Nelsj099

@Coral How has the internet been so far? You have been able to post all of these pictures and it has been great! Thanks for your help!

I basically sat at the UTH table as long as the casino was open on my last cruise (the slots were too tight to win anything). I had fantastic drink service by the end (Grand). They would see me and ask what I wanted, I rotated through 3 main drinks in the casino and would keep bringing them. They said they would buy my drinks but I had the drink package so I must have reached some magic number that I didn't know about. I know this is not normal behavior but it was my first time being able to go to a casino in about 3 years due to covid and being locked in China. Instead of ordering coffee with the server in the casino which I saw people do, I ordered through the APP the server was shocked when it showed up. Lol maybe because I tipped him all week and then someone else brought my coffee. But when other players ordered coffee it slowed down the whole service in the casino not worth ruining anyone else's day. I hate when they have bad drink service but I have had other people bring drinks to the casino so it is an option to order on the app.

I got a comped balcony and I bid to upgrade to a mini-suite but I don't think it will be accepted. It is still 20 days out, last time I bid it was accepted about 3 days prior to sailing.

@LawDog61You talked about turn around in Vancouver. Could you leave the port To do whatever you wanted during your turn around time? I am doing B2B out of Vancouver in June.

I am trying to figure out parking for my dad. Do you have to pre book a spot at Canada Place or can you just arrive day of departure?

@martincath I have lived internationally for 10 years. I do not have Global Entry because I find it not to be worth the amount of times I would be able to use it in a year, this year though I am going to the US 3 times, but it is still difficult to schedule an interview. I haven't traveled at all for 3 years China during Covid= no movement. I am not worried about getting my bags off at most I will have a travelers backpack and a suitcase. I may pre arrange a car to come pick me up, it looks like it will be fine. I live the customs life, I will cross into Hong Kong to fly to back into Shanghai on Friday, then fly internationally back to Hong Kong and go through customs and take a taxi back to the China border on Monday. My Friday flight is at 6:30 and I work until 3. That airport is a bit away because I have to take a taxi. I know US customs is rough, but it will all work out or it won't. I am a 2 hour is too early to get to the airport type, I get bored. Is the risk worth the reward? Maybe I am going from this cruise to Disneyland in California.

I am risking an 11:15 am flight out of Vancouver. It looks like by train the airport is about 25 ish minutes similar for a car. I am a live on the edge of the seat type of person when it comes to travel. I have done similar timed flights from more difficult ports before think Civitavecchia to the Rome airport for example, the only time I ever pre-arranged transport. I think Vancouver looks easy enough to get out of.

I would also take the train. The train basically stops at the cruise ship, and gets to the airport in about 20 minutes so you miss all of the traffic. I have made morning flights from the cruise ship in Sydney because of public transport.

@hinterlandboyz2 I'm not sure about the exact answer to your question. However, I do go to HK frequently, as in 1/2 times per week. Where are you looking for a bus to take you? It appears that the cruise terminal you are going to isn't the one I normally think of at TST, but maybe 10 minutes by metro away. You are also close to two ferry stops that would take you to Hong Kong island. I might suggest instead getting the Octopus Hong Kong Travel app, which would allow you to use any of those. Also compared to the western world prices for transportation are very low I can get from the border to China into that port in around 45 to 50 minutes for around 40-50USD. The HK taxi app would also allow you to call a car, Uber also sometimes works in the city center (near the port).

I brought on six bottles in Adelaide in 2023. No problem, port security tried to say it wasn't allowed but it was fine.

I got my cabin assignment 4 days before my trip maybe 3, in January.

I haven't left China in 3 years. Deck chairs, Fireworks for Chinese New Year. It is just going to be a loud week no matter where I am. I also live in a Chinese apartment building, and was a summer camp counselor so sleeping is not an issue. 😃

I only booked this cruise last week sometime maybe the 4th or 5th of January. I was able to log in and view the bid to upgrade feature on 5th or 6th. I placed 2 minimum bids 130$ for a balcony and 160$ for a premium balcony. The bids do very for sure so just look at what is available for your cruise by logging in to that trip. I was just happy to be getting out of China for the first time in years and going on holiday it didn't matter if I booked an obstructed view I was happy with that room too but. I am happy to have a balcony next week! I travel solo so the total price of my upgrade was 260$ I will have a great trip to Southern Australia!

I bid for an upgrade and won as a solo traveler yesterday. I did have to pay double the bid, but that was part of what I considered when making the bid. I went from obstructed view window to a balcony room on the Aloha deck. I am right under the pool but don't care way better than my obstructed window and for 260 total.

I was in an obstructed view cabin window guarantee, and bid 130$ for a balcony and won my bid. This was for the Grand out of Australia January 22nd. The price per day was 52 dollars for my upgrade (short cruise).

This is my first trip with Princess so maybe I don't understand this sale. I was booked under the Love Boat sale... 200$ Excursion credit 100$ deposit. Then I repriced with the "Best Sale Ever". Which says it includes all kinds of things. I called Princess and went through an hour and a half on the phone, where I ended up having to rebook my own room and then he canceled the old booking but moved the payments. He said that it included all of the Princess Plus and 150$ OBC. When I am looking at the cruise personalizer, it says nothing is included. It is asking me to pay gratuities, internet, and for Princess Plus. Did I miss understand the whole thing?

This is my first trip with Princess so maybe I don't understand this sale. I was booked under the Love Boat sale... 200$ Excursion credit 100$ deposit. Then I repriced with the "Best Sale Ever". Which says it includes all kinds of things. I called Princess and went through an hour and a half on the phone, where I ended up having to rebook my own room and then he canceled the old booking but moved the payments. He said that it included all of the Princess Plus and 150$ OBC. When I am looking at the cruise personalizer, it says nothing is included. It is asking me to pay gratuities, internet, and for Princess Plus. Did I miss understand the whole thing?

Both legs of a back to back have gone down by 700$ each for a solo room. It may just be the solo supplement going down. This is for the Crown Princess 11 day Alaska into a 10 day Alaska for June.

I do not have the option to "downgrade" my package only "upgrade" it from Plus. You might be better booking the standard fare and then "upgrading" if you want it later.

When I went to Alaska the first time, it was supposed to be the only time I went. But, that was before I lived overseas and traveled more. This year I am going back to Alaska, after having been away cruising other amazing Fjords. The Fiordland National park in New Zealand and the Milford Sound, and Geiranger and the Fjords of Norway, I knew I needed to go back to Alaska. The wildlife in Alaska is amazing. I think the more I travel and see new things it makes me want to go back to old favorites and visit again to see new things and have new experiences. Maybe it is just that Alaska is "on my way home" this summer. If you can do Glacier Bay try to fit it in. I looked at a bunch of different lines this summer and I found that Princess was what gave me long cruises (which I prefer) and a balcony for a reasonable price. I am usually an NCL girl, but they have priced themselves out of my range this season. I got 21 days for the price of 7 on NCL. However the Black Friday deal with Cunard was also good for a balcony room (does include Glacier Bay). I am a bit more of a refuse to get dressed up customer than Cunard is looking for. Depending on Budget & Vacation Time 14 days- Voyage of the Glacier - I am booking this for 2024 North and then back South 10 days - Princess has some 10 day sailings, but they included 3 Sea Days and a glacier day. 10 days- Lots of excursion size ships are also doing 10 day itineraries I want to do an American Queen Voyages trip 10 days- there are also some trips leaving from San Fransisco doing Alaska for 10 trips 11 days - Princess has these as well with 3 Sea Days and a glacier day 9 days - NCL Spirit is doing 9 day trips from Vancouver with Glacier viewing days 7 days- These trips cost about the same if not more than the longer trips. More of them have Glacier Bay though. If you do 7 you could go North or South bound or round trip, North or South would give you longer port times. You could spend +3 either side doing a Cruise tour in Alaska going up to Denali or 3 days in Vancouver or Seattle both are nice. These trips start almost every day and run on most lines. Other considerations: It is not just the cruise Alaskan excursions cost a lot. Do you want to go dog sledding? 700$, a whale watching tour 200$. Tracys Crab Shack for a Big bucket 220$ Do you like sea days to relax? (maybe not by the pool) Or could you do without them? (I will say by adding the three Sea Days on my Princess cruise it actually dropped the price of the cruise fair by about 700$ but time off then factors in for most people) I don't know if there is a best trip. The best trip is the one you are on. I like longer port days, the long days of Alaskan sun (or liquid sun). Sitting on my balcony with a hot coffee and watching whales, and reading a book.

I have never cruised Princess but I am going with them for the first time this summer to Alaska. The only reason that I took the Plus package was when I booked it was the Love Boat sale and that got me 200 shore ex credit. I went back and priced out wifi, crew appreciation, and a soda and coffee package which I would have bought and it came out to 2 dollars less. On NCL I get free drinks in the casino, and never buy the drinks package. I always by the wifi as a solo cruiser I tend to spend a fair amount of time on wifi, but I also buy their specialty dining packages. I am a bit tempted to upgrade to Premier before the price increase because of my screen addiction. ( I want 2 devices). But, still not sure that I will do it.

I am also a solo cruiser (female) I think I was 25 on my first solo trip to the Caribbean. I have since done Alaska, the Med, Baltics, Norway, New Zealand, Adriatic all solo on NCL. I only did one trip in the Studios, the first time I went to the Med on the Epic. It was fun and I still have great friends from that cruise I talk to regularly. The rest of my trips were Casino comped, so the solo supplement didn't apply or I only paid taxes and was always on a balcony. Here was my Med experience. I don't know where you are from or what your political beliefs are, however I have lived overseas for 10 years and found the crowd to be very right leaning, and some of the people I struggled to make conversation with. I was living in Russia at the time. This was hit and miss but a topic of discussion for sure. As a solo it is easy to find space on small group tours through your roll call often just one seat open. I joined many of these but would get upset when people complained about the tour guides accents. One 12 hour tour my group did not tip because they had difficulty understanding the guide, so I ended up putting in 70 euros as I was the last person with the money bringing the total tip to 100 euro. I think some people struggle with Europe using the Euro as well not USD and most places do not accept USD like they would in the Caribbean. This threw a lot of travelers off. Cruising with an American line it is very American centric. (more the Med than other places) The Med is lovely, I have always enjoyed my trips there. There is so much to see and do. I want to go back again when I live closer. For this trip I bought a SIM card in Barcelona which would work in all EU countries, I have done the same in Venice as well for cruises. Go and have a great time!

I am looking at the program for 2024 to Alaska and I think I will be booking the 14 day Voyage of the Glaciers for 2024. There are 3 ships doing this route Grand, Royal, Sapphire. Which ship would you choose and why? I am not a Princess expert! Help! 2024 Alaska Reference Flyer_NL2022_1114.pdf

Ya, I know! But, I live in China. Right now it is 8 days quarantine, down from the 21 days I did in 2021 and the 14 days I did in 2020 but it makes short holidays difficult. 🥲 I had great plans to fly to Sydney for a concert in 2020 just for the weekend to see some friends. How times change.

I am on your sailing June 2! I am debating this excursion, almost daily I check to see how many tickets are still available. Last time I went to Alaska we went to Glacier Bay and I felt my cabin was fine. I also did a glacier tour to Tracy Arm/ Glacier viewing from Juneau that I do not see listed on the Princess website but on the NCL site, that got up close with a Glacier. (My last cruise was out of Sydney! I miss my annual trip to OZ, spending Christmas in Australia. I am glad to see that things are opening up more there now and that I may one day have the option to go back! )