Mary loves to travel

I saw this sale today when I checked prices for upcoming cruises. On one, we save 35%, that's not chump change!! I put a hold on a cabin similar to what I had booked, just in case the price jumped. My CVP was able to refare our existing reservation at the new lower price - yay! Mary

we, too, face the same dilemma. Also just bought our flights within the last few days. Decided to opt for the 1:15 flight out of AEP. I now understand why people stay in BA first; gives more certainty when choosing flights.

Thanks! We had hoped to do the same, and were booked, but he’s closed shop for personal reasons. Now we’re scrambling to find another plan. Doesn’t seem to be another helicopter service. Mary

We can't do the long rough 4x4 rides that Volunteer Point entails.... so are looking for options. How would anyone compare Bertha's Beach vs Bluff Cove Rookery? Thanks much, Mary

Wow! Please keep us updated on this one.

@Samkitty1 I think the price increase was after you had already paid for your MedallionNet package. @cruisers0708thanks for verifying the current price for a 4-device package: $40 per day; $20/day with the platinum/elite discount. Mary

We were on the Regal then, too! currently aboard the Sky. the internet packages prices only show up in the Medallion app for future crises. BUT I can only access the current cruise now. I’ll check again when we get off Sky in a few days.

Hi @Steelers36 your explanation is much clearer -- I took a shortcut. You're right, the 4 device MedallionNet is $40 pp/day; the Platinum discount puts the price at $20 pp/day. We do share 1 MedallionNet 4-device package, as you suggest, so buying internet separately, I count that as $10 per day each (to compare to the price of one of the Plus etc packages). I did leave too many steps "for the reader to solve themselves" 🙂 Mary

We have an excellent Princess Vacation Planner! She's responsive, friendly, and knows her stuff. I've asked about how she gets "credit" for the booking, two key points: - If I make the booking myself on the web site & transfer to her, she gets no credit, but still helps me. If I find a cruise we want, I put it on a Courtesy Hold, then email her to actually make the booking (she works well by phone, too, just whatever people prefer). - She's told me it's fine for me to make any payments beyond the deposit on the website; doesn't affect her getting credit for making the booking. Hope this helps, Mary

I’m on Regal now & the captain is Tim Stringer. He’s excellent. Great job steering the ship 😊 but also very friendly and informative. He does a daily spot on the Wake Show telling us what’s coming up. Very informative and he clearly enjoys sharing this info. (sorry but I don’t think I’m up to editing the chart on my iPhone). Mary

from what I've seen, it's pretty common that people order a 2nd and sometimes a 3rd lobster (one has always been plenty for us; as @azbirdmom says, with all the courses, there's a lot to eat already). I've not seen anyone go for 15, or even half a dozen, but believe it happens. That behavior may be part of what's behind the new surcharge for seconds of that special entree.

Yikes! I'll continue to check daily.

with so many people on one of the drink packages, it's not in Princess's interest to make it super easy to sit and have drinks brought to you. think about it.

I am wondering the same thing; we also got the last ticket & first on the waitlist, it seems. Luckily, our cruise isn't for quite a while, but I'm checking the waitlist daily. My worry is that I'll miss the notification and not pay in time when it does come up.

under the pool deck you'll hear them dragging pool chairs around about 6 am daily as they set up for the day.

@Coral just had a thought. In your situation, the calculation is actually different. Without the package, you're at risk of leaving some OBC on the table, is how it sounds to me. How much? Take a guess .... whatever the number, subtract that from the cost of the package and you'll get YOUR real price for the package. Very likely that number, YOUR cost, will be close enough to break even that you can justify it to yourself, go ahead and try having the package, & enjoy it! 🙂

@BamaVol Oh, that time in cost accounting gives you an interesting perspective. what you say about the price of mixed drinks makes sense. I’ve read that the restaurant industry makes their money on drinks and desserts. one of our sons told me that a glass of wine is priced at what the bar/restaurant had to pay for the full bottle. That way, they’ve covered their cost when they open a bottle.

I think we're in agreement here -- if you run the numbers based on what you'd spend without the package, you have a fair comparison. OR, if having the package simply adds to your vacation enjoyment, then, again, you have your answer. for us .... we drink a couple of bottles of water a day each. A latte in the morning (are they really $6 each now?). We're not big juice drinkers at home, so with a package we might ask for the fresh squeezed, without the package we're fine with the included orange, grapefruit, or tomato juice, or no juice at all. I like a diet soda with lunch, but if I'm off the ship most days, then I'll be buying that myself anyway. I might have a glass of wine at night, occasionally two, or none. DH drinks way less than that, but sometimes will have a cappuccino after dinner. On a rare hot day, we'll get a cold beverage when we get back on the ship (say a mojito). So, the package just doesn't make a lot of sense for us. OTOH, if we we're talking 2-3 specialty coffees a day each, sodas, 4 bottled waters each, some mocktails, fresh squeezed OJ, juices from the juice bar, fancy deserts, then sure, the package would make sense even with little to no alcohol. It just comes down to running the numbers, or deciding you want the "all inclusive" for your vacation. As far as the packages making money for the cruise line, they're not selling them as loss leaders 😂 Sure, some people come out way ahead, but if the majority did, something would change & fast. Speaking of change, at least one ship came out of dry dock with the casino bar removed. Coincidence? I doubt it. Mary

Yeah, I figured you could do the math 🙂 Mind things are funny. Give yourself a daily budget (for us, $34), and as long as you're under that, you win. So what if the drinks are overpriced? OTOH, if you list out what you'd realistically enjoy each day, and it's close enough to the daily break even, then go for the package & enjoy!! Best, Mary

Yes, it can take a few minutes to do the math. the Platinum 4-device internet is $10 per person per day. Tips are $16 per person per day. So, with the basic package @ $60 per day, we'd each have to drink $34 in bottled water, coffees, mixed drinks, wine, soda, etc. Every single day. We just don't drink that much! Pre-paid for a couple of the 12-packs of water at $7 each. For people who drink a lot of bottled water, coffees, sodas, alcoholic beverages, the package can make sense. For us, not. Seeing the daily spend needed to break even convinced me. Best, Mary

For many people, what you say is very true. We always pay the tips, must have internet, and are light drinkers. At $40 pp/day, it was a break even situation. Now that we qualify for half price internet, and they've dramatically raised the package prices ($40 to $60 is a 50% increase), it no longer makes sense for us. Oh, sure the "convenience" of ordering what we like without worrying is nice and all, but not worth $10-25/day for each of us. Yes, we "did the math" 🙂

When we were there last August we did a tour with Adventure Tours Norway (this is the same company the cruise ships use for several of their offerings in Skolden). This tour included the RIB boat & a nice hike to the Urnes Stave Church, plus a guided tour of the church. It was wonderful. RIB Adventure to UNESCO Urnes stave church - Adventure Tours Mary

I had the same trouble with this port. In the end, we did a ship's excursion "Ryvarden Lighthouse Walk" and it was an excellent day! Really beautiful scenery during the hike, plus with the 30 minute drive out to the starting point for the hike. Mary

@John Bull Thank you so much! With your link it’s clear they are open for cruise passengers on Saturdays. I somehow wasn’t finding that info starting from the states. How lucky are all of us to have your help! Mary

@John Bull I've months ago reserved a Hertz car, but it's for a Saturday in June. My understanding is that the Hertz location, West Quay Industrial Estate, on West Quay Road is somehow open for cruise passengers on Saturday & Sunday, but closed to anyone else. I'm still a bit nervous about how to pick up the car.... don't want to get off our cruise ship and find the agency locked up & us with no car. Any advice? Thanks, Mary