Daniel A

12 hours ago, SSAtlantic said:

I was able to remove the permission on the new app, but I had to do it for all 3 of my party. It switched us to “6 out of 7” completed status. Neither one of the other 2 have downloaded the new app.  On the old app, we are green lane all the way. We do not sail for several months, so am following to see what happens. 

I had my Amex card listed in the old app.  I ordered my medallions before Princess instituted the medallion shipping fee, so I was not charged that fee.  Amex changed my card number due to some fraudulent charges from other sources.  When I went into the app to change my onboard Amex CC to the new number, the app cleared all of my purchases and I had to reorder the medallions and same accessories but now they are charging me the shipping fee even though the only thing that changed was the last four digits on my card.  It's not worth my time to fight over the $10 charge, but if you change or withdraw payment methods, check your account carefully.  If Princess gives my CC number to a company I didn't authorize, then it will be worth my time to make an issue of it.

1 hour ago, DHP1 said:

I have read that a credit card on file under the old App was transfer over to the new App and was also added to Shoreside Transaction  Post #484. 

If that's the case, can you revoke permissions to use the card for shoreside purchases, or do I need to get a new CC number for my card?  I do not want vendors in foreign nations having ready access to my account.  That should be a fairly elementary premise for shoreside access to my card.

I don't want the shoreside charging to my portfolio.  DW & I are Green in the original app, and we sail in late February.  We have already been charged the shipping fee for the Medallions, so I don't really care if I have the new app or not.  I'm not going to go with the 'latest and greatest' just to have a requirement I don't want in the first place.

As long as I'm 'Ocean Ready' on the web pages, I don't plan on downloading the new app so it can muddle my arrangements.  I've been trying to check my status on the Princess web page, but surprise! surprise! Princess is experiencing technical issues with their web site today....😂 

21 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

“I guess if you really want your Medallion before you cruise it isn't optional”

I was just wondering then they must used your cc under Shoreside Transactions to pay for the shipping fee unless you have the package. 

I didn't think Medallions are shipped outside the United States?

On another thread about the new Princess app, there are many posts about very significant price increases for Specialty Dining.  Does anybody know if it's a glitch in the new app or has Princess drastically increased the prices for Specialty Dining?

2 hours ago, MTAK said:

I received an email from Princess today notifying me about the new app. They say I can continue to use the existing app until February 1.

How soon is your sailing?  I haven't gotten anything and usually, both an e-mail comes directly to me and another copy goes to my TA for forwarding.   Crickets....🦗

22 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 Once the old App is retired (end Feb I think), you can lock the old App thread. 

One would think Princess would send out e-mails to booked cruisers giving out some information instead of waiting until one logs into the Medallion Class App.  I'm not interested in taking any chances by installing a new app which is apparently still somewhat wonky.  DW & I are Green Lane for our next cruise which is last week of February and first week of March.  It would be nice if Princess would let me know if my current app will still work on my sailing.  I just don't want the new app to screw up our green lane status.

15 minutes ago, desertdwellingsailor said:

This doesn't work for Bank of America. I have tried contacting them before we travel. They just love locking my card. We setup an appointment to talk to them about it and they suggested the Visa. The Visa works well but the Princess App is rejecting it.

Well...good luck.  If I had any credit cards which only worked intermittently, I'd be looking for a different company.  I'm sure you must have your own reasons for keeping it.  🤷‍♂️ 

5 minutes ago, desertdwellingsailor said:

I'm sure it will be fine. I was kind of kidding. On my first cruise my bank rejected the first charge from Princess while I was on the ship. My Mastercard has been compromised a couple of times so now the bank locks it at the least thing. We recently got a "travel rewards" visa card because my wife and daughter were travelling to Greece and I didn't want our Mastercard to lock up on them while they were there. They didn't have any problem using the Visa. But my Visa number is buried in Princess's IT systems somewhere and they won't let me use it so I put my older Mastercard in for onboard charges. I'll just have to keep an eye on it and contact the bank if the onboard charge gets rejected. I may turn on WIFI calling so that texts and calls from the bank can reach me.

When making my travel arrangements, I would notify my credit card banks of my itinerary.  One of my cards lets me do it online.  Amex no longer wants this info from me as they have an algorithm that compares current charges against where I've used the card in the past.  I have two cards with large credit limits which I never use but I notify them as my reason for having them is to cover emergency expenses in foreign lands.

I needed to update my new credit card number.  I went through the app and it cancelled medallion designs we ordered and the designs we had originally ordered were no longer available.  What really frosted me was that I was now being charged the medallion delivery fee when I had pre ordered the medallions before the fees went into effect.

When I changed my onboard credit card number, the app treated my purchases as new orders.  I should have left the old number in the app and changed it once we were aboard.  Lesson learned.  I don't know if that's part of the reason @desertdwellingsailor is having a hard time.  

1 hour ago, 9tee2Sea said:

If we have the drink package, does that mean we can use the bar items in the mini fridge to have drinks on the balcony no extra charge?  OR do we have to go up to the bar ( we are on Aft Balcony, deck 15, Bliss, outside Haven Proper), and carefully bring our drinks back into our cabin ( Or pay the fee and call for cabin service).

The drink package does not include anything that the refrigerator was stocked with on embarkation.  @cruiseny4life had a good suggestion but I was concerned that I'd end up finding out at the end of the cruise that I was being charged for the contents as each day the butler or steward will count what was removed, restock and charge for it.  Of course, even if your butler or steward is told up front that you just put them off to the side, Murphy's law says somebody else will come in some day to restock the fridge.  I thought it much safer to ask the pre-cruise concierge to make sure the fridge is empty and if it's not empty when you get aboard, just ask the butler to remove the items when introduced.  

If you have a drink package, you can use it for drinks at any bar, no need to trudge all the way to the Haven Bar.  DW drinks martini's and enjoys sitting on the balcony having a drink.  We bring two insulated reusable water bottles and I go to a bar and ask for her drink - no ice and go to a table and pour it into the water bottle.  I'll go back for another and keep doing it until the water bottle is full and then I put the water bottle in the fridge for her use later on.  When it runs out, I "lather, rinse, & repeat." 😉  I am a beer drinker and when passing a bar on my back to the cabin, I'll stop at any bar and get two unopened bottles to bring back.  In no time we have a fridge full of our beverages which was all covered by the drink package.

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Have  you asked the on-shore concierge desk to have those items removed before you board?

Yes, and it has worked.  Asking the butler is a backup to making the request beforehand.  But asking for it to be gone before I board, shows that it's the main thing I can do without.

On 12/18/2023 at 10:27 AM, Daniel A said:

I'm getting into the Holidays spirit, and I thought we could have a little fun.  I'd like to see what one thing people enjoy most about Haven sailings, and the one thing about the Haven they can do without.  It should be interesting getting some viewpoints about what counts most and least with the Haven experience.

 

( @Sthrngary - No. you can't list the almond croissants!  They're already a given 😊 )

Going back to my previous question, the thing I enjoy most about Haven sailings is the personal attention and recognition from all of the Haven staff members.  I've had Haven crew greet me by name even though I'd not yet met them.  They are usually familiar with my preferences for dining and drinks as well as escorts off the ship and to shows.  This personal attention is what makes the Haven worth it for me.

The item I could do without is the automatic stocking of the fridge with the mini bar items.  Asking the butler to remove them isn't a big problem, but I'd rather be asked first if I wanted a mini-bar.  My drink of preference is beer and I usually get that with a drink package, so I'd rather have the room in the fridge for my beer.

I appreciate your indulgence of other's standards of dress, but there are many who spend the money to stay at a nice place and enjoy meals in a more upscale environment.  I'm not equating wearing sandals to wearing a pair of PJs and bathrobe to dinner.  I was pointing out the idea that the sign at the hostess station doesn't need to educate passengers regarding every single type of unacceptable attire, or code of conduct.  I'm sure that @Sand and Seas either respected the dress code at that Haven and wore attire that was accepted or found another place to dine.

As an aside, I used the example of PJs and bathrobe because I just experienced having a young man dressed in flip flops, PJs and bathrobe being seated next to me at breakfast at a hotel.  I didn't really notice it until I could smell the clothes he had slept in.  I asked for a different table and there was no other table available, so we vacated our table, and we enjoyed a great Egg McMuffin down the road.  We will never stay at that hotel again.  If it was their preference to have someone dressed that way rather than guests who had the respect for others to wait until they were dressed, then that's not where I want to stay.

As an aside, I would have invited the yourn lady with the string bikini to sit next to me at the bar - all afternoon!  😄

As @Sthrngary has said, this type of problem is endemic to the cruise industry.  What works on one ship is not allowed on another even on the same cruise line.  I think the moral of the story is be a Scout : Be Prepared...  I think anyone who wants to wear any type of clothing that is possibly questionable in the Haven (where the experience is supposed to be upscale) one should be prepared to either meet that ship's dress code or dine at the buffet, where just about anything goes... even pajamas.  Funny thing, pajamas and bathrobe were not mentioned in the Haven Restaurant dress code either.  Would that be OK? 

2 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

They  did have this sign on hostess desk. 

Does anyone see something  about  sandals in this wording?    

What did the head waiter say when you questioned it?

I'm getting into the Holidays spirit, and I thought we could have a little fun.  I'd like to see what one thing people enjoy most about Haven sailings, and the one thing about the Haven they can do without.  It should be interesting getting some viewpoints about what counts most and least with the Haven experience.

( @Sthrngary - No. you can't list the almond croissants!  They're already a given 😊 )

I took a second look at the Google Play Store listing, and it appears that on November 28, they posted an update, where they removed the new Princess App information.  This screenshot was taken from the very bottom of the page.  It appears that Global Experience Innovators tried to remove the original 'Coming Soon' description, but the change was merely added to the end of the listing, keeping the original statements at the top of the page.

1 hour ago, t&atravel said:

This was in the app store after the last update two weeks ago.

 

 

Thanks, I just looked it up in the Google Play Store and it wasn't Princess that posted the information there.  It was put up by Global Experience Innovators apparently the IT contractor for Princess.  I think they're the same people who botched the initial rollout of Medallion Class App.

Thanks again for posting that screenshot.  It looks like Global Experience Innovators jumped the gun (or the shark) again!  🥱  I suspect Princess is keeping their powder dry until they're satisfied it won't be the same mess as last time.

38 minutes ago, IndyKid said:

For what it's worth, we just disembarked from the Caribbean Princess. Had zero issues with the app while on board. 

 

I will say, however, that the internet access via the wi-fi was sluggish at times.

Did CB have Starlink yet?

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

If PCL were to issue a PR notice... and it could be doubtful... it would come when a new App is released.  Another "if" there.  They wouldn't want to acknowledge the existing App needs major overhaul.

 

Also, IMO, a lot of the root cause of issues is bad or corrupt data and a flashy new App won't fix that on its own.

As I recall, when the Medallion Class app was first released, there was a lot of advance hype about the benefits of Princess' app.  I don't remember Princess waiting until it was actually released.

Again, I'm not saying it didn't happen, I just would like to see something more definitive than some vloggers or internet postings.

I got on this set of threads pretty late, and I don't want to sift through every post on this topic.  I realize how fun it is to trash any cruise line, but I haven't seen any formal public announcement from Princess or Carnival Corporation regarding plans to release a new app by a certain date.  As far as I can tell, all of the hoopla is being spread by vloggers who may be more interested in getting clicks than actually researching and verifying what they heard from another vlogger or passing along something that may have been 'floated' in a private meeting.

Has anyone actually seen an announcement from the cruise line to the public?  It's not on the web site and their news releases page.  I'm not saying it didn't happen and that maybe an announcement got pulled down but the only place where I've seen any kind of news release is from the vloggers.

Sometimes an email can be sent out prematurely before being reviewed by higher ups.  I would think if such an email went out promising something and threatening to stop service on an existing app including 'drop dead dates,' that follow-up emails usually follow.

I cruise on Princess in February, and I would have thought I'd have been notified that my current app will not work on my sailing.

2 hours ago, McGarrett5oh said:

Thank you for your concern @CDR Benson, @RocketMan275 & @Sthrngary

 

We were fortunate to retire 10 years ago (we’re mid 60s now) and travelled the country in a motorhome for 7 years and 70,000 miles before turning back to cruising.  

 

A lesson learned, don't forget, things can change in a moment.  One day this past August, after riding my bicycle 14 miles, I sneezed at lunch which has brought about 2 hospital stays and a cancer diagnosis.  I’m grateful for the sneeze as we found the C early and prospects are positive.  In the meantime, we have to slip our cruises in between scheduling doctors appointments.  We are blessed to have amazing medical professionals collaborating on our case!  

 

To paraphrase @Sthrngary, "enjoy every moment"  You don't know how many you may have left!

🙏 for all of us. 

37 minutes ago, Traveling Fools said:

Less than a month to go before me, DW, DD, DSIL, DGS, and DGD board the Epic's Haven for a week of fun.

Our first Haven experience was on Epic and we liked Epic's best.  It wasn't too large, and it was very comfortable.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

On 12/14/2023 at 10:46 AM, RocketMan275 said:

One of my mottos is this:  "Fly first class.  If you don't,  your grandkids will."

At this stage of my life, I don't have too many opportunities to travel well left.  I intend to enjoy those opportunities.  The least expensive travel isn't my objective.

A phrase I heard some years ago was "Are you planning to be the richest person in the cemetery?"