mtnesterz

I'd be interested to know which lines are offering discounted excursions. I don't mean a TA's offering, which you couldn't name here.

Yes, you can make an off menu request for Indian food in the MDR. Place your order the night before. We asked, "Chef's Choice, with chicken." We also ordered it spicy and it came to the table so mild a 5 year old could eat it, but was pretty good. As mentioned, the buffet usually has at least one Indian item.

Appreciate you mentioning that. First noticed this as soap on the ship lathered up more and clothes washed cleaner than at home. Also I noticed that I would have weight gain that would go away a couple days after coming home. The cooks use too much salt, obviously, but I didn't think about so-called soft water. I've read that increasing potassium counteracts sodium. I'm going to make an effort to eat high potassium foods on the ship, such as yogurt for breakfast. Or bring coconut water onboard.

There is another thread similar to this, but your need is more specific. Agree with the poster in that thread, also in our experience, that you cannot count on what they will have on hand, as what they can get varies from port to port. Bring your own.

CNN released their reader's choice of the best 50 foods in the world. Number one was Indonesian Beef Rendang. Princess served this dish on the Emerald in August. It was as good as I've had in Singapore where I lived for a time. I figured they would hold back on spice intensity for westerners, but they didn't. Not to be missed.

Looks like the Miray deal fell through. Announced today Carnival Corp sold to Celestyal. Will become the Discovery. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/celestyal-cruises-acquires-former-aida-ship-celestyal-discovery-to-debut-march-2024/

We did the Hawaii run on the Grand no too long ago. All I did was check email, no streaming. But no problems. On Oahu at the terminal, there is free wifi, should the system fail you. Not that you want to spend your port time doing email, but it's good to know.

You are using satellite internet over a WiFi connection, so 2.8 is pretty good. Folks here have reported as high as 3 with Starlink. The desktop in the internet cafe is a wired connection and will be faster. When you get home, compare your home wired connection to WiFi. The wired connection will be comparatively faster. I looked it up, so to save perhaps someone else time and trouble, "Fobbed off," means to be given a response just to get rid of you. I hadn't heard that one before.

Last two sailings, did preboarding and dining on the web based version. Hope that helps. When logging in, scroll to the bottom and log in using your booking number.

Agree that all considered, any one thing could cause well made plans to go awry. I'd stay overnight.

This is insightful. Also, crew allowing passengers to reserve seats in the theater after they've been informed. Crew allowing ball caps, shorts and T-shlrts in the MDR. This list could go on. Since no one can direct an auto tip, all crew (those listed in the quote) are tipped, whether they refuse to do their job, or do it exceptionally. These are the problems for virtue signalers: If you do auto gratuities, you tip everyone, awesome or useless. And if it's felt that passengers must tip because wages are low, then it follows to ask the virtue in doing business with a company that in their own opinion pays a wage that necessitates supplement.

I'd like to answer you but that's is a pretty big subject. In very general terms, you're jumping from Mass-Market lines to a Premium line. Some disagree with that classification, but I'll reference this Gary Bembridge video. You can make up your mind about that. https://youtu.be/Y1hiYS0Y8uA?feature=shared I would say Princess has less, "energy," onboard, generally smaller ships, no deck rides. (In the current fleet.) Our first two cruises were RCL and Carnival, I can't imagine sailing either now. View some of the Princess threads here for questions, but also to get a sense of the people who choose Princess. Maybe you'll like us, maybe not. When I read one of the ultra-luxury boards here, I don't want to sail with them, too stuffy. YMMV.

Two formal nights on a ten day cruise. You didn't post your itinerary, which would have really helped. The first is never the first night, but usually the first full sea day. The second will never be the last night, but usually a sea day near the end. Safe bet, pick a port day.

No offense was taken. You are right.

A few years back, Carlos Oscar won some award for best entertainer on Princess. We think he is hilarious, but some find him not to their tastes, which could be said of any act. This being the third post mentioning him, it say he is he is a well known favorite. Get your seat early because the show will be packed. He was supposed to get a TV series, I wonder what happened to that?

Google maps showed as two, oh well. Of course, for the ports of San Pedro or Long Beach, you and I have the option, neighbor, of getting a ride from home, day of sailing if we want to, or going directly home after the cruise. The OP wants to arrive ahead, from Vancouver BC, on what sounds like Grand Prix weekend. You or I can stay where we prefer, or stay/go home if we don't like the availability. The problem stated by the OP is a problem of finding a hotel, "...not sold out or beyond pricy." I wrote, "If something better is not available." I never said it was a desirable option, but an option it is, in light of the Grand Prix in town, which is the topic of this thread.

LA local here. The reason there is nothing available in Long Beach, April 2024 is the Long Beach Grand Prix. There are two places, 2 and 3 stars rated, but you can walk to the pier. Those are the Studio 6 Suites and the Sunrise Hotel. Only saying they are not known as widely as those others mentioned and you might find a vacancy, if something better is not available. Both border on 6th street. Also on 6th is the San Pedro Cafe which we enjoy for meals.

I believe it's called a Route Deviation Request. It has to be approved. Judging from recent posts, the Customer Service Center has some training issues so good luck with them knowing what it is. Puerto Vallarta would have the bigger airport, seventh busiest airport in Mexico, Huatulco is 23rd.

Welcome to Princess and Cruise Critic. No doubt this will become another lengthy formal night thread, but to your unique question, I haven't seen a single tux on our three Princess sailings since restart, and I own one and used to wear it on cruises. Since Covid, it just isn't there to really get dressed up for dinner on Princess as it was in the past. Also, this Dine My Way you've likely read about takes away the special quality of dining. Not sure why. Feels more like being seated at a local family type restaurant. I always wear a sportcoat on the plane flight and roll up a tie in the pocket. It gives you the option and you really don't need to take up more luggage space. You will see about half dressed even more casual. A few suits. You will read posts here that advise to be comfortable, so do that.

If you don't receive it, they'll issue you one at the port. Just have a trusted neighbor/friend/relative pick up your mail so thieves don't get hold of it, if arriving after you leave. Meaning them knowing when you're on vacation. Let us know if it arrives, OK?

Log into Princess. Go to My Account from the top blue bar. Manage this Booking Payments icon at the top. Just below Payments and Credits, click Credits. Hope that helps. Don't know anything about where gambling deals go. Not a gambler. Oh yeah, print your Cruise Summary. Hope that helps!

Regarding your luggage, yes, as mentioned you can wheel it on yourself. Also at disembarkation, you will be given the choice to take your own luggage off. We prefer this as once a suitcase was damaged leaving the ship and there's no one there to talk to about it, with connections to make.

Because they can? The job requirement for a Princess sound engineer is three years experience in a theater or club or bar. It's up to somebody who worked in a bar to be considerate of your hearing. Point was made, it's really up to the individual to protect themselves. But there should also be measurable guidelines, oversight and a corrective action process. If there is, it doesn't seem so.

The problem does not lie with us, as passengers, except as someone noted, generational age. I don't mean in the sense the younger crowd wants things louder, rather, as we age, we perceive sound differently. What is enjoyable when younger becomes painful as we age. The other factor, also age related, also mentioned above, is that our ability to discriminate sounds also changes. As we age. Ordering a drink at a nearby bar or even table conversation becomes more difficult to discern because conversation is not picked out in a din of noise as it could be when younger. The problem on Princess part is though they have received complaints about the sound, they apparently do nothing about it. What needs to happen is to hire an audiologist to make recommendations in the theater and venues on volume and graphic equalization, based on predictable averages for the demographic of Princess cruisers. In that way, voices can be understood, at a lower volume. My guess is, crewmembers set the sound for themselves, for their hearing. "It sounds good to me." There needs to be professional direction.

If what is important to you is the covered pool, then Sapphire or Coral. We, meaning all us responders, are stating our priorities. So for my priorities, sightseeing. The difference to you is the Coral is smaller and has a forward facing glassed-in buffet to sit and watch the sights. The Sapphire and Ruby have Skywalkers bar high and near the stern to sightsee.