NorthWestPassage

Thank you.

What time did they start boarding on your August 26 sailing from Seattle? (I will be there later this month.)

I just got off the Caribbean Princess four days ago. There were no indications or rumors that Planks and Steams will reopen, as branded dining venues, anytime soon. However, things may have suddenly changed this week. 😏

Does the Caribbean Princess have an adult card/dominoes game room? Other premium category cruise lines often have such a room (ideally with a view outdoors and a bar nearby, where Mexican Train (& the Chicken Foot variation) can be played on appropriate sized tables. It has been a long time since I sailed on Princess but I will be doing so twice in the next few months. I know that this tends to appeal more to a somewhat older crowd but are such game equipment and facilities available? I know that the (less desirable) packing alternative is to bring our own game and improvise on playing accommodations.

My wife and I are Platinum on Princess and within 34 days of sailing on the Caribbean Princess. Yesterday, the App let us book 1 specialty dining reservation (for the first night), using our package dining credits. However, no additional $0 cost reservations could be made, since then. Is it supposed to work that way (where you have to wait until you are on board to make the second (credit/no-pay) reservation, in the new system? It has been about 5 years since we last sailed on Princess and now we have 2 premium package sailings ahead in the next few months.

For the Princess Plus Package (drinks component) is the cost for liquor drinks that exceed $15 "prorated" or not? For example, would a $25 aged single malt scotch drink be charged $11.80 (for being $10 over the package limit plus the related $1.80 [18%] tip) or charged the full tipped non-discounted price ($29.50) for not being qualified under the package limit? I could not find a current answer to the question on this forum or the Princess web site.

The captain just told me that we will have until midnight in Sydney tomorrow (at the Quay). Everyone must be on board at that time for immigration purposes and repositioning. An announcement will be made soon.

I spoke with the first officer, on deck, a few minutes ago. He told me the captain is now working on getting us to Sydney a day early… so that we will have an extra day in Sydney, at the Quay (the preferred convenient docking location) on November 7. However, they would have to move overnight to the other White Bay location overnight. Pending plan news should be announced soon. Personally, if it happens, I think this could be good news (since I would rather have an extra day in Sydney).

I don’t think Carnival pays a dividend…..certainly not this year.

Congratulations.

You might have other options. I am on the same Westerdam sailing as you are and I live in Lindale, east Texas (Smith County). Check with your County Elections Administrator. You must provide proper ID by email and they will email you a ballot. Print it, fill it out and mail it from home or Seattle or Hawaii or somewhere abroad. (Free postage is provided if you mail it from a US Embassy in Samoa or Fiji, etc.) That is what I am doing. My wife and I are mailing our completed ballots in, tomorrow, in small town America.

Good news. Thanks.

What brand of soap, shampoo and conditioner does HAL provide in a Westerdam signature suite?

Good point. I was distracted by the big ticket drink component of the HIA package. Crew Appreciation tips are not included on any HAL deal unless it explicitly states otherwise. I wish that my HIA deal had an attractively prices deal that includes it.

I am not sure that is the case for that 51 day Westerdam sailing. I will be on it and the Navigator app (in the HIA link) clearly states that “service charge” is fully covered, in at least 2 places.