fits right into my schedule. 

We did a side by side cruise last year on Celebrity and then crossed over to a different terminal in the same port to board a Princess ship.  
Our comparisons of the two were stark for us! 
There were some definite advantages to Celebrity but our go to line is now Princess.  
 

The atmosphere being bright and light goes to Princess.  
The food options and alternate dining and snack venues also go to Princess. 
The comfy beds, definitely go to Princess. 

The open closet design goes to Princess. 
The lower cost pricing goes to Princess.  
The WiFi goes to Princess by a mile. 
Constant activities and events goes to Princess.  

Food is subjective but I have to go with Princess for us.  

The stemware / glass wear goes to Celebrity.  
The captains circle happy hour goes to Celebrity.  

Entertainment venues goes to Celebrity. 
The larger staterooms with a seating area goes to Celebrity.

The stateroom bathrooms go to Celebrity. 
The non-smoking in the casino is a huge Celebrity win!  

Our bottom line is that we choose Princess almost exclusively now.  We would love for them to cut all indoor smoking areas .. that’s still a big sticking point for us.  But all in all, they have overtaken Celebrity as our favorite cruiseline.  
We love the inclusions on the Plus package on the Crown/Grand class ships and the Premier package on the Royal class ships.  
 

2 hours ago, telecheck said:

I typically opt for obstructed ocean view or inside cabins on deck 8, which are just one deck above the promenade deck. I find incredible value in these cabins due to their easy access to the promenade, main dining room, piazza, etc.

Those are generally my favorite cabins, as well .. that is when a balcony doesn’t fit into my travel budget.

9 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I’m hoping this will be the case on the Ruby when I start sailing her out of SF this Nov. (& then January,  & June). But I’ll still pack mine for my room.  

My fingers are crossed, too. I even see where the app includes so many more wines than they used to have.  

The Sunken Gardens and the museum are both within easy walking distance from the port and both are small but definitely worth a visit.  There is a nominal fee at the museum and no charge for the gardens.  
In the opposite direction (from Cow Bay), there is a trail along the waterfront that will provide excellent scenery along your hike.  
If you stay onboard the ship while in port, you can go to the starboard side to see the crabbing operations if a ship is in town.  So fascinating!  
Love this port .. such lovely people!  There is a Safeway and Walmart not far from the museum if you want to pick up some treats for the crew.

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

Kendall Jackson Chardonnay $12

Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $40

 

Yeah, more expensive doesn't always mean preferred by individual palates. I prefer Whiskers Blake Tawny Port to Taylor's. (1st choice still Sandemans 20 yr)

Exactly!  
they could get a Bogle Chardonnay for $8 a bottle and I’d be happy.   Flowers just doesn’t have any character.  

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

Does anyone know if PCL has actually reduced the size of WBTG in ounces?  Should be (ideally) 4 glasses per bottle for approx 6oz glass.  I imagine Princess was doing 5x 5oz pours (150ml).  Doing 4oz pours is terrible - never seen any restaurant be that chintzy.

Princess expects 5 glasses of wine from each 750 ml bottle.  But, with the premier package we currently have, they do seem to be generous with their pours.  I would say they are at least 6 oz.  
 

56 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I sailed Sapphire for 34 days this past December (and into January). Agree completely about the Plus wines. There is one blend called Aqui that is drinkable. If I remember correctly it’s on the room service menu.  It should be available at one of the bars. You can order 4 glasses of it at one time on room service. 
 

And it was so very annoying that you could not get a decent glass without a rolled lip on it without begging. I really really really hate that about Princess.  I always pack my own glasses because of it but that is getting so old. 

We’ve been so very pleased on the Crown Princess with the availability of getting proper stemware for our wine.  Nobody even bats an eye when we ask for a decent glass.  Looks like someone in the purchasing department knows what a difference this makes.  They even bought some awesome little espresso cups and the coffee has been outstanding.   
Love this change so much!  
 

8 hours ago, edspec said:

@Hillmom I’d class myself the same as you…non-snooty red wine drinker and I agree, the wines on the Plus Package on Sky last summer weren’t good. I don’t know why they can’t have something drinkable…a Decoy, Apothic Red, Kendall Jackson..all are inexpensive and much better than what’s offered. I should be able to have a decent glass of wine without paying extra.

Who steals a wine glass? What is the matter with people?

On the Crown right now, we’ve found Kendall Jackson Chardonnay at Vines and it’s included in the Plus package. Sure wish all the bars carried that over the Flowers Chardonnay.  We are in port so much on this sailing that Vines does not open until late in the afternoon.  
We have had no trouble getting our wine poured into a proper glass on this cruise, even to go.  This hasn’t always been the case so, it’s so nice to see our comments in the post cruise survey have been recognized.  We ALWAYS return these glasses to the bar we got them.  

The white wines under the plus package are … well, I will say, not so great!  Cheap red is so much better than cheap white.  But great reds are so much better than cheap reds.  

2 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

Maybe we should 🤫 about it ☺️

 

💯 

2 hours ago, Astro Flyer said:

E433 - BW - No couch but a good balcony. The chairs recline & have a taller backrest unlike the photos I’ve seen on Sun Princess.

 That’s our favorite cabin on the Royal class ships!  
I book it every time it is available.  

I absolutely love the Royal class ships but cruised on the Emerald Princess last year.  I had such a great time on the Emerald and thought she was in great shape.  
I especially love what they had done up on the buffet area.  It looks so much more modern and clean.  I wouldn’t hesitate to cruise on the Emerald again!  

We were on B737 on the Majestic, a sister to the Discovery, and it was half covered.  
it was a wonderful balcony!  

That Princess rep was not correct.  You are both fine with long pants and a nice shirt or blouse.  Believe me, you won’t feel in the least bit out of place.  
PS .. with a button down short, the tie is optional.  No jacket required.  

 

3 minutes ago, sunsetme said:

no annual charge and I am too old to care about my credit score

I would say, what’s the harm?  Go for it!  You will get the OBC at least once! 

On 4/22/2024 at 9:52 AM, gvre said:

No soot and yes the those suiotes on the side are horrible. Friends on this cruise had one and hated the noise.

I always figured that putting the expensive suites right under the pool deck was the biggest mistake Princess ever made. Not sure what they were thinking! 

37 minutes ago, sunsetme said:

What's the catch? 

Earn 20,000 bonus points Spend $500 in qualifying purchases within the first 90 days and you’ll earn 20,000 points: enough to redeem for a $200 onboard credit.2

No real catch but you need to spend x amount on the Princess CC to receive your OBC.  If you keep the credit card, there may be an annual charge or if you take out credit and cancel repeatedly, it doesn’t always look great on your credit score.  
 

4 hours ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

Ok.  Just got a call to come fill out w9.  They then gave me a letter confirming the prize and methods to submit either onboard or via email.  All handled by casino.  Apparently you have to claim the prize while in international waters per the terms and conditions of the prizes program.  Very complex!!

Congrats on the win!  So interesting about having the claim the prize in international  waters but that makes sense now that you mention it.  
 

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Why can’t she smoke cigarettes ?  I have never seen anyone carded for smoking. She cant buy alcohol but if you have some in your cabin it would be up to you if she drinks it or not

I don’t know if they check but my DH just saw a sign onboard that the age for smoking cigarettes while in Alaska is 22 years of age or greater.  

I think the only activities she won’t be able to do is drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes .. not that I’m suggesting she do either.  I believe she will be able to gamble if she wishes to do so.