CallyCruzer

How far is the Rotterdam train station from the cruise port?  Is this something we can walk to or need taxi?

On 1/18/2023 at 5:33 PM, PORT ROYAL said:

https://www.cocobeach.restaurant
 

Book day/lunch in advance.

Taxi will drop one off adjacent to entrance.

 

How do you book?  Their website has a place for booking lunch or dinner.  How do you book for chairs and umbrellas?  Do you know how much they charge?

It has been about five years since we have been to Orient Beach.  My memory is that we walked up and down the beach to try to find a good beach bar area that also had decent food and drink and comfortable chairs and umbrellas.  I cannot for the life of me find the name of the one we eventually settled on.  I would like to avoid the search if someone has a name/direction to the one they were happy with on their last visit.  Also, can you tell me where to get the taxi to let us off for the place.  Thanks!

55 minutes ago, sippican said:

 

This ^^^^^^^

And tip again, even though the restaurant has already added a service charge to the bill.

If the restaurant only adds a 3 or 4% tip, then yes I would add more to the tip.  (that is about the amount your cabin steward gets out of the automatic tip on the daily cost of your cruise.  Many restaurants I go to have an automatic 15% tip.  I do add at least 5% if the service is good.  Again, if you don't tip - that's your business.  But I just think people saying I am bribing my cabin steward if I tip several times during my cruise after they have given me great service, is sad.  

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

But it is different, very different. Unless, of course, you tip when you are brought your menu, then tip again after each course is brought to your table, and then tip again at the end of the meal.

So if you are staying at a hotel, and go down for breakfast in the morning, I assume you tip.  If you go back that evening for a meal, do you not tip again?  Same restaurant, right?  But another meal.  I feel the same way about my cabin steward.  They make up my room two times a day.  I don't tip them twice a day.  But I do tip several times during my cruise.  And yes there is an automatic tip - but usually $13 or $14 a day - that the cabin steward probably receives $3 or $4.  That is nothing compared to the service I get.  I am not shaming you or anyone else that decides not to tip more than the automatic tip.  But don't shame me because I believe in paying for service that I receive.  As I said previously, its my decision to tip for service - and its not a bribe for goodness sake!  

I disagree with those that think that people tip at the beginning of a cruise are bribing for better service.  On the first day of the cruise, I meet my cabin steward and always ask for extra bed pillows, ask for a couple  extra towels to be in the bathroom each day, ice in my room and extra hangers.  Once I receive those items, I give him/her a tip - that is money for a job well done.  During the cruise, as he/she also continues to do little extra things for me, and their regular job well done, I tip.  And at the end of the cruise I tip again.  Nothing different than tipping at the end of a meal at a restaurant.  I think cabin stewards work their butt off for us and the daily tip that is charged to our accounts is distributed widely to workers on the ship.  So I for one feel that my cabin steward deserves every tip I give them, especially since some people don't tip at all (remove their tip from their account).  It's a personal decision for me.  

9 minutes ago, bemis12 said:

We’re just different. When they screwed up, I would take their $50 in their apology.

 

Your preference is to create a thread to complain.

You know, one of the reasons I usually do not comment on these boards are people like you.  I merely posted my situation with Princess  - to be informative and to let others know their policy.  As I stated, there is no reason to accept their $50 if I am not planning to cruise with them in the future.  I did accept the apology of the agent I spoke with as the policy is not of her making.  If you didn't approve of my thread  - you didn't need to read or comment.  

5 hours ago, bemis12 said:

an apology and $50 actually sounds like a good way to treat customers to me.

The way to treat customers is to return their money in a timely manner -  not ten weeks.  I was told by the customer service agent that their policy was to "try" to get it out by eight weeks.  That is not acceptable.  Unless they would like to wait 8 - 10 weeks for us to pay our tab at the end of the cruise.  I don't see that happening, do you?

16 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

This is handled in a completely different way.  The OP was getting a check for his unused refundable OBC ... not a return from Princess back to his credit card but a check issued by Bottom Line Technologies.  

 

I recently had several hundred dollars of unused OBC returned to me within 2 weeks.  10 weeks is really a long time.  At least they gave the OP a $50 credit ... I would have considered that acceptable.  

I didn't find it acceptable.  I declined the credit as Princess has had the last of my business.  And not just over their ridiculous policy on returned OBC.  We were on the Emerald for 39 days and we had horrible service in dining, The Sanctuary, and several other mishaps.  After 37 cruises, it was the only cruise I have ever written a complaint and taken to the service desk.  I never heard from anyone. I always have felt a bad day at sea is better than any day back home.  I can usually roll with the punches.  But we were so taken back by things that happened on this cruise, the OBC was the last straw. Therefore, I would say they aren't interested in my business.  

14 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

This has been like this forever.

They just hope you go away or forget.  🙄

Exactly.  And as long as people keeping accepting this behavior it won't change.  

14 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

$ 1,200 is a substantial check amount to refund without some system of verification. 

 

Princess will not have to refund this particular cruiser in the future.

I find it interesting when I have ended a cruise with a balance of over $1,000, there wasn't time for a "verification" to charge the amount to my credit card!  Why should it take 10 weeks to verify the credit if they can instantly charge you for your on board account?  

The agent at Princess I dealt with in customer service was apologetic and even offered me "$50 OBC" for my next cruise.  I declined.  I don't do business with companies that handle their customers in this manner.  Too many other cruise lines to choose from to be treated in this manner.

I posted back in December the question if others had a long wait on return of their on board credit at the end of their cruise.  I finally received my check from Princess for my OBC from the cruise that ended on November 18.  It took ten full weeks, numerous calls and emails in order to receive it.  The person at Princess I spoke to said that they usually don't mail out for eight weeks.  This is an unbelievable  way to handle business.  This OBC was over $1,200 so it wasn't just a few dollars I was waiting on.  When I have OBC with Celebrity its posted to the credit card that they have on record on the ship within 2-3 days.  

As an update - It's now January 14 and I got off the ship November 18.  I have yet to receive my $1,200+ in OBC that we did not spend.  After many emails and calls, I finally spoke to someone that seemed to know what they were talking about.  I was told that she was monitoring it and that at EIGHT WEEKS she would make sure it was sent!  That is ridiculous!  On other cruise lines (Celebrity, a few days after getting off the ship your refundable OBC is put on your credit card that you registered with the ship.  Princess should not keep your money for that long.  Just more thing that they don't do right!

4 hours ago, missaretha said:

 

Yikes! Who urinated in your Corn Flakes? Bah humbug!

 

It's called "BRANDING" and they're using nostalgia to embrace the cruise line's roots. That's a GOOD thing!

What ever “floats” or “sinks” your boat.   

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Did you try calling BottomLine Technologies?  They can tell you if the check has been issued or not.  Included a link to them in a previous post.  

I did not know about them. Will look for your previous post. Thank you. 

1 hour ago, Pierlesscruisers said:

I've gotten it back in 2-3 weeks and have had it take 6-8 weeks.  I suspect it varies according to the workload at the 3rd party office that handles the refunds.

 

I'll attach a copy of the envelope that mine always comes in so you'll recognize it when it arrives.

 

Tom

Vet OBC refund envelope.pdf 770.89 kB · 17 downloads

Thank you. It’s frustrating that I can’t speak to anyone at Princess but have to wait for a reply email.  I am used to Celebrity refunding immediately on my credit card.  

16 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I said Bah! Humbug! for a reason.  The horn runs about 15 seconds and it makes you feel as if you're on a Carnival Cruise instead?  Some others enjoy the festive atmosphere it provides for those 15 seconds that ruin others' entire cruise.  I understand Cunard is very sophisticated if the horn bothers you that much.  Much ado about nothing...

Again, different strokes for different folks.  I assumed I was free to post my thoughts but as so often on here, people feel the need to attack a person that doesn’t agree with them.  Enjoy your horn blowing Love Boat.  

2 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Bah! Humbug!  

Everyone likes different things. Just not my thing.  

Just now, I Love Cruising 3 said:

Yep, the Regal still blows that cheesy horn every time they get the chance.

They've also turned the muster drill into a carnival atmosphere. 

Exactly.  I prefer a little more sophisticated atmosphere otherwise I would cruise Carnaval

How long does it take Princess to refund your onboard credit?  I had over $1200 refundable credit. My cruise ended five weeks ago and when I called Princess they said to email customerrelations@princesscruises.com as they handle refunds and they have no phone number.  Of course I heard nothing.  Anyone else had this issue. 

I hope they stop. It’s cringe worthy with the cheesy horn blowing and awful music with the safety drill.  Makes me think I am on Carnival. 

Agree.  Again not anything I reported but saw kids in their underwear age four or five alone in hot tubs; in the evening when adults were trying to dance, kids twirling around on the dance floor with dancers dodging them.  It was a different feel on the ship. 

On 11/16/2019 at 1:32 PM, JF - retired RRT said:

If you're still on the ship, complain at Passenger Svcs. and ask for a refund.

Unfortunately on this ship/cruise no one cared especially at the passenger desk.  I did not say anything about this issue but did report a much Bigger issue and even wrote it up and turned it in. Crickets. Not sure I will be cruising Princess any time soon. 

30 minutes ago, Grburkart said:

I’m sorry to hear of your troubles on the Emerald. I know I would be disappointed with screaming kids, especially when they’re not in a kid friendly atmosphere. I get the loud talking and laughing to a point, however it is a place to have fun (kinda). 
I was to be on the Emerald now but I had cancelled my cruise due to health reasons. I am envious of anyone posting from the ship. 
have lots of fun!?!

 

Glenn

I guess while I understand you say it’s supposed to be fun, if you are going to talk loudly, laugh and play cards etc, I would think the rest of the deck is for that and the Sanctuary is a  quiet  “tranquil“  place as advertised.  Otherwise you are paying for a softer chair and that’s it.  We found on this trip it just didn’t fit what we were looking for. 

4 hours ago, minniem said:

If I had paid $40 a day to be in the Sanctuary l would have been very upset to have a screaming child in the adult pool.  I'm usually not very assertive but I think I would have said something to the attendant .

I did say something to the attendant. I find they are very reticent to say anything to any guest.