Wandering_star

Thank you for the great review!

Just curious... what books did you read?

My husband proposed during a cruise via a scavenger hunt. He left a note for me in the cabin saying he went for coffee and told me where to meet him... when I got there a crew member handed me an envelope with my picture on it and the note inside had the next place to meet him... I started at the bottom of the ship and ended up at the top where he got down on one knee... The only thing that could have made it better would have been a secret photographer (so good on you for thinking of it)! 

We were on our first Medallion cruise in May. I really enjoyed interacting with my little sea creature avatar that I created with one of the Ocean Ready apps - it's meant for children, but the sea creature is supposed to appear when you wander by one of the tv screens that are in the elevator lobbies or around the ship. However, I would often be disappointed because I wouldn't see my little guy and my husband's creature would pop up immediately.... Then I realized the problem - I kept my medallion in an RFID protected clutch... the medallion couldn't be read until I removed it (Facepalm).

The medallion functions very similar as your cruise card... you don't have to wear it, you can keep it in your pocket or purse and you don't have to use any of the apps if you don't want to... If you do want to see how it can function and all the cool stuff the apps offer, they have helpful people to assist you. Be sure the upgrade your internet plan to unlimited internet... it is so much more convenient!

The other option, if you are overnighting in SF is to do the first tour of the day to Alcatraz before you leave SF... again, they will likely sell out, but it's nice to get to Alcatraz before the crowds arrive.

This may go without saying, but just in case... When looking at tours, look for one that includes a stop at the Wallace Monument - it is separate from Stirling Castle (about a 10 minute drive away from the castle).  

No tour company recommendations for you - when we went we took the train from Edinburgh, then caught a local bus - ended up missing the stop for the Wallace Monument and rode the bus for an hour before getting back on track (the country side is lovely).

Definitely use a tour so not to make a similar mistake!   

Last May it started at 3pm - it will be listed in the Patter. It lasted for about 45 minutes, but this will vary. There's a brief presentation by the musher/racer before the puppy cuddling begins. 

Yes, you stand in line. There are Princess photographers taking photos and you can take your own photos if you wish. They only let you stay for a couple of minutes (likely there will be a big crowd), but there is nothing stopping you from getting back in line for another cuddle (that's what I did!)

We are super disappointed in Princess - not only are they unwilling to provide a complimentary upgrade - even to a higher category of balcony cabin (we are booked into an obstructed balcony), they have offered a partial credit back for the price difference in the form of on board credit, but will take away the existing on board credit we already have (from a drinks package that was included in our original booking, that we will not use).  However the amount they offered is less than half of the price difference.

So what is the point of booking so far in advance again?

I understand the arguments against refaring, but we have received complimentary upgrades before when we noticed such a price difference between what we paid and posted fares after final payment, so I don't understand why they refuse to do so this time. There are tons of empty cabins - both balconies and mini suites (alas, no Club Class mini suites.... had I thought of it at the time, we may have had better luck asking to pay for an upgrade to Club Class... it was only $120pp more after the price reduction, when rooms were still available).

It just feels unfair... for the amount we could have saved (well over $800), we could have added a couple of days at Disneyland ahead of the cruise, or planned a mini cruise in the fall.  Lesson learned for us - no more super early bookings and maybe Princess is not the be all and end all of cruising. 

End of rant.

If you stuck around, thanks for reading!

Hello!

We are on the Royal's first trip up to Vancouver in May. We booked back in 2017 and final payment was earlier this month. Earlier this week the prices dropped - a lot! For what we paid for an obstructed balcony, they are now offering a mini suite. We are completely happy to stay where we are in our obstructed balcony (hoping for some compensation for the fare difference in the form of OBC), but if we were moved up to a mini suite, are there any additional perks we might enjoy? We already have access to the elite lounge (elite since 2017!).  Am I correct in understanding mini suite guests do not have access to breakfast in Sabatini's? Is the only big advantage to a mini suite a larger room (bathtub, separate seating area, etc)?

Thanks!

2 hours ago, cfly said:

Thanks for the info. How long before ship departure did you return to the dock?

Can't recall the exact time, but it was mid-late afternoon. In addition to the Castle, we did the Scotch Whiskey Experience, had lunch at a local pub just off the Royal Mile, walked down the Royal Mile, walked by Waverley Station and back up Princes Street to meet up with the shuttle. 

They usually prioritize the Princess excursion passengers first - so taking the excursion would get you on a tender first thing in the morning.  

A couple of years ago there was an independent shuttle that run from the tender dock and dropped off at Charlotte Square (just off of Princes Street). At the time the cost was 10 pounds per person for a return ticket. It only took about 20 minutes and they ran shuttles all day (this was on a Saturday, so weekday traffic may take longer). Hopefully someone who in Edinburgh last year (or later this year) can verify if this is still operating.  The drop off location was great as it's a short (but steep!) walk up to the Castle and Royal Mile. 

To maximize your time and budget in Edinburgh, consider buying your attraction tickets before you leave home... we waited in line for 30 minutes to buy tickets to the Castle, and this was just as it was opening.

Happy Travels!

Last year is was in Skagway, at 3pm. Be early. If you can, bring someone with you to take photos (there will be ship photographers there as well). They will only stay in the Piazza for about 35-45 minutes... Last year, we were one of the first to hold a puppy, then we went to a trivia. After trivia, I joined the line for round 2... they closed the line soon after.

You only get a couple of minutes with the puppies and depending on when you go, they may not be very little... likely 8-12 weeks old. They will likely shed... 

Definitely try to do this if you can... such a fun experience!!

Hello,

Is it possible to get a copy of the final stateroom folio for a cruise that was a month ago? 

Context:

In September, husband and I were on the Coral from Vancouver to LA with my dad and brother. Everyone received a copy of their final bill the morning of disembarkation, but my dad and brother have since lost their copies. The final charge has now appeared on the credit card statement and their charges went on the same card. They would like a copy of their bill to determine to see how much each person spent on board. This is NOT a case of disputing any charges - this is just for sorting of the money between themselves. 

So, is it possible to get a copy of the final bill? Any idea who I would contact at Princess? Also, could I contact Princess on their behalf? (My dad doesn't have email and my brother is terrible at this kind of thing). 

Thank you in advance!

Even though you had access to it as a Platinum member, the Platinum/Elite lounge is lovely to go to... likely located up in Skywalkers. Also, don't forget about the free internet :)

If you plan on spending money in the shops, consider doing so in the first couple of days on board - they often run a 10% off special for purchases of $100 or more, or 10% off the purchase of two bottles of liquor... you get an extra 10% off on top of that as an elite.

Ugh... I hate adding to such an old thread, but wanted to share another great handbag/ travel bag company: LUG (luglife.ca). They are also found on QVC in the states. Fun colours/patterns, some super girly, some of the larger travel bags/backpacks are gender neutral. Almost all have a wallet type pocket that is RFID protected.

On my recent cruise I used the Flyer with a wristlet strap for evenings, especially formal nights when I didn't have pockets. The Bumper made for an excellent carry-on for the flight home. The Packable puddlejumper was so great for ports where plastic/paper bags are no longer provided by stores.

Completely random question: the boxes of pillows... did they happen to say the brand name on them (the brand name of the pillows, that is)? Or were the generic boxes with pillows in them?

I'm not a crazy person (I don't think :P) Recently off a Princess cruise and loved the pillows we had... trying to track them down because they were amazing!

Thank you and have a great cruise!

When you are driving to the border, tune into to News1130 (1130 on the AM dial) for traffic reports/border wait times every ten minutes. Chances are you will take Hwy 99 out of Vancouver and down to either the Peach Arch or Pacific Hwy border crossings - if one is especially busy, try the other crossing, they are only 10 minutes apart (just follow the signs).

You will be travelling against rush hour traffic, so the only major bottleneck you may hit is the Massey Tunnel, but if you head out after 9am, you should be ok.

Your companion may have already filled out the accessibility questionnaire for Princess - if not ask your travel agent or Princess directly for one. Be aware that wheelchairs are not accommodated on tenders - if your itinerary has any tender ports, it will be an extra sea day for your companion. Also, if you are looking at shore excursions, there are only a handful that are wheelchair accessible - if interested, book early as these can sell out quickly - it is not likely that your companion could be accommodated on a non-wheelchair friendly excursion.

Maybe this was a fluke... but on a cruise this past May, celebrating an anniversary, a $50 credit to the spa was sent to our room. It was just a card to be presented at the spa, not added to our account.

Sailing again in September, and have noted in our personalizer that it is my birthday - would be nice to receive another spa credit, but not holding my breath.

Thank you for your review!

I have two quick questions for you:

Did you eat in the Bayou Cafe? (If you did, was it good?)

Did you notice if Alfredos pizza was served in Sabatini's? (I've heard they sometimes do this, and was hoping to hear if this is still a "thing".)

Yes! You are back! I loved your British Isles review and adore your pictures! Thank you for taking the time to post!!

The accessible cabins on Princess are huge! The bathrooms are equally spacious with a roll in shower and fold down shower seat.

One word of warning about Princess and scooters/wheelchairs - if your itinerary includes a tender port, they may not be able to accommodate the scooter on the tender.

My husband bought a bottle of scotch in San Francisco a couple of years ago - we carried it on when we boarded the cruise and we were asked to turn it in. We were given a receipt and it was returned to us the night before disembarkation.

This happens all the time - just stop by the liquor table as you embark. be honest with what you have, turn it in and ask for a receipt.

Has anyone done this and had a problem? It has always worked out for us.

Yay!

Thank you again for your review! I'm going to get a bottle of the Ledaig for my husband's collection :)

Very much enjoying your review!

My husband is a Scotch drinker and I made note of the brand of Scotch you enjoyed during your Outlander tour... then I read how you didn't see it after the tour was over... There's a 10 year old Ledaig listed with the BC Liquor Store ($70.00)... is this the same one?

Cardero's (https://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos/) - a bit of a walk from Canada Place (maybe 10-15 minutes, but it's a lovely walk right along the water)

Cactus Club (https://www.cactusclubcafe.com/?utm_source=google-maps&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=coal-harbour) at the Convention Centre - local chain restaurant, but very popular

There are a couple of other "pub" type restaurants at/near Canada Place - Tap and Barrel, Mahony and Sons. Around the corner from Canada Place, at the entrance of Gastown is Steamworks - great views here as well.

Enjoy!