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6 hours ago, geoherb said:

I filed my claim with Aon yesterday (Sunday) for the cost of my hotel and meals due to missing the connection in Philadelphia last Friday. I received an email this evening letting me know my claim had been approved. Wow! That's great customer service.

Did you have to have any paperwork from the airline to prove you missed your flight?  If so what was it?

I find this app is slow loading.  The old app was much faster 

Waiting to book my dining

I stay at Best Western Oceanside.  It is 100 yards from the beach (you don’t pay beachfront price), free hot breakfast, bar that sells food, microwave, refrigerator, $ washer/dryer, #40 bus outside the door, walking distance to water taxi.  No shuttle from airport, can sign up for $ shuttle to Port Everglades.

On night I didn’t find anything I wanted to eat so ordered off the kid’s menu.

They also have vegetarian menu, just ask for it.

On one of my cruise, we missed checking in at the medallion station.  Later when we tried to change the tv channel from the Muster Drill, we could not so I called to 

Guest Services and they were able to fix the problem remotely.

Not a private car service, check out International Friends.  They only go on embarkment and disembarkment days.  They pick up at Southampton dock, stop at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor then dropped off at the door of certain London and Heathrow hotels.

I have taken them from Southampton and Dover.

www.internationalfriends.co.uk

I am also from Toronto.  I have found EzAir from Toronto (YYZ) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) there is a little savings from purchasing with EzAir than direct with the airline.  I have found flying international, there is a better savings.

With EzAir, book Flexible and watch to see if the price has gone down. No payment until cruise final payment with no $ penalty, you can change/cancel up to 45 days and after 45 days $ penalty.

I check my EzAir booking daily and have changed a few times for a better price.  For my cruise Toronto (YYZ)-Vancouver (YVR) and San Francisco (SFO) -Toronto (YYZ), started over $720, price went up to $800 and down and I presently have it for $591. If you purchase direct with the airline, you are unable to change without $ penalty if purchased non refundable.  
 

Near final payment, I check the airline price and take which is the cheapest.

Each time, you change your EzAir booking, you have to re add seats and airline passenger number.  Each time, you will get a new Princess airline booking # and airline booking #.

I always sleep in the bed closest to the A/C.  I put the extra pillows on the A/C and it cuts down the air flow.

Enjoying reading your review.

You can purchase separately the  Soda package and pay for the tips for the 3rd person and share the WiFi.

I don’t drink alcohol or coffee and purchase separately the Soda package, tips and WiFi.

If you want the Plus for the 3rd person, call Princess or ask your agent to add to booking.

1 hour ago, techfashion said:

I am not sure we have to be there 3 hours before the flight but still it does seem like a tight schedule. Based on everyone’s feedback I am considering going on a later flight but that will mean several hours in the airport instead.

Heathrow is a huge airport with long lines for security.  You do not know the gate #, until a short time before boarding.

Better to take a later flight.

Depending on your later flight, you can take Princess post cruise excursion.  You leave your luggage outside our cabin door the night before, pick up your luggage dockside, walk to your Coach, luggage is put under the Coach, have your post cruise excursion, then dropped off at your Heathrow terminal.

I had no problem just getting a scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce on the Island (November) and the Sky (February) instead of the Premier Dessert.  I guess it is who is behind the counter.

First cabin off the hallway on the Lido deck, I had L301(balcony cabin with an angled balcony- bigger balcony than a regular balcony), on the Sky and have booked it again for 2026.

Only steps from the elevator, and automatic door to the Lido area - pool, hot tubs, bar, hamburgers, pizza, loungers, buffet 

On the first night the hallway door was left closed, we heard the door as people let the door slam.  The following nights when we returned to our cabin for the night, I left the hallway door open and never heard the door again.

Very few times, we heard people walking down the hallway to their cabin.  You would have the same problem wherever your cabin is, unless your cabin is one of the last cabin in the front or aft of the ship.

While on the Island Princess in November, after not having been able to finish one of the premium ice cream desserts. The next time, I asked for 1 scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce and the suckers (they were wrapped to take home for my granddaughter).  After that the server would say “1 scoop with chocolate sauce and suckers”.  We had a laugh that she would remember.

The 3 day sale -

— non refundable deposit

—new bookings

— up to $1,200 OBC

— lower deposit

Following along.  Enjoy our cruise with your family.

Following along.  Enjoy your cruise. I have been on the Island and like the ship.

Just now, cruizingOmi said:

When was that, Recently?

My Nov 2023 and Feb 2024 cruises.

Did you check Princess website itinerary and your Travel Summary?

7 hours ago, Yehootu said:

I received an email last night for 20% off on excursions on our October 2024 Coral Princess Transpacific cruise. 

We're not big fans of big bus herd excursions and usually stay away from ship offered ones. One of our stops is in Hong Kong and after some research I'd decided that the Hoho Bus was best booked through Princess. I booked the excursion last year for $78.00pp. I re-fared our cruise 2 weeks ago and got a good discount. By doing so our excursion was refunded and I had to rebook it. I got my refund and rebooked it for $78.00pp. I looked today at the excursion after getting the email and it seems Princess was so kind to me to give me the 20% off last year. The price with the 20% discount is..............$78.00pp. 

I had paid for my Hawaii cruise excursions.  I also received 20% discount email.  The 20% discount was the same price I had paid.  After the 20% discount finished, the excursion prices when up.

I received a move down offer (from balcony to inside), the day before my Caribbean, Feb 2024 cruise. I had balcony with Plus. Cruise fare would be applied as OBC onboard, if not used up a cheque would be send.   I did not have WiFi until I got to my FLL hotel.  By the time, I send the email back, someone else had replied.

16 hours ago, cdn_tbird said:

We have our first Princess cruise lined up for next year and am considering purchasing some OBC. If I do purchase it online, will it be available on my account right away or is it applied to my account after we board like it is on X?

 

TIA

 

I am Canadian and purchase OBC under On Board Services as the exchange rate is better than the bank.

You can only purchase $1,500 US, OBC for the cabin.

You are not able to use the OBC purchased before your cruise.  You will receive a card in your cabin - $??? OBC has been applied to your onboard account, not sure the actual wording.  The OBC purchased will be applied to your onboard account to spend on whatever you want while on the ship.

The purchased OBC is refundable as you purchased it.  If there is any refundable OBC left on your onboard account at the end of your cruise, Princess will send you an USA cheque, the envelope is not from Princess so be careful thinking it is junk mail.  If you have refundable OBC under $25,  you can get cash refund at Guest Services the last day.

Once purchased online, it will show at the bottom on On Board Services and also on Travel Summary (take a copy of this as it will show itinerary, number of Dress to Impress nights (use to be called formal night), flights/hotel/insurance (if purchased through Princess), anything purchased - Plus, OBC, excursions, spa, etc.

You will get an email that you have paid the dollar amount paid in CDN.

ie - This is what I paid for my OBC and what I paid in CDN.

- $135 CDN = $100 US

Following along.  Enjoy our cruise

Following along.  Enjoy your cruise.

When I went to the Tattoo (have been 2x), I was told from a passenger from the year before, to leave when the solo piper starts to play to try to exit before the crowds as there is only 1 entrance/exit.  We could hear the piper and see the fireworks as we walked.

There is no intermission during show.  The seats are in one long row from one aisle to the other aisle.

Port-a-potties are near the entrance/exit.