saratoga

Include KLM in your search.  They code share with Delta and you can sometimes find the Delta flight via a KLM booking even when EZ Air does not return any Delta availability for your desired Delta flight. 

2 hours ago, stefndoug said:

I had (notice past tense LOL)a friend...who posted a scathing picture comparison of the Disney Wonder and the Sun Princess in Vancouver on Monday.  She made a bunch of comments on how disgusting the ship looked and that it made her want to vomit.  Now I will have to admit it looked bad, but...there has to be a reason that it isn't looking all shiny.  I can't even find an itinerary until SEptember, but it is on her way up to Alaska.  What is going on with her?  

 

Stefani

She is in Juneau today. She looks fine to me. 

I would rather be sailing her around the Pacific than a 7 day Alaska on Disney.  

Tony

12 hours ago, cheznandy said:

So glad I am not the only one that has trouble with larger dining tables. I have 80% hearing loss in one ear, so on a large table I only hear the left side conversaton haha!! It is just too hard, when I wear my hearing aid, as it is in one ear it picks up conversations on the next table!

We choose a table for two so we can have nice quiet conversation and I am not concentrating on what people are saying or missed conversation.

We have always been able to get a table for two with Anytime and TD.

I have the same issue with hearing loss.  We always request a table for 2.  In 20+ cruises with Princess, there have been 3-4 times were the requested 2 top was initially provided.  A quick visit with the Maitre fixed the initial assignment.  We always visit the Dining room after embarking to check on our assignment.  Never had an issue getting a table for 2.  

7 hours ago, royal65 said:

Does Cellular at Sea work off in waters off Antarctica?

Can't speak for cellular at sea, but we were able to call via wifi from Antarctica in 2017 with a Holland America internet package.   We had enough bandwidth to video chat and show the family back home some of the scenes.  

16 minutes ago, AryMay said:

Tony,

 

It was interesting to see your maps. We are sailing this itinerary in January. 

 

I assume the maps you had photos of were posted somewhere on the ship for all to see? Do passengers also receive maps in their cabin so they can track the routes? We have done this in Alaska and it was interesting to see the route we were traveling. 

 

I have debated about purchasing a map in advance, but am hoping we are given one instead. I don’t need anything too detailed, just something to follow along. 

One more option, before you go, if you download off-line maps for your travel areas  to Google Maps or Maps.me, and you go outside to allow your phone to determine its location from GPS satellite's, you can follow you current location on a map including direction of travel using your smartphone. 

I have found Google maps to be very accurate.  You need the off-line maps to get around the need for an internet connection.  I do this for all our travels.  Very handy.

They were posted in the crowsnest and updated fairly often. This was in addition to the maps available on the TV.  I attached a picture on the TV display from Antarctica.

No maps were distributed to all cabins on our cruise.

I have also attached our first view of Anartica as we approached.  This photo has not been photoshopped at all.  It was amazing. I am planning a return in the near future.

Tony

We were on the Dec 2017 Zaandam sailing from Chile to Antarctica to Argentina.  We were on Starboard side, but being outside is more important.  

I will try to add photos of the actual route down the coast of Chile and the 4 days we spent in Antarctica.  I wouldn't worry about the side the cabin is on.  Both sides are amazing.

Tony

11 hours ago, Ombud said:

I was told TD times on Australia & New Zealand routes did not change. 

I am booked on the Majestic next year ending in Sydney.  My Dining time on the personalizer shows 6:00 PM requested and confirmed. 

I changed cabins yesterday.  The confirmation email for the cabin change shows 5:00 PM dining requested and confirmed.  I rechecked the personalizer and it still shows 6:00 PM requested and confirmed.

I will just keep watching but 5:00 is to early and I won't do Anytime based on long wait times I have experienced in the past.  

I almost won a navigation chart at auction a number of years ago. It was down to two people bidding. I turned around to see who it was and realized it was a honeymoon couple. I gave up.

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We missed Christchurch in 2016. Nothing was added, it just became a Sea day.

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The*Apparent wind*is the*wind experienced by an observer in motion and is the relative velocity of the*wind*in relation to the observer.*Apparent wind velocity is the vector sum of the true wind*and the headwind an object would experience in still air.

If you are on the bow of a ship going 20 knots into a 20 knots headwind, the apparent wind is 40 knots.

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The airline boarding pass is printed from the airline site after checking in. I have been on Delta booked via EZ air an number of times. Checking in on Delta begin 24 hours prior to departure. Also if you have a flexible fare on EZ Air, it is not ticketed until 45 days prior to departure.

Saratoga

Thank you

Saratoga

I will be taking a longer cruise on the Zaandam in the near future. I've seen some mixed reports whether the self service has been closed as a fire hazard or not. Can somebody who had recently on the Zaandam let me know if the laundry is open or not. It will affect how I pack for my cruise.

Thank you

Tony

Saratoga

We have miss smaller ports based on the rating of the dock and not the ability of the ship to maneuver. If the wind load on the ship exceeds the capacity of the dock to take that load you won't be all the tie up or you have to use a tugboat to relieve the strain on that dock. Sometimes wind direction prevent using tugs so that may not have an option. 1.5 meter seas meant tendering was not an option.

In any event, it's clearly the captain's call and the captain has all the necessary information to make that call. I respect his judgment.

If any destination is critically important to you, then I would consider not using a cruise to get there in the future.

Saratoga

If you are following this blog review, more pages have been posted.

Thanks again for the review.

Tony

Saratoga

I am enjoying your review. It translated very cleanly to English. I will be aboard in December.

Thank you

Saratoga

Saratoga

On the day you board, you will meet with your cabin Steward most likely after muster drill, or even before. In 17 Princess cruises, we have always met our cabin steward on the first day. At that initial meeting you would request your top sheet, bathrobes, extra glasses or towels, or whatever you desire. We always have a set list of things, two extra glasses in the bathroom, robes, top sheet, get rid of feather pillows substitute with foam

As far as the fridge, we've only ever had an empty fridge which holds nothing but an ice bucket until we reached Elite status, where they do fill our fridge with goodies, but they are complimentary. Otherwise you will have an empty fridge with ice bucket.

Don't stress over your first cruise. Just go and ENJOY!

Heck, in the olden days, nobody had a cruise board to go to to even learn about anything, hence, nothing to worry about.

Just go a relax. You will get a million different opinions on CC.

Everyone has different preferences.

L l

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We were on the June 18th sailing of the Emerald Princess. The itinerary was embarked in Seattle on Sunday sea day Monday, Ketchikan Tuesday, Juneau Wednesday, Skagway Thursday, sea day Friday, Victoria Saturday back to Seattle on Sunday. A new Captain did come on during the trip so the most traveled passenger lunch and maybe different.

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It wasn't the last day of the cruise. Skagway was Thursday, Friday was a sea day and when the lunch was held, and Saturday was Victoria.

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The week of 18 June, early traditional was 5:30 in the farthest Dining room aft. The most travelled event was actually a luncheon on the day after Skagway if I remember correctly.

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As others have suggested, book the later flight, but I would share my experience from the Oct 2016 Royal Princess Westbound. We were in the second walk off group and we have Global Entry.

We had booked a noon flight home on arrival day in Fort Lauderdale. When the ship arrived at the port, we accessed the Delta Webpage and determine there was availability for a 9:00 flight that morning. We walked off as soon as possible, cleared entry requirements, and caught a cab to the airport. We arrive just before 8:00. Given the early hour, the terminal was not crowded. We made the 9:00 flight as a standby, getting home 3 hours sooner. We were happy it worked this time, but would not book the early flight. The noon flights are generally full and if you miss the 9:00 flight, you could be at the airport a while waiting for the next flight.

I am looking at the 15 Dec 17 cruise. We are going with an ocean view cabin. Which cabins would you recommend and why.

We are not that familiar with the Zaandam. Any thoughts you could provide would be appreciated.

Tony

Thanks for the information. I was surprised HA doesn't have an online system for booking flights.

Of the cruise lines I have used, I find Princess to be the easiest to use. You don't have to be booked on a cruise to see the prices and flight options. You can book any class of service and dates of travel to and/or from the ship. The also offer flexible fares that can be refared on a price drop and don't have to be paid until final payment date.

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Thanks for the response. I will call. In the past, I have found this kind of ticket (in one city and back from a different city) to be less expensive when booked via the cruise line.

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