Greenwhite

Hi Steelers36. Yes, we did indeed partake. Like everyone else we were aware of the "mad dash to the Sanctuary" routine and did not intend to participate. However, after we were seated and offered refreshments we were also offered the opportunity to make onboard reservations. We were very surprised to learn that we could make reservations for the Sanctuary and did so. A representative at the Lounge immediately contacted the ship and made the reservation for us. This happened before boarding began. I can only comment on our experience. We did not board the ship immediately when boarding began. After we got on the ship and had lunch we went to the Sanctuary. They were aware of our reservations and showed us our loungers. Some loungers had already been taken, so we did not get "first choice". So, if you want a specific lounger, you might need to get to the Sanctuary before everyone else. In our case it didn't matter to us.

Hi Happiest when cruising. When we received our telephone call about the Suite Lounge we were told the hours were 08:30 to 14:30. We can't answer your questions about driving/walking because we took an Uber to the lounge. My impression is that if you are in a suite and are arriving on the day of the cruise you could Uber/Lyft/taxi directly from the airport to the lounge. Before we cause problems for anyone, we would like to make a couple of things clear: The Suite Lounge benefit is just being "rolled out", so there will probably be changes going forward. Because Princess is doing a "soft start", admission to the Lounge was by "Invitation Only" They did have a list of who had been invited. I have no idea what they would do if people showed up uninvited.

Hi VOLJEEP. I am sorry to say that I can't answer your questions. We did not have any alcoholic beverages and didn't see anyone else with any. If there were any we didn't know about it and didn't ask. Since this is just the beginning of this perk, it may be different in the future.

We were waiting in the Sky Club at DTW when we got a call from Princess offering us access to the NEW Suite Lounge in Fort Lauderdale. We used it prior to boarding the Caribbean Princess on March 22, 2023. Th Suite Lounge is the "real deal" and we were very pleased to get an opportunity to experience it. As soon as we arrived a Princess representative took charge of our luggage and we did not see it again until we were in our suite. The lounge itself is very nice with comfortable chairs, snack type food, and soft drinks. The staff were able to make reservations for activities on the ship--including the Sanctuary. We were given a short ride to the port in a Mercedes van and expedited boarding of the ship. It was a wonderful experience compared to the usual poor Princess boarding mess. We will do it again without hesitation if offered. We were told that they were rolling out the lounge as a "soft opening" by invitation only. In the future there may be a charge--which we would pay without question given how poor the usual boarding situation is.

THIS! Going to Alfredo's for lunch upon embarkation is often suggested/recommended. Therefore, you can expect a line unless you are among the first on the ship. On ships that have "Slice" on the Lido desk, go there instead. The pizza is the same.

TL:DR Don"t Do It! We have been through many airports over many years. We have never been to another airport as messed up as Seatac. The lines are OMG long and move very slowly. Oh, and the TSA agents are a surly bunch, too. Our experience was that Precheck wasn't all that much help due to the long lines to get that far. Absolute DO sign up for Port Valet. It was great!!! I wish every cruise port offered it.

We were on the Discovery last July (2022) and loved the ship. However, due to FOG the ship did not enter Endicott arm. We have been on other cruises where the itinerary was changed due to sea, weather, or other conditions. Anymore we try to pick a ship we would enjoy even if it doesn't go where we thought we were going.

Nothing says "Princess Cruise" like a 24 Carat Gold Frozen Margarita! But Dirty Bananas are pretty good too.

One thing to keep in mind is that the test has to be within 72 hours of the time that the ship is scheduled to sail. So, if the ship is scheduled to sail at 4:00 PM on Saturday, the test has to be taken after 4:00 PM on Wednesday. If that works for you, you can get tested on Wednesday.

Just a "heads up" for those not familiar with Seattle. Elliott's is located at Pier 56. The Discovery sails from Pier 91. Pier 56 and Pier 91 are not close to each other.

If you are looking for a tour, you might check out "Tours by Locals". We have used them several times (though not in Seattle) and have always been pleased. I checked and they do have guides in Seattle who should be able to do what you want.