DallasGuy75219

8 hours ago, Boiler Cruiser said:

The reason I mention this is that if the Police, Customs, or any other law enforcement stop you on the streets of Mexico or Canada away from the ship (on your own), or your ship's tour group, you will need a passport to show them (no carbon copies or cell phone pictures).

More misinformation on this thread.

If this was the case, cruise lines wouldn't allow American passengers without passports off the ship in Mexico or Canada. Nor would they recommend you leave your passport on the ship and take only a photo ID and your ship card/medallion ashore, as they do especially in ports prone to thieves and pickpockets.

The reality is that law enforcement in and around these port cities know some cruise passengers are there (for the day) legally without passports, know that the cruiselines have already checked their documents, and accept a photo ID and ship card/medallion as documentation that you are there legally as a cruise passenger for the day.

1 hour ago, RoperDK said:

I still feel that my RCCL perks are better, especially when combined with the casino program, but to each their own.

☝️This!☝️

Free drinks in the casino + 5 free drink vouchers is practically a free drink package, at least with the way I spend my time on a cruise.

7 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Princess cannot override documentation requirement laws.  Allowing BC & DL for closed loop cruises is a rule courtesy of our Federal gov't.

Princess certainly can have its own requirements that are stricter than the federal government requirements. Perfect example is that Princess requires everyone in a travel party to have a passport when minors are traveling with only one adult (21 years and older).

6 minutes ago, memoak said:

I have to question the 98%   Almost every cruise I take is not a closed loop cruise or go to countries that do require a passport. For those people who just take closed loop cruises that is ok but for all of us who do one way cruises such as  Panama Canal a passport is required

And those people are generally experienced cruisers familiar with the documentation requirements, not to mention that Princess sends additional notifications that passports are required for these itineraries. 

11 minutes ago, Jnsplace1 said:

With RealID now live, I've been using my Passport to fly until renewal.   It's worth it.

REAL IDs aren't required for air travel until May 7, 2025.

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

What Princess allows (drivers license AND certified birth certificate may not be what the Port Agents want/know. 

The port agents are more than familiar with people cruising with birth certificates and photo IDs. They're considered acceptable identification for closed loop cruises out of the US, which represent probably 98% of Princess cruises out of the US.

Where port agents may become confused is for round-trip US cruises that go to non-WHTI countries that require passports (like partial Panama Canal transits) and with people with non-standard citizenship or residency status (like permanent residents).  But if people weren't born in the US and are here legally, they should have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Naturalization (both substitute for a birth certificate) or a passport already. Their documentation issues with port agents usually relate to not having the right visas or other additional documentation (like green cards fir permanent residents).

For 98% of US citizens on Princess cruises out of the US, the only concern with not cruising with a birth certificate is having to fly back from a foreign country in an emergency. And even that is not insurmountable; it will just take additional time and effort with the nearest US embassy or consulate to get temporary travel documents. 

3 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

While I was searching, I ran across another article that states that a Hawaii Driver’s License isn’t valid in Florida.  Something about their new immigration law.  (In case you are cruising out of Florida.)

"My cousin's barber's brother said they saw on Facebook that...."

Please don't post misinformation if you dont know what you're talking about.

This was a specific type of Hawaii driver license (not all Hawaii licenses), and Florida dropped the restriction in 2023.

https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/visiting-florida-faqs/sb1718/

52 minutes ago, hurricane0226 said:

what about the fanny pacs

I almost included those. I gave them away or left in my cabin after the cruise, but apparently some people actually liked them.

2 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

Carnival does not care to more than a casual level about their past guest program. 

My post was about Carnival Corporation, not Carnival Cruise Line.  My point was that Carnival Corporation should care about incentivizing VIFP members who are over Carnival Cruise Line to branch out to other Carnival Corporation brands rather than competing brands.

5 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

Another problem is the well known issue with Deluxe Balconies not being available to select for less than three guests.  There might be work-arounds for that.  But it is a HUGE problem.

It's the same for all categories.  If there are available cabins that sleep 3 or 4, they won't show up online for someone trying to book a cabin for 2.

On 5/16/2024 at 7:00 AM, Jamman54 said:

Don't get your hopes up. The Diamond Fairy is a short fat guy wearing a pink tutu holding a wand that is held together with duct tape! 😄

And the only gifts he has left to bestow on you are luggage tags and koozies.

2 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Not a fair comparison. All of the hotels use the same program. The different cruise lines under the Carnival Corp umbrella all have different programs.

You completely missed the point.  Carnival Corporation is leaving money on the table by not incentivizing VIFP members who want to move up to a higher class of cruise line to go to, example, Princess or Holland.  Without some incentive, all other things equal, that member is just as likely to try Celebrity or Virgin.

The major hotel brands get this.  If I'm a Bonvoy member who usually stays at Fairfield Inns but am looking for a better experience, being able to keep some Bonvoy benefits at for example a Marriott encourages me to stay in the Marriott hotel portfolio vs. going, for example, to a Hilton.

12 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

This seems to be a Carnival thing.  This was the practice I encountered on two different Carnival cruises this year.  

Carnival changed to ordering everything at once several years ago.  At that point Royal Caribbean had already been doing it.

If you tell them you're not sure if you'll be hungry for dessert or just politely ask to order separately,  they'll probably accommodate you.

On 5/16/2024 at 6:34 PM, kywildcatfanone said:

This is princess, the cruise line cutting back on spending and reducing loyalty benefits regularly.

And what mass market line isn't?

On 5/14/2024 at 11:23 AM, Gebirgsdonner said:

Curious - you can’t just call after booking and ask what the price to upgrade is? 

If you do it that way, you lose any other benefits of the casino offer if the offer you booked under is expired or sold out and you don't have another valid casino offer to rebook under.

And after final payment you can no longer rebook under a different casino offer without penalty.

On 5/15/2024 at 11:38 AM, TRLD said:

Cannot think of any other port with cruises coming from and going to US ports with enough traffic to have multiple ships from the same cruise line in port.

Definitely Miami.

But it's not so much the number of ships in port as the number of one-way itineraries, particularly (1) repositioning cruises at the beginning and end of the Alaska season and (2) the weekly one-way cruises between Vancouver and Alaska.

22 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

During the pandemic, Alaska was given a waiver (not Hawaii).  It takes an "Act of Congress" literally and you know how that goes.

Because Alaska's economy is much more dependent on tourism dollars from cruisers vs. Hawaii.

How many nonstop flights from the continental US (or from anywhere for that matter) are there to Alaska as compared to Hawaii?  And how many cruises with Hawaii itineraries vs. Alaska?

9 hours ago, 555 said:

We saw a teen kid drop a cookie one time & he picked it up only to throw it back on the tray. I told a crew member & they dumped the whole lot. 

I saw similar on Princess... someone dropped the serving spoon or tongs on the floor then put it back in the dish🙄  I told someone and they replace the whole pan of food.

9 minutes ago, EDVM96 said:

So whats's the problem? Just cancel and get the refund. Real drama here.

The problem is Princess cheerleaders justifying or defending Princess' boneheaded and passenger-unfriendly decisions (i.e., "well if you had read that Diamond Princess press release, you would have known...").

8 hours ago, TRLD said:

If it was a Princess bus, then I can see why it might cause a potential conflict since the complete trip was on cruise line provided transportation.

Still not a PVSA violation.  PVSA applies to voyages on a single ship, not the whole cruise line.  Not mention they would have debarked in one port and embarked in another.

Changing ports and/or changing ships "breaks" any potential PVSA-violating (single) voyage, because it creates two distinct voyages.

Whoever told @Cruise Raider this was a PVSA violation was wrong to begin with.

3 hours ago, EDVM96 said:

That's not true.

 

Churrascaria Brazilian Grill is available on the Diamond since ca. early February now.
The same press release stated "and coming soon to Sapphire Princess" at that time.
 

🙄🙄🙄

Clearly OP meant no notice to people who already had reservations for Sterling Steakhouse.  I hope you don't seriously expect someone who made a reservation in advance to go scouring the internet for a press release (with Sapphire tangentially mentioned, at that) just in case Princess happened to change the type of restaurant before their sailing.

3 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

So, my question is this: Do I need to order myself a birthday cake? (Not a huge fan of the carnival birthday cakes.) Or will my waiter take notice and sing me happy birthday?

If you want a whole cake, you will need to order and pay for it yourself. Carnival no longer provides those for free. 

If you're happy being sung to with a candle in a piece of dessert, just let your MDR waiter know its your birthday and they can take care of that. 

1 hour ago, wish_I_was_a_mermaid said:

 

It is so strange they charge each person for a full fixed price meal when only 1 pizza is consumed by 2. Do they really prefer that people order more food than they can eat and toss half of it away? 

I think they prefer that 2 people using their Plus package dining credits not take up 4 casual dining seatings.

2 hours ago, totz808 said:

I grabbed the menus from here:

 

https://freestyletravelers.com/blog/carnival-2024-mdr-menus

 

I don't know if it's totally accurate, but they do look like captures.  The two menus appear to be identical except the first elegant night has grilled jumbo shrimp and fish cake, and the second night has the lobster.  It's why I'm asking, but if your experience is that the menus are different I'll go with that.  Thank you.

That second elegant night menu isn't correct.  First and second elegant night menus should look similar to this...

The menus may vary slightly over time and from ship to ship (this one doesn't have prime rib the first elegant night) but the two elegant nights are definitely different menus.

10 minutes ago, Packman1000 said:

Thank you so much for this information.   I was looking at deck plans so these options didn't show up.  And even after 25 cruises on Princess I never knew Vines was considered a casual dining option.  Learn something new every day!

The "dining" is limited to crudités, a charcuterie board, and truffles.  They can be purchased a la carte or as prix fixe menu with one of each.  The prix fixe menu is considered a casual dining "meal" if you have the Plus or Premier package.