TravelingEA

We just got off the Regal - the waiter said it came down from corporate to eliminate the cheese baskets a couple of months ago. He said it was on all of the ships.

We just got off the Regal. Park West basically took over the Piazza every morning with either auctions or "education" seminars. If a person went to the international cafe other places on the middle of the ship, you could not help but hear them. The Piazza used to have some entertainment most mornings, but it was all Park West. It could have had something to do with some people there were on a "free cruise" from Park West. Apparently they had spent enough money with Park West that it was a free cruise.

My wife usually orders pineapple with her breakfast.

Any US Territory is a local call.

The TA coupon book used to have 2 for 1 coffee cards, but I don't know if they still do. That was worth it.

For my upcoming Alaskan cruise I have $450 of OBC

$100 Shareholders credit

$50 Travel Agent Group Promotion

$50 Onboard Sales Promotion

$150 Onboard Credit Promotion

$100 Military Benefit

If I take this $450 of OBC to the casino play a few minutes on a slot machine and cash out, how much of this $450 OBC is refundable?

Your cruise personalizer will show what is refundable vs non refundable. We have $550 on our upcoming cruise, plus we will get a gift from our TA of about $210. It looks like we will have to make a trip to the casino to get some cash out.

Thanks for posting. We will be on the Regal for the first time December 11.

Last spring when we went to Alaska, we got a check back, since we did not use all of your OBC. We are going again in May with more OBC. I am assuming you can use the OBC on the excursions booked on the ship, however limited they may be.

When we cruise out of Seattle, we will go to Pike Place market the morning of the cruise and get a $5-10 bouquet of flowers. The steward generally will find a vase for us to put them in. It normally lasts throughout the cruise.

We had the free specialty dining one time. We generally go to the Crown Grill on a formal night. We were assigned the Crown Grille (however, it could be any the of specialty restaurants) and were not happy with the night and were able to change the night that we were assigned.

Our shows up, after we board on our account. It shows as a Gift from the big box travel. It has not shown up on our personalizer. I would much rather get the on board credit than the bottle of wine that our previous agent would gift to us.

The "smart casual" dress code for the evening (6 PM onward) applies to most of the ship as far as wandering around. It doesn't apply to Lido deck (MUTS and pool area). The dress code for dining doesn't apply to the buffet but, there again, that is up on Lido deck.

This is the first I have heard this. I thought the "smart casual" is for those eating in the dining rooms or specialty restaurants. I have seen many pair of blue jeans on the ship after 6 pm, just not in the dining room.

If Princess does the conversion they will use a poor conversion rate and then tack on 3% for the convenience of overcharging you.

 

If your bank then charges for foreign transactions (even if in your own currency), you will pay even more as that will based on the amount that includes the poor conversion rate and the 3% convenience charge.

I have a card that I use specifically for foreign travel. I get the most current exchange rate and no convenience charge.

We have received Gelato on the Ruby. 1 punch for 3 scoops. I have about 40 unused punches, so don't mind using the punch for Gelato. I buy the coffee card mainly for the brewed coffee, but then have a couple of specialty coffees during the cruise.

Thanks for your report.

 

 

 

So I guess if the old brown "Cafe Selects" card won't work, I had better leave my "King of Cups" and "Ace of Latte" cards at home!? :D

Those should still be good for punches. I used my my Ace of Latte card on the last cruise. The barista had to go find someone to see if it was a valid card, since she had not seen one before.

Like others, we go to Crown Grill on one of the formal nights.

I like both lines, but HA has better thermal suite and library. HA ships are smaller. Most outside and balcony cabins have bathtubs.

 

Food is comparable.

 

Princess public areas are grander. In-room movies are better on Princess

 

Princess room stewards do not make towel animals 😢😢😢

They did for my adult daughter - she remembered them from her first cruise and asked. The steward made her towel animals every day.

Normally we do walkoff and are at the FLL Airport before 8:30 am.

We purchase ours from a 3rd party, since Princess insurance does not cover airfare or pre and post hotels, unless booked with Princess.

Yes, you can. It can be used for anything that you purchase on board, including the gratuities.

I would go over to the Alaska boards - there is more information over there......

 

I prefer mid-May and June. Statistically, those are the dryer months.

 

I strongly recommend Glaicer Bay - It is never missed. Tracy Arm was missed for most of this season and Hubbard is often missed also.

 

September has the potential for the most unpredictable weather.

 

Celebrity does have a great naturalist but they don't have the permits to get into Glacier Bay.

We went to to Tracy Arm in May - was able to take the small ship, so Tracy Arm was not missed this year.

We tried to give a coffee card for cappuccino at the Crown Grill on the last cruise. They would not punch it. However on a previous cruise they did punch the card in the Crown Grill. It all depends.

We will be going on the Regal in December. We have always had the large balconies on the Caribe Deck. I guess we are in for a rude awakening!

I think the only ones I have seen are on the Island and Coral. I have looked for them on other ships, but no luck.

I have mine in a Roth IRA - with dividend reinvestment. My kids can deal with it when they inherit it. A Roth does not have required minimum distributions for the owner of the Roth, however, there is RMD for beneficiaries.It is the only stock in this particular Roth IRA.