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If I were you, I would break the drive up. There is more to see and do on the way down than there is to see and do in San Pedro. Leave SF on Tuesday, February 14 and spend the night in Monterey/Carmel/Solvang/Santa Barbara/Santa Clarita. Lots of great small cities to stop along the drive (if you aren't zooming down the I-5). Arrive in San Pedro on February 15. Embark on February 16.

I've seen this on the tele many times in recent days. I thought it was well done. Much better than the commercials for the "Real Love Boat". If only Princess would stick to the things that worked. By the way, did you hear that Southwest promoted five executives AFTER their winter debacle? https://www.npr.org/2023/01/10/1148161074/southwest-updates

@swdke I think you will find more information tailored to your question if you include the ports that the Ruby will be visiting. A "closed loop" (not Ruby) could include ex: Panama Canal which would require a passport. Do your research with valid sites like the Federal Government/countries you are visiting rather than rely on (experienced) passengers. Then there will be no surprises. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

You may order coffee instead of tea. You may also bring in your own specialty coffee for Afternoon Tea. With the ship almost to capacity, are all the dining rooms open? I have been trying to make reservations for the Deck 5 MDR (Vivaldi/Savoy) and they are not an option. Nice that you are able to let go and relax. That's the island attitude.

I stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver for 2 nights. It was wonderful. Walking/Transportation all nearby. Taxi is one rate from Airport to Vancouver City region. Check out the rates. I was able to get a phenomenal rate once I joined their loyalty program. Best check out with delivery of luggage to ship (for a small fee). Luggage in the cabin by 1 PM.

If they are in the buffet (out of uniform), they are off duty. This young man, who posed with the check, was not a crew member on duty.

Or not in uniform. This is NOT a Princess crew or staff member. End of thread. I don't think OP will ever return to this thread for clarifications. "Child" was wrong to enter, remove, and expect to claim prize. Parents should have taken generous OBC offer and dine at a Specialty Restaurant on the house. 99% of posters "got it".

It would be safe to say that food and service in the Crown Grill, Sabatini's, MDR, or any other food venue may fluctuate depending on which ship you were on and in which area of the world you are sailing. My recent experiences have all been on the Grand Princess in the United States.

I can confirm that hose fancy ones (I have one with rhinestones) doesn't always allow me to be seen by the scanner. I often have to place it right on the scanner and/or reposition it. A big pain for something that should be so simple.

I have never had a bad meal at the Crown Grill. If a selection is not up to par, speak to the the Assistant Manager while still in the restaurant and he will correct the issue. Service is excellent. My recommendations would be the lamb chops and sea bass. The filet is extremely tender. The rib steak is not consistently good, but it was recommended that I have it cooked to a medium rare. If the first night is not acceptable, you may cancel your other two evenings. Is there a reason why you are avoiding the MDR?

Brian is a wonderful musician. Reminds me of Gabbi.

I do hope you reported this to Customer Service or via Crew Chat. It is a hazard that needs to be addressed. Especially if your seas have been rough. Thank you for being at the right place at the right time. It could have been very disastrous.

Thank you for sharing your experience. My cabin mate chose to have breakfast in CC. I loved being able to start my day in a quieter venue and able to order almost anything I wanted (within reason/dependent on the Assistant Manager). I do agree with you that CC staff are outstanding. But so are the servers for suite breakfast (teams come from Crown Grill and/or Sabatini's). They are the best of the best.

Most times on the Grand Class ships, it is on the starboard (right) side of the ship on Deck 6. Club Class dining is open for breakfast and dinner every day. Lunch on sea days. Suite passengers have a special breakfast in Sabatini's Deck 7 mid aft everyday. Disembarkation day services varies. Haven't had it yet.

@cruzin4usMay I ask a favor? With all of your contacts onboard, is there anyone you can ask this question? What is Diamond (Princess) projection for Japan cruises Spring 2023 (in reference to how many Elite might be on board)? I realize she has not been in Japan for 3 years. I realize that she is running at near capacity. I expect many more Japanese passengers (who are eager to sail). Also know that some will be from Australia. But I am curious to know if most will be seasoned travelers or new to cruising. If there is anyone else out there who has been on a Japanese cruise, please chime in. Thank you

Complimentary Suite Dining is available for some via the app, but never for me. Princess is top of the leaderboard with inconsistencies.

You seem to have your heart set on Alaska (3 previous tries/all planned). I think you’ve answered your own question. Have a glorious time. You can do New England another time since it does not take as much planning. You might even be able to do a drop and go cruise for a really good price, in the future.

Have you been to Alaska (does "it will be my first cruise apply to Alaska or with Princess)? Since you are on the East Coast, have you done many of those ports? Much easier to do a land tour on the East Coast. I understand the plane fiascos: Having to transfer, find a night before, get to the ship...for Alaska. But if you want to relax, I'd go with Alaska for it's beauty. Also, would you consider doing a round trip out of Seattle/much less stressful. Is the Majestic only doing a one way passage (up to Anchorage)? More reason to consider NOT doing the Alaskan voyage. I'm a checklist person. Been to Alaska many times. Going on my first New England cruise this summer. Lived in New England for a few years. Not excited about the heat during the summer. Much more pleasant weather in Alaska (even with rain). But Alaska can also be hot, but not humid. I would choose the Caribbean Princess over the Majestic as a ship preference. Not a Royal Class ship fan. I know, I know, not helpful. The bottom line is you have to set your priorities as to what you want from a cruise. Going solo is not an issue.

I have Verizon and never had an issue using my iPhone while in port. Just look for the LTE (and bars) in the corner to let you know you are on their system. 'I've even made phone calls from inside the ship. But then again, I haven't tried this outside of the United States.

Thank you for taking the Diamond to Hawaii and back (AND reporting when possible). Enjoy your cruise. I will be following your entries. If you want to know anything about the islands, ask away. Will you have Hawaiian Cultural Ambassadors on this ship? Aloha.

Most importantly, on a back to back (b2b), your ship board account carries over to the next cruise (except for casino account/which you would have to close out). You may also receive additional perks such as another elite mini bar/CCL shareholder OBC/Military OBC, etc...dependent on a few factors. On a Ship to Ship (S2S), you will have to close out your shipboard account. If staying with the same company, you may receive OBC for the second voyage, dependent on your perks.

#1. I am not sure how the Beverage Package is calculated. I know it includes Crew Appreciation, wifi, and beverages/tips on beverages. But when I "added" a beverage package to my current booking, the final charge was more than the advertised $40 (at that time). I am not sure if Princess added.....taxes or increases in insurance. Whichever, I was charged more than $40 x n days. Haven't had the time nor inclination to spend time with live chat. Someday, I will seek out the answer. #2. If I am understanding you correctly, you are inquiring if tips OVER auto-tips "make up" their salary. From those that I have spoken to, the money they pocket (handed to them after the cruise) is a bonus. It is "not" factored into their salary but icing on the cake, cherry on the top of a sundae, cream of the crop. I was pleased to hear that they can keep it and do not have to "turn it in" to the pool. Think of it as if someone handed you a hundred dollar bill for giving them the time of day (or other nice gesture). You would thank them for recognizing your attempt to improve their day. You don't have to report it as income. You do not need to share it with your boss. You would be pleased by their kindness.

By rolling the crew appreciation into the base fare, the taxes and insurance will also be based on the higher fare. I'd prefer to give the government less and pay for the gratuities outside of of quoted fare. I do keep my "suggested".

I've been told by a reliable source (not seen) that crew cabins have 2 person cabins. Guest entertainers will sometimes be placed in the crew area and/or passenger area. They will have a standard cabin with their own bathroom. Some may have a porthole. shared with a bathroom in the middle by another 2 member cabin.

All crew, staff, and entertainers have blue medallions. There is no way to tell how experienced one is unless you ask them. I agree with @nini. Each ship has its own personality. I prefer to cruise on the Grand Princess, but she is currently out of the states. I also believe that Princess is not ready to go full capacity yet. This has majorly impacted passenger experiences on their ships. I wish OP luck in finding a better cruise line. Thank you for reporting on Cruise Critic.