mtnesterz

This really belongs in West Coast Departures, but if you are cruising Princess, just book transit with them is my recommendation.

If you figure out how you ended up with all that OBC, do let us know! Agree on shoreside excursions in the countries mentioned. Unsettling events lately. Reassurance? Realistically, the risks are low. As the old saying goes, safety in numbers. Don't go off alone down an alley or side street. Same if you were going to Las Vegas. You can buy bottled liquor, but it is held until the last evening, when it is delivered to your cabin. Nowadays with smartphones, folks don't wear watches like they used to. But if I had money to spend or lose, it would be on a nice watch. #1 answer IMHO: Casino buy in, have fun trying your luck, then cash out.

Good point. For example, yesterday, I left off renewing the relationship with AOS-USA. RCI, MSC, HAL and Seabourn partner, which are at higher and lower price points. You might ask, "Why don't I, and others here, just switch lines?" On balance, we're all still sailing Princess, we just want to make it better. But before I quit the job though, I'd lower the volume at all venues. Changes like that cost nothing.

Change the philosophy behind decision making, so changes come naturally. Presently driven by: “The general rule is that there is profit in confusion; the more confusion, the more profit. Therefore, the best approach is to create problems and then offer the solutions.” ― Milton William Cooper End Plus and Premium; having to decide if it's worth it. End pricing/tipping question. Pricing and employee wages raised to obviate tipping; no tipping policy. (like Azamara and luxury lines.) Dining rooms set for formal wear on those nights, a same menu dining room set aside for casual diners. End the arguing. Health: No smoking in casino. (Like X)

They would also look at the incubation period. Try and figure out the time and place Noro came aboard. If at Princess Cay, they would consider hygiene of staff, water storage for bivalves, oysters and clams, in the restaurant. These can transmit. Adequate food preparation in the restaurant. Reporting illness to the ship's Medical office shows consideration for others.

Wow, depending on the port, that could be a lot of printing. I too find it awkward reading on a phone or small tablet, but this helps. If we are going to a port with a lot of excursions offered, Honolulu for example, we pick a few possibles and put them on the wishlist. You'll see that option. They will stay there, even when you log out, until you have time to consider, then remove them or move them to checkout and pay for them. Review at leisure. Watch the counter though. When the available spaces go, you could be on a waitlist.

The ship can be cleaned, true. The problem, as I'm sure @SargassoPirate will confirm, is that all it takes is for one passenger to get sick at home, not having bought travel insurance, and decide to sail anyway. Also, with Noro's 12 to 48 hour incubation period, someone could board, not knowing they are infected. Best practice is when being on a ship, or anywhere with a lot of people in close quarters, practice good habits.

Also US citizens. Will port for one day in November. We were also told this is no longer needed for the few hours stop.

@sns1 "They'll reach out to you?" Hope they wash their hands first. Transmitted by contact. Knuckles on elevator buttons, use back of hand on stair hand rails. Be mindful until it becomes habit. We were on X's Mercury during it's big outbreak. Both of our careers were in heathcare, we are careful by habit and neither of us affected. Good luck to you!

That's them. Here's their schedule for '23 until August. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2866269-eluas-updated-hawaiian-schedule/#comment-63564266

The Crown and Emerald are sister ships as @skynight pointed out. It comes down to where you want to embark and debark. The Emerald will be out of Los Angeles, horrible airport and traffic, but great port, the Crown out of San Francisco, long transit to airport, and long wait to board, from what I've heard. The immersion team is important to us. We like Elua. But if what you care about is the ship, they are sisters. One is a year older, I forget which. You can look that up if it matters to you.

I have not been able to use OBC pre-boarding, but would like to know how.

For us, it wasn't available to do until the day before embarkation. I'm sure they have a system in place at the port, if for whatever reason it can't complete on the App. Don't know if there is a difference between US and UK on this.

There was a thread about this kind of offer not long ago, but I cannot find it now. Some posted skepticism about whether it was for real. I'd have to agree with them. Good thought to post here and ask before jumping in. Perhaps someone who posted will remember which thread, or can relate if this is for real.

@world_traveler_et No, I don't know. But as I remember from last year, I too wondered why the App asked a lot of permissions. The web version did not ask permissions even though I used an Android tablet.

This is the current discussion on that matter. Open in our recent experiences. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2912445-is-the-laundromat-free/#comment-65186223

I typed, "Why? Good point." That's my level of interest. But if these things interest you, look into it.

Both top hats and baseball caps are considered outerwear, just like a raincoat or overcoat. These are not worn at the table. Why? Good point. Used to laugh watching Columbo showing up fancy places in a rumpled raincoat and not removing it. Have seen folks, presumably Jews, wearing a Yarmulke in the MDR, no problem. The Pope's zucchetto is also a type of kippah and religious and ceremonial wear gets a pass.

The app can be used, but I would sincerely encourage you to use the online version you'll find on the Princess website. It is less troublesome in my experience. Login to Princess as you would to check your Captain's Circle. Find the links for the App stores. You'll see the option adjacent to do things online. Click and you're off and running. Choose the option to login with your Princess logins, usually email, then password and your cruise confirmation number. If you login without the confirmation, it will ask you to link the number, which others, including myself, have had no success doing. Dine My Way was an odd way to do things, but I got through it. You'll see. Point is, it's much better than the app. Good luck!

If this thread does close, the OP also asked the same question on the Canadian Cruisers board, but only got six responses. Take it up with them.

Agree with @Potstech. The short and simple answer is no. That said, DH always wears a sportcoat travelling on a plane and for the cruise, rolls up a tie in a jacket pocket. So packing a jacket is not a problem. Percentages you ask? If it's a concern to you, dress up to feel a part of things. I wouldn't be concerned about what others wear.

If "laid back," is what you want, Princess is better than NCL or Carnival, but X wins on that criteria. "Upscale," you say? Relative to NCL and Carnival, yes, but that's a word I would more apply to Oceania and Azamara. Princess has more recently been engaged in upcharging, nickle and diming, which I do not associate with upscale lines. What might frustrate you is that many things have changed about Princess in over a decade. Princess cruising is more complicated. You'll be spending your time learning new technology and quirks you already know on X. It is great to cruise with your sons. This is perhaps the last you will all vacation together as they move forward in life, marriage, college... As you become empty-nesters too you may find you outgrow Princess. We are Elite, but with two more cruises booked with Princess, we will then move on to Windstar, Oceania, Azamara.

Have a CVP book your cabins.

I should have added to my post that we are Elite, so we have access earlier than some others. Anyway, I know exactly what you're referring to. I saw two options at the top on Dine My Way. Make a reservation and Planner...something. I tried both options, started making reservations for each night, then thought what a dumb way to design this. The other button erased the previous reservations, then after the first date, I started clicking dates at the left side and realized it had made the reservation for every night, same time, same restaurant. Which is what I wanted anyway. I don't know what I did. Agree, they have a ways to go, but this was so much better than the app.

Assuming you're using the app, try the online version instead, on the Princess website. Did all of our stuff this AM for our upcoming cruise, dining, everything. Sign in as you would for the Princess website; email and password. It still took awhile the the wheels to turn, but all did go through.