pris993

we sent messages via email. worked out well.

Only when required.

I am looking forward to when pretests are dropped. Just another headache I don't need. I don't get tested to go to the market, bank, etc., at home. I live in an apartment building so am sharing space with others every day. No different than a cruise to me. I am vaccinated and boosted and willing to take my chances. Cruised in January, going again this December. Hope no test by December.

Same with us, we probably stopped sharing a table back in the 1980s. Even if on a ship with open seating we requested a table for 2 and got it. We stopped going to the MDR entirely about 10 years ago, when ships and MDR seemed to get larger and the MDR seemed crowded and noise levels unpleasant. We are seniors, eat early, either at the buffet and enjoy the view/sunset at a table for 2 or go to specialty dining on board. There are lots of options on ships, everyone can do what they enjoy today.

I guess it is time to read the passenger contract. LOL

Yes, I wish they would bring it back, we did it a few times with different people. We got our son and grandson interested in cruising by first inviting them on board for lunch.

Thanks will have to look for these my DH is from Paris, I am sure he will like the chocolate croissants!!

We used to always get a table for 2. Gave up and decided to skip MDR back when Ruby was new. Now do buffet or Crown Grill only. Love the table for 2 with a sunset in the buffet and the Crown Grill where we usually get a booth. Besides this, would guess asking for a 4 top for 2 and plan to do late dining, usually lots of tables.

Another learning issue, thanks, very true. I believe Visa is the best but I may be wrong, I have Visa and Mastercard.

My call to my credit card company was on the same day, I live 30 minutes away from the port. I learned my lesson always carry multiple cards just in case. Someone made a mistake either Princess or the credit card company, who knows. My credit was good on all cards. Things happen.

Once when getting off a ship in SF, Customer Service refused to let us of at gangway saying our credit card charge was denied. It was on my card, had to get my husband's card. Went home called my credit card company, because I knew there was no reason for the charge to be denied. Credit Card company said they never denied the charge. Suspect Princess made a mistake clearing charges. From that point on I have made it a point to carry more than one credit card just in case. Mistakes are made, cards sometimes don't work, even happens when shopping for groceries.

I was in a group of 7. One person tested positive after getting off a 10-day cruise. 3 of us traveled together after leaving the ship, so we were all together for about 1/2 - 1 hour. Person who tested positive had minor nasal symptoms that morning. None of us got Covid other than the 1 person. We were not wearing masks at the time either. So luck of the drawn.

Yes, but counting can lead to disappoint at the very least. It is always better to be pleasantly surprised vs disapppointed.

Could be but can't imagine ER would not provide directions, they are dealing with emergencies 24 hours a day and related family members. I say this having worked for a doctor on call for ER emergencies for 20 years. Providing medical services near San Francisco International airport, ER and the doctors also deal with international passengers and emergencies. Very common, can't image a lot different in Italy. ER folks see it all.

Yes, I mentioned them in an earlier post, used wrong term, port authority but Port Agent is what I meant. Thanks for clarifying, excellent resource, local, there after the ship leaves, would know about resources available to help for sure.

Thanks for sharing. You validate my point, be prepared to manage yourself!! This is not unique to Princess. Cruise ships are in port for a day. We fool ourselves if we think someone is going to hold our hand through an emergency. Travel prepared and you will not be disappointed.

Since you are new to Princess, I would not expect Princess to stock your refrigerator. They may leave some water bottle or soda. You can ask Room Service to remove when you board., if they do.

Thanks for your thoughts too. I recently had a medical emergency in my family. Family was transmitted to local ER. He went by ambulance, I followed separately. When I arrived at ER, my Covid status was checked and I was allowed in the waiting room. I would expect something similar in Italy. She may not have been able to visit her Aunt but I would guess staff at the hospital could have but her touch with social services for assistance. The least of my concern would be luggage. I would have let Princess find the luggage and leave it with the port authority if necessary and collected later. The Op was under stress she may not have of thought of that option someone at Princess could have made that suggestion. I have found medical expenses need to be settled before leaving the ship. Since the niece is related, I believe it is reasonable for Princess to expect her to cover those expenses before she left the ship, since Aunt was not able to do so. If the Niece was not able to do so, then cruise line would have to come up with another option. From her story it seems a lot of time was wasted on dealing with lost luggage and the billing issue, which I would guess added to her stress. I have gone in and out of the port of Rome and know connecting with private transportation there is challenging too which is part of her story. She mentioned a transport by name which I believe is a private car service. It would seem someone from Princess could have done a better job helping her find that transport which they ordered. By the way, generally hospitals will not release a patient until a bill is settled, or they are confident that insurance will cover the account. Her story does not address how that was handled or resolved. While OP says she was new to Princess, her cruise critic membership seems to be well established, so I would expect her to understand better how cruise lines operate. I am sure if she did not know much about this before she has learned a lot from this experience. Tough lesson to learn. Since I am traveling with a 90 year old I have thought. " what if something happens" and what do I need to have to respond. I don't know how old the OP is, probably not old enough to think about such things in advance. I guess it is not surprising folks make assumptions things will be taken care of for them in emergencies. I had a friend who was visiting family in France. This friend ended up in the hospital needing surgery for a kidney stone. He complained that the hospital sent a bill later to his home in Israel, he did not expect to get charged. Because he was visiting a niece in France, he assumed he would not be charged. I thought, he was lucky they released him without payment. That probably only happened because he furnished a local family member's address in Paris. I have worked in a doctor's office and would not make such assumptions. I have insurance if either my significant other or I died while traveling, our remains may be transported back home by simply making a telephone call, from anywhere in the world and costs are covered. We hope this never happens but at 75 and 90 one never knows. Better be prepared just in case, the insurance I have only costs a onetime fee of $500 pp. Hopefully Princess take a look at this situation and considers what they might do differently too. Would I want to count on that? No, especially now in this post Covid time where all cruise lines are struggling to survive.

This obviously was a very complex and challenging situations for all involved. I am sorry OP went through this stressful situation and do hope Aunt recovers. Hopefully this whole situation gets resolved in a reasonable way in the end. I travel with my significant other who is 90, I am 75. We get emergency medical insurance and I carry a credit card with a high limit just in case something happens. I also travel with more than one credit card, just in case. Since we are not married, I also travel with a POA for health for both of us and each other. With covid, visiting family at hospitals is impossible at times. As bad as this situation is, it points out when we are traveling, we need to be prepared to handle situations ourselves and not rely on the cruise line. I think it is reasonable to expect the cruise line to respond to the immediate medical emergency and transport the Aunt to a local hospital, plus arrange for transportation locally for the niece. If it was my Aunt I would have paid the medical bill on the ship asap, so that I would get off the ship and pay attention to what was happening with my Aunt at the hospital as best I could. Realize the OP is from the UK, so possibly flying back to UK was a good idea. If I needed some assistance, I might contact "social services" at the hospital and/or the US Embassy in Rome. Traveling overseas today is very complicated and that does not help in a medical emergency. Most travel insurance also has phone contacts for assistance as well. I would have made good use of that contact information. I don't feel Princess let the OP down. I am glad she shared her story because it is a good wake up call for us travelers. As I say in the end I hope things get resolves in a way that is helpful. Good luck to the OP and her Aunt.

Going on Royal Princess. My DH has dementia, so we will be eating in the buffet for lunch and dinner. We do breakfast in cabin. Wondering if anyone who eats at buffet has any favorite items we might look for when on board. We are going over Christmas and New Year's, so will be on 14 days.

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Understand your concerns. I have no plans to fly anywhere anytime soon. Aviation is a mess right now. Direct flights are the way to go if you can do it.

Haven't taken a 30 day cruise but have traveled internationally for 30 days, yes we over pack.

Never paid $20 extra bring back bottles from a port that I drank in my cabin and the quality of wine was far better than what I might buy in the MDR.

We simply over pack, so we don't run out and need to use the laundry, cleaning or wash anything out. Works out well when going from our homeport of San Francisco. LOL