dcrow72

On 3/24/2024 at 8:40 AM, Cotswold Eagle said:

This is a common misconception, oft reinforced on these boards. 
 

Advance tickets are changeable until time of departure of the booked train, for a £10 fee and change of fare to an available one for the service one now wishes to travel on. 

This is direct from the National Rail service website:  

"If you have an Advance ticket and need to change the day or time that you are travelling, you can amend your ticket right up to the time your journey is due to begin. You may be charged £10 to change each ticket and you will also be charged for any difference in price between your ticket and the new ticket."   

Quite clear you will be paying the current rate plus 10 if you change it!  

On 8/16/2023 at 4:21 PM, deltahog said:

Here's the exact text of an email received today for my 9/24 sailing on Discovery Princess and it has lots of wiggle words:

 

"Enjoy an exclusive pre-cruise discount for the Lotus Spa^®, the best place to begin your cruise. You'll love saving up to 25% on embarkation day treatments and other great deals available online. You can't get this offer on board so book it soon!"

 

Ah, the infamous "UP TO".  So it could be 0.1% off?  And is it only for embarkation day?  

 

So I click the link in the email and it simply takes me to the general page for Lotus Spa, under princess.com.  No listing of what "treatments" are on discount.  No listing of how much the discount is.  No way to compare what the sale is, versus what a regular price is.

 

So how am I supposed to make heads or tails of this?  Any clues or prior experience with this "pre-cruise discount"?

I used this offer and booked treatments for 2 embarkation days.  They were discounted but then they refused to apply my Elite discount too!  Also be aware that the appointments you make online may not be honored when you get there.  They changed the times so all my family who were going together, were separated by hours.  

On 8/14/2023 at 6:44 AM, dickinson said:

Thanks for your insights.  I must say it is extremely hard to believe that NO breakfast  available in buffet or  MDR on turnaround day.  IC and room service can not handle everyone on the ship.  Maybe something was wrong that particular day?

the buffet is wide open on turn around day for breakfast!  not sure when he went but I went 2 Saturdays around 8 AM and it was open with full breakfast

On 5/14/2023 at 3:49 PM, DallasGuy75219 said:

This also includes EZAir, despite the EZAir documents showing showing a later final payment date.

I booked my EZair online at Princess.com and did NOT have to pay for it in advance; payment was due at final payment.   I actually changed it a couple of times as well  No calls to casino line at all.  

Anyone onboard any ships now that can verify new menu took away fettucine alfredo and substituted lasagna?  I hope that isn't true because it's my favorite go to every cruise for decades now.  Person who posted it on another venue is on Emerald I believe.  It was on the Discovery anytime menu in October.  Thanks.  Happy New Year.  

19 hours ago, LawDog61 said:

Yes, we are onboard now too.   Internet has been unusable all day.    It’s working now- maybe cuz it’s formal night and captain party so not many passengers online.   I will not be buying internet on my next cruise.  For me, it’s worthless and frustrating.   Lots of excuses from staff.  Still overall, a great cruise.    

well hopefully if enough people complain over and over again, they will bring back the provider that actually had streaming speeds in February.  Same ship 2 months later and zero internet the whole week. Thank God it was a port intensive cruise so I could touch base with work.  I was more than angry.  To save a few bucks they screwed everyone and went back on their advertised "fastest internet at sea".  Slowest now. 

On 10/12/2022 at 10:28 PM, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I have never had a problem with the internet while in the Mexican Rivera so hopefully it will be fine for you.  

have you sailed since they switched to the cheaper satellite provider in April?  Not much internet anywhere now.  

On 4/4/2022 at 9:22 PM, oldracer said:

I would say the problem is with the passengers, not Princess.

Did you read what they wrote??  They verified no internet.  New provider 1/10th of the price with no service.  There are many issues people are posting all over the place.  If you are just happy to be on a ship as I usually am, then you can just blow it off and forget the issues, but some people have been waiting for 3 years and have had a lot of money tied up; their experience should be what's advertised and what they paid for.

20 hours ago, c-boy said:

you are entering the Twilight Zone 

 

It's called lying.  They are trying to make excuses for their terrible customer service and cost cutting measures!  Have you seen their stock lately?  Not a good scene.  I won't be giving them any money in advance anymore.  I'll look for drop and go's when I'm ready!  

On 3/29/2022 at 8:11 AM, Jadn13 said:

Internet issues must be new, I was on the Sky in December and had 0 issues and even streamed content.

It most likely has to do with ship positioning and satellites, and not overall with the ship itself. 

they changed providers and apparantly all ships are having problems based on posts all over 

On 3/25/2022 at 7:40 PM, beavismom said:

The TA did call and was told that rate was for new bookings only,  

 

My princess vacation planner spent 3 hours to get me the decreased price and add princess plus.  I booked a reduced rate solo cruise in balcony for about $800 but because I wasn't paying the solo supplement, I couldn't get princess plus.  A couple of weeks ago I look at pricing for solo and see minisuite with princess plus for less than $200 extra and I still had FCC sitting there.  She got it done.  There are benefits to using Princess over TA's sometimes.  

On Regal now and was perusing for lower prices for my May Europe cruise when I noticed if I changed it to 3 weeks earlier, it was only 1/3 of the price as a "drop and go" rate for a solo!  Air was cheaper too.  Emailed my PVP and asked her to change it.  Last night I found out from the bartender that Regal will be in dry dock/refurb for the 2 weeks prior to my cruise. Do these dry docks usually go as planned or is there a risk of running behind and my cruise being cancelled?  I've been cancelled 3 times due to covid and have a 3 week vacation planned around the cruise and have already lost a ton of money from all the cancellations.  Appreciate anyone else's experiences.  Thank you!  

On 2/13/2022 at 4:00 AM, Astro Flyer said:

The Princess Safety Information displayed in Cruise Personalizer bookings clearly states: “The use of extension cords with surge protection devices is prohibited in staterooms”.

 

https://book.princess.com/html/personalizer/downloads/pdf/Safety_Information.pdf

and he clearly stated that his was NOT surge protected.  He knew the rules; he's elite!

must have been short lived as I was on Regal a couple of times since then and no sign of Dress to Impress.  It's all about whatever you want without passing judgment.  There are lines still enforcing formal attire from what I hear so everyone has a choice.  

He

4 hours ago, jimmieg said:

Number and statistics, as you know are different (with a tip of the hat to whoever Mark Twain was quoting). Statistics can be made to say whatever you want.  Statical analysis is sadly lacking.

Meanwhile, in California, as reported by the LA Times, healthcare workers who test positive but are asymptomatic are being urged to go back to work.   🤔

 

I have no agenda, have complied with everything asked, but have a lot of questions about what I hear.  I think that's reasonable.

 

Have a nice day.

 

Health care workers around the country are being forced to work with positive tests after 5 days as long as they have no symptoms; not just CA.  We have no choice; the studies in the UK and Israel have shown that it's safe and we are a dying breed.   I can't hire nurses.  I can't find a nurse's aide even paying major premium wages.  We have to work, there are people to take care of and covid is still raging around the world although omicron is beginning it's demise here in the northeast.  Those that were fully vaccinated for the most part made it through with little more than an easy flu/cold.  Unfortunately, those that were unvaccinated aren't having the same luck; our hospitals are full of those conspiracy theorists hogging our ventilators and suffocating the staff into finding other work.  It's a sad state.  I need a cruise.  Badly, but I don't trust that everyone onboard has been properly tested and vaccinated.  

They are the same; ate in both.  Wherever we could get a private table when we wanted it.  Service good in both.  Cielo is the one that is hard to get to!  Only aft elevators reach it.  To be honest we never had a line at either in December. 

It seems the Dress to Impress change is only on Sky; possibly a trial of sorts?   I also saw the idiot in the shorts and sandals with no mask I might add, arguing with the poor staff when they wouldn't let him in the dining room.  He was also seen around the ship proudly walking indoors without a mask.  I hope the crew are throwing idiots like that off the ship now with the rapid spread of omicron!  I could care less what anyone wears to dinner; who am I to judge.  I like dressing up since you don't get to do that anymore in normal life, but it doesn't ruin my night if you come in slacks and a polo shirt!  Have to be pretty stuffy to carry that opinion around.  Times have changed in many ways and this is one of them. 

anyone else have a problem with purchasing on the app prior to sailing?  My app is so glitchy.  Says credit card declined. I've added 2 of them and same thing.  The app took my medallion order with no problem.  I'll just wait til I board I guess and hope for the best then.  

On 1/12/2022 at 4:22 PM, jimmieg said:

More to the point, in my mind, is "the science" has never been clear.  And reporting of numbers has been especially unclear and not trustworthy.

It's hard to have "clear science" with an unknown, brand new entity that continues to morph and change like nothing we have seen before.  Numbers are as close as they can be; this is an enormous undertaking for all medical personnel.  We all report every test and result to CDC and our state Health Depts every single week.  It's a nightmare but one that must be undertaken even if 90% accurate to track the patterns and distribution and morphing of the virus.  

wow; hope they dry dock her before my Greece cruise in May; been booked a long time since it always sells out fast.  

9 hours ago, geocruiser said:

For you the chair is not important.   For me and my bad back it is.

I have a horrible back thank you.  There is a chair at the vanity/desk and one on the balcony.  It just took up space.  Not sure it was a cost saving thing; I bet more people tripped over it or stubbed a toe making it a liability issue.  Book a deluxe and you have a sofa to sit on.  

2 hours ago, pamwigs said:

It's early in the season. The Royal is doing her first trip to Alaska. I have heard excellent reviews.

Sailed 5/18 and she was terrific.  No complaints worth stating here.  I could be picky; couldn't we all, but overall the cruise was just perfect in every way.  

2 hours ago, pamwigs said:

There is nothing cheap about Alaskan and Caribbean cruises unless you take a cruise for 3 or 4 days

The 5/18 Royal Alaska cruise had inside cabins for $199 and balconies for $499.  I call that about as cheap as you can get and Royal was amazing. food and service were better than last time I sailed her years ago!  

4 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Ignorance will be bliss when loyalists move to another line as they won’t miss what has been “cut back” on that line. 

amen to that!  A chair??? Really.  I could care less about a chair.  I love Royal and Regal although I do miss the Promenade walk around, but that's it!  Just off Royal in Alaska and loved it.  Food was amazing. Service great.  Medallion spectacular.  Everyone makes cuts and has to punt to save $$$ and keep the rooms filled.  The old addage "the grass isn't greener" certainly applies here!

On 6/5/2019 at 11:50 PM, patrickmoran said:

Are there any particularly good viewing spots on the decks? With no wrap around promenade deck and no gym in the front, where's the best viewing?

Thanks

anywhere up on 16 or 17 on the open decks.  People hogged the window seas in the buffet for hours.  We just used our balconies; one port and one starboard.