New to Princess and Back to Back Cruising - Questions

[Janie001]

Hi, I have booked a 15 day cruise on the Regal Princess which is also being sold online as a 5 day cruise (Eastern Canada) and a 10 day cruise (Caribbean), with the first leg starting and ending in New York.  This is our first time on Princess but we have previously sailed Celebrity, Royal, Carnival and NCL.  This is also the longest cruise I have ever booked although I have wanted to do a back to back cruise for sometime.

 

I am curious if anyone has done this type of itinerary, and given that I purchased it as one cruise, is it classified as a 'back to back'?  Specifically I am wondering the following:

 

• Would we be able to bring on a 2nd bottle of wine p/p once the cruise returns to New York and before it sets sail to the Caribbean? Or would we only be allowed the allowance when we first board?
• I would be interested in buying passes to the Enclave for the first part of the cruise only.  Is it likely that they would sell passes based on the 5 day portion and the 10 day portion or would I have to purchase for the entire 15 days?

 

Other general questions:

• Other then better lounge chairs and more service is there any thing else that sets the Sanctuary apart?  I believe if I am reading correctly the adult pool is available to all and is just outside the Sanctuary.  Are there hot tubs or other things inside of it?
• If anyone has done the balcony dinner I would be interested to know if the menu is set or customizable?  Would you recommend the experience?

 

Thanks in advance for any input!

[goofy559]

You will be able to bring one bottle per adult on each leg of the cruise.  You can bring more for a $15 per bottle corkage. The enclave is likely to be bookable for just the first 5 days as it is being sold as two separate sailings.  

 

Can't help with the other 2 Qs.  Enjoy - sounds like a great trip!

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Janie001 said:

Hi, I have booked a 15 day cruise on the Regal Princess which is also being sold online as a 5 day cruise (Eastern Canada) and a 10 day cruise (Caribbean), with the first leg starting and ending in New York.  This is our first time on Princess but we have previously sailed Celebrity, Royal, Carnival and NCL.  This is also the longest cruise I have ever booked although I have wanted to do a back to back cruise for sometime.

 

I am curious if anyone has done this type of itinerary, and given that I purchased it as one cruise, is it classified as a 'back to back'?  Specifically I am wondering the following:

 

• Would we be able to bring on a 2nd bottle of wine p/p once the cruise returns to New York and before it sets sail to the Caribbean? Or would we only be allowed the allowance when we first board? 
• If you bring both boarding passes when you first board and show the second one to the people at the wine table, you can bring your bottles on at the start of the first leg OR wait until you reboard on the 2nd leg.

Other general questions:

• Other then better lounge chairs and more service is there any thing else that sets the Sanctuary apart? 
  Very quiet, no kids, afternoon tea
• If anyone has done the balcony dinner I would be interested to know if the menu is set or customizable? 
  Haven't done it yet, but others here on CC state that the menu can be customized.

See above.

[OR_Cowboy_1952]

Regarding wine:  What does your Passage Contract say?  Check section 5, paragraph 3.  It sounds like you bought this as one cruise, so for you it is not a back-to-back cruise.  A back-to-back cruise is where you purchase two contiguous cruises.  If you booked it as two separate cruises you can bring a 2nd bottle of wine on board at the end of the 1st cruise and start of the second.  

 

I’m not familiar with the specific of the Enclave on the Royal, but it sounds like a upgrade of the Thermal Spas on other older ships.  Can you buy it day-by-day?

 

Part of the Santuary is there is staff always available to tend to your needs.  The design of the space itself is nicer that the adjacent deck.  While it is adjacent it is separate from the Retreat Pool.  Also the view from the Sanctuary is spectacular it’s on the highest deck forward but also shaded from the sun and protected from the wind.  

 

The Balcony dinner is very good, but you have to decide for yourself.  There is a certain amount of flexibility but it’s based on what’s available on your ship for that cruise.  I’d wait and book it on board after you’ve talked with ship staff.  Start with your room steward.

[memoak]

Regarding wine:  What does your Passage Contract say?  Check section 5, paragraph 3.  It sounds like you bought this as one cruise, so for you it is not a back-to-back cruise.  A back-to-back cruise is where you purchase two contiguous cruises.  If you booked it as two separate cruises you can bring a 2nd bottle of wine on board at the end of the 1st cruise and start of the second.  

 

Last November we booked a 20 day cruise on the Crown which was also being sold as 2 10 day cruises.  We were in a suite and got a free specialty dinner on the 1st night of each 10 day cruise and extra elite mini bars for each 10 day portion so I am betting that you can bring bottles on the 2nd leg as well

[Janie001]

42 minutes ago, OR_Cowboy_1952 said:

Regarding wine:  What does your Passage Contract say?  Check section 5, paragraph 3.  It sounds like you bought this as one cruise, so for you it is not a back-to-back cruise.  A back-to-back cruise is where you purchase two contiguous cruises.  If you booked it as two separate cruises you can bring a 2nd bottle of wine on board at the end of the 1st cruise and start of the second.  

 

I’m not familiar with the specific of the Enclave on the Royal, but it sounds like a upgrade of the Thermal Spas on other older ships.  Can you buy it day-by-day?

 

Part of the Santuary is there is staff always available to tend to your needs.  The design of the space itself is nicer that the adjacent deck.  While it is adjacent it is separate from the Retreat Pool.  Also the view from the Sanctuary is spectacular it’s on the highest deck forward but also shaded from the sun and protected from the wind.  

 

The Balcony dinner is very good, but you have to decide for yourself.  There is a certain amount of flexibility but it’s based on what’s available on your ship for that cruise.  I’d wait and book it on board after you’ve talked with ship staff.  Start with your room steward.

 

It says one bottle per voyage in the contract.  And yes, I did buy it as one cruise.  I only noticed they were selling it as two legs after I booked which had me wondering what that would mean (if anything) to me.

 

I believe the Enclave is a thermal spa and I have not seen anything that says you can buy a daily pass, but I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

 

Thanks for your input on Sanctuary and Balcony dinner.

[Janie001]

1 hour ago, goofy559 said:

You will be able to bring one bottle per adult on each leg of the cruise.  You can bring more for a $15 per bottle corkage. The enclave is likely to be bookable for just the first 5 days as it is being sold as two separate sailings.  

 

Can't help with the other 2 Qs.  Enjoy - sounds like a great trip!

 

Thank you.  I did not know about the bringing more for $15 so that might be worthwhile for a longer cruise.

[Janie001]

49 minutes ago, memoak said:

Regarding wine:  What does your Passage Contract say?  Check section 5, paragraph 3.  It sounds like you bought this as one cruise, so for you it is not a back-to-back cruise.  A back-to-back cruise is where you purchase two contiguous cruises.  If you booked it as two separate cruises you can bring a 2nd bottle of wine on board at the end of the 1st cruise and start of the second.  

 

Last November we booked a 20 day cruise on the Crown which was also being sold as 2 10 day cruises.  We were in a suite and got a free specialty dinner on the 1st night of each 10 day cruise and extra elite mini bars for each 10 day portion so I am betting that you can bring bottles on the 2nd leg as well

We are in a mini suite so unfortunately that won't apply to us.  Will have to see what happens with the wine!