capriccio

1) You can confirm the general requirements by country on the US State Department's website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

2) Get it in writing from Royal Caribbean that is only a suggestion, not a requirement of the cruise line and be ready to show that at check-in if necessary.

3) In a worst case scenario (RCI insisting on an expiry date more than 6 months away) this qualifies as Urgent Travel.  Get an appointment and the passport(s) will be issued the same day.  See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html and

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies.html#Map of Passport Office Locations.

4) As far as visiting US territories or returning to the state, it is only required that the passport have not expired before the day or re-entry.

Good luck!

When in November?  If it is the first weekend, that is the International Boat Show (Oct 30 - Nov 30) and everything will be booked and getting a hotel room and an early check-in may be very difficult and expensive.  Then at the end of November the weekends book ending Thanksgiving week are busier and more expensive than mid-month.

In any case, if you have loyalty status with the hotel chain you chose that may help (it works for us but DH has the top level status with Hilton).  Otherwise, as @CruiserBruce says you should be able to drop off your luggage.

3 hours ago, Crown Cruiser said:

So you have been to the GO Lounge and this is what you were told or is this what the manager of the Sanctuary told you?  Strange that both times we were there, the concierges’ were booking the Sanctuary for people.

If you book at the Sanctuary you walk around and chose your desired lounge and location.  Can you chose your lounge and location when you book the Sanctuary in the GO Lounge?  How much information do they provide (specifically shade coverage or total lack thereof)?

10 minutes ago, Nikkibird said:

When we booked it direct with Princess. Disappointed now! We were also told we have a private section of the Sanctuary and can use the full facilities there (pool and hot tub). Is this not true either?

The Signature Sun Deck is contiguous to the Sanctuary and the pool and hot tub.  According to posts here on CC, those in Signature Suites will have access to both locations. Look at the deck plans for deck 18 online. In my estimation the space kooks awfully small.  It will be interesting to see how it all works out when the Sun begins her warm weather Caribbean itineraries.

15 minutes ago, Nikkibird said:

So what do they mean when they list The Thermal Suite as a feature of the Penthouse Suite?

Here is the list of Sun Princess Signature Suite amenities found on-line. Where did you find a list including the Thermal Suite?

The Southern Caribbean cruises that include Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba (or any combination thereof but especially the first two) are our favorites.  Bonaire has the beach and amazing snorkeling at Klein Bonaire or you can rent a golf cart and drive around the island.  Willemstad on Curacao is a lovely walkable town reflecting its Dutch beginnings plus we've visited above sea level caves on another part of the island.

Take a look at the Caribbean Ports of Call Boards for more information on all these ports.https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/456-caribbean/

2 hours ago, dides said:

Yes, this was called out in the first Live From thread. For the earlier cruises, at least, they had the same menu in Signature and Reserve each night as in the MDR, with maybe more Princess favourites in the MDR but higher quality ingredients in the dishes in Signature and Reserve. e.g.

 

Ribeye Steak Cafe de Paris in Reserve and Signature in place of Grilled Flat Iron Beef Steak in MDR
For Princess Favorites, MDR gets Fettucine Alfredo and Grilled New York Strip Steak as well, Reserve and Signature gets Jumbo Shrimp instead of Shrimp in the MDR and Signature gets an additional Prime Rib on the Carving Trolley

 

Makes sense for there to be a separate kitchen if they have upgraded ingredients.

Thank you @dides.  This mitigates some of my concern about the differentiation between the experiences in the Signature and Reserve restaurants.

6 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

Here’s a teaser while I’m still onboard….

 

I have been told, and no way to really confirm it unless I coordinate with someone in the MDR, but I was told by my waiter in the Signature restaurant that while the menu is the same as the MDR (plus one or two extra items) the Reserve and Signature dining rooms have a separate kitchen and prepare the dishes differently. And I believe him. 

 

 

I wondered on an earlier thread if the two restaurants shared a kitchen given that there is a large white space between them on the deck plans.

Thank you for confirming this but it leads me to another question:  how differentiated are the actual menus between the Reserve and Signature restaurants?  Are those in full suites paying more for the same menus and the experience is only (maybe) differentiated by the staff?

1 hour ago, phow1963 said:

Hello All, I ran across this S9 Signature Suite tour on YouTube if anyone's interested. 

 

Thank you!  We are booked in an S9 for a January 2025 cruise. 

That was unimpressive to me.  As a frequent mini-suite cruiser I think the bathroom is lovely but the stateroom itself seems noticeably narrower.  I will miss the traditional closet set up because it seems this new layout results in less storage space and less table top space.  The chairs on the balcony are absurd.  I can see maybe not being able to fit loungers but to have chairs with a short back that don't recline at all is not the answer.  They are literal pain to sit in upright and not meant for spending any resting time on the balcony.

We are waiting to hear more first hand accounts of how the Signature Sun Deck/Sanctuary and the Restaurant are functioning after a few months before we make our keep/downgrade decision or, possibly given reviews of the other new areas on the ship, our go/no go decision (we've been to all the ports so we are only sailing for the ship experience).

2 minutes ago, bsbcgirl said:

Just had dinner at The Boatyard about 12 days ago and it was delicious. Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.

Especially if you want to sit outside on the deck.

1 hour ago, Pepperoni0120 said:

Question...Read it is .4 miles to the port. Have a baby with us...Is it a nice walk with a stroller and rolling luggage or not safe??

First, the port is very large and the cruise terminals are spread out.  See the map on their website:  www.porteverglades.net

Second, 17th Street is a 6 lane road which means traffic with lots of entrances to hotels and shopping areas which means paying close attention crossing each driveway. 

Third, the area is safe but busy.  I walk a couple of miles everyday but not along busy streets.

Fourth, transporting luggage, rolling notwithstanding, in the heat and humidity of Fort Lauderdale for at least half the year is not a nice walk.  Also the sidewalks might not be kind to your luggage wheels.

Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are south of the normal hurricane routes so you shouldn't have to worry about them.  They go multiple decades between getting hit.  Grand Turk on the other hand seems to experience them fairly frequently.

Remember that cruise lines and your captain will not want to put you and their ship in any danger and will modify the itinerary if necessary.

We usually sail in Princess mini-suites or, a decade ago when we were both still working and splurging, full suites.

In 2019 we decided to try MSC.  When I told my long time travel agent that we were thinking of trying MSC there was a long pause on the other end of the line.  When I added "in the Yacht Club" she let out an audible sigh of relief and said "That's the only level I would recommend.  You'll love it!"  She was right.  We sailed in the YC in January 2020 and December 2021. 

Princess has just introduced a new ship (the Sun Princess) which is meant to have a suite area in competition with the Haven, the Retreat and the Yacht Club.  We are trying it next January but based on initial feedback that remains to be seen.

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

We would all like the experience of 20 years ago, especially at today's prices.  Those days are gone for mass market lines.   

Pricing is the thing that everyone yearning for the good old days of cruising seems to forget.

6 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

The whole point of this thread is that we are no longer going to Kotor and instead going to Bar. Bar is a docked port.

Sorry I misinterpreted your comment as referring to Kotor.  I would be very disappointed too since the sail in/sail out of the bay is beautiful as is the old town.

10 hours ago, horseymike said:

The entry  ( take ticket )  and exit ( payment) booths are fully automated.

With that said any staffing would be minor if even existent.

Just trying to accommodate someone whose mobility is limited.

While it may take more time, can you drop off the person with limited mobility and the rest of your party at the entrance to your embarkation terminal and then upon return go pick up the car and return to the disembarkation terminal where they will be waiting for you?

Some ports may require use of horns, I know some restrict their usage so as not to bother nearby neighbors, and some may leave it up to each ship's captain.

Leaving Port Everglades, the residents of the Point of America condos wave and blow air horns from their balconies.  Some have even invested in cruise line flags and will wave the applicable flag for each ship departing port. 

The Love Boat theme horns began with the Royal Princess in 2013.  We have been in ports with two Royal class ships when they both play the theme.  Kind of cheesy but there is no mistaking whose ship is leaving.  I think I've read that Disney ships also play a variety of theme songs.

13 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

It is a docked port. 

In 2017 on the Royal Princess Kotor was a tender port.  According to the current Princess Excrusions Listing (https://www.princess.com/ports-excursions/kotor-montenegro-excursions) "Kotor is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender."

@jkhabc - is this question a continuation of your earlier thread?  You might want to post it on the Australia and New Zealand Cruisers forum.  I haven't seen any other comments - other than my previous post - about embarkation issues at Sydney but you would get more responses there since the vast majority of passengers embarking in Sydney are Aussies and Kiwis.

By the way and out of curiousity, what did they tell you onboard in the case of your cruise and why don't you believe it?

This weekend there was a terrible rain storm that delayed all ships arriving in Sydney and therefore the embarkation of new passengers and departure times.  See this thread on the Australia and New Zealand Cruisers forum:

31 minutes ago, 555 said:

What do they charge for a round trip?

https://www.gobrightline.com/

44 minutes ago, suzyed said:

I bring a magnifying mirror with suction cups on the back and just stick it to whatever mirror has the best light over it.  Works for me.  I haven't thought about a lighted one but maybe will look for one with lights and suction cups.

I've had this one for 5 years and recommend it.  It has a light, 10X magnification and attaches with a large suction cup.

https://a.co/d/hNANKOp

19 minutes ago, knbcruisers said:

 But this would only work if we were going down day of the cruise.

I would never use Brightline on the same day of a cruise when a delay could mean missing the cruise.  Please be aware that Brightline has the highest accident rate in the country - not due to their operations but due to cars trying to beat the train and people intent on committing suicide on the tracks - that could strand you for hours along the route as @pedirn describes in post #112.

Most recently (January) a car tried unsuccessfully to beat the train in Melbourne and 3 people in the car died.  According to the AP article (https://apnews.com/article/brightline-high-speed-rail-florida-fatalities-67020b2cd33b6cbcf9d85ed029d18310) on that incident:

The three deaths in Melbourne this week mark at least 108 since it began operations in July 2017. That’s one death for approximately every 38,000 miles (61,000 kilometers) its trains travel, the worst death rate among the nation’s more than 800 railroads, an ongoing Associated Press analysis that began in 2019 shows.

"Florida’s high-speed Brightline train has partnered with Princess Cruises for a “Rail & Sail” program that includes one of its trains made over with the iconic imagery of the brand with ties to “The Love Boat.”  This picture is from the local Sun Sentinel's coverage of the announcement (picture courtesy of Princess Cruises).