Fluffy Terry

Am on new england/canada cruise septn2023 & am looking at booking the excursion to salem.  Is it worth it as a whole day excursiin

I have only sailed on Princess once before and it was before the crown medallion.  I understand that the medallion will be available on our cruise Nov 27.  I know very little about this program, and my biggest concern will be do I need to purchase the internet package.  We unplug on vacation and dont even take our phones.  I will have my tablet, but only for playing games or reading offline.  Can we still use most of the things that the medallion offers without purchasing the internet.

Forgot to add this into our review and it is something upsetting.

We have cruised with RCCL since 2002 and this is the first time this has happened.

We had a notice in our room on arrival that one of our bags had been pulled by security and we had to go down to obtain it.  My husband has always had loads of electronics as he carries a very expensive movie camera, a camera and I always have my ereader.  So a few things that need charging.  He has always carried a small multi outlet (surge protected) extension cord.

This time unfortunely instead of putting it into his carryon with his camera equipment he put it into his large bag.  RCCL confiscated it and said he would get it back at the end of the cruise and to obtain one from our room steward.  Well got over it and obtained one from our room steward for the cruise.  The problem was at the end of the cruise.  After being in line for almost an hour to get thru security we had to find where to pickup the cord (as it isnt marked).  It turned out to be hidden way over in the corner.  We only had so much time to get the cord and get our transfer to the airport.  So my hubby went and stood in line with many other people.  He said many people came up with RCCL personal and were ushered thru while they stood there.  He waited patiently in line for over 1/2 hour while others were ushered thru.  The lady was rude and told him that he would have to go back and go thru security and customs again before he could obtain his $9 cord.  Well after waiting 1/2 an hour, and being told by a very rude individual he would have to do it again he said they could keep the cord.  We have never had this happen before in all the time we have been cruising with RCCL.  I dont think this is any way they should be treating their customers, and with having already gone thru the procedure why would he have to do it again, they should have just handed him the cord.  It isnt like he was carrying contraband, it was a power cord.

What even makes me more angry is others on our cruise said they had put things in their carryon (iron. cords etc) and they were not questioned.

We have reserved a two person golf cart.  My concern was that we would be doing more driving than actually seeing things as there are some north and some south that we want to see and didnt know if we would have enough time to see both sides

I posted a review about our recent cruise on the Adventure of the seas, but needed to add to it.  How do I find it

First time in Bonaire and hubby and I are renting a golf cart.  Suggestions please on what is a must see on this island.  We do not snorkle just want to see and experience the island on our own.

I know it is earlier to start this, but what the heck.  Want to see if I get any responses. 

we will be in nassau Dec 23.  We have an excursion in the morning, but was thinking about checking out the pirates of nassau after.  We have approx 4 hours before the ship sails.  Has anyone been and is it worth checking out

We will in Nassau Dec 23 and have an excursion planned in the morning but have approx 4 1/2 hrs after before the ship sails.  Is the pirates of nassau museum work the time to stop by

As adventure was redone in 2018 does anyone know if they have added the escape room?  We are sailing on her in Dec and would love to check it out

we are looking at a princess cruise next year 15 day china, taiwan & vietnam.  But the visa thing is confusing.  As we are flying into Japan I dont think we need a visa, but there are two stops in china, do we have to apply for a visa or does princess

I am really looking forward to the ornaments as that is what I collect as well from our cruises. If you remember can you let me know where you bought each one. I especially want to see the glass boat with Alaska 2013 on it. It is already on my list to purchase

Since you were on the same cruise tour that we are taking in 23 short days I am really getting excited now that I have read your review. Wow you have spend so much time and given so much valuable information. My Hat is off to you and THANK YOU AGAIN for doing this, all the information you have provided is going to make quite a bit of difference on our trip.

Ok folks, I think that's about it for tonight. I'm hoping to cover Decks 6, 5 & 4 tomorrow night which will take care of the public parts of the ship.

 

Then on Thursday evening my plan is to get the Cruise Compasses, Spa Pricing, Laundry Pricing, Shore Excursions, etc. scanned and hopefully uploaded.

 

And finally on Friday during my lunch hour I hope to post pictures of my Christmas ornaments that I collected during our Alaskan Adventure. If it doesn't happen then, it may not happen until next week as I am having 3 of my grandbabies (4yr, 22 mo & 3 mo) spend our last weekend together before they move to Florida from Texas (17 hours away). I'm going to be so sad when they leave since they are only an hour away now. I'll have a 1 yr old grandson who lives just a minute away still here and hopefully we still have a few more to come in the next few years.

 

At least this will give me an excuse to cruise out of Florida now... at least that's what I keep telling myself to keep from crying :( :( :(

 

 

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Once again Cindy thank you, thank you for all the useful information you have provided. As I stated we are taking the same cruise tour July 13. We have had to revise Anchorage as there is less time than we thought in that city, but oh well, found a fabulous mall when looking over everything on google maps, so kind of makes up for it. DH not too impressed, but more shopping for more me in less time LOL. You have provided us with much needed in depth information that we have tried for over a year to obtain. We had done the cruise portion in 2002 but it was very hard to find information on the land portion until you came along. THANK YOU AGAIN. Your pictures are fabulous, your insight and information priceless. Now I really cant wait to get on the plane. 31 days, 12 hours, 51 minutes, 52 seconds and yes I am counting.

Thank you for your effort as well - we booked this over a year ago and I am like yourself - obsessed with reading everything I can and having everything in place before we go and yes I have the little binder with all the dividers, with everything we want to see and do each stop - but like the same found it very hard to find information on the land portion - did the cruise in 2002 but this is the first time doing the land and really appreciate the information. We depart July 12 on a Friday just like you in order to spend an extra day in Fairbanks and also have booked #13 so am drooling just thinking about reading this thread.

Thanks again

Wow you are making me so excited about our cruise tour July 2013 - cant wait, Have been on the cruise portion before but not the land portion - so have a few questions - am trying to sort out what to do in our free time in each town - when you arrive do you get an itinery of times you arrive and how do you go about independently booking excursions - without knowing what time we arrive in each town dont know how I would book the extras - did you just wait till you got into each town to book your extra time? Our cruise tour starts in Fairbanks and like yourself we are going in a day early and renting a car to see the sights - I hate arriving the same day and from what I have read there is quite a bit to see around fairbanks - we are flying from Canada so the trip will be long and would get in fairly late if we chose to come in the same day - just would be arriving and going to hotel and sleeping - they only have given us general information so far on each stop (ie you will have evening and next morning) that doesnt tell me how much time so really am wondering how the extra excursions work. Were you able to book the extras as soon as you receive the itinery in anchorage or did you have to wait till you got to each town to book

Any information you could provide would be appreciated - thanks

Will be coming in Friday morning early of course - thought we would see if there is anywhere in canada place that we can stow our luggage for a few hours and I would just show DH downtown robson etc - we think we will be probably too tired after 13 days of sightseeing alaska to sightsee so just walk around maybe gastown and china town as well (that is if we can stow our luggage somewhere - then we want to at least spend friday night at riverrock, walk over to richmond night market to sample some different food and people watch. Unsure yet if will stay Sat or fly home Sat and just relax at home. From what I have read the night market seems like it would be something totally different and we think fun

fluffy terry: I'd go for the riverrock and the night market that is closest to it (a very short walk). what nights of the week will you be in town?

Wow what a great thread - but information overload and I havent read everything - but a question - We are from Winnipeg Manitoba and doing of course an Alaskan cruise tour. We will be landing in Van end of July next year and since I have lived in Campbell River and visited Van many times, it is not new to me, however DH has never been before and we are debating on whether to stay downtown (thinking times square suites, have stayed there before) or stay at the river rock casino resort - the reason we were thinking river rock is because I have been reading about the two night markets in richmond.

Now that I have babbled on - here is my question, is it worth staying at river rock to see the markets? and if so which one is better (Richmond night market or Summer night market). It seems from all I have read my DH would love the experience. If we stay at times square we will do the Robon downtown thing. But will probably be shopped and sightseeing exhausted by the end of our cruise tour (13 days total). The markets sound close and different (I love experiencing new foods and people.

Would love your feed back

Thanks to whomever started this thread and gave the link for the old one. I agree Radiance will always be my first love. We did our first cruise to Alaska on her in 2002 and we are returning on a cruisetour in 2013. Cant wait, love that ship. Will be nice to see all the changes. And as virgin cruisers our first cruise was a really cheap inside cabin on seven, of course now we only book balconies - have a hump room on eight this time

Our B2B isnt till March 3 2013, however, we tend to start planning earlier. I have a question about Cosol though - unfortunately we are only two - myself and DH - have been talking to others on our Roll Call but so far we would only be two people and would love to be able to take a tour thru either Cosol of James - but from I have read you need big groups to book - is that correct - Does anyone know of independents that will do smaller groups - we had a car for ourselves when we visited Roatan and it was great - dont mind going with others, but as of now dont have anyone else to go with - does Cosol have a website I can visit?

375 days to go till b2b on the aos - counting the days

thanks for the link

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/universal/en_US/index.html

 

for the RCI / Universal cruise....

 

good luck.

Can you tell me where on RCI website you found it. I have tried before and would love to book it for me and DH but can never find it

Hi-I see on the RCI website that there is a "package" of either 3/4 at Universal and a 4/7 night cruise. Includes hotel at Universal, transfers, admission etc. Can anyone tell me if they have done this before and what their experiences were and do you think it is worth the money? Thanks, Kim

The last Princess cruise we took they sold beer by the bucket (6-7 beer) on ice

Some do! I think Carnival and Royal Caribbean....not sure about the others!

We also tip our room steward - but we also bring a gift - especially if the cruise is at Xmas - The gift is either a large chocolate bison or a box of chocolates specifically from Manitoba Canada where we are from) dont have to worry about it taking up any room in their cabin or size not fitting and you know it will be appreciated.

I have to disagree with this. The crew lives in quarters smaller than the inside cabins for the passengers, and they share them with another person. They don't have room for extra tee shirts or other knick knacks from your hometown. Of course they're going to thank you for it, but odds are, it ends up in the trash, because they just don't have the space for it. Can you imagine how stuffed their rooms would be if everyone brought them a shirt or souvenir from their hometown?

 

My tip is money talks. If you liked the service someone gave you, cash is the best gift. Also be sure to fill out your comment cards, they get promotions and raises based on the comments you write.