Flainefan

I agree. Not sure where that came from. :o

Yes, we can confirm this from our experiences on a Pacific Princess cruise to Scotland/Iceland/Norway in September 2016. There is a pleasant, sheltered area aft. We also found that the staff would offer to carry your laden plates to a table outdoors for you. We found the service on PP very good, certainly more personal and attentive than on the larger ships, though we thought the service on those was pretty good too!

I also rebooked and got the lower price. A word of caution in doing this is to check the spaces available on the excursions tab first. If there is a waiting list and you cancel your existing excursion you may try to rebook only to be placed on the bottom of the waiting list.

We sail next weekend on the California Coastal round trip from Vancouver. I noticed the sale and managed to save quite a bit by cancelling and immediately rebooking, because the T&Cs say it applies to new excursion bookings only. I checked the available spaces so I didn't lose out to people who might be on the wait list.

Exactly the same thing happened on our Pacific Princess cruise to Iceland last month. I made big savings then too.

In the past we have always used the wine package for wines with dinner. Is it possible to order a bottle from Vines on the package to share with friends? Also is it possible to buy full bottles of wine from the bars?

Excellent. Thanks so much.

Does anyone have a copy of the latest wine list to help in deciding whether to go for the Silver or Gold packages?

We have enjoyed the wine package on previous trips and hope to purchase the Gold Package again on our upcoming cruise on the Pacific Princess. Do the small ships offer the wine packages too?

John,

I can help you with a couple of things.

I live in Greenwich and I'm sure you'll have a great day exploring this wonderful part of London. The Observatory and the Maritime Museum are certainly places not to be missed but try to find time also to visit the Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Naval College, particularly the Painted Hall. The University of Greenwich now occupy the buildings but there is free access to the Painted Hall and the ORNC Chapel opposite. On the link below you will see the famous twin domes. The entrance to the Painted Hall is under the right dome and to the Chapel under the left dome.

https://www.ornc.org/visit

If you are travelling from your hotel in Paddington, I would not take the light rail (DLR). Instead I would take the tube to Charing Cross and then take a train from the Charing Cross mainline railway station to Greenwich. It's then a short walk to the Maritime Museum and Greenwich Park, with the observatory and Greenwich Meridian up on the hill. From the General Wolfe statue by the Observatory you can get a panoramic view of Greenwich and beyond to Central London. Returning down the hill, you can visit the ORNC and then go out by the river gates, turning left along the riverside path to the Cutty Sark and the river bus pier. The Cutty Sark is well worth a visit:

http://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark#9MGLJeZMBrwvmvyF.97

If you need any further advice about Greenwich, just let me know.

It's best to book tickets in advance for the football.On Tuesday 13 December Fulham play Rotherham United at 19.45. Here is a link to Fulham's website:

http://www.fulhamfc.com/first-team/2016_2017/fixtures

Margaret.

In Yorkshire it is traditional to eat apple pie with Wensleydale cheese (made in the Hawes dairy, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire). Wensleydale is a crumbly white cheese which is lovely on its own; with apple pie and with apple pie and Scotch Whisky - trust me it is gorgeous (even my DW - a New Yorker by birth likes apple pie this way).

On the other side of the Pennines in Lancashire we also enjoy apple pie with cheese (crumbly Lancashire cheese, of course!). My grandfather had an old saying: "Apple pie without some cheese is like a hug without a squeeze".

I would agree with the other poster who advised against chocolates. Apart from the practical difficulties of melting chocolate, most Brits seem less than impressed with Hershey's: too sweet and not 'chocolatey' enough for our tastes. Maple syrup is a good suggestion or napkins/ place mats.

What good would our US dollar be as a tip if the person needs to shag to exchange it.

:eek::eek::eek:

Hi I hope that your first cruise will be as memorable as our's was 23 years ago. You will get plenty of advice on do' and don't . Firstly you need to do your homework before the cruise, there is so much info on the Internet . You will find that every port will have it's own website that will give you help on visits and walks I.e Marseille-tourisme.com.

On the ship unless you enjoy lot's of alcohol don't buy the drinks package.

You can normally bring your own wine and water on board . If you want soft drinks you can get lemonade and water free every day at the Horizon buffet.

It may seem expensive but you should try the speciality restaurants even at $25 pp in the scale of the cost of the cruise it is not that much. All other restaurants are free. At lunchtime try the tapas it is free if you,buy a glass ofwine.

Ps almost everyone on the ship will be friendly so don't worry

Good advice! You might also like to check out Tom's Port Guides:

http://www.tomsportguides.com

We met Tom on a New England cruise, having benefitted from his guides for a few cruises already. He's a lovely, generous man who enjoys compiling the guides in his spare time now he's retired. Lots of very practical information.

The Emerald Princess is our favourite ship. We have sailed on her four times. I'm sure you'll love the experience. There is something magical about arriving in a new port with adventures in store, and in the evening it's wonderful to be heading out, watching the place recede from view from the Horizon Terrace at the stern of the ship.

Lots of entertainment to choose from: Princess Theatre shows, Explorers Lounge cabaret; Club Fusion, and the performers in the Piazza and occasionally on the outdoor decks. No charge for any of these; it's all included. We like to get a coffee and a snack from the International Cafe when we get back on board and sit in the comfortable chairs in the Piazza, listening to the musicians or watching the acts.

Watch out for Movies Under the Stars. You can relax on a sun lounger, with a blanket in the evenings if it turns chilly, and enjoy complimentary popcorn or cookies and milk whilst watching the film. The pizza and burger grill places are nearby if you want a quick snack too.

The Horizon Court dining area is open very early until late so you can eat from there whenever you want, apart from in the middle of the night when you can still find something at the International Cafe. We prefer to dine in the main dining rooms, choosing Anytime Dining so we can eat whatever time suits us and usually just the two of us, but occasionally joining people we have met. We tend to dine later - 8pm onwards - so usually we can get a table straight away, but it's no great hardship if there is a slight wait: they will give you a 'beeper' to let you know when a table is available so you can relax in Crooners piano bar with a drink while you wait.

You'll find there is plenty of storage space in your room. There is a large closet and a cupboard with handy shelves and a safe. Ask the steward to bring you a couple of bath robes; no need to pack your own. You will find blue and white striped pool towels on the top shelf of your closet, by the life jackets. If you want to do laundry you can use the self-service laundrettes or send it out (at a charge).

There are drawers by the bed and in the desk, and of course there is a fridge to keep the water cold. Ask your steward to ensure that there is always ice in the ice bucket and request a coupe of wine glasses. You can order a bowl of fresh fruit for your room; just fill in the request slip. We have always had an aft balcony with easy access to Horizon Court so we pop up there to get a plate of 'nibbles' (cheese, grapes, crisps, nuts) to accompany a pre-dinner drink on our balcony.

When you board on the first day, try to get on as early as possible so you can go to the main dining room that is serving lunch (usually until about 1.30). You will probably be encouraged to head to Horizon Court for lunch but that will be busy so my advice is to seek out which dining room is serving lunch and enjoy being waited on in a calm, relaxed atmosphere; a great way to kick off your cruise.

There is so much to enjoy so make the most of it. Explore the ship from bow to stern and try everything!

The blue card holder was probably in a suite. We had a suite for our very first Princess cruise to Alaska. It does happen!

What ship & date?

Usually passengers dress more formally in Europe, and they dine later in the evening.

I agree. Passengers on European cruises tend to dress more formally and dine later. Port days are usually long and busy so people like to shower and change before relaxing in the evening with dinner and entertainment. This generally applies to casual nights too, but people particularly enjoy dressing more smartly for formal nights.

Mediterranean cruises are wonderful. You sample such varied cultures as you wake up each morning in a different port.

My first experience at CC and a big WOW! My close knit local cruise family is now expanded into many. This has been good advice and I have enjoyed the websites for referrals. Now asking...... LeHavre is going to be a stop, please pitch in and give me the skinney on Normandy tours, cost wise and time wise. Book on ship or independent. How much time to devote?

 

Cheers!

What is your itinerary? Which port do you sail from?

We have done the Princess Grand Med cruise from Barcelona to Venice (Marseille, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kusadasi, Athens). We have also done a couple of cruises from Southampton: the first down to Lisbon via Guernsey, Brittany and Vigo for Santiago de Compostela; the second to Cadiz/Seville, Gibraltar, Malta, Venice, Koper, Dubrovnik, Corfu. We have also done a road trip to Normandy. We mostly plan our own tours but sometimes take ship excursions if public transport options are limited.

If I can be of any help with ports of call, just ask.

Margaret

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense. I wasn't sure if US customs could be cleared in Canada, but now I'm reassured.

Is it just me who feels very sorry for this woman? She was obviously utterly distraught to have done such a desperate thing. Meanwhile the husband boards a plane without her, leaving her alone in a foreign country. No matter what the argument, his actions seem selfish to me.

We are taking a California Coastal cruise in October, round trip from Vancouver. As a UK citizen, I know I need an eTA for entry to Canada and an ESTA for entry to the USA. Obviously we shall present the eTA when we fly into Vancouver. When will we be processed through US border controls with the ESTA: when we board the ship in Vancouver or prior to disembarking at our first port of call, Los Angeles? Anyone have experience of this? Thanks.

We enjoyed the PES Happy Hour on the Emerald during our Med cruise. In August we'll be on the Pacific Princess to Iceland and Norway. Is it also offered on the 'small ships'?

Thanks. That's good to know.

I have been reading a thread about the availability of the soda package on Pacific Princess. In it there was also some doubt about the wine package being offered on this ship. We are booked on a 14-day Iceland and Norway cruise next year. It will be our first time on one of the 'small ships'. Does anyone know if the wine package will be available? We've always purchased the deal on our previous cruises and find it works very well.

Thanks.

Thanks for your review. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it. Along with Michael, we shall be on this cruise next year, so your review is likely to be very useful to us.

As I type this, I'm at my son's house near Canterbury. It is indeed a wonderful and interesting city. Its proximity to Dover makes it an ideal place to visit before or after a cruise from that port.

Thank you so much for this, Richard. We shall be visiting Lerwick next year on our way to Iceland and Norway. This is really useful for our planning.

I'll throw in another option/curve ball here. A river boat trip down to Greenwich and back gets a good flavour of our great city. Greenwich is worth a visit in itself (Observatory and Cutty Sark). Time it for down in daylight, back at twilight, improves the experience greatly.

As a long-time resident of Greenwich, I fully endorse Steve's recommendation.

You might like to take the train to Greenwich to get quickly to Greenwich from Central London (or the slower DLR light rail to Greenwich Cutty Sark, depending on where you are staying). It is a short walk to Greenwich Town Centre where there is an interesting covered market with lots of food and craft stalls. Nearby is the Cutty Sark, in her day the fastest sailing tea clipper. You can see inside the ship, walk the decks and even go under the hull. The glass roof surrounding the underside of the ship makes it appear as if she is riding the waves.

http://www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutty_Sark

From the Cutty Sark you can walk eastwards along the river to view the Oll Royal Naval College. You can enter by the central gate from the river path. Don't miss the Painted Hall under the right dome and the chapel under the left. Entrance is free but you may wish to make a donation towards the upkeep.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Royal_Naval_College

Just over the road is the Queen's House and the National Maritime Museum, and beyond that is Greenwich Park, a royal park since medieval times. On the hill in the middle of the park is the Old Royal Observatory and Flamsteed House with the East/West meridian. If you don't want to go in, you can still take a phot astride the meridian line by walking a short way along the little path that runs downhill just below the retaining wall.

http://www.rmg.co.uk/

The park is a great place for a picnic (perhaps with provisions from the market) or you can visit the Pavillion Cafe in the centre of the park.

To return to Central London, as Steve suggests, take the river bus from the pier next to Cutty Sark. Take it to The London Eye. You don't really need to take the slower tourist boat which is more expensive; instead, take the Thames Clipper commuter service which will take you past the old dock areas now developed into expensive apartments, under Tower Bridge, past the Tower of London, under London Bridge and all the other bridges before Westminster. You will see Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the left and St Paul's between the buildings on the right as you go by 'the wobbly bridge' and Tate Modern art gallery. You get off the boat at the Eye near Westminster Bridge, with a great view of the Houses of Parliament. You could even take a ride on the Eye if you're not too exhausted!

As you can see, I think Greenwich is a wonderful place for tourists to visit. I hope you'll consider it.

The drive between Dijon and Geneva is really easy and very pleasant. It's a journey we do regularly on our way to the Alps. It takes about two and a half hours, using the A39 and A40 autoroutes (motorways/ freeways). You pass through the Jura region which is very pretty, through the tunnel at Nantua, then on the spectacular elevated section of the Viaduc des Geants before reaching the Alps and Geneva.

If you wanted to do a one way hire car and needed to begin and end in French locations, you might be able to do that if you rented from Dijon's central railway station and returned the car to either the French side of Geneva Airport (the airport straddles the border and part of it is in France!) from where there are frequent fast trains to the centre of the city, or to Annemasse which is a French town on the outskirts of Geneva on the border with Switzerland. The Geneva public trams take you from the border to the centre of Geneva in minutes.

Travelling out of Geneva further along the A40 from Annemasse, you could head to Chamonix and Mont Blanc. Just before Annemasse there is also a cable car up Le Saleve, Geneva's mountain. From the top you have a great panorama of the Lake Geneva (locally Lac Leman) and the Alps and Jura mountain ranges.

We have travelled three times in B748, one of the corner rooms along with B749. We love the larger balcony and the fantastic views over the wake, especially as we sail away from ports. We also find the sound of the wake is quite restful.

On our recent Mediterranean cruise, B748 had already been taken so we went for B751. I knew that this has a structural support column which could be a bit of an obstruction but the balcony floor area is huge so it seemed worth it. I'm so glad we did. There was plenty of room for two loungers, two chairs and a drinks table. We had the loungers by the balcony rail for sunbathing, and there was a sheltered space behind the column for me to keep out of the sun (I burn easily).

We noticed that the next rooms along (B752 & 753) have much smaller balconies. If you ask Princess when booking, they will tell you the sq ft area of each balcony.

We have never had any issues with smells on the five occasions we have travelled in wake rooms at the back of the ship.