guardhouse

I continue to see new advertisements for Princess and HAL for new cruise dates this fall (before November).  Why do they do this when the United States will not allow ships to depart, stop or visit U.S. ports???

On 3/16/2021 at 1:32 PM, Two Wheels Only said:

 

I'm guessing that you're looking at Divina.

 

It would help if we had an idea as to which experience level and stateroom type that you are interested in booking. 

We normally just book an inside cabin as we spend LOTS of time exploring the ship, sitting in the sun and on shore.  We do try and book an ADA cabin as my wife has progressive MS and uses a electric scooter.

I am Platinum on Princess, my wife is Gold.  She might have one more cruise to get to Platinum.

Things we look for; clean, well-kept ships, decent food, drink packages in the Caribbean (I drink beer and whiskeys, and I am fine with Heineken on draft), decent food but we don't expect 5-star dining with cruises prices as they are.  We do enjoy traditional dining and we always request a large table as we love meeting other people.

Thanks for all of the insights!

Thanks for the insight.  The more I look into this, MSC seems to be "complicated".  YC, Bella, Seaside, etc.  I need to read more!

We are looking for a quick, warm vacation and have seen some good prices on MSC out of Port Canaveral.  We have only been on Princess and Holland in the past.

Any details from folks to compare MSC to Princess or HAL?  Thank you!

We have had good service from our Princess Planner.  My wife uses a wheelchair or scooter, so we are always looking for an ADA room.  Cannot tell you how many times they have been helpful getting the right room with some extra effort on her part.  On our last trip to Alaska, she even found an inside ADA that was the size of a mini-suite and came with the amenities of a mini-suite, but priced as a normal interior.  Plus, one of my sisters was able to cruise with us and use the fold out couch and was only charged $99 for the trip.

yes, we will use the planners.

Tried to find a FAQ area.

How much is the discount on cruises if you own CCL stock?  Is there a minimum number of shares that you must own?

Understood, Mary229.  Not looking for emails from a travel agent, this would be a program through the cruiseline itself.  Princess does it well, but I am not sure any of the other CCL lines do it.  I spoke directly with HAL and they confirmed that they do not have such a program.

For the Princess standby program, just go to their website to sign up for emails.

Does anyone know why HAL does not have a standby program similar to Princess?  Deeply discounted rates for those who can fill unsold cabins in the last few weeks before a sailing.  Those incentives have us staying with Princess just due to the lower fares.  Do folks on HAL just not experience much last minute cancellation issues?

I have often wondered why Princess schedules the stop at Princess Cay on the outbound portion (first day out) of their cruises 95% of the time, rather than on the last day or second to the last day of a cruise.  Having been on that island and Half Moon Cay on Holland, it was much nicer for us to get the relaxing final day on the beach.  I guess the same can be said for "easing into" a cruise and having it early.  Thoughts from others?

1988(?).  The old Rotterdam (now the floating hotel in Rotterdam).  Pacific Coast cruise from Vancouver BC to Portland, Or.  Yep, hooked!

Yep, I knew that post would cause a stir. No worries here, call it what you will, while others debate on whether to keep their auto-grats on or not, or IF they will get good service, we have been on a few cruises and have yet to ever be disappointed. Did the extra $$ upfront influence that? I hope so! The result? Many happy cruises with great memories, great service and no regrets!

With Princess on our last 2 cruises with a wheel chair, their staff have been phenominal! Not just getting my wife taken care of, but they come and get her in a hurry and carry her, in the chair, up and down the ships ramps. Princess is AWESOME in this regard (and many other ways, too!).

My wife uses a wheelchair and we have also never been asked on any of our cruises for documentation of any kind of her condition or the need for the wheelchair. Personally, I think some form of international law should cover ADA issues.

I am likely to get flamed here, but here goes.............

I tip extra the first day off the cruise to our cabin steward, our Waiter and our assistant waiter. Usually $50 each.

Here's why. I believe in the definition of TIPS. To. Insure. Prompt. Service.

We are on vacation and I want my wife to mainly hear "yes" instead of anything else. When we first board and are taken to our cabin I shake the cabin stewards hand, hand him the $50 bill and introduce him to my wife by saying "She is looking forward to a wonderful vacation." Nothing else.

Same with the waiter in TD.

For the assistant waiter, I do the same after dinner as I know he is the one who will be lugging my 3-4 entrees a night up the stairs from the kitchens. I know, and then he knows, he will be working for it.

Similarly with whoever becomes my fav. bartender. If it is at the pool or on the fantail, or sometimes also outside the dining room, I tip an extra $20 the first day and I NEVER wait for a drink when I approach or am at that bar, ever.

Not bribes, TIPS. Has always worked for me.

We are looking at doing two 1-day short cruises. Westerdam from Seattle to Vancouver (arrive 7 AM) and then boarding Statendam (4:45 departure) to return to Seattle.

Has anyone done this in the last year? Did it work ok in Vancouver?

Do you recall how early you can board the ship in either port?

Thanks for the help.

Alot of times you can get your passport stamped in a post office if you like the different stamps

Yep.

Gosh.....the things I want to put on here but won't. The things I want to say to the rude epople, but refrain from it!

My wife is an extremely young looking 45-year old Italian who is GORGEOUS. She also has progressive MS and can walk only very short distances with a cane and experiences seizures on a more re-occurring basis. If she is in the warm waters swimming, however, you would never know anything is wrong. Bouyancy is a wonderful thing.

Last year on the Dawn Princess, she resisted using her wheelchair until about 1/2 way through the cruise when she became so fatigued that it was the only option for any comfort. It is AMAZING how many people might comment "Oh, you are too pretty to be in a wheelchair", or people would pat her on the head, or "pet" her head! Give me a break!

Our solutions are many. For people who are rude and crowd or get on elevators, etc first....I have a look (stare) that could cause them to both apologize and at the same moment drop dead in their tracks. For people who ask what her disability is, I just reply that she is not disabled. Unhappy people in this world are disabled, "WE" are just mobilty challenged at times. For people (women especially) who just stare at her in her chair or with her cane, and I mean STARE, I just say "Keep staring. In a moment she will do a trick". Man, does that one do it.

Ok, venting here. My wife was a business professional for 24 years. She shopped at Nordstrom, had stylish clothes, etc. The sales gals knew her by name. Once we had to start with the wheelcahir, it was like she did not even exist in the stroe anymore. No one came forward to help her, let alone even greet her. Guess where we no longer shop. The first time she had to use her cane in that store, shopping with one of our daughters for her impending wedding, women stared at her, then turned to watch her pass and continued to stare. My wife burst into tears and left the store.

The world is a cruel place for people who are not "fit & trim". Well, those people can just get whatever they get in the end. Meantime, I will just keep cracking jokes in my wife's ears so her mind doesn't keep straying to the stares of people around us, or I will ring the purcple bell on her purple wheelchair to get lolly-gaggers out of our way.......or I will continue in the extreme cases of leaning to the person and very, very quietly whispering advise to them in their ear that cause them to stop for a moment at least and thank their stars that the roles are not reversed.

I feel better! Happy Thursday!