Aggie83

For some reason that itinerary has had that "bug" for some time. I just tweeted the issue to Princess. You could call directly and have them do the booking with the package added.

12 hours ago, EDVM96 said:

Ok, bucket list. Being called a fan boy in an internet forum. ✅

 

Priceless.

 

This whole thread is priceless.

1 hour ago, latebloomer56 said:

Very nice break down. We are booked next May for 18 days LA to NYC. I learned on the Sapphire last year I could get my morning Latte at the pool bar so unless it was before 6:00 I would not need to go to the IC. Would you know if this holds true on Island? Do some bar areas have the specialty coffees early mornings? We are in an aft suite for this trip so know everything is a hike.

Thanks for the nice job with this list.

Yes, some bars have specialty coffee in the morning. I think Explorer's on 6 was one of them. Check the Patter for hours/locations. Most mornings we went to Good Spirits on deck 5 for a latte after breakfast. Nice location with good window seats. It was also a pretty quiet location in the mornings. Never had a problem getting a seat. There was also a small selection of pastries available. Personally I would try to avoid Horizons in the morning for a latte. It was typically a madhouse. Plus it is at the front of the ship, much more of a hike.

I was on the Island this January for the FLL to LAX leg of the world cruise. I have not previously sailed the Island. General notes, thoughts, observations, etc.:

• While onboard, they installed a new MUTS screen.  Quality was excellent.
• There was also new pool area furniture waiting to deploy after LAX. 
• Brand new washers and dryers were installed while we were on the ship.
• It appeared that the carpeting was fairly new, as I didn't see any worn or frayed areas. 
• Overall, the upholstered furniture was in excellent condition.  Nothing that appeared worn out. 
• The Piazza is not as large as on the Royal class ships; however, it extends 4 floors versus the typical 3.  Then again, it is narrow enough to go through the old locks of the Panama Canal and the Royal class ships can't.
• It seemed that the shops were smaller on the Island compared to the Royal ships.
• The casino is small and isolated.  On the plus side, you don't have to walk through a smoky casino to get anywhere.
• Horizon Court is forward versus aft.  This means there is no outdoor seating area like you have when it is aft. I wasn't a huge fan of this configuration.
• No common area at back of ship to sit, relax, have a drink etc.
• Never, ever had an issue finding a place to sit and relax.  Lots of chairs and love seats available all over.
• The Wheelhouse is large.  Which is a good thing, because it was a very popular place.
• The ever-popular Crooners is also large.  Never had an issue finding a place to sit for our pre-dinner cocktail. 
• I haven't been a fan of the Explorer's Lounge on any of the ships we've been on.  I think that is because it is usually a dark place with a low ceiling. However, I liked this one.  There was a very comfortable seating area next to a window.  
• No International Cafe.
• No Vines.
• No lower-level exit for the Princess Theater. Only exit was at the rear.  
• Our cabin was aft on 10.  Loved that I could be on the decks below 10 and walk aft and take the last bank of elevators (or stairs) up to 10.  No dining room blocking my way. The aft elevators were never crowded.  Usually rode in them solo.
• The captain came through the MDR one evening and introduced himself.  That was a nice touch.  We've never experienced that before.

If the itinerary was right, we would board the Island again.

The website says they'll be back in September.

On 4/29/2024 at 12:20 PM, anaco_angler said:

Aggie83, we booked all the excursions on board. There is an advantage to booking on board. If you sign up for the 1893 Ambassador Loyalty Program, which you can do online before your cruise, you get a 5% discount on excursions. Also, booking on board results in a more favorable exchange rate. At least that was our experience. We had no problem booking the excursions we wanted.

That is my preference, as it does appear that the exchange rate will be more favorable than prepaying in US dollars. BTW, per the FAQ, if you book via the website, the 5% discount on excursions is applied at the end. The page listing excursions doesn't show the pricing with the discount. Appreciate the insight.

On 12/14/2023 at 6:49 AM, anaco_angler said:

With regard to my original observation that excursions are expensive, that was simply my personal impression, nothing more. For example, in Tromsø, the following excursions were offered while the ship was in port 14:15-18:00: The arctic capital Tromsø NOK 1880; Dog sledding NOK 3290; Polar history walk NOK 1071; Cross-country skiing NOK1701; and Snowshoeing in Tromsø NOK 1701. 
On reflection, however, Hurtigruten has arranged for these activities to be enjoyed during the period when the ship is in port. It would be nearly impossible for an individual to arrange a private tour to fit the ship's schedule, so comparing the Hurtigruten prices with those for private tours is probably unfair. We have taken three excursions during our trip and we felt we got good value for each one. The arrangements were seamless, the guides were professional, the scenery was stunning, and when food was included, it was exceptional. The tour we took in Ålesund, Tastes and traditions in Hjørundford, cost NOK 2490 pp but it was among the best shore excursions we have ever taken. It was expensive but worth it. Just think of it as part of the package. 

Did you book your excursions prior to the cruise or while on board? Any advantage of one over the other?

4 hours ago, artvlay said:

Is one token sufficient for an average load to either wash or dry?

From personal experience, yes.

My experience is that the dryers tend to run quite hot. Therefore, keep an eye it.

The machines on the Island take tokens. Token machines are in the laundry room.

You use your Medallion to purchase the tokens. As of January on the Island, the cost is $3/token. Both the washer and dryer cost 1 token.

FYI - The Island installed brand new washers and dryers in January. They were very nice. I found that the dryers ran quite hot and that the lowest heat setting was perfect for me.

On 4/22/2024 at 2:55 PM, CenTexan said:

Thank you, Skynight. And 555.

 

One extra question - if both of us are on Plus, can I pick up drinks for each of us? If I have her medallion? (Bet not!)

You don't need to have her Medallion to order/pick up the drinks for the two of you. However, if you are approaching the 15 drink limit on your account, then start ordering via the other Medallion.

I add it at time of booking 

with the TA. That way the gift card value from the TA reflects the package cost and adds to the annual membership rebate. Not so if I were to purchase on board.

6 hours ago, Petronillus said:

I just clicked on this site and received the message that FWT has suspended operations and is no longer accepting reservations or scheduling tours on any regular basis.

That's a bummer.  Maybe check back in the Fall and see if they are back to doing tours.  

23 hours ago, Outerdog said:

 

Some will tell you it's a curse upon humanity. They think Princess is tracking them all over the place and the Medallions are the gateway to a privacy violating dystopia. Psst, you're already a customer, you're already on the ship having spent hundreds or thousands of dollars to get there, and they were collecting data long before the Medallions.

 

Psst, wait until they find out the tracking capabilities of their cell phone and how that is used by corporate America.

23 hours ago, dawcruiser said:

Sailed Princess before but never had Medallions.  What are they and what is the benefit of them if any?

This has replaced the hotel-like card.

One of the benefits is that it unlocks your cabin door as you approach. No more fishing around for it in your pocket or purse. 

In Dec 2022 my DH and I did the Santiago to BA route (included Antartica).  We stayed several nights in Santiago before heading to San Antonio to board the ship.  We thoroughly enjoyed Santiago. We did a tour to the Andes which included a stop at a vineyard.  To get to the ship, we took a private shuttle via Viator to SA.  Original plan was to do a wine vineyard tour on the way to the ship.  However, that fell through because no one else signed up.  The tour operator refunded some of the tour price and changed it to a private shuttle to the ship.  The shuttle picked us up at our hotel. 

Due to winds, the Punta Arenas port was closed.  We ended up spending more time in Ushuaia due to the missed port.  We missed Port Stanley because of the wind as well.  

We fly out of DFW, and almost exclusively on AA.  I found that airfare from DFW to SCL was much less (both $-wise and miles redemption) than it was from BA(EZE) to DFW.  We redeemed miles for Business Class to SCL and paid for Premium Economy from EZE to DFW.  This December we are doing the Antartica cruise as round trip from BA.  Airfare (miles or $) for DFW-EZE-DFW is quite high.  I jumped on my flights at the 300 day mark, when AA releases it schedules. So far that has been the best pricing.  

I would agree with the post that thought you would have more scenic cruising from Santiago to BA.  Depending on how long you will be in Montevideo, you may be able to do a shore excursion to Punta del Este if you are interested.

On 3/30/2024 at 3:25 PM, yakcruiser said:

Maybe a security issue? Piracy is a real thing in that neck of the woods. And I'm sure their Coast Guard boat in no way resembles one of ours.

"That neck of the woods?" This island is off the west coast of Africa. And why make a derogatory comment about their Coast Guard?

23 hours ago, msmoger said:

I'm guessing this post might be pulled by the mods.  They make it very clear that you're not supposed to share any parts of the surveys on social media.  I'm not trying to give you a hard time.  Just trying to give you a heads up.

To your point on confidentiality:

13 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Yes. You called from your US phone number to another US phone number. I called from my US phone number to a New Zealand phone number and incurred a charge. Apples and Oranges.

Yes, you are correct. My post wasn't about calls my cell carrier would treat as international calls. The OP was not asking about international calls, which is what I responded to.

26 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Did you call from a US number to a US number? I made a WiFi call in New Zealand to a New Zealand phone and was charged an International Call fee.

I called the US when I was on the Sapphire.  I also used the hotel WiFi in Santiago to call the US.  No charges were incurred for either call.

On 2/12/2024 at 5:47 PM, hpeabody said:

 

When I was on a cruise at a port stop in Papeete, Tahiti I had my first away from home experience with Google Voice.  At that time it was still very new to me.  I never thought of trying it ON THE SHIP using SHIP WIFI.  I was scared off by tales from people about huge expensive charges by calling from the ship.  I am witness to someone who had that experience, but that's another story)  I went to a little building right at the port in Papeete that had free Wifi and tried it there.  I made 3 or 4 fairly lengthy calls via Google Voice expecting to be charged using the credit I uploaded into my account ($10.00)  Lo and behold that credit was never charged!  I think I figured out that was because I was calling from a US number (my Google Voice number) to another US toll free number.  No International numbers involved.  My guess is if I had called an international number my credit would have been charged.  I love Google Voice, it just works for me 🙂

I believe the reason you weren't charged was because your calls were made via WiFi.  You weren't connected to a cellular network.  Nothing to do with the numbers you were calling.  Connection to a cellular network will result in international call charges.  It's also possible you would not have been able to connect to the Toll-free number if connected to a Tahitian cellular service.  If you use Verizon, their International plan will kick in for the 24 hour period when connecting to cellular service.

On 2/11/2024 at 12:29 PM, Teechur said:

Are you able to do this while the phone is in airplane mode? I have WiFi calling on my Google Pixel phone and my carrier is also T-Mobile. Can I call others on the ship using WiFi calling without additional charges? How about calls to iPhones on the ship?

You can place phone calls and send text messages.  I have a Samsung with T-Mobile.  I enabled WiFi calling and was in Airplane mode.  No additional charges.  This is from personal experience on the Island from FLL to LAX this January.  I also made a phone call via WiFi calling on the Sapphire when I was in South America in December 2022.  Dependency is obviously the internet connection you have.

For fun, at home, on land, set your phone to Airplane mode with WiFi calling enabled.  Make a phone call.  It should work.  If it doesn't, check your phone settings

On a side note, my phone defaults to WiFi  calling (Airplane mode not enabled) at home and anytime I'm connected to WiFi - regardless of location.

I was on the Island this January going from FLL to LAX.  This was the first segment of the 2024 World Cruise.  I purposefully chose the Island because it was transiting through the old locks of the Panama Canal.  I have not been on the Coral to provide that comparison.  General notes, thoughts, observations, etc.:

• While onboard, they installed a new MUTS screen.  Quality was excellent.
• There was also new pool area furniture waiting to deploy after LAX. 
• Brand new washers and dryers were installed while we were on the ship.
• It appeared that the carpeting was fairly new, as I didn't see any worn or frayed areas. 
• Overall, the upholstered furniture was in excellent condition.  Nothing that appeared worn out. 
• The Piazza is not as large as on the Royal class ships; however, it extends 4 floors versus the typical 3.  Then again, it is narrow enough to go through the old locks and the Royal class ships can't.
• It seemed that the shops were smaller on the Island compared to the Royal ships.
• The casino is small and isolated.  On the plus side, you don't have to walk through a smokey casino to get anywhere.
• Horizon Court is forward versus aft.  This means there is no outdoor seating area like you have when it is aft.
• No common area at back of ship to sit, relax, have a drink etc.
• Never, ever had an issue finding a place to sit and relax.  Lots of chairs and love seats available all over.
• The Wheelhouse is large.  Which is a good thing, because it was a very popular place.
• The ever-popular Crooners is also large.  Never had an issue finding a place to sit for our pre-dinner cocktail. 
• I haven't been a fan of the Explorer's Lounge on any of the ships we've been on.  I think that is because it is usually a dark place with a low ceiling. However, I liked this one.  There was a very comfortable seating area next to a window.  
• No International Cafe.
• No Vines.
• No lower-level exit for the Princess Theater. Only exit was at the rear.  
• Our cabin was aft on 10.  Loved that I could be on the decks below 10 and walk aft and take the last bank of elevators (or stairs) up to 10.  No dining room blocking my way. The aft elevators were never crowded.  Usually rode in them solo.
• The captain came through the MDR one evening and introduced himself.  That was a nice touch.  We've never experienced that before.

If the itinerary was right, we would board the Island again.

Per the AA website, there is an AA partner lounge at SCL.  

Check the AA website regarding access.

Admirals Club access − Travel information − American Airlines (aa.com)

On 2/7/2024 at 4:35 PM, floinnc said:

Does anyone have any information on unlimited use of the Thermal Suite on the Diamond Princess? I was informed that suites get complimentary access but we’re in a balcony. It’s a 22 day cruise next year with lots of sea days. Any idea of cost and whether we have to book onboard only? Thanks for any info!

 

In addition to the Izumi Japanese Bath, the Diamond has the Lotus Spa.  The description of spa services on the Princess web site references an 'aromatherapy thermal suite' in the Lotus Spa.  It is not the same as The Enclave Thermal Suite, found on the Royal Class ships.

In the Cruise Personalizer of your booking, you will see a 'Spa' tab.  Six months out you will be able to view spa services and pricing.  You will also be able to reserve spa services.