debjo

Thanks everyone for your very quick replies.  We've always felt that the quickest way to get an answer is to ask you kind folks here on Cruise Critic! 

We have to say that we're disappointed to learn that the Valentine's Day $2.00 deposit here in the USA seems to no longer be available.  Now we're wondering if the "Love Boat" connection to Princess Cruises is a too long ago memory to market to the potential younger cruising audience?  

Debjo

Greetings To All...and Happy Valentine's Day!

   It has been a few years since we've gone on a cruise.  Previously, we've taken advantage of the REDUCED DEPOSIT that Princess Cruises always offered as a Valentine's Day promotion.  We had always gotten an advance email telling us about the promotion.  Today, I'm not finding any reference to it on the Princess website.  Does anyone know what happened to that "LOVE"-ly promotion?

Debjo

Thanks "arizonaperson" for that explanation...glad the medallion does not have to be visible in order for it to be useful.  I assume that one gets to keep the medallion after the cruise is over...therefore it will serve as a "souvenir" of sorts, just as the cruise cards did.

Seeing an upclose photo of the "medallion" is helpful...nice that it has the ship name & sailing dates on it.  One question though...is your name also written at the top?  I'm not sure I want to be wearing a proverbial "name tag" around the ship.

"ontheweb" previously asked:  

"...if I walk past our cabin, will the medallion unlock it even though neither of us is entering leaving us with an unlocked cabin door of which we are unaware?"

This is something we wondered about too.  Does anyone have experience with this?  

As the OP, we're finding everyone's comments to be of great value.  Thanks to all for sharing the pros & cons about their experiences.  We've still got a lot of time before our booked cruise, so perhaps all these "bugs" will be worked out by then.  We still have no intentions of getting a smart phone or tablet...the less we have to lug around the better!  🙂

MANY THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR INSIGHTS & EXPERIENCES!  We always gain the most insight and get our answers quickest from these message boards1

For Mud_Shark...we're really low-tech people and don't have any need for a "smart" phone.  We have a computer/internet at home, but no I-Pad or Tablet.   Even if we did have these higher-tech gadgets, we wouldn't be taking them on our vacation, as we really like to "get away from it all" on our cruises.  Even though we're pretty "un-plugged" at home, we really like to "un-plug" on a cruise vacation!  

For Thrak...glad to read there are still some folks, like your friends, who haven't moved into the "smart" phone age.  

For Steelers 36, Alanr204, memoak, and cruisinrob21...we're glad to read that the "medallion" can be used just like the old "cruise cards" and we'll be able to utilize the on-board monitors & cabin T.V. when & where necessary.  

With gratitude,

Debjo

Greetings to all,

   It has been a few years since we sailed on Princess, so we're not familiar with the Ocean Medallion program, apart from what we've read in the brochures.

   It seems that the program almost requires one to have a "smart" phone in order to use the Medallion features.

   Consequently, since we don't have a "smart" phone...how much will we actually benefit from this Medallion program...and how much will our next booked cruise & "Medallion" experience be hampered without having a "smart" phone? 

   We're looking forward to reading everyone's pearls of wisdom on this relatively new feature that Princess has instituted.   We haven't cruised since Covid began and look forward to sailing again.

Until later...

debjo 

Well done...couldn't have come at a better time...we leave in a few days!  THANK YOU- THANK YOU-THANK YOU!  🙂  Perhaps Days 5, 6, & 7 will be forth-coming?

Thanks to everyone for your input and help here.  It's now official...I've secured one of the GEM's SF suites and think it is worth the extra money we'll be spending.  Now we pray that we'll have great weather during our trip...but if not, we'll enjoy the suite and the ship better than we would have in the mini-suite.  

Silly me...I finally found what I was looking for within NCL's website.  It was there all along.  I just failed to realize that the words under the heading "INDULGE IN EXCLUSIVE AMENITIES"..."Special Services" - "Delicious Extras" - "Thoughtful Touches" were actually 'links' to other pages within their website.  

Since the last time I researched a cruise...both the NCL website and this Cruise Critic website have changed their formats.  Personally, I think it confuses things and makes it harder to find the information one avidly seeks.  

I hope that what I've read on the NCL Suite Amenities pages applies to all of their ships and that our upcoming GEM experience will be all that we look forward to it being.  

For boopsahoy...Thanks for the link, but I previously saw within the NCL's website and felt it was pretty non-specific...plus it appeared to relate only to these ships:  Pride of America, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Sky, and Norwegian Star.  Sadly, there was no mention of the Norwegian Gem on those web pages.  😞

For bonvoyagie...Thank you for your "pearls of wisdom" from your experience in the SF Suite on the PEARL.  I hope we are as fortunate to have a Concierge that goes the extra mile and extends some of the now "Haven" only perks to the "Penthouse" Suite passengers.  I'm really feeling that things were much more "sweet" with our experiences in the Penthouse Suite on the SPIRIT several years ago.  Times have changed dramatically in the cruise industry in the past several years.  I know I'll love the space in the SF on the GEM next year, but I think that I'm going to miss some of the "perks" we enjoyed in the past.  NCL is about the only cruise line where we can afford to sail in a "suite" for a special occasion, but I'm beginning to feel that the "suite" perks seem to diminish more and more with each passing year.  Still, a cruise is a cruise...and a cruise in a "suite" is even better!  After all, vacations are times to be enjoyed and memories are created!  🙂

Thanks "roger001" for all those pictures from the PEARL...they are awesome and give me a better idea as to what the cabin will "really " be like.  

Still, I'd love to find a "official" NCL list of what the "suite" (not Haven) perks & amenities are...as we were really spoiled with our Penthouse Suite on the SPIRIT, but understand since the advent of the "Haven"...the Penthouse Suites & perks are not as posh as they once were.  

Thanks boopsahoy for the penthouse suite balcony photos from the GEM...I love any cabins with sizeable balcony!  (Got spoiled by them on our very first cruise!).  

We had an awesome experience with the "suite" on our NCL SPIRIT cruises...sure wish that ship was still sailing out of the U.S. east coast!  The penthouse suites on the GEM seem to be lack-luster compared to those on the SPIRIT...but the added space of a suite is always nice.

Greetings to all the Savvy Gem "Suite" Cruisers!

It has been a number of years since we've sailed with NCL...even more since we've sailed with NCL in a "Suite".  I've searched the NCL website and current paper brochure, and cannot seem to find a list of the perks and amenities that come with the SF Category Aft-Facing Penthouse Suite.  I'm trying to decide whether I want to move from my already booked "Aft Facing Mini Suite" to an "Aft-Facing Penthouse Suite".  

I know that many things have changed in the cruise industry and with NCL,  so I am wondering if the current "suite" experience will justify the cost in changing from our "mini" to the "suite".  

I know there is still a Butler and Concierge attached to the "suite" life...but I'm remembering that there was a specific area in the Theater that was reserved for the "suite" guests and other niceties that came with the "suite" before.  Is there a separate lounge area for the "suite" guests?  This is to be a special occasion cruise for us...so we'd like to bask in the anticipation of this long awaited cruise.

Thanks in advance for all your words of wisdom!  

Wow...this is what I love about Cruise Critic...great responses on a timely basis! Thanks everyone for all your input here. GREAT ADVICE! We appreciate knowing more about what to expect. We don't want to have high expectations and end up being disappointed. I guess we'll just plan to watch the BURN THE FLOOR shows in the theater and hope for the possibility to put some icing on the cake if we happen to get a good table in the MANHATTEN DINING ROOM-at the right time-on the right days so that we could see the show there too!

Thanks for the photos that you've posted...they're great! You guys are the best!

Debjo

We're sailing on the BREAKAWAY at the end of October (NYC-Florida-Bahamas). We've heard that the BURN THE FLOOR performance group also dances during dinner on the dance floor in the MANHATTEN (Main) Dining Room. We plan to see their performance in the Theater during our cruise, but also want to see them during their dinner performance too!

We've purchased the Specialty Dinner Dining Package for our trip and want to get those reservations made. BUT...we don't want to be eating in one of the Specialty Restaurants and miss the BURN THE FLOOR performance in the (Main) MANHATTEN Dining Room.

I've called NCL and learned that the BURN THE FLOOR performance in the Theater will be happening on Day 2 and Day 6 of our cruise. Sadly, the NCL representative was unable to tell me when that group would be performing in the MANHATTEN Dining Room during our cruise week.

Do any of you savy Cruise Critic folks, having recently sailed on the Breakway, have any tidbits of knowledge you can share with us on what days and at what times the BURN THE FLOOR group performs during the MANHATTEN Dining Room dinners?

Thank you so much for your pearls of wisdom here!

Debjo:)

For whatcruiseisnext...Judy,

My email is on it's way to you...here's hoping this works!

Many thanks,

Debjo

On the CARIBBEAN PRINCESS during our recent WESTERN CARIBBEAN cruise, we had fresh scented COLD towels handed to us when we returned to the ship after a day in port. It was so refreshing after a hot, humid day! Nice touch Princess!

Debjo

For whatcruiseisnext...Judy,

Thanks for your effort, but somehow I haven't yet gotten an email from you...and it has been about 12 hours since you sent it. Could you try again? Perhaps you could give me your email address and we could try things in reverse, so you'd receive my email address correctly.

Until later...

Debjo

Thanks everyone for your input and advice! :-)

For whatcruiseisnext...Judy...

Thank you very much...you are ever so kind! :-) Please email me at: debbiejo at a-z net dot com . Push the letters all together and use the @ symbol instead of "at" and a . instead of "dot". Hopefully that will all work. I really appreciate your sharing attitude!

With gratitude,

Debjo

We're unpacked from our 4-18 to 4-25 CARIBBEAN PRINCESS cruise to the Western Caribbean and I've sorted through all my paperwork frantically trying to find the red 4" x 6" card that was in our cabin for a Promotion about a FREE 20-page hard-cover book that you could make with your ship's photos thru Shutterfly. The card had a special code number on it, along with the URL for the Shutterfly PRINCESS book. I can't find my card anywhere!

My cousin has her card. Does anyone know if the cards all had the same access code number on them? Does anyone know who I might be able to contact so that I could "claim" and create my photo book, in case the code numbers are different for each passenger/cabin? I really would like to do this...I did one for a cruise I took with another cruise line (thru an internet photo/book site called Panraven), but it ended up being 140+ pages and definitely "not free".

Cruise Critic people generally come through with the answers to everyone's questions...so I'm hoping that someone will have the solution to my dilemma too!

Debjo

Greetings,

Having just returned from our CARIBBEAN PRINCESS CRUISE (4-18 to 4-25), I looked for the emailed survey that we were told about on our trip. I couldn't find it. The reason might be due to my email box overflowing as it exceeded the allotment provided by my ISP. I telephoned my ISP, and they didn't find the Princess Survey. SO...

Does anyone know who I should contact about having another Survey Email sent to me? I know how important these things are to the Cruise Lines and I like to participate in them.

Thanks in advance for your help on this one!

Debjo

Having just returned from the CARIBBEAN PRINCESS (4-18 to 4-25-2015) we heard another passenger exclaiming about the "ribs" and "chicken wings" from the TRIDENT GRILL. Thinking that this grill was just burgers, fries, & hot dogs, we inquired. The passenger told us that the "ribs" & "wings" were available after 6:00 p.m. Sadly, our dinner in the MDR was also at 6:00 p.m., so we never made it to the TRIDENT GRILL to check this out for ourselves...although the passenger told us the "wings" were delicious and the "ribs" were huge!!!

Debjo

While I am not of the Jewish Faith, I have just returned from sailing on the CARIBBEAN PRINCESS on April 25, 2015. Our PRINCESS PATTER did list a Jewish Sabbath Service in the paper...so perhaps your discussion with Customer Services did have some bearing. The Service was held in the Wedding Chapel...and while awaiting the elevator outside the Spa on that deck, we did see a number of people participating in the Service through the open door.

Good luck with your efforts...they were working last week!

Debjo

We're lovin' every minute of your cruise...now counting the hours toward ours. You and your M-I-L seem to have had a great time. I love your "go with the flow" attitude.

Debjo