mtnesterz

Also to @IndyKid. Last couple of cruises, it's the crowds from the table hogs not eating or drinking, buy playing table games; cards and dominoes. That is throughout the day. The crew does nothing. If sitting next to a card playing table, I've thought about calling out cards in their hand, to get them to move, but didn't do it.

The dine line on the ship gets things done when all else fails. It's OK to wait until on the ship to reserve. Last two cruises, few are eating in the Specialty or Casual venues. Prices are too high. But first, forget the App. Use the web based version. Now, where you log in, don't use the top part, it will not link you to your booking number. As Steelers36 mentioned, they should just get rid of that. Scroll to the bottom, log in with your booking number. Dining reservations, meaning daily, not specialty, is time consuming but you'll figure it out and get through it..

The International Cafe is my go-to as I am an early riser. It's counter service, nobody waits on you, as is your preference. On one cruise, it was mentioned in the Roll Call that early risers meet daily in the adjacent Good Spirits At Sea. The bar is closed, but it was fun to chat over coffee daily.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Answers to your three questions are no, no and no. It sounds great taking a mother and daughter vacation. You surely don't want to begin on a disagreement, which could fester during the trip. If you care to state what this is about, we may be able to help. By not being specific, workarounds we offer are shots in the dark.

What does 2 free casual dining meals mean? This means that you may dine twice at any one of the casual dining venues. It is important to note the offering is not à la carte, but prix fixe; a set meal. On a third visit, it is $14.99. What are casual dining restaurants? A casual dining restaurant is one where it is either not a burger, hot dog or pizza on deck, nor the Main Dining Room where they hold formal nights. The MDR venue, as with the buffet is included in your fare. If you meant which restaurants are offered as casual, then have a look at them with descriptions and pictures here: https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/xp-discovery-princess/

The meat of the question here is that you don't know how to find out where you will berth and you don't tell us which date you will be here to tell you. If you knew how to find out, you wouldn't need to ask. For future reference, this is a handy link to have and most ports post their schedule online. https://www.portsamerica.com/operations/cruise-los-angeles-terminal-schedule First, you'll need to know which 7 day Crown California Coast sailings you will be on. Then know which date you will be in LA. Find which berth you will be. @skynight is correct, on Nov 1st, you will be at berth 92, which is the Palos Verdes address BTW. but know for your sailing if different. The address on Swinford is 93. When you make reservations, at least with Opoli, the company we use, just tell them the LA cruise terminal and berth. When you get outside, you'll see people waiting for rides, that's the place. Do not walk out to Harbor Blvd. Funny, we live in LA and enjoy the Arts, but have never been to the Getty. Can't help with that part. Enjoy!

And let some genius at Princess handle it? But you may well be right. There is likely a protocol for such things.

Great to hear it! Thanks for getting back to us. The Crown will be in San Francisco on the 29th, San Diego on the 27th. Probably ship from one of those ports.

We have stayed in Singapore and found the quickest and most effective way to get around is the MRT. The Holiday Inn there advertizes it is a 7 minute walk to Clarke Quay MRT station, but the connections to Changi Airport, well, you'd need to change trains. The hotel can advise on which to take. Also once you get to the airport, you'd have to get to your specific terminal, but perhaps @agape01 can advise. If you do take a Grab car, (think Lyft or Uber in this country) there is no tipping.

Since, oh, I guess about the first of the year maybe, it's been called the Princess Event Listings. Good luck in your search.

FWIW: I lost my tablet the other day. I was sure it was gone. As I went to look for it a guy saw me looking and gave it to me. He said he was going to turn it in. My best hopes for you that someone will be kind to you too. Good luck!

We were on the Emerald in August. Lots of green beans and ham. They seemed to work their way into nightly offerings in the MDR. Of course, August and September is the season for beans. You see the problem with posting a menu. By your February cruise, what is in season will change. Also, the chefs will be off contract, switched ships or maybe have come back. As a general, beef dishes in the MDR were tough, either they've lowered the grade or not cooking adequately. Be prepared to return a beef dish if selected. Also by then, where they source the beef will change. Steak tartare was not served (that I saw) and with the perceived lowering of beef grade I was OK with that. Escargot seems like a tradition with Princess and I either missed it or it wasn't served either. The 14 night is actually 2, 7 night loops, but no, the menu did not repeat for us.

How is your French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic? Are you the Rick Steves type that can go just about anywhere and make your way or would you be anxious about being in a strange country, should you get lost? Twice in our 20+ cruises, (strangely both at Puerto Vallarta.) we've seen pier runners. The ship does not come back. Do not let that happen to you.

And if you haven't done so already, do join us in the Roll Call, it's been kind of quiet there.

I have no horse in this race, but seems to me the Grand was build in 1998. Only one year newer than the P&OPAU Pacific Explorer, a Sun Class, that it would replace. Both ships must be getting increasingly expensive to maintain.

Beginning Sept. '25, Grand and Diamond are not on the Princess schedule. Last cruise currently showing for Grand is a RT to Alaska out of LA. It wouldn't surprise me if Diamond went to P&O AU.

Taking a look at their roll call, a post about weather being their concern.

I'd make an analogy that if you got a call claiming to be your bank about an account, you wouldn't give any information, but call your bank back on a known number and perhaps ask to speak to someone whose voice you recognized. Here too, I'd call back on a known number and possibly someone you've worked with previously. They can confirm if it's legit and transfer you to the extension.

No. As I used words like "often," "might" and "I can't be sure." What I do know from experience is that we had a cabin on the Ruby next to a white area. It was housekeeping storage. They were in there shuffling things about waking us up at 4AM. Perhaps someone with better knowledge will chime in. I just won't book next to a white area on a deck plan again.

FWIW, the two of us here thought the previously mentioned cabin was great. We always either do OV or obst. balcony. Good value. End of the hallway, low noise, plenty of light. Oh well, your choice. I'm assuming you meant Caribe deck, C710. That large area is often elevators and work areas for staff, luggage movement, room service delivery... There might be a storage area for housekeeping there too. I can't be sure. Either way, noise at all hours. There is a rule of thumb that says never book next to a white space on a deck plan.

Our cruise booked last week is listed among the offerings. It went up $110 ($55 ea.) And no OBC offered now, unless I missed that. @c-boy. Enjoy your posts, but don't understand sozo in this context. Curious.

I see it has been some time since you posted and no responses. I do not have personal experience, but looking at a post from a few years ago, the poster was uncomfortable being uncovered. This implied to me there are not separate times for clothing optional. I would imagine that being onboard a ship with more westerners that persons with tattoos would be permitted. I have no information on how to purchase.

Thank you! So, now that's done, I've hit register and I'm at the place it says, "Use after entering Japan." So, I've stopped. Are we good for entry now? Is there is something else I should do? I'm guessing there will be assistance on the ship if there are problems on the return.

Doing the Visit Japan Web now for our cruise in two weeks. It asks for destination, meaning Prefecture, City, Postal Code, Phone Number... We are going directly from the airport (Haneda)to the ship in Yokohama, so there is no address. I've downloaded the instruction manual, but there is no way to put in that we are leaving that day on a cruise ship and not staying overnight in a hotel. Has anybody cruised Japan and knows what information to put in the requested slots? TIA

Here you go: (Just so you don't get lost, that's the port side.) We think those obstructed view are worth the small increase over an inside cabin, but totally your call. https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/ships/stateroom-details.php?ship=Island-Princess&cabin=D728