Ginster1

I concur with my other Bay Area neighbors. It’s been COLD and wet this winter and early spring and there’s more rain forecast this coming week and next.  When we sailed out of San Francisco down to Mexico in December 2019 I froze (especially after going under the Golden Gate Bridge). Brrrrr and was cold until we reached Ensenada.  No pool time or MUTS for me.   I was so happy I had brought blue jeans, sweaters, and a jacket. I wore them several days.  We had a great time in Mexico with lots of warm beach time, whale watching, etc.. Coming back we had the same weather experience in reverse lol. I ended up buying a sweatshirt on the ship for the return to SF.  Have fun!

54 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

Thank you.  Most of the days are totally messed up but now two of the days don’t even have a reservation. I tried to add a reservation and it will not let me. I cannot believe how messed up this really is.  I have had the reservations for months and the Princess employee totally wiped everything out.  
 

I also booked specialty dining for the first night and thankfully that still seems to be OK. Were you able to correct your problem?

OMG it sounds like you got a very inexperienced Rep.!  I don’t think Princess is spending a lot of time training their reps. On dining because they are limited on what they can do.  
Yes, Princess gave me OBC for the price difference-They had wiped out my Specialty reservations under the old pricing of $29, now $39, and I made all new reservations myself using the App.  But I believe they still keep tables open for cruisers on Embarkation day so if you go to the restaurant (s) first thing you can probably get a reservation.  Good luck to you!

I’m sorry you’re going through this. I just recently did myself as well. Here’s what I have learned:

- The Medallion App is archaic and unfortunately it is what it is.

- The only (fair and logical) way to make a Specialty restaurant reservation ahead of time is to use the Medallion App and link your two other guests and then pay the total on your credit card.

- If you try to go to Guest Services once you are onboard to use your on board credits (OBC), yes they will apply them but they will cancel your Specialty Dining reservations and instruct you to either go to the restaurant or call them to make a new reservation. There is no guarantee that you will get the same date/time you had previously.

- Yes, the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing and it’s ridiculous!

- The Princess Representatives now have very little control over dining reservations. They now all refer you to the App. And according to the Princess Rep. (whom I insisted she speak to her supervisor) Princess is unable to override the App to give you a cash refund and can only provide you with OBC

.

I hope my experiences have helped.

I also had a problem with the Medallion Navigator App while making dining reservations. When I elected to “make reservations for the same time every day” option, it overrode my dining reservations of my specialty dining reservations which I had previously made (and paid for!).  I had to call Princess because I had made them prior to the price increase and they were nice enough to give me a OBC for the price difference.  The Princess Representative told me they cannot override the MDR Medallion App so if you need changes it’s best that you do it yourself.  She also told me I would have to manually re-book the Specialty Restaurants and that it’s probably best to book your MDR reservations day by day instead of using that feature which books for the entire cruise.  Any to you former posters you’re right, it takes a minute to find the time slots.  Hope this helps.

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

It's not a life changing amount of money to me and it may make a difference in that person's life - especially just recognizing them for their service.

Sargasso, exactly!  Acknowledging their service(s) at the time can mean a lot to them and not not just monetarily.  They work incredibly hard for many hours in less than ideal accommodations. I enjoy seeing the smile on their faces and the gratitude when receiving a cash tip.  But to each his own. 

TTEllis,

We are first timers and will be there 11/10/19 on Crown Princess. Will we be at Havensight too ?

Sailed the Grand Princess 2/19. The Surf and turf (filet mignon and lobster tail) were cooked to perfection. My husband’s porterhouse steak as well, both medium rare. The waiter actually waited for us to cut into our steaks to insure they were cooked correctly. Our second dinner at Crown Grill was the same. The chocolate soufflé cake with chocolate ice cream was delicious. Our other beef dishes in MDR such as prime rib were excellent as well. After reading so many poor reviews before our trip we were pleasantly surprised in the quality and taste of the food!

Hello lovely ladies. Haven’t posted in a while. Margaret, thank you so much for your detailed information about your trip. I’ve never ventured to further than Canada, Mexico, and Guatemala but dh and I are planning a cruise this year to Europe either in August or September. 

Laurie, I’m enjoying your posts regarding your daughters wedding. My daughter is getting married June 22nd so I’m super excited too!  I still haven’t found a dress. My daughter has though. They just recently got engaged so we’re having to do things quickly. 

Right now now we are headed to San Francisco to board the Grand Princess for a 10 day cruise to Mexico. We’ll be stopping in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Manzanillo, and Cabo then back to San Francisco.   I’ve been packing since early this morning but now just waiting for dh. He doesn’t like me packing for him and that’s fine with me! Lol. I wish he would hurry up. 

It’s been so cold here in the Bay Area that we’ve had snow on our mountain tops. But yes, I know, NOTHING like what some of you on the East Coast and Mid West have had to deal with.   I wasn’t sure what to pack so packed for both cold and warm weather. Can barely lift me bag.   I purchased a travel suit from Boston Proper in black which is so comfy. It’s like wearing sweats but looks so much nicer. 

https://www.bostonproper.com/p/beyond-travel8482-chic-coordinates/20/

It was expensive but I had a 20% couple code. I figured I could change it up a bit with different colored camis and scarfs. 

I also packed this dress for dinners. It fits me like a glove. And very reasonable too. 

https://www.bostonproper.com/p/beyond-travel8482-chic-coordinates/20/

I didn’t purchase the Internet package on our trip so will be offline for the next 10 days. I did this during our Alaska cruise too and yes, I went through withdrawals but at the same time it was a good way to truly decompress. 

Happy Birthday Melody!  I hope you had a great day. 

Margaret, I’m just in awe of your pictures!  Wow, they are just beautiful. I’ve never considered going to Africa until I started reading about your trip and now that I’ve seen your pictures I think I need to add it to my list. How long were you away?  The tent cabin looks comfortable. And the wildlife plentiful. 

-Ginny

12 hours ago, ksm77 said:

We cruised out of LA to Mexico in Feb. many years ago.  It was cold on all sea days coming and going.  Only warm days we had on that cruise was our stops in Mexico.  I don't know if that is the norm, but we have never wanted to do another cruise to Mexico from California.

Thank you ksm77. I’ll make sure to pack my down coat. So much for lying by the pool. 

On 1/20/2019 at 8:00 PM, terrysko2000 said:

I took a fleece jacket and used it on the balcony. I did sit in the sun at the aft pool, took off my fleece and burned so be careful. By the time we got to Cabo it had warmed up. Enjoy the whales! 

Thank you for the helpful information Terrysko2000. I’ll make sure I apply sunscreen. 

-Ginny

12 hours ago, anzore said:

Cool until you hit Baja. We are on the grand now in Puerto Vallarta

Thank you Anzore!  I hope you’re having a great time on the Grand. It looks like I’m going to pack more than i thought.

Which day did you hit Baja?

Also, who is your Cruise Director?  Can you share what movies they are showing on MUTS?  

-Ginny

We’re sailing out of San Francisco on the Grand Princess Feb. 11th to Mexico. We live nearby and realize it will probably be cold and windy sailing under the Golden Gate. My question is what are the remaining sea days like along the CA coast on the way to Mexico?  I’m trying to pack light but I don’t like being cold and don’t want to be caught off guard. Any of you that have done this cruise have any recommendations?

We’re sailing out of San Francisco on the Grand Princess Feb. 11th to Mexico. We live nearby and realize it will probably be cold and windy sailing under the Golden Gate. My question is what are the remaining sea days like along the CA coast on the way to Mexico?  I’m trying to pack light but I don’t like being cold and don’t want to be caught off guard. Any of you that have done this cruise have any recommendations?

Margaret, I’m so sorry to hear of your dad’s passing. Hugs,

-Ginny

Wow Melody, those pictures of the ice castles are amazing!  Love the jacket too. 

-Ginny

Can’t wait to hear back from Margaret and her trip of Africa. I wish I was as adventurous. 

Melody, what color blue is peacock?  Is it like a royal blue?  I look forward to seeing a pic of your fleece jacket.

Melody, To answer your question about the Botox, I’ve been doing it about seven years now and it definitely helps. I can tell because my migraines get worse when the Botox wears off. It’s interesting what you said about Les getting seizures because I actually had my first seizure in March 2018 due to a really bad migraine. And you’re so right-they are not just a headache. There’s so many other effects from them that contribute to my being disabled by them. That’s why I was so happy to find cruising seems to work for me. Anyway, enough of that!

I look forward to seeing your photos of the ice castles if you have any. 

-Ginny

Hi Anita. Nice to meet you!  What a coincidence about your roommate. The name Ginny is rare and a lot of people call me Jenny lol. I’m very familiar with Danville. I went to middle and high school in Livermore (born in Sacramento). I now live in Clayton which is at the base of Mt Diablo next to Walnut Creek and Concord.  We don’t plan on staying here once dh retires-its just too expensive. He’s hoping to retire in 2-3 years. We still have no idea where we will end up. 

I had had to chuckle when I read about you having so many apps open trying to find an AirBnb. How did we exist before the internet huh?  How exciting to go check out London. And having an apartment instead of a hotel will be so nice for your family. I really enjoyed reading about your trip to Alaska and look forward to hearing about London. 

-Ginny

Thank you Purduemom1 and Melody!  Yes, she’s pretty special. I wish she didn’t live 6 hours away. With my disability it’s just difficult to get up to see her too much. I feel like I’m missing out on so much. I was so happy they came down for Christmas.

My son came too, making it extra special. But he didn’t get to stay long. He’s entering his final semester of college and just accepted an apprenticeship to work in his field (computer science) part time while finishing up his degree. It’s going to be hectic for him because he’s taking 18 units. But hey, he’s young right?

We are in Las Vegas this weekend. No, not to party and gamble. We’ve been there done that too many times. My headache specialist is here so I see him every 3 months for Botox injections. A lot of people think hey, no more wrinkles!  But honestly most of the injections go into the back of my head and shoulders. It seems to help. And it’s nice for dh and I to have a little getaway. 

I hope you all are having a great weekend. 

-Ginny

Thank you Sally. It’s great to meet you!  We just took a trip to the Florida keys at the beginning of December. LOVE the weather there!

Yes, downsizing is challenging. I’ve read the Konmari book but I’ve been slow to implement it.   I like your idea of setting dates. 

-Ginny

Purduemom1, thank you so much for your recommendations. We don’t have any ports of call until we get to Mexico but we do have a balcony and we’d like to be able to use it so I’m thinking about bringing my extremely lightweight down jacket. You know, the one you can toll up into a bag the size of a grapefruit. It’s white. Not crazy about the color, it’s not earth, but at least it’s a neutral color. 

It’s nice that you can go back to MN for a month to help your DS and DIL. I’m sure they appreciate your help. I know I would. Are you retired?  My DH is turning 60 in March and would like to retire in the next couple of years. We have a large 2-story house and would like a much smaller single story. Our kids have left the nest. We have so much stuff and NEED to downsize.  My son is graduating in May and my daughter is making plans to get married. She wants a small wedding just with family. She lived six hours away in Nevada so I don’t get to see her much. She had a baby girl June ‘18 so I’m a grandma now. I’ll try and post a picture. I don’t have much experience navigating through cruise critic so we’ll see lol. 

Hello ladies. I’m Ginny. I’ve been following your thread for quite some time and absolutely love your talk of fashion, colors, family life, downsizing, but most of all the friendships you all have. I’ve learned so much from all of you and you’ve answered so many of my questions. 

I have a disability which precludes me from doing a lot of travel (chronic migraine) however, my husband Jamie and I went on a Cruise to Alaska 5/17 and had such a great time. And it worked with my situation because if I didn’t feel well I just stayed on the ship. And I only had one bad day which was a sea day so it worked out great. 

We’re going on a cruise aboard the Grand Princess to Mexico 2/11/19, about 5 1/2 weeks away and I’m so excited! We’ll be sailing underneath the Golden State Bridge which sounds like fun. 

Laurie, I need your advice. I believe you mentioned in a post that you had done a Pacific coastal cruise and that it was cooler than you thought it would be. I’m totally stumped on what to pack. I know to wear shorts when we get to Mexico but not sure about sea days. Do I need to bring a coat or jacket?  Or will a sweater do?

And Laurie, I think it’s so special that you’re refinishing your mothers bookcase. I wish I had that kind of talent. I’ve loved watching you decorate your bathroom, laundry room, and spare room. 

Til next time...

-Ginny

Mark, I’ve really enjoyed reading your in-depth review with excellent photos and video of the Grand Princess. We’ll be sailing with her to Mexico Feb. 2019. This will be our second cruise, our first was Coral Princess to Alaska a year ago.  I noticed you have traveled RC quite a bit.  DH and I are contemplating more cruising in the future and I was wondering if you could share your preferences between the the two cruise lines?  Thanks again. I’m looking forward to reading about your future travels!

-Ginny

Thank you SewMuch

I have another question-the 3rd bag you mentioned that you stow your evening wear on, does this suitcase travel with you to your land based nights after departcation or does a Princess hold it until you're ready to fly home?