The Bun Mom

 HEY DI --- Quick question before you disembark ---- could you please take a look and see if there are any usable wall outlets in your cabin on the same wall as the bed?  (Or, as I suspect -- are the only outlets on the other wall at the desk?)

I'm looking at a booking a deluxe balcony cabin on the Regal, and need to know this detail. If there's no outlet on the side of the bed, we'll have to book a regular balcony, as we don't want to contend with a cord across the floor for D's cpap machine. Not a safe arrangement.)

Thanks a bunch!!! (If anyone else out there knows the answer, please fell free to jump in and help. )

Di --- if you have time to read this at the last minute --- the vow renewal on your ship was on national TV ...Entertainment Tonight had some interviews with couples, and overviews of the event. (Twas quite impossible to pick you guys out in that humongous crowd!) And they said the ship's captain did the ceremony --- I thought it was supposed to be Gavin McLeod (?).

Anyway - the good news is, I was able to tape the 2 minute TV piece and then record it onto my tablet, so I'll email the video to you as soon as I get a chance to download it into my pc.

Did the ship have a video of the whole event to offer you guys? (Sure hope so!)

Safe journey back to your fam & the fur-babies!!!! 

(And - see you online, Doug... 'eh"?)

12 hours ago, toberman said:

Oh sure .....   You send pics to everyone you know except me !!!  Guess I know where I stand ??

 

Kidding of course (but I would like to see them) - enjoy the rest of the cruise.

D

 

DOUGIE!!!!  Great to see you pop up on CC --- like old times! (And you'll have mail, too -- just give me a couple hours.)

Diann --- cabin pix are terrif --- nice digs, for sure! Thanx for posting those (and I see you brought one of the dachsies...so which fur baby had to stay home? LOL)

Must say - I'm impressed at the beach and the resort in Ocho Rios -- looks quite nice. Guess looks really can be deceiving, though,  "eh"?   (the "eh was for Doug, of course!  ) 

And I agree with Voljeep -- what DID you guys get for the Effy gift?

And PS - you're doing an awesome job on your "live from" --- so a big YAY to you, girl!

OMG!!!!    L*O*V*E   THE PHOTOS!!!!! 

You must have been in an awesome location to grab those pix! (Or were they taken from the MUTS screen, perhaps?)  Golly, Di, what a blast this must have been!!!. Thinking about you guys all day today, so am thrilled to see your awesome pix of "Capt Steubing & Vickie".

 And was that certificate something ship will display, or was it perhaps something every couple receives?

Also, thanx for the emailed great shot of you & G all dressed up for the event -- terrific dress, girl! 

(And hi to Liz!!! "You'll have mail" -- but a little later this evening!)

Just got the mail this morning about our 5/1/18 itinerary change on the CB. Not at all happy with the loss of a favorite (and not too oft repeated) port in which we already booked space on our favorite catamaran snorkel trip with a private party. Had our pre-cruise hotel already booked, etc. The $50 OBC doesn't make a bit of difference when you're looking forward to a port you don't often hit, and really enjoy. :(

We're cancelling our May CB cruise in favor of another ship/itinerary in the fall. It's really a shame that PCL is unable to get such a long-standing problem fixed sooner! But --- "it is what it is"... and life goes on!

(And - HI, "THRAK" !! See you over on our "Tahiti Repeatee roll call"!) :cool:

The $20 fee refers to people that put their suitcase outside their cabin on the last night. Their bag is picked up and taken to the airport, checked in and you don't see it again until you land at your ending airport. So, if I cruise from FLL and live in LA I place my bags outside my cabin door and pick them up at the luggage carousel at LAX. The only distance I carry my bag is from carousel to car to front door.

Oh wow!!!! 16 cruises under our belts and I never knew THAT was an option!!! (Of course, we usualy drive to our cruises, tho.) But for the next flight, I will most definitely be booking that...IF it still exists!

Thanks for "'splaining it me, Lucy". :D

Meanwhile --- is there ANYONE out there that's done the PCL Luggage Valet (handled by Luggage Forward) into and out of San Pedro????

I think you are thinking about something else. They don't want to get it to or from the airport. They want it shipped directly from their cabin to their home with no other touching from them involved. For the beginning of their cruise they will have it picked up at their home and won't see it again until it arrives at their cabin. That way they are only handling two suitcases instead of three. Forget the $20. This service could cost in the hundreds. Overseas shipping is not cheap or fast.

And you'd be "Entirely" correct! Ha! (Don't get that $20 reference from Astro, though. Golly if it was that cheap, they'd be beating people off with a stick!)

Since this is an all-domestic USA shipping deal, it should be pretty easy. I just don't understand how it works when the cruise is over. Yes - we will have been in foreign countries on the cruise. But if the US citizens in the 2013 CC post could leave the bag to be shipped outside their cabin door with a freight slip on it, and it gets sent from Venice to the US, why do we now have to deal with the extra bag all through the port of San Pedro?

Are you thinking of the Princess transfer or EZCheck opinions?

 

The OP is asking about the Luggage Valet service that ships bags via DHL:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/before_you_leave/luggage.html

 

"For post-cruise shipments, you will be instructed to follow standard disembarkation procedures, which requires you to proceed through immigration and customs formalities. A drop-off area for Princess Luggage Valet will be located just outside the customs area. You will receive specific instructions onboard regarding your disembarkation and specific drop-off location, as this may vary from port to port".

 

'The Bun Mom'...I don't think that many passengers use this service so you may have to inquire about the procedure on the ship. The way I read it, everything is the same except you drop off your luggage between exiting the cruise terminal & boarding the bus.

Thanks, Astro-Flyer. You are likely correct that many people don't use the service. But it's a real blessing when you're headed out on a long cruise and don't want to schlepp a lot of bags through the terminals. I'm under the impression it all is amazingly seamless --- but if we still have to struggle with the extra piece in the cruise terminal and Customs, well --- maybe we should just arrange an outbound one-way transit, and just continue the struggle through LAX! :(

I'd really love to hear from someone who has actually used this particular PCL service in San Pedro, and can clue me in as to where that "drop-off location" might be, how long it takes to walk there with luggage in tow, will the bus wait for us, etc etc.

I appreciate your feedback, though, and yes - ITA - Maui IS the best! :D

Aloha nui loa

Isn't it either or? I have never used the Princess transfer but wouldn't taking care of your luggage to get it to the airport be included?

Sorry - I perhaps should have made my request more concise. I meant we are considering using the PCL luggage valet service' date=' which is designed to have an EXTRA piece of luggage that we do not want to have to haul around through the airports ourselves, picked up at home and delivered to the ship, then reversed at the end of the cruise.

So outbound - no problems -- the extra bag will be in our cabin we when board the ship in San Pedro. (Sweet! :D)

But upon our return to San Pedro port, I am requesting first-hand info from someone who can advise me exactly how PCL will deal with the extra bag to be shipped back home via this (rather pricey!) service.

The CC forum of 2013 indicates it was a breeze from Venice to the USA -- they were given the shipping label on board, and simply put the bag outside the cabin door as usual, and it was shipped home with no effort no their part.

[i']HOWEVER --- [/i]this contradicts the PCL website that says we must claim that EXTRA bag at the port along with our other bags, prior to passing through Customs. Then, after clearing Customs with all our luggage, we need to find a special PCL drop-off location to leave the EXTRA bag for shipment home via their service.

Seems to me the homebound part of this defeats the whole concept of the service. And my concern is that having to deal with an extra bag (that we thought would be handled without any cares on our part) may cause us to miss our pre-arranged PCL bus transfer to the airport, especially if we have to go hunting around for the drop-off location.

Does anyone have info they can offer to assist on this?

Thanks much!

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone used Princess Cruises luggage valet service upon return to San Pedro? Their website says you need to claim your luggage first, then past customs and go to a predetermined drop off point to leave your bag being shipped. But my dilemma is: we're booked on PCL transfer to LAX post cruise. So how do we go through customs and find the drop-off location without missing our transport bus?? :confused:

If anyone has first hand experience with this service at San Pedro port, please help!! We have to book the service, like -- in two days fi we're going to use it! :eek:

Thanks so much!

I think I shall use the cubes to 'temporarily' store some of my usual cruise gear to 'neaten' things up and maybe, just maybe, the cruise box will close! LOL:p;)

Awesome idea for the cubes when not in "active" use! Thanks for the tip! :) (BTW - LOVE your avatar picture...guess you can figure out why by my screen name! LOL)

Discovered packing cubes prior to last years cruise and I won't be leaving home without them. I have 3 sets of different sizes from ebags.

Hey TN Deb --- I see you're relatively new to CC, and I'm sure you've already discovered how amazing it is! GREATLY enhances every cruise experience! :) (And I don't say that just because it was originally created by a lady in "our neck of the woods" - East TN!! Howdy, neighbor! LOL)

On packing cube issue -- I had to laugh when my CC newlsetter popped up --- as I was literally in the midst of ordering our 2 more sets of EBAGS! So that makes well over a dozen - we love 'em that much! (Great sale till tonight only - so check 'em out!)

I learned about them from CC years ago, and truly don't know how I ever travelled without them. Going through airline security is a breeze - if they open your suitcase, nothing topples out. Unpacking is a snap. LOVE LOVE LOVE packing cubes!!! And expecially EBAGS - I find them to be better quality and easier to zip than Eagle Creek, which we also have.

Have you called the company and ask how much the bag weights? I think I might try that, it might give you an idea on how it might feel on your shoulder.. Like you I don't want a heavy bag on my neck or shoulder.

MARIA!!!!! How great to "see you again", and your lovely fish!! :D (Glad you're still feeding them! LOL)

On the travel safety bad question, I can add that I bought a Pacsafe years ago, and love it totally! So much so I bought a 2nd one in a different color. The large bag is very lightweight, great for over-the-body carrying, so it doesn't impede those delicate shoulders (which I have too!), and the awesome features built into it are just incredible. I HIGHLY recommend checking it out on their website. And every bag is waterproof; and the side pouches for umbrella and bottled water (which adjusted to the bottle, no less!) are terrific extra features.

Best travel purse on the planet, IMHO. :) (The herringbone color/texture is so attractive it makes a great everyday purse, as well!)

Omg you are speaking straight out of my mind!

 

We use passport copies, pacsafe bags (important when eg in Rome), water-proof neck pouch and even rotate our memory cards in the camera!!!

 

All i need is a water-proof camera for beach tours :-)

 

Nice to read your posting!!!

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Gee thanks! :D Like I always say --- Great minds think alike! ;)

waterproof waist pack is a great idea. I bought one on our last trip to the caribbean and it worked fine on tours up the waterfall in Jamaica and snorkeling in Grand Cayman. I kept my ship cards, photo ID, cash, credit cards and a photocopy of my passport dry the whole time. they sell on Amazon.com for about $12.

 

as for cameras, you can buy waterproof camera cases for just about any camera for less than $25 on Amazon too. they are generic fit but allow you to use it for up to 15 ft under water.

I agree - never had any problem with the waterproof sacks and such we've gotten.

However ---I would highly suggest that anyone who purchases any of the waterproof camera cases, and even the floaty straps (we snorkel, and I thought that would be perfect)...be SURE to test them out at home first! (I had to fill a plastic trash can with water to test the floaty strap, as you need some depth to test it.) I've not found one case yet that worked properly....so we bought a nice little Sony underwater camera, and I just keep it double-secured to my wrist when we are under water.

Happy...and safe... Cruising!

Just had to add my 2 cents worth....

Trusting a fellow traveler is not always reliable prevention --- on a trip to Europe, a gal on my day tour offered to watch my carry bag while I ran to the ladies room. It wasn't until that night back in my hotel room that I opened my "inner compartment" of the bag to find she cleaned me out of my "secret stash" of cash! (Thank God for traveler's checks!)

Having spent 30+ years travelling, I'd say the tips above are great - carry only a copy of passport if at all possible; on the beach, have a water-proof camera with you, not in your bag; and wear a little water-proof neck pouch for cash, cruise card, credit card. ...

And here's my BEST TIP -- learned on Cruise Critic --- EVERY NIGHT ON BOARD SHIP, CHANGE OUT YOUR CAMERA'S DIGITAL CARD, SO THAT YOU'RE USING A FRESH CARD IN EACH PORT. That way, if your camera happens to grow legs and walk off...at least you've only lost that day's worth of priceless photos from that trip of a lifetime! :D

Finally, for those gals who want some SERIOUS security in a very fashionable purse, check out Pacsafe. I bought the new Herringbone purse for our recent Med cruise, and loved it - lots of compartments, it's slash-proof, the strap is slash-proof too. It even has an RFD compartment inside for your passport & credit cards, and it locks closed, plus the strap can be locked around a chairback in restaurants, etc. All that and it's actually VERY attractive and easy to carry (it's a cross-body style). Some of the best $$ I've ever spent!

GOTTA LOVE CRUISE CRITIC, AND ALL THE WONDERFUL FOLKS WHO OFFER SO MUCH VALUABLE INFO! THANKS TO ONE AN ALL.

Happy sailing, everyone!