aikensbest

Let me just say that just because one can get by with something doesn't mean it's the best thing to do.

 

The best thing to do, would be to eliminate all formal nights. If one wants to dress formally, fine...but many of us had/have to dress up for work and look forward to times we can relax,and enjoy our life in a more casual . I really don't appreciate spending thousands of dollars to cruise and having to dress formally.

Actually a T shirt has no buttons or collar. A polo shirt has a collar and 2 o3 buttons. This is according to my online dictionary.

My wife called to order the wine pkg. Took 35 minutes waiting for a rep., but when she discussed delivery a supervisor informed her each bottle would have to be opened in the MDR and then could be taken to the cabin to finish consumption. We don't eat regularly in the MDR so why purchase a pkg. when you can only use it at their discretion . Her purpose was to be able to drink it on the balcony in the evening, but they would rather you lug it around the ship. Makes no sense!!

I would suggest you look at Princess for Alaska if you want a covered pool. They have itineraries much better than HAL and , in my opinion, a much better product than Hal.

Don't be surprised if Princess confiscates any amount of wine over 2 bottles. ALL of he cruise lines have clamped down on excess quantities over their listed limits. Wish ya'll luck!!

This is one area that is more consistent on other lines. As a vet. I get $100 or more on every cruise I take on Princess or HA.

Am sorry, but have been to the other islands, but wanted to subtly suggest changing itinerary. If I must pick one for OP would suggest, St. Thomas or St. Martin. Have done the Caribbean twice, once east, once west. But never again. None of them offer the pleasantries of Bermuda IMO.:confused:

Personally I would pick any of the islands over Bermuda. These islands have great culture, pride in their country and sights from Volcano's to Whale watching that can never be found in Bermuda

You don't even need to wear a sport coat for the specialty restaurants if you don't want too:D.

When I retired I decided after years of having to wear a suit, no more formal for me. I now have take 17 cruises and never take a suit or sport coat. Specialty restaurant most formal nights, buffet a few times and stay relaxed the entire cruise. To each his own, but not necessary to be formal if you prefer not to.

Thanks, I am just going by what the internet says about bringing anything on board the plane. We will give it a try in our carry on luggage.

You cannot carry it on the plane. You can bring two bottles on board the ship, but if flying to the port need to buy in the port area.

You can take advantage of price drops and upgrades until you make your final payment. I check several times I week and always, always get a better deal

Not sure where you cruise to, but this is not always the case. Our cruise March has gone up hundreds of dollars since we booked. It still comes down to supply and demand

I agree with you. It amazes me that people come on CC to brag about how they've shared the unlimited drinks with others and they feel justified because no one said anything.

It definitely wouldn't work for me. I drink the tap water (I even swap out the bottled water in my mini-bar set-up since I don't want it), drink coffee only on occasion and the ship's coffee is fine with me when I do, rarely have a mocktail, have maybe a drink at night (Platinum/Elite lounge at $5/drink), and a bottle of wine lasted me most of my Royal T/A and that was with help from my friends. Maybe this is why I never gain weight on a cruise. :)

 

To each his/her own. I sure hope they don't raise the cost of individual drinks as currently, they are a lot less than on Celebrity.

 

We are Princess cruisers , but due to itinerary are taking a cruise on Celebrity. I agree 100% with Pam. I have to laugh at many of the comments of the drink packages. In most cases the pkg. is in in place of OBC and unless you are a hvy. drinker (my words) you would be much better off with the OBC. The OBC I received for the upcoming cruise is far greater than the basic drink pkg.

[quote name='NJ Fred']Denying that all things change with time would be a denial of reality.

Another critical thing that has changed is the breed of cruise passenger. Many demand mega-sized vessels. Broadway/Vegas caliber entertainment and the like.

I agree that many of the changes on board "X" ships are undesirable. To my pallet, the food quality has deteriorated noticeably. And I am one of those who balk like a punctured penguin at the thought of plunking down as much as $45/pp for a so-hawked specialty restaurant without so much as a token refund for the money I already paid for eating in the MDR or a buffet had I dined in one of those venues on that occasions.

I cruise to relax. If I want first run, wide-screen movies I will go to a theater. If I want The Rockettes, I will go to Radio City Music Hall.

I want a safe, clean ship crewed by professionals. Sure, lay on a bit of the pampering by sliding my chair in and out or holding a door open.

Meal time used to be a high point. The melodic chimes summoned us to the MDR - - once open and widely used for all three meals plus a midnight buffet.

It is over. Gone. Finis.

Cruise Lines are conglomerates. Home Lines, Sitmar and so many others were born via the labors of families. And those families took pride in what they offered. There were few, if any, howling stockholders and the cost of merely fueling the vessel and sailing her was far less than today.

I cruise because I choose to cruise. To me, it is still the most relaxing and marvelous escape from everyday life that I fancy.

And if you think things are tight now - - you ain't seen nothing yet. Want proof? Look at the airlines. Additional charges for everything except using the restroom.

It is what it is.

Happy Cruising to All and to All a Goodnight![/quote]

Well Put! and yes it does remain as a wonderful and relaxing escape from the hum drum of everyday life

Most all the cruise lines avoid the Caribbean in the summer do to the fact it is the hurricane season. A very dangerous time to cruise there and also when cruises went there, folks got very upset as itinerary's were changed many times to avoid the storms.

What's the earliest you can arrive and be sure there will be porters there to take our luggage? We'll be taking a cab from the Embassy Suites on 17th St. I don't mind waiting until they start boarding but I'm hoping to improve our chances of getting loungers in the Sanctuary for the full cruise. BTW, we're Platinum if that means anything.

 

Thanks,

 

Porters will be there from the time the ship docks at the port, but as Princess has all the cabins ready for you before boarding, you will not be able to get on the ship until all cabins are ready. Platinum..me too..only gives you usually a quicker time to check in, and a different area to wait for boarding, does not always give you any priority boarding time. I doubt you will have any problem getting into the Sanctuary.

We've been spoiled by Aqua class on three Solstice class cruises. Booked

For two additional aqua class cabins on converted ships, Constellation and

Infinity, hope they live up to the Solstice class ships.

Smart casual in Blu is great. We're traveling to French Polynesia on the Pacific Princess in March- they are so antiquated that they have 3 formal nights and don't have a Blu. While they have some itineraries that are interesting, and

Great laundramats, the last Princess cruise we were on had horrible menu's

and badly prepared food. After spending 35 years in the foodservice industry,

my comments to the corporate head of foodservice at Princess was for him to resign.

Enjoy Aqua class and Blu.

Interesting. I traveled on Princess a short time ago and one of my tablemates had been the head of food service for HAL for 22 years. He found Princess to be way above his ex employer. I am no expert, but after 17 cruises on Princess and two on Celebrity I find them very close.

Princess stopped doing this in late 2010

all plugs are 3 prong. it's the law

I have been on Princess, Celebrity, and HAL. Personally, I will never again take a cruise on HAL. We paid for a balcony and found it looked down at a lifeboat..Period! Our friends booked a Lanaii which instead of a balcony consisted of two doors that opened onto a promenade deck . The library as someone mentioned was great, BUT everyone there was sleeping. We found the food okay, entertainment the same. Smoking was allowed on balconies (another reason to keep us away), and other than meal or entertainment time there were more folks asleep than a hotel. Near the pool, in the walkways between venues, etc. Strictly a line for old folks. (by the way I am 80, but felt like a youngster on Hal)

We always bring a couple of bungee cords and suction cup hooks on cruises. Bungee is great to hold the balcony door open or to use to hang items on the balcony to dry in the sea air. We also use them to strap items to a lounge chair when we leave to go to lunch, etc. Suction cup hooks will also hold wet bathing suits outside on window to dry.

I truly hope you are kidding about using Bungee Cords to hold the balcony door open. I am sure you are aware this messes up the air conditioning for the cabins on either side of you and is considered a no no.

Gosh, this topic certainly gets a bashing?

 

I guess the older cruisers who were used to wearing formal wear, still want to embrace it, however, with the new generation of cruisers (much younger-with a different outlook) they "want" to dress differently, ie. smart casual - nice trousers/shirt etc that looks smart, and they want to feel comfortable in what they wear.

 

hated wearing a dinner suit in the past.

 

P.S. - I stopped wearing suits some 9 years ago, but I do have a suit on hand for weddings & funerals, that's about all.

 

I understand your P.S. and totally agree. Must add however I am in the "older cruiser" group, being 80, but we like to relax also. I would love to see the formal nites reduced to one per cruise if the cruise is a month or more

The ziploc bags serve another purpose.

If you are doing your own excursion or going on an excursion where they don't serve meals, you can use them to bring your own food.

 

You can order sandwiches from room service and place them in the ziploc bags. You can then put them in an insulated tote like this one from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Raya-Insulated-Modern-Design/dp/B009SNOC36/ref=pd_sim_hg_8

 

This is helpful if you're going to a port where they only take local currency for food purchases or you just don't want to spend the money on food.

Be very careful doing this.There are many ports where it is unlawful to take any food off the ship.

what wrong with people giving there opinion. Most of what ive been reading is true.

I've only been on 17 cruises with Princess but have enjoyed each one..on 12 different ships. Am I naive or do people expect too much. I have never ever experienced a bad cruise on Princess.

In our experience there is always one of the main dining rooms open at embarcation. We always try to eat as there are no crowds to contend with.

We toured with Tyrone in March and had a great tour. We had 6 of us in his very comfortable van, and for the $25 a person he also provided us with soft drinks, rum punch, and beer. If you use him, let him know you want to stop and see the green monkeys. They will make your day

We have booked with Royston twice on trips to St.Kitts. Both times he was booked but was able to put us with his cousin Ashton, who provided us with almost identical tour. A really great young man. We enjoyed all the things that Royston provided , except we were in an air conditioned van. I would highly recommend Royston Tours....as would the folks we traveled with.