mtnesterz

Go to the deck plan link. Choose your deck. For guests, select 4. Those cabins for four will be highlighted. Some interiors have Pullmans. Don't know how it works for suites. https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=SU

@Davey Jones Responded to your question above.

We have not sailed on the Sun, but I have read the reviews starting to come in and your experience seems to mirror what has been written. More staffing in the dining areas is needed. As to the rest, you mention you are new to cruising, let me explain the function of the Medallion function as it applies to drinks and dining. Whether or not you bought one of the packages, you will be scanned for drinks. If you did buy a package, Plus or Premier, it goes toward your 15 drink limit, it charges you additional if a premium drink selection, with the additional tip and it confirms that you are an adult ordering an alcoholic beverage. If dining on one of the packages, you have included dining. Scanning the Medallion accesses that. If you went Standard, then you need to be scanned for the drink charge, tip and to confirm you are an adult. For dining, you need to be scanned to be charged to your account for the meal for Casual or Specialty venues. Even if included dining in the MDR, you still will be scanned for your dining time, if you made reservation, or if you have dining preferences on record such as a table for two.

As you go to the Princess website for your booked cruise, there will be two boxes for downloading the App, Android or Apple. Below that it will say try our web version. Click that. What I have found is to log in using your booking number, so scroll all the way to the bottom. Some still have trouble with this, but we have found it is smoother than the app. It is however very slow to respond. I have a new Android, so very recent software and plenty of ram. Good luck.

A good comedian might find material in your mentioning an escape room in a wedding chapel. We cruise more than the average cruiser, though certainly far from as frequently as some posters here. Haven't seen anything like this onboard, though I've read about it.

The biggest change for you, since 2017, will be the Princess App which you may use to select the dining times you mention. We find the App pretty useless other than inputting all those things related to preboarding. Actually, we use the web based version and don't even download the App. You sound similar to us in the onboard preferences you state. If that comparison holds true, then the packages, either Plus or Premium, don't make sense for us. YMMV.

You can buy per day. I think it is $20 or $25/day now if not Elite. As of last summer, there was free Wifi for certain in Honolulu in the area of the Aloha tower. Pretty strong too. Other ports, don't know.

Yours is a common experience and complaint about the new Princess overseas call center. I don't know where you are in the booking process. If you can, call and get a Princess Cruise Vacation Planner (CVP.) They care pros and can sort it out. Then just go through them in the future. A pro TA is good suggestion too.

I think it's a great thing you are doing, this family vacation. As you can tell by my screen name, we are empty nesters. You mentioned elsewhere she is 15. In another year or so, she will not want to vacation with mom and dad anymore. Treasure this family time!!! JMHO, the package makes little sense for a minor sInce they can't order alcohol drinks.

In theory, each one's picture shows up on their screen to tell passengers apart. Also they ask each one's cabin number. In practice, we attend the PES lounge and have gotten charged the price of an alcoholic drink, and we don't drink alcohol. Others here have mentioned the same experience. Doesn't seem to be a priority to fix this issue. So your question is valid. There is a system problem.

Here you go. A look out the window anyway. On the deck plan, E620 shows a black triangle indicating a third Pullman bed. But I do not know to a certainty. https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/ships/ov.php?ship=Sapphire-Princess&cabins=E600-E633

Confirmation is needed. Speculation and heresay from a contract worker about what will be allowed could result in someone being denied and disappointed. At the Hollywood location, a jacket and tie is a hard and fast, no exceptions rule. In fact, Magic Castle will loan you a jacket and tie if you show up without. Princess isn't going to do that.

We did an 18 night, Chile to L.A., My Medallion battery went dead near the end and replaced no problem at Passenger Services. I've wondered why that cruise was my favorite. There wasn't any one port or experience that stood out, in fact I was happy to get home. Something about just being out there that long. Point is, try a longer cruise if you can take the time, a different vibe. For one thing, I've observed the longer the cruise, the fewer kids.

Since you have not been on Princess before, terms others have mentioned above will be new to you. Crew Appreciation is Princess' term for a prepaid tip. It is automatic, but adjustable, or removable, at the business desk onboard if you don't buy a package. If you do buy a package, you are "buying" the tip. It has been years since we've sailed X, so I don't recall how they worked tipping, except that they provided envelopes in the cabins Years ago, Princess and Celebrity were considered close, but reviews lately suggest the satisfaction gap is widening.

Applaud your, in your own words, "After a few beers," solution. I am concerned for passengers who follow you, leaving sharp edges where the metal broke. For safety, have the sofa sent out to be rewelded and edges ground down. They must have crew onboard who know how to weld. Could have it back in your cabin the same day.

I looked at your post history and see MSC and RCI, but not Princess. If you are new to the Princess, you may not know this, but you can go onto the app and change your dining time, or better still have your TA change it to your preference. Reason being, you can anytime dine by showing up, but you may wait in line. With a reservation, you go straight in.

Yes, there are! Though not on Princess. You may or may not be aware that HAL has a standby program if you can travel with a couple days notice. Uses several ports of embarkation but Montreal is closest for you. In our case a similar situation, just need to get to San Diego from Los Angeles. If interested: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-deals/standby-program

My information is not current. Yes, you used to be able to order off menu for the following night and we have ordered Indian. Nowadays, with anytime dining, different table each night and different waiter, I'm not sure how this would work. Ask your MDR waiter if you can place an order for the next night, but you'd need to be in the same waiter's section. Ordering off menu may be a victim of progress.

I have read that the scrambled eggs are made from reconstituted eggs, as part of some health regulation for cruise ships. Because they must sit out in the open, they're a pasteurized product. I'm not stating this as a fact, but I'll agree shipboard scrambled eggs seem to have a difference from what I cook at home. In general, I find the chefs have no idea what western food is supposed to taste like and are only following what they are told to do. This, I believe is the root of all things from hash brown to the upalatable Thanksgiving dinner. The worst offender, consistently and predictably bad, is the breakfast biscuits. Overworked dough and not enough lift. I wrote Princess once with a really good recipe for yeast-rise biscuits, but I speculate that what they buy is a penny cheaper per thousand.

May vary from ship to ship and the itinerary. On our most recent, Congee, or Jook, Porridge, whatever you prefer to call it, was every morning, but taste varied, maybe just the person assigned to the job. Definitely leans to the Asian style regarding available additions. You could also get either oatmeal one day or Cream of Wheat the next. Lunch and dinner, yes to both.

We were there, Diamond Princess, in Sept. '23. Suggest reading threads about Japan and Immigration in the Ports of Call section here. We learned so much doing that and I can't imagine those that don't have the resource such as we have on CC. Even got personal advice on the Yunyu Kakunin-Sho, which otherwise was a 150 page download of instructions. We have traveled to several countries in Asia, and lived in Singapore for a time. But Japan is unique, so be well read as you can. We enjoyed out time and hope you do too,

Many of us miss the old Princess too. This is your thread and while thread drift will happen, if you feel it has gone too far astray, someone is unkind or don't want to get an email 7 years from now, notifying some newbie quoted your original post, you can click the three dots in the upper right and have the thread closed. I understood that your discontent centered around the food. That is why I responded on the food aspect. I will tell you we have one more cruise booked with Princess and we are overdue for a winner. The last, in August '23 was full of disappointments, mostly nature's work, and one selfish person, which were all out of Princess control. So, one more chance. Thinking of trying HAL, but even the HAL board posters say there are cutbacks. So, you say you have two cruises booked on other lines. Which cruise line(s) are you going to try?

We were also on the Diamond late last Summer. Sorry you didn't take more opportunities. You were on a SE Asian sailing, but you missed the Indonesian Beef Rendang by not going the buffet even once? It was the high point of our food onboard. As good as when when we lived in Singapore. Filipino and Indian dishes are also regular in the buffet and these were also good. I always think of where the staff in the kitchen hail from and figure those country's foods are a good bet. Conversely, Thanksgiving dinner on Princess is a bad joke for the same reason. Also sorry you didn't try their churrascaria, Wish you'd asked about this in a live from on this sailing, I would have suggested trying Brazilian barbeque. Locally, they make a show of bringing your meat comes to the table on skewers. A step up from a regular Steakhouse. You call yourself a foodie, someone who sees food in part as adventure. Then say you were bored by repetition and in response didn't try anything new. Hope you enjoy your upcoming bookings more than this one.

Sorry I can't help you. You may have better luck in the Ports of Call section, Europe, Mediterranean, Spanish ports. Good Luck!

My wish for you is that someday, you receive an offer to go, because you are discerning in your appreciation of the art form. They will try to recreate the ambiance, but that Victorian mansion overlooking LA is spooky and that adds in a way you'll never find on the ship. And my guess is you won't mind dressing for admission. There are those here that would rather stuff their suitcase with rubber ducks, door decorations, smuggled booze, travelling wine kit, water picks, blow dryers, snack foods, 3 or 4 electronic devices and a power strip to charge them. Anyone who travels often has learned to travel light. Wear a sportcoat on the plane and roll up a tie in the pocket. "I must have the S3 suite, but $35 for a checked bag? I'm not packing a tie for dinner then." For magic, go to the Magic Castle. For comedy, sometimes you can just read Cruise Critic.