Boiler Cruiser

My wife and I are going on a cruise to Norway next year and will have the opportunity to visit Alta in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights. There are 2 excursions to choose from. The first seems to drive you out to the forest to stay for 3 hours to catch the northern lights. There are no facilities except restrooms. It looks like it would appeal to the photo and nature hobbyist and enthusiast. The second seems more comfortable. There are hot beverages and warm shelter, but seems to afford less time to catch a glimpse of the northern lights (less than an hour). Has anyone had the opportunity to go on these northern lights excursions in Alta, Norway? Do you know those who have? What was your (or their) experience like? What are your thoughts? Which is better and why? Do you recommend one over the other? Why?

My wife and I are going on a cruise to Norway on Princess next year and will have the opportunity to visit Alta in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights. There are 2 excursions listed - "In Search of the Northern Lights" and "Northern Lights Safari At Paeskatun". The first seems to drive you out to the forest to stay for 3 hours to catch the northern lights, and looks like it would appeal to the photo and nature hobbyist and enthusiast. The second seems more comfortable, but seems to afford less time to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. Has anyone had the opportunity to go on either one of these excursions, or know those who have? What was your (or their) experience like? What are your thoughts? Which is better and why? Do you recommend one over the other? Why?

I was recently on the Royal Princess and took notice of the Chef's Table meal going on near me one evening. My wife and I are interested in possibly taking advantage of the opportunity, but I have a few questions. We will be sailing next year on the Emerald Princess and Caribbean Princess for 10 & 14 day itineraries respectively. So here are my questions: 1) Where does the "Chef's Table" take place on the Emerald & Caribbean? 2) Do you eat in a room separate from the dining room? Is it in a screened-off area in one of the dining rooms? 3) What is the current fee for the "Chef's Table"? 4) What beverages are included with the fee? 5) Can you make reservations on the Medallion App? If so, how? 6) Is there a "Chef's Table" dinner more than once on a cruise? 7) Do they give priority to Platinum or Elite members to make reservations? If you have had the opportunity of attending a "Chef's Table", what was you experience like? Thanks.

I would think that, as a Platinum Member, they will not leave me "double billed", and will resolve it on board by at least giving me an on-board credit.

If you are not Platinum or Elite, you can make pre-cruise reservations, but ONLY if you made your final payment in full.

My wife and I (Captain's Club Platinum members) are booked on a 10-day Caribbean cruise on the Emerald Princess in 2024. We both enjoy eating at least once at each of the specialty restaurants when we go on a cruise. With Platinum (and Elite, as well) we are able to make our restaurant reservations before we make final payment. In addition, on this cruise, my wife and I have booked the Premier Package. Expecting that, when I made reservations for us at the Crowne Grill and Sabatini's, my CC would not be charged, I made both reservations on the Medallion App. Even with the payment alert, I was not concerned because on our cruise on the Royal Princess earlier this year (with the Premier Package) we were not charged when we used the Dine-My-Way feature on the Princess App to make our reservations on board the ship. However, for these most recent reservations, my CC was charged ($78 for the Crowne Grill and $70 for Sabatini's). When my TA inquired about these charges with her Princess Rep, she was told that there is a glitch in the Dine-My-Way reservation system that Princess has not been able to fix, and that Princess could not convert this expense to an on-board or cruise credit. My TA was told that my best bet would be to check at the Passenger Service Desk when I get on board. They might be able to make an adjustment on my portfolio. So my plan, at this point, is to go to the Passenger Service desk, get the adjustment and use the resulting credit to buy some bottles of very nice wine for dinner at at 25% discount. Just thought you'd appreciate hearing about my experience. Have any of you run into this as well?

I am at the Platinum Level in the Captain's Circle and would like to make dinner reservations on the Princess App for my upcoming cruise. However, I don't know how to find out which 2 nights on my 10-day cruise are going to be formal nights. Since my wife and I do not participate in formal night, we would like to avoid the Main Dining Rooms on those nights. I understand that formal nights are usually on sea days, but on my cruise there are several. Which ones will be formal nights? Does anyone know how to find out on a given cruise what nights will be formal nights? Thanks.

Here is the video. Look at what it shows 53 seconds in.

I recently saw a video that was supposed to be of the mini suite bathroom on the Emerald Princess. It showed a separate shower and tub arrangement in the bathroom. On previous cruises where I have had a mini suite there was a combined shower/tub configuration. I have had a mini suite on the Crown Princess and there was a combined shower/ tub configuration on that ship. Is the mini suite tub/ shower configuration in the Emerald Princess mini suites different from those of other Grand-class ships? Was the video I saw wrong? (I hope so!) Thanks

What is the best way to refresh the Princess App?

I recently cancelled a booking that I was supposed to go on next year (2024). I replaced it with another booking. My Captain's Club status is Platinum. A day or so later, when I opened the Princess App, I found that the booking that I cancelled was still listed, but the new booking was not on the app. My question is - How long after you cancel one booking and replace it with another one, does the old one not show on the App? When can I expect to see the new one on the Princess App. Thanks.

You will have access to making reservations on the Princess app after you pay in full. However, in my experience (such as on our last cruise), if you wait until near the final payment deadline to pay in full, you will still have plenty of choices for making dinner or specialty dining reservations in the 90 days before your embarkation date.

I don't pay any of my fare until it is due (usually a few days before the deadline). Our next cruises demonstrate a good reason why. My DW and I have 2 cruises coming up in 2024. I just found out that the current fare on the Princess website is lower than what the fare was when I originally booked. I contacted my TA and she is getting both refared. I will save close to $2000 as a result!

I have an acquaintance who tried to book the Bistro Sur LaMer for an upcoming cruise. The cruise on the Enchanted Princess leaves in another couple of weeks. She tried to make the reservation on the Princess App, but so far the restaurant has not appeared on her Dine My Way page of the app. My friend contacted Princess customer service and let them know about her problem. They told her to wait a few days and try again. She did this a 2 or 3 times, but it still does not come up on her Princess App. Is anyone else having the same problem? What did you do about it?

So with a 21 day B2B cruise, to use your example, we would get 2 specialty dinners and 1 photo package. The drink package (Plus or Premium) and Wifi package would continue for the entire cruise. as would the premium desserts, juice bar and fitness classes. Is that right?

My TA was told by her Princess Rep that when a passenger books a B2B, such as a 14 day B2B, rather than 2 separate 7-day cruises B2B, the Premier Package only allows for 2 specialty meals, and that the amount of other perc's is also only 1 leg's worth. The Princess Rep said that only if there are 2 consecutive bookings (in this case 2 consecutive 7 day bookings) would the perc's "double". Is that right? I thought that if you booked a B2B as a 14 day cruise (rather than the 7 day legs separately) you would get 4 specialty dinners, etc. I have read on these boards that guests who have booked B2B on Princess have gotten 4 specialty dinners, and other perc's have doubled as well. Did these guests book their B2B as one cruise (ie one 14 day cruise) or two consecutive 7 day cruises? What has been your experience? How did you book your B2B cruise and what Plus or Premium perc's did you get as a result? Thanks.

Coffee and its many variations at the International Cafe are not free-of-charge. They are "free-of-charge" if you have the Plus or Premium package (since you already paid for them with the pkg).

I understand, but if you have a B2B, like you did, were you able to have 2 specialty meals on each leg?

I am booked on a B2B next spring. I also booked that Premium Package for that cruise. A question for those who have had the Plus or Premium Package on a B2B...does everything doubled on a B2B? Will my DW and I get 4 specialty dinners instead of 2, for instance? I have gotten some mixed messages about this lately. What was your experience?

I did the math for my wife and I, knowing what we drink and also our percieved value of 24 hour WiFi. On 2 cruises now our savings over the $60/ day price was tremendous. Princess is not making much money on my liquor bill if I am having 4-5 coffees a day ($2.50 each), a glass of wine with dinner ($19), and 3-4 cocktails before and after dinner ($20 each), for a total of $80-$100/ day I'm not spending out of pocket on drinks alone for each of us. That's a savings of more than $2,000 on a 10 day cruise.

I was recently on a cruise on the Royal Princess and did not see anything in the Patter about there being any pub lunches in the Crown Grill. My wife and I enjoyed them very much in the past, since it was a nice departure from the buffet or dining room for lunch, and the food was so good. Are there still pub lunches in the Crown Grill? If so, on what ships?

My wife and I were recently on a 15 day cruise and opted for the Premier Package. For us it was worth it for a number of reasons: 1) My wife liked the availability of WiFi, as did I, so she could keep up with her emails from home and text messages, particularly at night when WiFi was more reliable. 2) We took full advantage of the 2 meals at the Crown and Sabatini's 3) The biggest advantage for us was the Beverage Package portion of the Premier Package. Each of us drinks 4-5 cups of coffee a day. We both drink 1 or 2 beers, often with lunch or in the afternoon each day. We have a couple of cocktails before dinner, 1 or 2 glasses of wine with dinner, and a couple of drinks after dinner as well in Crooner's. In addition, we both like the availability of higher end wine, bourbon and scotch selections, which we take full advantage of. All told, with the $60/ day surcharge, we still saved many 100's of dollars out of pocket, on this cruise. As you say, though, not everyone is like either you or us. Everyone should do the math for themselves.

Thanks!

How do they do that? The fare for a 20 day cruise is set, with an upcharge (say $50/day) for the Premier Package. How/ Why would you adjust the fare up for a longer voyage?

If I purchase the Plus or Premier Package on a 14-day or 20-day (for example) BTB on Princess, will some of our benefits double? I'd be paying a per day surcharge for either package, so would I get 4 specialty meals instead of 2 for my wife and I (in the Premier Package)? Do we get double on the Photo Package? What experience have people had with this?