Nhsaltshaker

Thanks.  On the Caribbean Princess I was surprised how fast it was just before the ship updated to Medallion.  May I ask how recent your cruise on the Crown was? 

Hi all,

Does anyone have any recent reports on how fast the internet is on the Crown Princess?

Thanks so much.

I agree on it looking empty.  Hmm.

Anyone recently off the Crown?  Looking for an updated list of smoking areas.  Thanks!

Our British Isles cruise overnights in Dublin.  We'll be on the Crown Princess this May.

After sightseeing during the day, one of my cruise mates wants to visit a relative who lives there. 

Does anyone know if there is a curfew on the first night?  If so, what time?

Thanks in advance.

Great video! 

Do you think 1 hour and 45 minutes is enough to visit the museum?

On 11/24/2018 at 1:18 PM, rocklinmom said:

This excursion (Paris City Drive and The Louvre Museum) has disappeared from the list of available shore excursions for our June British Isles cruise.  I had it saved on my Wish List from a few months ago and now when I click on that it says "Error...please call for assistance".  The other Paris excursions are all still there and are fine when I click on them.  Can anyone else booked on a British Isles cruise on the Crown this summer access this excursion in their Personalizer?  I am wondering if it's still going to be available or not.  

I'm going in May and that is excursion disappeared on me also.  Now all I see is Paris On Your Own, which, I guess, means you can do the Louvre on your own.

On 11/19/2018 at 8:16 PM, idahospud said:

We just got off the Crown. If you are Elite here are your internet options when on the ship.

THANK YOU!!!

3 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Thanks.  I cannot believe I missed it.  

Is the Tundra tour the only excursion that is included with the Connoisseur package?  Did you book land excursions in advance?

 

It depends on your tour.  I remembering web-searching each lodge I was at to get ideas on the excursions they offer when I hadn't booked yet, to give me a clue.  Once I was booked they showed up in the Personalizer.

8 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Where do I find the potential extra excursions that I might consider on the Connoisseur Tour?  Just want to plan a little.  Thank you.

I found them on the Princess site on the Cruise Personalizer. You must be booked first. 

If you like paying for everything in advance and enjoy having a guide that takes care of your every need, do the Connoisseur Tour.  I've done it twice, starting in Fairbanks.  Fly in the day before and ask to stay at the Princess lodge--- they sometimes overflow to other hotels, requiring re-packing/unpacking.  We rented a car for that day to visit Chena Hot Springs and the Museum as well as purchase necessities we couldn't bring on the plane.  I love Fairbanks, but you can't walk to any stores from the Princess lodge.  We were almost mobbed when we walked into the hotel with liquor. 

Getting the land portion out of the way first allows you to relax once on the ship.  No more packing/unpacking.  Shorter plane ride home.  The food at the lodges was 5 stars in 2016.  I had $70 crab legs just about every night!  Both times I met/made great friends.

I agree with upgrading to the Tundra Wilderness Tour. 

If you're a Do-it-yourselfer and money is tight, this might not be for you.  If you want a once in a lifetime vacation where everything is planned out for you, then do the Con. tour.  I found plenty of time to relax yet many opportunities to explore inland Alaska with Princess's optional land tours.

Either way, you will find yourself wanting to go back.  Alaska is beautiful!

I'm also a solo cruiser, most of the time and love it.  Here are my tips.

If going to the buffet, bring a sweater or a bag (no valuables) to leave on the table when you go to get more food.  It will save your place and the waiter/waitress won't take all your utensils/drink away.

Sit with a large table in dining room for conversation, but dinner usually takes longer. 

Depending on ports, book Princess excursions for safety.  When on an excursion, ask one of your shipmates to be your buddy.  They will look to see you made it back on the 'the bus', for example.  I was on a beach excursion last year and wanted to go swimming.  After finding trusting fellow cruisemates, I put my bag with camera and phone within their forward eyesight and promised I'd be back in five minutes.  The two ladies were delighted when I told them I would do the same for them so they could go swimming together.  They did.  We were friends for the rest of the cruise.  If I can't find anybody, I have a small cable (found on popular online shopping site) and several TSA locks.  My back pack has large zipper tabs, my valuables are kept in one compartment.  Using the cable, I loop through the locks securing the compartment and then around the beach chair.  Someone would have to be walking the beach with metal cutting tools(unlikely) or be able to drag a lounger across the beach with a back pack tied to it without being noticed.  Of course, once I forgot and put my watch in an unlocked compartment, went swimming, yep, gone in five minutes.  My choice was report it to the authorities or the popular hotel I stayed at for the day, or, get back on the ship.

Give a friend a copy of your final itinerary, including air, excursions, a copy of your passport, and insurance.  Leave them the Princess ship phone # for emergencies.

Get internet, post on a social media site or email someone you're back on the ship after a day in port.

Someone mentioned people questioning why you/I/we are cruising solo.  I get that all the time, they feel so sorry for me.  I just tell them, it must not suck too bad, this is my 13th solo cruise.  They still look at me weird.  Oh well.

Enjoy finding a seat in the theater!  That's the best!

Hope this helps.  Sorry for your loss, but so glad you keep cruising!

And there is also free wifi at the food pavillions!

Thank you, Cindy!!!

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what size of luggage is recommended for the cruisetour luggage that goes to the lodges?

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/cruisetours/cruisetours_alaska.jsp

Packing for your Land Tour

Cruisetours involve many modes of transportation including motorcoaches, trains and sightseeing vehicles so make sure you take only the things you need to ensure comfort for you and your fellow travelers. There are different types of bags to consider for the land portion of your cruisetour.

Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack

• You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials.
  
• Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats.
  
• Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure.
  
• Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches and trains.
  

"Join Me Tonight" Luggage

You are allowed one piece of "Join Me Tonight" baggage per person on the land portion of your cruisetour. You will simply pack one bag and place luggage where instructed. Our handlers will pick it up and deliver it to your room at the next overnight location on your land tour.

• This bag will be transported separately from you and will not be accessible during transit.
  
• Items to put in this bag include clothing, sleepwear, nonessential toiletries, extra shoes and anything else you might need at your hotel but do not need access to during the day.
  

I have taken a backpack, a regular size (airline checked) bag to the lodges and sent my carry on ahead to the ship. You don't have to worry about weight until you're flying.

For those who booked just before the promo, and then called when it went online to get it added....

Did the price for the cruise stay the same, or because you called on THAT day, maybe the timing and things being in limbo, was your 'luck'????

We booked before S and S. I called and traded the Landmark Sale to the Sip and Sail about a week after it opened. The price went up $14 pp. Yup, Fourteen dollars. Cruising next May.

Thank you so much!

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An absolute glorious review. Hanging to every word. Enjoy every moment.

Peg

We did get up early but it wasn’t THAT early. The only time that breakfast was very early was on the morning of the day you are flying to Heathrow. Some people on our tour opted to skip breakfast that day so they could sleep longer!

 

That being said, though, there are no late mornings where you can sleep in!

 

 

 

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Thanks Judy! If I can get 6 hours of sleep, I'm good. :)

Yes... our last night was in Cork also. You arrive fairly late in the day for check in to the hotel. Dinner that night is at the hotel so by the time dinner is finished there isn’t really any time to explore Cork. You do get a drive through on the way to the hotel, though. You will be getting up very, very early on the morning you fly to Heathrow!

 

I’ll bookmark this thread and if you have any questions about anything, please ask! I looked high and low before we took this tour and couldn’t find much info on it.

 

Judy

 

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Hi Judy, we're booked on the same tour as latebloomer56. Since you're offering (thank you), did you feel you were waking up very early each day you were on the tour? I kind of promised my travel partner it would not be like Alaska, breakfast at 5 a.m, luggage out by 6, on bus by 7 a.m. etc. Not complaining, just thought I'd try to prepare. Thanks for any info.

Peg

So which is it ?? :D:D

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On Caribbean Princess now, still the minute plan but internet is very fast.

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Both sea days.

One of the worst casinos I've ever played in.

What did you play? Perhaps I'll avoid it.

Anybody have insight into which slots are hot on the Caribbean Princess?

I'll split my winnings with you. :D