catwoman6226

On our last cruise, due to some last minute confusion, I didn't realize until after we had dropped our luggage off that I hadn't put any tags on my suitcase (although of course it had a tag with my name/phone, etc.) Yikes! Yet, it still showed up right outside the cabin (before my roommate's, in fact). Well done, Princess!

We had a curtain in our handicapped accessible cabin on the Emerald a few years ago.

I would probably be swayed towards Disney/Paris also, but as for the Crown....we were on her in February this year and had a wonderful time. We thought the ship was in great shape and are strongly considering a 2020 cruise on her.

Congratulations!

My cruise partner and I love to play cards. On our last cruise on the Star, we'd find a table near the 'windows' on the pool deck, and never had a problem with wind, or the cards blowing around. The Horizon Court is easily accessible from there, as are various bars from which we could get refills on soda, etc.

We were on the Star, in C304 last year. When the balcony door was opened all the way, a metal piece flipped down to form a continuous ramp up/ramp down condition that allowed me to walk out to the balcony with my cane very easily. We didn't realize at first that you have to be sure the door is ALL the way open to allow the metal piece to flip over and cover the gap. Enjoy!

Granted, it was back in 2004 when we did this, but I was able to go in the place of someone who had to cancel, for a fee of $50. The person who had to cancel had insurance and I incurred no additional charges (except the cost of a last minute flight from Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale!)

My travel partner needs a heating pad for various and sundry ailments - she packs it in her suitcase and uses it during the afternoons and evenings before bed and it's never been an issue. I say bring it.

We've been on both - I preferred the Emerald, by a smidge.

I take no chances - I use the Sea Bands, and I also take Bonine every morning - I've had no issues for a while - and I don't know which one is working, but that's ok!

In my world as an analyst in the pharmaceutical industry, TRx means "total prescriptions" so I'm getting a good laugh from this thread and the responses. Enjoy your cruises, y'all!

Contrary to what has been stated, wheelchair accessible is NOT the same as mobility scooter accessible, particularly when it comes to booking excursions. Just something for everyone to keep in mind. We found that out, to our dismay, at 3 stops on our cruise this February. We had booked wheelchair accessible tours through the ship, only to be told while onboard that the vendors couldn't accomodate scooters. We were also very unhappy to hear from the Romney Manor giftshop near the pier on St. Kitts that they get scooters "all day, every day, from cruise ships" at Romney Manor itself, and the main giftshop. There is a distinction.

Wow : you are scaring me! My first Princess cruise will be in may on the Royal and I'm severely allergic to garlic, I never had any problem on others cruiselines. Hope it'll work well, or I might collapse too! I have sent my "diet" email when I booked and received a positive answer, but if the headwaiter doesn't care........

 

My cruise partner is also severely allegic to garlic, and has had no issues on any of our cruises - she checks with the head waiter the first night and then has a chance to review the next night's menu. They have been fantastic about recommendations, whether traditional or anytime.

At 55, I'd not consider myself part of the nursing home crowd - and we loved Captain Tuvo on the Star last year on our Hawaii cruise. His sense of humor is delightful - not at all juvenile, and he was the most visible captain we've ever had.

I used wheelchair assistance at LAX after departing a Hawaii cruise in 2016 and it was an all-around horrible experience. I wish you better luck than I had. Just realize you may need to be insistent that someone wheel you to the restroom, and out to the gate area - where I was told I'd have to vacate the wheelchair and climb onto an electric cart to be taken to the gate. Worst service I've ever had at any airport.

We have one cruise booked, and I'm not getting any of these emails either. Glad I'm not the only one. I have complained to Princess in the past, they assure me on the list, but time after time my cruise partner gets the emails and I don't. I check the spam folder regularly so that's not it either. Ah well.

The shower chair on the Star was no better than the fold-down seat - that's why I used the footstool from the balcony. Your mileage may vary.

The fold-down seat in the accessible cabins on the Star is rather small. I ended up using the footstool from the balcony instead - not fun for a 15 night cruise, but it worked :)

Fold down seats in the accessible cabins on the Emerald and Crown were much larger and sturdier. Put a towel down before you sit - it's much more comfortable that way.

Some on here will tell you that the distilled water isn't necessary as the ship's water is so pure, but why not use the distilled water when it's free and so easy to request?

Don't EVER pack your CPAP machine in a suitcase! The machine should never leave your control - and as others have pointed out, it does not count as a carry-on when flying. I always keep my machine in its bag with the hose, mask, etc. when traveling - luckily we usually drive to the port.

I always request a gallon of distilled water, and an extension cord in the Personalizer. They've never been in the room waiting, but I always remind the steward, and usually he/she already has a note about it. I roll up the cord during the day and shove it under the desk so it isn't stretched across the room - just a matter of preference.

Enjoy your cruise!

I just used wheelchair assistance at Ft. Lauderdale for our Feb 2-10th cruise on the Crown, and offer the below as my experience. Your mileage may vary.

We told every person we encountered as we drove into the port that we needed wheelchair assistance, and were directed to a space near the curb for me to get out, while my friend drove forward to the luggage dropoff, and ultimately the parking garage. There was a man with a clipboard, who wrote down each person's arrival, and we were taken care of in that order. Make sure you flag him down to get your name on the list. There was no checking if someone had already told Princess they required help. First come, first served. There are quite a few benches outside for people to sit while they wait.

I waited about an hour for someone to bring a wheelchair for me. (we arrived around 12:30pm) That person took me through check-in and security, before turning me over to someone from the ship who wheeled me onto the ship, and to my cabin where my scooter was waiting. I had booked through specialneedsatsea.com This was the 3rd time using their services, and I have been extremely pleased with the service and the equipment.

There was nothing on my luggage tag to denote that I required assistance, and there was no list to compare to. As mentioned above, it was first come, first served, for wheelchair assistance from the curbside drop off into the terminal, and through check-in and onto the ship.

My impression was that there were not enough 'wheelchair pushers' at the port to assist the number of passengers requiring their help - hence the hour wait. Those people are not Princess employees. I tipped both the port personnel who took me through security and check-in, and the Princess employees who wheeled me onto the ship and to my cabin.

One note about disembarkation - although the rental company says to leave the scooter in the cabin, I have never done that, and have never had an issue. I go to the designated meeting place for those who require wheelchair assistance and leave the scooter there. Enjoy your cruise!

Wheelchair assistance is outside the terminal entrance, and there will be someone with a clipboard so you can add your name to the list. As 'pushers' become available, they will wheel you inside the terminal, through check-in, and then turn you over to someone from the ship who can wheel you on the ship and to your cabin.

Ship CROWN PRINCESS

Class

Deck Baja

Stateroom # B304

Category

Port/Starboard/Bow/Stern Port

Connects With Cabin #

Accessible Y

Quiet Y

Balcony Size Normal

View

Privacy Issues None

Wind No issues

Soot No

Problems

Comments Lovely HC accessible cabin with a good-sized fold-down shower seat. Easy access to fore elevators.

Unfortunately, Antigua turned out to be a bust for us - as were the excursions we had already pre-paid for St. Kitts and St. Thomas. For all three, we weren't told until we were on the ship that there may be issues with the excursions, so we had to work through the excursions desk which 1) didn't have adequate information about their own ship-sponsored tours, 2) didn't have measurements readily available for the most popular scooters on the market, and 3) subjected us to being measured with a paper tape measure to get the dimensions of the scooter before being informed that none of our excursions were possible.

We were extremely frustrated while on St. Kitts and talking to someone who worked at Romney Manor every day that they see scooters "all day, every day" after Princess told us it was impossible for us to go there. Princess's 'disabled' department leaves much to be desired.

Do any of you know about the beds on Baja Deck? Hoping for a new bed when we sell on Friday! :D

We had the new mattresses in B304 (Feb 2-10th) but that was an HC accessible cabin, so can't say how many others on Baja were replaced. Our steward told us that 6 of his 18 cabins had the new mattresses (and only a few of those were HC cabins) so you may be in luck!

No life jackets necessary last week on the Crown. There was a note to that effect in the Patter, as I recall, and it was mentioned when they made the annoucements too.