Los Angeles Travel Bug

Ok thanks everyone!

I've booked a 4-day Pacific Coastal cruise on the Discovery Princess from LA to Vancouver at the end of April. One thing I'm excited about is the view of the California coast from the ship. It seems like it would be really beautiful.  (It's a northbound cruise and I booked the Starboard side.) I realize it might be rainy, but if the weather is clear, will I actually be able to see the coast from the ship? Or will we be too far out at sea?

I stand corrected! I just looked at my photos from my 2018 Carnival trip. The bed was indeed next to the balcony! All the other ships I’ve been on (Paul Gaugauin, Princess, HAL) had the sofa next to the balcony. Learned something new!

That long YouTube  video that an earlier reply sent me to explains the alternating layout where some balcony staterooms have the bed next to the balcony, and the adjacent ones have the sofa next to the balcony. Evidently, this is common on ships. I guess I’ve just been lucky so far to get the layout that I prefer. 

I am booked on the Mardi Gras for Feb. 2021 in a balcony stateroom, and I just noticed something strange in the photos. Usually a balcony stateroom (on any cruise line) has a sofa next to the balcony. So if the weather isn't nice enough for being outside you can still sit by the sliding glass door and watch the ocean. But on the Carnival website the pictures of the balcony staterooms show the sofa on the opposite side of the beds. https://www.carnival.com/cruise-ships/mardi-gras.aspx#staterooms/7 

But then the floorplan diagram shows the sofa next to the sliding glass doors. 

Help! Which picture is correct? Or do they have both configurations, and if so, how can I ensure that I get one with the sofa next to the balcony?

I think I have found an answer to my question (sort of). I found a page on the Azamara website that describes a Best Price Guarantee. However, if I'm reading it correctly, it is only valid if you book up to 12 months in advance. So if I book now for June 2019 I am not eligible for this guarantee? Can anyone help clarify?

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan/best-price-guarantee

Yes in the US that is the current offer also, but not on this particular sailing. Are you saying that in the UK you can get 50% off second person for the June 2019 Croatia Intensive on the Pursuit?

I've chosen the 7-day Croatia Intensive for June 2019. It will be our first time sailing Azamara. I know that Azamara has deals like 50% off the second passenger, so I'm wondering if I should hold off on booking?

We will be cruising Norway on Koningsdam in August. When we disembark in Amsterdam we want to take the train to Paris. HAL doesn't provide transportation to the train station, so I did a little research, and want to make sure this is correct:

The train station we would go to is Amsterdam Central?

We can purchase train tickets on the Rail Europe website?

Is that correct?

Thanks!

Yes, thank you. That helps! That's exactly what I was wondering. The deck 4 staterooms you listed show deeper balconies on the drawings.

And Ebay Cruiser, your stateroom is in a different area, but has the same detail on the drawing. So I guess the staterooms on each deck that border the bumped out part of the ship have deeper balconies too.

Thanks, everyone!

I have only been on two cruises so far (Princess and Paul Gauguin), but I am planning my third. I am seriously considering the Koningsdam - 7-day Norse Legends for August 2016.

My DH and I love being at sea, and sitting on our balcony is an important part of the experience. We love to be on deck with other people as well, but having a Verandah stateroom is a must.

Top priorities for me in terms of the Verandah:

Privacy - I prefer not to see others above or below me, and prefer not to be seen.

Views - unobstructed for sure.

Close to water - I like lower decks, but not necessarily the lowest.

So I have been poring over the pictures, deck plans and prices of the Koningsdam. Here are my observations/questions:

1. On deck 4 mid-ship, the Verandahs have life boats right in front of them, correct?

2. On deck 4 fore and aft, are the Verandahs larger than on other decks? That's what it seems like if you look at the drawings of the deck plans.

3. I know this ship has not sailed yet, but for all the HAL experts out there, does anyone have general advice about which deck and which position (fore, aft, mid-ship) to recommend? We do not care about feeling the motion of the ship (no sea sickness). We don't really care much about how far we have to walk; convenience is secondary to privacy and beautiful views.

I struggled with the decision of PG vs Windstar after reading this thread and another similar one. I had wanted to sail on PG for years. I've heard great things about Windstar also, but for this trip the dates worked out better with PG, and I really wanted a balcony. I was just so worried that I might be disappointed, after reading some posts and reviews.

Now that I'm back from the trip, I just have to say that PG is wonderful, and I highly recommend it. I wrote a whole review describing why it felt like luxury to me.

I am sure Windstar is fantastic, and I am not here to say that PG is better since I've only sailed PG. But if anyone is in the same position that I was in, I just want to say that PG was perfect to me in so many ways. It was a dream trip.

My DH and I have just checked into the Intercontinental, and will be embarking on the 7-night Society Islands tomorrow. One thing I did not plan for is what to do with our luggage between check out time (11 am) and embarkation time (3 pm). Can we drop off our luggage with PG staff at the terminal and then go do a little sightseeing? Or will they not take our luggage until 3 pm?

On MS Paul Gauguin 7-day Society Islands:

Do the state rooms have binoculars? If not, should we bring some? Or is there no real need in the Society Islands?

Bill, we are on the May 15th 7-day. I'm going to check now to see if the Roll Call is posted.

Yeah, definitely check, because I looked again this morning, and the rate dropped another $20 overnight! I don't know if it's the same for your dates, but it's really significantly lower on Orbitz than all the other sites.

Oh, I'm sorry. I read too fast. I see now that you have already booked at Hilton. Never mind.

I haven't been to either one, but i've just booked an OWB at Hilton. I got a great rate on Orbitz with free cancellation. Just yesterday. You might want to check it out and book it at least to hold it while you continue your research.

I think my OP was confusing. Let me clarify the question.

For anyone who has booked their own air for a PG cruise and landed at PPT the night before: Do you recommend using the hotel package from PG? Or booking the hotel independently?

Sailing on the PG in May. So excited!! I've booked my own air using miles, and now I need to take care of a hotel for one night pre-cruise because we fly in late the night before. (I don't like red-eye flights before a nice trip.)

I like the IC and the Radisson. PG has quoted me $285 per person for the IC lagoon view, and $225 per person for the Radisson Ocean View.

PG said those prices include transfers from the airport, breakfast and lunch. I think it would still be less to book on my own. Orbitz has a refundable rate for the Radisson of $225 per night. But adding in the transfers and meals, I think it's pretty close.

I don't want to quibble over a few dollars. Is it worth it to book through PG?

I am about to book a May sailing on the PG. So excited. I'm also very excited that Air Tahiti Nui actually has seats available for award travel, so I'm going to book the flights using Sky Miles. The fuel surcharges and taxes are expensive, but it's still a savings of more than $1,000 compared to purchasing the flights.

My TA is trying to convince me that I should just use the PG package for air because it includes the transfers as well as the day room at a hotel before and after the cruise. That does sound very nice and convenient, but:

1. I really don't want to take the red eye to PPT. I'd prefer to arrive the night before the cruise and get a good night's sleep at a hotel in Tahiti before embarkation. So I'm going to have the cost of a hotel either way.

2. As far as transfers, we can just take taxis. No big deal, right?

3. On the day of disembarkation, since we will be flying home on a red eye late that night, I will need to either pay for a day room at a hotel, or have somewhere to put our luggage while we go entertain ourselves on Tahiti. But again, that's doable, right?

I'd love to hear advice from those of you who have done this before. Thanks!

All good input. But I'm still pulling my hair out. Why is this decision so hard? LOL

I'm going to start a new thread since I highjacked this one.

I have been wanting to take a PG cruise for years, and now I am finally planning it. Tahiti & Society Islands May 2015. I love everything that I know about the Paul Gauguin, but there are quite a few very negative reviews about this ship and the cruise line. I'm really have serious second thoughts.

I have heard great things about Windstar, and they don't seem to get so many negative reviews. But they aren't offering a sailing in May, and I don't like the fact that there are no balcony staterooms.

It's a dilemma. I'd love to hear input on whether the Paul Gauguin is really that bad, or if it's just a few people here and there that have really bad experiences.

Thank you both for your replies. TM, when I said "borrow" I meant from the fitness facility onboard. In other words, if there was a fee, it would be renting, if there was no additional fee, it would be borrowing. :)

There are many posts about the Spin bikes and classes on the ships, but I haven't seen this one. Does anyone know if you can rent/borrow cycling shoes on the ship just like with some other Spinning studios on land? They are pretty heavy/bulky to pack, so I'd rather not bring them if I don't have to. And yes, I do realize that I could wear regular sneakers, but I prefer cycling shoes.

I called them and found out that they will have Spinning. So I'll bring those clothes/shoes.