robbinsca

We are onboard this week. Over 4000 on the ship and only the Piazza seems crowded. Kids are aboard as summer breaks are starting up, but as you said very well behaved!

I would still recommend confirming your reservations immediately upon getting on board. I made the reservations 2 months ago, after final payment. They didn’t make it onboard. We have tried to make another reservation on our second day onboard after noticing it, and every reservation is taken ALL WEEK. Granted, I have Plus status, not Premiere, but nothing is available. My $200 OBC May end up being a bottle of duty free Johnny Walker Blue Label to take back home.

We went on RCCL a couple of years ago. With that amount of distance you are going to go through several changes in the weather. There were some high seas, There were lots of clouds (so much for seeing the stars without light pollution) and there was sunshine. I don’t recall it having any real effect on how we went about our days. It did get warmer the further South we went.

Alaska Tips When you visit Butchart Gardens buy a few seed packets as souvenirs. I was never a flower garden type, but we have had a small plot that keeps regenerating with brightly colored quality flowers for multiple years. If you take the train in Skagway sit on the left side (as you view from the back) on the way up. The narration is the same both directions, and you trade sides up at the top, but your sense of wonder is better when you are fresh on the train. Also take a walk and stand out where the train cars connect for a clear view. Taking a picture from their as you approach the long bridge/trestle will result in a great photo.

Most shows are 730 and 930. Allow for 90 minutes for dinner at 530 and you could go to either one. One thing on Princess is that the theatre doesn’t seem to have as much available seating as other lines we have been on, and some of it is reserved for Elites/Suites. Plan on arriving at least 15-20 minutes before the show to get a seat.

Mea Culpa The ship we went on out of San Pedro was Radiance. Navigator has now taken over that itinerary.

Royal has had Navigator of the Seas going out of San Pedro. Nice, newer ship and does three and four day trips, with an occasional 7 days.

We have done both multiple times. Royal is definitely the one that I would take my grandkids to as they would be bored on Celebrity. When it is just the two of us seeking a calm vacation we prefer Celebrity. The vibes are definitely different- you decide- more fun or more relaxation? I like a mix of some of each.

Brooklyn last year on the Caribbean Princess up to Quebec City.

Like the OP we are light drinkers. I wouldn’t consider getting the drink package on Celebrity. I am such a lightweight that the last time I had 4 drinks in a single day was back during my time living in the fraternity house. $65 (even $30) a day for just liquor doesn’t float my boat. My DW likes to have the soda package on Royal and NCL, but I just drink the Iced Tea and Lemonade. NCL does charge a daily “free drinks” gratuity that is more than I would spend on drinks. The one exception I make is for the Princess Plus package. $60 a day not only gets you “only” 15 alcoholic drinks, (maybe 2 for me) but also unlimited sodas, bottled water, juices, but also WiFi and gratuities and a couple of other items. That package does give you your money’s worth IMHO.

Me personally, I never miss the Future Cruise presentations. After 20 years of cruising I know what is out there, but I still like to be tempted…

Seems strange to say, but between DW and I we have 4 cruises in the next 13 months ( one sisters cruise without me). We usually only go about once every 18 months, but…. We only booked one on Princess out of the four because of the difficulty choosing a cabin. Royal and Celebrity will be seeing the income instead. We like Princess, but don’t trust guarantee cabins.

And if you buy it on board you can use your OBC to pay for it. Purchase in advance and it hits your credit card directly.

I recommend getting on the port ( um, left since you are on land) on the way up. The narration is the same both directions, but your interest level is better earlier in the journey. That side has a much better view. if you are getting a Salmon Bake out of the $30 I would go that way. We will also be there in September. It should be beautiful.

I am with KarateMom. Renting a car is easy, and the trunk becomes your luggage storage space. Maybe it is because we are both from California and just like having a car at our disposal at all times. 🤓 Recommend the Granville Island Market and Stanley Park for stops in town.

DW doesn’t drink alcohol, but Diet Coke is another story altogether. I will have, at most, two drinks a day. That being said Plus works for us. Free water bottles on your way out for the day in the Caribbean would otherwise be $4 each, Internet and gratuities being included takes 2/3rds of the sting of the $60 p/d cost alone. On NCL I decline the “free” drink package because of the 18% gratuity added still costing me hundreds of dollars. My wife gets the soda package on other lines but I simply drink the lemonade and tea because I am a dedicated cheapskate….but I still get Plus on Princess….🤓

Be prepared for some cold weather. You probably won’t spend a lot of time in the pool. If you take the train in Skagway sit on the left side on the way up the mountain. It will sync up the commentary with a better view.

We have been through Vancouver several times, but not on Princess. There is a very convenient (IMHO) below ground dropoff area. I would imagine there would not be something different for Princess.

I love smoking meat at hime and was really looking forward to having Planks onboard. I agree, the taste was chemical rather than true smoke and the meal was greasy all the way through. Not making that mistake again.

My comparisons are for multiple lines, not just Princess. Crown Grille was my Princess experience. The quality of the food is consistently better in the Specialty restaurants. The beef seems to be a prime cut rather than choice. You can “upgrade” in the MDR and get a filet for a lower price than going to the Specialty restaurant- and that was the higher quality. That was a nice option. We have probably dined at SD 20 times, and I have been very happy with 18-19 of them. The MDR foods have devolved from Prime Rib to Meat Loaf. I crave at least one REALLY special dinner each cruise.

Many thanks to all who have helped. You have provided great insights and been kind to this rookie! Definitely need the extra time outside the actual river cruise…the advertisements make it all sound much closer together.

The only differences we really noticed was a luncheon on embarkation day in the MDR that felt a little special, and access to Concierge that I really only used once or twice. The Concierge Class was a special deal on that cruise so we took it- otherwise a balcony would be just fine.

We have lots of Ocean cruises under our belts but have not ventured on to a river cruise, so my question is going to sound like the ones I answer about ocean cruises. I have ancestral villages near both Neuschwanstein Castle and Bratislava. If I am going all the way over to that region I don’t want to miss the opportunity to visit my forebears home areas. I realize they may be separate trips- can’t decide which to prioritize. i understand that the river cruises offer included tours, but am I able to rent a car, or hire a local guide, that would allow me to visit those villages and then return to the longboat? All the commentary I am reading here on CC only talks about taking the ship tour or simply walking around town. Or do I need to go a few days early and travel down and back before/after the cruise? TIA

I do that all the time for my wife, but she also gets surf and turf and I get her steak. My favorite memory was from pre-COVID. Can’t remember which line, but we discovered they were serving the “lobster” in the buffet so we went up there and got two, then had two more a couple hours later in the MDR. No, she doesn’t usually have two dinners but when lobster is available….🤓

My SIL was on the ship two weeks later. We had told her to look for Samantha and try to get her table at dinner. She found her in the buffet one morning as she said that she had been moved.