Q & A for those cruising Princess June 16, 19, 23 & 26 out of Brisbane

[Cbtours]

13 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, I know. Post #93 referred to not breakfasting with the riffraff, meaning all other passengers, and my post was pointing out that suites only dined with the Club Class riffraff. Just some very tongue in cheek banter.

I am very happy to be a regular riff raff, and this will probably be our only ever trip in a suite so I'll enjoy every minute lol. I'm actually figuring it will be the best iso place hehehe

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

I am very happy to be a regular riff raff, and this will probably be our only ever trip in a suite so I'll enjoy every minute lol. I'm actually figuring it will be the best iso place hehehe

From what I've been reading if you catch Covid onboard they move you from your nice suite to a different cabin to isolate. ☹

 

My thinking on booking a suite and a club class minisuite for our first two cruises was that it will allow us better social distancing for meals, especially if the Dine My Way is as much of a shemozzle as it sounds from posts on the main Princess board. Plus those prices were too good to resist.

[Cbtours]

5 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

From what I've been reading if you catch Covid onboard they move you from your nice suite to a different cabin to isolate. ☹

 

My thinking on booking a suite and a club class minisuite for our first two cruises was that it will allow us better social distancing for meals, especially if the Dine My Way is as much of a shemozzle as it sounds from posts on the main Princess board. Plus those prices were too good to resist.

My choice was purely made to score our final 8 credits to take us to elite at great price! 
I know they might move us out if we test positive, however some of the princess comments say there is still a possibility they won’t! I’m going in pure positive thinking lol

[OzKiwiJJ]

29 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

My choice was purely made to score our final 8 credits to take us to elite at great price! 
I know they might move us out if we test positive, however some of the princess comments say there is still a possibility they won’t! I’m going in pure positive thinking lol

The other advantage is a suite gives you plenty of space to keep to yourselves if there is an outbreak onboard, plus you can order room service from the MDR menus if you don't want to mingle with the CC riffraff. 😁

[Bizziecruzer]

On 5/16/2022 at 10:46 AM, Elorac123 said:

Another question if I may,

Is there a formal night on a 3 night cruise.

Cheers Carole

Check on your travel summary. It will list the number of formal nights there.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, I know. Post #93 referred to not breakfasting with the riffraff, meaning all other passengers, and my post was pointing out that suites only dined with the Club Class riffraff. Just some very tongue in cheek banter.

Yes, I mean no harm or offence, as we sometimes do suites. If anything, a lot of suites guests are less pretentious than passengers in cheaper cabins, and they don't usually rattle their jewels. I am poking fun at myself more than anyone else, as we head to our "nob hill" suite on 31st May

[Cbtours]

39 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The other advantage is a suite gives you plenty of space to keep to yourselves if there is an outbreak onboard, plus you can order room service from the MDR menus if you don't want to mingle with the CC riffraff. 😁

Yep I studied all the perks lol

[Cbtours]

22 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Yes, I mean no harm or offence, as we sometimes do suites. If anything, a lot of suites guests are less pretentious than passengers in cheaper cabins, and they don't usually rattle their jewels. I am poking fun at myself more than anyone else, as we head to our "nob hill" suite on 31st May

I have very few jewels to rattle and don’t have any beaded items 😂😂😂

[arxcards]

Do I sense some thread drift? 🤣

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Do I sense some thread drift? 🤣

No, we're discussing the pros and cons of suites and those on the first cruises will naturally confirm those points that are correct, so we are completely on topic! 😋

[Cbtours]

Just now, OzKiwiJJ said:

No, we're discussing the pros and cons of suites and those on the first cruises will naturally confirm those points that are correct, so we are completely on topic! 😋

Just what I was going to say 😂😂😂

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Just what I was going to say 😂😂😂

Besides there isn't a lot else we can talk about until the first cruises start. 🤣

[Cbtours]

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Besides there isn't a lot else we can talk about until the first cruises start. 🤣

How many rat tests are you all taking with you? I know there’s are complimentary but I was thinking I’d take some of our own! 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, Cbtours said:

How many rat tests are you all taking with you? I know there’s are complimentary but I was thinking I’d take some of our own! 

Probably a box of five, or maybe two. We'll need two RATs for our pre-embarkation test plus spares in case we stuff one up, and as we're driving and stopping off at Coffs Harbour on the way home we'll probably want to do one at the end of the cruise which may not be supplied by the ship.

[CDaze71]

11 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

How many rat tests are you all taking with you? I know there’s are complimentary but I was thinking I’d take some of our own! 

I was thinking I wouldn't need any RATs as we are cruising from home and will do our pre-cruise RAT's at home Saturday afternoon. But now you have me thinking I might need to pack some. Also I am packing a whole box of disposable face masks and hand sanitiser.

[arxcards]

I am just going to take a twin pack, just in case we feel we need to test in transit.

[CDaze71]

Another question @Cbtours. Thanks.
Would you please be able to investigatet if the Elite perk of Afternoon Tea in the cabin is still a thing?

 

I was just reading a thread in the Princess Cruises section called "Secrets" 2022 and someone posted this. Sounds lovely.....

 

"Elites- You can have high tea delivered to your stateroom, a perk some forget about.

It was a pretty impressive set up last month on the Enchanted. Scones, tea sandwiches  and some beautiful desserts with tea and coffee on the balcony.  Check with room service to see how far in advance you need to place your order, it was 24 hours on the Enchanted."

[arxcards]

44 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

Another question @Cbtours. Thanks.
Would you please be able to investigatet if the Elite perk of Afternoon Tea in the cabin is still a thing?

 

I was just reading a thread in the Princess Cruises section called "Secrets" 2022 and someone posted this. Sounds lovely.....

 

"Elites- You can have high tea delivered to your stateroom, a perk some forget about.

It was a pretty impressive set up last month on the Enchanted. Scones, tea sandwiches  and some beautiful desserts with tea and coffee on the balcony.  Check with room service to see how far in advance you need to place your order, it was 24 hours on the Enchanted."

Pretty sure I was reading the same on Princess only recently - yes, confirmed by the Captain's Circle benefits page https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/cc/captains-circle-loyalty-benefits.pdf

[Cbtours]

21 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Pretty sure I was reading the same on Princess only recently - yes, confirmed by the Captain's Circle benefits page https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/cc/captains-circle-loyalty-benefits.pdf

Oh dear, better try and get my kg down more than I planned lol

[CDaze71]

21 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Oh dear, better try and get my kg down more than I planned lol

That's what I am doing, running everyday and getting myself "Back to Cruising Weight" - LOL.

[arxcards]

@Cbtours

A serious one, and one they might be a bit coy about.

 

At present, there is a crew shortage around the world of cruising. In the UK, passengers are complaining about being bumped from a cruise because they want to maintain a service standard on Cunard etc. In the US, they are blowing-up deluxe about ships failing full with a significantly reduced number of staff. In the past, Princess had trouble getting crew to apply for Aussie contracts, as the good ones made plenty of extras from cash tips in the Caribbean.

 

The early cruises are touting reduced numbers, so that might not be an issue to start with, but could you please Compare the service levels to past cruises, and find out if they are short staffed? Signs such as cabins being done once per day by default, waiting longer for meals & drinks etc. Thanks!

[cruiser3775]

6 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Oh damn, does that mean I have to go jewellery shopping before my first cruise in a suite?

You made me laugh OZKiwiJJ. I did exactly that. I figured some sparkly costume jewellery would be enough to make the rest of my wardrobe suitable for evenings. So I purchased a few selected items from eBay - no expense spared.

Can I ask experienced Australian cruisers whether the prices quoted for speciality dining and  drinks are in USD or AUD? It makes a big difference at the moment.

[Cbtours]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

@Cbtours

A serious one, and one they might be a bit coy about.

 

At present, there is a crew shortage around the world of cruising. In the UK, passengers are complaining about being bumped from a cruise because they want to maintain a service standard on Cunard etc. In the US, they are blowing-up deluxe about ships failing full with a significantly reduced number of staff. In the past, Princess had trouble getting crew to apply for Aussie contracts, as the good ones made plenty of extras from cash tips in the Caribbean.

 

The early cruises are touting reduced numbers, so that might not be an issue to start with, but could you please Compare the service levels to past cruises, and find out if they are short staffed? Signs such as cabins being done once per day by default, waiting longer for meals & drinks etc. Thanks!

No problem I’ll add it to my list

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, cruiser3775 said:

You made me laugh OZKiwiJJ. I did exactly that. I figured some sparkly costume jewellery would be enough to make the rest of my wardrobe suitable for evenings. So I purchased a few selected items from eBay - no expense spared.

Can I ask experienced Australian cruisers whether the prices quoted for speciality dining and  drinks are in USD or AUD? It makes a big difference at the moment.

Prices on Princess Australian cruises are in AUD. 

 

I actually have a collection of costume jewellery that I've built up over the years. I don't wear a lot of jewellery though but have some nice pieces that suit my various outfits. I've just got to find them. I think they are buried in a drawer somewhere, in my jewellery wrap.

 

I used to love stopping at Darwin. There used to be a really nice costume jewellery stand inside the cruise terminal and I always managed to find something there to add to my collection. 

[LC1950]

Another question (and a little "silly" one) Cbtours to add to your list please ...

 

Will there still be Princess pens in the cabin?

 

LOL I always bring my Princess pen home and they usually last me a year or 2.  My pen from my 2019 cruise is still going strong and I use it every day.  It reminds me of the good old days pre-pandemic.