Pacific princess mini guarantee fifteen months out

[compozer]

I just discovered a South pacific cruise that I have wanted to book.  We were suppose to be on a similar one this fall but it was canceled last year because of Cuba being put on the no travel list  and they rearranged the three month of cruising.   I wish I would have discovered this cruise sooner because there are not many of cabins left.   There are not many to start with being such a small ship.         I went to book it,  had a club class mini and when I was almost finished , a note popped up saying there were technical difficulties.    I started over and when I got to picking the cabin,  it said "they will select one for me".  I have never done a guarantee and not fond of someone else picking my cabin location BUT
what was I suppose to do - it is almost sold out and I really want this cruise.       Next year is our 49th anniversary so I want a nice cabin - I plan to start celebration early - never know how much time we have left.        

                     

I have been so busy and I really don't have time to check several times a day to see if something becomes available.   The rep said I could not be put on a wait list since I am on a guarantee.      

 

SO, my questions is:    If you have had a guarantee for a mini suite on the Pacific Princess, when did you receive your cabin number??    Please do not comment on other ships - just the Pacific Princess.    I know many people say it can be any time and even when you arrive at the ship.   Just wondering if they do the Pacific differently.     I will continue to check if that is the case ifit is the same as other ships.   I am a light sleeper and will go nuts if we get a cabin close to the elevators.   Booked a cruise at the last minute many years ago and had one next to the elevator - rough seas and I hardly slept.  The worst part was that my husband slept through it.      I was  awake, watching him sleep all night.   I was nice and did not wake him up !!!!   But I would have loved to!

 

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[JF - retired RRT]

Look on the bright side...if there aren't any minis available when they assign the cabins, the next step up is a suite. 

 

FWIW: Princess assigns cabins when the feel like it. Pretty much the same for all the ships.

Edited August 14, 2020 by JF - retired RRT

[beg3yrs]

I strongly suggest you call Princess and get a mini assigned. While it isn't clear you are still in a club-class mini guarantee, I have to say there are some mini-suites in locations that would be unacceptable if you are a light sleeper. Those aft under the Panorama Buffet should be avoided. Those under the ping-pong tables too if you want a nap in the afternoon (the tables are just forward of the aft stairs on the port side). Avoid any mini-suites under the gym as well (forward on the starboard side). All that said, I don't think any of those locations (except maybe the ping-pong tables) are club-class minis.

 

BTW, I think we'll be on the same cruise, most for the same reason as you.

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by beg3yrs

[compozer]

Thanks for the reply JF.    I was not sure if the Pacific did things differently since they are so few suites.   10 full suites -2 at bow and 6 on stern.   Only14 club class minis and 26 regular minis.   None of my friends do guarantees so no real experience when they are assigned.

I always book suites so having them sold out was my first disappointment.

 

Thanks again for the fast reply

 

[compozer]

begs,    There are none to be assigned.   When I first tried to book, there was one club class and I started to fill in my info - (after Princess was closed) so I had to start over.   At that point, all mini suites were sold.   Someone must have snapped up the one I was trying to book - they are probably a faster on the computer.    The only thing that was available under mini suites was to allow them to select my cabin.  I want this cruise so I selected it and put it on hold.    It was a ME mini - not club class and then to make things worse, we are on a wait list for 7:15 dinner.    I have never eaten at 5pm!!!!    I called first thing in the morning and asked to be put on a wait list for full suites (really don't want the bow but I want this cruise)  and also for club class.   She said when you are in a guarantee, you can not be on a wait list for other cabins.    

Would be great if we were on the same on.

 

BTW, our one bad cruise was right above the ping-pong tables and across from the elevator.   I do know to look up, down, over and behind me.   That is why the aft suites are our favorite - all but above the Club Fusion.

 

Thanks for the reply

[cruisequeen4ever]

I believe they handle the Pacific the same way. I’ve done guarantees on her and have had our stateroom assigned a few months before sailing. The ship is so small, you will hardly notice a difference between stateroom locations, EXCEPT for the forward ones! Since the ship is small, you’ll really be rocking and rolling if you hit rough seas. We were in a stateroom about 10 back from the bow on her and were flat on our back for 2 days. A pax in the forward facing suite said it was crazy up there. 
 

Since you want a special one, I’d keep checking daily; one might pop open that you want. 

[compozer]

thanks cruisequeen,   I will keep checking a couple times a day when I have time.   It is not like it is two months away.   I have a lot of time.

 

So, one other question for those of you who have sailed on her before.  Right now we are wait-listed for 7:15.   I don't want to eat at 5 - too early.   Anyone been wait-listed and had no problem getting the later time?     I like a few cocktails before dinner and I am too full after I eat.   Heck, I will either have to start drinking mid afternoon or not drink at all.

Thanks

[shellbeachjim]

26 minutes ago, compozer said:

thanks cruisequeen,   I will keep checking a couple times a day when I have time.   It is not like it is two months away.   I have a lot of time.

 

So, one other question for those of you who have sailed on her before.  Right now we are wait-listed for 7:15.   I don't want to eat at 5 - too early.   Anyone been wait-listed and had no problem getting the later time?     I like a few cocktails before dinner and I am too full after I eat.   Heck, I will either have to start drinking mid afternoon or not drink at all.

Thanks

We're booked on the Pacific Princess for a couple of cruises, and she's our favorite ship in the fleet. Generally speaking, it's much easier to get late seating rather than early seating. We've never had an issue with this when we've been waitlisted. By the way, the aft suites are amazing, but be leery of the ones on Deck 8. They're just below the buffet, so you have the noise from it - chairs, carts, etc.

[compozer]

shellbeachjim,   thanks for replying.  Good to know about late seating.    We have had three cruises canceled on the Pacific.  In 38 cruise, we have never cruised on her.   I had an aft owners suite booked on deck 8 for Alaska this past June.  I figured it would not be an issue with such a small number of passengers.  But, if that was the last one available, I hate to say it, but I would probably grab it.  I love the aft.  We can sit all day watching the wake.

Take care.

[caribill]

14 hours ago, compozer said:

begs,    There are none to be assigned.   When I first tried to book, there was one club class and I started to fill in my info - (after Princess was closed) so I had to start over.   At that point, all mini suites were sold.   Someone must have snapped up the one I was trying to book - they are probably a faster on the computer.   

 

If you had already selected the cabin before you had to start over, the person who had that cabin reserved was you.

 

When you select a cabin, it is marked reserved for about 45 minutes so nobody can swoop in and reserve it from under you.

 

Unfortunately, when you have to start over again, it does not recognize that it had been you. If you had waited about 45 minutes or so, it should have been shown available again.

 

By the way, we have been near the elevator on this ship and have never head any noise from the elevator lobby or the elevator itself.

 

As far as the waitlist for late seating, it will likely clear long before the sail date. Once when I signed up for a cruise on this ship there was a waitlist for both the early and the late seatings. Sort of not possible in reality since the dining room can handle 100% of the passengers in the two seatings. All I can figure about that is that some who were waitlisted for late seating had been assigned early seating (but did not want it) in the interim and that some who were waitlisted for early seating had been assigned late seating (but did not want it) in the interim.

[cruisequeen4ever]

20 hours ago, compozer said:

thanks cruisequeen,   I will keep checking a couple times a day when I have time.   It is not like it is two months away.   I have a lot of time.

 

So, one other question for those of you who have sailed on her before.  Right now we are wait-listed for 7:15.   I don't want to eat at 5 - too early.   Anyone been wait-listed and had no problem getting the later time?     I like a few cocktails before dinner and I am too full after I eat.   Heck, I will either have to start drinking mid afternoon or not drink at all.

Thanks

Sure. You chose a good seating to be waitlisted for because the late seating is usually

less popular.  it’s usually early seating that fills up super fast, and it’s hard to clear the waitlist on that small ship. Now even if you don’t clear it, the Maitre’ D onboard can see if he can accommodate your request. I think you have a good chance! 

[suzyed]

On 8/14/2020 at 10:06 AM, compozer said:

I just discovered a South pacific cruise that I have wanted to book.  We were suppose to be on a similar one this fall but it was canceled last year because of Cuba being put on the no travel list  and they rearranged the three month of cruising.   I wish I would have discovered this cruise sooner because there are not many of cabins left.   There are not many to start with being such a small ship.         I went to book it,  had a club class mini and when I was almost finished , a note popped up saying there were technical difficulties.    I started over and when I got to picking the cabin,  it said "they will select one for me".  I have never done a guarantee and not fond of someone else picking my cabin location BUT
what was I suppose to do - it is almost sold out and I really want this cruise.       Next year is our 49th anniversary so I want a nice cabin - I plan to start celebration early - never know how much time we have left.        

                     

I have been so busy and I really don't have time to check several times a day to see if something becomes available.   The rep said I could not be put on a wait list since I am on a guarantee.      

 

SO, my questions is:    If you have had a guarantee for a mini suite on the Pacific Princess, when did you receive your cabin number??    Please do not comment on other ships - just the Pacific Princess.    I know many people say it can be any time and even when you arrive at the ship.   Just wondering if they do the Pacific differently.     I will continue to check if that is the case ifit is the same as other ships.   I am a light sleeper and will go nuts if we get a cabin close to the elevators.   Booked a cruise at the last minute many years ago and had one next to the elevator - rough seas and I hardly slept.  The worst part was that my husband slept through it.      I was  awake, watching him sleep all night.   I was nice and did not wake him up !!!!   But I would have loved to!

 

Thanks for any help you can give me.

I would wait until final payment when some cabins may open up as people decide not to cruise. Then call ask what else they have in your category.  I have done this before.

I am an extremely light sleeper, even at home, but I have never heard the elevators.  I am more m concerned with getting  assigned  a cabin that is waaaaay up front....I don't like the forward cabins.

Edited August 16, 2020 by suzyed

[compozer]

19 hours ago, caribill said:

 

If you had already selected the cabin before you had to start over, the person who had that cabin reserved was you.

 

When you select a cabin, it is marked reserved for about 45 minutes so nobody can swoop in and reserve it from under you.

 

Unfortunately, when you have to start over again, it does not recognize that it had been you. If you had waited about 45 minutes or so, it should have been shown available again.

 

By the way, we have been near the elevator on this ship and have never head any noise from the elevator lobby or the elevator itself.

 

As far as the waitlist for late seating, it will likely clear long before the sail date. Once when I signed up for a cruise on this ship there was a waitlist for both the early and the late seatings. Sort of not possible in reality since the dining room can handle 100% of the passengers in the two seatings. All I can figure about that is that some who were waitlisted for late seating had been assigned early seating (but did not want it) in the interim and that some who were waitlisted for early seating had been assigned late seating (but did not want it) in the interim.

Thanks for the info.  never knew that.  I will wait 45 minutes next time.

7 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

Sure. You chose a good seating to be waitlisted for because the late seating is usually

less popular.  it’s usually early seating that fills up super fast, and it’s hard to clear the waitlist on that small ship. Now even if you don’t clear it, the Maitre’ D onboard can see if he can accommodate your request. I think you have a good chance! 

I always thought people wanted to eat late.  But I remember people lining up at 4:15 outside the dining room so I agree - we will probably have a good chance to get late.  Thanks

 

1 hour ago, suzyed said:

I would wait until final payment when some cabins may open up as people decide not to cruise. Then call ask what else they have in your category.  I have done this before.

I am an extremely light sleeper, even at home, but I have never heard the elevators.  I am more m concerned with getting  assigned  a cabin that is waaaaay up front....I don't like the forward cabins.

Like everyone says, we have a cabin and we are fortunate to be able to cruise so any cabin will be great.   Last I looked, club class was $4000 more - just to be able to eat anytime we want.  I don't think it is worth it.

 

Take care everyone