dshimizu

I could easily find the CC member's list before.  Where is it now?

Can't find the members list.  I want to find out which cruise my friends are going on!

Hi Amelia and Gloria! Happy New Year!

Amelia, so very to hear that you are finally on the mend and enjoying what sound like some fabulous Caribbean ports that we have yet to explore. Enjoying reading your LIVE and look forward to hearing more of your adventures! Sounds like the shopping has been a success!

Gloria, we made 2/3 MTP lunches on 1-10 day cruises then 2-7 days cruises on the Regal. First cutoff was in the mid 300's, second was in the low 500's, third was 427 and we had 429 days at the time. We had heard that there was going to be a huge crew change just as we disembarked on Nov 20. That might account for some of the dining issues you have encountered. We had no complaints about the food in the DR--not overly fabulous but OK. Service was exceptional, perhaps because we had a quiet table for 2 next to a wall for the duration with dedicated staff. Never had to ask twice for anything ever. Together with the Royal, their buffets are the best of any ship in the fleet. While Bill preferred the DR, I could easily have eaten more dinners in the buffet than the 2 or 3 we did do.

Gloria, please give our best regards to Meredith, Bob and Kim!

Enjoy your day in Antigua! There are a couple of nice shops near the port. Many were closed the day we were there but Bill bought a lovely water colour at the shop with all sorts of handmade, recycled jewelery, trinkets, artwork.

Amelia/Gloria,

Happy holidays to you both! We absolutely loved the Regal on our recent 24 day cruise from New York to the Caribbean! We sure enjoyed that wonderful cruise to South America with you Such great memories! Looking fireard to your posts. All our wishes to you and your better halves for lots of happiness, good health and fun cruising in 2017!

PS. We are spending Christmas in Borrego Springs!

xxoo Deb and Bill

Don't believe that we can get this card either. Unless someone knows different?!?

Charles, a true Masterpiece! Thanks so much for putting such a detailed and entertaining video together as a remembrance of such a delightful cruise...so much so we will likely sign up again should they repeat this cruise in October 2017! Regards Deb and "the other" Bill

Thanks! Hopefully I will get blank coffee cards next week on the Grand and then take them on the Crown in October

QUOTE We just returned from sailing on the Golden and had old, unused coffee card No problem getting brewed coffee...Golden now has one person at a computer screen and they take you card and your room card. You order what you want and it is transmitted to staff making the coffees. They did not punch our card for anything. When you move over to pick up area they have your name so they call your name and hand you your coffee. It seems to work very well.

I guess it all just depends! I was just on the Golden in May '15 for 10 days and produced a brand new card (name of cruise unsigned) in the IC I had purchased the card earlier this year. On first use, the man behind the counter gave me the "once-over" for given him an "unsigned" CC and promptly filled in "Golden Princess/Cruise #."

On 3 day cruise next week, I intend to trade mini-bar for 2 coffee cards. Normally we take the bar setup. Do the new coffee cards have to have at least one punch used to use again on future cruises, ie. the Crown in Oct/Nov?

In March 2012 someone posted:

Your totally unused card can be used:

1. For any specialty, but not unlimited brewed.

2. For any specialty with brewed getting a punch too

3. For exchange to a new card on that specific ship, which will give you the 15 punches and all the fresh brewed; but only for the duration of that cruise.

4. For any specialty and even if you don't use all the punches, you can still use what's left on your next cruise.

Does #3 apply anymore?

We just returned from sailing on the Golden and had old coffee card (shown above)...No problem getting brewed coffee...Golden now has one person at a computer screen and they take you card and your room card. You order what you want and it is transmitted to staff making the coffees. They did not punch our card for anything. When you move over to pick up area they have your name so they call your name and hand you your coffee. It seems to work very well.

Guess I t all just depends! I was on the Golden in May and produced a brand new card (name of cruise unsigned) in the IC I had purchased the card earlier this year. On first use, man behind the counter gave me the "once-over" for

given him an "unsigned" CC.

On 3 day cruise next week I intend to trade mini-bar for 2 coffee cards. Normally we take the bar setup. Do the new cards have to have at least one punch used to use on Future cruises?

IN March 2012 someone posted:

Your totally unused card can be used:

1. For any specialty, but not unlimited brewed.

2. For any specialty with brewed getting a punch too

3. For exchange to a new card on that specific ship, which will give you the 15 punches and all the fresh brewed; but only for the duration of that cruise.

4. For any specialty and even if you don't use all the punches, you can still use what's left on your next cruise.

Does #3 apply anymore?

You are on the right track, but the timing may well not work for you. If you are left with a large refundable OBC on board and they want to send a cheque and not pay you out at the PSD, then your check may well not arrive from Princess before you leave for the Tahiti cruise.

.

IF A BALANCE OF OBC OR CASINO CREDITS Will the cheque be in USD OR Cdn? OR will the balance be sent back on my Cdn credit card. OR is there a chance they may give me cash.

As far as I know all cruises booked in Canadian $$$, and departing before the end of September, are getting the 10% deal. Any departure date after September is getting the 20% deal until furter notice (if booked in Canadian $$$). At least that what was explained by the Princess rep.

 

Theo

Nope, not 10% for us. We booked a 3 day coastal in early July on the Grand, leaving Vancouver on Sept 12. Exchange is 20% for sure. Apparently different ships are treating the exchange issue differently. Oh well, 20% is hellava lot better than what our 28 day cruise in October that we booked in USD will cost. Although given the discount we got on the US price compared to the current Princess CDN price, we are only paying whatever US exchange over 1.30 will cost plus onboard and private excursion costs in USD.

Most credit cards include a 2.25% foreign currency. For example I have a credit card issued by CHASE BANK which does not levy this premium on foreign currency exchanges, and I use it for all of my U.S. $$ purchases.

FYI, ".....Unfortunately, none of Canada’s largest credit card companies (RBC, TD, CIBC, BMO, Scotia, Capital One, Canadian Tire or PC Bank) offer a credit card without a foreign transaction fee. They all charge a foreign transaction fee of 2.5%, on top of the exchange rate set by Visa or Mastercard. They do the same for debit cards either when making a purchase at a U.S. retailer or from an ATM. The only credit card issuer in Canada that offers credit cards without a foreign transaction fee is Chase Canada.

As a result, when using your travel credit card out of country or at a U.S. online merchant, whether it be your Aeroplan, Avion, or Air Miles credit card, you may be earning 1%-2% in rewards per dollar spent, but you’re being charged 2.5% per dollar spent in foreign transaction fees, for a net loss of up to 1.5% for every dollar you spend outside of Canada!

The lesson? Avoid exchanging your Canadian dollars at the bank, taking out money at the ATM or using a credit card with foreign transaction fees while travelling or shopping online. The best way to get the lowest currency exchange rate is to use a credit card without a foreign transaction fee. You’ll get the best currency exchange rate, the most convenience and won’t have to worry about carrying cash in your wallet.

While Chase Canada offers several cards to Canadians without a foreign transaction fee (Amazon Visa, Sears Mastercard), our favorite for travelers is the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Card:

Up to 5 free hotel nights welcome bonus

First year annual fee waived

One free hotel night each year you keep the card thereafter, which effectively off-sets the ongoing annual fee

5 points per dollar spent at Marriott, 2 points per dollar spent at airlines, restaurants & car rentals, 1 point per dollar spent everywhere else...."

Do we really want a Marriott card?

If they do, being hit with exchange rate plus service charge?

 

The exchange rate as of July 25, to convert CDN to US is $1.33.

Not unusual to pay an addition 2.5% service charge. In Canada we don't have the variety of fee-less credit cards that they have in the States. We can't even get the Princess Visa!!

Will your bank charge you anything to cash a US cheque for US$?

No as I have a USD account. If you wonder why we don't use USD to pay for our cruises booked in the US, it's because we can't get a US credit card in Canada with any benefits!

We are also in exactly the same situation as you. We recently booked 3 cruises in 2016 in USD with the sip and sail package. On the phone yesterday with Princess they gave me the CDN prices, and using a 1.30% conversion, we were still $250-$350 better off staying with the US TA. However, the main deciding factor for not switching at this time is that we have no CDN FCC's. When on our Tahiti cruise in October we will get a bunch of CDN FCC's recognizing that the Sip and Sail event may not continue past August. Yes, we have to look at repricing after we get back from Tahiti.

Do you think it OK to get 1,000 to $2000 USD on a 3 day cruise in Sept.?

This question may have been asked before but I think our situation could be a little different. I recently booked a short cruise in Canadian $ leaving Sept 12. The rate is for purchasing OBC's etc is 20%

We had also booked a 28 day cruise to Tahiti leaving October 17 in $USD. through a TA in Florida. After checking with Princess, because of the discounts we got through the TA the cruise cost is pretty much a saw off. We used US FCC's and currently have no CDN FCC's. We realize that will get zinged with onboard purchases and tour costs.

I wonder if there is an advantage to purchase a bunch, Ie. $1000. Of OBC's on the Sept cruise at 1.20%? Assume we would get a USD refund cheque after that trip, then cash it and take that $1000. USD to Tahiti.

Am I on the right track or out to lunch?

I always book in $US so when I booked my cruise our dollar was not too bad.

Then every day it became to sink.I phoned Princess and was getting them to rebook in Canadian which was at 20% more.Realize could not make 45 days with an increase .Phoned Princess again and downgraded to the 30day leg but the agent booked it in $US:

Question to you:

Were you always booking with Princess or a TA? If a TA, did you cancel with him/her then rebook with Princess or ?

Ditto for my Cdn TA. Can price most cruise lines in either currency

Just a question to fellow Canadians cruisers: are there any discount cruise consolidators in Canada offering reasonable prices? For years we have booked in the US as we hadn't been able to find any comparable pricing in Canada. I know we can't discuss agencies, but right now, if you check both CDN and US Princess sites for the same exact cruises, there seem to have been recent large drops in CDN prices whereas the US prices remain the same. Nothing as simple as 10 or 20% higher/lower. Seems to me if we didn't have to book through US TA's to get discounts, maybe the price spreads wouldn't be so great at a time when our dollar is dropping with no rebound in site. Any ideas?

I just booked a 3 day cruise last week, in Canadian funds, on the Grand Princess leaving Vancouver on Sept 12, 2015. Today I went onto My Princess to prepay gratuities and the charge will be 20% ($34.50 x 1.20 = $41.40). I was going to buy some OBC's too but was hoping that the rate was still 1.10. Would phoning Princess make a difference or is now just 1.20 and that's that?!?!

Purchased Sept. cruise in Cdn. Just went to pay my gratuities online. Rate was 1.20. So for sure the 1.10 days are over!

Loved your amazing photos riding an elephant! Gosh, I had never heard of some of these ports before and am enjoying your reviews so much. Sihanoukville? What a fantastic day you had there with the children and the Hotel training school. Bet you are having a ball shopping!?! I'm jealous! Tried looking up the Inside Dragon Mall but no luck! Off to Hanoi in 9 more sleeps. I didn't realize you were on a back to back cruise. New and interesting ports I'm sure! Keep writing. I'm feeling like we are right alongside you...just don't have am armful of shopping bags to prove it! Deb

Hi Amelia! Have a wonderful time on the Sapphire! We sailed from Singapore to Sydney on the Diamond over Christmas several years ago and loved the itinerary. In two weeks I'll be in Hanoi! Sorry to be missing you in Ankor Wat but will be following along with your reports! Hope you and Ken have a wonderful time. All the very best holiday wishes to you both. See you in the New Year! xxoo Deb and Bill

Our crazy "Table of 10" was an absolute blast in every way! While we have almost recovered from 5 1/2 weeks away, we dearly miss all the dinner laughs and pranks...not to name names...you know who you are!! Thanks to all of you for making our cruise extra special!

I would agree with much of Amelia's review along with cudos to Lisa Ball, one of the most personable, hardworking CD's we have encountered yet. A great plus on the Royal is the in-room Video on Demand with loads of movies, sports, documentaries, ship entertainment reruns etc. We did not run into any bathroom problems in D724. Our, really my, only issue was the lack of storage on the Deluxe Balcony. Yep the regular balcony has more drawers.

6 of the 10 of us will be cruising together again in October...can't wait. We will start planning our pranks in the meantime! Deb and Bill