Retired Educator

14 hours ago, 2 cruises a year said:

CPAP machines are not mentioned.

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

 

If I require oxygen and/or dialysis during my cruise, may I still travel?

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept guests who are dependent on dialysis or supplemental oxygen at this time. This includes guests who use oxygen concentrators. Our medical experts have determined that, for the guest’s own safety, this is the right decision.

We’ve had to make some difficult decisions based on general public health guidelines and the overall health and safety of our guests. We remain optimistic that our approach on future sailings will become more flexible.

Our son uses a cPap and I was told there was NO PROBLEM with him taking the cruise, just me due to my use of oxygen with a portable oxygen concentrator at night…

Heads up for oxygen users…
This is not meant to discount anyone’s prior comments, just a simple fact.

We were booked on the Grand Princess Hawaiian cruise from L A on 12/20/21.  Our final payment was due on 9/21/21.  I thought it smart to re-read through all the changes Princess is implementing for the health and safety of their passengers and crew.  It is an impressive amount of work and I am very pleased with the things they have put in place, although it will change the overall experience seasoned cruisers might be expecting.

One thing caught my attention…passengers who use OXYGEN (even concentrators) WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOARD THE SHIP‼️  Had I not caught that we would have paid the final amount and arrived at the pier with all the required documentation, ready for the nose swab before boarding (yes, you are required to have the negative 72 hour results in hand but they will also do a check pier side) only to be told “SORRY, no oxygen users allowed”.

if any of you rely on oxygen be sure to read or call Princess for information.  The original notice said for cruises through 10/31/21 but when I called Friday they said it has been extended for all cruises departing through 12/31/21.

Enjoy your cruises, wherever, whenever.  Have fun and stay safe.

Dian

We just booked the October 2020 Hawaii.  Usually try to book a year in advance so we have a better choice of cabins and can budget payments...also take advantage of promotional packages like 3 for Free...

A quick question...

On many of our other Princess cruises we have found the made to order Belgian waffles available at breakfast from the ice cream station outside by the pool.  It was usually posted in the patter on the back page.

Are they offering that on the Grand this cruise?  It was always a well kept secret the first day or so until people saw them coming into the buffet...then the lines became unbelievable...

Another 3 days for us to wait.  

Because I have some physical limitations and need “booster cushions” to reach the table we have always spoken to the MatriDe (spelling 😱) during the embarkation day time and explained the situation.  Even though we use AT dining we have gotten an assigned table for the full cruise in most cases so that they have my cushions handy when we arrive during the time we told them we usually dine.   We always tell our server if we will be going to another venue the next night (like the steak house).  They will hold the table for about a half hour.  Once they get to know us, like the second night, we just go in through the “reserved” side right to our table.

If you call the dine line to make a reservation for AT, there is a line for those WITH reservations and another for those without.  If you like to dine more towards the beginning of the dinner service for AT we strongly suggest the reservation!!  Especially first night!!!!

Thank you Mikado for the response to my naturalist on board question.  Yes, they do plug many things as activities that are really sales pitches, but the good part is you can choose not to attend, or, if you realize your mistake, walk out.

Enjoy your trip!  We will be walking on right after you get ashore on the 24th.

After reading these wonderful postings, especially the FOOD items, I think I’ve already gained a few pounds! 😱

60-70 degrees!  BRING IT ON,  Yesterday when we got through at Sam’s Club the car told us it was 127 outside...totally believable even though we were spitting distance from the Colorado River and could hear/see the boats and PWCs racing up and down.  Of course by the time we reached our house it was only 115...must have been all that hot parking lot asphalt and metal cars we were parked with 🤔

Interested to know if they have a Naturalist aboard?  We always try to attend the morning lectures in the Princess theater but admit some are better than others.

Didn't notice if you are doing Glacier Bay sonic cruising, but we booked the one on the 24th because we love Tracy Arm!

if possible mention about the lecture series even if you don’t attend and who they might have as it will help us semi-plan.

Thanks.  LOVE reading ALL of the “live from” postings...keep it up, both of you.

😄 

Looking forward to your live report.  We board the Grand on the 24th for her next trip up the coast.  Haven't been on her for several years but had heard she had a recent facelift...mostly with upgrades for medallion stuff.  We will be celebrating our 50th anniversary and our 25th cruise with Princess.

Thank you Kamloops50. I had pulled that map up also. My question is if RCCL has representatives who actually meet you in the baggage claim area. A friend is flying in and suffers from extreme anxiety issues since loosing her husband about a year ago. She might be overwhelmed if she has to figure out how to navigate from one end of the airport to the other with her luggage and such since this is her first cruise ever and she is semi handicapped but mobile (no scooter or wheel chair needed)

It has been several years since we have cruised on RC and never out of Seattle. We will be flying in from Vegas the morning of the cruise (red eye so actually the night before) and are wondering if there will be someone in the baggage claim area around 9:00 or so to help us with getting to the transfer area for the bus to the ship?

The RCCL web site states a greeter will meet you in baggage claim, but the one time we flew in to SEA for another cruise line they also made that claim but we never saw anyone and almost missed the transfer bus by the time we figured out we had to find it on our own.

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks, Dian

I cruise with oxygen for night time use but travel with a POC that provides both continuous and pulse flow. Cabins on most cruise lines are on the small side, even balcony ones.

Unless your standard concentrator is one of the new down sized models it might prove difficult to lug on board, especially if you cannot go directly to your cabin upon boarding.

I assume you live near enough to drive to the pier, but since your cruise will be going into a foriegn port (Ensanada I can guess) the company that provides your equipment might have some restrictions on where you take it. We rented a POC from my provider several times when we first started traveling after I was put on O2, and decided to spend the $$$ to buy my own.

You will need to let the cruise line special needs department know you will be using oxygen and they might ask for a form from your physician be submitted.

Whatever you do, enjoy yourself and happy cruising!

Dian

Surge protectors are a fire hazard onboard. They act as a lightening rod, diverting the electricity. Ships aren't grounded (into the ground) like a land based building is.

 

Take a regular extension cord.

 

Search for posts by ChengKP75. He's been working on ships for over 40 years.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

I probably misspoke when I said surge protector as what we actually take is a short heavy duty multi socket (4) extension cord. But that makes sense. Guess my senior moments are showing :eek:

Happy cruising to all, Dian

I have COPD and cruise often. We purchased our own POC which can be used 24/7 if necessary. We DO take a power surge strip and plug it in up by the TV (we cruise Princess 99% of the time). This provides power for my POC at night as well as spots for charging iPads, cameras, fit bits etc.

Location of the cabin is important if mobility is an issue. We usually book an aft cabin on an upper deck which puts us near the buffet so I can get some stair climbing in :rolleyes:

One thing I have discovered is with breathing problems it is often hard to find seats that are comfortable on cruise ships. They all seem to be low slung, deep seated and hard to get out of, so now I take a firm throw pillow with me and it can go either under or behind me, keeping me more upright and better able to take those deep breaths.

Check the ship's deck plans to see where the casino and smoking lounge/areas are located. Friends booked a cabin just below the casino and near the fancy central stairway and the smoke was drawn down to their room so bad I couldn't go to their cabin after the first visit...even with my POC! Crowded areas with competing fragrances also trigger my "huffy-puffy" times. Don't know just how sensitive you all might be.

Several years ago I was diagnosed with COPD and hadn't started cruising yet, but knew I would need O2 at elevations above 2500 feet. Since we fly often to visit our son in MN I rented a POC from our supplier for each trip.

After dropping $$$ for rental several times we looked into purchasing our own POC. if you fly or cruise often, or just travel to see friends and family purchasing a POC might be a good investment. I am fortunate that my O2 needs can be met with many of the newer, more complete POC models. I have a Simply Go for night use as it can provide the continuous flow I need (.5 lpm) but can go up to 2 lpm in .5 increments AND I can use it for elevations over 2500' on pulse mode which can be set from 1 to 6 Lpm. I just purchased a cute little POC (4.4 lbs) that can run for 6.5 hours on one battery. It is pulse mode only and just has 1-3 lpm flow, but it meets my needs for day time.

We have over 30 cruises now, and many sky miles and haven't had to rent O2. Take a power strip with you! Check the airline you will fly but most have a universal form and requirements. FAA has a list of "approved" POCs, but most of the new ones qualify.

Dian

We are giving very serious consideration to trying a USA river cruise but hadn't found much about the two major providers. The Columbia River cruise interests us as we have family in the Portland area.

Although we are elite with Princess and have cruised on several other lines many times we are looking to get away from the BIG ship experience...bigger isn't always better we are finding.

Look forward to following this thread.

Dian

We have done lots of ocean cruises but want to try something different. Since our son and his family are relocating to Portland this summer we think we'd like to do the "downstream" trip next fall (2017) instead of the Panama Canal return trip we have currently booked.

I will keep checking on this thread and try to find a roll call once we put our deposit down.

Since we live in the AZ desert we like to see some "green" a few times a year...;)

Dian

We are booked on an October 2016 CA Coastal on the Ruby. This will be our fourth time for this 7 night cruise, and we have done many of the shorter 3 & 4 night cruises out of San Pedro on Princess. The advantage IMO for Baja deck is you have cabins above and below you rather than a club/bar/casino/speciality dining room etc. The disadvantage, again IMO, with the half covered balconies is a lack of privacy from those above you. Because of the way the decks are configured those cabins seem to be deeper, causing the balcony to stick out the extra 4'. Without meaning to "spy" we have gotten quite a show or two from unsuspecting fellow passengers :eek:

We also like to book in the aft area cabins to the rear of the back elevator banks. There seems to be little "sway" (although our adult son complained of a constant tremor in their mini on a recent Alaskan cruise from the engine) and as you sail north against the current it can get choppy and rough in the more forward cabins.

We are booked on the Ruby for 9/25/15, 11/15/15, and again for 10/22/16. I'll touch base after our September if I find any MAJOR drawbacks.

Dian

None taken...:)

Just finished booking the December 5th, 2016 full transit and will bite the bullet and figure a return with as short air time as possible so my batteries last on my POC. Could have done it as a B2B if the budget allowed :eek:

Can't wait for the year to fly past. Hubby loves to snorkel so the Caribbean stops will be great.

Dan, not sure if the location of the casino changes after the dry dock but I will tell you that the Panama Canal cruise passengers are different. I found them to be younger, much more active, perhaps more adventurous and very few smokers. I avoid the casino on smoking nights, so I don'y have to wash the stench out of my clothes after going in. There is a bar and sitting area in the casino that was never used. There is a small section in the back corner of the casino I saw a couple smokers but honestly, the area by Facets (at the entrance) and the main walkway never smelled like smoke.

Thank you so much! Your response was informative and should help us make the decision. Would love to do a full transit but the flight to or from FL is more than I can handle. Wish they offered a B2B that didn't have several weeks between the east and west bound trips...:rolleyes:

Oh, btw, the name is Di an, not Dan...

Thanks again, Dian

We are looking at the 11/16 RT out of Los Angeles on the Island and are curious about the casino location. I travel with O2 and the casino is ALWAYS an area I avoid, even the shops on that deck don't see much of us. We do enjoy activities like trivia which seem to be held in the Explorer's lounge most of the time, which is just adjacent to the casino on this ship.

Are the fumes from the casino overpowering (consider a non-smoker with breathing problems) outside the immediate area of the doorway, or does the situation extend beyond into other areas?

We have over 20 cruises with Princess and aside from the Golden where you have to walk through the casino or outside to get to the theater, we have been able to avoid any problems. Any information or input would be helpful and I know that second hand smoke is different for everyone, but interested to know if we might need to consider another option (cruise line) for this bucket list trip. We usually do Hawaii for our fall trip, want to try something new.

Thanks. Dian

Hmmmm? We are booked on the Ruby out of Los Angeles to Hawaii round trip 15 days from November 15 to 30, 2015...

After that I believe she is doing either a CA coastal or Mexico before heading for Hawaii again in December...

We have done the Hawaii cruise several times and enjoy the cultural activities on those long sea days; but this year I noticed they have cut back on the number of Hawaii runs they are offering and hope they haven't eliminated the great cultural Ambasadors they have had in the past when they did the B2B turn around cruises to the islands.

HI. I tried to email you but I guess I do not know what the address really is because it wouldn't deliver:confused:. Mine is sammons 554 at the Y service. Maybe you could get one to me?? I would love to hear your idea.

:)

Hate to post it here, but trust it will be sorta safe...dabbey@cabbey.net

Will check my junk and spam boxes in case that's where my server sends it. I tried yours several ways and it kept saying error (won't start on the local phone service we have our internet through...:eek:)

The company who supplies oxygen to me at home no longer offers travel concentrators so I have to rent one. The least expensive company so far is going to charge me 450 bucks for 10 days. This really sucks because until Dec, I didn't even need oxygen! I got a Pulmonary Embolism and now I need oxygen. The cost of this POC is going to take the place of some nice excursions.:(

And now, after reading the posts here, I am questioning if I should add an oxygen tank in case of power failure. :confused:

Janet, I see we are neighbors almost. Any chance we can make a connection? I might have an option you could consider...

dabbey at cabbey dot net

Dian

Looking for advice on bringing Oxygen on board. My cousin has had a hard year and I would love to treat her to a cruise. She is on Oxygen and a little worried about this. Please help me to help her. Thank you , PDXJAS

Just returned from our 28th cruise, all with oxygen! I purchased a POC after renting them (insurance didn't cover that cost :( ) I went with the EverGo which provides ONLY pluse flow at first and because it can operate from both battery and household electrical as well as car electrical system it became my primary O2 source even at home (no 50' of cannula hose to drag around). After five years if almost constant use it was time to replace it so I switched to the SimplyGo model which can provide BOTH pulse and continuous flow. Same power supply options and a tad lighter in weight.

We like to cruise from west coast ports to eliminate the flight hassle but Southwest is great about my POC when we do need to fly. We have never had a problem with any of the cruise lines, other than the limited number of electrical outlets and often awkward locations in relation to bed for nighttime use...we started bringing along a small power surge strip which solved the cabin outlet problem.

One thing you might want to consider is cabin location. While I enjoy walking at a slow pace it is easy to put in up to 5 miles or more a day just going to the various activities offered on the ship. Booking a cabin midship might add extra $$ to the fare but can be a big help if your cousin has mobility issues from the O2 requirements (mine is COPD)...

I hope you can find a solution as it sounds like you are a great person to want to do this for your cousin. Good luck.

Does anyone know if there is an International Cafe on Star Princess? We enjoyed that a lot on the Sapphire.

 

Thanks.

Just got off our second cruise this year on the Star (Hawaii in March, Alaska in May) and still have "punches" left on my first coffee card and a brand new, never used card for our December cruise back to Hawaii. One of my fave hangouts. Enjoy your cruise.