Northern Light

Another questions about the medallion.   Have had a few occasions when my cruise card would become demagnitized.  Can this also happen with the medallion?  

1 hour ago, Jeter02 said:

Yes it does have high seas heist. However if you played already in another ship, it's the same one case fleet wide.

Thanks Jeter02.....have not played this game before.   I believe that it is a cruise long game so is it announced in the first Patter or do you have to go to passenger services when you board?

Enjoy your time aboard.  We will be boarding in 6 weeks for our third cruise on this ship.    Do you know if the ship has High Seas Heist with Detective Joe Kenda?  Thanks a bunch.

Thank you very much ell52 and Mike45LC.  In spite of how I wrote it, you understood perfectly what I was trying to find out.  It will make DH happy to know that there is an option which doesn’t involve us trying to get our larger suitcases off the ship on our own.   Now we know what to do.

 Sandy

12 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

 I don't have any social media accounts,  I use my smartphone to make phone calls and take photos, and I keep it on " do not disturb". In short, I am not glued to my device and for the life of me cannot see how the OM is going to make my life on board any easier. In fact, for my next cruise, I plan to print out my documents and just show up at the port. Pre-cruise prep time = 5 minutes.

 

Once on board, I'll request a cruise card and put the medallion in the safe.  When I want a wee dram or two in the evening, I'll wrap a two dollar bill around my cruise card and I'll guarantee you the waiter will remember my name and drink choice for the rest of the cruise.

 

As far as tracking where She Who Must Be Obeyed is on the ship, she always shows up sooner or later.  We don't gamble, so I don't need the OM app there.  

 

Am I missing out on some whiz bang feature of the OM that will make me change my mind?

My sentiments exactly.   

32 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

What difference does it make? They already know you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean. When my wife goes to Costco or a restaurant or to Lowe's or pretty much anywhere FB wants her to "check in". That is what I call intrusive tracking. I honestly don't understand why people who have FB accounts worry about being "tracked" on a ship.

Please don't make a presumption....I am not on FB for that very reason.  Pop up ads are bad enough.  Do I need for someone on the ship to know every time I head to the loo, don't think so!!!  Just want to know if the card has tracking abilities.

We have always used a Princess transfer to get us to the airport, sometimes including a tour on the way.   This cruise ends in Quebec City will take a cab to the airport which will be significantly cheaper than taking the ship's transfer.   I know that one can simply walk off the ship.   Our issue is that we would be happy not to have to handle our large suitcases.   Can we put them out the night before and still pick them up at the terminal?  If yes, would we likely be restricted to a time frame?  Flight leaves at 1:00    Needless to say that I will still confirm disembarkation procedure when on the ship but hope someone has already done this so we have advanced information.  

Not caring for the idea that the medallion will track your movements on the ship.   See enough of that everyday simply by being on the computer and using a smart phone.   I am not aware that the cruise card has this ability.  Am I naive?

For a long time, I wanted to do an Ultimate Ship's Tour so was happy when DD joined me on an Alaskan cruise on the Island Princess and we quickly signed up when we boarded.   The gifts were a lovely perk even if we did basically pay for them.   They are a wonderful remembrance of a time spent with my daughter.  The only item we didn't receive was the personalized paper pad which I would have liked, but not really complaining.   While I thought our photographer was rather impatient, and probably didn't want to accompany us, the rest of the crew were wonderful and did an excellent job.  It truly was fascinating to be able to stand on the bridge and see some of the inner workings of the ship.  Would highly recommend doing a UST.

Sandy

1 minute ago, geoherb said:

 

People flying from Toronto to the U.S. clear Customs and Immigration in Toronto. Their flights disembark at the regular gates and not the international ones. I flew home from Vancouver through Toronto earlier this month.

You are totally correct.  Obviously my brain already thought I was on vacation.  😉

We are flying into LaGuardia coming from Toronto for our September cruise and will take a Princess transfer from the airport to the hotel for pre-cruise time in NYC.    We would be considered international but our instructions are just to look for the Princess rep after collecting our baggage in the claim area.

Thanks a bunch, History_bits.   I really appreciate you posting your experience.   We have slightly less than 2 mos to go before the cruise so still have time to decide what we want to do.  

Sandy

Thanks for being considerate in posting the link.   I am aware that there are stickies above for both Ocean Ready and Ocean Medallion and have looked thru most of the posts and was advised to download all the apps.   There is an excellent video that has been posted which I found helpful because it made me realize that most of the apps we wouldn't make use of hence my feeling so maybe it simply makes sense to wait til we get to the port.  I responded to the OP here because of the Canadian connection.   

At this point, since we won't get the medallion shipped to us pre-cruise, considering that I won't bother downloading the Ocean Ready app.   Not thrilled with the idea of scanning my passport and having that information on my phone.  Have looked at the function of the app and not seeing anything that would be used by us.  Might mean that check in is slightly longer but can deal with that.   Could change my mind of course but I want the upcoming cruise to be as stress free as possible and just see a lot of hassle setting everything up on an app.   Maybe I am being shortsighted but all comments on the Ocean Ready seem to be from Americans.   Would like to see experience from Canadians or cruisers from other countries.

Everything have read says the medallion is only shipped to the US.  We have to pick ours up at the port.   

3 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Ubers are readily available if there are no taxis. 

Thanks for your suggestion.

19 hours ago, richmke said:

You may be able to get Ocean Ready and save a few minutes at Embarkation.

Download all the Ocean Apps now, so you don't have to do it onboard.

 

 

Thanks for responding.

Have a September Canada/New England cruise booked which ends in Quebec City.  Since we are Canadians taking a Princess transfer to the airport would not be cost efficient.  However, don't know what availability of taxis would be at the cruise port.  Anyone have experience?  

Scrolled through the posts to see if there were any comments from Canadians to answer a question.   Since we live in Canada, the Ocean Medallion will not be mailed to us so what would be the purpose in downloading the Ocean Ready App. I have sent the question to our Princess Travel Planner and will post her response (if I get one!).   In the meantime, maybe someone here knows the answer.

4 hours ago, njhorseman said:

No, the problem being caused by the construction project being discussed in this thread will affect your trip from Newark Airport to Manhattan, not from Manhattan to Brooklyn. A taxi or car service or Uber from your hotel to Brooklyn will be easy.

To get to Manhattan from EWR there are options including train and airport express his service in addition to taking a car service.

 

Thanks, njhorseman.  Your response very much help if we fly into Newark.  We haven’t booked airfare yet and realized we have no idea which airport we should consider flying into.  Never had to consider three airports before. La Guardia is closest to the hotel but it sounds like it could be choatic with all of the construction.

any thoughts?

Scrolled thru all the comments and most seem interested in going from Newark to the Manhattan cruise port.  Our Princess ship leaves in September from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook but we will be spending a few days in Manhattan first.   So, at the moment, we have a pkg booked with Princess that includes transfer from airport to hotel, hotel stay, transfer from the hotel to Brooklyn.   I have been trying to be cost efficient and considering getting the hotel on our own which means we would be responsible for airport to hotel (no problem I think) but looks like there could be stress leaving midtown Manhattan in a cab to the cruise port.   Maybe best to leave it all to Princess even if the cost is higher?

41 minutes ago, geoherb said:

Yes, Princess gives double cruise credits to solos (and an extra credit if you're sailing in a suite). I just booked my first solo cruises since DH has to work this summer. Fortunately, Princess was offering a great rate for solos, not charging double as usual.

To the OP: We took my then 85-year-old mother-in-law with us on a Carnival cruise. She managed in the shower with a chair. The cruise line provided it.

Like the idea of double credits.  Used to just order a bath bench.  However, one time  we spent 8 days precruise in London.  The hotel did not provide this service, so I took one with us.   It comes apart easily for packing and no tools are required to reassemble.  Did request a bench for the cruise so one was waiting for us.  So very, very grateful that I had my own with me as the one provided was in such horrible and disgusting condition that it belonged in the garbage.   Now I never travel anywhere without mine....peace of mind.

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions.   They are all appreciated. Once upon a time we used a TA but then, in two circumstances, they were no longer in the business so we just started using Princess since we were only concerned about the cruise portion.   We book our own airfare for many reasons.   We did  have a Princess Cruise Planner for many cruises, but she seems to have vanished in the night and I haven't felt the same confidence in the one we have now to answer questions.   Comment that answers can vary depending on who one talks to is certainly true.   I will also post on the Princess board.    

DH and I currently have a cruised booked for September on Caribbean Princess.  Final payment is in a few weeks.  He is already considering not going but not me.   I have never travelled solo so this would be a first.   Unfortunately, it will cost me quite a bit because I will want to stay in the mini suite (I bring a bath stool with me, so a tub is absolutely necessary with a MS would be the only option).    Since the cost is similar for both of us or for me as  single, would like to leave the booking as is just in case DH changes his mind. What happens if he is a no show regarding gratuities and port taxes.   I can ask Princess but wonder if anyone knows if Princess gives double cruise credits for solo travellers?  Maybe I should just cancel DH before final payment and turn it into a single for me?  Prefer Princess because we are Platinum (and getting close to Elite) and really like the internet minutes we get.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Appreciate the reply.   We should have known better. Brain must have stopped working.