chefchick

Can someone please verify if they are actually using plastic glasses for martinis at an inside bar? A pre dinner martini is one of my favorite cruise rituals and I would be PUT OUT if someone hands me one in a plastic glass, especially after purchasing the premium beverage package. Please don’t make me go full on Karen and insist they find me a beverage manager!!!

Cantgetin- thank you so much for the updates (and the great news regarding the extension of DBE). I will be sailing on the October TA and the extra food specials will be very welcome when sailing for that many nights. Can you give us any insight into “additional” entertainment, daily activities or parties that might be happening? Thanks in advance 🥂

Regarding the status match….they claim they will match (or better) the other line’s perks, but if they get rid of the deep blue extras, I don’t see that happening.

Aztec bitters! I hope to share a drink with you someday…I think a rum old fashion with said bitters would be delicious!

Would love clarification on this as well….as someone in an inside cabin for the October TA, I was hoping to find outdoor areas such the dock (my happy place) as a substitute. Hope you are having a wonderful time. 🥂

Would love to hear about entertainment options (and daytime activities)? I’ll be on board for the October TA and traveling solo so I am hoping to keep active. Thank you ahead of time for posting.

Another foodie chiming in here….further evidence that everyone’s pallet is different, the best meal we had on our Scarlet Lady cruise was at Pink Agave. We let our server choose for us and she even did a tequila/mezcal pairing with each course. We also really enjoyed the test kitchen where our server brought us pretty much everything on the menu (we ordered off the regular menu but he also served the vegetarian items so we could try them out). What I’m getting at is the crew seems pretty proud (and rightfully so) of the food onboard, so go with an open mind and an empty stomach to your evening meals. And I absolutely agree with Walter’s suggestion that your first meal on embarkation should be at the Dock House….lovely tapas and cocktails (frankly we ate there most days for lunch we loved it so much)

What about scoring reservations to dining events like the winemaker’s dinner or the Super Tuscan dinner? Is there a place on embarkation day to try and reserve those? Are reservations ever available on the app to book pre cruise?

It has been many years since I have sailed on a Princess ship, but have an upcoming cruise to Alaska on the Royal. For those of you who say you prefer the nightly entertainment on Princess, can you elaborate? Live music? Theater shows? Comedians? Piano bar? All of the above? I have sailed to Alaska MANY times and on many different lines so day and nightly entertainment, food, cocktails and service is important to me…I also like to try new (to me) ships. Is there something (particularly in regards to entertainment) you think Princess does better than most or that I shouldn’t miss?

I’ve been around here for a while….out of the one million threads regarding this topic, the answer should always be the same….check with your line’s website regarding dress codes. The real question these people are asking is “can I get away with not complying”? The answer to this should be…it’s possible, but if you aren’t interested in following their suggestions then take your chances or better yet find a cruise line that better fits your needs. Done….you’re welcome. 😎

Of course I’ve heard at expression…but have you never met someone who liked you just for you, not what they could gain from you?….I’m going to assume you are a nice person and you could…sure, maybe that wasn’t in a “service” position, but that doesn’t mean that some people GIVE without necessarily expecting anything in return.

Do you really care what random people on a cruise site think? If the money was given In appreciation and it made you feel good isn’t that all that matters? I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that not one person here would turn down $100 no strings attached and I assume the crew member appreciated it. If kindness is a reason for belittling others then that says a lot more about those who are angry, wouldn’t you say?

Maybe it’s because I’ve worked in the service industry, but am I the only one who tips extra not because I expect preferential treatment, but because the bar crew works their butts off and helps to make my vacation better? I don’t tip every time and it may only be an extra buck or two, but when someone delivers my drink to me in a crowded venue or puts up with my overly complicated martini preferences I just feel like it’s the right thing to do….again, I’m not judging others and I know gratuities are already included in my package, I just consider it part of my overall vacation budget.

Just to add here….this IS a great itinerary and Quebec City should not be missed (if at all possible). I too had originally thought I should disembark at zero dark thirty to make my flight home but decided against it and instead spent the night in QC, giving me a whole extra day to disembark slowly and enjoy the Canadian hospitality before easily taking a flight home the next morning. Just a thought.

The dock for tapas is my go to for embarkation day lunch (and frankly almost any day) 😜. And don’t sleep on the pizza place….I’m not even a pizza person but that white pie was definitely pretty fly.

In the past four months I have sailed Virgin and the NCL Prima. Prima was a lovely ship and I am platinum on NCL. Scarlet Lady was my first time sailing with VV. I just booked the October TA on the Valiant Lady so that might tell you how much I loved sailing Virgin. But without knowing you and your likes/dislikes regarding cruise lines, I’m not sure I would suggest your first time cruising with any new (to you) line being a long (14 nights) repositioning cruise.

You always seem to have the exact information I’m looking for 😁. I am in the process of booking the October TA and will be traveling solo. I have been to Barcelona many times so I was thinking of just staying by the airport the night before embarkation after my long flight…do you mind if I ask what hotel(s) you have stayed in with a free airport shuttle? I also assume it would be pretty straightforward getting an UBER or cab from an airport hotel to the port?

So, if I book before EOM for a TA in October I would qualify for the $600 bar tab or does it only apply to cruises completed before 3/31?

Thank you for posting the menus, patters, etc. I am a bourbon drinker. If you happen to be at a bar can you glance at what MIGHT be available? The last 3-4 cruises I have been on since the re-start have had a very limited supply of bourbon but none of those cruises have been on Princess….I will have the premier/premium package if that matters. Again, thank you.

I have the premium package on my June Royal cruise to Alaska. Those desserts above are not the least bit appealing, BUT a regular scoop of gelato would be fantastic….since gelato is normally an additional cost (correct)? would that be considered a “premium” dessert and therefore included in the package or just these ridiculous concoctions that most people over the age of 12 would be embarrassed to eat in public 😜

Thank you for the replies so far….no entertainment is available to book online (and I have been checking back frequently for all of these requests, so…). Hopefully I will be able to check some of this info online at the port before embarkation but we all know how that goes sometime 🙄 I realize that booking protocols can change from one sailing to the next (but thanks for the tip regarding Syd’s). any additional tips are appreciated. Wish me luck.

I will be boarding the Prima Jan 29 and am finally platinum. Does Port Canaveral even have a platinum check in line? (Also, 21 day check in begins tomorrow so I am hoping for an early spot). My problem is this…I want to get entertainment reservations (which can only be booked onboard), would love to get a vibe pass (which seems sold out online but I was told to check at guest services once I boarded) and the only dining reservations I was able to get were for around 9:00 at each of the restaurants I want to eat at so I would like to see if once onboard I can change my reservation times around. Assuming I embark at a decent time, How do I prioritize this? I know in the past, the box office or headliners was where show reservations and sometimes restaurant reservations could be made/changed but often they weren’t open till after 1:00. Should I attempt this via a kiosk? Can you make dining reservations for a new time before canceling the old ones via the kiosks? Would you go to guest services and try for vibe passes first or am I pretty much SOL for that anyway? I am usually so ahead of the game, but this was a bit of a last minute reservation for me. If any of you have experience with this (and bonus points if you have knowledge of Prima) I would really appreciate your input.

I’ll be boarding end of the month….would love to see copies of the dailies if available? Thanks.

Could you let us in on the bourbon in question? My last two NCL cruises (in Aug 22 & Oct 22) bourbon of any kind seemed to be mysteriously unavailable or at least in short supply. And frankly I was shocked to find that even Bullet (which would never be my first choice) was now over the $15 limit. I have come to realize that I sail NCL for the entertainment, not the cocktails.

Currently on the Seascape in YC. (We disembark tomorrow in Miami). I haven’t watched the video, so I’m not sure what particular problems you might have experienced other than the Nespresso machine? (Ours has worked perfectly) but I will agree the elevators are frustrating to use. Since this week was a Christmas cruise it was at capacity and with more children and multi generational families than perhaps is ideal for the relaxing cruise I was imagining, but the crew have been working very hard to make it lovely. Yes, the pool deck was over run at times, and unfortunately many families tend to treat the ship as their personal yacht and allow children to be unruly and adults treating the crew badly can make the overall experience not excellent, but I’m not sure what you could have experienced to make a statement like no one on board cares about your cruise? Since many come here to garner Information for upcoming trips, could you be more specific? And if I can, I will answer anyone’s questions in regards to the YC from my perspective (we have experienced very little outside the YC enclave as we were looking for a relaxing vacation, but I will do my best.