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Booking Help Please- New to Princess


DnA2010
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Hi All,

 

I am looking for advice on locations regarding booking the Oct 19th sailing of the Emerald Princess from Vancouver to LA- we are looking at Insides or maybe a obstructed oceanview. There are a lot of cabins available, so would love to hear your thoughts on where to book. My apologies to those that already posted their thoughts, I can't find the thread I started yesterday.

 

 

Thank you all so much for helping.

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I think they deleted your thread because you named a particular store that has a travel department. I can't find the thread either. I tried to remember and answer your question in your first thread; not sure if my post was allowed to stay or not.

 

We are not permitted to name TAs or agencies here. Sorry.

 

You can book thru Princess or put a hold on a cabin thru Princess and transfer to a TA. You can also research TAs in advance to see who best meets your needs. The upgrade/upsell fairy lands where she will; how you book has no influence except that it has been reported that some big box store TAs don't notify clients of upsell offers.

Before you book, find a friend who has cruised on Princess and have them do a "refer a friend" to each person in your group. Each referred friend gets $25 in OBC, and the person doing the referrals will get $25 per referral if they cruise within the next 2 years.

 

Obstructed views can be great, but you need to consider what the cost difference is and how obstructed the particular cabin is. There are lots of pictures on line.

 

When you are on the ship, talk to people and if you meet Princess regulars, ask where and how they book--you'll have that info for next time.

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I think they deleted your thread because you named a particular store that has a travel department. I can't find the thread either. I tried to remember and answer your question in your first thread; not sure if my post was allowed to stay or not.

 

We are not permitted to name TAs or agencies here. Sorry.

 

You can book thru Princess or put a hold on a cabin thru Princess and transfer to a TA. You can also research TAs in advance to see who best meets your needs. The upgrade/upsell fairy lands where she will; how you book has no influence except that it has been reported that some big box store TAs don't notify clients of upsell offers.

Before you book' date=' find a friend who has cruised on Princess and have them do a "refer a friend" to each person in your group. Each referred friend gets $25 in OBC, and the person doing the referrals will get $25 per referral if they cruise within the next 2 years.

 

Obstructed views can be great, but you need to consider what the cost difference is and how obstructed the particular cabin is. There are lots of pictures on line.

 

When you are on the ship, talk to people and if you meet Princess regulars, ask where and how they book--you'll have that info for next time.[/quote']

 

 

Thank you- I appreciate you taking the time to write this again.

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I would suggest that you go HERE and check out exactly how "obstructed" the cabins you are considering may be. Some "obstructed view" cabins are extremely obstructed and others barely have any obstruction at all.

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and you don't have to use a canadian travel agent. in my experience, they charge the same price as princess. a US travel agent can book you in canadian funds.

unless you have an american account, canadian is the better deal right now as princess' exchage rate is just 25% more.

do check out the link thrak posted above. its my go-to for obstructed views.

interiors are good cabins if you plan on being out and doing lots of activities.

if you are worried about being seasick, choose a cabin mid-ship.

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I was also going to suggest the link that Thrak posted...Renmar does a great service keeping it updated with pictures showing the obstruction.

For an inside, if you like the aft section of the ship, definitely our favorite (we choose there when they're available) is Aloha 737 through 744. Those cabins are for 2 only. The rest of the cabins in that section are for 3-4 people. The bunk beds are mounted on the wall and stick out at least 5 or 6 inches. If you want a queen bed configuration, you'll hit your head, shoulder or back depending on how tall you are every time you get in or out of bed. The stewards prefer the twin configuration for ease of making the bed.

The aft Aloha deck cabins are close to a "secret" door that leads out to the Terrace Pool (up a short flight of stairs). If you go up another slightly longer flight of stairs, you're at the Outrigger Bar and through the doors is the buffet. It's like having your own semi-private balcony.:D

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I was also going to suggest the link that Thrak posted...Renmar does a great service keeping it updated with pictures showing the obstruction.

For an inside, if you like the aft section of the ship, definitely our favorite (we choose there when they're available) is Aloha 737 through 744. Those cabins are for 2 only. The rest of the cabins in that section are for 3-4 people. The bunk beds are mounted on the wall and stick out at least 5 or 6 inches. If you want a queen bed configuration, you'll hit your head, shoulder or back depending on how tall you are every time you get in or out of bed. The stewards prefer the twin configuration for ease of making the bed.

The aft Aloha deck cabins are close to a "secret" door that leads out to the Terrace Pool (up a short flight of stairs). If you go up another slightly longer flight of stairs, you're at the Outrigger Bar and through the doors is the buffet. It's like having your own semi-private balcony.:D

 

 

So 737, 740, 741 and 744 are all available- thanks for the tip, I will def look at booking one of these!

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I think some of the best value cabins for those whose budget is on the lower side are the obstructed oceanview cabins near the aft elevators on Emerald Deck. Yes the view is Obstructed with a capital O. But for shorter cruises like the one OP is looking at you get daylight for only a pittance more than an inside. And they often are far less costly than midship obstructed OV cabins that are a long walk from the lifts. I am so used to a cabin close to the rear lifts on the Grand class ships that I can find my way to most any public room without thinking. And I think a Princess first timer would find the location equally useful.

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I think some of the best value cabins for those whose budget is on the lower side are the obstructed oceanview cabins near the aft elevators on Emerald Deck. Yes the view is Obstructed with a capital O. But for shorter cruises like the one OP is looking at you get daylight for only a pittance more than an inside. And they often are far less costly than midship obstructed OV cabins that are a long walk from the lifts. I am so used to a cabin close to the rear lifts on the Grand class ships that I can find my way to most any public room without thinking. And I think a Princess first timer would find the location equally useful.

 

I just had a look and it looks like the ones in the aft are pretty much gone, other than the ones that a very very obstructed, but the price difference across deck 8 is pretty minimal- the two with the nicest views are E628 and E 414 and E414 is only $18 more

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We've done this several times. Note that you can sometimes see land in the distance if the haze doesn't block it - there is not much of a view even with a balcony. We even took an obstructed ocean view to Alaska a couple of times since we were not going to be in the cabin much anyway. Check the definitive source on ocean views at: https://sites.google.com/site/cabinviewbyrenmar/home

 

Also note that upscale cabins can be really cheap on this route. We got a corner Owner's Suite a few years ago for around $250pp. Normal suite amenities and double Princess points. Lots of Canadians onboard - had a lady and her kids in line seeing off husband going to a conference in LA. Then they told the kids everyone was going and they were also going to Disneyland.

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We've done this several times. Note that you can sometimes see land in the distance if the haze doesn't block it - there is not much of a view even with a balcony. We even took an obstructed ocean view to Alaska a couple of times since we were not going to be in the cabin much anyway. Check the definitive source on ocean views at: https://sites.google.com/site/cabinviewbyrenmar/home

 

Also note that upscale cabins can be really cheap on this route. We got a corner Owner's Suite a few years ago for around $250pp. Normal suite amenities and double Princess points. Lots of Canadians onboard - had a lady and her kids in line seeing off husband going to a conference in LA. Then they told the kids everyone was going and they were also going to Disneyland.

 

 

$250?!! Crazy! The owners suites aren’t available but the next ones down are $1500 pp

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I like the inside cabins on the Lido deck all the way forward when I am cruising solo and want to keep the cost down. The corridors thru that area tend to be very quiet due to little foot traffic besides the passengers who are staying there. I also like it up there because of the proximity to the open deck.

I usually choose something in the L240s.

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I like the inside cabins on the Lido deck all the way forward when I am cruising solo and want to keep the cost down. The corridors thru that area tend to be very quiet due to little foot traffic besides the passengers who are staying there. I also like it up there because of the proximity to the open deck.

I usually choose something in the L240s.

 

I took a look and in this area it's just guarantee unfortunately, thanks for the thoughts though!

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I was also going to suggest the link that Thrak posted...Renmar does a great service keeping it updated with pictures showing the obstruction.

For an inside, if you like the aft section of the ship, definitely our favorite (we choose there when they're available) is Aloha 737 through 744. Those cabins are for 2 only. The rest of the cabins in that section are for 3-4 people. The bunk beds are mounted on the wall and stick out at least 5 or 6 inches. If you want a queen bed configuration, you'll hit your head, shoulder or back depending on how tall you are every time you get in or out of bed. The stewards prefer the twin configuration for ease of making the bed.

The aft Aloha deck cabins are close to a "secret" door that leads out to the Terrace Pool (up a short flight of stairs). If you go up another slightly longer flight of stairs, you're at the Outrigger Bar and through the doors is the buffet. It's like having your own semi-private balcony.:D

 

 

Update: I have booked 744!!

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