mtnesterz

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

If you don't care to share your cabin or ship, consider going to cruisedeckplans.com...old site...princess...select ship...obst view...find cabin. BTW, the engines are more towards the middle of the ship, and low near the keel, so noise not an issue. Can get some propeller vibration aft. The ships are so big you don't feel much movement. Bring antihystemine, such as Benadryl, or a generic would do, for seasickness. In the shop on the ship it's expensive.

I Googled, "Princess roulette wheel". The image takes you to Cammegh products in the UK that makes bespoke wheels, but I could not find that photo on the website. Bearing in mind, I am assuming that was the OP intention and not saying that company made the wheels, only an image.

For me, thinking Sea Witch logo gave me an idea of what was meant. There is a Google Image of this wheel with the new slot.

On your 16 day RT, San Francisco to Hawaii, having done this itinerery a few times out of LA, be ready for some sea days. You will not have the level of energy scheduled into your cruise on Princess that you do on Carnival. There are things to do, sure! You will have to decide which activity to pick from, but more in the way of immersion, meaning lectures about history and travel. Less in the way of hairy chest competitions and belly flop contests. More included dining on Carnival, tips are higher on Princess, but those are adjustable if you don't buy a package. You don't drink and neither do we. So to our thinking, the packages don't make sense. YMMV.

Just looked at the Princess website. Neither the Grand nor Diamond are scheduled after August '25, at the moment.

Either. The bags are there, the self-laundry is still there. Also, the retractable clothesline is still in the shower for delicates you might prefer to do in the sink. I'd add to the above posts, we've found detergent/dryer sheets work well and take little luggage space for self-laundry.

The excursions and drinks questions seem to be covered. I'd touch on your comment about not being tech-savvy. Yes, the App can cause some anxiety and some have been fortunate using it, and some have had difficulties. You don't have to use it on the ship if you don't want to, but to the extent you are able, doing your pre-boarding helps. I'd suggest going to the Princess website and where you find the small black boxes to download the App. Instead, below those click the text to use the web version. We found this much smoother. Log in using your booking number and if you get into a jam, you can ask an OceanNavigator by calling Princess. Before you cruise, print your cruise summary and luggage tags from the website.

It was San Pedro, Emerald, August, unusually long Blue line, long time making changes to Medallion at desk. By then, boarding for all. That explains it, @Host CJSKIDS.

If that is so, then I must have missed a pointer sign, an announcement, or someone's direction, because we didn't have it. Yes, we're Elite. I guess you can stop the emoji search, @Ombud

As of last month there was no priority boarding for Elite.

We have been fortunate to be invited to the Magic Castle a couple times. That is what the decor inside looks like. The Victorian mansion that is the Castle is haunting just driving up and standing outside. The ship won't have that ambiance. Here's the thing. The magician who invited me has passed, but he was far above the level of someone who would work as an entertainer on a cruise ship. ALL the magicians there were. So what caliber of magician will be willing to work a ship contract? As mentioned, there is a dress code when attending The Magic Castle. It is specific and enforced. This remains to be seen for the ship. http://www.magiccastle.com/dresscode/

Welcome to Cruise Critic. We don't know if this is a first cruise for you or perhaps a first on Princess. By you saying a future cruise credit was, "...of no use to us..." I took your meaning that you either don't wish to cruise again, or at least not cruise with Princess. Regarding an advisory of noise and vibration, I'd make the analogy that when boarding an airplane, there is no advisory and it's expected that you will experience noise and engine vibration, also roll, pitch and yaw to a greater degree than on a ship. Plus changes in cabin air pressure with altitude, whereas a ship is always at sea level, unless it isn't, which would be a really bad thing. The steel hull echos the engines, generators, pumps, gearing and maintenance that all make noise throughout the ship and it's like a hospital, it all runs 24/7. Sorry you found the experience disturbing.

We have two cruises done under the Medallion and our experience was that the web based version did not get along with a Windows PC. As you suspect, we found on our second cruise, a tablet offers good functioning, with a couple of tips. The first cruise, the app was a disaster and we gave up. (You can still use a PC to print your travel summary and luggage tags from the website though.) We use an Android, I think it is OS 14, but not sure. In your number 4 post you show the login screen. Do not use the top one. Login at the bottom with your name and booking number, otherwise it will say can't link booking. @Pickles posted this problem. Another thing is the dine my way booking is just awkward. If you fiddle with it, you'll get it, but several have expressed frustration. Photo upload seemed more difficult than it needed to be, but before you try, be sure you enable settings so the camera and saved photo gallery will work with the app. It doesn't prompt you either. All else fails, they'll do it at the pier.

What would you do if you were at home and your chores were done? Would you shop, play a table game with friends, read a book, Sudoku or a crossword puzzle, watch movies and TV, go to a bar, make a friend and have a drink or two. Maybe go to Reno, if you are in Oregon and try your luck gambling.Maybe you'd go to a live music concert, attend an auction, not for the art in Princess case, but to feed off the energy. For me you ask? The immersion lectures. Learning new things. Understand my retirement gig is a docent at a museum, so that may or may not interest you. You can do all of those things and not even have gotten out to the Lido deck yet.

There is a Gary Bembridge video that I think you would find interesting, because he mentions this very issue he had with P&O. Some Princess cruisers feel like things are changing. @SargassoPirate touches on this in the post above. If you haven't watched his videos, he is thorough in his observations and makes some good points. https://youtu.be/o28f739Rq5o?feature=shared