BamaVol

Same with our 6/15 Enchanted departure. At one point, it showed “board games available” starting at 10:00 am daily, but that disappeared a couple weeks ago. All that remains is an invitation to book excursions.

I just read another thread here on when the laundry is least busy. One poster recommended between 10 and 11 at night. The laundry rooms are technically not supposed to be used between 10 and 8 am IIRC. But I’ve never encountered a locked door.

This is because they changed the rule in February. And they allowed those of us who made reservations prior to the change to keep them.

I wasn’t condoning theft. I would not personally take something that wasn’t mine to take or share something that wasn’t mine to share. I was merely pointing out to another poster who seemed ok with it, that it would be impossible to steal some things, difficult to steal others and that there consequences if one was caught.

You said the teen got all the Plus benefits without the alcohol. They don’t get crew appreciation. WiFi, yes. Room service, yes. Ordering with the app, yes. They can use a parent’s Plus for those. But not alcohol or crew appreciation, casual dining, exercise classes. Soda, desserts, water, coffee are possible if you share and don’t get caught.

Using the OP’s approach, a package is a no brainer for me. On land, I drink alcohol, drink lots of coffee and water, dine out regularly (and tip generously), I spend hours on the internet. Why would I suffer without those things on a cruise?

The final bill always comes to zero. If it is a credit balance, it is referred to the finance department to cut a check. If there is a balance owed, your credit card is charged. I wonder if most of us get a check. I ended my first princess cruise with a <$10 credit balance but never saw a check. Hardly worth the effort it would have taken. My second Princess cruise we ended with a small debit balance that was accurately charged to my credit card.

I’m told the policy changed in February. I made my reservations before final payment. But under the old rules in January.

I’ve yet to dine at a buffet on land or at sea where each dish was labeled with ingredients, including possible allergens. Occasionally, I go to a potluck in my community where one or two dishes have ingredients labeled. I figure those were made by someone who has an allergy and they are being thoughtful. “Fried rice” implies two ingredients. I’ve never seen fried rice with only rice and oil involved in the preparation and it seems people with allergies would be aware of that and ask before helping themselves.

What about crew appreciation?

I wouldn’t. Still need wifi, crew appreciation, coffee. A dozen beverages in the fridge doesn’t make up for what I can drink over a 10-14 day cruise. Plus who wants to go back to grab stuff out of the lounge or fridge when you’re 6 decks away or sitting at a bar on the Lido. As usual, one size does not fit all. To the OP, I would use chat to cancel. Phone agents aren’t as capable, in my experience.

I didn’t realize it was replaceable. I thought they gave you a new one if the battery died.

Maybe a half dead battery?

Of course it is your responsibility to be diligent. No one cares about your safety more than you. Those of us with food allergies and sensitivities are in the minority and need to watch out for ourselves first and foremost. I can’t possibly expect every server in the world to know that a peanut, oyster, egg or hazelnut can kill someone. I learned to be diligent by working in dangerous workplaces. Of course OSHA will fine my employer if I do something stupid but that won’t grow me a new hand. When in doubt, find out. I ask everywhere I go and waiters on Princess ships have never answered me wrong. They are trained to defer to the maitre d and chefs. The answer has always been “let me get someone who knows”. You can travel safely and people here are telling you how it’s done. Listen.

You can. I guess you can take a picture of the tv screen as well. You just want to walk off the ship with some “proof” of your final bill should something different show up in your email two days later.

Different cultures see things differently. I think here we are used to seeing separate charges for things that others assume would be included. When my car goes to the shop for repairs, there’s a separate charge for “shop supplies” or “tire disposal”. Surely that could be covered if they raised the hourly rates. My electric bill has multiple additional charges. Most of my lifetime, there has been a separate energy charge. Really? Should I be surprised that the utility has to purchase fuel to make electricity? Don’t get me started on the airlines that charge for carry on bags. Next you know they’ll be charging for what you have in your pockets. The wages are the wages. Base compensation is incremented by what Princess charges as “crew appreciation”. They just bill us separately for it. It keeps the base rate lower and entices more people to book a cruise. No different than “port fees”. I worry that if enough people reverse auto gratuities, the base rates will rise or gratuities will become mandatory. The lines have to make a profit, or need to start making a profit again or there will be no more cruises.

Which may be too late to resolve problems. There are plenty of posts here recommending you obtain your folio from Guest Services or the nearby kiosk (if you can find one that works). Correcting errors after disembarking can be a nightmare based on some stories I’ve read here. Personally I’ve not had a problem but I won’t leave the ship without a documented final bill. I’m not convinced a screenshot is as good, although some say it is.

My kids always figured it out before I did.

I’m speculating, but wouldn’t cruises out of Japan almost have to provide slippers? Kind of like kettles for cruises out of the UK.

I never thought the envelopes were that big a challenge. I think back to my first cruises, prior to automated gratuities. The MDR would be full each night until the last. Then, suddenly the food at the buffet was much more appealing apparently and the MDR was only half full. I imagine it was even easier to stiff the cabin attendant. I like that the cheapskates have to request removal at GS. I hope they at least get a withering look.

And have the three post dinner manhattans on me. (Woodford Reserve is my preference).

I don’t know what % of cruisers go beyond 15 days, but surely a minority. Someday I will sail longer than 10 days but until then I shouldn’t be affected. But imagine a medallion with a battery that last 12 months and taking it on your next cruise for a laugh.

It has your name, the ship’s name and your sailing date printed on the front. Not that you can read it from any distance, but bringing an old one on a different cruise would cause some confusion. Maybe that’s why the battery has such a short life. And it will be a different color the second time you sail.

And I think most people are able to figure it out for themselves. It’s when someone thinks they have figured it out for everybody else based on their requirements that the fireworks start. This thread has been quite civil, without the judgement of others that causes the tempers to flare.

I don’t know any business that gets everything right all the time, never makes a mistake. I take some of the responsibility on myself whether I’m dining on the Sapphire Princess or Beef O’Brady’s down the street. I ask questions and make arrangements in advance. Even then, I lift the bun on the burger to make sure the guy in the kitchen got the message and didn’t turn my hamburger into a cheeseburger. My condition isn’t life threatening. But if I couldn’t manage the anxiety, I’d never eat outside my own home. And that would be a shame.