mamajean1113

On 8/19/2023 at 12:19 AM, TequilaKen said:

Good luck.  It took us 3 days to get our luggage.  They didn't even send our luggage to the airport until mid-afternoon even though our flight was around noon.  Then they sent it to the wrong airport.  We had to go to DFW multiple times trying to get it all worked out before we finally received our luggage.

Oh wow, 3 days is a lot to wait.  I guess it was a good thing this happened on your way home and not to the cruise. 

Thank you everyone! I pre-booked this morning.  I hope it will work out, our flight home to NJ is a red eye so we dont want to lug our luggage with us all day. In God we trust our luggage makes it home!!!!

We will be disembarking in Seattle after our Alaskan cruise.  I know that Port Valet will take your luggage straight to the airport.  My question is should I book Port Valet before the cruise or should I wait until we board and do it at that time.  I don't want to confuse matters if I pre book.  Has anyone used this service and did you pre book and have any issues? Thank you in advance!!!!

On 5/19/2023 at 1:38 PM, Ottawa_Cruiser said:

I believe on an 11 night, you will have two formal night (we had one on our 8 night sailing). Many people did dress up, but I also saw a man go into the MDR on Gala Night wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt. MSC indicates that dressing up is however you feel dressing up is. Hubby and I did dress up because we don't do it often. As for the table at dinner, you and your friends can have a table just for you.

Thank you for responding to my questions.  We will definitely dress up, not too formal like my 3 mother of the groom and 1 mother of the bride gowns LOL!  But I do have casual gowns that can be dressed up with accessories.  Glad we can sit with our friends on a table of 4.  That is one thing we liked about NCL there are no set time for dinner and we were always escorted to a table of 4 each night.

On 5/20/2023 at 6:41 PM, JamieLogical said:

 

There will be two Gala nights on an 11 day. You definitely do NOT need to dress up. Every day, in the daily, there will be "suggested" attire, but it is never required. The only special advice I have is to definitely bring something white to wear on White Night. While you aren't required, you will feel awkward not wearing white when such a high percentage of the other passengers are, even if you don't plan to attend the White Night party.

Thank you so much for your guidance.  I may not wear a fancy gown but I have a few that are casual and can be dressed up with accessories.  That is one thing that we missed on NCL the dressing up part.  So few do and when you do dress up you feel uncomfortable and out of place.  I will surely pack white attire!

We booked this ship for Jan of 2024, it will be our first time on MSC.  We have been on 8 NCL cruises but wanted to see what other ships were like.  We are going on an 11 night sailing, my question is how many formal nights are there and do people dress up?  We are so use to NCL where you can dress up or not and most people do not.  You sort of feel out of place if you do dress up. Also we will be a party of 4 with our friends.  Can we have a table just for us or do we have to share a table with others.  I did link our rooms so they know we are together. Looking forward to a different cruise line to compare.  Thank you in advance for any assistance.

I use What's App when I cruise.  I get the unlimited minutes and I have no issues.  I am able to text, call and video chat for the whole cruise. 

3 hours ago, clavichord said:

If transferring the 150 minutes is possible, then can you get $200 credit if you upgrade on that account (I assume you do not have to activate the new 300-minute account when doing the transfer?)

I very much doubt it.  Those are free minutes that was part of Free at Sea. I was very appreciative they did that which gave him more minutes to use.

I upgraded my wi-fi only for my upcoming trip.  If I did it on my phone we both had to do it but I did it on my desktop computer and I was able just to upgrade my plan.  I did this last year as wel, l as soon as we were on board we went down to the computer tech and he was able to transfer my 150 free minutes to my husband so he had 300 which was more than enough for him.  I plan to do the same thing this year.

We were on a Club Balcony on the Gem last year.  Wasn't impressed.  The balcony itself was a little bigger than a normal balcony room but what I really hated was the tub.  I prefer a shower over a tub and it was high to get into when you are short and when the ship is rocking!  You do get a variety of cookies and chocolate covered strawberries on different days and you get free laundry mid week of your cruise.  Our room looked exactly like the pictures above.  Nice size room but I wouldn't pay extra money for a club balcony - we bided on it that is how we got that room.  Enjoy your cruise!

22 hours ago, julig22 said:

If you are using NCL air and requested a deviation, then they will refund the transfer fees and you will also get a $25 credit.  And you are on your own with respect to getting to the port the following day, unless you booked your hotel through NCL.

As to Quebec, they may fly you into Montreal due to the limited number of flights into Quebec, so that is an issue - and why I chose a cruise that ends in Quebec instead!  I have seen a few discussions on the Montreal-Quebec issue, you might want to look to your roll call for ideas.

In the past on other cruises, I have opted to keep the airport transfer, and just went back to the airport.  However, on my last cruise they cancelled my transfer reservation (something about security, which the airport denied was an issue).

 

I deviated our airline trip w/NCL to Seattle one day earlier for this coming August.  I did get the $25 credit and the transfer to the ship and from the ship to the airport remained on.  We will be staying at the Hilton at the airport. I was informed by my PCC to go back to the baggage area the next day and look for the NCL Shuttle Person we could board the shuttle to the ship. This was true for a trip we booked to Rome, we were going in 2 days earlier, got our own hotel and was told to go back to the airport the day of embarkation and we could take the shuttle to the ship.

We utilized the 50% off coupon. We booked a 10 day Alaskan cruise on the Sun with a Picture Window Ocean View room. The total before the discount was $6,398.19 with the discount it came out to $3660.18 with all the perks including air fare from NJ to Seattle and transfers from the airport to the pier both ways.  We also used a Cruise Next Cert.  We couldn't believe the savings.  We initially booked a 10 day cruise out of Rome/Greece but after adding the three extra days before the cruise and the cruise itself it was going to cost us well over $10,000.  So we cancelled that trip and booked Alaska.  I am one never to believe that whenever NCL has a sale they get it back in another way but this was legit and we are Platinum members and so are our friends who booked the same cruise with us. 

44

We were on the Gem 2/28 and the night before we received a notice on our bed with the daily that they would be washing the balcony during the port stay. We were on the starboard side and our friends were on the port side and they got the notice as well.   Sure enough a man in a white jump suit was there in the early part of the afternoon hosing down the balconies on our deck.  So it was no surprise to us!

We made final payment last week.  If NCL cancels we will get our money or credits back.  If it is a go then we will sail.  We all have 2 shots and a booster.  It is what it is and I can't live my life in fear anymore.  The current variant is said to dwindle by mid January.  We are sailing in February. We were on the next to last sailing of the Gem in Feb 2020, we were in paradise and came home to hell.  

16 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

I've sailed on both Norwegian and Princess quite a bit.   I absolutely hated the Bliss (too many people for my liking, and don't get me started on the elevator situation). I enjoyed the Norwegian Jewel.

 

Princess in my opinion is a step up from Norwegian.  Everything from, dining to service.  Just a little classier if I can find a word for it.  Not stuffy, and there is a good age variation unlike HAL which tends to cater to the older crowd (I'm older and I like HAL 😁).  I've currently got 3 Princess cruises booked.   

 

With all that being said, if I was given a chance to cruise on either cruise line I would jump on it.   

 

 

 

Thank you, we are so looking forward to a change and seeing what other lines are like.

17 hours ago, vampiress said:

i know everyone tries to stay as close to the pier as possible, but i find san pedro too quiet.  i prefer to stay in long beach down town, the marriott or westin.  downtown long beach is walkable, has a free shuttle, some shopping, grocery and drug stores, aquarium, movie theater.  its just a bit of a nice relax and mosey area at the pike. and some things to see at the queen mary.  it's about a 20 minute lyft/uber the morning, little to no traffic. 

 

you do have to be very specific about which pier you are going to when booking your ride.

 

san pedro is a cute sleepy town that closes up quite early.  there are stores, but i found them more difficult to get to requiring a lyft/uber. 

 

i think people discount long beach, but i'd like to offer it as an alternative and it has a ton of food options for dinner.

Thank you for your advice - we have a while before we can make airplane/hotel reservations.  I started a notebook and writing down all of the things we need to do and take into consideration.

20 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

OP: A great experience!! Be aware, if you plan on signing up for it, you'll need to plan ahead. No open toe shoes are allowed on the tour. The swag that you receive takes up space in your luggage. Don't unfold the robes!! They'll take more space if you open them & try to refold. The robes are quality stuff, they weigh 2# each (4 extra pounds in your luggage. I'm 5'4" and on me they're floor-length. 2 pockets & a sash tie. I replaced the tie with an extra long zipper to make sure it stays closed (much easier to use).

The tablets are 8.5" X 5.5" X 3/4". They'll last a long time. I still have mine from 5 years ago. 

We got a picture from the visit to the bridge (all the participants with the captain)...no apron. After the bridge visit they provide drinks and IIRC chocolate covered strawberries. YMMV on what's provided.

 

Run. Do not walk to Passenger Services as soon as you board the ship.

Wow sounds like it is worth the $150.  We did a ship tour once and found it most interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes.  I will let our party know about this and we will try to "run" to make a reservation upon embarkation.  Thank you!!!!

20 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We are from Rye. We’re on NCL,  I think the Getaway or the Breakaway on February 27 to the Bahamas. Anything to get out of New York winter. Desperate not to have another winter trapped in the house. Driving to the pier takes about 40 minutes.

I have been on the Breakaway and it is a BIG ship.  Beautifully designed.  I am going on the Getaway in April.  It is the same class of ship.  Lots of people, I believe it holds 4200 passengers.  We love the Gem, smaller ship, we don't need all those bells and whistles that are on the bigger ships!  Going on her to the Caribbean Feb. 28, rebooked because the one in Feb 2021 was cancelled.  Fingers crossed we can sail out of NYC!  Enjoy you upcoming trip.  

20 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

It might be cold and windy but there is so much to do inside the ship that it doesn’t matter. You will be busy as a bee with Hawaiian culture, trivia , funny games the wonderful cruise staff of young dedicated assistants and multiple venues of comedy,  entertainment and music. We have been on NCL, Royal Caribbean, Oceania, Regent and Celebrity. Princess staff tops them all.

Thank you - we normally sail out of NYC in February and that is cold!  It usually takes a day and a half before we can lounge on the sun deck!  I am so glad we picked Princess, all these reviews are most helpful!

12 hours ago, jondfk said:

Hi OP we've sailed with NCL 3X and have done the Princess Hawaii run something like 7 times from both San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Have also sailed Crown once in the Med.  I'll weigh in on some of your questions though you've had a lot of good input already:

 

There's no doubt NCL are more casual than Princess.  That said, we prefer a bit more structure in our day and typically book fixed seating for dinner, same table, same service team every night, this wasn't an option on NCL  On the other hand, NCL ships (at least the later ones) have many more alternate dining venues some great, others just okay.  Crown Princess has two upcharge venues Crown Grill (steaks and such) and Sabatini's (Italian) I personally think the Sabatini's on this ship is the best in the fleet for it's high up location with great sea views.  Note that I say NCL have more choices, not that their choices are better.  We find the main dining room on Princess very good, most every day.  On NCL we gave up on the MDR after two or three dinners moving to alternate locations all other nights, it's that different.

 

As to port area hotels my nod goes to the Doubletree.  At times though we've booked LAX area hotels with Princess transfers.  These have worked well, the ride from LAX to the pier takes 30 minutes +/- 30 minutes depending on LA traffic.  I'll note that most LAX hotels are in a highly undesirable even unsafe area - I'd advise against walking away from the hotel for dinner for example, very sorry to write this but it's unfortunately true. 

 

Now about the cruise itself.  There's no denying the first day (day plus) and last day can be quite chilly depending on Pacific weather.  Air temp in the 60's, strong winds, can make early days on deck less than enjoyable.  Starting from LA (instead of San Francisco) helps considerably.  We love the many sea days and do a lot of ocean gazing.  Princess packs the days with speakers, movies, trivia and a great Hawaiian culture duo who do everything from hula lessons and food tastings to ukulele classes - don't miss any of this.

 

Finally as to dress code.  There will be a couple of formal nights, and some folks (especially ladies) will take the opportunity to wear their finest.  Most folks however will put on a fresh shirt and something other than athletic shoes and get by just fine.  Aloha shirts always meet the "formal" criteria and these are my go to for such voyages.  

 

Sorry for the lengthy feedback, hope some parts of it are of benefit.

Your feedback is most helpful.  Thank you for going into details.  There is so much to learn and I think I have enough time until we cruise to master this one!  

12 hours ago, skynight said:

I want to also mention the plus fares. They are $40/pp/day more than the no frills fares. They include the daily crew incentive (gratuity) of around $15/pp/day which is the amount you will pay additional if you book the no frills fare. Net increase is then just $25. Wifi would be around $5/day if you just purchase one package, higher if you purchase a two device package. That leaves a net of $20/pp/day. Two alcoholic beverages/pp/day and you break even and throw in the specialty coffees, soda and other non-alcoholic drinks. About 95% of all alcoholic beverages are covered and there is no per drink beverage gratuity charge. It's a good value unless you don't drink at all.

Thank you so much!

13 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

Since you are new to Princess....I don't think I have seen anyone mention our favorite eating place for a quick bite:

 

24-hour International Café

Located in the Piazza you’ll find the International Café. Open around the clock, there's always something delicious to nosh on from breakfast parfaits to grilled paninis and gourmet salads, daily soups and a host of tasty desserts including freshly baked cookies. You can also get a variety of specialty coffees, teas and more.

Dining venues vary by ship and are subject to change. Beverage charges apply.

Love getting a late night snack and it sounds delish!

13 hours ago, skynight said:

Crown Princess. Great ship. Lots of venues. Lots of live music in various venues in the evening.

-Dress. Not to start another dress thread but here is what you can expect to see. Daytime casual. Main DR's evening wear smart casual. There are 3 formal evenings where you will see most men in jacket & tie, some in jacket no tie, others in Hawaiian shirts or similar. Few in actual formal wear. Women seem to always dress correctly. Shorts are not permitted in the evening. Specialty restaurants are smart casual every evening. Other dining locations are casual all the time.

-Select traditional seating, same time same table or anytime dining. Princess has just introduced Dine My Way which is an app. You can search for more information on line. No one really knows exactly how this will work since it is a post pandemic addition.

-MDR's, pre-pandemic, were open for breakfast each day and lunch on sea days. Closed for lunch on port days. Dress is casual for breakfast and lunch, no bathing wear, shoes required.

-Specialty Dining. The Crown Princess has the Crown Grill steak and seafood and Sabatini's Trattoria, Italian. These are open in the evening. Make reservation pre-cruise in the cruise personlizer or on board. Pre-reservations require payment at the time the reservation is made. The Crown also has the Salty Dog Gastro Pub inside of the Wheelhouse Bar. Sample menus can be found on line.

- Crown Princess sails from World Cruise Center in San Pedro. Crown Plaza is close to the pier and downtown area. Doubletree is further away at the marina south of the downtown area. They have shuttle service to restaurants. Sunrise Hotel is right on S. Harbor Blvd. It is a less expensive hotel. Every time we have been at the Crown Plaza there was a free shuttle to the pier.

Princes has the Hawaiian ambassador program which includes beginner uke lessons, Hula dance, Hawaiian crafts, small fee for supplies, and Hawaiian entertainment. For the uke lessons there are around 60 ukes on board and they are in high demand. Arrive at least 30 minutes early on the first day to get an assigned uke. Some people bring their own

There will also be informative lectures, not sales talks during the many sea days.

The crossing from L.A. can be cool and choppy the first 2 to 3 days until you get into tropical waters. Bring your sea sick meds, if needed, and some cover ups like a hoodie. There are lots of sea days, 4 over, 5 return.

The whale watch tours in Maui are very popular and sell out. Lots of whales in February.

Once booked download the medallion app. You can do lots of things on this app and when it gets closer to the sailing date you will be able to see the daily activities. You don't need to use the app to have a great time, but it can enhance your experience. You can read up on this on line by searching Princess Cruises Medallion App.

If you are active or ex military you can apply for the military benefit OBC. Search Princess Cruises Military Benefit on line.

If you own at least 100 shares of Carnival Corp stock in any account then you can receive the shareholder benefit OBC. Search Carnival Corp. Shareholder Benefit on line.

Princess does have full suite passengers, but unlike NCL they don't have special areas of the ship reserved for them. Exception Club Class dining, which is a section of the Da Vinci DR and the special breakfast each day which is either in Sabatini's or the Crown Grill, can't remember. Club Class Dining is also available to those that book Club Class min suites. Club Class menu is basically the same as the regular menu with one additional option in the evening, prompt anytime seating, and more personal service.

Another tip. When retuning home to the east coast we always stay overnight by the airport on disembarkation day and book an early flight the next morning to arrive at the east coast in late afternoon. If you fly out the same day you arrive around midnight or later. With that in mind check out Princess EZ Air once you are around 300 days out. It is easy to use, good flexible fares in the past, you book your own flights economy, business, class, select seats when carrier policy allows, Changeable up to 45 days before flights, payable at final payment date for the cruise.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your most informative post.  Love it!  You went over and beyond my few questions.  

13 hours ago, dickinson said:

 

They must have dropped the surcharge.  We have stayed at the Crowne Plaza 2x (2015, 2016).  Both times they charged.... so we walked.  Beautiful weather both days and we didn't mind dragging our suitcases.  Not sure the distance to the pier.  Maybe a mile?  Sidewalks were available.  Covid could have changed things.  If the surcharge was dropped it could be back!

We are native New Yorkers and love to walk!

On 6/2/2021 at 7:52 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

I have been a frequent passenger on LA to Hawaii cruises too (a favorite of many).  I have also gone around the islands on NCL (Pride of Aloha).  Given the choice, I would take a Princess Cruise over NCL any day. 

 

There were no sea days on NCL (no real onboard activities)

Many sea days and activities on Princess.

 

NCL/Hawaii: has mainly an American Crew.  Can't be compared to the service on a Princess voyage.

 

Food was better on Princess.  Prefer traditional dining.

NCL has more $$ restaurants, but Princess is catching up.

 

I've done a cost comparison and it is more expensive on NCL if you factor in travel (hotel/airfare/meals).

 

My next cruise to Hawaii is March 2022 on the Grand.  A smaller sister ship to the Crown.  

 

Enjoy your time in the islands.  You will be thankful for the 5 relaxing sea days back to LA.  Have fun planning.  So much to see and do, you wont' be able to do it all.

 

Yes, NCL is more expensive and less days - we would have had to fly to Hawaii and board the ship.  Princess was really reasonable for a 15 day sail to paradise and back!