Steviewonder1

We just add an international calling package with 200 minutes in it to one phone only. Never data and outside of the US or US calling areas data is way more expensive than calling. Why text when you can call. If they just gotta call you give them the ships number and let them know it is $3.95 or more on their end to talk. Basically there is only one thing that would get us off a ship before the end, all other things can be handled or will wait till we get back. Oh, and yes we carry travel insurance in case anything happens to us. We go on cruises to get away from the things at home and to get our rejuvenation back.

I've never had an issue with video or stills on a ship or out on an excursion. Everybody does it, so join the rest of us!

We've cruised 4 different lines over the years and Princess is our perfect fit. They go where we want to go, like all those places we read about in history and world geography classes, we can now go see in person. We love everything they do and have never had a problem, something I can't say about one of the other cruise lines we sailed on just once.

Likes:

1. Only Penthouse Suites, if you haven't booked one you need to.

2. Suite Perks like Crown Grill for breakfast now that Sabatini's is gone.

3. Platinum status with the Free Wifi and others.

4. First on and off the ship.

5. Love the Cruise Critic Roll Calls and participate in them. This is where some of the really neat stuff is found.

We have had three Aft Suites on Princess and they were wonderful and large. See attached picture of the one we had on the Crown. No smells, no wind, very little motion if at all.

3 years ago I used a Canon T4i and an 18-135 IS lens for everything. The camera had the double battery pack on the bottom and I had 10 memory sticks for it. Shot everything and no lens change including Video. Yes, it is bigger than a Point and Shoot, but the results are worth it.

YMMV

If in a PH Suite it is all free as much as you need.

We use one checked luggage and two carry-on's for all Cruises. We carry 6 days of clothing plus what we are wearing. Tux and shoes are rented aboard for Formal night. We stay in PH Suites so laundry is free and we are spoiled. Most ships have some laundry rooms and Change operated machines. Yes, you can bring your own laundry dry soap, no liquids. There is really no need to bring 10 changes of clothes for a 7 day cruise.

YMMV

I've never had a problem getting my stuff on board. It all goes in the checked baggage in plastic not GLASS. The two bottles of wine go in thru the X-Ray machine with the carry on baggage. Yes, some get caught, but more do not!

YMMV.

We have done both, Ship Line excursions and Private Excursions. Getting on your Roll Call is the best advice. On our Eastern Med Cruise 3 years ago we did all but 2 as Private excursions. They were fantastic and were a small group of 8-10 people. On private excursion you can make changes on the go to do something different if it works for the small group. On the Ship's excursions you are with a group of 50 or so folks and you get hearted around like cats and the trip is to fixed locations only. The private excursions you are let off at a parking area and have the free run of the area with a get back to the parking are in a couple of hours. Lunch is wherever you want it, and the tour person will provide many examples of where to go. One of our finest lunches for the 10 of us was at a fine Italian restaurant up on the hillside overlooking the Amalfi coast! The difference in cost of the ship vs private excursions is as much as 50% less for the private, but with all the many varieties that it can offer. You can have as much fun as you want, but the options are always out there for you to choose.

Good Luck with your choices and have a Great Cruise!

I have been a Canon man for the last several decades starting with a Canon AE-1 which was after I got rid of my Pentax from the mid 1960's with a High Voltage Pack powering a Honeywell Strobonar flash. Since the AE-1 it was a Canon T3i and now the T4i with extended twin battery pack. I also have a small Nikon point and shoot and a GoPro Hero 3+ for really fun things to do.

Lenses are Canon EFS 18-135 IS

Tokina 10-20

Simple package that I have taken to Europe and many stateside destinations. I have 10 memory cards for it.

The best camera is the one you have that works like you want it to!

I have seen 3 and participated in 2. Lots of folks get intimidated doing things in front of a large crowd. The two I did I was second or third in line and the first couple of folks were having second thoughts about going up to do it. I told them I would show them how, and went first in my Tux. It will also show up on the ships Memory CD's of the trip.

Have had PH Suites on both the Ruby and Crown and all outlets were US Standard. In Suites there is an extra outlet or two on the bedside table also.

The proper term for them is "CHOGS".

It is not likely a computer glitch, but a Safety Net as there are hostilities going on in both of those port areas. Not necessarily in the port but close enough that Princess is erring on the cautious side to add a couple of safer ports. This has occurred from time to time and will again.

The Maitre'd in Sabatini's took our pictures with our iPhone 5 on our last cruise. No flash as the later Smart Phones have really good camera's in them.

Another thing to remember on WiFi is the size and strength of the WiFi radio in your device. Phones have the smallest radio. iPads have a medium size radio with about twice the size of the Phone. A laptop has the biggest and most powerful radio in it. Second thing to remember is that the WiFi transmitter on the ship (that sends the signal to you) is a large unit. The smaller the device you have means you have to get closer to the WiFi repeater unit in order to be heard well. Just because you can see the ship's WiFi does not mean you will get a good connection. This is a two way street here. And the reason for the size and power difference in what you are using is directly related to the size of the battery in the unit. We have taken our MacBook Pro on the last 3 cruises and never had an issue other than buying more time.....

Most of the tour helicopters are either Bell Jet-Rangers or Hughes MD-500 and these seat pilot plus 3, one up front and two in the back. There are some Bell Long Rangers that seat 5 in the back (3 and 2) plus one lucky person up front with the pilot.

Doors off is the only way to do a heli tour. Back in the late 1970's I had a ton of Door Off time in a TV station helicopter. I shot the 1982 Worlds Fair with door off on the left side with just me and the pilot. This is one of the greatest Rushes you can get in life. Yes, a great copter pilot is really nice to have. Yes, just shoot Video now and take your stills from the video.

This is a time you should have checked into your Roll Call and looked at all of the Private (Not Princess Based) excursions. They are all much less expensive and go to places that Princess does not go to. We have used them for our last 3 cruises and never had an issue. However planning for a large group does have its issues.

I've been on two Princess Cruises where a couple ahead of us and two behind us had roll carts with several cases of water and soda. All went thru with no issues. Limes, I would pack in checked baggage along with the Gin and Vodka in the Speak Easy plastic bags (Smuggler brand of your choice).

This is the time that you do a Pre or Post Cruise Holiday and stay at a local hotel in your first and/or last port on the cruise. A few tips for a new cruiser. Always get to the starting port city a day ahead unless you live in it. Arrive early and look around you as there may be interesting sites to see. Buses and cabs can get you almost anywhere. Same thing for post cruise. Find a hotel (Google is your friend) and do the same thing. Tour the city and get on your flight home the next day much more relaxed. This is the way to add value to an already great vacation time.

Our last Eastern Med Cruise we arrived in Barcelona Spain the morning of the day before our cruise. We checked into the Arts Hotel and went up to the concierge level. The hotel stored our luggage as our room was not yet ready. We had lunch there and took one of the 11 Battery Run Smart Cars that were available to us. We toured the city for 2 hours, stopping here and there, including driving by their Olympic Host Site. We had a blast. The other end of the cruise (14 days) was in Venice Italy. Our last day was spend the night on the ship.

Really nice. Got up the next morning and off to the Marco Polo airport for the flight home. When you cruise, there are lots of opportunities to expand on the cruise and have more fun doing it. Good luck on your cruise.

We have done Aft PH Suites on the Ruby and her twin the Crown. Fabulous and no wind or odors. Deck is huge, see attached photo. Has 4 chairs and a table, plus two loungers and side table. We hosted our M&G on our New England Cruise a few years ago on the Crown for 37 people. Plenty of space.

My wife had a gall bladder attack on our second Alaskan Cruise and we were medevacuated off the ship in Sitka Alaska on the first tender. We had insurance that paid for all the shore issues. I called AMEX on the last day to get us out of there and we boarded a short hop plane to Juneau and then back to Seattle for our originally scheduled flight back home. Zero out of pocket with the insurance and half credit from the cruise and a refund of the excursions we missed. There were 5 ship's personnel helping me pack the PH Suite to get off the ship while my wife was taken care of in the infirmary. Yes, get the trip and med insurance unless you can fund an issue well into 5 digits!

Yes door art. Mine are Welcome for Cruise Critics Party at our PH Suite for our Roll Call or a folder for Pictures I have taken on the day's excursions that I have printed from my camera. All are exciting and most are midship next to the elevator bank so all can walk by and see it.

Passport only. On our last Eastern Med Cruise we stayed at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona pre-cruise. We stayed in the Concierge Floor and they had 11 Electric Smart Cars that were available to use included in the package. The only thing they needed was to see my Passport to get access to the car. Imagine driving all over Spain without an International Drivers License. What a rush, and the signs are the same as in the US, but wording is different. Passports rule here and abroad.

We did the 10 night Quebec City to NYC with the first night in Quebec City and the next night was the Sea Day and the formal night. Almost all if not all Princess Cruises hold Formal Night on the first sea day and some on longer than 14 days will do a second sea day formal night, but we have only done a 14 day cruise, it could also come on a second sea day on a 12-14 day cruise, but the Patter will tell you when.