Desert Cruisers

We have an October cruise. Got our loyalty info sorted. Confirmed that our OBC was attached to the booking and available to use for excursions. Followed instructions given to me by Azamara manager. She assured me that all was well, that the excursions showed, and that the OBC would be applied 1-2 weeks before sailing. I thought that this was a little strange but the Azamara manager assured me that this is what would happen. Should have known that all would not go well. Final payment this past week. Azamara charged our credit card for the excursions instead of OBC. Now, have to spend time getting things straightened out. Grrrrr!

Where does Azamara usually dock in Marseille? The port is quite large with some docks closer to the Vieux Port than others.

Thanks for the info on bus/coach rte #703. Is there a ticket machine at T5 or may we buy tickets onboard? I also read somewhere that First Group has a route [#8] between Heathrow and Windsor? Any info about this?

We just booked a late January sailing on the Koningsdam. We wanted to add Club Orange but, when our TA checked, it was not available. Does anyone know if there is a waitlist option for Club Orange?

Has anyone stayed in a verandah spa cabin? What extras, if any, do you get?

If it happens in the future, you can get it cashed out onboard. We just did this on the Discovery Princess.

When he made that comment, it was totally inappropriate and insulting. He lost significant credibility with his audience.

Depends upon the itinerary and the demographics. The more USA folks, the earlier the peak dining. If there are more Europeans and especially South Americans, the later peak dining will be.

I do know the official dress code and understand the ship rules regarding where someone casually dressed can go or not go. However, the West Coast USA and Alaska sailings attract passengers who tend to "push the envelope" on the dress code. This is true across all cruise lines. Dark trousers with a sports jacket (not sure what this is called in the UK) will likely get you into the dining room on a formal evening. It did for other passengers on a Panama Canal sailing last year. So will a nice non-collared shirt for a man on a casual evening. While there are official rules, there were passengers casually dressed at shows in the main theatre. Bottomline...what happens on the ship, especially in different parts of the world, may be different than the official rules.

Have been on the QE in Alaska. Jacket and tie only required on formal nights. The Alaskan sailings tend to be less dressy. Fewer tuxedos/dinner jackets & gowns on formal night. More casual wear ship-wide compared with QM2 transatlantic crossings.

Rack of lamb and beef Wellington are great IF quality meat is used and the meat is properly cooked. Unfortunately, Princess has a tendency to use lower quality meat and over-cook the meat. While more interesting itineraries is the main reason we have shifted most of our cruising away from Princess, disappointing food offerings is the 2nd reason for spending vacation money elsewhere.

I found it disappointing that, at least on the printed menu, there is no longer fruit plate and cheese plate options. Not everyone wants a sweet dessert.

Celebrity has an affiliation with MGM. Based upon our past passenger level, we are granted an equivalent level with the MGM Rewards program. This really comes in handy as it gets us free parking in Vegas. Does Princess have any type of affiliation like this?

Not every restaurant concept is a success. The awful location of Bistro sur la Mer on the Sky Princess contributed to its failure. That doesn't mean that new restaurant concepts should be discounted in the future. Princess really lags behind other mainstream lines in creating new restaurant offerings. It's not just the premium lines upping their offerings. Look at Carnival's affiliation with Emeril or the variety of eating venues on a Celebrity ship.

It's interesting (and disappointing) that Princess had the opportunity to add new dining concepts other than the "same old, same old" Crown Grill and Sabatini's. While itinerary diversity is the #1 reason we have drifted away from Princess, food quality and offerings is #2.

What is the gratuity per day for passengers in standard cabins? Many cruise lines have increased the amount so just checking if anyone has recent experience to share. Thanks in advance.

If we wait until boarding to buy wifi access for one device, how much will it cost for an Elite-level passenger? We will not have Princess Plus or Princess Premier. We have plenty of OBC and would prefer to use that to pay instead of our credit card.

I submitted my passport for renewal [routine service] by mail on November 14. It was formally accepted by US Passport Services/State Department on November 18. I received my new passport yesterday January 6. It has an issuance date of January 4. So, about 7 weeks which is within the 6-9 weeks estimate.

My passport renewal request [routine processing] was mailed 11/14 and received by the State Department 11/18. The website gives a 6-9 week turnaround. I just checked and the application still has "In Process" status. With all of the holidays, I don't expect to receive my new passport until the 9-week mark.

Haven't been on HAL in ages so have a few questions about wifi - interested in basic "check e-mail" level. We did not purchase the Have It All Option which includes wifi. How much does wifi cost? Is there a discount if you purchase wifi for the entire cruise? Is there a discount for Mariners? Can OBC be used to purchase wifi? Thanks.

Does anyone have recent experience parking at the cruise terminal in San Pedro? If so, what was the daily rate? I know that it was $20/day before the pandemic but expect it to be higher now. Thanks for any updates.

Has anyone stayed at this hotel in the South Terminal? Do you know if they have a baggage hold area if our room is not yet ready? Thanks for any advice.

Thanks for the input. Wouldn't be looking at alternatives if BA fare was a little more reasonable. I have One World privileges - seat selection at time of booking, lounge access, etc. Right now Economy Plus 1-way is GBP386 per person. Maybe it will go down but, then again, maybe it won't!

Has anyone flown this airline? We are considering using it for a flight next Fall from Gatwick to Rome (FCO). Usually fly BA but their fares on the date that we need to travel are really high. It appears to be the Friday before the Fall school holidays.

Yes, I do know what the abbreviation OBC means. Azamara allows passengers to use On-Board-Credit to pre-book excursions before sailing. We have a boat-load of OBC for 2 QE sailings in 2023. Now will wait until we board to book excursions.