DRPWDunIL

Not something we are interested in, but thanks for a great and fact-filled report that is very useful.

We are fans of being relatively mid-ship on the Dolphin deck.

I am only sharing this as means of information and a frame of reference. I have unsubscribed from this thread (which I should have done a long time ago). I had a bad attack of Post-Traumatic Stress this afternoon that was in part triggered by reading this thread. No fault but my own. Nobody forced me to read the thread. I'm pretty sure I know which post put me over the edge, but I didn't recognize the trigger or cause of my breakdown until after it happened. That event is almost ten years ago and the right triggers will still send me into a tailspin at a moment's notice. That is how deeply things like this event can cut. I needed to say this for me. I'm not looking for sympathy or hugs or good wishes. Like others who have posted, sometimes things hit too close to home and hit the accumulation of baggage you have. Please hug your loved ones tonight and never take tomorrow for granted. Thank you for listening. CC is an amazing place.

I respectfully disagree.

Although we don't know everything, the prosecutor in the case has no reason to plea deal and I'm sure the family of the victim would never go for that. There are no other suspects, based on reports, the husband, after killing her, tried to dump her body overboard. I don't know the man's history but I doubt there would be an insanity plea. It seems like he knew right from wrong by trying to get rid of the body.

 

Of course all of this is speculation as we don't know all of the facts and evidence but I was responding to the poster that said they could plea deal and I don't think there is basis for that.

Do you have extensive experience in the legal system? Do you have experience in prosecution of homicides? Questions not intended to be confrontational. I don't think anyone has enough information here to speculate about anything related to the case or its adjudication. Let's follow what is made public and observe. I have no preconceived notions about what will or will not happen. Nor do I believe I necessarily even know many relevant facts that would lead me to an informed understanding of the case from a legal standpoint.

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When booked online, the reservation confirmation email also specifies on the Booking Itinerary if port requires tender.

Didn't notice that. Thanks. I'll go back and look!

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Recognizing that things can change and situations can differ from cruise to cruise, at which of the following ports is a tender required to reach shore: Amber Cove, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Barbados, Martinique, and Antigua? Making shore excursion decisions and want to know which ports will require a tender if we choose to go ashore on our own. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

I would not reference a source that did not exist. There would be no point to do so. If I make a statement and someone asks what is the statement based on, I'll give a source for data. If something is my opinion and not backed by data, I will always say so as well, so no one is mislead by anything I post.

 

With tragedy it is natural for humans to be inquisitive. There is a natural desire to know why or how something happened. There's surely more to the story. I do genuinely hope that in trial all the facts come to light so as to provide some sense of closure for the family. I too am curious how did things escalate to this point? We'll never go back in time and alter the events, unfortunately.

I had no doubt. I am very familiar with Pew and I know that they have been doing this research and that they are reputable. I was backing you up. Thanks for your post. I love learning and I learned as a result of it.

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It's no different than telling someone how sorry you are when someone dies. It's an easy, mostly meaningless sentiment, but otoh, what else is there to say? I'm reminded of when my grandpa died and a gentleman came up to my grandma at the funeral and said how sorry he was. Her reply was "you ain't half as sorry as I am". I have snickered about that for 30 years.

I did not say I agreed with the sentiment or was commenting on it. Just noting that the studies referred to appear to exist.

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I googled pew research and prayer and could not find the studies you are referencing.

Could you be so kind as to provide a link to theses studies?

Just went on the Pew Research website and within 5 minutes had found at least 10 studies that would support the previous poster's characterization. I'm willing to accept the claim as not being inaccurate. Did not fully read the studies but read about 6 executive summaries so I won't vouch for the conclusions of the complete studies but they have certainly addressed the issue. One of the more interesting studies was related to Internet behavior after 9/11 as well as studies on blogs after major tragedies.

I am not a cleric, I am not in law enforcement, I'm not a lawyer, I'm not a social worker, etc. Until you have been close to these situations, you never know how you will react and I would not wish being close to even one of these situations on my worst enemy. I spent this afternoon with a friend who asked to see me and talk. She has had three family members murdered; one just ten days ago that has hit her hard. Another friend's daughter is serving time in prison for a shocking and heartbreaking murder. I've been dealing with the trauma of violent death of people close to me or close to people who are close to me since the age of 14 and have never lived in an area that would be known to anyone for crime. It doesn't matter how it happens or which side of the equation you are on. Life can be brutal. I have avoided responding directly to a lot of posts in this thread even though they have evoked emotional responses in me from way more incidents than I have disclosed. There have misstatements, unjustified attacks, misunderstanding of how these sorts of things play out, and a lack of frame of reference among many posters. That is to be expected and not worth responding to in any way but compassion that the person never has to experience any of these horrors first, second, or third hand. Sorry for rambling, but I think I am in part decompressing from trying to support my friend earlier and trying to make sense out of acts of violence that often defy explanation.

Disney is spectacular with allergies and attention to cross contamination. With my mother, the chef came out and talked with my mother about her allergy, asked what dish she would like, and told her that she would cook the dish herself from beginning to end and keep it in her possession to prevent cross contamination until she personally delivered it to my mom from the kitchen. We were quite impressed.

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Could it have anything to do with being outside the US? I don't know how those things interact with the website.

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Having much experience with the MagicBand technology at Walt Disney World, it sounds to me like Princess is doing a good job with this roll out so far. There will be glitches. We LOVE the MagicBands which work on similar RFID technology. We have bracelets, but I can understand preference for many other ways to carry a Medallion. Princess is offering these options which is good. With the bracelets we have used you never have to fumble with a key, dig for your guest card, check off your name on a list for a reservation, claim your individual photos by hand that are taken by photographers, or ever use a park ticket. They also are used for airport transfers to and from the resorts. YES, there are some privacy issues that some may be concerned about but the travel industry already keeps almost all of this information on you anyway--you just don't know it. This is how upsells are often decided, I suspect move overs are decided using this data, and particular enticements may also be offered. For convenience, I'm sure I'll love the Medallion experience though our ship will not yet be outfitted until after our cruise.

This is very tragic and disturbing news, as I have said. Thoughts and prayers to all affected. In thinking about it, and only speaking for myself, there is a psychological and emotional side to how anyone would respond to a future cruise on the Emerald or in the affected staterooms. Once they are put back into service, I'm not sure whether I would choose to stay in them or not. However, the point of my post is that beyond that I would not feel a risk of harm to myself by staying in those cabins. In any circumstance I can imagine, those cabins will be pristine when put back into use. I would be far more worried about cruising on a ship whose previous cruise was involved with a norovirus outbreak or had a death due to a dreadful communicable disease in a cabin. Those could result in risk of harm to me. This is only my personal opinion and in no way second guesses those who feel differently or makes judgments about those who hold different opinions. All are valid as the only behavior you can control is your own.

Temperature on the ship was never an issue and I am picky about such things. In my experience, YES, you need to pack layers that include both winter hats, windproof outer layers, sunglasses (essential), and neck warmers. I needed all of these when we went into Glacier Bay and to Hubbard Glacier. On the other hand, according to my pictures, I just needed a relatively light jacket and a baseball cap most of the time we were in port, unless it was raining. We went in May/June and the temperatures we encountered were low to mid 40's with wind all the way up to sunny and close to 70 degrees. Unlike the U.S., the temperatures tend to decrease as you move south in the summer in Alaska. Fairbanks can approach the 90's and often hits the 80's. Anchorage is cooler and SE Alaska is even cooler and more rainy (typically). Bottom line: pack lots of layers and put them on and take them off as you feel appropriate. But don't ignore the need for at least a winter hat and gloves for visiting glaciers, especially on ship.

WHY? Why does Princess need to give a deal to those folks. Princess was not responsible for what happened. Sometimes we need to just flow with the situation and move on.

 

framer

I'm not sure if you have ever been directly affected by a tragedy of this magnitude (I hope not), but the effect on persons is incredible. From survivor's guilt to nightmares about what you heard or saw (or think you heard or saw). Suffice to say, even for those tangentially present, it can take YEARS to get over. For the first several months, I would cringe and cowl just hearing sirens headed my direction if I was anywhere near the site of the incident. No, it was not Princess' fault or responsibility for the actual incident. But good businesses are proactive and do all in their power to treat their customers well and to be concerned for their well-being. There will be many passengers and crew (and even law enforcement) that will need to be supported as they work through the emotions triggered by this event. Going with the flow is not possible, nor a good idea, for many involved. I hope that some counseling support is provided as the ship moves to its final destination. I think it would be much appreciated in my experience.

I think you need a subscription to see this.

I had no problems without a subscription. It is an AP blog, not a Post blog, so you may be able to pick it up on another site. Other than two groups of individuals whose privacy was protected by umbrellas and hoodies, including one child, being taken off the ship in a restricted area of the port and entering vehicles with tinted windows before passengers were allowed to disembark, all other information has been reported in this thread.

My thoughts and prayers to EVERYONE who is affected in any way by this tragedy. Unfortunately, I know personally how deep and broad the reach of such tragedies can run. But I also know the resilience and compassion that is present at such times. I also know how comforting discussion boards like Cruise Critic can be at such times. I hope that those who are onboard right now can find solace in their friends here. In experience, just having someone listen and someone care means a tremendous amount. Strangers I had never met except casually through an online discussion board such as this one provided some of the greatest support when I was involved in a tragedy that received substantial national coverage and incredible press attention. I hope to pay it forward and hope that my fellow board participants will reach out as well as many have already done.

10 days for me when I renewed last month.

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I like vodka with brunch. I like smoked salmon any time of the day. Logic indicates I should like smoked salmon vodka at least during brunch hours.

 

Logic fails.

The smoked salmon vodka is exceptional for Bloody Mary's but I don't use it for anything else.

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Does the liquor available for purchase to take home vary by the destination of the ship? For example, do they carry many varieties of Caribbean rum when on a Caribbean cruise and fewer on say an Alaskan cruise?

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The minis have a pull out bed in the small sofa. It would be OK for a small child, wouldn't want to be an adult and have to sleep on it.

Once you're on board, no one will monitor who is sleeping in what room. Go for it.;)

BTW: you might be better off putting dad in the inside for booking purposes. They might require extra paperwork giving the MIL permission to "escort" the minor child. Then get all the cards changed around as needed once your on the ship.

As a larger adult, I slept on the mini suite sofa bed for a week and was never uncomfortable. YMMV.

What ship?

Yes you can do that because there is an adult in the room.

However where will the child sleep in the mini if it's just a 2 person room?

I suppose that they could sleep on the couch if it's not a hideabed.

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We did the St. Pierre / DePaz distillery excursion in December 2015. I did a review but because Photobucket decided to remove free 3rd party hosting you would have to click on each picture individually to see them. We really enjoyed our day there and thought it was well worth it. The drive over was beautiful, the distillery tour was great, and the museum and ruins tour was very interesting as well.

 

Here is the link, FWIW: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2335174

Thanks!

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Since a few pot shots have been taken at my post about my experiences in how to complain, I feel I should respond. In my opinion, there are many consumers of this board including but not only the OP. Including more inexperienced cruisers and travelers. I don't think constructive comments about how to express dissatisfaction when things go wrong are either inappropriate or off topic in such a thread.

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There is an art to expressing dissatisfaction with a situation, especially when one is a regular customer. The OP actually suggested this in a later post in this thread. First of all, I generally do not go in with the intention of getting compensation. I simply explain how my experience was not up to the usual standards of the business and give precise examples. Refunds for things that I paid for and did not receive are in a different category than poor quality service or dissatisfaction with some aspect of my experience. I also happen to know that most large travel related companies keep careful track of your experiences, sometimes to the point of uneasiness or embarrassment. When you are polite, roll with the flow when some uncontrollable things happen, and show flexibility to allow some adjustment on the spot, it has paid off for me in the long run. For example, I stay in a particular city often and have my favorite hotels and some that are OK but not my favorites. The last three times I have stayed at one of my less favorite hotels, I have gotten wonderful rooms and the last time got upgraded to a two bedroom suite that had a wonderful view. This more than compensated for the other things that still make the hotel acceptable but not my first choice. My advice: stay in control, emphasize your CONTINUED loyalty to the brand (otherwise, why should they try to satisfy you--you are a lost cause), be patient and know that stuff happens sometimes and the staff you are speaking with often have no control, express concern immediately if something can be done that will improve the rest of your time with the company, be grateful when someone takes your concerns seriously (regardless of compensation), and take care to notice things that are changed the next time you use the company (this is important--there have been many changes I have seen that addressed comments I made about my previous experiences) and acknowledge them! No desire to preach, but rather to share my experiences. YMMV.