Ombud

Waited in Explorer Lounge until we were the very last off the ship. Then escorted thru the terminal by Princess employee, port agent asked if we were the entire group. Princess said we 'could' sit and wait but when she stated it was just us, port agent said we could reboard. I wondered why I needed my passport as no one was interested in it. Maybe bc there were so few of us? Or is it facial recognition?

Sorry that was your experience @PacnGoNow. In June I didn't stop walking. Escorted thru terminal & back on ship. Technically there were 30 of us but only a dz were gettong right back on. Oddly IC was open but no way to charge us & no servers. I just walked up to barrista, got my tea & almond scones, sat down. Never saw a charge but won't count on that again

Oops. I only bring jeans (dark denim, light denim) & 1 pr green khakis. But I will be wearing a sequin top with my forest green khakis on formal night. (Color appropriate for holiday season) In fact I only own jeans & colored khakis so I second

You should be but I think you'll have a slight fight to get it. Why did you prepay gratuities anyway? Paying them on the ship amounts to the same $$, so why bother? Sometimes there's a valid reason. My April 2024 cruise was booked in early 2020 before the pause. Everything has been repeatedly rolled over until it can finally go: pre-embark gratuities $14.50 pd / pre-embark specialty dining $29 .... yeah I'm pre-paying $304.50 + booking 2 nights in Sabatinis (1 = nc promo, 1 = $29 inc tips). Or I could just pay onboard (CA = $16 pd × 21 days, SD = $35×2 + 18% gratuity less $29 credit). Small benefit for them holding my $$s + FCD for 4 years. It's the principle not the $$s

IThe November 26th Meet and Greet has been moved:

I'm looking forward to finding you both onboard too!!

My dry run is in 10 days .... I've already got my Dove chocolates to put out for steward & room service (yes thats in addition to ca$h), 2 bottles of my favorite wine, and a short list of what new clothes I'd like to buy this weekend. Then to cram it all in a 22" See you onboard in 3 weeks!

JMHO blue lane seems to be like embarking circa 2019 (pre-medallion or at least pre- medallion shipment as I got my two 2019 medallions at the port) whereas green lane is 2019-> with medallion in hand .... yeah I also got spoiled having it on embarkation. But if I flip to blue again or the medallion doesn't arrive in time I'll just spend more of the day in Rome & board after 4pm (all aboard at 7pm)

For those of us who are on standard fare & ordered medallion shipped to our home before it had a surcharge: my screen just flipped to GREEN 23 days before embarkation (16 days before flight). Suggest you do nothing and hopefully it'll flip for you too

Please be careful, they are NOT interchangeable between ships, different sizes are used on different ships, so there is no point in accumulating a stash of them. But, they have been happy to give them to us at Passenger Services at no charge since after the pause. Wow. Didn't know that. I've got 2 product tokens, no washer / dryer ones. If no good then no loss

Hope it stays that way for my cruise next month. April: Royal Princess: free tokens May & June: Emerald Princess B2B: free tokens Think I've still got a few but will definitely ask for more.

Thats the only kind I've ever had here. And yes, Chicago knows how to make a good pizza

Eagerly waiting for my medallion. Still says that its ordered / shipped to home. Hope it stays like that. Question: I've heard that some ships have Gigi pizza by the slice in marketplace. If you have time can you find out?? Otherwise I'll just go to Gigis. Yes I need pizza with a crispy crust

CVP stated: "Thank you for letting me know. I will get it triggered back to you." And sure enough I have it today, 1 day later

( thanks @Sn0cruiser ) Note to self: checked to see where my refund was. Voyage still overpaid 3 weeks later. So sent a msg to CVP requesting that she process

What about making the reservations 1 at a time instead of the entire voyage? That usually works for me. If you can not get preferred time 1 night try an alternative restaurant Or go at 5. That's an unpopular time for many cruises (except Florida)

@teddie2 heres my 2c. Take the Moroccan excursion with Princess but (and this is a big but) do a small excursion tour. You can find ones all the way down to a dz participants (I always look under excursion details for vehicle size avoiding bus, look towards mini-van or where it says small excursion). Anyone on your roll call putting something together for Italy, France, or Spain? I just booked 2 through my roll call (limited to 7-8 participants) & 2 through Princess (minivan limited to 20 max and jeep limited to 7). Personally hate being part of a huge group (25+) waiting for a straggler

Flight is at 16:30. What time should I board train? How long does it take to get through airport? (And yes I can self disembark)

Thanks @monkey@cruise. I can fit 3 weeks worth in that little case (all toiletries & meds fit in a quart bag) so I will just carry my 2 bottles wine on separately. Did the conversion & cab to train station = $18. And found that even Diamond Princess is due to dock at Daikoku so now trying to figure out 1/2 day Sightseeing while arriving to the "other" pier ... I've got 4 hrs to explore

Thanks @monkey@cruise. Thinking of just taking my little case (17") instead of big one (22") as it's easier to walk around with. Cruise is just 22 days so there's plenty of room in it. A little disappointing that Royal won't dock at Osanbashi but hoping there's a desk at Daikoku. Apparently I've been looking at wrong pier.

I started this when CCL desperately needed $$s during pandemic. Anyone interested in starting a thread re: size of new ships as many lines (Costa, Cunard, PCL) added new builds (not transfers in)

Especially since the only 2 ships built for ever-growing Asian markets are Majestic and Diamond

I'd be surprised if the Diamond went, wouldn't be surprised if the Grand was transferred over to POAU

Minor change: 1. Costa Atlantica -> CSSC -> MAS ISLANDER 2. Costa Mediterranea -> CSSC joint venture 3. Costa neoRomantica -> Celestyal Cruises Experience 4. HAL Amsterdam -> Fred Olsen Bolette 5. HAL Rotterdam -> Fred Olsen Borealis 6. HAL Maasdam -> Seajets Aegan Myths 7. HAL Veendam -> Seajets Aegean Majesty 8. P&O Oceana -> Seajets Queen of the Oceans 9. POAU Pacific Aria -> Seajets 10. POAU Pacific Dawn -> Ambassador Ambience 11. Sea Princess > Foresee Cruises Charming 12. Sun Princess > Peace Boat Pacific World 13. Pacific Princess > Azamara Onward 14. AIDAcara -> Astoria Grande 15. AIDAmira -> Ambassador Ambition 16. AIDAvita-> left June 2022. 17. Costa Fortuna -> ??? 18. Costa Magica -> Seajets 19. AIDAAura -> Miray Cruises 20. Seabourn Odyssey -> Mitsui O.S.K. Lines but leased back to Seaborn for cruises already booked Scrapped: 21. Costa Victoria 22. Carnival Fantasy 23. Carnival Inspiration 24. Carnival Fascination 25. Carnival Imagination 26. Carnival Ecstasy 27. Carnival Sensation

Oh snap! I could've billed my travel insurance for my deductible?? Oh well. 🤑