New Princess "Secrets"??

[beshears]

Sailfish, I believe you mentioned that your Princess robes were PLUSH, well they must have been "different" from ours. Ours were nice, but they were NOT a velor or plush, and as I said I would not pay $75 for the robe with a P or not.

 

We are like someone that just mentioned about keeping the bathroom light on. That is what we do, and just keep it a crack open. I would say for the majority of the time, you will NOT find the door opening and shutting, unless it would be a bad storm, etc.

[pablo222]

Are you kidding me?!!! Sneaking food off the ship?! Now i've heard everything! :eek:

 

So, one day I'm making toast in the morning in Cafe Caribe.

I standing at the toaster guarding the output, to protect my

toast, as are a few other people.

 

One woman there says to another -- there are those muffins

that your mom likes so much.

 

Second woman says -- yeah, she really likes them. Every cruise

she takes home a bag full of them.

[ibfern]

So, one day I'm making toast in the morning in Cafe Caribe.

I standing at the toaster guarding the output, to protect my

toast, as are a few other people.

 

One woman there says to another -- there are those muffins

that your mom likes so much.

 

Second woman says -- yeah, she really likes them. Every cruise

she takes home a bag full of them.

 

I just got off the Crown, one of the staff told me about people who bring tupperware so they can take home containers of food after the cruise! :eek:

[6pack]

I just got off the Crown, one of the staff told me about people who bring tupperware so they can take home containers of food after the cruise! :eek:

 

They should be ashamed of themselves! That's theft, plain and simple! You pay for what you eat on board not what you can carry off!!!

[sultan_sfo]

Don't worry if it is a US Port.. The US Customs will get them and make them throw it away and probably fine them.

 

I just got off the Crown, one of the staff told me about people who bring tupperware so they can take home containers of food after the cruise! :eek:

[Nymue]

Our 'Alarm Clock' is a Wake Up Call placed the evening before (only failed once), followed by a back-up plan. Place the breakfast room-service menue out the evening before with the designated time on it. They will call about 5 minutes prior to arrival. We just order somethin light, coffee & danish, to nibble on while we get ourselves human again for another day.

 

Happy Sailing, Anne

 

We take along a battery powered alarm clock for those early morning tours and also put one of our watches in the bathroom when we retire. I always seem to want to know what time it is when I get up to go to the bathroom during the night.

[srice]

We bought 2 LED automatic nightlights at Big Lots and put one of them in the bathroom.

 

At night the light comes on automatically with a nice green glow. We leave the bathroom door ajar and the light acts as a beacon in the middle of the night and once we arrive at the bathroom it provides ample light so we don't have to turn on the bathroom light.

 

The light plugs into the outlet in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom without a problem.

 

 

Edited May 28, 2011 by srice
Additional comment

[FawnRiver]

That works ok unless the ship is rocking! Still doesn't answer my question for those that want to plug a night light on the bathroom.

I do it so I don't find a way to stub my toe on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

[sultan_sfo]

Never seen a medicine cabinet for cabins upto mini -- maybe full suites have it. But yes -- the night light can plug into the shaver outlet if the 2 prongs are same size.

 

We bought 2 LED automatic nightlights at Big Lots and put one of them in the bathroom.

 

The light plugs into the outlet in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom without a problem.

 

 

[srice]

Never seen a medicine cabinet for cabins upto mini -- maybe full suites have it. But yes -- the night light can plug into the shaver outlet if the 2 prongs are same size.

 

We are usually in a mini and, come to think about it, there is no medicine cabinet--just shelves.

 

I should have said the nightlight plugs into the shaver outlet. The prongs on the nightlight in my photo are the same size.

[Princess Chatterer]

Hi NewYorkNana

 

DH uses a CPAP & right before our cruise in Feb, some wise CCer mentioned that he always traveled with an old mask stashed in his suitcase, after his broke during travel. DH thought that was brilliant! He travels alot for business too, and now always has his spare, just in case...

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

The Respironics PR System One is possibly best small portable CPAP machine to take with you when you cruise. Very easy to self program. Remove the water tank and it's totally suitcase packable if you trust the airlines. The Resmed Swift FX mask is the best ultra small and very comfortable nasal pillow mask takes up nearly zero room in your suitcase. Both of these items are VA approved. If you are in the VA system you can get them for free.

[Princess Chatterer]

• You can find Meclizine for sea sickness at Walgreens in the pharmacy. It is over the counter and is the same as Bonine at a fraction of the price.
  
• The specialty restaurants are rarely, if ever crowded on embarkation night.
  
• The purser's desk will tell you that the dining rooms are closed for lunch on embarkation day. Check for yourself because the purser's desk fibs.
  
• Bring hearing protection ear plugs for Princess Theater shows and deck parties.
  
• Free wifi in the Ft Lauderdale cruise terminal.
  
• Small grocery story with wine at the La Roma water taxi dock not far from the cruise ship dock in Venice.
  
• Non suite passengers cannot get the suite in-cabin breakfast menu but you can add non menu items and change the time. The room service staff are already in the tip pool. (No flames here please)
  
• If an excursion is sold out try standbye the morning of the excursion at the excursion check in line.
  
• Elite and Suite passengers DO NOT have head of the line priviledges for tenders going BACK to the ship.
  
• Try the Eleuthera island tour instead of getting sun burned on Princess Cays. It's worth it.
  
• Always make book-on-board (BOB) deposits for future cruises. It's a win win deal
  
• Buy 100 shares of Carnival stock for an extra cabin credit
  
• Buy B2B cruises instead of booking the one cruise when the price is right to get double BOB cabin credits and double Elite setups.
  
• Fax in a copy of your military DD-214 and get an extra military cabin credit.
  
• If you charge something the morning of disembarkation and they accept it there's a chance that Princess will gift you that charge. (Your mileage may vary)
  
• Break in your sneakers before you cruise or you may get blisters. Always bring bandaids just in case.
  
• Keep a daily journal on your iPad or laptop.
  
• Ask the cabin steward for the suite robes. If you don't ask you don't get and even if you do ask, you still may not get.
  
• Ask for the Princess slippers. They are promotional give aways.
  
• There are now often 1 1/2 anytime dining rooms instead of 2.
  
• If you get an upset tummy DO NOT tell your cabin steward unless you want to be quaranteed. If you do get an upset tummy on the flight to catch the ship the same rules apply in the embarkation terminal.
  
• Treat the port customs people with the utmost respect.
  
• MY PERSONAL RULES - NEVER EVER fly to the port on embarkation day. Always go a day or two early in case there are weather disruptions. ALWAYS buy cruise insurance. I like Princess insurance plus Medjet insurance with the AARP discount.
  

That's all of the new tips I can think of for the moment.

[Princess Chatterer]

• On the B2B deal above you also get an extra cruise counted toward your Princess loyalty level.
  
• Bring cheap rain ponchos from the Dollar store.
  
• Bring mardi gras beads at the dollar store for friends to wear at your CC sailaway party. It's a great way to ID CC people.
  
• In St Petersburg you'll likely be way too tired for the evening ballet after all day excursions. Just go to the folkloric show on board.
  
• Give a picture of your stuffed animal that's with you to the Cruise Director to appear on the Waky waky show (which is actually recorded the night before).
  
• Ask your cabin steward if they know how to make you a towel animal. Reward them with something from shore if they can.
  
• The best times to get on the Internet is between midnight and six am. The worst time is from noon until midnight.
  
• Do your laundry mid day on shore days. Watch for Princess laundry specials in the Patter. Note: The Sea Princess washers and dryers are designed for pigmys. All Princess dryers do not work the same. Some are good, some are bad. If somebody has abandoned their laundry in the machine and you need it just move their clothes aside. Don't slam laundry room doors and never book a cabin that's across from the laundry room door or any slamming door or stairs for that matter.
  
• If you get wine from your T.A. and don't like the brand, just trade it for something else. If you don't want the Elite bar set up, just have room service trade it for water.
  
• I have the cabin steward always leave an extra roll of T.P. just in case. If you don't want to ask then just hide a roll.
  
• Always bring a power strip!
  

Edited May 29, 2011 by Princess Chatterer

[New York Nana]

Thanks Princess Chatterer, we'll have to check that out with the VA. Also, for those who use the Cpap, i asked our TA to contact Princess and we have confirmation from Princess that they will provide an ext. Cord and a gallon of distilled water. Their conf. Ltr says they will provide the first gallon for free and subsequent needs will be billable. I can't imagine using an entire gallon, but its nice to see Princess being so responsive!

[butternut1]

I am still trying to figure out how one plugs a nightlight into the bathroom outlet. Every Princess ship i have been on has only had those special outlets ibt he bathroom that will only accomodate an electric shaver.

We have used an Airwick oil warmer with the built in night light. It fit perfectly in the shaver outlet. The light only comes on when it is totally dark. The unit doubles as a deodorizer and night light and is pretty cheap. Worked great.

[sunneesmile]

That works ok unless the ship is rocking! Still doesn't answer my question for those that want to plug a night light on the bathroom.

 

I guess having the nightlight in the bathroom is just matter of sheer personal preference!

Edited May 29, 2011 by sunneesmile

[sunneesmile]

Sailfish, I believe you mentioned that your Princess robes were PLUSH, well they must have been "different" from ours. Ours were nice, but they were NOT a velor or plush, and as I said I would not pay $75 for the robe with a P or not.

 

We are like someone that just mentioned about keeping the bathroom light on. That is what we do, and just keep it a crack open. I would say for the majority of the time, you will NOT find the door opening and shutting, unless it would be a bad storm, etc.

 

The robes we usually have on Princess are a "waffle" type material and fairly lightweight. However, the ones we got on the Golden in Alaska were a heavier terrycloth.

 

Yeah, we have never had much trouble with the bathroom door closing when we leave it ajar and the light on. Even if it closes slightly, it will not slam shut and you can still see the crack of light coming through in the pitch blackness of the cabin.

[sunneesmile]

I just got off the Crown, one of the staff told me about people who bring tupperware so they can take home containers of food after the cruise! :eek:

 

The only thing like that I pack is a couple of those plastic elasticized covers (they look similar to a shower cap) that are used to cover plates in the microwave. We often want to have a snack or lunch on our own balcony...so we can get food from Horizon and bring it back without carrying an open plate.

[butternut1]

Awesome idea. I had never thought about bringing those plastic covers. Thanks so much for sharing that with us.

[gm2jake]

I like to make a calendar page and place it in a page protector and with a magnet post it on the wall near the mirror in the room. this way I can look and see what I had planned for the next day. also can write and wipe off using a white board pen. I place port times and excursion times on each day of the cruise and any pre/post cruise info.

[EatPrayCruise]

This is going to sound dumb -I always take a night-light - but have

NEVER found a place to plug it in - in the bathroom - where is

that plug-in located ???

 

We just got off the Coral and there was NO regular 2-prong outlet in the bathroom but there was an outlet in the hallway/entrance to the cabin. We were on the Island in the exact same cabin/mini-suite two years ago and I ran an extension cord from that outlet (which is just outside around the corner from the bathroom) to the bathroom and plugged my nightlight into the extension cord. Worked out just fine.

 

This time, I just took a small battery operated/flameless candle (120+ hours) that I bought at the Dollar Tree and set it on the sink counter. It worked well, never ran out of juice, and gave just enough light as to not completely wake us up on our late night trip! :p

Edited June 1, 2011 by sesrandall

[Grannycb]

One more tip---never put your ship card in the same pocket as your cell phone. It erases the data in the magnetic strip (all three times one of us forgot!). If you forget, the purser's desk cheerfully replaces the dead card, but why wait in another line if it's avoidable?

 

Cameras will do the same thing.

[6pack]

Really?! I'll have to be careful!

[mph045]

When getting food at the Horizon or trident or elsewhere-simply ask for aluminim foil to be placed over your dish to prevent spilling over-or place another dish over it.

[southms]

The only thing like that I pack is a couple of those plastic elasticized covers (they look similar to a shower cap) that are used to cover plates in the microwave. We often want to have a snack or lunch on our own balcony...so we can get food from Horizon and bring it back without carrying an open plate.

 

This is THE best "hint" I've seen yet! And I've been taking notes of some great ideas and things I would have never of bringing with me. Thank you for posting!:)