help32250

4 hours ago, jenf22 said:

You think you could get them to schedule an Iceland/Greenland TSE cruise for 2026?  Please?? 🙂  I think our plan for 2026 is to try and be in Reykjavik for the eclipse.  I was really hoping to see Greenland while we're in the area (ideally before the eclipse so the kiddo can start school on time in mid-August).  I'm hoping maybe NCL will have something once they get around to releasing their itineraries.

 

We were fortunate enough to be able to drive to Nebraska in 2017 and then Texas last month.

Jen ---

First of all, I LOVE the backdrop Northern Lights in your profile!

Now about that scheduling of an Iceland/Greenland TSE cruise ...  I think I expended the last of my 9 lives with them during the Discovery and Emerald TSEs.  So in addition to me not having a lot of love for them (right now) I think the reverse applies too.  Cunard's QM2 will actually be in Reykjavik on August 12th.  That said, being in Port is a FAR cry from being at Sea.  But the elephant in the room on Iceland/Greenland is that the cloud cover (based on history since 2000) will be at about 85%.  In other words anyone expecting to see that TSE there has about a one in six chance of doing so, at Sea or otherwise.

Even for The Sky Princess it will probably witness the underside of Clouds rather than a TSE ... as the historical cloud cover where it will be is about 60% probable then.

Fyi, I think the only reason I was able to get Princess to do these latest TSE sailings was because I had established a line of communicatio with Jan Swartz who was then (2017) their President.  So when Jan, now 4 or 5 levels above Padgett, asked Collin Steinke, then Princess's Director of Customer Service, to work with me on getting it ironed out, I was in a position of strength.

But after 6 1/2 years on this, the last nearly 2 working very closely with Steinke and expending the last of my 9 lives, I am done.  On the other hand I sent someone at Cunard (CC'ing Jan and Collin) a request for them to have The Queen Victoria sail a couple hours early from Tarragona to Mallorca so as to see the 2026 TSE at Sea ....

--- The Helpster

On 5/16/2024 at 9:27 AM, MJC said:

I talked to a PVP yesterday since our travel agent is out this week. He told me he already had a list of his previous clients he was ready to book when it opened. I imagine that if lots of PVPs had similar lists, the bookings would be going fast and furious on their end.

 

I got myself up early and kept refreshing until the itinerary was available and I booked it myself. All the aft suites were already gone. I was lucky to get the cabin we wanted, at about 7:45am.

 

This is my first time booking as Elite and I never got any emails about early booking for past passengers. I only learned about today's opening date here on CC.

 

 

MJ ---

I think you, more than most others, know that I have been a stalwart Princess advocate.  But regarding The Discovery Princess cruise (which I was significant in them doing even as a Port stop) they didn't even have the courtesy of giving me either an advance eMail on it or call prior to when it could be booked.  It was only due to my dogged-viewing of their site that I found out (almost too late) that I could still book a stateroom.

As late as Wednesday (the day before this cruise went on sale) my Princess TA didn't know it was going to happen!  But he called me after I had spent 2 very-early-morning hours on Princess' site trying to find a Starboard side Balcony stateroom.  To his credit he "wait listed" me as he knew I was very interested ... and shortly thereafter called me back getting a room he knew I would like.  Even Collin (aka "my Princess Exec") didn't know a thing about it just over a week ago.  It is very unfortunate and embarrassing their left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.

So love Princess as I do, I often wonder why.  And I find it fascinating to see Padgett climbing on the TSE Band Wagon after unceremoniously doing nothing about Total Eclipses before, including both of the just-concluded ones on The Discovery and Emerald.  (And I have the USPS registered receipt return confirmations to prove it.)

For those of you that are just reading my postings for the first time, I literally dragged Princess kicking and screaming into doing these cruises AND changing them to reflect this Cruise Critic Community's desires and preferences ... all while making money hand over fist.  And everything that I told them and forecast would happen ... did.

So for all those that couldn't get a booking ... allow me to forecast one thing what will happen on this itinerary that you might like:  On May 10, 2026, the day that final payment is due and can be canceled without penalty, many of those currently booked will cancel.  It happened on The Emerald Princess and it will happen on this one too.  So if you really want to be on this cruise mark your calendar and be ready to act.

The best to you MJ --- The Helpster

48 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

If you're chillin in heaven, wouldn't you be looking down?

Retired ---

I'm talking about my Earth-based permanent retirement abode.  On the other hand, I think many at Princess would prefer my view be opposite to the one you are referring to.

--- The Helpster

18 hours ago, CruiseSter1ing said:

Our anniversary is the day of the eclipse.   But if we don't make this one, then there's August 12, 2045 over Florida.

Based on actuaries, I can almost guarantee with 100% certainty that I will be "looking up" at that one ....

8 hours ago, Kay S said:

I guess humor is dead on this board.

Kay ---

Possibly.  But as the person that spent much of the last 6 1/2 years of his life dealing (if not fighting) with Princess to make The Discovery's TSE sailing a reality ... let alone also getting them to change The Emerald's itinerary to witness it at Sea too ... my ability to sense humor has often diminished.  And if that offends you, I'm sorry.

Btw, with that statement you have received more apologies from me than I have from Princess. 

--- Help

4 hours ago, Kay S said:

When is the John Pagett eclipse?

Kay ---

With all due respect, there is no such thing as a "John Padgett" eclipse.  Padgett is President of Princess Cruises.  And he announced a couple days ago that The Sky Princess would do a cruise out of Southampton that would highlight the August 12th 2026 Total Solar Eclipse ... as shown in my posting just above yours as posting #4..

Trust that Padgett is no Halley's Comet.

--- Help32250

In July of 2023 I suggested Princess plan a 2026 TSE Cruise.  I suggested they plan to witness it, however, off the East Coast of Spain between Spain proper and Mallorcca.  While I genuinely congratulated Princess on committing to do what they announced, they chose the West Coast of Spain where history shows it having a 60+ % Cloud Cover! 

Other than Cunard announcing that their their sailing of The Queen Mary II was now being branded as a 2026 Total Solar Eclipse Cruise because it would be in Reykjavik Iceland on August 12th, Princess' gall clearly takes second place.

The attached graphics show the Ports Princess announced seeing but I have no idea in what order they will occur.  But the only place they can possibly see the TSE on that map of their itinerary is off the North West coast of Spain.  By contrast you can compare it to the East Coast side I recommended almost a year ago.  And I added a comparison of it with that which The Discovery and Emerald Princess' just-concluded actual TSE sailings south of Cabo and West of Puerto Vallarta witnessed.

That said, I ask you to do your own analysis based on the attached.  Credit "TimeAndDate.Com" and "Google Maps" with all the graphic details below.

--- Help32250

Now let's try a full res BluRay image to see if can be uploaded.

00000.m2ts

33 minutes ago, help32250 said:

Test of New Locks Panama Canal Video

Transiting the AguaClara & Cocoli Panama Canal Locks 2024 V2.wmv

Let's try this at a bit more resolution (and larger file size)

Test of New Locks Panama Canal Video

Give Cruise Critic REAL KUDOS if they allow this one. 

It's the full transit of the same ship but you can watch the water levels being lowered AND at HDV 1080/60i 1440x1080 resolution (54MB).  Also note that you will be able to clearly see The Panama Canal's Cocoli webcam time stamp of the transit on the upper top part of the video

Now tell me THAT wouldn't be the best remembrance possible for any Panama Canal cruise!!!!  And if you could position yourself to actually be seen during it?  

WOW!

--- help32250

By the way, the  Panama Canal webcams are currently out of service.  But keep checking back on them because my bet is that they are performing some maintenance on them that will make your images even better.

While my primary purpose in uploading this file was to see if the Cruise Critic's picture/video sharing website would accommodate a file as large as this (26MB) ...

The Panama Canal now uses 1280x720 Webcams for you to view their locks in real time.  For those of you taking a cruise through them it gives you an incredible opportunity for your family/friends to watch you transit the Canal in real time.  It also gives your family/friends to capture your transit and give you some great souvenirs of it when you return.  Alternately YOU could surprise them when they to through the Canal and cement their friendship for life!

I did the attached video by taking screen captures off my PC, quickly (and I mean quickly as the webcam restores every 5 to 10 seconds) storing them as JPGs into a unique directory, and then copying them into my video processing software.  To have my video look a little bit smoother I cut the individual images to only about 1 second and then put a very short fades between them.  Hopefully you will have less funky music than me.  Create/make your video as an MPEG as nobody seems to have a DVD or BlueRay player anymore.  But on a BlueRay the images are really sharp.

The nice thing is if your video isn't very good you'll still have the JPGs.  If you do one for your family or friend's transit you might tell them ... before their cruise ... to be on one of the upper decks closest to the South side (if they are going through the Cocoli Locks), next to the rail, and maybe separated by a few feet from anyone else.  This will make them easier to find. 

The Panama Canal's Webcam site is:

     https://multimedia.panama-canal.com/index.html

and you can easily point and click on 5 locks.  But for your convenience the Cocoli's is:

     https://multimedia.panama-canal.com/Webcams/cocoli.html

My experience is that cellular coverage is very good through the Canal.  So whether it's you or them, have the one transiting the Canal call to make sure that they can be seen.  I think these suggestions can make an incredible experience even more incredible.

--- help32250

I couldn't find a size limitation on Cruise Critic for uploaded file size so this is just a test of a 1 1/2 minute HD stream00000.m2ts

Test of The Island Princess Panama Canal Transit 2023 0501.

On 4/5/2023 at 9:06 AM, marne-c said:

Thirteen months later, someone at Princess listened to my plea.

 

--Marne

Marne ---

Don't feel too bad about it.  My first formal letter to Princess was on Sept 8, 2017 ... and I never stopped.  I even communicated with CCL's now-retired CEO.  The turning point was when the Princess President became the Group Executive for the HAL Group.  She told a Director-level Exec in Santa Clarita to handle it for her and, after hours and hours of phone calls, eMails, and CFO/MBA level justification, I made not only The Discovery but the inclusion of the TSE on The Emerald happen.  LOTS more to it than that.  But that's the short story.

I estimate that you are only about an hour flight from Panama City.  So will you be on The Emerald or Discovery?  Probably The Discovery.  The  Panama Canal for you would be like me going to Disneyland.

--- help32250

April 7th Update ---

The number of available Balcony staterooms is now 77 with an additional 11 in Premium Balcony.  Lots of Interior and Ocean View Obstructed staterooms though.  So stateroom availability is falling like a brick ....

---  Help32250

10 minutes ago, Happiest when cruising said:

I’d love to know what the price was before the press release. It’s now a ridiculous price for a forward inside cabin. Canadian dollars, as that’s where I live. 

Tracy & Brad ---

Sorry but the only price I keep track of is mine.  But yes, they have gone up.  And I know you have me to blame (in part) for that by getting them to change the itinerary.  While they will be saving about 50 nautical miles on the new itinerary, they are going to have to push the ship a bit harder getting to Cabo so the fuel saved is probably zero.  And don't forget that transiting the Panama Canal costs Princess a lot of money.  Twenty years ago when I did it on The Sun Princess (the original one of course), and Princess spent about $250,000 US to do it!  

I booked my Balcony cabin at the start of this year, before I got them to include the TSE.  About 2 weeks ago its price went up by almost exactly 10% (but that includes their ridiculous beverage package too).

Looks like you get about $600 in on-board spending money as well as the ability to book your flights via Princess.  My experience is that the flights, for many cruises, was the most expensive part.  So don't discount that.

Were you already booked on an Interior stateroom or did you just do it? 

You may already know, but this is the last Total Solar Eclipse North America will enjoy until 2044.  The way I look at it, by that time my government will have devalued the dollar so much that the price of this cruise will seem as being extremely low.  Sorry.  I'm trying to make lemonade out of what you most likely view as lemons ......

Finally, this cruise will be one that you will be telling people about forever and will be the envy of everyone you know.  And one final thing ... you will never forgive yourself if you don't do it!

--- help32250

You all probably by now that I affected Princess' Discovery and Emerald's 2024 voyages to include witnessing the TSE At Sea on April 8, 2024.  But for whatever reason Princess did not want to do a Press Release until I pressed them to do that too.  And I'm sure all of you saw their April 5th announcement.  It has lit up the web and even the TV media.

Bookings are going crazy!  As of last night my analysis shows that there are only 114 Balcony and 20 Premium Balcony stateroom left (not counting any that Princess may have reserved for its "guaranteed" bookings).  My analysis also indicated that there are a few over 325 Interior and Ocean View (obstructed) staterooms too.  So if you want to get other friends and family on The Emerald, you'd better act immediately.  In fact, Princess' website on bookings for it is currently "not available".  My guess is that they will be increasing prices.

So if you are either on The Emerald's or Discovery's sailings, you have hit the sweet spot on them and your cruise will be a lot of fun.  I'm just glad I brought Princess to their senses on it.  And I will be enjoying it too ....

--- help32250

18 minutes ago, snoozecrooze said:

Yep, this isn't really new news, but they're clearly just trying to drum up publicity. Credit to @help32250 for all the leg work they have done behind the scenes for months on end, talking with Princess and navigating the bureaucracy to suggest changes to the Discovery itinerary and add this option on the Emerald as well.

Snooze ---

You are very correct in that Princess wasn't even aware of it until I discovered it at the end of last year and finally got them to include it just over 2 months ago.  But they are a big business and lots of people need to be nodding their heads in the same direction in order to get things approved.  But like the guy in "The A Team" ... I love it when a plan comes together.

--- help32250

PS I love your moniker ....

Princess just changed the itinerary of The Emerald Princess's cruise from Los Angeles (San Pedro) to Fort Lauderdale to include seeing the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse At Sea.  And because its itinerary to witness the TSE was just changed, most people don't know about it.  Worse yet, if you do a Google search on it you won't find it!

But click on this link and you can book almost any type of stateroom you like AND transit the New Section of the Panama Canal Locks as well as see the TSE At Sea:

      https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details/?voyageCode=E408

And for you elite types, this will probably be the only cruise that will see that TSE as well as transit the New Section of the Panama Canal Locks on the same voyage ... a history maker that will neve be broken.

Per request from Cruise Critic, posting #4 is the best solution.

Final Test

Let's try this again with a Medium 

Quallity  Upload

Looks like I crashed and burned.  Sorry

Carribean Princess - New Panama Canal Locks Transit - Test of MP4 Upload