First cruise - Diamond - lots of questions!

[merela]

I don't think you can pre-order cookies prior to embarkation, but there was a plate of 2 cookies on the table when we arrived, but we had an inside cabin. I don't know if you get more cookies in a PH suite. Whatever your girls need, just let your room steward know when you see him. If you like certain fruits, just fill out the fruit bowl request form (or just tell your room steward). If you want more cookies or chocolates, just let your room steward know too.

 

Chocolates are placed on your pillows when your room steward turns down your bed. We always ask for extra chocolates because kids love them.

 

You can order great chocolate chip cookies from room service, but cookies and desserts are available through out the day in the buffet area. I usually take my kids up to the Horizon Court and get a plate of goodies and enjoy them in our room.

 

But definitely take your girls to afternoon teas (3:30-4:30pm) in the dining room. They'll love the atmosphere.

 

Sign your girls at the kids' club the first day (check the kids' patter for the sign up time). They show a variety of kids' movies at the kids' zone.

 

Search for "children" on this board and the family board and you'll find lots of information about children on board the Princess and Princess' kids' programs.

 

Show a layout of the ship (from Princess brochure) to your girls before your trip. You can explore the ship with your girls (with the floor plan in hand) that first day.

 

The more they know about the ship before they board, the more they'll enjoy the cruise.

 

Don't try their drycleaning service on the Diamond. They ruined 3 of my mom's dresses by washing a sweater and silk tops in regular wash (that's what I believe) because the sweater shrunk, even though we specifically said drycleaning on the request form. After 6 months of writing letters, sending in receipts, they have yet to receive our claim. Now, they want us to bring the ruined items to a dry cleaner's and have them look at the items. We had the ship's purser, room steward, and the woman in charge of the drycleaning signed off on our stuff already while we were on the ship.

 

[oops, sorry, I digressed]

 

You are better off bringing enough clothes or just bring some quarters and some detergents in a ziploc bag and do the laundry yourself. There is an iron in every room. I'm sure you can get your stuff sent out to be pressed. The room steward doesn't do any pressing himself. He'll bring whatever that needs done to the housekeeping department and someone there will do them. One trick I learned on this board is to pack your dresses individually in its plastic drycleaning bags. Dresses usually comes out of the plastic bags not wrinkled at all. Suits too!

 

With 800 kids on board, your girls will find and make new friends at the kids' club. Don't even bother with the pools on the ship. Get off the ship at one of the ports of call and find a nice resort hotel and spend a day there, if pool is important to you.

 

You will not experience any lineup with a 2pm embarkation.

 

Unless you need to do work on the ship, don't bring your laptop. It is one more thing to bring with you on board. If your children can't sit still through a nice dinner, then a portable DVD player playing their favorite movie will solve that problem. I think your girls are old enough to enjoy and sit through a nice meal without too many complaints.

 

Soda card is a good deal at $25 for 7 days, but I'm not sure little kids should drink that much soda. You are better off ordering them special non-alcoholic drink of the day. I believe it is $2.50 daily special and you can find the daily special in the Princess Patters.

 

Don't forget to ask for a free t-shirt for the kids to color when you register your girls for the kids' club.

[skarletohara]

Hi Summer,

First of all, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to you and your daughers over the loss of your husband. It must have been a terrible

year for you and your family.

 

Now I just returned from the Diamond a couple weeks ago. I've sailed her twice now and I have some suggestions.

 

First of all, we drove to the pier and parked. It was so convenient. I don't know if you're planning to park at the pier, but if so, it is $11 per 24-hour period. I thought we'd have to park way out, but in our case, we parked about as far away as one would when going grocery shopping. They have shuttle busses as well.

 

Embarkation line: If you're in a Penthouse Suite, you will qualify for priority

embarkation We had a Vista Suite in Ft. Lauderdale and walked right

up to a suites only line. We had a mini-suite four months ago on the Diamond in LA and had Platinum check-in stickers on the outside of our

Princess wallets, and because of that we had immediate embarkation.

So please know that you don't have to be Elite or Plat., but you can ask

someone to point out the direction of Penthouse Suite check-in.

 

Our Vista Suite was almost identical to the Penthouse suites. You are centrally located. You shouldn't hear much noise from the lifts. However, because you are centrally located, you might hear a little more noise than say on the back of the ship. YOu probably won't feel much motion because you're central.

 

You will NOT have a butler. Princess doesn't furnish butlers anymore, nor did

we have one when we had a suite a year ago. However, you will get hors

d'oerves every day. You will love the extra spacious bathroom.

The service was wonderful both times on the Diamond. There are an abundance of activities.

 

800 children does sound like a lot. On our sailing we might have had 100, if that, but all the kids really seemed to be enjoying themselves.

 

Oh, most important, make SURE to make reservations as soon as you board (another reason for embarking earlier rather than later) for dinner. With

anytime dining, if you want preferential times, then you must call the DINE

number that is posted in your stateroom. They'll probably offer you 6:20 or

8:20, but we were among the first 100 to embark and we were offered 7:30.

And you can only reserve your dining times for the first two nights, and

then on night three, you may reserve for the remainder of the trip.

 

We met people who never reserved, but with kids, you probably want to eat

earlier, so I would imagine those times might be primo. Also, if you just show

up to the dining rooms around 5:30 to 6:00, it is my understanding that it's

been no problem getting seated without a reservation.

 

If you're in the Sterling, you cannot order from the Santa Fe menu. However,

in all the PC dining rooms, they offer the traditional menu as well as the

one specialty menu of that particular dining room.

 

I liked the decor of the Sante Fe the best. The Sterling is very dark, but

elegant.

 

They were playing Shrek a lot on the TV in our room while on board and they

had a cartoon channel that ran 24-7, also.

 

Your balcony will be half-covered, half not. Caribe deck is the BEST.

 

We loved the Diamond.

 

If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask. Sorry for the ramble.

[Summertime]

I don't know Judy, I don't think I'll be tempted with an Alaskan cruise until I do a few carribean cruises first! It's pretty chilly here so I love the idea of going somewhere warm. I decided to take my really good camera on this cruise, believe it or not I was un-decided but after looking at your photographs you have inspired me to pick up my camera again. And Harvey, it's good to hear the report about alot of kids on board and that it worked out okay - that's good news for someone like me who has two kids and worries.

 

Summer

[kruisey]

Wish you and your children I wonderful cruise.

I know only too well what you have been through.(Personal Experiences)

Have a wonderful trip........Love Kruisey.